Magic has a rare distinction among games, in that for many players it has become a lifelong preoccupation. The incredible depth and variety of the card pool is what supports this long-term interest. But for newcomers, that variety can be intimidating. There’s such a range of formats and play styles to choose from, each of which appeals to different kinds …
“How much are Magic cards worth?” “Which Magic cards are worth the most money?” “What makes Magic cards so expensive?” Believe it or not, these are the most-asked Magic: The Gathering questions on the internet. As experienced players dive deeper into Magic, we may lose sight of how unusual and unpredictable the price tags are on rare and staple cards. …
We’re somehow into May now, and I’ve found myself writing more and more about Ikoria Standard in recent weeks. We’re at what I’d call the “mature” end of the format, with the largest and deepest card pool possible all on the table to tinker with until the Ravnica sets and M20 rotate out in a couple months. With so much …
I’ve been thinking these last few days about a popular phrase: “a good problem to have.” Some of the best players in Magic have made earnest complaints about Zenith Flare — the all-star uncommon of Ikoria: Lair of Behemoths — and the cycling-heavy deck which has arisen around it. The deck is certainly winning a lot in the last week …
Editor’s Note, 4/29/20: This article was originally published on October 28, 2019. We want to ensure you have the most up-to-date information about popular decks, so we’ve updated this article and re-published it on April 29, 2020. Editor’s Note, 8/3/20: Cauldron Familiar has been banned in Standard effective August 3, 2020. Read the full announcement from Wizards of the Coast …
Hop in, magicians — we’re going Brawling! If there’s one thing Ikoria: Lair of Behemoths has in abundance, it’s cool legendary creatures to build around! The Apex cycle opens up powerful three-color options, and the various companions can be used as your Brawl commander even if you don’t meet their special deck-building requirements. The various legendary humans and new Planeswalkers …
Literally and figuratively, creatures are what give Magic life. The game was designed and balanced around the idea of playing creatures to attack and defend your life total, and that is how most people still learn to play it. As the main way for players to act on the game state other than casting spells, creatures are the natural stars …
As one of the most anticipated new mechanics in years, mutate has some high expectations to live up to. Wizards R&D has repeatedly tried to get a “combine your creatures” mechanic right, and after the success of host/augment in Unstable, it seemed they were getting close. The announcement of Ikoria as the “make your own monster” set, featuring “one of …
Hello, fellow Planeswalkers! I’m writing to you this week from my Fortress of Solitude, a position which I suspect many of you can also empathize with! The COVID-19 pandemic has settled over most of the world by now, and Magic has been disrupted along with almost every other part of our daily routines. You wouldn’t necessarily think that card games …
Greetings, adventurers! Last week, you may have read how I made the case for Dungeons & Dragons fans to pick up Magic: The Gathering. I argued that Commander is much closer to a tabletop RPG session than most people realize, and that roleplayers should experiment with building a Commander deck to represent their favorite PC. But just how do you …
