Last week, we had an Instant Deck Tech for a crazy Pauper combo deck called Defender Combo.
The basic plan of the deck is to play creatures with defender, lots and lots of creatures with defender, and then eventually use Axebane Guardiant and Overgrown Battlement to make a ton of mana, eventually find Freed from the Real to make infinite mana and then hopefully use that mana to win the game.
Along the way we draw a ton of cards with Mulldrifter, maybe flicker some things with Ghostly Flicker and hope that everything comes together in the end.
Of course, the plan comes with a downside: when things go wrong we're casting a bunch of creatures with zero power that can't attack, which leaves us in a spot where are deck does nothing for a long time before it eventually does everything all in one turn and tries to win the game.
The question is how often this plan comes together. Is Defender Combo consistent enough to compete in the Pauper format?
Nate Price and Chris Clay talk about what’s coming to the Magic: The Gathering Arena Closed Beta is the next big update on July 12. It’s a spicy release!
It's prerelease week for Core Set 2019 which means it's time to talk about the janky combos the set enables in Modern.
While, perhaps due to its new-player-friendly nature, there aren't a ton of new Modern combo in the set, there are a handful of super sweet (and super janky) combos that might have potential to form the foundation of fun, semi-competitive decks.
So today for Brewer's Minute let's break down my five favorite janky Modern combs from Core Set 2019. Then, if you have some other Core Set 2019 combos!
It's BACK, and what better way that start where we left off with Metalwork Master Combo.
This Combo deck tries to fill up the graveyard ideally for a turn 4 or 5 Gate to the Afterlife cracking into God Pharaoh's Gift with a Marionette Master and Metalwork Colossus in the Graveyard.
Master comes back in as a 4/4 with 3 servos, which gives 16 points of damage by sacking the servos and GPG to Colossus!
Do you have what it takes to become THE "Rogue Master Brewer"? This month’s challenge is focused on Core Set M19. While Standard is the most likely place to find fresh brews, you are not limited to that format.
However that does not mean that it is acceptable for you to take advantage of reprints like Scapeshift in a Valakut and Primeval Titan deck or Ajani’s Pridemate in Soul Sisters. The core of the deck should be a fresh take on a non-tier strategy or even better; something completely new.
Understanding WHEN to buy and sell is probably more important than understanding WHAT to buy. In this video I cover some opportunities for when buying magic the gathering cards is the right call and when selling them in anticipation of reprints or rotation is right.
For now, I wouldn't be holding onto any commander staples from recent sets that haven't seen a reprint in the last two years ESPECIALLY if they are between the 5-10 dollar mark.
Do you hate fun and only find joy through making your opponents miserable? Then be sure to check out Mono Black Ponza, The $20 Pauper Land Destruction Deck.
This week, we are heading to Modern for a deck that's only in the middle in terms of how likely it is to win but near the top in terms of making opponents super salty: Teferi's Pool! If you've been following the series for a while, you'll know that a long time ago, we played a deck that was looking to hard-lock opponents out of the game with Knowledge Pool and Rule of Law or Curse of Exhaustion.
Today's deck is a twist on the same concept, with the clunky enchantments being replaced with the newly budget-friendly Teferi, Mage of Zhalfir. If we can get Teferi and Knowledge Pool on the battlefield together, we form a lock where every spell our opponent casts from their hand gets exiled, which means they basically can't play Magic and also means we can win the game at our leisure.
The rest of the deck is built to keep us alive until we can get the lock in place, find our lock pieces, and answer the handful of cards that can let our opponent win through the lock.
How much salt can we shake from our Modern opponents with the combo of Teferi, Mage of Zhalfir and Knowledge Pool?
It is a return to some of the oldest and most classic stories in MTG history. In this video we recap the events following the Phyrexian invasion of Dominaria.
We follow the story of Akroma, an angel made by the illusionist Ixidor to avenge the death of his wife.
This leads into the corruption of Jeska and the creation of the God of Dominaria's mana, Karona. Karona, the False God, is a powerful being that needs to grow up before she destroys the plane.
