Ninly
@ninlymtg.bsky.social
Notes and observations as I learn to play Rules: The Game. Interested in booster draft & other limited formats, data analysis & decision theory, cube design & kitchen table shenanigans.
One near mirror-match. Almost no Kithkin or Vivid on either side of the board all evening. More Merfolk, though not as much convoking I might have expected; faced a few Elementals. Looking forward to more kitchen table and Draft play.
January 19, 2026 at 2:04 AM
One near mirror-match. Almost no Kithkin or Vivid on either side of the board all evening. More Merfolk, though not as much convoking I might have expected; faced a few Elementals. Looking forward to more kitchen table and Draft play.
Unwelcome Sprite was a welcome two-drop, but the deck didn't feel up to the kind of tempo/interactive play it wants. Probably a skill issue, as well. Unbury saw some play, and Unforgiving Aim mostly served to put Elf tokens on the board. Blossombind ran removal duty a few times.
January 19, 2026 at 2:04 AM
Unwelcome Sprite was a welcome two-drop, but the deck didn't feel up to the kind of tempo/interactive play it wants. Probably a skill issue, as well. Unbury saw some play, and Unforgiving Aim mostly served to put Elf tokens on the board. Blossombind ran removal duty a few times.
Notable cards: Glen Alendra Guardian came out in most games and did a bunch of heavy lifting on the board. Scarblade Scout, too. Maralen, Fae Ascendant was a lightning rod. Formidable Speaker lived up to the name. Chronicle Of Victory, too, though it sadly didn't see much light.
January 19, 2026 at 2:04 AM
Notable cards: Glen Alendra Guardian came out in most games and did a bunch of heavy lifting on the board. Scarblade Scout, too. Maralen, Fae Ascendant was a lightning rod. Formidable Speaker lived up to the name. Chronicle Of Victory, too, though it sadly didn't see much light.
...the Sultai deck I ended up in, GB Elves with a bunch of U Faerie support and a few changelings. I was not thrilled with the deck going into matches, but I ended up grinding out a lot of close, slow games with some similarly-skilled, casual prerelease players. Ended 1-1-1 sans embarrassment.
January 19, 2026 at 2:04 AM
...the Sultai deck I ended up in, GB Elves with a bunch of U Faerie support and a few changelings. I was not thrilled with the deck going into matches, but I ended up grinding out a lot of close, slow games with some similarly-skilled, casual prerelease players. Ended 1-1-1 sans embarrassment.
I opened a pool that was light on cards at the low end of the curve. Very little Vivid. Some interaction in Red but very few creatures. I need to play around with the cards more, but felt like I had a choice between a top-heavy UW Merfolk with not nearly enough convoke or...
January 19, 2026 at 2:04 AM
I opened a pool that was light on cards at the low end of the curve. Very little Vivid. Some interaction in Red but very few creatures. I need to play around with the cards more, but felt like I had a choice between a top-heavy UW Merfolk with not nearly enough convoke or...
My deck (with Raiyuu sitting in the wrong pile):
January 2, 2026 at 10:44 AM
My deck (with Raiyuu sitting in the wrong pile):
Of memorable impact on these games: [Rabbit Battery], [Kami's Flare], [Era of Enlightenment], [Touch the Spirit Realm], and [Imperial Oath] for a punchy finale. [Raiyuu, Storm's Edge] saw more time on the board, too.
January 2, 2026 at 10:44 AM
Of memorable impact on these games: [Rabbit Battery], [Kami's Flare], [Era of Enlightenment], [Touch the Spirit Realm], and [Imperial Oath] for a punchy finale. [Raiyuu, Storm's Edge] saw more time on the board, too.
I drew and got to play a bunch of good cards this time, very unlike my first showing! This makes me think simple Bo3 really isn't a great match format for learning/improving through this kind of kitchen-table draft.
January 2, 2026 at 10:44 AM
I drew and got to play a bunch of good cards this time, very unlike my first showing! This makes me think simple Bo3 really isn't a great match format for learning/improving through this kind of kitchen-table draft.
I think the cuts were [Kindled Fury] and [Dragonspark Reactor], both very poor in 17L stats. The latter of these had seen repeated play (to little positive effect) in our first Bo3. I subbed in some filler-level bodies -- [Scrapyard Steelbreaker] and a second copy of [Kitsune Ace], iirc?
January 2, 2026 at 10:44 AM
I think the cuts were [Kindled Fury] and [Dragonspark Reactor], both very poor in 17L stats. The latter of these had seen repeated play (to little positive effect) in our first Bo3. I subbed in some filler-level bodies -- [Scrapyard Steelbreaker] and a second copy of [Kitsune Ace], iirc?
