• David Wilson’s The Gathering Is The Magic Documentary Will Soon Launch A Kickstarter Campaign

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    David Wilson in an interview with Corey Plante from Polygon has revealed new details about his upcoming documentary, The Gathering is the Magic. Initially, he planned to begin filming at SCG Con Louisville in March 2020 but the COVID-19 pandemic caused a delay. When filming began in 2022, he started at SCG Con Dallas by walking the floor with a camera crew. Wilson recalled, "Everyone was sort of like, 'Who are these people with cameras?' They thought we were outsiders."

  • Hasbro Shareholders Drop Lawsuit Alleging Over-Production Of Magic Cards

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    We reported in January that two of Hasbro’s shareholders, Joseph Crocono and Ultan McGlone, filed a lawsuit in Rhode Island alleging that Hasbro breached fiduciary duty by overproducing Magic cards. The suit claimed that the overproduction of cards led to a diminished value for the brand overall. Now, as reported by Rebekah Valentine at IGN, that lawsuit has been dropped without prejudice, meaning that it can be filed again at a later time but for now, it will not proceed.

  • 10 Best Green CardsTo Play In Commander

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    Magic The Gathering’s Commander Format has one massive deckbuilding advantage over formats such as Standard: You have the option to include almost any card in Magic The Gathering’s storied history. But with so many cards, how can you decide what to put in your deck? We’ve got the lowdown on the best Green cards for the format.

  • Every Major Universes Beyond Set Coming To Magic In 2025 (That We Know Of)

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    Magic: The Gathering is a game with a pretty massive lineage. It’s been going for decades, with a story running consistently throughout that time and evolving characters and settings. But with a game that’s been going on as long comes the desire from other long-running properties to get a piece of that cardboard pie, which is where the (fairly recently established) Universes Beyond line of Magic products comes in.

  • In Defense of the Pre-Constructed Magic Deck

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    Precons are often a great way to get into playing Magic: The Gathering with friends, especially if you don't have a ton of time to build your own deck or worse, like Mike, you're just not that great at doing so.

  • GP Pittsburgh- Fear the Boogey Man

    Deciding on a deck for a GP can be a seriously tough call. Do I play a deck that's hot at the time? Will people be ready for it? Should I bring a deck that used to be powerful? Maybe I should play something that's just good against everything? Combine this with trying to make some niche meta calls or "best guess match-ups" can lead to some real headaches. For most players, it was play the deck you like, or play the deck you can pilot the best. After all, we can't all be pro's. I've been playing modern for almost a year now. I have only ever played one deck, so my decision was easy. Play the deck I can play, play the deck I know; and by coincidence play the deck that people almost ALWAYS want to dodge: Bloom Titan. Its going to be the most powerful deck in the room. It can turn 1 or 2 ANY deck no matter what the match-up. AND, it's the only deck I own..... That being said. Here's what the GP taught me, and hopefully I can use it to share what I learned with you. 

     

    Fear the Boogey Man

     

    "You are the Boogey man today, you just gotta make um have it" My teammate Jesse Adams gave me this advice on the ride up after I sat and griped about the 'what ifs' in some of my more interactive match-ups. He was right. Today wasn't going to be about me playing around my opponent. It was going to be a long day of making sure I got there, and forcing my opponent to have an answer or die trying. So what? Don't we all do this? Doesn't twin just try to twin you? I suppose the same can be assumed for a lot of decks. This was the first big piece of advice that has stuck with me, and after the 9 rounds day one, really sunk in. 

     

    You win a lot of games because your opponent DOESN'T know what you do.

