New and improved or old and revised?

Welcome back one and all to the cardhousian blog.

Being a player of many game formats i have seen a wide range of play styles. And with them, a wide range of players. Those who are in it for the glory, those who are in it for the fun and everyone in between.

One thing i have come to see is that no matter if you play the oldest cards in the book or the newest, one thing will always make you the player to remember; and that is your attitude.

Many of us have been playing cards or other games at Kevs for years and some of us only a few weeks. No matter how long you have been playing The Card House is a home for all of us.

With the ultra competitive meta and anti-meta decks being played, many of us, myself included have become lost in a lot of  the mumbo jargon that is being spewed out.

Both magic and Yugi have the same issue and aside from sifting through the countless websites on both for information and deck building help, there is little to no help from those who know the stuff (for fear of finding someone who will challenge you maybe?).

Helping Hands anyone?

Well I for one am willing to give the tutoring thing a go. I have only had a few years in the MTG game on a casual basis but i am willing to help anyone who is looking to start, looking to test out a deck or even just modify one. Know that even if i don't know how to help, i can point you in the direction needed for maximum support.

Being a part of this family, for that is what it truly is, means to help each other out for no reward or gain. And that is what i am doing now.

As i will be at the card house Wednesdays and Thursdays for the time being, These days are the best to catch me for support. Be it Commander (EDH) or standard, i will help where i can and provide the persons name who can help if i can't.

Keep dueling, planswalking and fighting your way to the best of your ability. For only at the edge can you go higher.

Forever the optimist

Aaron

Rule Sharking and the Monthly Draw!

I want to use this post as a means to start the discussion on Rule-Sharking.

Or rather; what is the difference between Rule-Sharking and rule enforcement? We've all been accused of it at one point or another, so I'd like to offer some definitions that can help discuss the topic at hand. let's get some definitions out-of-the way:


Rule: a principle or regulation governing conduct, action, procedure, arrangement.

Rule sharking (As I see it, but feel free to comment below if you wish to change/refine/clarify it): "Attempting to force an extreme rule or policy on an opponent who has made a small and repairable error."

Take last week for example; [i] (Name Redacted) Overlaid for Number 101: Silent Honor ARK. We went through battle phase, where he destroyed my Hazy Flame Gryphon and Hazy-Flame Cerberus. Then he detached 2 materials from the Ark to use the effect, chaining Breakthrough Strike, Targeting my 5-material Hazy Flame Basiltrice.

When I pointed out that Hazy Flames Basiltrice can't be targeted, and that the targeting restriction cannot be negated, (just like Obelisk the Tormentor and the Earthbound Immortals), (Name Redacted) accused me of rule sharking because I refused to allow him to change the XYZ summon to Gagaga Cowboy. [/i]

Ignorance of a Rule is not an excuse to not follow it. (Especially when I had explained the rule and handed him the card to read in that same turn when he tried to Fiendish Chain Basiltrice.) Because a player follows the rules well, does not make them a rule shark.

A player should always at any given time attempt to follow the rules as closely as possible. If you are unaware of a rule, we have veteran guys ready to answer your questions. Because what I don't know can be used against me.

This is something I have learned by playing Pathfinder, Magic, and Cards against Humanity at the Card House. Regardless of the Game, the rules are as written. If you dislike them, then you can take up the matter with customer support or choose one of the other number of games on the shelf that may better suit you.

Sorry for the rant Guys, I'll leave you with the winner of the Monthly Draw:

Troy Crossingham. (First your birthday, then you win the monthly draw!

Epic Diem was Epic!

A picture says a thousand words... So I'm going to keep my mouth to a minimum. Just want to thank Brayden for the Pics.

Card House Stall; Where the magic happened

Liz after stealing Brayden's cosplay... We know what you did!

Add caption

Storm's a Brewing, my thoughts not so much...

