Magic 2014 Intro Pack

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Happy Monday MTG peeps,

For today's post, we wanted to get along to a review of a Magic 2014 Intro Pack.  These preconstructed theme decks are possibly the best way to get into Magic: the Gathering if you are new to the game, or if your more seasoned, a lot of players we know battle each other with Intro Packs which makes for a lot a fun as Wizards of the Coast makes all efforts to attempt to balance the power of these decks.

MTG Realm grabbed a new Magic: the Gathering Magic 2014 core set Intro Pack and a handful of M14 booster packs for this brief unboxing and review.


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For a MRSP of only $15, here's what you get -

• Premium foil card
• A full 60 card deck
• Two M14 booster packs
• Learn to play insert
• Strategy guide

We got the M14 'Lightforce' Intro Pack (white / green just happen to our fav colours) - Here's some descriptive text off the box -

Wield the power of light, booster your creatures with powerful enchantments.  If your opponents don't crumble under the first wave of your assault, they'll be primed for defeat when your larger beasts hit the battlefield.

With enchantments being hinted as being a thingy in 'Theros', the next set  this fall, we're certain to be well prepared to modify and take this Intro Pack to the next level.
 

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DGM Intro Pack UnBox

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Happy Saturday MTG peeps,

We're finally back from the wilderness and have access to the interwebs, which means we have some catching up to do.  One of the first things we did when we got back to the city was drop by our local Games Store, OMG! Games, here in Barrie, Ontario and picked up some of the new Dragon's Maze cards.  We also have an order in to MTG Mint Card which should be arriving shortly, so look for our Top 5 uncommons and commons for Dragon's Maze.

As is our custom here at MTG Realm, we unbox an Intro Pack from each of the newest Magic: the Gathering set.  Here, before your very eyes is out vid and run down for the black / white 'Orzhov Power' Intro Pack -
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The two booster packs that came with the Intro Pack gave us a Varolz, the Scar Stripped, and the 'fuse' rare 'Flesh / Blood'.  The three additional packs we got also rocked - Tesya, Envoy of Ghosts, a FOIL Vorel of the Hull Clade, Reap Intellect and a Trait Doctoring - not too shabby!

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Orzhov Power
One thing the Orzhov know how to do is savor victory. With the "Orzhov Power" deck, let your devotees clog up the ground while bats and spirits fly overhead, leaving you to enjoy draining the life out of your foe.

27 land : 4 Orzhov Guildgate, 11 Plains, 12 Swamp

23 creatures : 3 Bane Alley Blackguard, 2 Basilica Screecher, 2 Tithe Drinker, 1 Basilica Guards, 1 Kingpin's Pet, 2 Sin Collector, 1 Crypt Ghast, 2 Dark Revenant, 2 Ubul Sar Gatekeepers, 1 Bazaar Krovod, 2 Steeple Roc, 2 Maw of the Obzedat, 1 Smog Elemental, 1 Teysa, Envoy of Ghosts

10 other spells : 1 Dying Wish, 2 Orzhov Cluestone, 1 Riot Control, 1 Crypt Incursion, 1 Gift of Orzhova, 2 Fatal Fumes, 1 Assassin's Strike, 1 Profit // Loss

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Anywhoos - drop by your local gaming store to pick one up.  To find a store near you carrying MTG, check out the handy Wizards Locator.  For a very reasonable MSRP of only $15, here's what you get :

• 1 premium (foil) card,
• 1 pre-constructed 60-card deck,
• 2 Dragon's Maze boosters (15 cards each),
• 1 learn-to-play insert,
• 1 strategy insert. 

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Selesnya Surge

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Happy Thursday MTG peeps,

This weekend is Return to Ravnica Game Day. We'll head down to OMG! Games here in Central Ontario to Friday Night Magic to take our standard constructed builds for a test run and then sling cards on Saturday.

Today's post is a bit of catchup for us.  As is tradition here at MTG Realm, we capture an Intro Pack from the latest set, do a video dissection for you and then provide a derpy review.  Well, here it is - let's have a look at Return to Ravnica's G/W 'Selesnya Surge' Intro Pack . . .
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After about 3 games, we felt that the list is decent for an Intro Pack.  First changes we would make to personalise this is to provide additional focus on the goal of making loads of happy tokens.  We suggest dropping some spells to make room for some more mana dorks like Arbor Elf and Avacyn's Pilgrim to get to quicker to those Call of the Conclave and Centaur Healers.  Where you take it from there is up to you but we think this will deliver big fun to the novice player.

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With a MRSP of $15, you get
•  1 premium card,
•  1 60-card deck,
•  2 Return to Ravnica booster packs,
•  1 learn-to-play insert,
•  1 strategy insert

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Selesnya Surge - g/w
Grove of the Guardian. The Selesnya Conclave relentlessly seeks to grow its ranks—both outward and upward. Use the populate ability to multiply your largest token creatures, then go forth and spread the good word. Grow big or go home! 

