Subject: Why Ban The "academy" ? Date: Fri, 20 Nov 1998 23:44:52 -0600 From: "Boogie" To: Please post this frank, I'd hate to see the academy banned instead of MOM... its unreal! Banning Academy? What?!? According to the 'news and rumors' section on the dojo they are banning the Academy. WHAT THE HELL? I'll be first to say that one of the cards from the 'stroke' deck needs to be removed. I don't agree that it should be the stroke. Furthermore I feel that the banning of reoccuring nightmare is a bad idea, even though it does set up a quick infite combo... this combo can easily be disrupted... while the stroke deck cannot. Let me explain. First, let's look at the 6 most important cards to the stroke deck. Stroke Of Genius This card is very important as both a kill card, as well as a search card for the deck. Many say that this is the part of the deck that, once gone, leaves the deck unplayable. As this card belongs in many decks it shouldn't be the first choice. So let's look at a few factors. all are graded in a scale of one to ten. How good is it in the 'stroke' deck? 10 How good is it in other deck types? 7-8 (being an instant speed geyser its very, very good. can still be strong in a counter pheonix deck, or big blue..) So, think about it. This card obviously looks like a true contendor. It is good in almost any situation... its strong in other decks, just not in the stroke deck.. However, by banning it you leave it 'unplayable' for decks that would use it, without abusing it. Mind Over Matter This card is one of the major keys... second only to the stroke, it has no replacement. While it can almost be replaced by 4 twiddles in a stroke deck, it just doesn't quite work the same. How good is it in the 'stroke' deck? 10 (I'd give it an 11 if I could) How good is it in other deck types? 0 (has this ever been in another deck type? c'mon!) Banning MOM would simply remove the 'stroke' deck from the scene, What other deck does MOM belong in? NOTHING. when you remove this from the type 2 scene, you simply do NOT hurt any other deck type. This is my card of choic e. Time Spiral This card is also very very important. Without this card the deck becomes very chancy... it simply won't function as often... probably only 1/2 as often as with this card. How good is it in the 'stroke' deck? 9 (while its important, the deck can live without it) How good is in other deck types? 6 (it's casting cost keeps it out of most decks that could use it) Overall, this does not hurt the deck as much as losing either of the above two cards. I've won without drawing a single time spiral. However, I do belive that this card can be very abusable in other deck types. Windfall This card has the ability to net huge card advantage. It can really work well outside of the 'stroke' deck and I think once the stroke deck becomse passe then this card will find a home in other spots. How good is it in the 'stroke' deck? 8 How good is it in other deck types? 8 This card is strong, however, I don't feel it is abusable. Is it possible to slip this card in a blue/red deck? I don't know, but what I do know is that type 2 can really be hurt by losing this powerful and potent card. It should not be the choice. Mana Vault: This card breaks one of the cardinal rules of magic... it provides more mana than it costs. It has an almost negligble drawback and its drawback can be 'bought off' in later turns. How good is it in the 'stroke' deck? 9 How good is it in other deck types? 3 (what other deck has this been in since the loss of serra/sengir? will this ever be in a hatred deck?) This card can be banned and possibly should be. Its been on the watch list time and time again, and possibly needs to be removed. I dont' expect to se this card in 6th edition, however its potent, while not being broken. If you combine it with any of the above cards, its still not broken... UNLESS YOU COMBINE IT WITH MoM! Once this card is combined with MoM its obscene. Who needs acadamey when you have the vault? I've gone off plenty of times after having my academy has been lobotomized or wasted. Tolarian Academy: This card seems to be the cornerstone of the deck, but I think after playtesting it is not. It does break some of the rules of magic... it provides LOTS of mana in the right deck, and is useful quite often. It can give you early speed boosts... however, it is restricted by not only being a land, but a NON BASIC, legendary land! The more popular this card is, the bigger its drawback. How good is it in the 'stroke' deck? 8 How good is it in other deck types? 5 I'd like to see a good artifact deck built around this card. Would it be broken if it couldn't be tapped/untapped an infinte number of times? Nope. And if this card isn't banned it WILL see good use in type II, i think, after seeing just some of the potent artifacts that will hit the shelves this cycle. I think banning this card in type 2, or any format, would not be beneficial. Overall, the one 'banning' that would dismantle the deck, and have the least impact on type 2 would be mind over matter. Where the hell else is this card useful? Can you think of a single other use. WHAT ABOUT CRAB CRAFT? Also, I want to talk about crab craft... isn't this deck almost as potent as academy? I think its WAAAAAYYY more potent than recurring nightmare recursion... I've seen it go off on turn one or two, and, it doesn't need any of the cards above... This combo has had me worried from the begninng... considering most of the cards in the deck are common as dirt. BANNING THE NIGHTMARE: Wotc, don't do this. There is more than enough disruption to stop this 'infinte combo' from dominating the scene. While I've not playtested this as much as I'm sure others have, I can still safely say that losing this card will destroy a deck archetype that is fun to play... God knows you've put more than enough spoilers to fit in every deck type there is... and while the deck is potent, it isn't as strong as sligh is right now. Of all of the STATES tourneys that have been won, about 50% have been academy, while another 40% have been sligh! Not a single tourney has been won by nightmare, however this card is being watched? I almost find this absurd. Wait until its proven itself as too strong before you ban it. I don't think it has yet. Please, feel free to respond. I'd love to hear any and all comments. Thanks in advance!