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Hello again, and welcome to The Mana Pool! This is Mike, filling in for Chewie on the show notes while he's busy getting a previous episode uploaded. For those of you who've been anxiously awaiting our customary Prerelease story time episode, this is your lucky day! Not only do we have that, but due to scheduling conflicts and hateful technological mishaps, it took us so long to get this one recorded that we also have Launch Party stories as well. As usual, Chewie and Brian took very good notes, and they have several fine tales of epic plays, bad beats, and very interesting cards. Did I have any good stories for this episode? Yes and no.


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*cracking knuckles, getting ready for a new episode*

Chewie Prerelease
Land
1 Arid Mesa
1 Valakut, the Molten Pinnacle
11 Mountain
4 Forest
1 Turntimber Grove

Creatures
1 Molten Ravager
2 Bladetusk Boar
1 Mold Shambler
1 Murasa Pyromancer
2 Tuktuk Grunts
1 Plated Geopede
1 Oran-Rief Survivalist
1 Joraga Bard
1 Oran-Rief Recluse
1 Vastwood Gorger
1 Stonework Puma

Spells
1 Burst Lightning
1 Punishing Fire
2 Spire Barrage
1 Khalni Heart Expedition
1 Magma Rift
1 Unstable Footing
1 Slaughter Cry
1 Harrow
1 Adventuring Gear

Sometimes the Gorger was a Zendikar Farguide


Chewie Launch
Land
3 Plains
11 Swamp
1 Sejiri Refuge
1 Akoum Refuge
1 Kabira Crossroads

Creatures
3 Crypt Ripper
1 Bala Ged Thief
1 Heartstabber Mosquito
1 Mindless Null
1 Halo Hunter
1 Vampire Nighthawk
1 Guul Draz Vampire
2 Stonework Puma
2 Shepherd of the Lost
1 Kor Skyfisher
1 Emeria Angel

Spells
1 Hideous End
1 Vampire's Bite
1 Soul Stair Expedition
1 Disfigure
1 Mind Sludge
1 Blazing Torch
1 Expedition Map
1 Eternity Vessel


Chewie T8 Draft
Land
3 Teetering Peaks
14 Mountain

Creatures
1 Ruinous Minotaur
1 Goblin Shortcutter
1 Kazuul Warlord
3 Tuktuk Grunts
1 Torch Slinger
1 Stonework Puma
3 Goblin Bushwhacker
1 Shatterskull Giant
1 Bladetusk Boar
1 Molten Ravager

Spells
1 Mark of Mutiny
1 Unstable Footing
1 Magma Rift
1 Zektar Shrine Expedition
1 Quest for Pure Flame
1 Elemental Appeal
1 Slaughter Cry
2 Spire Barrage
1 Inferno Trap


BRIAN Draft
7:Plains
5:Forest
1:Mountain
1:Turntimber Grove
1:Graypelt Refuge
1:Kazandu Refuge
3: Kor Hookmaster
2:Kor Skyfisher
1:Ondu Cleric
1:Kazandu Blademaster
2:Makindi Shieldmate
1:Turntimber Ranger
1:Oran-Rief Survivalist
1:Oran-Rief Recluse
1:Mold Shambler
1:Territorial Baloth
1:Grazing Gladehart
1:Kazuul Warlord
2:Arrow Volley Trap
1:Journey to Nowhere
1:Brave the Elements
1:Luminarch Ascension
1:Harrow
1:Vines of Vastwood
1:Khalni Gem


BRIAN Launch
7:Swamp
4:Plains
3:Mountain
1:Graypelt Refuge
1:Jwar Isle Refuge
1:Crypt of Agadeem
1:Steppe Lynx
1:Kor Skyfisher
2:Ondu Cleric
1:Kor Sanctifiers
1:Kor Cartographer
1:Kazandu Blademaster
1:Cliff Threader
1:Gatekeeper of Malakir
1:Vampire Lacerator
1:Hagra Crocodile
1: Surrakar Marauder
1:Ob Nixilis, the Fallen
1:Malakir Bloodwitch
1:Stonework Puma
3:Burst Lightning
1:Expedition Map
1:Hideous End
1:Grim Discovery
1: Vampire’s Bite
1:Needlebite Trap

I didn't make the launch party (schedule conflicts), but I did hit up the prerelease. I came in third on tie breakers (the top three were all 3 - 0 - 1, but the guy I tied against didn't do as well as their guys did). I will continue to blame landfall lifegain for going to time for about a year.

Loved the episode. I really can't wait for the set to come out online. And thank you Mike for bringing up the Rammstein video! I saw it last week online and cracked up. My wife just thought it was stupid, but I think the concept-brainstorming session to make that video must have been hilarious...
"Hey guys, I want to make a video where we all get freaky and have sex on camera with beautiful women. Anyone have a problem with that? I didn't think so."

in regards to the map-with-pins-in-it idea, there are a couple apps on facebook that allow you to track all the places in the country/world that you have traveled to. so i bet you could figure out a way to use one of those to show where all your listeners are... but i think youd have to enter the info in yourselves, so maybe having a mass facebook message sent out requesting listener locations? could work, but might take a little time though. there could also be an app that shows the locations of all your friends. like, a friend info thing. im pretty sure you can find what youre looking for.

