Dissension Constructed Review, Part IV: Red
Mike continues his Constructed rundown of Dissension with a look at the Red cards. The Black cards bought us little in the way of Constructed power. Do the Red cards fan the flames? Read on to find out…
Dissension Constructed Review, Part 3: Black
Mike continues his Constructed rundown of Dissension with a look at the Black cards. So far, we’ve had a strong showing for the control mages… will the Rakdos cards bring some good lovin’ for the aggro-crazy spellslingers among us? The answers, as always, lie within…
Dissension Constructed Review, Part II: Blue and Azorius
Mike continues his Constructed rundown of Dissension with a look at both the Blue cards and the Azorius guild. Yesterday’s article brought us three cards with genuine Constructed application… will the Blue cards offer more? And is the Azorius guild everything that the control mage desires? The answers, as always, lie within…
Dissension Constructed Review, Part 1: White
The prereleases are officially over, and Dissension is upon us! Each day this week, Mike tackles a selection of the new cards, examining them for their playability in the Constructed arena. Some cards will be hits, some cards will be misses… can you tell the difference?
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Today, Mike’s article is packed with different topics. Standard decklists, Limited advice, tales from the Deckade signing tournament, MTGO hints and tips… and much, much more. Looking to improve your odds when drafting Ravnica/Guildpact/Dissension? Mike has the early draft metagame, planned out and dissected. A perfect primer for this weekend’s Dissension prereleases!
Keys to the Kingdom: Twenty Questions, Scour Power, and a New Deck for Team Standard!
Even though Mike has qualified for PT Charleston on ranking, his Team Standard testing and strategy continues unabated. So far, he’d brought us the apparent optimal builds for a number of powerful decks, and an innovative Green/White deck that abuses Chord of Calling. Today, he offers up fresh meat. Are you a fan of attacking? Do you enjoy the phrase “to the dome?” If so, Mike’s new offering is the deck for you…
Qualified! The World’s Shortest Tournament Report
Mike finishes off his series on Team Constructed in fine style… discussing a powerful, new creation that helped qualify two teams at the same PTQ! Confused? Don’t be. One team made it on ranking, and one Q’ed the traditional way (their report appears on Monday)! Wanna know more? All is revealed within…
Team Standard: Extremes in Positioning
In the second of his week-long series, Mike explores the successful Vore list for Team Standard. Templating, sideboards, matchups… it’s all here. Plus, some clinical advice on team seating, for those who are looking for the killer edge in their upcoming PTQ!
Optimal Configuration and Optimal Mistakes: Searching for Jonny Magic
In the first of a week-long series of daily articles, Mike examines the Team Constructed format. Today, he has a cautionary tale involving his own team and their performance at a recent Pro Tour Qualifier… He openly admits his mistakes, and invites you to spot them. Bad Player Flores surely lived up to his name, but Good Writer Flores is alive and kicking!
Firestarter: The Beautiful List-Making Struggle – Underplayed Cards in Standard
With a nod to Mark Young’s entertaining SCG Daily series, Mike compiles his list of the Top 20 Underplayed Cards in Standard. There are some surprises here… Meloku? How can the Clouded Mirror of Victory be deemed “underplayed?” Each card is examined for strengths and weaknesses, throwing up some interesting ideas for the coming Team Constructed season…
Your Favorite Decks Suck
Mike wades into the post-Honolulu metagame with both fists flying. Taking pot-shots left and right, no deck is left standing at the end of his brutal destruction. Even decks of his own design feel the full force of his anger. Can it be true? In one of the most entertaining metagames ever devised… does your favorite deck suck? The answer is just one click away…
A Focus on What Matters: Finding the Tipping Point
Today’s Flores Friday article deals with the noble art of Templating. What, specifically, is the difference between a great deck designer improving on an existing deck, and a buffoon taking a perfectly good deck and making it worse? Through detailed examination of superior builds, Mike shows us how to strengthen our decks in tiny increments. This is a fantastic read for anyone who is serious about improving their deckbuilding prowess.
Spotlight on Standard – Exploring Gruul Deck Wins
Each day this week, your Premium writers will be commenting on the upcoming Pro Tour event, with analyses of what decks to see, how the format will shape up, and updated revisions of existing powerhouses. Mike focuses on the “mono-Red” Gruul build, giving an in-depth analysis of card choices, and its strength in the projected PT Honolulu metagame.
A Pentacle of Spectacles
Magic is all about moments… the lessons you learn, the mistakes you make, the triumphs you pull from the jaws of defeat. Today, Mike tells the tales that made him the player, and writer, that he is today. A wonderful article showcasing the many mistakes of “BP” Flores. Mike certainly learnt from his mistakes… can you?