Standard is in a chaotic place right now. Even if Bloomburrow had zero cards in it, it still would have been the most impactful set since 2022 – purely because it triggered the first proper rotation of the 3-year Standard era. Many of the cards and decks which had calcified in place at the top of the metagame are now …
Bloomburrow Draft Guide
Bloomburrow was one of the most hotly-anticipated sets I can remember from the very first announcement, and the product itself hasn’t disappointed. The fuzzy critters who inhabit the land known as Valley are cute – but not always so cuddly! This set has fierce field mice and resolute rabbits dicing it up with spooky squirrels and rowdy raccoons, and that’s …
Commander Archetype Inspection: Typal
Over the years, Magic has invented a multitude of mechanics to build decks around, each with its own unique advantages, dedicated support cards and memorable payoffs. But when all of those archetypes are thrown together into the grand melting pot of Commander, a few top-tier choices stand out. They offer versatile deck building options, consistent performance across different areas of …
Animated Army Bloomburrow Commander Precon Upgrade Guide
With so many great commander options are being printed these days, the biggest challenge for a new precon deck is to stand out. Newer players want a strong identity to latch onto and guide their early card choices, while veterans want unique themes that let them approach deckbuilding and gameplay with fresh eyes. The Bloomburrow Commander decks answer this call …
The Bear Necessity of 2/2 Creatures
If you ask “why is ‘bear’ accepted Magic slang for a 2/2 creature?”, the answer is simple. Grizzly Bears was printed as a vanilla 2/2 in Limited Edition Alpha and set the precedent for describing similar low-complexity combat creatures. But maybe that answer isn’t good enough, and you ask: “no, I mean why would that term be the one to …
Everything Old is Modern Again
It shouldn’t really come as any surprise that Modern Horizons 3 has been a transformative event for the Modern metagame. We’ve seen two previous examples of the format “rotating” after a set’s worth of new pushed cards were added – three if you count Lord of the Rings: Tales of Middle-earth. It’s also clear that the designers of these sets …
The Fall and Rise of Phasing – From Forgotten Mechanic to Commander Staple
For over two decades, phasing was a “dead” mechanic. It was a gruesome museum piece, maligned as an arch-example of archaic, confusing design. Even Time Spiral shied away from it when choosing old mechanics to highlight, despite it being a perfect fit for the time-manipulation themes of the block. So then why is phasing suddenly making a comeback? Not just …
Stone Cold Killers: Magic’s Best Assassin Cards
Assassin’s Creed is the latest huge crossover event under the Universes Beyond banner, celebrating 17 years of the legendary gaming franchise. Given the series’ broad roots in historical fiction, this set also has the fun side effect of introducing famous names like Leonardo Da Vinci, Socrates and Cleopatra to Magic! No Pope or Doge cards though – guess we’ll have …
Modern Horizons 3 Draft Guide
The Modern Horizons sets are some of the most unique Magic products ever released, concentrating years worth of archetype support and intricate new rules into a single expansion! Modern Horizons 3 keeps that high standard going, with a Draft format that can support a range of nuanced playstyles! Last week, I discussed how Modern Horizons approach to card and set …
Why Modern Horizons Draft Hits Different
Modern Horizons 3 boosters are about to hit shelves, chock full of electrifying new chase rares that are poised to shake up every format where they’re legal. They’re also draftable! And since this is going to be the first Modern Horizons set to get a full MTGArena release, it’s guaranteed to give many players their first taste of the unique …