In her death, Dominaria is left in a fragile state and teeters on the brink of destruction. It now resides in Teferi to start to heal its wounds.
Another entry for our short, mini series, on the Legendary Creatures found in Masters 25. This set celebrates 25 years of Magic: The Gathering with a card from every set every made included. Of course this means some awesome Legends and even better stories!
Today we focus on a Legend from Homelands named Ihsan and what would become Ihsan's Shade. He was once a holy paladin of Serra but has since been corrupted by the vampire Baron Sengir. Will he find redemption?
Rudy continues his campaign to open all the MTG Masters 25 booster boxes in the world! Well, not really, but he does open a few more. Luckily, the pattern he first seen, does not persist.
Let's talk about one of the stranger MTG side formats: Canadian Highlander. As you can tell by this video, I have so much respect for this format and everyone who designed it.
It is a return to some of the oldest and most classic stories in MTG history. In this video we recap the events to the Phyrexian Invasion of Dominaria. Urza tries everything to stop his enemies advances but eventually joins them. His pupil, Garrad Capashan must lead the forces now and activates the Legacy Weapon to defeat Yawgmoth for good! Dominaria enters a new era as the Mirari is discovered. It is an ancient power that grants wishes.. nothing good can come of it!
Masters 25 is the latest Masters set, coinciding with Magic’s 25th Anniversary, it seeks to contain cards from across Magic’s 25 year history, including cards from every set, with an emphasis on nostalgia as well as the usual Masters aims of providing needed reprints, all while maintaining an enjoyable draft environment.
But like all Masters sets, it still carries with it the higher than usual MSRP of 9.99, and with a higher price come higher customer expectations. Masters 25 boasts big, but does the end product swing in for a critical hit, or fizzle out when opened? Let’s take a look.
Masters sets have always been designed with two primary goals: a great draft experience, and providing needed reprints for formats like Modern, and to a lesser extend Legacy and Commander. These goals however have often been competing with one another, with the requirements of a balanced draft environment often being the reason that unneeded reprints have made up the bulk of the cards in these sets.
With Masters 25, the added goal of a nostalgia set puts even more strain on this product, and this review with examine each of these elements to see how well they have been accomplished.
Dominaria spoilers officially started today! We've got a mythic to talk about, along with some spicy rares and potentially playable uncommons. Let's break them down!
A while ago Wizards told us that Signature Spellbooks would be replacing From the Vaults, and today we finally got the contents of the first edition: Signature Spellbook: Jace. Let's break down what's inside!
Many Magic the Gathering Players ask: Which format is the best to invest in for 2018? In this video I go over the current market trends and outlook and why I think Commander is the best format to sink the trade value into. Let me know if you agree? Will I be wrong about modern AGAIN?
Hey, everyone! It's time for another Brewer's Minute! This week marks the return of our sometimes sub-series Hidden Treasures! Last time, we talked about some of the sleepers of Lorwyn, which means this time, we're moving forward to the tribal-heavy Morningtide.
What cards from Morningtide deserve a bit more credit than they get? That's our topic for today! Like usual, I don't have any deck lists for the cards we'll be talking about today, so if you have some ideas for decks or synergies that could make our Hidden Treasures of Morningtide work, make sure to let me know in the comments. Perhaps with our powers combined, we can come up with some fun and maybe even competitive lists featuring the cards from today's list!
Valuation, for Valuable Cards, and Valuable Players. MTG finance is explored in depth by Rudy of Alpha Investments. Difference cards can have different values, it all depends on the market.
DOMINARIA is Magic The Gatherings next set. It is a return to some of the oldest and most classic stories in MTG history. In part 2 we examine the event known as the Brothers War. Mishra and Urza wage all out war and Dominaria suffers for it. An Ice Age overtakes the plane and a new evil, Leshrac rises.
For February Patreon we have something special! Masters 25 Zach the "Crack" Addict Booster box opening! Did we crack a Jace the Mindsculptor?!?! Find out and see!
