Auto-Include Cards for Vorthos

Posted on July 6, 2011

It’s Vorthos Wednesday, and we’re all back again.

I took a moment this week while conversing with a friend of mine, Matt Stamness, of the Fargo, North Dakota covered-wagon crew, to discuss gained and lost knowledge.

He spoke to me about how as he improved his play skill in Magic, tertiary components have become nominally important. I prodded him, asking what exactly has been omitted. (As a Vorthos, I thought the standard Spike belief of storyline, art, and flavor would be the casualties.) He said,

My life total. I cannot write it down straight during games. I can tell you exactly what card he is holding due to a former tap/untap misplay and what he is waiting to top-deck, but sure as hell not my life total.

I thought this telling, but not surprising. As you improve your skill in something, another tertiary skill diminishes.

How does this “cool story, bro” relate to Vorthos Wednesday?

Well, to help all of us with diminished skill points that you forget to allocate, I’m giving you six cards to print out and place on tokens to place into your deck boxes during events to help you remember knowledge lost and to set a precedent of you bringing information on an easily accessible medium. Thanks to everyone who I consulted with to create these. It was much appreciated.

Enjoy.

Mike

@mikelinnemann

Books to Read, if You’re a New Vorthos

Arena

Urza books. Get the omnibus volumes.

Agents of Artifice

The set books in order after Agents.

Then through the plethora of other books and comics.

Artist Costs at Conventions

Signing cards, up to 10 at a time, $2 tip.

Alteration, starts at $5 for a simple Sharpie and goes up.

Artist proof $3–$8 (proofs are not legal in tournament play).

Artist prints $10–$30.

Playmats $25–$150. (Ask them to mail it to you; it’s always 100% better. Pay for shipping.)

Artist limited digital prints $100–$300.

Artist original art, $150–$1,500, most falling in the $600–$800 range.

If the artist made Spectrum, the best in fantastic art, let them know. They really appreciate it.

Arriving in a Tournament City, Must-Dos

1. What is the hashtag for the weekend? #gpkc? #scindy?

2. What is the city’s specialty? Cheese steak? Burnt ends? Juicy Lucy?

3. Where is the closest grocery store to the venue? Breakfast is a cost you should be skipping, along with drinks if you can’t live off just water.

4. How long does it take to get from your room to the venue? This is vital when a bathroom breaks down, it’s packed between rounds, or you forgot a playmat.

5. Look into who is playing locally (baseball is cheapest), what museums are nearby, and what can’t-miss things can be seen if you get blown out in a tournament. For example: Cleveland’s Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, St. Louis and its Arch, Chicago’s Adler planetarium, etc.