Sullivan’s Satchel: March Madness, MTG Vernacular, And Turn 4 Formats
Patrick Sullivan answers mailbag questions about March Madness, the nature of Magic slang, and the limits of “Turn 4” as a format health criterion.
AuthorPatrick Sullivan
Patrick Sullivan is a game designer for Dire Wolf Digital. His resume boasts four Grand Prix Top 8s, a slew of SCG Tour® top 8s (including a win), and an SCG Invitational Top 8 in Indianapolis. He is also one of the most celebrated faces in Magic commentary for his work on SCGLive.
Recurring Insight: Knight Of The Ebon Legion
What makes Knight of the Ebon Legion a Pioneer powerhouse? Patrick Sullivan breaks down black aggro’s essential one-cost creature.
Sullivan’s Satchel: Adventures, Time Spiral, And Getting Started In Pioneer
Patrick Sullivan answers mailbag questions on Adventure enablers, art versus commerce in Magic sets, and building a Pioneer deck on a budget.
Recurring Insight: Lightning Helix
“What is on top of the deck? What is on top of the deck?” Patrick Sullivan reviews the iconic burn spell of the 2000s, Lightning Helix.
Sullivan’s Satchel: Kaldheim In Standard, Burn VS Spirits, And Crossovers In Magic
Patrick Sullivan answers mailbag questions about Kaldheim’s impact on Standard, piloting Burn against Spirits, and Universes Beyond.
Recurring Insight: Birds Of Paradise
Patrick Sullivan analyzes Magic’s original five-color green mana accelerant, Birds of Paradise.
Sullivan’s Satchel: Mox Opal, Faithless Looting, And Networking
Patrick Sullivan answers mailbag questions on banning cards, making connections, and designing for maximum fun.
Recurring Insight: Capsize
Patrick Sullivan breaks down the most infamous buyback spell of all time: Capsize.
Sullivan’s Satchel: Creature Types, Formats Past, And The Many Faces Of Modality
Patrick Sullivan answers mailbag questions on underused creature types, whether old formats were really all that great, and cycling versus modal DFCs.
Recurring Insight: Counterspell
Patrick Sullivan breaks down a card so iconic it lent its name to an entire class of effects: Counterspell.
Sullivan’s Satchel: Tibalt’s Trickery, True-Name Nemesis, And Trevor Bauer
Patrick Sullivan answers mailbag questions on Tibalt’s Trickery, Trevor Bauer’s payday, and staying in Magic after leaving the competitive scene.
Kaldheim First Impressions: Pioneer
How do Kaldheim’s best cards place in Pioneer? SCG creators offer their Top 5 lists to combine for a final ranking that will surprise you.
Sullivan’s Satchel: Wayward Guide-Beast, Doomskar, And Thoughts On Kaldheim
Patrick Sullivan answers mailbag questions on Wayward Guide-Beast, Doomskar’s ranking among sweepers, and modal DFCs.
Sullivan’s Satchel: Unbanning Splinter Twin, Designing Giants, And Curating Formats
Patrick Sullivan answers mailbag questions on unbanning Splinter Twin, designing for tricky tribes, and more.
Sullivan’s Satchel: The Snow Mechanic, The Brooklyn Nets, And Strip Mine In Old School
Patrick Sullivan answers mailbag questions on the snow mechanic, sports, and Strip Mine.