Rudy of Alpha Investments once again returns to opening boxes of Masters 25 for his Patreons. What he see's is heartening and highlights that perhaps the issues plaguing Masters 25 aren't so bad as first thought! - Source, Alpha Investments
Rough Drafts time! Masters 25 released on Magic Online on Wedensday, so it's time to check out the new limited format. Generally speaking, Masters sets have great limited formats, will Masters 25 manage to keep up the tradition? Let's find out!
Let's talk about the rumors for how the leak actually went down, WOTC's statements about it and a huge change in what they said they're going to do about it, and there's a new card frame for some Dominaria cards!
Card Advantage. It’s a term that we hear thrown around in games of Magic, particularly during coverage at Pro Tours or other competitive level tournaments.
Most of us have a general idea of what Card Advantage means, but it’s not always clear what the specifics are or when it’s appropriate to use the term. So instead we nod and smile and hope no one catches us out. Today, we’ll be putting an end to those moments of doubt by covering the major aspects of Card Advantage.
We’ll be going over what Card Advantage means, what it isn’t, and when to use it. We’ll also be covering Card Advantage versus Board Advantage, and take a look at what slices of the color pie yield the most Card Advantage.
We’re not n00bs anymore, but we’re not yet at the Pro Tour yet! This is for people who already play at Friday Night Magic but want to imrpove and get better. This is for intermediates, and this is Tolarian Tutor!
Rudy from Alpha Investments opens up the newest Magic the Gathering set, Masters 25. What he discovers is shocking, if it proves to be true. He receives almost identical boxes, meaning that these boxes can and will be mapped. Lets hope it was a one off.
MTG breaks down the expected value of the Masters 25 set, which is now being opened by players across the world. Will you be losing your shirt, or making bank? Find out more!
What was it like to play MTG in the 1990's when it first came out? How did players play and what do the decks they look like now? Alpha Investments takes a look at one players cards and touches on the history surrounding them.
The Ultimate Guard SuperHive 550+ is one of the newest additions their line of card storage, featuring two main compartments for cards and a prized playmat with a smaller tray for dice. It can hold roughly 550 double-sleeved cards, or about 650 single sleeved cards for your cube.
In addition to loose cards, the SuperHive 550+ continues the tradition of Ultimate Guard products playing well with each other, accommodating a variety of deckboxes in its outer compartment. I was able to fit five of the 100 card Boulders in it without any issues, six of the 80 card Boulders, or four of the 80 card Sidewinders without any issues.
You could also fit five of the 100 card sidewinders, but hopefully by now you get the picture - the SuperHive works well with its smaller counterparts, and provides a great way to store all of your compatible deckboxes in one place.
The Dex Protection Supreme One Row is designed to store large collections of cards, like a cube or perhaps a Modern or Legacy gauntlet. It can hold about 550 double-sleeved cards, or about 600 single sleeved cards in its plush, real suede scarlet interior. Seven infernally strong magnets hold the lid in place and DO. NOT. BUDGE, even when completely full of cards and given a strenuous shake test.
I could maybe see this box opening if you drop it from a fairly tall height...but that’s a pretty small corner case and not something most Magic players do on a daily basis. The Dex Protection Supreme Game Chest is quite possibly, the best box out there for your cube right now on the market. It combines the carrying capacity of the Supreme One Row with Dex Protection’s Game Chest, fusing it together to create a box that can hold over 800 double-sleeved cards between the top and bottom compartments, not to mention a significant amount of dice and tokens in its two slide out trays.
Like the Supreme One Row, the Supreme Game Chest has Dex Protection’s signature real red suede interior and a smooth, matte exterior. However, also like the Supreme One Row, the outside material also has a tendency to pick up marks and scuffs. It’s not terrible, but it was definitely noticeable after using after a few weeks. Definitely a disappointing feature given how useful and compact the Supreme Game Chest is in and of itself.
One game, one shot, and one annoying deck from Cameron. The LoadingReadyRun crew battles Commander into all hours of the night. They really should start these games earlier.
Today marks the beginning of a short, mini series, on the Legendary Creatures found in Masters 25. This set celebrates 25 years of Magic: The Gathering with a card from every set every made included. Of course this means some awesome Legends and even better stories!
