Events

Pokemon Elite Box Tournament

By Ben Calica / Leave a Comment / Events, Pokemon

Return of the Pokemon Elite Tournament….New date…4-20-13

Event: Sealed deck Pokemon Tournament

When: 4-20-13 at 11am

Cost: $40-includes Plasma Storm Elite Trainer Box

What: Sealed Deck (Use the 7 packs included in the Elite Trainer box to build your best Pokemon Deck (40 card minimum) One hour to build decks, 3 rounds of play and prizes for winning rounds.

Great for beginners and advanced players alike. Limited to 34 players.

[iframe src=”http://www.eventbrite.com/tickets-external?eid=6160571435&ref=etckt&v=2″ frameborder=”0″ height=”214″ width=”100%” vspace=”0″ hspace=”0″ marginheight=”5″ marginwidth=”5″ scrolling=”auto” allowtransparency=”true”>

Online event registration for Pokemon Elite Trainer Box Tournament powered by Eventbrite

Special Magic Revised Box Draft at D20 Games Alameda

By Ben Calica / Leave a Comment / Events, Magic

Ok…clearly we are out of our minds. ;-).

UPDATE: Date has been changed to June 29th (Sat). We will close the store for the evening…only open to the players. (each player can invite a limted number of guests.)

BONUS… Beta card draft based on who signs up first—-Beta Lands and Beta cards—We will put in 16 beta lands, and 12 beta commons into a drafting pool that will get table drafted based on the order that people sign up.

So when you find that incredibly rare bottle of wine…you want to get some people together who will appreciate as much and make a night of it…that is exactly what we are going to do with this.We’ve managed to get our hands on a factory sealed box of Revised, and in the grand tradition of D20 Games, and we’re drafting that sucker in what will be a unique trip back in time.

NOTE: For those of us who were around in the day, the fact that the packs were easy to peek, by sneaking up the back cards and holding the pack up to the light. So old packs are almost never a good bet (even the most honest person holding onto a pack for 20 years would have a hell of a time resisting taking a peek.) So when we got a chance to get our hands on a factory sealed box, after taking a deep breath, we decided to go for it. We are vouching for the box…if it ends up being a repacked job, everybody gets their money back, I get the cards and go off hunting the person who sold it to us.

It’s important that people who sign up for this are doing so for the fun of opening up the old packs, feeling those mint cards and the trip back in time. Don’t do it as an investment, or as a gamble counting on getting the high value cards to pay back the cost. Do it for the joy of it and if you can afford it.

We’re going to draft the box and play with old school rules. That means mana burn, the old pre-stack damage rules,and just for pure fun, we’re bringing back Ante (though the Dual Lands will be excepted).

When: 6 pm, June 29th, 2013 We’re going to close the store for this one…

Cost: $150 per person. Prize will be regular packs and some special promos.

LIMIT: 12 people..(Ok…11 since Ben, the store owner is clearly in on this one.)

Event Registration Online for Revised Box Tournament powered by Eventbrite

Magic Guild Wars…Sealed Magic Tournament

By Ben Calica / Leave a Comment / Events, Magic

We managed to squirrel away enough of the speical boxes from the Gatecrash prerelease (these are the ones with the special promo cards and guild colored promo live dice), to run a very cool battle royal between three of the guilds. Will it be the relentless attack of team Boros, the inevitable growth of Simic, or the sacrificial bursts of strength of Gruul? Whichever team wins will add some very special promos and goodies to the usual prize packs for the individual winners.

What: Single player Sealed competition (best 40 card minimum deck from the 6 packs that come in the prerelease packs)

When: Saturday 4/13/13. Get boxes at 4, make decks and play at 5:30.

How much: $30 per player

Play 3 rounds with an extra round if needed to determine winner. (Also…a possible final battle between the top players for each Guild for the honor of the clan-and an extra bonus promo)

[iframe src=”http://www.eventbrite.com/tickets-external?eid=6152784143&ref=etckt&v=2″ frameborder=”0″ height=”214″ width=”100%” vspace=”0″ hspace=”0″ marginheight=”5″ marginwidth=”5″ scrolling=”auto” allowtransparency=”true”>

Online Ticketing for Guld Wars powered by Eventbrite

Dragon’s Maze Prerelease 4/27 & 4/28

By Ben Calica / Leave a Comment / Events, Magic

Pick a Guild…any guild! 😉 Dragon’s Maze is the last set in the Ravnica Block, bringing support for all 10 of the guilds of Ravnica , so players who register early will get to their favorite from all 10 guilds.

