The Origins of Horror in Magic: the Gathering

Tom AndersonMagic Story, Products

In terms of aesthetics, Magic has perhaps the broadest range of any tabletop game. And it gets broader all the time. From its high fantasy roots, traveling to different sets and planes have allowed us to see science fiction, westerns, classic mythology, magitek, cyberpunk, fairytales and even other pop culture IPs through Magic’s cardboard lens. But by far the most …

Elementary School: How to Use Every Bending Mechanic

Tom AndersonProducts, Strategy

Besides just the fanservice element, one cool thing about Universes Beyond is how drastically different source material leads to some highly diverse Magic sets. Avatar: The Last Airbender will feature its fair share of legendary characters and beloved moments drawn from the TV show. But Avatar also has a power system that’s just as iconic and memorable as its main …

What Can The OG Lorwyn Tell Us About Eclipsed?

Tom AndersonProducts, Strategy

Does Magic ever get more exciting than spoiler season for a “return to” set? Not for my money. I’ve been fortunate enough to cover several “returns” on this blog over the years: Theros: Beyond Death, Ravnica Allegiance, Wilds of Eldraine, most recently Tarkir: Dragonstorm. But other than when we finally went back to (cyberpunk) Kamigawa for Neon Dynasty, none of …

The Evolution of Magic from Alpha to Today

Tom AndersonProducts, Strategy

I find myself saying this a lot, but the defining trait which elevates Magic above other card games is the sheer scale of its history and card pool. In a genre about exploring the range of gameplay possibilities and customizing decklists, simply having way more unique cards available is its own selling point. Of course, not all the these cards …

Did Spider-Man Learn Anything from Assassin’s Creed?

Tom AndersonProducts

Magic players have become well-accustomed to Universes Beyond products of late. We’re reaching the point where it’s no longer a novelty seeing pop-culture icons clash with planeswalkers on the tabletop. But the upcoming Marvel’s Spider-Man release is an exception even in its own exceptional class. Despite a huge number of flashy legendary cards, with effects primed to appeal to casual …