With March of the Machine and its Aftermath now both revealed, 2023 looks very much like the end of an era for Magic’s Planeswalkers. Many were casualties of the struggle against Phyrexia, including some who lost their spark and were demoted to mere legendary creatures. But even the survivors can tell their role in the multiverse has changed. In fact, …
Have you noticed popular commanders are getting more mechanically complex every year? Recent sets have set records for the amount of rules text on cards, but it’s definitely most apparent on the legendary creatures leading our Commander decks. WHY SO LOQUACIOUS? The trend is driven both by general power creep and an even more insistent push for novelty. In 2023, …
Mana rituals! These distinctive, potent and strategically narrow cards are most often used to accelerate the endgame of combo decks. Perhaps due to that dangerous power, new rituals have become something of a rare sight in recent sets, no longer something Wizards of the Coast’s design team feels needs to feature prominently in Magic. However, they are an elemental building …
The final war against Phyrexia is here, and we’re all getting Drafted to help defend the Magic multiverse! The frontline of this fight can be confusing at first, with new mechanics and even a new card type to contend with. Never fear though — the Card Kingdom draft guide is here to help you prepare for the battles (and Battle …
Growing Threat is an Orzhov, Phyrexian-focused Commander precon that players can upgrade to be even more fearsome than it already is. In the process of guiding those budget friendly tweaks, Tom takes a look at the new cards and deck overall. Have I ever mentioned how I love white-black decks? I got into Magic through Ravnica’s Orzhov guild, and ever …
This set is the culmination of at least four years of storytelling, design, marketing and innovation. And like the multiverse itself, it’s clear Standard will not escape unscathed. There are tons of high-powered cards to highlight in March of the Machine that could supercharge archetypes both current and dormant, leading this Standard season to a suitably epic finale. Everything since …
Arguably the best thing about Magic is the sheer variety of ways to play it. Even ignoring the growing range of officially-supported formats, Magic’s “rules engine” and massive card pool make perfect building blocks for inventing all sorts of wacky new scenarios! That’s just what a player named “Perodequeso” was up to back in 2016 when he invented Wacky Races. …
With WotC’s surprise adoption of Oathbreaker last week, we’ve entered a boom time for experimentation and brewing in the Planeswalker-centric format. But what possible playstyles does the format offer – and how should you decide on your first deck to start figuring it out? The easiest thing to latch onto is the Oathbreakers themselves, the Planeswalker-commanders which go a long …
What makes a particular combat trick special? Must it create a blowout or just maximize the efficiency these cards are known for? Or is a great combat trick one that exceeds our expectations, generating additional resources or utility beyond its combat application? These questions make it difficult to identify the best combat tricks in Commander. One thing you notice trying …
Commander is about self-expression; playing with your favorite cards and mechanics with the best possible support from across Magic history. But what if your favorite cards in Commander are combat tricks? Single-target creature pump spells can be gamewinners in Limited or 1v1 Constructed, but it takes some special effort to help them scale up to the 40 life multiplayer metagame. …