At D20 Games, we work hard to create a welcoming place for players of all levels to play, well, for the fun of it. 😉

A couple of new things for the Dragon’s Maze prerelease.

Pick from all ten guilds(20 total of each…reserve early to get your choice)…each pack will contain 4 packs of Dragon’s Maze cards, one special pack of just cards for the chosen guild, and one pack of a secret ally guild that shares a color with the guild selected.
The Implicit Maze…members of each guild can participate in the Implicit Maze Race. If team members win enough to get to complete the maze, they will get a chance to win special code cards good for virtual badges for their Planeswalker.com accounts
The special foil promo card will be for everyone and not for use in the decks. There will also be a bonus promo foil land for those who do the maze.
Promo card for Dragon’s Maze Prerelease

When: We will be having 3 times

Sat. 4/27 at 10 (Get packs starting at 10-build decks to start playing at 11 am)
Sat. 4/27 at 4 (Get packs starting at 4-build decks to start playing at 5:15)
Sun. 4/28 at 10 (Get packs starting at 10. Start playing at 11:30)
(we may add another on sunday @ 5 if we have enough demand.)

Cost: $30 per person –EXTRA BONUS–free pack of basic Ultra-pro sleeves or basic deck box

Format: Sealed (6 packs…make your best 40 card deck–Sealed means everyone starts out with the same number of packs and will take about 23 of those 80+ card to buidl a deck (we provide lands to borrow, though if you have them to bring, we’ll give you an extra smile)

Experienced Vs. Casual players: This is a great event for both experienced and casual players and we work hard to take care of both groups. For both…we always play for the fun of the game. 😉

Competitive: 4-6 rounds depending on number of players, with the top players getting most of the 2 pack per attendee prizes. (must win at least two rounds to get prize. Prize payout based on number of players)
Kids & Casual: is more of our standard draft style, with three rounds, with a prize pack given for each round won. Prizes are smaller but more spread out. (NOTE—Because of the Implicit maze event, we will give the Kids and casual players an option to play an extra round to try and win the virtual promo badges, but it is optional and there won’t be other prizes for the 4th round besides those promo badge code cards. )

[iframe src=”http://www.eventbrite.com/tickets-external?eid=6146720005&ref=etckt&v=2″ frameborder=”0″ height=”260″ width=”100%” vspace=”0″ hspace=”0″ marginheight=”5″ marginwidth=”5″ scrolling=”auto” allowtransparency=”true”>

Event management for Dragons Maze Prerelease Sun. AM @ D20 Games Alameda powered by Eventbrite

Tabletop Game Day at D20 Games!!

By Ben Calica / Leave a Comment / Events

Welcome to Tabletop Day

From 11-4 on Saturday, March 30th, we will be participating in International Tabletop Day. This is an event inspired by the Tabletop, a great series of YouTube reviews from Geek & Sundry of some of the best tabletop games hosted by actor and self-professed board game geek, Wil Weaton. We’ve loved this series and have stocked a bunch of games that we discovered through watching it.

We’ve brought in a bunch of our favorites from the show and will have them all set up at tables to test out. Write 2 Haiku reviews for two different games you try and get a discount that day good for two packs for the price of one or up to $5 off buying a game ($2 off for games under $20, $3 off games $20-30, and $5 off games over $30).

Time Walk Duels-Magic the Gathering Special Event

By Ben Calica / Leave a Comment / Events, Magic, Misc

Time Spiral vs. Darksteel, Shadowmoor vs. Kamigawa. Whether its going back to the set that you first played or a set you’ve never played before, the Time Walk Duels are a chance to take a stroll through the history of magic.

