The Best Counterspells in MTG (Since the Last List)

Tom AndersonStrategy

Counterspells are a core building block of Magic: one of the fundamental effects that make up its periodic table. By this point in history we’ve seen literally hundreds of variations on the original Counterspell, and you can still rely on at least one or two new ones appearing in every set.  Of course, not all counter-magic is created equal. In …

Edge of Eternities Draft Guide

Tom AndersonEvents, Products, Strategy

It might be weird to say I feel sympathy for a Magic set. But Edge of Eternities really got a raw deal: not only was its debut slotted between huge Universes Beyond sets like Final Fantasy and Marvel’s Spider-Man, but it also had the challenge of launching the game’s first “space fantasy” setting. Could this one release manage to make …

Untapped Synergies For Tapping Creatures

Tom AndersonCommander, Strategy

Do you ever see a new mechanic get spoiled and start rubbing your hands gleefully, or even remark aloud something like “they made this just for me!” I’ve been thrilled by almost everything Wizards have revealed from Edge of Eternities so far, as it all seems to lean into my pre-existing playstyle preferences. But the station mechanic I find particularly …

Mechanics of the Eternities

Tom AndersonStrategy

Magic is diverting power to its main thrusters, and preparing to boldly go into a new frontier of genre fiction… space opera! While we’ve had glimpses of advanced tech like robots and rocket launchers since 1994’s Antiquities, and Unfinity added some explicitly interstellar aesthetics to the game, Edge of Eternities is the first time we’ll be exploring the design space …

Magic Definitions: Community Jargon Part 2

Magic: The Gathering Definitions: Community Jargon! Part 2

Tom AndersonCommunity

The level of rules jargon and community slang which permeates Magic discourse is a serious hurdle for new players to surmount. Nobody using these terms is deliberately trying to gate-keep the hobby, of course. But it’s tricky to know which terms a casual listener might need explained in the middle of such a discussion. So I’m writing out the explanations …

Magic Definitions: Community Jargon!

Magic: The Gathering Definitions: Community Jargon!

Tom AndersonCommunity

The way Magic unites a huge global community of like-minded gamers is one of its strongest selling points – it’s so important they put The Gathering right there in the name! But like any focused and literate community that has discussed the same niche topic for 30 years, Magic players have generated a huge lexicon of slang, technical jargon, in-jokes …