Grixis Death’s Shadow VS Izzet Phoenix: The Shadow Perspective
Not playing Izzet Phoenix in Modern at SCG Cincinnati? Ben Friedman makes the case for Grixis Death’s Shadow, including his latest list and counter-intuitive tricks to flip the matchup!
AuthorBen Friedman
Ben Friedman, a.k.a. "The Skip Bayless of Magic: the Gathering", is a long-time professional Magic player, with eight years of Pro Tour experience and over 200 lifetime Pro Points. Coming at you with his flaming hot takes live from Las Vegas, he's had success in numerous formats to the tune of five Grand Prix Top 8s, two Pro Tour Top 16s, and numerous high finishes at SCG Tour Opens and Invitationals. Outside of Magic, you can find Ben listening to country music, heading to the gym, or playing with cryptocurrency - sometimes all three at the same time!
The Top 8 Modern Tech Cards For SCG Philadelphia
Don’t get stuck in a rut for your next Modern event! Ben Friedman shares his sweetest tech cards to get an edge on the field at SCG Philadelphia!
Uncovering Lost Gems Of Modern
Just past the established lists of Modern lie lots of intriguing tech choices waiting to be rediscovered! Ben Friedman shares a few as he describes his directions for Grixis Death’s Shadow and Izzet Phoenix ahead of SCG Regionals.
How To Win SCG Syracuse With Dimir Death’s Shadow
Dimir Death’s Shadow remains a dangerous Legacy deck! Ben Friedman shares his list, his sideboarding guide, and the one card you should never, ever run in it!
I Played Izzet Drakes In Dallas. I Should Have Played Mono-Blue Instead.
The title says it all! Ben Friedman muses on a missed metagame call for SCG Dallas, examining what went wrong and looking forward to better predictions next time!
Five New Ways To Break Legacy
Between Arclight Phoenix, Light Up the Stage, and Accumulated Knowledge with Mission Briefing, Legacy is hopping! SCG Indianapolis Legacy Classic runner-up Ben Friedman shares his spicy takes ahead of SCG Syracuse!
The Rights And Wrongs Of Standard
Ben made some gutsy calls, and uh…he got a few right! But more importantly, he wants to talk about what Indy means for SCG Baltimore and Standard this weekend! What kind of metagame can we expect in the coming month?
8 Called Shots For This Weekend’s Standard Showdown In Indy
Ben isn’t holding back on this one! Some are riskier than others, but you can always count on Ben to put his chips down when it comes to knowing a Standard metagame! So what’ll it be this weekend at SCG Indy?
Top 10 Ravnica Allegiance Cards For Standard
It doesn’t get anymore straightforward than this! Ben Friedman is calling shots and dropping mics. If you’re not onboard with these major game-changers when Standard comes calling, best of luck to you!
Beating Down With Rhythm Of The Wild
It has been a long time since the famous Fires decks of Invasion Standard roamed the land! Ben is welcoming the strategy back with open arms as the format braces for this incredibly powerful enchantment in Ravnica Allegiance!
Sphinx Of Foresight Is Busted
Good cards come and go, but it’s not every set that we see something that could change the very way we approach the game itself! This card stands to be one such example, and Ben Friedman can’t begin to overstate the reasons why!
The 10 Things I Want To Do With Magic In 2019
Ben Friedman isn’t settling for just one like most of us: his New Year is more a complete revolution with all the ambition he has! What do you think? What are your intentions for Magic next year?
What Every Death’s Shadow Player Needs To Survive
Even with Grixis Death’s Shadow taking less metagame share all the time, Ben puts up great numbers with it again and again. How? This is his guide to help you understand the archetype’s astounding flexibility in the face of a wildly diverse format!
Standard, Modern, Legacy: My Honest SCG CON Deck Endorsements
With the Invitational, multiple Winter Championships, and a host of other amazing Magic to be had this weekend at SCG CON, Ben couldn’t pick just one way to help! Check out the strategies he believes in enough to give you the scoop firsthand!
5 Standard Cards Players Should Pick Up Now
This Standard is a pretty wide format, but it’s also semi-stable. That means if you’re a critical thinker like Ben, you can exploit it! Here’s a head start on the cards you could use to catch everyone by surprise at SCG CON!