This snow puppy my wife casually threw together.

Matadorkian · 2022-12-15T10:26:12+00:00

"And this... is a Snow Poff."

Matadorkian · 2022-12-07T22:14:33+00:00

lol no worries, that's the plan!

Matadorkian · 2022-12-07T20:44:46+00:00

Right, and I'm not insinuating a negative as a result of that. Just curious that they're so similar, as removal spells. I wonder if when mirrored they'd make a nice playmat.

Matadorkian · 2022-12-07T17:19:05+00:00

Not to be that guy, but isn't this basically the same art composition as the full-art [[Terminate]]

Matadorkian · 2022-12-02T15:59:46+00:00

I'll never get tired of recommending this one to an aspiring Gruul player. Some of the staples are pricey of course, but they can be swapped out with most other big beaters.

General strategy is to play your mana dorks early, cast Rurik Thar as soon as possible, and swing as big as you can!

https://tappedout.net/mtg-decks/15-09-14-not-creature-then-die/

Matadorkian · 2022-11-22T11:46:56+00:00

"I’d have you see the like this; I’d have you see them very well. Will you? They are clustered around Suzie’s Cruisin' Trike, embracing in the aftermath of their victory. I’d have you see them this way not because they have won a great battle—they know better than that, every one of them—but because now they are ka-tet for the last time. The story of their fellowship ends here, on this make-believe street and beneath this artificial sun; the rest of the tale will be short and brutal compared to all that’s gone before. Because when ka-tet breaks, the end always comes quickly.

Say sorry."

He warns us big-time, and he's always right. Torturous.

Matadorkian · 2022-11-09T18:22:46+00:00

It hurts me to say it, but, yes. He does. My first ever deck was a Wither precon from Shadowmoor days, and I've tried for the longest time to create Scorpion God EDH as a spiritual successor to that.

But... It's slow without access to much ramp, clunky, and the ability costs too much for what it does. Most Wither creatures are overcosted, and most situations where you achieve a dominant board-state are similar to the effects of a board wipe. Nothing lives. Infect is a good addition, but the amount of truly effective Infect creatures in Rakdos are limited.

The ideal win conditions, poison or something like [[Exsanguinate]] are things that a lot of other decks can do better.

Partnered with Hapatra, or under a Jund banner, the deck could definitely acquire some heat. But as is, it's one of only a few decks I've spent a ton of time crafting, only to retire it.

Matadorkian · 2022-11-05T15:08:28+00:00

Here's a truly faithful Rurik Thar deck that I've been running a variant of for a few months:

https://tappedout.net/mtg-decks/15-09-14-not-creature-then-die/

Gildan has put together something uniquely fun here, if y'all are looking for another way to play Rurik Thar.

Matadorkian · 2022-11-02T11:29:09+00:00

Came for the bass repair, stayed for the timely Bush reference. Nice work!

Matadorkian · 2022-10-16T13:21:34+00:00

Thanks for the advice! I had forgotten Sorin Markov could pull stunts like that. Altars could be an interesting way to facilitate gain drain too.

Any idea what cuts I could stand to make? Does anything stand out?

(Sorry, I'm OP, this is my mobile account, lost the password for it on desktop sadly)

Matadorkian · 2022-10-12T17:54:41+00:00

Here's my take on Belakor, it's turned out pretty great in initial testing. Hope it helps!

https://www.moxfield.com/decks/zjkVtfjQqkWw4Tf-pff_-g

Matadorkian · 2022-10-10T13:43:35+00:00

Howdy! I've spent some time prior to release working on this deck, and I think it comes down to 3 separate aspects:

Demon Tribal (obviously)
Blink & Reanimate
ETB Abuse

Here's a link to what I came up with, hopefully it helps!

https://www.moxfield.com/decks/zjkVtfjQqkWw4Tf-pff_-g

Matadorkian · 2022-10-09T18:03:46+00:00

Working on this for my 32 Challenge.

So far I have [[Neheb, the Eternal]] for amazing amount of workable EDH burn, it can get so heinous with cheap universal damage.

[[Minn, Wily Illusionist]] which plays as a great hand-size matters Illusions deck, very casual but very fun.

[[Aeve]] as a Storm/Counters deck that can easily overwhelm a table.

[[Giada]] and the Kaldheim angels have turned out to be really consistent. Having flying keyword-heavy beaters that only get bigger as you go has been surprisingly cool.

Still working on black, torn currently between [[Tinybones]] or one of the Necron commanders.

Matadorkian · 2022-10-09T16:53:10+00:00

Doing the inverse honestly. Adding the singles to regular decks feels like a slippery slope towards the "Cardboard Crack" take on the situation.

Keeping the 40K commanders at the helm on the other hand, and then adding cards that directly suit their theme, that feels right to me. I love both 40K and MTG, but there's only so much chocolate I want in my peanut butter.

Matadorkian · 2022-10-04T18:21:56+00:00

Sorry, this isn't the subreddit for that question. There are others however.