Somehow we managed to acquired a collection of 105…that’s right, one hundred and five theme decks that create a virtual history of Magic for about 17 years from 1996 on. At first, we were going to sell them off, and they someone came up with the brilliant idea to play with them. So here is the deal. From now on, every Thursday, starting at 5:30, players can come in and pick a deck to play with. The cost is 5 bucks, 4 of which will go into a pack for the prize pool and we’ll play 3 rounds of double elimination, to see what decks (and players) come out on top.

Deck selection is first come, first pick, but players can’t pick the same deck more then once a month. We know that some of the decks are going to turn out to be overpowered, so when we find them, those decks will earn handicaps. (Players will start each game with x less life.) Also, some of the decks have some very valuable cards, so those will require an id turned in to check them out. But most importantly, as always, have fun. This should be a blast. If you are running late, give us a call and we’ll take care of you.

Here is what we have so far (List curtesy of wikipedia)

Urza’s Saga

Theme Deck Name	Colors included					60 cards per deck
Theme Deck Name	White	Blue	Black	Red	Green	60 cards per deck
Sleeper						Card list
Special Delivery						Card list
The Plague						Card list
Tombstone						Card list

Mercadian Masques

Theme Deck Name	Colors included					60 cards per deck
Theme Deck Name	White	Blue	Black	Red	Green	60 cards per deck

Tidal Mastery						Card list

Nemesis

Theme Deck Name	Colors included					60 cards per deck
Theme Deck Name	White	Blue	Black	Red	Green	60 cards per deck
Breakdown						Card list

Mercenaries						Card list
Replicator						Card list

Invasion Block

Invasion

Theme Deck Name	Colors included					60 cards per deck
Theme Deck Name	White	Blue	Black	Red	Green	60 cards per deck
Blowout						Card list
Dismissal						Card list
Heavy Duty						Card list
Spectrum						Card list

Planeshift

Theme Deck Name	Colors included					60 cards per deck
Theme Deck Name	White	Blue	Black	Red	Green	60 cards per deck
Barrage						Card list
Comeback						Card list
Domain						Card list
Scout						Card list

Apocalypse

Theme Deck Name	Colors included					60 cards per deck
Theme Deck Name	White	Blue	Black	Red	Green	60 cards per deck

Swoop						Card list

Odyssey

Theme Deck Name	Colors included					60 cards per deck
Theme Deck Name	White	Blue	Black	Red	Green	60 cards per deck
Liftoff						Card list
One-Two Punch						Card list
Pressure Cooker						Card list
Trounce-O-Matic						Card list

Onslaught Block

Onslaught

Theme Deck Name	Colors included					60 cards per deck
Theme Deck Name	White	Blue	Black	Red	Green	60 cards per deck
Bait and Switch						Card list
Celestial Assault						Card list
Devastation						Card list
Ivory Doom						Card list

Legions

Theme Deck Name	Colors included					60 cards per deck
Theme Deck Name	White	Blue	Black	Red	Green	60 cards per deck
Elvish Rage						Card list
Morph Mayhem						Card list
Sliver Shivers						Card list
Zombies Unleashed						Card list

Scourge

Theme Deck Name	Colors included					60 cards per deck
Theme Deck Name	White	Blue	Black	Red	Green	60 cards per deck
Goblin Mob						Card list
Max Attack						Card list
Pulverize						Card list
Storm Surge						Card list

Mirrodin Block

Mirrodin

Theme Deck Name	Colors included					60 cards per deck
Theme Deck Name	White	Blue	Black	Red	Green	60 cards per deck
Bait & Bludgeon						Card list
Little Bashers						Card list
Sacrificial Bam						Card list
Wicked Big						Card list

Darksteel

Theme Deck Name	Colors included					60 cards per deck
Theme Deck Name	White	Blue	Black	Red	Green	60 cards per deck
Master Blaster						Card list
Mind Swarm						Card list
Swarm & Slam						Card list
Transference						Card list

Fifth Dawn

Theme Deck Name	Colors included					60 cards per deck
Theme Deck Name	White	Blue	Black	Red	Green	60 cards per deck
Nuts and Bolts						Card list
Special Forces						Card list
Stampede						Card list
Sunburst						Card list

