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Interview With The Ninja Scot
by Mathew Woolaghan Well, this month I’m interviewing someone who seems to be a bit of an online legend. Something that really epitomises how he’s viewed by the online population is a comment made by Sergei Rachmaninoff in his report of the Seattle Open - "My good friend Tigh Bradley (known on the BBS as Arnie J.) pulled me aside, and pointed at a person sitting in a corner. 'That's the Ninja Scot!'" Curzon Dax: First Question, just for the readers info, who are you, how old are you and where do you live? The Ninja Scot: I'm the Ninja Scot, I'm old enough to know better and still too young to care and I live in the land where the side of the sea meets the land where all the ore has gone. Curzon Dax: Somehow I didn't think you'd give the normal type of answer to that :) The Ninja Scot: You're quite right ;-) Curzon Dax: When was the last time you lost an online game? The Ninja Scot: Kedanya Weekend, I lost to Bot 100-0. Curzon Dax: The Blaze of Summer weekend or the one before? The Ninja Scot: Before, had to have, I wasn't here this summer. Curzon Dax: That's what I thought. Who's the toughest person you've ever played online? The Ninja Scot: I couldn't say really, all depends on what your definition of toughest is. I treat each game the same regardless of whether it's done very quickly or very long, as long as I'm having fun, that's all that matters to me and if my opponent is having fun, even better. Curzon Dax: Is there a person in particular that gives you a close game every time (online)? The Ninja Scot: I don't keep track of scores, I just report them and forget them ;-) But I'd have to say Data's Son and l.t.f. (Livingston the Fish) are the more reliable of opponents to make things difficult for me. Curzon Dax: Who is the toughest person you've ever played in real life? The Ninja Scot: I don't get to play much in real life as I live longer distances than most from tournaments so I'd have to say Data's Son again. Curzon Dax: Who is your most regular opponent? The Ninja Scot: Livingston the Fish as of late. Curzon Dax: This could be the secret of great online players, play l.t.f a lot (Data's Son gave the same answer). The Ninja Scot: Then we mustn't tell anyone ;-) Curzon Dax: What affiliation do you play as the most? The Ninja Scot: Federation, most reliable. Curzon Dax: What do you think is the most powerful Federation strategy at the moment? The Ninja Scot: Well, since the Rules of Acquistion hasn't come out yet, I'd say VCM as far as most versitile but reliability can come from a PNZ deck like the ones that won both the Vulcan Regional and the Seattle Open. Curzon Dax: Both my Fed decks are taking a pounding with RoA, standard VCM and a PNZ/ATA :) The Ninja Scot: However it's not necessary to use an ATA emphasis for the desired effect, merely helps a smidgen. Isabellas, Wormholes, Rifts and even Energy Vortexes can have a desired effect. Curzon Dax: An ATA a day keeps the Youth away :) The Ninja Scot: So does Brain Drain, your point? ;-) (Of course on second thought, the timing wouldn't work, oh well scratch that thought.) Curzon Dax: What affiliation do you play as the least? The Ninja Scot: I've been told that the Locusts are considered an affiliation by some (of course, how can insects be an affiliation I ask you ;-) but outside of them, haven't played the Dominion because I never bought a box of Dominion. Curzon Dax: I never bought any Dominion at all, I've still played them though :-Þ Which affiliation do you think is currently weakest? The Ninja Scot: I'd say Dominion as of right this second but we'll just have to wait and see with RoA and SA coming out. Curzon Dax: Why? Just lack of development? The Ninja Scot: No, for I'm sure that there's very easy ways to win with the Dominion but the deck styles are very limited in my opinion at this time. Curzon Dax: Which affiliation do you least like playing against? The Ninja Scot: Since the Locusts aren't an affiliation, merely a pest ;-) No real affiliation, just a deck style that makes things no fun for those that are playing against them. Curzon Dax: So you don't like cheesy decks? The Ninja Scot: I don't like playing against them, no nor do I think anyone else does either. Which is why oftentimes people don't like tournaments or more importantly, qualifiers/regionals and Opens because they expect to see cheese upon cheese and if they expect to do well, they have to employ more cheese than your opponent. It makes for a not as pleasurable playing environment as it can be. I'm glad those 12 RoA cards are Worlds-allowed, I'm interested in seeing what comes out of it. Curzon Dax: Speaking of Worlds, the editor wants to know if you're going this year. The Ninja Scot: Not unless someone wants to give me the money for a plane ticket to DecipherCon. ;-) Curzon Dax: What affiliation beats you the most then? The Ninja Scot: I honestly don't know, never really gave it much thought. Curzon Dax: What's your all-time favourite strategy? The Ninja Scot: Mozart's The Magic Flute ;-) Curzon Dax: ? The Ninja Scot: (LOL) Ressikian Flute deck Curzon Dax: And the Mozart bit? The Ninja Scot: The only opera I know that has a Flute in the title and after all, you have to give credit to the composer after all. ;-) Curzon Dax: Ah. Do you ever get other peoples advice on your decks? The Ninja Scot: No one really asks, I'm kind of a quiet winner I guess. Curzon Dax: What card do you use the most? The Ninja Scot: My trusty bullet-tested, gnawed on, bubble-gummed, pickle juice infested card of love: my AU Door. Curzon Dax: You really should use card sleeves :) The Ninja Scot: Why? And spend the money on things I don't use? ;-) Curzon Dax: Have you been following ISOWC (or know anything about it this year), and if so who do you think'll win? The Ninja Scot: Haven't really followed any of the online tournaments. Been sorta gone all summer mostly and then there was school and all sorts of things. I am getting back into it though, I have to play Data's Son for the Kick tournament and he'll lose so that'll be fun. ;-) Curzon Dax: Well I have to play Wes, he'll loose as well, so we're both ok. :) The Ninja Scot: At least I told Data's Son that, and when did you inform Wes of his imminent loss? ;-) Curzon Dax: It's funny, it just keeps slipping my mind. ;) The Ninja Scot: Right.... ;-) Curzon Dax: Who do you think'll win SOTC? (just take a look at the teams http://members.home.com/lobban/) The Ninja Scot: Spock's team I think. No real reason why, just a feeling. Curzon Dax: You heard it here first - Team 2: No Name Yet to win SOTC, current placed 8th (out of 8). OK. That’s it, anything you'd like to add? The Ninja Scot: (LOL) Didn't even see where they were placed.... Nothing really comes to mind. The mysteries of the Ninja never cease. Just days after that comment No Name Yet jumped to 2nd place in SOTC... Mathew "Curzon Dax" Woolaghan
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