A Meeting of Monks and Dragons

 

Regionals is coming up quickly, and before I get on to the big topic I have for this week, I’d like to point out why I won’t be winning Regionals this year.

 

I am unlucky!

 

It’s true. I played the Affinity mirror match about twenty times over the past week. I went roughly one win, nineteen losses. Why, you ask? Because every single game they drew a Ravager and almost every game drew a Disciple before I did. Every single game this happened. And if I drew Oxidize, I drew no Green Mana, or vice versa. So game after game, I was beaten down by a Ravager smashing over for 12 while I lose 12 life to a sneaky Disciple just kind of hanging out poking me with rusty metallic slivers of broken artifacts.

 

I can only hope that, during Regionals, my ability to draw good cards will drastically increase, because we all know that I certainly can’t out play everyone if I never draw a Ravager. Maybe if I learn to be a really good Rules Lawyer instead, or switch to playing Goblins…. Nah….

 

That being said, on to this week’s article!

 

DeQuan and I talk off and on all the time, whether it is through IRC, E-Mail, or Instant Messaging. Most of the time, it’s short and quick. We ask about stock of a product, sale prices, or how something is doing for us. Occasionally we pick each other’s brains about a company or product, but we rarely get the chance to talk about personal things any more. So, this week, we decided to spend some time getting to know each other better all over again, and subject you, the readers to it as well. My article today is an interview with DeQuan, and DeQuan’s article this week will be an interview with me. We each chose ten questions independently to bring to the table, so there may be some repetition, or there may not.  You’ll have to read to see!

 

I added in the fun of adding some comments in to his responses, which will be labeled “Monk Insert” each time.

 

Monk:  When did you start playing Magic?

 

PowrDragn:      I'm not toady sure of the exact date, but I remember picking up my first starter deck of Magic: the Gathering at a little game shop inside a mall while on a Student Council trip.  As a matter of fact, I know it was when Revised had just come out, because there were Unlimited starters still on the shelf.  When I asked the clerk what the difference was, he said Revised has a few cards added from later sets that Unlimited didn't have.  I figured I get Revised then...more card options and it was $1.50 cheaper. 

 

Man, gotta love that whole hindsight thing.

 

(Monk Insert: I am fortunate to never have done the really bad trade or bad buy thing at any point in my Magic Career. I will say however, that I once spent $9.99 on pack of the Dark to get a Necropolis and Coal Golem. Ewwww.)

 

 

Monk:            What other games do you play, trading card or other?

 

PowrDragn:      Oh my.  This is unfair; I don't think we have that much space to list.

 

Video Games: MADDEN MADDEN MADDEN :)

Board Games: Killer Bunnies, Filthy Rich, Scrabble

Miniatures Games: Warmachine

Card Games: WWE Raw Deal, Marvel Vs., Duel Masters, and Neopets

 

I do a lot of work for the Raw Deal game and I am also currently working my way into the scene for Marvel.

 

(Monk Insert: Scrabble? I was so unprepared for him so say Scrabble I have no witty response!)

 

 

Monk:            What is your favorite game and why?

 

PowrDragn:      This is a really tough question.  I think Magic is obviously my favorite.  But that being said, I don't think I can pick a large clear favorite.  I like playing games just for the sake of playing them.  I like having fun.  I like competition.  Hell, I still go to the YMCA and play basketball :)

 

(Monk Insert: White Magic Players Can’t Jump. But DQ isn’t white, so I guess it works out for him.)

 

 

Monk:            How old are you?

 

PowrDragn:      Believe it or not, I'm only 25.

 

 (Monk Insert: Youngin.)

 

 

Monk:   How old do you feel?

 

PowrDragn:      I think old is a state of mind, so I feel like I'm 21 all the time.

 

(Monk Insert: Age certainly is a state of mind. I feel 100 all the time.)

 

 

Monk:  What is your best Magic tournament result?

 

PowrDragn:             Tournament wise, that's a hard one to pick out.  I'm more proud of actually breaking 2000 rating in constructed than I am of any of my tournament finishes.  Once you get about 1850 those last few points can come so slowly.  It also neat to reach that high.  Sort of gives you some bragging rights :)

 

(Monk Insert: 2000?!?! He beat my high rating! (See other interview))

 

 

Monk:             Control or Aggro? 

 

PowrDragn:      Aggro.  Creatures like to die at 90-degree angles. 

 

 

Monk:            What made you decide to have your own store?

 

PowrDragn:            Honestly, the offer kind of came out of the blue.  The guy that owned the store before me wasn't making much money off of it.  He offered it to me and another guy. I sat on the offer for a day or two and then agreed to take it.  I figured if it fails, I'm back where I started, so there's really nothing to lose.  It did cost me a bit, but it was worth it so far.

 

(Monk Insert: He just bought a house. It can’t be doing too badly for him.)

 

 

Monk:             Why do you write?

 

PowrDragn:            Because it's fun, it's a bit therapeutic, and it entertains other people.  I love attention, so this is right up my alley.  Honestly, there are times I think I actually enjoy writing more than owning a business.  People are surprised to hear me say that, but it's just one of my many oddly angled viewpoints of things.

 

(Monk Insert: I can see that 100%, when the writing comes to you clearly, and you feel like you are making a point and helping others, if even only to entertain and MAYBE educate them, its one of the best feelings in the world. I can understand the Writer’s High Pulitzer Prize winning Journalists get, although obviously my writing is nowhere near that level.)

 

 

Monk:             If you were a car, what car would you be?

 

PowrDragn:            Personally, I want to own a fully featured Lexus one day.  But I'm a reasonably successful guy and not real rich though and I like big cats, so I'm

gonna say a Mercury Cougar :)

 

 

And that’s it for my segment of the interview. Make sure to read the Dragon’s Den this week, when we switch sides, and you can read what happens when the tables are turned!

 

As always, feel free to e-mail me if you have any topics you’d like me to write about, or want to just drop me a line, you can write me at rayp at primenet dot com. And if you happen to be going to New Mexico Regionals, feel free to stop by and say hi.

 

Have a great week!