     

    If you just go for it, things resolve, triggers happen, and damage gets dealt that won't be allowed in games 2 and 3 once your opponent finds out all your tricks. This modern event was huge for that. Modern is really wide right now. The first 2-3 rounds were filled with match-ups that you might see at a janky small man, or at a casual game. If you just do you, even some weird jank can win. Don't keep a questionable hand, just think 'does it get there.' As we say, "don't have fun, JUST WIN." Doing what your deck does is great, and being explosive and cool and cute is great, until you just die to a goyf. If your hand can't win, Mulligan. I don't care if you would go to 4 cards. You are def losing with those 5, so even if you lose with 4, why not at least take the chance. Always make the right play, never tilt, never give up. 

     

    Now I know that a lot of this is geared for Bloom players, and the advice is going to be a bit subjective, but the concepts and ideas that I am going to present can hopefully transfer over to your games. 

     

    Be The Boogey Man

     

    My mentality is as follows, always make the best possible play I can, and whatever result happens happens. That being said, I'll run down my matchups. 

     

    Round 1 - Blue Red Twin

     

    Right from the get go, I forgot my mentality and my game plan. I am the Boogey Man. I drew my 7 on the draw. My opponent keeps, I mull. Draw 6. Hand is bad, serum visions, anceint stirrings, gemstone, azusa, tolaria west. While its not a god awful hand, it doesn't play unfairly, the whole point to playing bloom titan. I don't have either card in the title OR an Amulet. But I don't know what my opponent is on, so I figure (stupidly) that I can just dig for answers and maybe have some killer draws (what a solid gameplan.) He turn 4 twins me and I lose. I board in Seal of Primordium, Swan Song, and Nature's Claim. Keep in the spirit guide but remove an azusa, radiant fountain and khalni garden. Game 2 I wake up, just get there. Turn two a titan with natures claim and swan song back up. He fetches 3 times, plays nothing and dies. No spell pierce, no remands, no negates. Either he didn't board right, or kept a terrible hand. Game 3 answers it, he's just not a real deal player. Keep my 7 on the draw, no Amulet but I can a turn two bloom. He plays serum visions, pass. Play a land and pass back. He plays serum visions, draws doesn't scry. He plays a second serum visions, doesn't scry again. Free wins are free. 

     

    1-0

     

    Round 2- Jund

     

    Round two lose the die roll again (What are the odds!?) He play's a blood stained mire and fetches end of turn for an Overgrown Tomb. JUND. Not a great matchup for me, but he didn't pick at my hand so I get my amulet out. Next turn I can bloom off, but I have nothing to play, still couldn't afford to not keep with 8 titans in my deck and three tolaria wests. He taps out for Bob on turn 2. I draw play a bounce and transmute tolaria west for a pact. He draws, after showing me maelstrom pulse, land go. I draw, he kolaghan's commands my amulet and makes me discard. I play a second amulet and bloom off. Despite my summoner's backup off my uncontested 8 damage pushing titan, he terminates with a goyf in reserve. I pay for my pact and time walk. He pulses my amulet and plays another goyf. Lilianna cleans up the next Titan. Game 2. I turn two a Hornet queen after his inquisition wiffs. He takes a lot of damage off his Bob, I literally play nothing else and pray for no pulse. He manages to kill a few bees but I get him to 1 and he dies a turn later from his bob. Game 3. I keep a turn two killer and hope to get there. He inquisitions my amulet and I'm stoked. I play a land and attempt to sirrings for another, wiff, get a value vesuva instead. He turn two's a goyf and away I go. I bloom off into 7 mana, with two titans and a Wurmcoil at the ready. He rips a fulminator mage and goes ham. still alive with a good draw. Brick the draw with a serum visions. Play it and get the land I need, scry away non-sense. Land pass. He rips a second fulminator mage then gofys me. The clock is real. I get to 5 mana and drop a thragtusk into his double goyf, but not after eating 8 for a turn, and 4 before that. Thragtusk brings me from 1 to 6. He plays lilianna and I scoop, despite the token I get from the tusk. I needed a blocker for two turns, and the titan was only going to be one more dude. 

