5-Color Magic

[Mundungu]

Does any of you guys heard / played the 5-color Magic format ?
Basic rules are:
deck must have at least 250 cards
no more than 4 of each card
at least 18 cards of each color
you have to play for Ante.


For more info visit http://www.mixweb.com/nneenn/5color/

It seems interesting. I just dont know about the Ante part, but I love trying different things...

 

[Baskil]

Best format in Magic.

The ante thing isn't that big of a deal, but it allows you to play Contract from Below, Jewled Bird, etc.

If you're afraid of Ante, just don't use duals and use crappy rares like Saprazzan Heir and such. They're supposed to trade you the card back easy anyway

 

[shade2k1]

I completely DISAGREE with you, Baskil. I HATE 5-color. Why? Let me count the ways...

1. Cost - Y'know how everyone complains about the cost of creating a powerful T1 deck? Well, imagine building a 250-card T1 deck and playing without sleeves, for ante!

2. Brokenness - This format is so broken it's sickening. The SAME power cards are in EVERY deck. If you can't afford 'em, prepare to lose lots of cards. If you happen to be lucky enough to FINALLY beat a $3000+ deck with your bargain deck, and your opponent anted a good card, it quickly gets switched and you're stuck with a stupid Jeweled Bird. I see this happen so many times it's not even funny.

There are other reasons I don't like this format, but these are the main two. Personally, I don't find spending/losing a fortune in cards to play against the same cards every game enjoyable. With Zuran Orb (which is not even RESTRICTED in this format!), games can last hours and hours. The problem with that is, you've already been beaten, and your opponent has better nothing to do than prolong your agony for a couple extra hours. IMO, this is the WORST format in Magic. I have more fun playing against an endless line of netdecks in T2.

 

[Baskil]

Ok, let me dispute you point by point.

"1. Cost - Y'know how everyone complains about the cost of creating a powerful T1 deck? Well, imagine building a 250-card T1 deck and playing without sleeves, for ante!"

It's *like* Type I, yes. But if you think that in order to have a successful five that you need P9 and 40 duals, you are dead wrong. You can build fives, that beat those decks, out of just commons. Part of having 250 cards to work with is the total randomess of pulling your power cards. So if you spread mid-range cards througout the deck (like Rancor, Negator, River Boa, etc), you can kick the crap out of a $3000 deck.

"2. Brokenness - This format is so broken it's sickening. The SAME power cards are in EVERY deck. If you can't afford 'em, prepare to lose lots of cards. If you happen to be lucky enough to FINALLY beat a $3000+ deck with your bargain deck, and your opponent anted a good card, it quickly gets switched and you're stuck with a stupid Jeweled Bird. I see this happen so many times it's not even funny."

They need to get rid of Mind Over Matter, that is for sure. However, I have seen literally dozens of different styles of five decks. Now while most of them contain 4 Contract from Below and Jewled Bird, the rest of the deck varies wildly. I have one five that uses all basic lands, and features bad cards like Cloudskate and such. And I don't lose very many cards from it.

Have you seen the Type I on a budget articles? They provide a good resource for ideas that you can incorporate into a 5 deck.

"There are other reasons I don't like this format, but these are the main two. Personally, I don't find spending/losing a fortune in cards to play against the same cards every game enjoyable. With Zuran Orb (which is not even RESTRICTED in this format!), games can last hours and hours. The problem with that is, you've already been beaten, and your opponent has better nothing to do than prolong your agony for a couple extra hours. IMO, this is the WORST format in Magic. I have more fun playing against an endless line of netdecks in T2"



I must play in a totally different environment than you do, because I never experience the problem of long games.

And I guess the problem with ante is that people who view Magic as an investment get kind of worried. Personally, I just view the cards as pieces of cardboard, so I have no problem playing for ante. Of course, my fives consist totally of card I would never use anyway, so I guess that's why I don't care about losing a card here or there.

 

[Mundungu]

Actually, it is because of the Ante Part that I didnt (among other reasons) start to play in 93/94 !
I love to play for the gaming, not gambling.

I guess, however, that 5 color among friends could be ok.

 

[Spiderman]

My wacky HOME computer (because I have the day off and it snowed anyway yesterday so no way am I going out there wth all the crazies) burped on me and I lost my reply.

Suffice to say I was echoing most of Baskil's points.

1. Even if you have the Power 9/restricted cards (and four of them), it seems having 250+ cards would dilute their effectiveness.

2. This is presumably NOT in a tourney setting, so playing for ante shouldn't be a ig deal. Hopefully your friends would trade back the card if you really want it back, or you can set up similiar rules beforehand.

All in all, this sounds like fun...

 

[FrigginRizzo]

I guess I have to agree with Shawn on this one, even if he is the architect of (in his words) "the worst 5 ever." There is no need to stock your deck with the P10, in fact, Shawn will remember when Mike Patnik trounced both of us, along with Chas Tressler, using mostly commons and uncommons in Columbus. He used Fires and tons of Rebels, and the few rares in the deck were mostly Deranged Hermit, Skyshroud Poacher, and Lin-Sivvi.

In 5 Color, you are only limited by your imagination (and card pool). An all common deck that mains green weenies, fatties, and Rancor types will give the P10 decks fits. Likewise, a deck full of Stone Rain, Avalanche Riders, Pillage and the like will laugh as it blows up dual after dual after Library of Alexandria. Throw in some Mox Monkeys, and you blow up Moxen for one red.

The thing is that every P10 card someone plays can usually be nullified by a common card. Plus, in a deck full of commons and uncommons, ante is almost irrelevant. As it is, I have yet to lose a dual or Urza's Rage in ante and NOT get a very reasonable trade back. The game is played for fun. 5 Color uses no sleeves and plays for ante because it IS fun.

There was a time that I thought 5 Color was a rich man's game, but that time is long gone. It just doesn't get much better than 5 Color. And stuff.

John Friggin' Rizzo

 

[rkoelsch]

I don't know of anyone who plays it at the local shop I go to play. But we used to play starter ante all the time. Ante is what makes the game exciting.

 

[Ransac]

Here's an interesting way to play that me and my friends developed:


There is a large pile of random magic cards in the middle of everyone that will serve as a deck for everyone. Every body automatically gets 3 basic land that they pick before they draw. After that, each player randomly draws 5 cards from the deck. A player is randomly chosen to start first and the play the game, everybody using the pile as their own deck. Needless to say, if somebody mills the deck to nothing, everybody loses.




Ransac, cpa trash man

 

[fuzzy510]

That's how I describe 5-Color Magic. I just can't see people playing with towering, 250-card decks.

 

[Ransac]

Cool, you copied my idea!




Ransac, cpa trash man

 

[fuzzy510]

Ransac, were you talking to me? If you were, I'm very confused.

 

[Ransac]

No, I was talking to the monkey flying above the High Blue grass while smoking tangerines made of vinegar and seaweeds.


Actually, I thought you were talking to me. I guess I was wrong.




Ransac, cpa trash man