Heya fellow Cardhousians,
Did every Duelist enjoy Saturday's "Challengers and Cheaters  Champions" Yu-Gi-Oh! event?
<Looks to see who raised their hands.>
<Troy C raised his hand.>
Well Troy, if you blew off work and came, you would have!
Snarky comments asside,  The challenger's leaderboard was packed with Shaddolls and Geargia.
I wasn't playing either, instead playing the 'Concentrated Starter-Deck' (I got the starter Deck, took the pendulums and better monsters, and hope like heck.)
UPDATE Friday 19th: Just got my Hazy-Flame deck mailed back to me, minus the Kaiser Colloseum's. I'm not sure whether to say 'Cheers' or 'You stole $45 wprth of cards, and denied me my primary deck for almost a month... Curse you <expletive>!'


As promised Here's the winner of the monthly draw for September;
Logan H!
Hooray for Logan! Haven't seen him since the 1st admission to the Hospital come to think about it... Moving on to Magic: The Gathering.
This coming Saturday is the MTG pre-release for Khan's of Tarkir! Let's see what goodies I can snag in them...
"Epic Diem" is up in a few weeks, and you know what that means? Females in Provocative Cosplay A great day full of Card Games, War-Games, LARP, and generally one awesome day for Facebook pictures of yourself!

As Requested, here's 20 moar things Chad is no-longer allowed to do in D&D/Pathfinder.

1. Expect the DM to keep a copy of that Epic-Tier Necromantic Cleric Character I rolled ages back. Especially after I assigned it an insanely high diplomacy skill to avoid combats, especially boss battles.
2.  Throw a coin into magical Darkness: An enemy's cries after being hit ruins the suspense of what's concealed.
3. I cannot have the voice in my head/the shadow one possess a body that is already possessed...
4. I can not ask the Alchemist to 'accidentally' a Companion (Gelatinous) Cube.
5. If an enemy cuts it's arm off, I cannot claim that it's disarmed.
6. Nor will I raise the arm as an undead minion, no matter how "handy" it may be.
7. Wielding said undead arm minion, while it holds a weapon does not work as a means to extend my weapon's reach.
8. I will never again use the scythe as a 10-ft pole, because I'll cut myself.
9. Contrary to popular belief, human does not taste like chicken.
10. Even if NPC's can, I cannot trade in 'favors'.
11. No matter what the rules say, I cannot kill my mercenary pay master, raise him from death, and then command him to give me a Raise.
12. No matter what the rules say, I cannot kill children, then use them as a horde of undead ankle-biters.
13. Luring an army of Goblins over a cliff is heroic, and will make me be forced to take an alignment check, even if I am only doing so to replenish my undead congregation.
14. No matter what the rules say I cannot use 'Improvised Throwing Weapon' feats to throw an undead infant. Obviously if I raise an infant, they are supposed to be a weapon for my character.
15. When looking for materials to make the party's Crossbow, I cannot call it 'Getting wood'.
16. Killing the Wizard's Familiar is not acceptable as an alternative to an Atonement Spell.
17. If a Wizard I'm playing ever resembles Dumbledore, he will use Power-Word: Kill on himself.
18. Despite the famine in town, I cannot "Reap" the population and raise them to continue farming my newly acquired lands.
19. Dead-Horse Tropes do not count as corpses a necromancer can raise.
20. While funny, I will not replace the Alchemist's spell phials with Beer, then set him alight.

1. Okay guys, I'm sorry about my mediocre post, but I will see if I can get pics from epic Diem!
2. Chad

Remember to add a title here.

Heya fellow Cardhousians,

It's been a long time since I posted last. Being in-and-out of Hospital (and a reliable internet connection) makes it hard to post. Still, I'll do another post with the winners of the monthly draw soon, but until then here's some more of my thoughts and ramblings to tide you over.
The saying goes; "The more things change, the more they stay the same." Whether we are talking about Yu-Gi-Oh!, Magic: The Gathering, or even Pathfinder/Dungeons and Dragons.

Cerialy guys, I have a point to this, I promise.*

We are always learning, always having to evolve our tactics, for Magic with the release of every new core-set or block pushing a previous one out of Standard, or the Ban-Lists of Yu-Gi-Oh! (ignoring the later additions of Synchro, xyz, and Pendulum Summoning,) we are constantly growing and adapting as players.

