Driven

[montu]

Hey Guys,

Quick Intro -

I'm a casual player looking to get as good as possible given time constraints. I'm currently a consistent 3-2 (sometimes 4-1) at my local FNM (Appleton, WI).

I'm heavily invested on paper and online. (Fortunately, money is not much of a constraint.)

Strengths:
- Analytical / Methodical
- Tactics
- Play Testing

Weaknesses:
- Playing the MetaGame

I've been working my way through the PyroRed thread. I anticipate participating on the forum as soon as I feel like I can add some value.

[Kaitscralt]

Throw some of that constraint-free money my way

[( G_R )]

I stopped reading at "casual player".

[zemanjaski]

Hola.

Lets be honest, if you're a 3-2 at FNM player, your list of weaknesses is longer than you think. Luckily, we're here to help.

[Kazekirimaru]

Welcome~!

[montu]

Hola.

Lets be honest, if you're a 3-2 at FNM player, your list of weaknesses is longer than you think. Luckily, we're here to help.

LOL . . . okay +Denial to the list of weaknesses.

I've got a couple 3-1 results for MTGO Standard Daily. Does that count for anything these days?

http://www.mtggoldfish.com/tournament/13083
http://www.mtggoldfish.com/tournament/13073

[hamfactorial]

Don't tell anyone here that you played Vexing Devil

[DroppinSuga]

Vexing Devil you say?

[DroppinSuga]

I also came here because I thought it was about the movie starring Sylvester Stallone.

[montu]

Don't tell anyone here that you played Vexing Devil

I've corrected my misguided ways. Either that, or it rotated out. Can't remember which.

[zemanjaski]

I think you'll get along here just fine. Look forward to seeing you around the forums.

[windstrider]

Welcome to the asylum.

[montu]

Here's a more realistic analysis -

Strengths:
- Ability to (generally) get whatever cards I need (paper and online)
- Good at tactics / calculations / playing what's on the board
- Methodical / willing to put in effort
- Solid understanding of Rules (and I always read/understand the FAQs)

Weaknesses:
- Time Constraint (I'd easily invest 4 hours a day if I could. I get 1 in general.)
- Poor mulligan planning (When I take the time to list out when I mulligan in various situations, it provides significant benefit. I don't do it nearly enough.)
- JUST starting to learn when I need to hold back play instead of 100% aggressive. (Getting better, but have opportunity still.)
- OCD about not getting rid of cards until I have a playset (that ultimately drives up the cost of the game for me)
- Not proactive in learning metagame decks (Another way of saying this is I'm not good playing against what's _not_ on the
board. e.g., When playing against MoW, I had to get surprised 3-4 times from a Cyclonic Rift before I start playing around it. Oh, yeah, and then the overload surprised me.)
- Not good at articulating strategy (other than basic concepts, e.g., curve, etc). I suppose that means I actually don't understand strategy.

Opportunities:
- Good deal of time before next set. I'm trying to take full advantage of this!

Threats:
- The metagame changes quickly at my local FNM. The top players rarely play more than 1-2 weeks of the same deck.

MY PLAN:

Based on this analysis, I'm going to do the following:
- Stick with 1 deck - PyroRed through the end of the year
- Build exhaustive mulligan rules
- Build a notebook of major archetypes and how to play against them

I'll keep you posted.

[DroppinSuga]

You're a scientist aren't you?

[hamfactorial]

Science is perfectly fine when done safely

[montu]

You're a scientist aren't you?

Ph.D. Chemical Engineer

[Kaitscralt]

You can't commit to one deck. We have a metagame unlike anything in ages (Synergy.dec over Good Mythic Stuff.decs - thanks Devotion!) so you have to be willing to adapt at a whim including ditching an archetype.
Now luckily red is great right now so you should be fine with your basic staple shells, but don't say you're playing a Pyro deck for the next year. Instead be more excited to see what the rest of the block brings and hope things get flipped on their head again.

I love this Standard format.

[montu]

... don't say you're playing a Pyro deck for the next year...

No, I'm sticking with it through the end of the year (i.e., 6 more weeks).

Then I might try splashing White for a bit.

But, I totally agree with you. Once Born of Gods cycles in, it will be time to re-evaluate.

Also . . . I just posted in the PyroRed thread, I took 2nd out of 28 at FNM tonight with the deck. (4-1, winning 8 of 11 games)

[fadedblue]

im glad you have drive to focus on the 'intricacies' of a mono red deck. i posted a link in the strategies section that will help you with understanding on when you move from aggressive to control under certain circumstances. although its an old article using dated cards, the point still sticks. i believe there is also some tips on mulligan in that forum as well. since your a math guy, you might enjoy it. (im more of a gut instinct type player) be comfortable with your synergies and study the other decks in your format and how you can work with them... as Stephen Hawking would say "intelligence is the ability to adapt to change". or maybe even better....Bruce Lee "empty your mind, be formless, shapeless, like water...it can flow or it can crash.." =)

[DocLawless]

You. Montu. I will forever picture Stallone when I read your posts. Well played, sir.

Good job at FNM. I can confirm Pyro white splash is the tits.