Modern Legacy: The Thinking Machine Scourge

Let’s revisit the banned list. On the top of that list is the five artifact lands. Does that mean Affinity as a deck is dead? I think not. I believe that the deck is very viable if you take an objective look at what exactly makes it tick.

The Grinding Stone – Standard Post M12

Hello!  Welcome to the second edition of “The Grinding Stone.”  This week I will be going over the post M12 Standard format.  While it will be short lived, the format will be relevant for the upcoming Starcitygames.com open events and US Nationals.  Comprising of the Zendikar block, Scars block, M11 and M12, the New Standard is shaping up to be quite interesting.

With Jace and Stoneforge banned, the format really feels fresh.  There is still the Splinter Twin/Exarch combo looming, and while the old bad guy Valakut will be making a comeback, there is still quite a lot of design space.  Many creatures and strategies that were completely neutered by Jace have been given a new life.  Titans are good again.  Cards like Consecrated Sphinx and Wurmcoil Engine rise in value as there is no “Jace Test” anymore.  There is also another reason these creatures will be standing out, but we will get to that in a bit.

Modern Legacy: Return of the Walking Dead

I played at the recent SCG Legacy Open in Baltimore, and I got 20th overall. I think that high of an finish obligates me to write a report and even write up a primer of sorts on my deck of choice. What was the deck that I brought? It was LEDredge.

The Commander’s Chair #5.2 – Bonus Tool Time! Starring NPH

“A sword never kills anybody; it is a tool in the killer’s hand.” – Lucius Annaeus Seneca

With New Phyrexia on the horizon, we have a whole new group of cards to look at for Commander. The biggest news (for me) is that we have been given a new Boros commander, Jor Kadeen, the Prevailer.  If you have metalcraft, Jor Kadeen only needs three swings to kill an opponent.  In the last article, I covered the basic idea of using a toolbox in Commander.  In this article, I will build a deck centered on Jor Kadeen and the toolbox strategy. 

Budget Deck Wins!

In a competitive world where Jace, The Mind sculptor, Sac lands, Swords and Stone forge Mystics seem to be king; the price minded player might feel like they are left behind unable to keep pace with the best and most costly of decks. Most of what I have read in the way of budget builds are untested deck lists that may or may not work. And, lets be real, most of the time they do not work anywhere near as well as they look on paper. Other budget minded writers have written about specific cards rather than attempt a full on deck and sideboard which leaves most to struggle alone trying to piece together something around the suggested card. Finding the right mix can take a lot of trial, error, time and play testing.

Thran Utopia #1: Galvanotherapy and Galvanorehab

Galvanotherapy and Galvanorehab

Hi there and welcome to Thran Utopia. My name is Stijn and I’m from Holland. I’m a casual player at heart – always was, always will be. I started playing early 1999, having no idea at what rate sets came out. My first product was a set of Portal-cards, and a friend taught me the game. Since then, the game has always been a big part of my life. I play with friends once or twice a week and I make sure to visit each prerelease. Having a masters degree in communication design, it should come as no surprise I like writing about Magic.