Round 3.5 - Sealed Constructed

andymc1 wrote:

If this were to go ahead, other than the problems others have suggested, there may also arise a problem with those who have paid more than 1 ticket to enter. Zoomzilla, by all rights could ask for 5 card pools, which would definitely be 'unbalanced' in terms of his chances of doing well in the league, compared to those who just paid the standard one ticket. This kind of reminds my of poker re-buys, but we do not want to give the players who have the largest pockets an advantage in any way, do we? After all that's part of the fun of Constructed Pauper, an even playing field.

Though it would make for a larger prize pool, on balance imo after the extra work involved and the other problems mentioned I wouldn't be in favor of doing it.

Maybe it should scale, and have a cap? Idk.. like 2 tix for second pool, 3 for third, etc. and cap it at 3? Idk.. Jmason did say that he's bairly keeping up so maybe just disregard this idea all together..

Results:
Lenney vs. KeelerRabbit W 2-1

Lenney wrote:

Maybe it should scale, and have a cap? Idk.. like 2 tix for second pool, 3 for third, etc. and cap it at 3? Idk.. Jmason did say that he's bairly keeping up so maybe just disregard this idea all together..

You ever wish you could take something back? I am making myself appear ungrateful here. What with Andy's stirling recruitment efforts we are enjoying the biggest league round forthe last 6 months, and anything I can do to make that run smoothly is no trouble at all.
I stand by the decision not to allow replacements in this round, if only because some players who have already played a lot of matches (wildman) would be at an unfair disadvantage. It is my policy not to change rules mid-round if it can be avoided.

My thinking for the next time we run this format is to try to build in some kind of pool 'mulligan'. This would be at no extra cost to the player, and be limited in the number of times. I see this as a fix for 'bad pools'* and not for 'staleness'. The leagues only run for 5 weeks, so compared to, say, standard pauper, format staleness isn't a long term issue.

* if you do have a bad pool then please do ask for assistance. There are a number of very clever deckbuilders in the clan who will be only to happy to help.

Results:

SardofKC 2-1 InsanePete

Results:

AkhkharuXul 2-1 SardofKC
AkhkharuXul 2-0 jmh
AkhkharuXul 2-0 MagikBear

AkhkharuXul 2-1 InsanePete

List 22.jmh, http://www.johnmason.plus.com/3.5/22.Invasion-Conflux-Betrayers%20of%20Kamigawa-Guildpact-Tenth%20Edition-Planar%20Chaos-Mirrodin-Legions.txt

1 Shinka Gatekeeper
1 Veil of Secrecy
1 Frenetic Sliver
1 Capashen Unicorn
1 Tukatongue Thallid
1 Call for Blood
1 Leonin Den-Guard
1 Rhox Meditant
1 Peek
1 Body of Jukai
1 Silhana Ledgewalker
1 Vigorous Charge
1 Bloodrock Cyclops
1 Aven Trailblazer
1 Might of Alara
1 Hunter Sliver
1 Dehydration
1 Unstable Frontier
1 Crack the Earth
1 Conjurer's Ban
1 Soul Foundry
1 Stalking Tiger
1 Goblin Outlander
1 Tower Drake
1 Sanguine Praetor
1 Skyhunter Patrol
1 Shoreline Raider
1 Ninja of the Deep Hours
1 Tainted Well
1 Wall of Hope
1 Valiant Guard
1 Harmonize
1 Unholy Strength
1 Skullmane Baku
1 Gigadrowse
1 Ember Weaver
1 Saltfield Recluse
1 Razor Barrier
1 Absolver Thrull
1 Skyward Eye Prophets
1 Sootfeather Flock
1 Ghitu Encampment
1 Lumengrid Warden
1 Vectis Agents
1 Macetail Hystrodon
1 Great Furnace
1 Synchronous Sliver
1 Aven Warhawk
1 Shrapnel Blast
1 Overload
1 Kitsune Palliator
1 Firefright Mage
1 Blademane Baku
1 Skyhunter Cub
1 Rampant Growth
1 Cloudreach Cavalry
1 Detonate
1 Melancholy
1 Shrieking Grotesque
1 Cloudpost
1 Wingbeat Warrior
1 Patron of the Wild
1 Kavu Scout
1 Retether
1 Strength of Unity
1 Shatter
1 Wallop
1 Swamp
1 Guardian's Magemark
1 Goblin Assassin
1 Blinding Light
1 Hurricane
1 Hellkite Hatchling
1 Elf Replica
1 Talisman of Indulgence
1 Necrogen Spellbomb
1 Nekrataal
1 Ridged Kusite
1 Shaper Parasite
1 Crawling Filth
1 Devouring Strossus
1 Dismal Failure
1 Rushwood Dryad
1 Karplusan Strider
1 Mana Tithe
1 Petalmane Baku
1 Gatherer of Graces
1 Blinding Powder
1 Repeal
1 Starved Rusalka
1 Havoc Demon
1 Drag Down
1 Orzhov Signet
1 Serpentine Kavu
1 Master Transmuter
1 Starlight Invoker
1 Tigereye Cameo
1 Embalmed Brawler
1 Grixis Illusionist
1 Gruul Signet
1 Sinew Sliver
1 Veiling Oddity
1 Orzhov Euthanist
1 Glintwing Invoker
1 Vodalian Merchant
1 Daru Stinger
1 Blind Hunter
1 Shade of Trokair
1 Stir the Grave
1 Fugitive Wizard
1 Deadly Grub
1 Dream's Grip
1 Severed Legion
1 Vulshok Gauntlets
1 Mountain
1 Lionheart Maverick
1 Yomiji, Who Bars the Way
1 Skirk Outrider
1 Gnarled Mass
1 Crown of Flames

Minor fix to the standings table. It stopped working at 18 contestants. Could you please let me know if you discover any other problems.

Results
Lenney 2-1 mwkelley

mooncalf 2 - 0 zoomzilla

Results:

SardofKC 2-1 Zoomzilla

Results:

ChrisMH77 2-0 NimnoD
ChrisMH77 2-1 negative_optimist
ChrisMH77 2-1 AkhkharuXul
ChrisMH77 2-1 SardofKC

I'd like to issue a gentle reminder to those who haven't yet paid me their entrance fee for this round. This league has always been fortunate in having sporting participants, and it would be a sad day if I had to begin setting out penalties.

InsanePete defeats Andymc1! That might deserve a special prize.

Another win YAY!!!
InsanePete 2-1 ChrisMH77
InsanePete 2-0 SardofKC
InsanePete 0-2 Negative_Optimist

We are down to the last 2 days of this round, and there are a lot of unplayed matches. If any of you do want to play your remaining matches then don't just wait for challenges, look at the scoretable above and go pm anyone you see who you are still able to play. You can play 20 matches overall, and you can play up to 2 matches against any person. There are some nice prizes to be had remember. Good luck.

It's over.

Well done Andymc1, a well deserved 1st place, and he claims the Yavimaya Elder. I get the prize pick for 2nd, so I'm handing that down to Akhkharuxul for a brave 4th place finish in his debut round. Chrismh77 adds more season points to remain top of the season table. A special mention for InsanePete who was the only player to be able to defeat Andymc1! Stonerbasher27 picks up the door prize of a prize pick.

Thank you all again for making this a memorable round, and I look forward to duelling most of you in the next round, pauper standard format.

A final word concerning random sealed format. I have learned a painful lesson regarding power levels, and I'd like to reassure you that next time we do this it will be more evenly balanced. The best suggestion I have received is to start from a prearranged card pool selected for fun and consistent deckbuilding, maybe just a few hundred cards from which random boosters will be pulled.

jm