Fast(er) Blue Manna

Archived from groups: rec.games.trading-cards.magic.strategy (More info?)

On Thu, 16 Dec 2004 16:09:53 -0600, Gene P. <alcore@uurth.com> wrote:
>I'm looking for ways to develop extra blue manna in the first 3 turns of
>the game... Using reasonably current cards. (Reprints are just fine, so
>long as they are new or reprinted in a recent edition.)

This is generally not too doable; "blue does not have fast mana" is one of
that color's designed-in limitations. In general you'll find mostly the ones
that there's a cycle of things for - Sky Diamond, Silver Myr, etc. - or
things that can produce anything - Fellwar Stone, Birds, Celestial Prism / Mana
Prism / etc., Chrome Mox, Darksteel Ingot, etc.

To keep the other guy's entire ant army away, consider mass-bounce spells,
something Blue -is- good at (which coincidentally eradicates tokens nicely).

Dave
--
\/David DeLaney posting from dbd@vic.com "It's not the pot that grows the flower
It's not the clock that slows the hour The definition's plain for anyone to see
Love is all it takes to make a family" - R&P. VISUALIZE HAPPYNET VRbeable<BLINK>
http://www.vic.com/~dbd/ - net.legends FAQ & Magic / I WUV you in all CAPS! --K.

Archived from groups: rec.games.trading-cards.magic.strategy (More info?)

On 2004-12-17, David DeLaney <dbd@gatekeeper.vic.com> wrote:
> On Thu, 16 Dec 2004 16:09:53 -0600, Gene P. <alcore@uurth.com> wrote:
>>I'm looking for ways to develop extra blue manna in the first 3 turns of
>>the game... Using reasonably current cards. (Reprints are just fine, so

This might be a little slow for what you're looking for, but how about this
for an option:

Turn two, play 2nd land, play a Vedalken Engineer

Turn three, play 3rd land, play extraplanar lens using 1 land and the
engineer, remove the tapped island; now you can put 4 mana in your pool.

Chrome Mox is the other, more expensive ($$) option.

Does that help? What are you trying to do?

Vedalken Engineer
{1}{U}
Creature -- Vedalken Artificer
1/1
{T}: Add two mana of any one color to your mana pool. Spend this mana only to
play artifact spells or activated abilities of artifacts.


Extraplanar Lens
{3}
Artifact
Imprint -- When ~this~ comes into play, you may remove target land you control
from the game. (The removed card is imprinted on this artifact.)
Whenever a land with the same name as the imprinted card is tapped for mana,
its controller adds one mana to his or her mana pool of any type that land
produced.


--
In vino veritas
http://openwine.net

Archived from groups: rec.games.trading-cards.magic.strategy (More info?)

> I'm looking for ways to develop extra blue manna in the first 3 turns of
> the game... Using reasonably current cards.

In addition to those already mentioned...

Talisman of Dominance
Talisman of Progress

It doesn't matter if you don't need the white or black mana (though there
are white and black wizards). Plenty of winning tournament decks (even
"mono" color ones) use these, because they "faster" than many of the
alternatives.
--
-War_Pig5

Archived from groups: rec.games.trading-cards.magic.strategy (More info?)

On 2004-12-19, War_Pig5 <dontsendjunk2me@hotmail.com> wrote:
>> I'm looking for ways to develop extra blue manna in the first 3 turns of
>> the game... Using reasonably current cards.
>
> In addition to those already mentioned...
>
> Talisman of Dominance
> Talisman of Progress

Also, Star Compass if you need the blue mana and don't want to get hit each
time you use it. Downside: it comes in tapped.

K

--
In vino veritas
http://openwine.net

Archived from groups: rec.games.trading-cards.magic.strategy (More info?)

At some point in time, "Gene P." <alcore@uurth.com> wrote:

>
>I'm looking for ways to develop extra blue manna in the first 3 turns of
>the game... Using reasonably current cards. (Reprints are just fine, so
>long as they are new or reprinted in a recent edition.)
>

Well, this list is hardly exhaustive:

* Wayfarer's Bauble will get your 3rd land out; basically shortens your deck by
a card
* Conjurer's Bauble is helpful to shorten the deck
* Star Compass was mentioned elsewhere
* Extraplanar Lens is good to make the jump from 3-4 mana to 6-8 or thereabouts
* Silver Myr
* Cloudposts and Urza Lands, if you don't need blue so much as fast mana in a
blue deck


--
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~| Genius may have its limitations, but stupidity is not
Jeff Boes | thus handicapped.
jboes@qtm.net | --Elbert Hubbard (1856-1915), American author

Archived from groups: rec.games.trading-cards.magic.strategy (More info?)

"Gene P." <alcore@uurth.com> escribió en el mensaje
news ine.LNX.4.44.0412161602410.22834-100000@uurth.com...
>
> I'm looking for ways to develop extra blue manna in the first 3 turns of
> the game... Using reasonably current cards. (Reprints are just fine, so
> long as they are new or reprinted in a recent edition.)
>
> Ideally the trick should be playable in current sanctioned tournaments...
> (though I rarely actually play sanctioned tournaments, it would be nice if
> it worked when I do one.)
>
> I've got a few stupid wizard tricks I'd like to play with and they won't
> work if I can't get them on the table before the other guy has deployed
> his entire ant army.
>
> Gene P.
> Slidell LA

It´s a narrow card, but Retraced Image might be what you´re looking for.
From Gatherer (http://gatherer.wizards.com - you can use it to search for
ideas for your deck )

Retraced Image
Set & Rarity: Torment rare

Versions:
Cost:
Card Type: Sorcery
P/T:
Rules Text (Oracle): Reveal a card in your hand, then put that card into
play if it has the same name as a permanent.

Legal in: Extended, Legacy, Vintage, Online Extended, Prismatic, Tribal
Wars, Odyssey Block

If someone has an Island in play, you can use Retraced Image to play
another. It also helps in mirror matches and to play additional copies of
cards in play. The downside is that it´s card disadvantage.

The more standard options would be to play with Chrome Mox and Talismans of
Dominance and Progress, which have already been suggested.

I would try splashing the deck you´re playing with Green, which has almost
infinite ways to accelerate your mana, starting with Birds of Paradise and
Sakura-Tribe Elder in the current sets.

HTH,

Gustavo Fischer

Archived from groups: rec.games.trading-cards.magic.strategy (More info?)

"Gene P." <alcore@uurth.com> wrote in message
news ine.LNX.4.44.0412161602410.22834-100000@uurth.com...
>
> I'm looking for ways to develop extra blue manna in the first 3 turns of
> the game... Using reasonably current cards. (Reprints are just fine, so
> long as they are new or reprinted in a recent edition.)
>
> Ideally the trick should be playable in current sanctioned tournaments...
> (though I rarely actually play sanctioned tournaments, it would be nice if
> it worked when I do one.)
>
> I've got a few stupid wizard tricks I'd like to play with and they won't
> work if I can't get them on the table before the other guy has deployed
> his entire ant army.

Afore I forget.. Sea Scryer might help a tad if you end up running with
colourless mana sources (ie, sources that produce colourless mana), such as
Wasteland. Give that a shot.

Erich

Sea Scryer
1U
Creature - Merfolk
1/1
T: Add 1 to your mana pool.
1, T: Add U to your mana pool.

Sea Scryer, MI-c