Sneaky Standard Synergies

Sneaky Standard Synergies to Accelerate Aetherdrift’s Vehicles

Tom AndersonStandard

There are very few people in the world more revved up than I am at the thought of vehicle-themed Aetherdrift decks. I just love how vehicles create natural counterplay to sweepers and other sorcery-speed interaction, or give decks on the defensive insurance against their blockers being removed before combat. So I’m not looking to just play an odd vehicle or …

The Most Important Standard Cards for 2025

The Most Important Standard Cards for 2025

Tom AndersonStandard

It’s the season when we as writers often take a step back and review the most exciting beats of the year just gone. But from a Standard perspective, it feels like most of the year was just a buildup to the excitement of the last few months. The first rotation in years has been exactly the kind of watershed players …

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. …

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 …

What to Expect from Magic in 2025

Card KingdomCommander, Design, Legacy, Limited, Modern, Pioneer, Products, Standard

MagicCon Las Vegas happened this past weekend, and with it came a presentation from Wizards of the Coast breaking down what we have to look forward to from Magic in 2025. We’ve gathered that information here for you – so without further ado, prepare for THE FUTURE!  Ahem.  Anyway, the future starts with a look to the past:  Innistrad Remastered – …

Caretaker's Talent: Care-Taking Control of the Meta

Caretaker’s Talent: Care-Taking Control of the Meta

Tom AndersonModern, Pioneer, Standard

Caretaker’s Talent has been taking hold in multiple formats, becoming a cornerstone of multiple decks that Tom dives deep into here! The cycle of rare Talents have been frontrunners for Bloomburrow’s best constructed cards right out of the blocks. In the first week after the set released, I wrote about a string of upstart Standard decks that were already emerging …

The Best Self-Mill Cards in Magic

The Best Self-Mill Cards in Magic

Tom AndersonCommander, Legacy, Modern, Pioneer, Standard

Graveyard decks have always been a huge part of Magic, ever since the first Animate Dead was used to cheat out the first Lord of the Pit or Shivan Dragon. But if you broaden your definition beyond simple reanimation, almost every deck has some way to get value out of the yard – and if yours doesn’t, you’re probably not …