Today’s Flores Friday sees Mike update his four-color U/B/r/g Control list for the current Block Constructed metagame. He talks us through his journey to the current seventy-five, and shares his highs and lows from a recent PTQ… including one self-proclaimed “bonehead” play that Mike believes is the worst he’s made in eleven years. Intrigued? Then read on!
Having played Blue/Black Teachings at a couple of high-profile tournaments, Tiago Chan walks us through six full matches between the control deck of choice and the beatdown flavor of the month: Green/White Tarmogoyf. Each game is exhaustively examined and notated, and there are scores of interesting points and pertinent tips that are sure to improve your overall game.
You all know the drill by now… Rich Hoaen, Canada’s finest and grumpiest draft export, takes us by the hand and drags us through the rollercoaster ride of an 8-4 TPF Draft on Magic Online. From pick 1 to pick 45, Rich shares them all, and his final deck and draft performance are analyzed in the article, the forums, and beyond. Come join in the fun!
For a short while, Life from the Loam and Seismic Assault are going to be legal in Standard together, and with access to the newly-printed Horizon Canopy you might not even notice that the deck is a lot less powerful than in Extended without cycling lands. If everyone’s less powerful than an Extended deck, after all, you can make do with your still-good analogue to the ridiculously potent Loam engine.
Hello everybody, and welcome to another edition of the Magic Show. This week’s show is a very special occasion—we’re dedicating the entire running time to Wizards of the Coast’s own Aaron Forsythe. Yes, the man, the myth, the legend himself, Aaron is King Crap of Turd Mountain in the Magic world, and it’s time he got his due.
It is impossible to play a control deck in Legacy without a concrete understanding of the metagame, and the role in which each deck fits within it. There is simply too much range of strategy to cover all bases at once, without knowing specifically what aspects of strategy you must contain in any given matchup. A player new to Legacy is unlikely to pick up a deck like Landstill and pilot it with success, because control in Legacy is extremely complex.
What to know what’ll be hot (and what not?) in Tenth Edition? Need to know which cards to give and get at Magic Game Day this Saturday? If you care about the value of your cards, or don’t want to be ripped off on trades, this is a must-read article!
Richard Feldman continues his comprehensive guide to U/B Teachings in Block Constructed with a thorough examination of his current decklist. He walks us through the thought processes behind his most recent changes, and shares his sideboard tactics and matchup strategies. This is a wonderful article that breaks down the mystery behind the proclaimed strongest deck in the format… can you afford to miss it?
You all know the drill by now… Rich Hoaen, Canada’s finest and grumpiest draft export, takes us by the hand and drags us through the rollercoaster ride of an 8-4 TPF Draft on Magic Online. From pick 1 to pick 45, Rich shares them all, and his final deck and draft performance are analyzed in the article, the forums, and beyond. Come join in the fun!
We’re at the bi-annual time when I look back at the cards that were in the Core (nee Base) set to which hardly anyone paid any attention, and with which you won’t be able to play in Standard once the new Core/Base set becomes Standard legal. In other words, the cards we missed in Ninth Edition that aren’t coming back in Tenth Edition (a.k.a. X).
Lots of people think Green/White is a poor beatdown deck, because it has no one-drops and runs only-slightly-relevant cards like Edge of Autumn. Lots of people point out that a beatdown deck will often win a big event, but a control deck proves to be the best choice for the PTQ field. Lots of people think they beat Green/White. Lots of people are wrong.
I expect to move shortly. If I get the word that I am moving, then I won’t have long to actually pack and move. As such, I am preparing now for the move. The grad school I applied to last week is overseas. I can’t take that many things with me if I go. I want to take Magic, sure, but the move itself demands that I cut off a lot of my possessions and that means winnowing my Magic collection to the bare essentials. How does one go about doing that?
Stephen takes a break from brain-melting play-by-play action in order to bring us an overview of the runners and riders in today’s Vintage metagame. He brings us five of the strongest players in the format, and talks us through their strengths and weaknesses in order to fully prepare anyone coming fresh to the Vintage tournament scene. This is an excellent primer article on the current state of Vintage, and a fine refresher for those coming in with more experienced eyes…
For today’s Peebles Primer, Ben takes us back to Grand Prix: Montreal, and talks us through the important matchups that will make up your typical PTQ experience. He then pilots the deck in a PTQ of his own, and gives us a report on the games played and the final result. If you’re looking for a fringe strategy with strength and versatility, maybe this is the deck for you…
You all know the drill by now… Rich Hoaen, Canada’s finest and grumpiest draft export, takes us by the hand and drags us through the rollercoaster ride of an 8-4 TPF Draft on Magic Online. From pick 1 to pick 45, Rich shares them all, and his final deck and draft performance are analyzed in the article, the forums, and beyond. Come join in the fun!