 Anyway, I just wanted to say thanks to everyone who challenges me, especially those who kick my parked rear so hard I am unable to stand. Seriously, you show me what doesn't work, so I can find what does! When I find a way to best you, I'll be ready to roll!

Anyway, as I've been playing D&D as well at the cardie, here's;

20 things Chad is no-longer allowed to do in D&D/Pathfinder.

1. As a Neutral-Good Cleric, I cannot flip the table to start a bar-fight.
2. Buying drinks for everyone as said Neutral-Good Cleric and then coping a feel of the bar-wench and then grabbing her <Censored> will not cause a bar-fight to break out.
3. I will not ask if the town has running water, or if they use chamber-pots.
4. If playing a naruto-themed rpg starting as a low-level, I will not ask why we are being charged with saving the world instead of our seniors.
5. I will not call a catfolk's claws their 'Fists of Furry".
6. Nor will I call the Cat-Folk a 'Pussy' if he flees combat, it's specist apparently.
7. I cannot call a Scythe "Hanlon's/Occam's Razor" no matter how easily it cuts through encounters.
8. Yelling /talking is a free-action, but I can't spend 3 minutes screaming into the spider-lair to bring the spiders out of hiding.
9. A conjured Giant-Squid(Kraken) familiars cannot rise from under an enemy in the middle of the desert. (even if the sand is looser then my grasp of RP physics.)
10.  If someone is offering me free 'favors', it's a trap. Doubly so if we are at a Magic School, a Temple, or any Political Office.
11. I can no longer use an insanely high diplomacy skill to avoid combats, especially boss battles.
12. An Atropal Scion cannot be killed by my spare coat-hanger. They are an aborted god and if a god's coathanger couldn't do it, my mortal one can't either.
13. I cannot mercy kill starving children in a blighted community discretely. Someone will figure it out an blab about it. Especially if I raise them as an undead child army.
14. If I want to use Holy Urine,  I cannot cast my 'Bless Water' spell on my bladder. I have to buy bottles and fill them myself first.
15. When looking for materials to make the party's Crossbow, I cannot call it 'Getting wood'.
16. Unlike Housecats, Catfolk cannot be bribed with catnip.
17. If my Mercadian-Crusade Cleric is revealed to be based on Nick Fury, the Fresh Prince, Morpheus, Eli, or any other character played by notable non-white actors; They are retroactively vetoed from the game.
18. Despite the water-shortage in town, I cannot ever again ask the town to 'do their part' and fill their chamberpots with 'liquid Gold'.
19. I cannot just ask the librarian or use the index-cards to locate a paticular book is instead of rolling percentile.
20. While funny, I will not replace the Alchemist's spell phials with phials of any holy liquid.

'Til next time everybody!
Chad

Small Horse Brigade

Man, it's been a while since I've written a blog post, eh? I reckon it's about time I let you in on some of the happenings that have, well, happened lately.

A couple of weeks back saw the pre releases of both Furious Fists for Pokemon and Duelist Alliance for Yu-Gi-Oh!. Oddly enough, I didn't end up going to any of them but I assume that everyone had a good time anyway. I know Warren did at least, given that he felt the need to message me pictures of the full art Lucario-EX and M Lucario-EX that he got in the pre release (I still haven't forgiven him). Rather, I was off playing My Little Pony CCG in order to practice for the first Queensland regionals that happened today. I'd like to say that I did well, and while that's true for the tournament that was on the 10th I'm afraid that I can't say the same for regionals, only just managing to get 11th our of 12 players. See picture above for an accurate description of my face.

Well, not really. I demonstrated the Cardhousian spirit and shrugged off my losses, recognising some things I could have done better and realising that sometimes Lady Luck just wants to flip you the bird. After all, not only is it pointless to get upset over a card game but I also felt like I gave a good account of myself in the games I lost.

Anywho, I'll give you a bit of a run down as to my four games of the day. I was playing an Orange/Purple troublemaker deck which focuses on blocking the problems from being solved by putting high powered troublemakers in front of them such as Queen Chrysalis, Ahuizotl and Red Dragon. Essentially, the idea is to be an anti-meta deck and slow down faster decks which normally rely on lower powered friends. Basically, MLP's version of a control deck.