     

     

    1-1

     

    Round 3 - Slivers

     

    Matchup was interesting but pretty straightforward. I brought the terror and he died. He ticked him vial to 3 preventing him from fetching his mana sliver after I turn 4 hive minded him with only 1 green source. He was real chill and was just there for fun. Game two he dropped a a pump sliver then an artifact eater and the game got out of reach. My bloom wasn't enough as two pumpers next turn into the flyer literally made it out of reach (HAHAHA). Game 3 I turn three a titan. He turn 4 collect companies (so good in so many decks) and I follow up with a firespout and a smash for the win. 

     

    2-1

     

    Round 4 - Burn

     

    Finally got to play burn. As much as the clock can go either way, I can always have more tools in the bag if the burn player doesn't math the clock right. This is typically the case as most players I play against merely know what deck I'm playing, but don't actually know the deck. He gets me down to seven before my turn 3 titan does too much work for him to deal with. I board in my leylines and my thragtusks, I place two clasm and a firespout expecting him to go more creature heavy. He does and its gas....for me. His goblin guide shows me the way through two lands and he scoops after I play my radiant fountain for a third time with a titan on board and a thragtusk on top of the library. 

     

    3-1

     

    Round 4 - Merfolk

     

    Not a great match-up, and was one my team and I discussed hoping to dodge. On the draw I can turn three a titan no problem, with an amulet. She plays a cursecatcher and a lord and starts to slam me. She leaves vapor snag mana open and lets my titan, by the time it comes back my life total is too low to deal with 3 lords a cursecatcher and a mutavault. She had it. Game two I board in clasm and firespout and just bank on going for it. I keep a solid hand. Turn three bloom with a turn 4 titan, not great but it has a clasm to deal with any shenanigans. I turn two a bounce and pass, it gets spreading seas....really need to test this matchup more....I bounce it and pass. Another spreading seas.....two turns of tempo into three lords makes life tough. I rip a firespout and clear her board, except she has 3, yes three, muta vaults on board. she draws a 4th and crushes me for 6. Dead on crackback I hope to rip a summoners pact for my hivemind. I brick with a vesuva, which I play as a mutavault to buy myself a turn. She elects not to attack and plays two lords instead. Now I really gotta draw like a god. Rip a summer bloom, cry deeply, and scoop. 

     

    3-2 (Gotta play perfect)

     

    Round 6 - Abzan something....

     

    I GOT IT!!!! On the draw I have a turn one titan. Finally, first time ever. So stoked I show a kid sitting next to me, he shakes his head in disgust. Sorry boys, fear the boogey man. My opponent plays a tap land and I go off. He attempts to persuade me into fetching the wrong lands to not pay for my pact. I slam for 8 and can win the next turn. He paths my titan and life gets weird, mainly because my only forest is in my hand. I pay for the pact, play a bounce land and play both stirrings and visions. I got a titan, here we come. He taps out for a few mana dorks and I go again. He scoops. Game two, I board really random, 1 spout, 2 leyline, 1 natures claim. I sigarda, 1 thragtusk. Pulling some one ofs and some lands. I actually don't know what he is doing so I can only guess. I turn two a sigarda. He plays a lingering souls to have some blockers. I push a titan on board and get another pact for a second. He paths it and I play for my pact, and push a second one out. He plays a few birds and passes the turn. I draw. He casually reminds me that I missed my pact trigger. I get real confused, back to back mirror turns got me lost.I also never put the pact I played into my graveyard. Just put it back in my hand. UGH!!! I admit defeat and move to game three. I turn 3 hive mind him with a pact. Still don't know what his deck does. 

