The last 1/4th of a game match ...

[Sailor Vulcan]

ב"ה
I once lost a game after I had a lead when my opponent was lucky.
I won at least one game when I was in a desperate condition (meaning I was sure I was going to lose) and I had great luck.

If you have those fireballs and hurl rocks, then a few very lucky rolls (combined with lucky rolls for burns) could turn a bad situation into a victory.

I never played on octagon, but only on a real board. I've seen someone concede only once, when he was both losing and had to go. Usually players keep going until one mage is dead. Perhaps on octagon it is different, I never tried.

Octgn games tend to be a lot slower. I think using skype instead of the ingame chat and using time limits on phases probably fixes this problem. Also if you make people decide whether to use upkeep abilities before they start their planning, that could also speed things alone because then you don't have people taking forever in a combined behemoth plankeep phase.


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[farkas1]

Yea it really depends on the book you are playing and your opponent.  newness on books like others said has a lot todo with it too.

  If you are new to the game it may feel very weighted to one side once the match is coming to a close.  But I have seen huge swings against and for me during games.  Not just swings of luck but pure sound strategy and tactics.  Where the Mage was taken off guard  and a play was made that started the direction towards an unexpected end result.  Just more experience and knowing the inner workings of your book help.  Even experienced players with new books may stall out or just not have enough punch.  In the case of  Sharkbait and drmambo shark just took apart piece his opponent.  So yea he won in a way that his book or strategy called to play against a very deadly drmambo Druid.   Sharkbait was also delayed a bit by the stuck which caused for even slower match.  I enjoyed watching it tho even if it was a longer match.  The highlight for me in the match was the chant of rage on Alandell by drmambo he placed the rage token on a vine snapper far away in a corner.   Pure genius buying him a few rounds to attempt a come back. 

Also I feel Mage wars is just a different experience, it can play longer than your normal duel card game but it's just that it's slower and it could take longer.

[Beldin]

The last 1/4 of the match is the most fun. It requires the most creative thinking. Ok Plan A has ticked past that hasn't worked, can  Istill win with my plan sbp? I have gone back and forth. Am I feeling lucky, has he packed an extra dispel? Is that enchantment matrix his last nulify, or is he playing mind games to make me think it is?

Also building on what I have read.

it certainly is not fun for new players to get dumped into competitive scenarios, and as you mentioned, wait bored while they get destroyed in slow motion.

Totally untrue. I know a guy who learnt MW, got himself a copy of core and core Academy, and his first proper games was in a tournament.

Sometimes I feel unlucky.
>Opponent has one health and 2 armor.
>Roll all blanks on force hammer.
>Then lose...

That seems very fast and loose. I would rust or take this his armor off with acid ball? You would have been even more gutted if you had rolled 1 or 2 normal damage.

The rest of my musings have already been addressed by others.

[Kelanen]

The last 1/4 of the match is the most fun. It requires the most creative thinking.

I'd agree. Typically, the first quarter is one of several plans optimised when building the book. The second quarter are branching decisions and reactions based on the fairly scripted first quarter of you and your opponent. It's only the third quarter where it should be obvious that one of the two of you has a plan that failed to keep up/work/work fast enough and adjust, which leads to the other adjusting and so on. The fourth quarter is where you bring it all together and bring home the bacon - the rest is for nothing if you don't turn it into a win.