Kamigawa Block

Champions of Kamigawa

Theme Deck Name	Colors included					60 cards per deck
Theme Deck Name	White	Blue	Black	Red	Green	60 cards per deck
Kami Reborn						Card list
Snake’s Path						Card list
Spiritbane						Card list
Way of the Warrior						Card list

Betrayers of Kamigawa

Theme Deck Name	Colors included					60 cards per deck
Theme Deck Name	White	Blue	Black	Red	Green	60 cards per deck
Dark Devotion						Card list
Ninjutsu						Card list
Rats’ Nest						Card list
Spiritcraft						Card list

Saviors of Kamigawa

Theme Deck Name	Colors included					60 cards per deck
Theme Deck Name	White	Blue	Black	Red	Green	60 cards per deck
Critical Mass						Card list
Soratami’s Wisdom						Card list
Spirit Flames						Card list
Truth Seekers						Card list

Ravnica Block

Ravnica: City of Guilds

Theme Deck Name	Colors included					60 cards per deck
Theme Deck Name	White	Blue	Black	Red	Green	60 cards per deck
Charge of the Boros						Card list
Dimir Intrigues						Card list
Golgari Deathcreep						Card list
Selesnya United						Card list

Guildpact

Theme Deck Name	Colors included					60 cards per deck
Theme Deck Name	White	Blue	Black	Red	Green	60 cards per deck
Code of the Orzhov						Card list
Gruul Wilding						Card list
Izzet Gizmometry						Card list

Dissension

Theme Deck Name	Colors included					60 cards per deck
Theme Deck Name	White	Blue	Black	Red	Green	60 cards per deck
Azorius Ascendant						Card list
Rakdos Bloodsport						Card list
Simic Mutology						Card list

Coldsnap

Intro Pack Name	Colors included					60 cards per deck
Intro Pack Name	White	Blue	Black	Red	Green	60 cards per deck
Aurochs Stampede						Card list
Beyond The Grave						Card list
Kjeldoran Cunning						Card list
Snowscape						Card list

Time Spiral Block

Time Spiral

Theme Deck Name	Colors included					60 cards per deck
Theme Deck Name	White	Blue	Black	Red	Green	60 cards per deck
Fun With Fungus						Card list
Hope’s Crusaders						Card list
Reality Fracture						Card list
Sliver Evolution						Card list

Planar Chaos

Theme Deck Name	Colors included					60 cards per deck
Theme Deck Name	White	Blue	Black	Red	Green	60 cards per deck
Endless March						Card list
Ixidor’s Legacy						Card list
Rituals of Rebirth						Card list
Unraveling Mind						Card list

Future Sight

Theme Deck Name	Colors included					60 cards per deck
Theme Deck Name	White	Blue	Black	Red	Green	60 cards per deck
Fate Blaster						Card list
Future Shock						Card list
Rebels Unite						Card list
Suspended Sentence						Card list

Lorwyn Block

Lorwyn

Theme Deck Name	Colors included					60 cards per deck
Theme Deck Name	White	Blue	Black	Red	Green	60 cards per deck
Boggart Feast						Card list
Elementals Path						Card list
Elvish Predation						Card list
Kithkin Militia						Card list
Merrow Riverways						Card list

Morningtide

Theme Deck Name	Colors included					60 cards per deck
Theme Deck Name	White	Blue	Black	Red	Green	60 cards per deck
Battalion						Card list
Going Rogue						Card list
Shamanism						Card list
Warrior’s Code						Card list

Shadowmoor Block

Shadowmoor

Theme Deck Name	Colors included					60 cards per deck
Theme Deck Name	White	Blue	Black	Red	Green	60 cards per deck
Army of Entropy						Card list
Aura Mastery						Card list
Mortal Coil						Card list
Overkill						Card list
Turnabout						Card list

[edit]Eventide

Theme Deck Name	Colors included					60 cards per deck
Theme Deck Name	White	Blue	Black	Red	Green	60 cards per deck
Battle Blitz						Card list
Death March						Card list
Life Drain						Card list
Sidestep						Card list
Superabundance						Card list

Source -Wikipedia- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Magic:_The_Gathering_theme_decks

Standard Sundays @ D20 Games

By Ben Calica / Leave a Comment / Events, Magic

What: Standard Format Magic Tournament

When: Sundays @ 12 pm (3-5 rounds depending on the number of players)

Cost: $5 with one pack per player added to the prize pool

Standard format is a 60 card deck comprised of cards from the last block, the current block and the current core set (Currently Innistrad, Dark Ascension Avacyn Restored, M13, Return to Ravnica and Gatecrash.) No more then 4 of the same cards per deck except basic lands. Sideboard must consist of 15 cards. Rounds are 50 minutes.

