Below you'll find a list of all posts that have been categorized as “Strategy”
Bestow is an alternate casting cost that appears on Enchantment Creatures, so we’re getting pretty specific already as those are somewhat uncommon to begin with. If you cast the Bestow creature for its normal mana cost, it enters the battlefield and behaves like any other creature spell. If you choose to cast it for its Bestow cost, it instead enters …
There’s no such thing as a free lunch, and likewise, no such thing as “free” in Commander. Kristen is here to help us with some cost-benefit analysis. Everyone loves free, right? Free bonus cards in your Secret Lair; free door-prizes at the LGS, a free drink with your meal deal. But none of those things are ever truly free. The …
Prototype is mechanic from The Brothers’ War that appears on artifact creatures. Cards with Protoype have a special Prototype section of their text box, which, if you’re casting the card normally, can be cheerfully ignored. However, you can also choose to cast the card for its Prototype cost. If you do, you pay the cost listed in the special box, …
Meld is a Keyword Action (a little different than what we normally cover here) that can appear on any permanent type. It could theoretically appear on an Instant or Sorcery, but we have yet to see that occur and how specifically that would work. Anyway! Meld appears in the ability text of one card that will specifically name another card …
With The Brothers’ War returning to a traditional, simultaneous Arena and physical release schedule, Draft lovers get to spend a little more time with the full spoiler before jumping into the trenches. That’s just as well, since this set is very unique in many fundamental aspects. Wizards has leaned into the epic, world-spanning scale of their story. Every color is …
Fuse is a static ability you can find on some split cards – modal cards that essentially act like two cards in one. Normally, these cards only allow you to cast one side or the other, but not both. Fuse lets you do exactly that. When you cast a Fuse card from your hand you may pay the costs of …
Extort is a triggered ability that appears on permanents. Whenever you cast a spell (any spell), you may pay a single white or black mana. If you do, each opponent loses one life and you gain a life equal to the total life lost this way. And…yeah. That’s it. A few small notes: You can only pay for the draining …
Evolve is a triggered ability that appears on creatures, and it means that whenever another creature enters the battlefield under your control, if it has greater power or toughness than the creature with Evolve, you put a +1/+1 counter on the creature with Evolve. And that’s the basics! As long as the new creature’s power is greater than the Evolve …
This week, I’m taking a break from my “This Day in Magic History” series. Instead, I’m going to give my picks for the spookiest planes in the Magic multiverse! In Magic, planes are self-contained universes that serve as the settings for each set. These are the five planes you least want to be trapped on because they are home to …
Even as a social game, Commander doesn’t ask everyone playing to take up much responsibility. Knowing the basic rules of Magic and generally being a friendly person are the main baselines, but there is one more skill every Commander player should develop to keep games as enjoyable for everyone as possible: threat assessment. For those newer to the game, threat …
