Am I The Bolas? - Is it Pubstomping if the Pub is Spelltable?
Marwyn, the Nurturer Illustrated by Chris Rahn
Hello, and welcome to Am I the Bolas?
This column is for all of you out there who have ever played some Magic and wondered if you were the bad guy. I'm here to take in your story with all of its nuances so I can bring some clarity to all those asking, "Am I the Bolas?"
I'm ready to hear you out and offer advice. All you have to do is email amithebolas@gmail.com with your story, a pseudonym you want to use, and of course, only include details you don't mind in the column! You might see your story in the column. You might even hear it on the podcast. Which podcast?
I'm Mike Carrozza, aka Mark Carbonza, and my ride's here!
I think this is the last time I make this joke maybe.
This week, a Rule Zero chat doesn't mean a smooth ride.
(Post edited for brevity, clarity, and then some.)
HEY, MIKE
Greetings from England! First off, just want to say that I love your Am I The Bolas? articles and enjoy reading them whenever I'm on lunch break during work. Unfortunately, this is a long one as it has shaken me.
My own story, amongst many, is quite recent in which I played a game over Spelltable and honestly left me very salty.
I hosted a table labelling it as "EDH 7 Chill" and was running my The Thirteenth Doctor
We began our Rule 0 discussion in which I telegraphed my deck as no tutors, combos, infinites, or fast mana, and is about casting spells from exile, namely creatures, to obtain value and win through combat or burn. One of my favourite ways to win with is Brash Taunter
I was saying how my deck usually starts gaining some ground on turn five, after I have both commanders out to start my engine, but I might be able to win about turn nine or ten depending on if I find my finishers (like Brash Taunter
Throughout our conversation, Davros didn't interact with the group, remaining silent as he shuffled up his Marwyn deck, which rang alarm bells for me, but I gave him the benefit of the doubt.
Lo and behold, Marwyn was a classic Elfball deck and killed the table by turn six (me on turn five with lethal forestwalking Marwyn, then turn after killed the other two). Davros got Marwyn out by turn two thanks to turn-one Fyndhorn Elves
To put it in perspective, my deck on turn four only had a TARDIS
I got mad and salty at the Davros player because he killed me on turn five and was presenting full board lethal next turn. This turn of events completely disregarded the Rule 0 talk we had at the start, so I began calling him out on his blatant ignorance of it. His deck showed cards that clearly displayed levels of consistency, with untap shenanigans, like Wirewood Symbiote
Ultimately and shamefully, obscenities were thrown about and the game ended with a vicious sour taste thanks to a clear distance in power levels and the Rule 0 broken.
What can I change about myself and the Rule 0 conversation I have to avoid another situation like this without disrupting the table's amiable decorum?
Thank you kindly,
Brash Doctor
HOWDY, BRASH DOCTOR!
Thank you for writing in and asking me to weigh in on your story. As I mention every week, if folks don't write to me, there's no column, so if you, the reader, want to send me a story, whether it's your own or one from Reddit or a friend's, please send it to amithebolas@gmail.com and I'll get to it here.
I appreciate the kind words and hope to keep supplying with you articles and podcasts for your lunch breaks! I know this is a long one, but it's filled with details and it's time to dive in.
I think the question you landed on is great. Let's address the situation as a whole first: Davros staying quiet during the Rule Zero chat isn't great, and while we've come to expect people to participate in the conversation, some people just aren't talkative. That said, if people in the pod you're playing in are talking about their expectations for the game and they all agree, but you say nothing, I feel like anybody granting the benefit of the doubt would take that as a tacit agreement.
Him sitting back and not saying anything and then proceeding to play a full-on Elfball deck is a big thumbs up from me and frankly, after game one, I'd ask him to free up space at the table since the rest of you all seemed to be on the same page so you can try go find another like-minded person.
To answer your question, I think you're not the Bolas for not pressing the Marwyn player when he was quiet. Social dynamics are strange, speaking to folks can be daunting, and frankly, I'd also assume Davros would be playing to the same power level after staying quiet the whole time. That said, me being who I am, I check in with everybody at the table and ask point blank if they feel like they match up well with the pod with a "how does that sound to you?" and a "what are you playing?"
While you're not the Bolas, your question does also call for some advice, and I think you've got the steps, it's just about applying them. When the voice in your head says "nah, don't bother, they get it" while wrestling with the part of you that wishes they would speak up or discuss their deck, give in to that part. Ask the questions you want answers to.
With the new bracket system, the idea, from what I understand thanks to Gavin's appearance on EDHRECast, is that this is a means to get everybody to have the conversation. You're already having the conversation, but Davros was not a participant. This new system should give you the guts to ask for clarity which is what was missing here. I believe in you, and I think your games will be smoother for it.
Not the Bolas! Thanks for writing!
