OK...we are two weeks away from the next pre-release
i haven't read all the posts on this board, but it seems to me we need some general tips for those new to sealed...I will start with the few I know...feel free to argue:
deck contruction:
1) Try to stay as close to 40 cards as possible (I suggest a 15-25 land ratio...mana hosing runs rampant in sealed)
2) Play only 2 colors if possible
3) Don't play with a card just cause it's cool, you get to keep the cards and will have a lot of time later to use it
Critters are they key so:
4) Look for critter removal
5) Look for flying critters
playing:
1) keep track of yer opponent's life as well as yer own
2) DONT make stupid mistakes...i.e. forgetting to tap a Tim for that one point of damage each round(every point counts)
specifically for prereleases (it's going to be a long day if you plan on staying for the duration):
1) bring extra money (the tourney itself is $25) for food, etc
2) bring some decks to play with between rounds (or you can just play with yer tourney deck)
3) bring cards to trade if you want, prereleases get a big turnout, so there are many people to trade with
4) if you don't want to play or trade, bring a book or something to amuse yerself
5) wear something that says "this is me"...i.e. I will be wearing my Serra Angel shirt
intangibles:
1) bring a mascot (i.e. Livonya brings a little stuffed Pikachu (sp?) that sits on the table beside her as she plays)
2) if you have body jewelry, play with it during the match
Tourney is $25?
Shows you the exchange rate. It's $9 over here. :)
One thing about the Prerelease is that a lot of beginning and casual players show up, so trading is more fun.
About your "rules", there have been a lot of strategy articles on Meridian Magic links, but...
Invasion Sealed? Impossible and inadvisable to play 2 colors.
And you have to pay attention to color over mana distribution, and the mana curve of the deck.
oh that's right....invasion is that WACKED multicolor set
i finally got a wiff of it last night...a friend came over who bought 2 boxes and I saw all sorts of new lands and gold cards and double cards...except for kicker, it looks like a lot of fancy bells and whistles...you know, another sign that they are running out of good ideas so they have to cheese their way through another set
he did beat me most games, but then again, I threw together a bunch of decks cause he always complains I only have one, so not much thought went into them...however, Erhnam Dawn struck again, with a few new critters. If yer curious about what that deck is, just ask....you can probably figure it out from the title....but the best I can judge, it has a 80% win percentage...and I made it myself.
I enjoy Invasion Sealed far more than I did any other Limited format, by the way.
Invasion/Planeshift sealed.
I don't think 15 land works in the environment with all the kicker costs. Most creatures that have a kicker are completely useless without it meaning the common run of creatures is higher on the mana curve than they appear. I've found myself rarely playing with fewer than 17 lands and that was usually when I had a really poor selection of cards.
That might change a little with Planeshift according to how many gating creatures you have. You might be able to play a creature without kicker then gate it back to your hand to play with kicker later.
I've gotten a few decks where I could go 2 color with a few off lands to pay activation costs.
Evasion abilities are very key. I rarely win or lose on the basis of creatures without evasion except through mana screw. When putting together the deck look at it and ask "how is this going to win". If your only answer is "smack them with grey ogres and hill giants", you probably built the deck wrong or you have a day of drafting to look forward to after you drop.
Don't take the word of your opponent on how one of his new Planeshift cards is supposed to work. Take it and read it. You might not run into anyone intentionally deceiving you but many people aren't going to read the card carefully or correctly. Especially watch for cards that target and make sure the target is legal.
For my lucky mascot I have a small rubber kavu toy. Technically, I think its a chameleon but it looks like some of the Kavu artwork.
I enjoy playing Invasion sealed but I don't enjoy building Invasion sealed. Too many agonizing decisions (all my good creatures are in one color and need activation in an allied color but all my good spells are gold in the opposing two colors). My record for Invasion is better than any of the other blocks so I guess I shouldn't complain.
good tips ATW...thanx
usually when i lose in sealed, it's because of mana screwing...so do you suggest perhaps 18 land?
my mascot is too big for the table (a stuffed shark about 15 inches long that wears a pair of The Rock's sunglasses)...I do however have a Crunch (the beenie baby shark), so maybe, I'll bring him along this time...hmm, or perhaps my lara croft figure...sheesh...i have too many things I could use as mascots
as for your land question ,it depends on how steep your mana curve is. I usually do 18 lands if I am 3 colour, but in a cheap deck or deck with lots of cantrips, ill go 17 or very occasionally sixteen if the curve is low and aggresive.
The real trick isnt the number of lands, its the colour of lands (and more importantly of spells). I know it's hard in invasion ,but try to only have double coloured mana spells in one colour (gold cards excluded naturally). A second colour can have one or two if you have cantrips or colour help, and you should under no circumstances have a double coloured spell in your splash (also avoid early drops in your splash, they will often not be able to be cast until they are ineffectual)