[easybox]Something a little different today that I hope you will all enjoy; with apologies to Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. -- Russell[/easybox]

From the Journal of John Watson, M.D.

I have recounted elsewhere the strange circumstances that brought 221b Baker St one hundred years forward in time, so I will spare you the repeated details of those events. Instead I will tell some more tales of the strange game that has so consumed the attentions of my famous companion; Mr. Sherlock Holmes.

It was a crisp morning in February, 2010, when I awoke at my customary early hour. Holmes would regularly sleep until well after the breakfast table was cleared away, and I intended to take my ease in the sitting room and read the morning's newspaper. Instead, this particular morning I found the disheveled figure of Holmes poring over his latest cardboard acquisitions. I groaned inwardly at the realization he had not slept all night, such demands did this game place upon his thoughts. Finally he had found a conundrum worthy of his considerable mental faculties – finding the so-called "best deck" and "solving the metagame", as he put it. Several times a year new cards would be added to the equation and other cards were removed meaning there was a frequent need for Holmes to apply himself.

"Another new set I take it, Holmes?" I asked after we had said our good mornings and I had settled into my armchair by the window. He leaned back at the small coffee table with a weary smile. "Precisely, Watson. Worldwake has just been released, and while I have already found the best deck for standard there is much more that can be deduced from the new cards. Have a look at these play sets I have acquired." Holmes passed across a handful of cards, and I fanned them out before me. "What do you think of these?" he asked. I examined each in turn.

"Eye of Ugin?" I asked, half to myself. "This card is dreadful – it can search up artifacts in casual Urza-tron decks, to be sure, but that first ability doesn't do anything!" I raised an eyebrow at Holmes, whose smile had grown wider on hearing my verdict. I felt a little hurt that I was being made fun of. "Well then, what is the secret to this card?" I queried. Ever happy to show off his intellect, Holmes explained. "My dear Watson, it is quite elementary. The first ability refers to colorless Eldrazi spells, of which you quite rightly recognized that there are none currently extant in standard, or any format for that matter. However you underestimate my nemesis Rosewater and his cronies. He would not put such a card into a small set as a mere red herring. Note also, the set following Worldwake will be called 'Rise of the Eldrazi.' Armed with this data I am certain you can deduce what I have – that Rise of the Eldrazi will lend purpose to the Eye of Ugin." When he laid it out like so, it certainly appeared quite simple. I moved on, hoping I would have better luck with the next card.

"Lodestone Golem? I didn't know you were a vintage player," I announced, looking up questioningly. He snorted in reply, "Indeed I am not. I solved that stale format with minimal exertion. No, it is the constant change of standard that so grips me, and it is for that purpose I have acquired these Golems."

"But why?" I asked, "Esper is a terrible choice at the moment, I have heard you say so yourself. What use could this serve? You don't mean that the Eldrazi will be artifact spells?" He shook his head, "No, my dear Watson, it is not for some months that these will become relevant. Look through the other cards beneath those, and see what you can work out about October's 'Lights' block."

A set of foil Nature's Claim was next. Another vintage plant, certainly. What was Holmes playing at? Thada Adel, Acquisitor. "Merfolk!" I exclaimed, "You have some reason for suspecting Merfolk will be a strong choice when 'Lights' replaces Shards of Alara." He nodded encouragingly, and I thought hard before continuing, "With Jund and Cascade leaving the format, counterspells will have a chance to shine again... Lullmage Mentor! You are planning a Lullmage Mentor deck, are you not? Thada Adel's islandwalk is your trump for the mirror match." I proclaimed triumphantly. Holmes burst into laughter at my conclusion. "Watson, you are the truest friend a man could wish for but your powers of deduction are in dire need of refinement. Please, do not be stung by my teasing. I am certain considering the final two cards there will lead you to my understanding of 'Lights' block."

I pushed aside the blue legend and saw two playsets underneath – Stoneforge Mystic, and Hammer of Ruin. A creature that searches up equipment, and an equipment that destroys other equipment? "It is unusual that both of these cards should be printed in such a crowded set, when there are almost no relevant equipment in standard. That is what you wish me to remark upon, is it not?" I asked, and Holmes nodded, sincerely this time. "Taken with the Golem that affects artifact spells, this cheap artifact removal spell, and Thada Adel who can steal artifacts... Of course! You expect 'Lights' to be centered around artifacts," I declared, and Holmes clapped his hands together. "Well done Watson, well done indeed. We shall make an investigator of you yet. I must admit there are several pieces of evidence encouraging me along such a line of reasoning that I have withheld from you. I will present them now, if you are willing to listen."

I acquiesced enthusiastically and Holmes began to explain. "As you know, 'Lights' will not be the first artifact block. Previously there has been Antiquities, a set from the earliest days of Magic, and more recently the Mirrodin block. What you may not know is that Mirrodin is just about to leave extended, a format that frequently employs the powerful artifacts of that block. With Chalice of the Void, the artifact lands, Chrome Mox, Trinket Mage and Engineered Explosives all leaving, extended will undergo a great shift. This was supposed to occur last year with Zendikar's rotation due to the Onslaught fetchlands rotating but wizards preferred to maintain the status quo."

"Now, there are two ways that Wizards of the Coast could go with 'Lights'. Either they reprint the staples of Mirrodin and maintain the status quo again, or they take the opportunity to print a variety of new artifacts that would have been too powerful in a format with Mirrodin. I cannot see them reprinting the artifact lands for one, or any of the affinity cards so I think the former choice is unlikely. While they may reprint the utility artifacts like Chalice the bulk of Mirrodin block will certainly disappear with the rotation. Instead I expect to see a variety of new, powerful artifacts that Hammer of Ruin, Stoneforge Mystic and Thada Adel will interact with and I have acquired these playsets extremely cheaply, well ahead of time."

I nodded, impressed, as Holmes paused. Before I could ask any questions however, he charged onwards. "However the strongest evidence I have for the accuracy of my conclusions is this," he said, passing me a printed sheet of paper. It was an article from ManaNation, showing three new trademarks from Wizards of the Coast – Scars of Mirrodin, Mirrodin Pure, and New Phyrexia. "These sound very much like set names," I surmised. "Possibly," replied Holmes, "though whether they are sets, books or other products they make me certain that 'Lights' will be an artifact block when taken with the evidence already presented."

It constantly astounded me how simple was my companion's reasoning when laid out before me, no matter how tangled and complex it may have seemed previously. I congratulated Holmes on his latest discovery and made my way to the door for my morning walk. Life was certainly a lot quieter with our crime-fighting days behind us, but it engaged our minds no less thanks to this dynamic game. One day, I thought. One day Lullmage Control will be the deck to beat.