Just did my first online Zendikar sealed pool. What a crappy grouping of cards. No one strong point anywhere. I had several nice Allies, but no more than one of any Ally card in any color. While I'm excited that I got a Marsh Flats (the W/B sac land), the other rares were mostly unplayable. I got Conqueror's Pledge and Armament Master, but my white pool was mostly Kor equipment-needy critters and I only had two equipment in the entire deck (except a Journey, Blademaster, and Skyfisher). As far as removal, I had one Disfigure, a Torch Slinger, Arrow Volley Trap, and a Blazing Torch. The Blazing Torch was really handy, when I could keep a creature around to use it. I never saw a situation where the Arrow Trap would've helped, and I didn't have enough good red to run a double-red card like the Slinger. Other rares were the Pyromancer's Ascension, Beastmaster Ascension (I never lasted more than 7 attacks from my creatures), Lullmage Mentor (two other counterspell cards in the whole pool), and the SPHINX OF JWAR ISLE.

So I went Blue/Green (splashing red in games two and three after the first round). First round, my opponent had a vicious B/R/G deck with two of the black sacrifice a creature guys, lots of spot removal, and some big beats. I lost pretty quickly. Second round was against a W/U deck that I trounced relatively easily with my fliers. In the sideboard, I tossed in some red Allies and the Quest that gives you a 7/1. Didn't really see much of the red in the second game of that round though. Third round my opponent was playing a R/W/G deck with decent removal (including TWO Burst Lightnings and two of the Green kicker creatures that destroy permanents). I had a better look at adding in the red during those sideboards, but it never made a difference and I lost. Fourth round, my opponent was playing W/R/G/B with LOTS of Kor creatures (the good non-equipment ones). Thankfully I was able to hold him off long enough that he decided to simply save himself the trouble and concede.

So in the end I got $12 back, two packs (from the two round wins), and a decent look at the range of the set in Limited. Can't wait to see what happens when they open up Zendikar drafting online next week.

Loved the episode. I must say even though It takes Chewie to have an episode it seems that Brian is the glue that binds an episode together.
I do not know if you have seen the movie Cloudy with a Chance for Meatballs but Chewie makes me think of the Monkey. This is a thought that reoccures to me all thoughout the episode.
Grim Discovery is an Awsome! Card. I had 2 in a draft with a bunch of red sac a land cards. Whe I was Hedron Crabbed I got to use it like a tutor for stuf in my graveyard.
Molly got sick and died?? Figuratively I hope.
On the ”a color not 7” comment I almost spit my coffee out onto my work computer.
LOL “What does go for me mean?” “It certainly does not mean stop talking.” That brings a smile to my face just reviewing my notes.
The whole segmant where Chewie left to pee was just pure comedy gold.
Thanks for the effort.

I love zendikar and I need more of it.

IMMA LET YOU FINISH, BUT THE MANA POOL NEEDS MORE BEN MENTIONS.

I see why they keep reprinting cancel, but that doesn't stop me from hating the damn thing.

Spell Pierce is awesome.

WHAT? WHY DOESN'T THAT HAPPEN TO ME?!?

YOU SHOULD THINK ABOUT ME MORE OFTEN AND HOW AWESOME I AM!

Here's my experience: ZENDIKAR IS AWESOME AND MY DECK WAS WAY TOO SLOW. AND THE MERFOLK SEASTALKERS SUCK!

That is money. I opened two fetchlands and traded them in for booster packs.

Allies do help, but I only had two, so they didn't really do anything.

That's quite a pool.

I remember someone next to me used a Desecrated Earth to destroy their own land and tried to draw a card, under the impression that it said "Destroy target land and that land's controller draws a card." Then hilarity ensued.

...Really? I thought the Tuktuk Grunts were crap.

Wow, that's the god draw.

I love pretending to be sad. So many people fall for it.

LOOK SWORDS!

How do you win with a shrink? Apparently Ernest has shown me the way.

Grim Discovery is so powerful.

You didn't know the hexmage has first strike? It's ridiculous.

Vampires are amazing.

I have forgotten nearly everything about my limited but there were a few cool pulls and game happenings.
Rares pulled
-Scute Mob
-FOIL Scute Mob
-Archive Trap (Also got 3 Hedron Crabs)
- Armament Master
- Iona, Shield of Emeria
-Roil Elemental
-Roil Elemental

As I said I cant remember deck list. But a few highlights
- milled a bloke to deat with two hedrons and the trap
- Spell Pierced (Which is freakin' awesome) a KICKED rite of replication on an ALLY. (I think it was the sell-sword)
- Got Iona out 4 times (She's great)
- Top decked all 3 of my kor hookmasters when the bloke was ready to attack with Lorthos the freshmaker equipped with a grappling hook.

Thats about it. Was really fun and I love zendikar.
Peace ot God bless

Everytime chewie said "tuktuk grunts", I heard "duck, duck goose".

I'd just like to say that Bladetusk Boar (3/2 intimidate for 3R) is freaking awesome. I drafted three of them and cut through almost every opponent. Everyone seems to splash red for burn, but when it comes to creatures no one seemed to get these guys (or anything else that could stop it, for that matter).

The Boars are pretty good. I would also like to submit another card for the "awesome" stack: Vines of Vastwood. I have gotten at least one in every draft deck that had green and it has yet to gone to waste. Like tonight online, I used it to save my Emeria Angel from a Burst Lightning and then punched the opponent for 7 in the air to add injury to insult. Such a great card for two green.

Aw yeah. Vines is freakin' amazing. Can you say green counterspell? "Counter target spell or ability targeting target creature" or some such nonsense?

My vote for awesome: Baby Kraken (Kraken Hatchling). Not only is he super cute, he clogs the ground like a mother fornicator, stopping almost every aggro creature in the set. Oh, and he has no legs or arms, but when you equip with him a Trusty Machete and some Adventurer's Boots, he becomes a beatdown machine!

Also, the Heartrender Mosquito is awesome. Sure, it costs 7, but with all the green mana-ramping available, 7 isn't too hard to reach unless you're playing against a straight-black aggro player with agood draw. Draft 3 today!