My first game was against a Pinkie Pie Pokey Pony/Friend Swarm deck, which unfortunately for me resulted in a loss. I tend to attribute this to poor luck on my part, as the swarms of cheap friends could have been dealt with if I'd managed to draw any of my higher powered troublemakers (in a 45 card deck with 12 troublemakers of power 5 or higher, you'd think this would happen). Pokey Pony compounded this with her effect, which allows her to dismiss one of my friends if she confronts a problem and retires one of her own friends. My friends are generally expensive and losing them is a bit harder on me than most decks, especially losing cards like Spring Forward who is the answer to swarm tactics. So a loss to me, but it was an interesting deck to face.

Second game was against a mostly stock standard White/Yellow theme deck, which was generally hamstrung by not drawing any yellow friends with no play requirements. This one went my way, fairly convincingly.

Third game was against a very aggressive Blue/White deck, which also seemed to negate the point of my deck by simply ignoring the frightening impact of my villains and just playing even more friends. I simply couldn't slow it down enough, which lead to another loss.

The last game was against what is considered to be one of the nastiest decks around, Fluttershy Friend to Animals/Critter Swarm. Now this game was probably my favourite of the day, as even though I lost it was a very close match and could easily have gone my way. Luck played a major factor here, as he managed to defeat my Queen Chrysalis early in the game for a hefty 3 point boost. To decide the game however was something of a misjudgement on my part, as while I managed to stall him from winning a turn earlier with a well timed Plum Tuckered Out I made an error in the following turn. When moving cards around to try and scrape together enough points to bring the game back in my favour, I opted to move a Bright Bulb to the opposite problem instead of a Night Watch to the problem we were both focussed on. My reasoning was that he would try for the unguarded points and Bright Bulb could send a friend home to prevent that from happening, but unfortunately it turned out that having Night Watch would have won me the game. Benefit of hindsight, I guess (and finding out that the second card Night Watch would've allowed me to flip in the face off was a Red Dragon didn't help).

Now that the tournament is done, would I change anything? I can't say that I would, as I feel the deck works quite fine as is. However, with the upcoming releases of Celestial Solstice (MLP's version of the fat pack) and The Crystal Games booster set in October/November that could very easily change. A new villain, King Sombra will be in the new set, which may be something to swap out either Chrysalis or the Red Dragons for, not to mention a whole host of new orange and purple friends that may work better than the ones I already have. Who knows what the future will hold?

At the moment though, I'm almost finished building my fighting deck for Pokemon. Lucario happens to be my favourite pokemon, and with the new Lucario-EX as well as several new powerful cards for fighting types the deck should serve me well. I have practically all the cards I need except one, so I might even be able to play the deck tomorrow with a single substitute.

I mean, look at that card! Is there any reason why I wouldn't want to play it? Of course not!

The Pokemon Professor, Troy

We have Tumblr now!

Hi Guys, Chad Here.

I admit, it's taken me a while to set this up, but I'm hoping it's worth the wait.

We’re here amongst the hordes of Social Justice Warriors, Game Designers, Armchair Enthusiasts and … Well I just ate so I’m going to smoothly change the subject. We have Tumblr Here at http://cardhousian.tumblr.com/!

Anyway, I've had to abandon the old posts here, and this blog will serve as an archive and mirror to the Tumblr, and I will continue to copy every new post over there as well as here.

Contributing is now far easier then ever before! You merely need to send an email to 5fxi7i9dp9yer@tumblr.com. Further Info on how can be found Here.

Basically, you use the Email Address above, the Subject as your Post Name, the Blog-post as the Text, and then use the attachments to include pics/videos to your posts.

I also set up a Dedicated email cardhousians@gmail,com so if you are having problems with formatting, I can do it for you!

The 'Pack-a-Post' deal is still in effect. Contribute, and I get you a booster pack from off the shelf. Magic, Yugioh, Sports Collector Cards, My Little Pony, Pokemon, whatever Booster Pack, if it's for sale, I'll hook you up with one.

LESSON: If you are good to Chad, The Chad is good for You!