Mark takes Esper Control apart to find what gives it the just-right balance of cards to play its game-plan optimally. Which card drawing spells and in what quantity, what removal spells and counters, and how many of each are the right balance?
Just in time for Halloween, Justin Parnell fights The Fear – you know it, that fear you have when you get that foiled-out, foreign language custom alter… then lose sleep over whether it’s right to cut it from your Cube or keep it in even when no one is playing it.
John Friggin’ Rizzo returns to StarCityGames from the dark seclusion of his van down by the river to give you his thorough analysis of Theros in all formats (even Vintage) whether you like it or not. So you might as well like it.
Drew looks at an innovative new take on Reanimator played by Todd Anderson at the Star City Games Invitational in Indianapolis this weekend, putting it under the microscope for fine-tuning.
Cassidy revisits Sharuum the Hegemon thanks to a reader’s submission… or does he? He feels a glitch in the Matrix as the submission spooks him, and overthrows the head of the Machines to put a new Commander at the helm.
Brian is preparing for the Eternal Weekend’s Vintage Championships and has to put whatever he does decide to play through intensive beatings up against The Gauntlet. Read what four decks you absolutely positively have to plan against if you want to play this weekend…
Ari breaks down what matters most when building Storm, and the basics of streamlining how you play the deck so you aren’t seeping much-needed mental bits while playing through the combo turn. Simplicity is key, and Ari shows you how he thinks it through.
Valeriy looks at the fine art of beating down as the prime way to overcome the wave of Devotion decks currently dominating the Standard metagame.
The Battle of the Blocks continues! In this week’s edition, Urza’s Block takes on Mirrodin Block in a heads-up fight between two misbehaving culprits full of broken and banned things.
Team StarCityGames.com held a long team discussion about Theros Limited in The Castle prior to Pro Tour Theros in Dublin. Finally, the video chronicling that conversation is available – join the discussion from the vantage point of a fly on that most impressive of walls!
Riki looks at the rules oddities that Gods bring, thanks to overlapping (and seemingly contradictory, in their specific case) rules that govern what card types they count as when. He also sheds light on some odd facts about new high-caliber tournament staples.
Pat takes a gonzo-reporter tear through recent Vintage results in a quest to unearth a deck that fits his craving of the moment. He wants to see something different, but still build something good – how do we get there from here?
Michael was in the first wave on Mono Blue Devotion, and now he’s trying to see how far that Nightveil Specter will stretch – presenting Mono Dimir Devotion? Is that a thing you can do? Read on and find out!
Frank takes a critical eye in his second pass over the set, trying to understand what makes Theros Limited work and what cards have been over-valued… and what key role-players aren’t getting enough attention.
Chas looks at developing market trends in anticipation of the release of the Commander 2013 decks, and picks his winners (and sleepers!) for the set – what potential Legacy playables should you pick up at the ground floor price?