These are competitive events, but we are still D20, so we tend to approach any issues and all game play with a sense of humor and fun. (Remembering…it is, well, a game.)

Two-Headed Giant

By Ben Calica / Leave a Comment / Events, Magic

When: Sat 4:00 to get packs, 5:45 to play.

How much; $17.50 per player.

Two headed giant with 4 Ravnica and 4 Gatecrash! The last few of these have sold out, so to guarantee a spot, either come on in and register or sign up on line.

This is a ton of fun and best way EVER for bringing in people who haven’t felt comfortable playing before. It works great for significant others, buddies who want to check it out, or just friends who want to play.

(It is particularly great for Moms or Dads who want to have a really cool date night with their kids. This event is a GREAT way for parents to figure out what this thing the kids are doing is anyway, and for the kids to get a chance to be the ones who know what is going on for a change. 😉 Because you play as a team and can help each other out, the kid gets to be the smart one for a change, and the parent gets to play without needing to worry about “doing it wrong”. Also…very fun to play together against another team.)

Upcoming time: Sat. 3/30/13 at 4 pm (start getting packs to build decks)

Play games starting at 5:30 (ish)

Frequently asked Questions

What is it?: Two-Headed Giant Magic Tournament. (Two players on the same team, sharing life and playing in parallel against other teams of players)

Do I need to know what I’m doing?: Since both players play at the same time and can show each other their cards, as long as one of the two players knows what they are doing, nothing is required of the other player. It is the best, most fun way to learn the game.

Do we need to make and bring our own decks? Nope. This is what is called a sealed deck tournament, which basically means that each team gets a fixed number of packs (8) of Magic cards to build the two decks used to play in the tournament.

How much does it cost? $17.50 per person which includes 4 packs ($20 including sleeves)

When is is and how long does it go? It starts at 4 and the last match will end by 9:30. (No, you don’t have to stay for all the matches.)

Sell Tickets Online through Eventbritewww.alameda.com 510-522-2109.MTG, Magic the Gathering, Friday Night Magic, FNM

Gamecrash Game Day Event @ D20 Games in Alameda

By Ben Calica / Leave a Comment / Events, Magic

Cost: $5 entry

Time: Saturday, Feb 23rd at 10am

Sunday, Feb 24th at 12 (noon)

Format: Standard

Promo Card for participating — Gatecrash Game Day full Art card for all players

The Standard format uses only the newest sets the game has to offer. The current block, the block that was released the previous fall, and the most recent core set are all legal to play in a Standard deck. The following sets are Standard legal: Innistrad, Dark Ascension, Avacyn Restored, Magic 2013, Return to Ravnica and GateCrash

For more information on Standard, click here.

In addition, the first place winner of Gatecrash Game Day will receive an exclusive Playmat. (Source-Wizards of the Coast website)

Gatecrash League @ D20 Games Alameda

By Ben Calica / Leave a Comment / Events, Magic, Misc

Welcome to the Gatecrash League @ D20 Games in Alameda,

NEW…Top player in Kids and in Adults each week gets a bonus pack on the next Weds. Also…each week you complete 3 matches with different people, the player will get a guild sticker. Completing all 5 guild stickers in their Guild pass will also be good for a bonus pack.

What is it: The league is ongoing casual ongoing Magic play designed for fun and to have time to get much better at playing. Games can be played in the store or whenever two league players want. This one is great for both advanced players and those who are trying to get back into or get to know the game. With lots of time to build decks, as well as a bunch of other players who will help each other get better, this has ended up being a lot of good natured fun. Because of the format, everyone pretty much has an even chance from the beginning and to be honest, opening our league packs is the most fun pack each week. For the cost, it is the most joy per $ of anything in the store. Since players find each other during the league times, it is no problem to drop in and out, so it works well for those who need the game to fit their schedule, not the other way around.

