Comments on: Simon Says #66: At Second Glance (BTT 8-4)

By: Scott

Scott — Sun, 30 Mar 2014 20:20:21 +0000

The draft viewer lesson was high value.

Your videos are excellent lessons in technical play. The best part is that you recognize and discuss the choices you make on camera. The second best is the way you build to an archetype and keep that in the discussion as well.

It takes your time to make these videos and I wanted to thank you for it.

By: Gail

Gail — Mon, 24 Mar 2014 05:51:17 +0000

In match 1 game 3, was there a reason for playing the bident before the chimera? Given you did not have mana open to activate the bident’s ability, I see no upside to playing it over the creature that turn if you did not plan on attacking.

By: MMogg

MMogg — Sun, 23 Mar 2014 18:19:40 +0000

I disagree with playing the Spellheart Chimera. The potential power of the thing would have been as follows by the end of each game:

M1: G1 – 2, G2 – 2, G3 – 3
M2: G1 – 3, G2 – 6
M3: G1 – 1, G2 – 1

That’s an average power of 2.5 over seven games. Also keep in mind that those are the potential powers at the end of each game and some games, like M1G, were only cast during the final winning turn.

I think Chimera’s best home might actually be in some kind of heavy bestow deck in which its trample might be relevant.

By: knx

knx — Sat, 22 Mar 2014 17:53:25 +0000

Yes i was also sad you didn’t approve of the possible power of spellheart chimera… trying it out once in a while won’t hurt

By: jkennethcarr

jkennethcarr — Fri, 21 Mar 2014 17:57:53 +0000

It’s sad that you’re U/R with a pretty high instant/sorcery count for a draft deck (I counted 7), and I’m still forced to admit that even had you taken Spellheart Chimera, it’s far from clear that you should have played it. Thing should have at least been 1+*.

By: Ryan ManaBluff

Ryan ManaBluff — Fri, 21 Mar 2014 16:40:44 +0000

Thanks for the great video! I really enjoyed this deck, and I always appreciate your clear/informative commentary. You rock!

By: frizzell66

frizzell66 — Fri, 21 Mar 2014 15:19:47 +0000

I could be wrong, but I think he mentioned the bouncing of “non-land” permanents in Game 2, and the action you guys are referring to is in Game 1. But the point is the same, he missed that possibility.

We all get so focused on certain cards doing certain things. 99% of the time retraction helix bounces a creature on board rather than other things, so it is easy to miss bouncing auras and other enchantments and such!

Great play overall, Simon! Your decks always surprise me at how well they do as you pick some cards that others don’t value as much and you get maximum value out of them. Some of your plays sneak up on me in surprise, but then looking back it is clear you know the deck types so well and how they work the best.

Thanks again for the great content each week!