     

    4-2 GET THERE

     

    Round 7- Bloom Titan

     

    First time I have ever played the mirror. I never get to test it as my shop is very small and I am the only one who not only owns it, but really knows how it works. He wins the die roll and coincidentally wins game 1, going odd the turn before me and grabbing a pact of negation to answer my titan. I die on turn 4 and plan on boarding better and being better for games 2 and three. Game two on the play I just get there.  I manage to push my combo out and we slowly grind into game three. Back on the draw I keep a decent hand with a turn two potential if I draw a bloom. He has to mull and digs for ages and actually whiffed on everything. 3 serum visions and 2 stirrings and still nothing. I draw a few lands and finally decide to just play my azuza, unfortunately, my opponent had just done the same. Long story short, he repeats game 1 and simply goes off before me. I elect not to pact it and time walk myself again, and for this he thanks me, and kills me. Hopes crushed, dreams crushed....no day two for me....

     

    4-3

     

    Round 8 - Tarmo Twin

     

    I don't play this match-up ever, but hopefully now will as my team had 3 goyfs before the weekend and 10 now. I just die to a tempo, value turn 4 twin off a questionable sleep deprived 'day two less' hand. Game 2 doesn't matter as an issue with a judge call next to us, in which a player gave board advice to one of the kids playing not realizing he was still in a match, took all my attention away from my match. I wound up bricking a few draws and being forced into a few not great plays. I was forced to tap down to protect my titan and died on the crack back not shortly after that. I drop, a broken man with many lessons learned. 

     

    4-4 Drop

     

    Going back to what I stated at first. My losses all seemed to feel like I let my opponents 'potential' threats and answers lead me into making shady plays and keeping very questionable hands. I won games where I made them have it. For anyone who has played against bloom titan, its not a privilege, it sucks. All day I saw the faces of my opponents shrink down as they realized THIS was the match up they had to play. They didn't get to play magic, they got to play defense. Oh you want to play value dudes and kill me? Can they stop my Hivemind? Can they block this turn two 6/6 with trample? My opponents all had to jump off what they wanted to do, and deal with me. And as much as I loved it, it didn't sink in when it needed to. I had a few too many 'why did I keep that hand?' moments that prevented me from doing the above. I made questionable plays assuming my opponent had it and lost matches because of it. Aside from more testing, this what I learned from playing Bloom at the GP. 

  • Magic and the future of Legacy

    Since the inception of the SCG Open Series, interest in the Legacy format has grown ten fold. For those of us who want to play the format, it is becoming increasing more difficult to find certain cards. Some of the cards are on a company Reserved List.  Cards on this list are to never be reprinted in any shape, form, or fashion ever again.

    So why does WotC have this policy?

    It is because of the collectors.  Collectors are people who invested money into cards to seek a long term investment.  When they want to cash in, the put the cards up for sale.  Typically, cards that have very few printings and are played in Legacy and/or Vintage go for a lot of money.  If you play in the Legacy format, you understand what I mean.

    Why did WotC put this policy into place? aka The Chronicles Debacle

    This goes back to a set they printed in July of 1995 called Chronicles.  It was the first non-base set they created and was entirely made up of reprints from earlier sets (Arabian Nights, Antiquities, Legends, and The Dark).  While WotC didn't reprint every card from those four sets, they did decide to reprint many cards that had mid level value and some high level value at the time. Collectors were outraged at the result as it absolutely flooded the market with additional copies of certain cards and devalued their cards.  What all was threatened at the time was not known, however, on March 4th, 1996, the first Reserved list was created.  At the time, WotC was a very small company and threatening litigation prompted this move to satisfy the collectors.

    In 2002, cards were removed from the Reserved List for the first time and was the last time the list was changed.  By this time, WotC was now owned by Hasbro.

    There was, however, a loophole by which WotC could reprint cards that were on the Reserved List in a premium form (Foil for example).  Judge foils had been printing powerful cards for a while since they started the program in 1998.  Those reprints were in small numbers and didn't damage long term value in the original printings.  In 2008, WotC decided to began printing the From the Vault series as well as the Duel Deck series, starting with the first one Dragons and Elves vs. Goblins.  The FTV series were release in small numbers once again, as they knew what happened with the Chronicles issue.  The Duel Deck series was printed more heavily though. It wasn't until 2009 that the issue came up again with the announcement of FTV; Relics.  In 2010, the last cards to ever be printed that were currently on the Reserved List were printed and the issue was closed as WotC / Hasbro decided to never again print any card on the RL.

