Over the last couple of weeks, the Modern metagame has shifted. As certain decks give way to new pieces of tech, others rise to the top. And as new threats find a target on their back, combo decks like Death’s Shadow seem primed to feast. The initial pebble that caused these ripples is Leyline Binding, which has put pressure on …
Why You Shouldn’t Upgrade Your Commander Deck
It’s normal to want to upgrade your Commander decks over time. But is it really necessary? Kristen evaluates the process and offers an alternative. There are three* main aspects to engaging with Commander as a format: Deckbuilding, Gameplay and Upgrading your deck. We cover Deckbuilding and Gameplay quite often here at Card Kingdom, as do many creative Commander players across …
Seven Decks Every Commander Player Should Own
Commander is, perhaps, the largest sandbox environment in gaming. There are countless commanders, cards and archetypes available — to the point where it’s impossible to build every combination. Many Commander players can struggle with this extreme level of choice, and decision paralysis is something I personally experience often when deciding on decks to build. However, there is a sort of …
Examining Efficiency in Modern Magic
Magic has such a wide vocabulary associated with it that words begin to mean different things to different people. “Efficiency” is one such word, and its meaning has changed over the lifespan of Modern. The technical definition of efficiency is, “the ratio of the useful work performed by a machine or in a process to the total energy expended or …
Modern Deck Guide: Temur Creativity
Indomitable Creativity has shown up a few times, in a few different versions, during the last year or so of Modern’s history. The shells change, but the core game plan has stayed the same: control the board, then use Indomitable Creativity to generate a huge mana advantage. Previous versions of Creativity chose Serra’s Emissary and Emrakul, the Aeons Torn as …
Building a More Interesting Deck in Commander
Deck Building can be tricky in Commander. There’s no one way to construct a list, but it can be all too easy to end up with a brew that’s full of the most efficient and popular cards for the format. While there is absolutely nothing wrong with this approach, the result can sometimes feel like the deck lacks its own, …
Magic Draft Format Basics
Booster Drafts have been one of the most popular ways to play Magic: The Gathering since the game’s inception. Played everywhere from the most casual of kitchen tables all the way to the Magic World Championship, draft is a format that really does have something for everyone. However, it’s not quite as simple as picking up some cards and playing …
How Much Does Going Last in EDH Suck?
Going last in EDH can feel pretty miserable – especially if more than one of your opponents get a speedy start. But just how bad is it to go last? Is it blown out of proportion? Kristen entertains some of the arguments. Going last in Commander: it’s something we all pray to never happen, and when it happens consecutively, it …
What to know before your first RCQ
With Regional Championship Qualifier Season in full swing, many folks will be returning to competitive paper Magic after a long hiatus. However, for some players, this will be their first foray into organized play. We recently covered what you should bring to a CommandFest, and while a lot of that information will transfer well to preparing for an RCQ, competitive …