When: Formal League days are Weds, but matches may be played any time during the week. Match results for each week must be received by the following Weds. Kids league is from opening until 5:30, adults go from 4:30 or so, until we close. Gatecrash league starts on Feb 1st, with each Weds being the beginning of the next new week.

Cost: League costs $25 to enter (includes 6 packs) and $5 each week, including a pack for that week. (People buying fat-packs or boxes may opt to use 6 packs as long as permission is granted from staff.)

Format: Ongoing Sealed

Start with 6 packs to build decks from, and get to add one pack per week
Packs must be opened in the store and the contents added to a deck list that is kept in the store.

Matches:

Each player can play up to 5 matches with other different members of the league each week. (Matches beyond 5 will not count in that week)
Each player in a match will get 1 point just for playing, and the winner will get 2 bonus points in addition for a total of 3.
It is good sportsmanship to accept a match challenge from anyone in the league provided both players have enough time.
Matches may be continued over more then one day if there is not enough time to complete all the games at once, though an incomplete game is considered a draw game (it can be played over if both players choose.)
As long as one game is completed, both players will get the minimum 1 point.
Slips MUST be turned in with both players names clearly printed and the date written.

Standings and Prizes:

NEW…Top player in Kids and in Adults each week gets a bonus pack on the next Weds. Also…each week you complete 3 matches with different people, the player will get a guild sticker. Completing all 5 guild stickers in their Guild pass will also be good for a bonus pack.
Since we are not charging much more then the cost of the packs, prizes will be more in the fun and pride side then high value.
Standings will be posted each week on the website as soon as I can figure out how. 😉
At the end of the time the point totals will be added up and there will be a playoff with the top 8 players with prizes for those players. And more importantly, they will get the chance to win one of our major titles. (Look for announcements for special events for these major players.)

As with most of our events, the goal is to play and have fun. Everyone has a better time when we help each other out, pointing out missed triggers and plays so that we win by being the better players rather then by catching an opponent doing a dumb mistake or by not knowing how some part of the game works.

League FAQ

Do I have to play in the store on League days? No, league games can be played anytime during the week and anywhere you find another player.

Why is this more fun than just playing with the decks I have already? The League is one of the best ways to really learn how to play and how to REALLY build your own decks and combos, not just buying premade decks or building a deck that someone else came up with on the internet. You make the best deck(s) you can with whatever the packs bring you, and by the end, that will be a lot. Whatever surprising and cool combos you come up with will be because of the thinking you do and the help you get from other league members.

How many packs do we get and what packs can we choose from? To start, each player gets 6 packs and then at the beginning of each new week, they can add one more into their card pool.

How big does my deck need to be and do I only get to make one deck? Because this is a sealed type event, minimum deck size is 40 cards, not 60, so you want to shoot for ~your 23 best cards and about 17 lands. As you get more cards added, it is very common to be able to build 2 or 3 possible decks. Your sideboard in this type of event is all of your cards from the league, so you can not only switch cards, you can switch whole decks in-between each play.

Can I use my own cards? No, each player starts with 6 packs that they record on the card sheet that gets left with the league administrator. The only cards you add will be the new packs for each new week, and whatever lands you need.

Why can’t I use my own cards? Part of the idea of the league is to make sure everyone starts out with equal chances. It turns out to actually a lot more fun that way. Over time, as more and more packs get added, the randomness of the luck will get evened out and it will be all about what you can do with what you have.

Why do we mark the cards on the league sheet? To keep it fair and make sure people don’t get tempted to sneak in cards that they got from other sources. That would be a crumby thing to do and would spoil a lot of the fun (and challenge of the league.)

How many times do I play each week? You can play up to 6 matches that are official each week and nothing stops you from playing more for fun. League result slips signed by both players, with names and date clearly printed must be turned in each week to the tournament organizer.

Do I have to join at the very beginning? And what if I’m not going to be around a bunch of the time? The league goes the whole summer and you can join in at any time. Since it is primarily for fun, it’s fine if you are gone away for a week or two (or more). When you get back, you can get your missing packs and come on back in and play.