25 lands : 12  Forest, 1  Grove of the Guardian*, 11  Plains, 1  Selesnya Guildgate

17 creatures : 1  Arbor Elf, 1  Axebane Stag, 1  Brushstrider, 3  Centaur Courser, 1  Centaur Healer, 2  Centaur’s Herald, 1  Healer of the Pride, 1  Phantom General, 1  Risen Sanctuary, 3  Seller of Songbirds, 1  Vitu-Ghazi Guildmage, 1  Wayfaring Temple*

18 other spells : 2  Bountiful Harvest, 2  Call of the Conclave, 2  Chorus of Might, 1  Coursers’ Accord, 1  Druid’s Deliverance, 2  Eyes in the Skies, 1  Heroes’ Reunion, 1  Rootborn Defenses, 2  Savage Surge, 2  Selesnya Keyrune, 2  Trostani’s Judgment 
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M13 Wild Rush

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Happy Wednesday MTG peeps,

Each ready-to-play 2013 Core Set intro pack comes with a 60-card deck and TWO 2013 Core Set booster Packs.  As is tradition here at MTG Realm, we pick up one or more Intro Packs and then do a dissection / unboxing of it on video for you.  We scored the green / black 'Wild Rush' this time.  Good solid product to start into the game with or just battle another player armed with another Intro Pack.  We were VERY happy with the epic foil we pulled out of one of the two booster packs in this . . .


 
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Yep - that was a foil Lili in that second booster - we died and went to N3rd heaven.

 

Each Magic 2013 Intro Pack contains
•  1 Premium Card
•  1 60-Card Deck
•  2 Boosters
•  1 Learn-To-Play Insert
•  1 Strategy Insert

Intro Packs hit local gaming stores on 13th July and has a suggested retail price of about $15.00, which we think provides decent value as they now have two booster packs.  The Intro Pack is a great way for novice players to get into the game and are easily customized.  We suggest that you may want to pick up additional Magic 2013 singles from MTG Mint Card to upgrade the decklist as your skill improves.  Anywhoos - onto the lists . . .

Wild Rush - /
Rares - Yeva, Nature's Herald, Predatory Rampage

Massive creatures hit the ground running with this explosive deck. Legendary elf Yeva, Nature’s Herald adds an element of surprise to your game, letting you cast creatures just about whenever you want to. Crush your enemies when they least expect it.

25 lands : 1  Evolving Wilds, 16  Forest, 8  Swamp

21 creatures : 1  Acidic Slime, 3  Arbor Elf, 2  Centaur Courser, 2  Deadly Recluse, 2  Duskdale Wurm, 2  Garruk's Packleader, 1  Mwonvuli Beast Tracker, 1  Primal Huntbeast, 1  Sentinel Spider, 2  Spiked Baloth, 2  Vastwood Gorger, 1  Yeva, Nature's Herald, 1  Yeva's Forcemage

14 other spells : 1  Crippling Blight, 2  Essence Drain, 1  Fungal Sprouting, 1  Naturalize, 1  Predatory Rampage, 1  Prey Upon, 2  Public Execution, 1  Rancor, 2  Ranger's Path, 1  Ring of Kalonia, 1  Rise from the Grave
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Solitary Fiends

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Happy Wednesday MTG peeps,

The crew at MTG Realm received a care package from Wizards of the Coast which included an Avacyn Restored and some booster packs.  Intro Packs are a great way to get your head into the latest Magic the Gathering expansion and be able to take this standard constructed format deck out for a spin at a Friday Night Magic event at a game / hobby store near you.

The Intro Pack we got was 'Solitary Fiends' which is a Blue / Black preconstructed, ready-to-play product from Gathering set Avacyn Restored.  This theme deck focuses mainly on the 'loner' motif.  There are several cards in this newest set which provide an advantage when you have exactly one creature on the game table.

Anywhoos - here's the short video of us doing a dissection and cracking some packs . . . 
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Here's the decklist . . .

Solitary Fiends - Blue/BlackCreatures
Lone Revenant x1 (FOIL)
Havengul Skaab x1
Renegade Demon x2
Marrow Bats x2
Mist Raven x2
Undead Executioner x2
Corpse Traders x1
Fettergeist x2
Crypt Keeper x1
Alchemist's Apprentice x3

Other Spells
Demonic Rising x1
Homicidal Seclusion x1
Into the Void x2
Triumph of Cruelty x1
Essence Harvest x2
Frost Breath x2
Crippling Chill x2
Doom Blade x2
Peel from Reality x2
Tormentor's Trident x2
Swiftfoot Boots x1
Predator's Gambit x1

Land
Swamp x13
Island x11

This loner theme is rather interesting and we will be taking it to task over the next few weeks with other intro packs we've bought.  We were a bit tentative about this strategy but after reviewing the cards at length, we feel that with some very minor changes (accounting for our personal tastes), we can get a lot of fun from this deck. 

We like that Demonic Rising orders up a 5/5 flying Demon while Revenant fills your hands with extra cards.  Bonuses are available with enchantment such as the Predator's Gambit aura (+2/+1 and intimidate) and Homicidal Seclusion (+3/+1 and lifelink).  We are thinking of a bit more control here so we do not get too beat up by an opponent's board presence by increasing the number of threat shut-down  cards like Frost Breath and Crippling Chill or perhaps a different bouncer other than Peel from Reality.

We will not likely take this for a spin at a Friday Night Magic Event, chosing a more superior Event deck over this BUT we definitely will be keeping this build together for quite some time for gaming at the kitchen table. 
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Finally,
If you are looking to see what is popular, from the folks over at MTG Mint Card, here are the ten most sold single cards for last month . . .
1. Huntmaster of the Fells / Ravager of the Fells
2. Kessig Wolf Run
3. Hellrider
4. Delver of Secrets / Insectile Aberration
5. Forbidden Alchemy
6. Drogskol Captain
7. Tragic Slip
8. Intangible Virtue
9. Skaab Ruinator
10. Dungeon Geists
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