After covering the complex utility of the Strixhaven Commands at the start of spoiler season and then the ultra-wordy, double-faced Deans cycle in my last column, I wanted to follow up with something a little more classic and straightforward. Luckily enough, there’s a third cycle of college-defining cards which fit the bill for us battlecruiser Magic enthusiasts: the Elder Dragons …
Since as far back in Magic design as Ravnica: City of Guilds, WotC has embraced using powerful legendary creatures to anchor the identity of a set’s signature archetypes or factions. This habit has only been reinforced by the mechanical need to support these factions in the Commander format. So as soon as it became clear that Strixhaven: School of Mages …
At this point, Magic has been around for long enough to experiment with a ton of different mechanics. In the name of keeping things fresh, WotC are always expanding the design space of the game, pushing the boundary of what we think is possible with every new set. But sometimes, they cross over that boundary. Not just with one card …
This week, I’m rolling up my sleeves to tackle one of life’s great questions: what does “tempo” mean in Magic: The Gathering? It’s a controversial bit of jargon among Magic players even at the highest level, and this is far from the first article written about it. I have faint memories of reading one by Ben Bleiweiss back in Guildpact …
Well we all had a ton of fun with Kaldheim, didn’t we! But the big Magic wheel is always turning, and it’s time to… wait. Isn’t this awful soon to be moving on from Kaldheim? That’s certainly how I reacted when WotC dropped their unexpected Strixhaven preview article back on February 18th. As the hype train left the station, they …
Nearing three decades of shaping the gaming landscape, Magic: The Gathering stands apart from its many imitators because it is more than a game. After years of constant evolution and vociferous growth, Magic has become a lifestyle for generations of players. A major esport, before we even had the word for that kind of professional competition. A true global community …
Greetings, Commander connoisseurs! I’m here to talk about playing mono-white Commander decks… and mono-red. Oh, and mono-black, too. These three are my favorite colors in Magic, and I don’t think there’s a more interesting way to explore what they’re capable of than by rising to the challenge and building entire Commander decks around them. Generally speaking, color access is the …
When you think about it, every set is a brand-new version of Magic: one design team’s remix of familiar frameworks and staples. Limited formats let us sample unique flavors of gameplay, and sets with great Draft environments are spoken fondly of for years or even decades afterwards. Next month, WotC are giving current players a chance to relive one of …
The Magic community has had its frosty mitts on Kaldheim for a couple weeks now, and we’re starting to notice the effects filtering through into the Standard metagame. With some completely fresh mechanical possibilities and a high power level, there are several new cards and shells with potential, even once the set’s honeymoon phase fades. But the depth of the …
Do you think games of Magic might be getting too fast these days? It’s an odd thing to worry about in regard to a turn-based strategy game, even if chess clocks and Arena ropes force us into hasty decisions from time to time. But in its own best measure of speed — how many turns it takes to crush opponents …