I'm still finding my draft legs, but the Winston method felt great, and I look forward to more of it, hopefully with a little better sense of the set format and data.
December 29, 2025 at 8:15 PM
I'm still finding my draft legs, but the Winston method felt great, and I look forward to more of it, hopefully with a little better sense of the set format and data.
Pone loves playing soupy-splashy decks and ran BGU (Sultai). Took me down twice with both [Boseiju Reaches Skyward] and [Tribute to Horobi]. Good times!
December 29, 2025 at 8:15 PM
Pone loves playing soupy-splashy decks and ran BGU (Sultai). Took me down twice with both [Boseiju Reaches Skyward] and [Tribute to Horobi]. Good times!
I did cast [Raiyuu, Storm's Edge] in both games, but didn't manage enough board presence to stand up to pone's or make the most of the attack-alone theme.
December 29, 2025 at 8:15 PM
I did cast [Raiyuu, Storm's Edge] in both games, but didn't manage enough board presence to stand up to pone's or make the most of the attack-alone theme.
...but in retrospect I had mediocre removal/interaction and suffered some rough draws, too; never saw some of my better cards. Such as: Imperial Oath; Eiganjo Exemplar; Touch the Spirit Realm; Kami's Flare; 2x Era of Enlightenment.
December 29, 2025 at 8:15 PM
...but in retrospect I had mediocre removal/interaction and suffered some rough draws, too; never saw some of my better cards. Such as: Imperial Oath; Eiganjo Exemplar; Touch the Spirit Realm; Kami's Flare; 2x Era of Enlightenment.
I had listened through most of the LR C/U set review; he had not. I felt like things were going OK during the draft and landed in RW Samurai...
December 29, 2025 at 8:15 PM
I had listened through most of the LR C/U set review; he had not. I felt like things were going OK during the draft and landed in RW Samurai...
I got trounced in Bo3, 0-2, though I'm hoping we'll rebuild and rematch with the same pools over the break. Or just draft again.
December 29, 2025 at 8:15 PM
I got trounced in Bo3, 0-2, though I'm hoping we'll rebuild and rematch with the same pools over the break. Or just draft again.
At the time, I was first learning about cubes and cube design, too, and there's something about this set that draws me to that. But I wanted a bit more gameplay experience before diving further into that.
December 29, 2025 at 8:15 PM
At the time, I was first learning about cubes and cube design, too, and there's something about this set that draws me to that. But I wanted a bit more gameplay experience before diving further into that.
And the deck. For basics I think I ran 8/7-Island/Forest? Constructive feedback welcome, be nice or face removal. Now off to see if Quandrix is hiring adjunct faculty. (14/eof)
December 13, 2025 at 6:55 PM
And the deck. For basics I think I ran 8/7-Island/Forest? Constructive feedback welcome, be nice or face removal. Now off to see if Quandrix is hiring adjunct faculty. (14/eof)
I got to cast Multiple Choice for both 2 and 5 mana, that was fun. (13/N)
December 13, 2025 at 6:55 PM
I got to cast Multiple Choice for both 2 and 5 mana, that was fun. (13/N)
Other recollections: I ran Cogwork Archivist but don't think I ever drew it. Reflective Golem came out a few times, didn't have a ton of impact. Reckless Amplimancer was a removal target for its doubling ability. (12/N)
December 13, 2025 at 6:55 PM
Other recollections: I ran Cogwork Archivist but don't think I ever drew it. Reflective Golem came out a few times, didn't have a ton of impact. Reckless Amplimancer was a removal target for its doubling ability. (12/N)
Notable and memorable cards: Biomathematician; Bayou Groff; Cultivate; Divide By Zero; Eureka Moment; Growth Spiral; Leyline Invocation; Multiple Choice; Quandrix Apprentice; Quandrix Pledgemage; Reckless Amplimancer. (11/N)
December 13, 2025 at 6:55 PM
Notable and memorable cards: Biomathematician; Bayou Groff; Cultivate; Divide By Zero; Eureka Moment; Growth Spiral; Leyline Invocation; Multiple Choice; Quandrix Apprentice; Quandrix Pledgemage; Reckless Amplimancer. (11/N)
Other lessons: Got absolutely flooded with 2/2s in match one, game one. Needs: Bigger and maybe fewer creatures; Work on IDing and enabling wincons; Remember my triggers better and resolve them before the triggering spell's effects. Luckily I got a lot of help and friendly reminders there. (10/N)
December 13, 2025 at 6:55 PM
Other lessons: Got absolutely flooded with 2/2s in match one, game one. Needs: Bigger and maybe fewer creatures; Work on IDing and enabling wincons; Remember my triggers better and resolve them before the triggering spell's effects. Luckily I got a lot of help and friendly reminders there. (10/N)