Is Foundations Actually a Good Set For New Players?

Is Foundations A Good Set For Beginners?

Jacob LacknerDesign

A few weeks ago I wrote about Foundations and the history of core sets more broadly. There, I discussed the fact that they are intended to be beginner products that help introduce new players to the Standard format, especially. This is often achieved by more simplified designs that help introduce players to the game’s basic mechanics and themes. For the …

How to Build a Foundation in Magic

Building a Foundation in Magic The Gathering

Chris CornejoProducts

Foundations is a set that’s all about making a new baseline for Magic. Cards from the set are going to be Standard-legal through 2029. So at least for the next half-decade, this set will be a good starting point to use for anyone. As the spiritual successor to the Core Sets, with a simpler design philosophy than other Standard-legal sets, …

Protection on Creatures In Commander Wins Games

Protection on Creatures in Commander Wins Games

Kristen GregoryCommander

Protection in Commander is mostly on instants, or rattlesnake effects. It’s used to protect creatures or other nonland permanents from targeted removal spells or damage-based wraths. It wins games by allowing a creature to continue a lethal attack or perform a combo kill. That does win games, sure, but that’s not what I wanted to talk about today. Today I’d …

5 Cool Jumpstart 2025 Commanders

Jacob LacknerCommander

Jumpstart 2025 is a supplement booster set that releases alongside Magic: the Gathering Foundations on November 15th. As with past Jumpstart products, you and your opponent simply buy two booster packs and shuffle them together to make 40-card decks. And then you’re ready to play. These boosters all have themes, so you end up with what feel like very synergistic …

Reviewing JumpStart 25 for Commander

Reviewing JumpStart 25 for Commander

Kristen GregoryCommander

Jumpstart 25 is hitting shelves November 15, and though we’ll be having a ton of fun jamming the new JumpStart decks together for some fun mini-games of Magic, many players are focused entirely on the new card designs for Commander. So, let’s go over what’s new to the format. You can find other recent Commander set reviews here: As per …

Are Planeswalkers Doomed?

Are Planeswalkers Doomed?

Tom AndersonCommander, Design, Legacy, Magic Story, Modern, Pioneer, Standard

For almost 20 years now, Planeswalkers have been central to Magic’s identity as a game. The Gatewatch (along with other notables like Sarkhan, Ral, Vraska and Sorin) established a recurring central cast for the game’s storyline. They created marketable, consistent mascots for their respective color combinations and home planes. By these business-centric measures, Planeswalker cards have been an unmitigated success. …

5 Spookiest Commanders to Brew This Halloween

Jacob LacknerCommander

It’s Halloween week and that means it’s time for a Halloween-themed article. Magic has no shortage of super spooky Magic cards. There’s even a card that directly references the holiday itself, in the form of All Hallow’s Eve. While there aren’t any other cards that directly reference the holiday, there are tons of cards that have Halloween vibes. In this …

Is Universes Beyond in Standard Actually a Good Move?

Is Universes Beyond in Standard Actually a Good Move?

Kristen GregoryCommunity, Design, Standard

The announcement that Universes Beyond sets will be legal in all formats – including Standard – beginning with new sets in 2025 came as something of a shock to the Magic community. Is it actually a good move? You might have been lucky enough to attend MagicCon Vegas this weekend. You might also, like me, have been at home, refreshing …