Today we focus on an ogre of the Gruul Clan. A powerful two headed brute named Ruric Thar, the Unbowed. On the plane of Ravnica, Ruric Thar was a leader of the Gruul but not the ultimate Guild Leader. Their savage strength was chosen to represent the Gruul in the running of the Dragons Maze, the Implicit Maze that would determine the fate of the world.
DOMINARIA is set as Magic: The Gatherings next set. It is a return to some of the oldest and most classic stories in MTG history.
Dominaria is the nexus of the Multiverse, the place where lore all began. We learn about the birth of Nicol Bolas. The ride of the Thran Empire.
The betrayal of Yawgmoth with the emergence of Phyrexia. This is just part 1 in a multiple part series to learn the FULL HISTORY of Dominaria as we get ready for the official story to begin with our return.
Wizards of the Coast made a big blunder, of which they have recently owned up to. Yesterday, they posted the full list of Dominaria cards, months before the set is ready to launch. The hype is real.
As many of you might know, there's a document going around with the Chinese Dominaria Release Notes. As you can imagine, this has caught the attention of the community and has been rapidly translated.
It's true, it's real, and it sucks that this information got out earlier than we intended.
In this case, we messed up and inadvertently let this out the door. It's not ideal, but we're going to make the best of it by trying a few new things to make sure that you still get a fun and exciting look at our return to Dominaria for Magic's 25th Anniversary.
So here's how preview season is going to look a bit different:
At the bottom of this document, you'll find the translated versions of the Release Notes that have been making the rounds online. This way inaccurate translations are not making the rounds.
On Monday, we'll release the mechanics article by Matt Tabak and an article from Aaron Forsythe about the rules changes coming with Dominaria.
On Tuesday, we'll release some preview articles that were already written to give you a look at some of the thoughts behind this flavorful, resonant, incredible set.
We will not yet be releasing the full Card Image Gallery for the set. Despite rules and text of so much of the set getting out, there are actually a ton of cool surprises in the art, the look of the cards, and the flavor text.
We know many of our fans value these bits about the cards, and we're still going to make every effort to make those exciting.
We have a super-secret project associated with Dominaria that involves a fun new way to play Magic. We had already planned to talk about it, but now we can talk about it using Dominariacards as an example. So, we'll call that a silver lining.
But it won't stop there. We've done a lot of work to give you a look behind the scenes of our return to Magic's home plane that will celebrate what makes Dominaria so special to our fans.
Access Magic episodes featuring Richard Garfield, Mark Rosewater, and stories you can't get anywhere else. We'll talk about the design of Sagas and how they tap into Dominaria's rich history, the world of Dominaria, and how the Gatewatch fits into the picture.
Five episodes of Magic Story Podcast featuring Ethan Fleischer and Kelly Digges that dive realdeep into topics like the Mending, Terisiare history, the Church of Serra, and more.
Three new episodes of Enter the Battlefield looking at what it means to return to Dominaria.
Dominaria is an amazing set we're very excited to share with you, so in one way, lifting that veil early is exciting. We're home again—we just got there a little sooner than we planned.
One of the most exciting parts of Masters sets is that they typically downgrade some uncommons and even rares to common, making these cards legal in Pauper for the first time. Which new commons are most exciting for the Pauper format and where do they fit? Let's discuss!
The Professor takes a look at the latest new Pauper cards to be introduced in the soon to be released Masters 25 set. Which ones are the best? Which ones have the ability to reshape the format? Tune in to find out this, plus much more.
The Professor explores his latest format of choice, Pauper. Pauper is the hottest new thing and the Tolarian Community College has been a driving force in making it what it is today. In this episode, he shows his viewers how to build an affordable Pauper Elves deck. A darling of the format. - Video Source
Kevin from Rogue Deck Builder explores the hottest new category in MTG Finance, Pauper. The Pauper trend is alive and strong, and if you know what to look for, you can either scoop up the next hot cards at a discount, or make a tidy profit.
Kevin from Rogue Deckbuilder breaks down the recent action seen within the MTG finance space. The old adage was that you bought sealed product, sat on it and waited. Is this logic still true, or has the boat sailed? Kevin breaks this down, plus much more.
