Insert Column Name Here – Storn’s Inflatable Rootwalla
The whole Masters thing is still leading me down the primrose path of strange memories of old cards I used to play with. Unfortunately, this nostalgia seems to keep getting in my eyes.
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Feature Article — Who’s The Extended Beatdown?
In an open metagame, such as the current Extended, it’s advisable to pack your deckbox with threats rather than answers. However, if everyone is playing threats, and Red aggro decks abound, how on earth do you gain an edge in the aggro mirror? With Pro Tour: Valencia fast approaching, Steve examines a variety of Red decks and shares a few tips to improve them for aggro-on-aggro battles.
Innovations – It Always Hurts When One Gets Away
Be it lovers, decklists, friends, or fish, it always hurts when one gets away. In this entertaining article, Patrick opens the doors to his life, sharing stories and insight in equal measure. He peppers the prose with many Magical morsels — Extended decklists, advice for Evan Erwin regarding his Invitational submission, and an interview with the winner of GenCon’s 112-player Grand Melee…
Down And Dirty – R/G Chronic
I think it was Craig “Lightning Helix” Jones who commented on all the quality burn spells in the current format. There are so many good ones that if you throw them all in a deck you can just win randomly, because all your burn gains synergy with all your other burn. This deck is very similar, because there are so many cards that produce several creatures that it makes all of your opponents’ spells less efficient.
Flores Friday – Taking Another SWOT
Last week, Mike took a long look at some of the contenders in the current Extended metagame, highlighting their strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. This week, he delivers more of the same: a cavalcade of Extended goodness, and the metagame laid bare. If you’re serious about cracking this format for the Pro Tour, or even for the PTQ season that looms large, this article is an invaluable stepping stone.
Magical Hack – The Rule of Fours
Debates have flared recently as to how to “properly” design a deck, with the bold statement that the number four is the “correct” number for most developed decklists. Simple in concept, this belief is grounded upon the perception that an ideal deck is one that is able to play the same sort of game over and over again with little variation, and the best way to get the same game over and over again is to use the same cards over and over again.
Unlocking Legacy – Building a New Legacy
Chris takes a look at deckbuilding in the new format, and discusses some of the reasons for the changes taking place. He talks about the shift in power between Goblins and Threshold, and some of the consequences this has on design. Also included is a Landstill decklist!
The Magic Show #62 — Lorwyn Summer
Hello everybody, and welcome to another edition of the Magic Show. This week we’re going to dive headfirst into Lorwyn’s wonderful rumor season and then tackle the Top 10 Cap’n Tickles ideas chosen by yours truly. Now all that’s left is for you to pick a winner!
Levelling Up – Farewell to TPF: Portuguese Nationals
Tiago has some strong opinions on Portuguese Nationals. While other countries compete for thousands of dollars, the top prize in Portugal is a Fat Pack and a handful of boosters. Even so, there’s the little matter of national pride at stake… and everyone wants to win. Tiago takes us though his tournament preparations, bringing us match-by-match recaps from the tournament floor, in the last great hurrah for TPF and Standard before Lorwyn comes a’knockin’…
Feature Article — These Pretzels Are Making Me Thirsty
Today’s Feature Article sees John Friggin’ Rizzo is fine fettle. HE questions some of the more prosaic names appearing in the forthcoming Lorwyn expansion, he shares some last gasp Standard decks before the rotation, he wades into the 4/1 versus 3/2 card debate, and he shows us just why Tarmogoyf is the cod’s pods. All in his own firebrand signature style…
Deep Analysis — Graveyard Decks: Beat ‘Em or Join ‘Em
Richard continues his Pro Tour Preparation series with a look at, unsurprisingly, the Extended Graveyard decks. However, instead of bringing us fresh lists that utilize the power of the ‘yard, instead it’s the turn to showcase a few decks that attempt to bring down the dredge-based menace. Domain Zoo, Affinity, and a promising Wizards build, all built with the graveyard in mind. Will strategies such as these grace the final day of Pro Tour: Valencia?
From Right Field – The Prince and the Pauper and the Peasant
I write about budget decks. I tell those without unlimited Magic funds to make sure that the first thing that they do when each new set comes out is to get four copies of each common and uncommon. Since we know the schedule of sets’ releases, we should be able to budget for that purchase by putting aside five or so bucks a week. Some players, though, don’t have any money for anything beyond that. Not even enough to get four Heartwood Storytellers or four Stalking Vengeances. Why do I ignore those folks?
The Beautiful Struggle – The Lorax
If you read Magic strategy sites on the Internet, chances are you already know that Lorwyn is spreading several tribal themes across different colors: Giants are in White and Red, Merfolk are in Blue and White, Goblins are in Red and Black, and so on. As for Green, the list of tribes that they share obviously includes Elves, as well as Treefolk. … Treefolk? Warning: Contains Spoilers.
The Kitchen Table #199 — No Rares Allowed: 200 of the Best Casual Cards (#100 – #51)
Hello my friends, and welcome to the third installment of the No Rares Allowed series. Next week is the final entry and the 200th article by yours truly (if you count weeklies; counting dailies, it’s a ton more). Today, I am in transit to London…
So Many Insane Plays – Gush, Gush, Gush, Gush, Win
Vintage World Champion and 2007 Magic Invitational R&D Pick Stephen Menendian took his favorite GroAtog deck to the recent “StarCityGames Vintage Grand Prix,” his first tournament since taking the GenCon title. Today, he talks us through the tournament play-by-play, and crunches some of the numbers from the Top 8. Gush, it seems, is everywhere. Was unrestricting it a huge blunder?