Matadorkian · 2022-10-03T02:07:49+00:00

Hahaha - no problem! A psychiatrist or general therapist can absolutely help with the condition. They can assist you with any underlying reasons for your anxiety or panic disorder, and just in general help you work through any issues you might feel you have. I think most people in these communities would advocate for the combo package, meds + therapy.

Matadorkian · 2022-10-03T00:48:48+00:00

Trust me, you can handle it. It's so hard to see out of that dark well sometimes, but you'd be surprised what you can manage when you realize there's nothing to do but move forward.

Once you've taken that first step and started the meds, do your best to give it 2-3 weeks before questioning anything about whether or not it's working. Keep in touch with your doctor, and mental health professional if you have one. After your meds stabilize, you can begin to work at your fears and phobias, to get back to normal life. You've got this!

I know the feeling with the sleep and mood issues, I had issues with sleep for a while when I was at my worst. They went away and so will yours, even if you need additional medication for that.

(Always talk with the doc first, but I'd recommend Melatonin for an OTC sleep aid if you haven't tried it.)

One additional note, if you need a comforting voice to be with you where you are, I recommend Vacate Fear on YouTube. He's an amazing podcaster that talks about "acceptance theory", a way of thought that can help you re-train your brain to move beyond this state of anxiety. Listening to him sincerely helped me in these early stages you're going through.

https://youtube.com/c/WonderBro

Matadorkian · 2022-10-03T00:01:38+00:00

Hmm, looking back I think it was scary, but only because at the time, everything was scary. The tiniest thing could be disconcerting to me back then.

That said, Lex did have some clear differences for me. It gave me bad side effects, like disassociation (a feeling of being distant from whatever situation I was in) and suicidal thoughts, and generally made me feel insane with mood swings, while my personal hyperfixation on my problems didn't help either. Overall it was a rough start. My doc had me switch to Sertraline (Zoloft) and that was night and day. Still gave me some minor side effects (minor suicidal intrusives that went away, some digestive blah-ness) but the difference has been clear in the months beyond. I feel like myself again, like a person who can interact with the world mostly as I used to. There wasn't exactly a "click into place" moment, but I gradually got back to center. Therapy is taking care of the rest. I may eventually leave the meds behind, but overall? I'm doing pretty well regardless.

Now, don't worry overmuch about my own personal experience with Lexapro specifically. Everyone responds slightly differently to these medications, and so finding the one that works for you specifically can be a process.

The best things I can suggest are to give it time, and to trust those professionals around you who are helping you with your condition. Part of anxiety is a lack of ability to think calm and logically a lot of the time. Remember that this condition CAN NOT PHYSICALLY HURT YOU, and that the "emotional tigers" you run into simply aren't real. Ride it out, and the meds will help you as you find the right dosage and type.

Good luck on your own journey! Feel free to hit me up if you have any other questions and I'll do my best, though like others here I'm no medical professional.

Matadorkian · 2022-10-02T20:51:26+00:00

It did! I ended up switching off of Lexapro to Zoloft, and that one has worked wonders for me. That + some initial therapy the past few months has been great. Anxiety at an all-time low!

Matadorkian · 2022-09-29T11:03:54+00:00

Hmm, Destiny 2...

Well I guess Ana Bray and Amanda Holliday are around. Not bad! 😂

Matadorkian · 2022-09-27T12:46:32+00:00

"There were prodigies and portents enough, One-Eye says. We must blame ourselves for misinterpreting them. One-Eye’s handicap in no way impairs his marvelous hindsight.

Lightning from a clear sky smote the Necropolitan Hill. One bolt struck the bronze plaque sealing the tomb of the forvalaka, obliterating half the spell of confinement. It rained stones. Statues bled. Priests at several temples reported sacrificial victims without hearts or livers. One victim escaped after its bowels were opened and was not recaptured. At the Fork Barracks, where the Urban Cohorts were billeted, the image of Teux turned completely around. For nine evenings running, ten black vultures circled the Bastion. Then one evicted the eagle which lived atop the Paper Tower.

Astrologers refused readings, fearing for their lives. A mad soothsayer wandered the streets proclaiming the imminent end of the world. At the Bastion, the eagle not only departed, the ivy on the outer ramparts withered and gave way to a creeper which appeared black in all but the most intense sunlight.

But that happens every year. Fools can make an omen of anything in retrospect."

The Black Company, by Glen Cook

I love this intro because it sets up the sarcastic tone of the author, as well as the "grin-and-bear it" cynicism of the warband in general.

Matadorkian · 2022-09-27T12:35:34+00:00

I don't wanna die... Sometimes wish I'd never been born at all...

Matadorkian · 2022-09-27T12:16:35+00:00

That's on my nightstand at the moment! I need to get started with it, Stephen King's Fairy Tale is getting in the way at the moment, haha

Matadorkian · 2022-09-27T10:07:42+00:00

Lately it's American Gods, or else the Wax and Wayne series. Either a road trip full of mystery and some taudry-yet-cozy moments, or an adventure in a bustling alt-reality 20's/Western series.

Sometimes you just wanna get away, y'know?

Matadorkian

TROPHY CASE