Gatecrash Spoilers and the Ladies of Filipino Magic

This article was first published on the Neutral Grounds Website. A short briefing on several Gatecrash items and guild mechanics plus a look-and-chat with Filipina MTG players.

Gatecrash Spoilers and the Ladies of Filipino Magic

By: Will Dizon

Greetings, Pinoy Planeswalkers!

The yuletide has just half past and we approach 2013 with enormous anticipation of Gatecrash. Come late January, events for this new expansion will be commencing all across NG stores – something I look forward to vigilantly. Speaking of which, here are a bunch of new cards freshly spoiled:

Whispering Madness
Dimir’s new mechanic, Cipher, on a card with the effect of Windfall. If I must throw the obvious, Whispering Madness will be very good for Hexproof bodies like Geist of Saint Traft (Gatecrash heavily reinforces Esper) while being perfect for Invisible Stalker who also homeruns for player combat damage. Dimir in GTC will be big with hand disruption and mill effects. This also could make Epic Experiment decks more viable in the future.









Treasury Thrull
Things get more exciting with Extort coming into the format. I have been tearing my brains out into how to make Heartless Summoning work in the current Standard and am honestly almost at limit break. Treasury Thrull now becomes a glimmer of hope with possible interactions with Havengul Lich and Blood Artist (Uhuh, Esper again).


Firemane Avenger
Holy Boros agro! A 3/3 body with evasion who acts a lot like Hellrider with the new Battalion mechanic. While missing the red devil’s haste ability, Firemane Avenger makes up for this with a gain-three (You may now stop missing Lightning Helix). And like Hellrider, its always great to pack a full set to pile-up triggers.






Rubblehulk
This dude has the potential of being really, really big. Since ramp will continue to be an obvious archetype come GTC, building such with Rubblehulk seems very logical. His pump ability also dodges counter magic – this is also our first look at the new mechanic: Bloodrush. Its also interesting to note that the involvement of discard in this mechanic implies the that use of the graveyard will continue to be intensive in Gatecrash given that Red and Green are leading enablers for its maximization.

Fathom Mage
Here’s another card with Evolve. Fathom Mage’s other ability has monstrous potential for card advantage in the right deck. The card’s triggered ability already works well with the mechanic it has on stock that can further take advantage of Green cards that put P/T counters – which we all know are of abundance in Standard.










Simic Fluxmage
This is the first card to show Simic’s guild mechanic Evolve – a static ability that places +1/+1 couters after another creature enters play on the same side of the board. Evolve isn’t hard to tick given that may check either power or toughness. This wizard for Blue shows the tribal assignment for Merfolk.


To read more about insights on an earlier batch of cards spoiled in late November, please follow this link:


More Gatecrash Spoilers

In MTG Gold Rush 2012, three out of six female registrants qualified for the Battle of 64. Sir Freddie Tan points out that this is an indicator that women can make it in the world of planeswalking. We’ve taken the time to take down the profiles of our lady MTG players during the GR finals at Neutral Grounds Centris Walk and here they are.


Sarina Nasria Lee hails from Manila and works as a systems analyst. She professes to being a mid-range player, having Blue as her color of choice - but I think I saw her play Red based agro for during the GR Top 64 games (not 100% sure of this). She plays with team MENSA (with Brothers Basilio). She started during Zendikar and believes experience makes a good M:TG player. Now that I’ve found her Gold Rush player profile, I am certain she played RDW for the tournament. Her favorite card in Standard is Hellrider, loathes another player’s Thragtusk and believes Gatecrash will heavily favor Boros (Yup, amen!).


Christine Joyce Ramirez, 27, of Team Sabaw plays out of Manila. She played BR agro for MTG Gold Rush, and verbally blamed me for it (allegedly she got the list through email). A self-professed hater of Thragtusk and Restoration Angel, detests to see any form of lifegain resolved against her. Her favorite card in Standard: Slaughter Games. We see her posing with the said card and her loot for qualifying for the Battle of 64 of MTG Gold Rush 2012. She sells comforters, too (see photo for sample).



Pamela Llanes Reyes of Quezon City is a filmmaker and graphic designer and plays for the RED Team (with GR runner-up Mikhail Red plus brother Nik). When asked of her color of choice she mentions Green but poses with her favorite card, Bonfire of the Damned (see photo). She is accustomed in playing Mid-range / Ramp (ahh Green it is!) and has been playing since Scars of Mirrodin. Here's a little Q & A with Pam at MTG Gold Rush 2012:

How did you come about playing Magic?
Some of my family members used to play Magic at home back in the 90s. However, I started learning Magic just last year when I met Mikhail Red and his friends. Since then I’ve been playing competitively. RDW was my first competitive deck.

What makes a good Magic: the Gathering player?
Someone who is dedicated enough to practice everyday and someone who is humble enough to accept his/her mistakes (misplays).


Rowena Tan, of Team Standalone, works in the travel business and lives out of Manila. She is an aggro player and favors piloting colors Green and White. A player since Tempest, she shuffles with her husband (who provided the influence to play MTG), Papa Richmond, at Blaster Hobby Shop. She believes everyone’s sportsmanship and support for Magic: the Gathering is of tantamount importance. Here she is at Neutral Grounds Centris during the Battle of 64, banking for Mr. Tan.


Finally, we have Kirsten Golpeo M.D. of Binangonan, Rizal. A medical doctor by profession (you read right, M.D.), Kirsten favors playing midrange. She plays with DTD (Deck Test for Dummies) and has been planeswalking since the original Ravnica. She finds versatility important playing the game. Here is Dr. Golpeo flashing her favorite card, Devil’s Play. We also see her in action as 1/3 of the female contingent to MTG Gold Rush 2012 and as she blings her winnings during the awarding.

Thanks for reading! Watch out for more spoilers, personalities, decks and coverages as we enter GTC!

MXHNY!

All pictures of lady MTG players taken with consent with a GE X500.

All card images sourced from this site

Will Dizon is a Professional Writer, Event Host, Palawan Travel Consultant, Musician and Competitive Magic: the Gathering Player. For questions and suggestions, you may email him via boomdizon@yahoo.com