    The creation of Modern and Modern Masters

    Magic has grown at an exponential rate the last 3 years.  Players have talked about wanting to play an eternal format, so WotC did the only thing that they could do, they ended Extended and created the Modern format.  What they also did was correct a mistake they made way back in 1995 with Chronicles.  Modern Masters was printed on a short print run which only lasted a few months allowing players to get cards they needed to play without flooding the market with too many copies which irks collectors.

    Conspiracy Theory

    Over the last several years, WotC has printed a lot of cards with Legacy in mind but some of them have had more detrimental effects to the format.  Mental Misstep for example, completely warped the format until the card was banned.  Delver of Secrets became one of the best 1 drops in a format with all of the great 1 mana CC cards you can find (minus the banned list).  More recently True-Name Nemesis was printed and complete messed with the Legacy format again.

    Beyond that, there are several cards that are not on the Reserved List that are Legacy cards that see a ton of play that have never been reprinted in any product or only printed as a foil in a special set.  Just take a look at this list:

    • Force of Will - Alliances - Uncommon - $75-$100
    • Rishidan Port - Mercadian Masques - Rare - $75-$100
    • Karakas - Legends - Uncommon - $100-$120
    • Wasteland - Tempest - Uncommon - $100-$250
    • Exploration - Urza's Saga - Rare - $25-$30

    Wasteland and Force of Will are by far the ones that get asked for a reprint year after year yet WotC continues to chose not to reprint them.

    Between the continued use of the Reserved List, a list that hasn't been changed since 2002, the Commander products that have new Legacy legal cards in them which has affect the format, and the choice of WotC to not reprint certain older cards in any form, I have to believe that WotC wants the Legacy format to die.  Yes, I know that is a conspiracy theory.  With collectors breathing down their necks, I feel that WotC would like to end the Legacy format by driving players away from the format and over to Modern where they can control the reprints and the flow.  Now, Modern is an ok format, but Legacy is just better and I don't think that WotC will ever be able to end the format.

    I believe it is time to revise the Reserved List one last time.  The Reserved List should be made up of the current Legacy banned list and a small number of cards from each set currently on the 2002 Reserved List.

    Once that is done, a set in a similar vein to Modern Masters should be designed, reprinting cards from those eras in the same manner (small print runs) to allow players to get access to them who were interested in getting into Legacy.  These cards would need to be selected based on what is currently playable in Legacy and what development team would like to see playable in Legacy. Do the same 101 C, 60 U, 53 R, and 15 M.  

    Magic is listed as a Trading Card Game on their website.  They have removed the word Collectable and I believe this was done with good reason.  They want players to buy product, open it, and play with it and not for it to sit on a shelf for 20 years.  A promise like was made back then is not feasible to be kept in today's marketplace.  WotC has shown that they can reprint cards at a much slower rate and in smaller increments that the mistake of Chronicles won't happen again.  As a matter of fact, Modern Master has only increased the prices of highly sought after cards in most cases rather than decreased them.

    What I am advocating is that Wizards of the Coast / Hasbro allow the players of the game to vote on what they want for MTG as they did back in 2002 in this article with Randy Buehler.  If the players want this done, then Wizards should do it.

    The players of the game make or break the game.  When people stop buying booster packs, there will no longer be a game.  Some cards might hold value due to print numbers, but most will plummet.

    It is time to let the PLAYERS have a say in what they want.  That is how you pay the bills :).

    Below is a petition that I have started to get Wizards of the Coast to see that there are many, many more players that want this than collectors.  The revised list and the demand increase after the printing of Legacy Masters type set would only help increase the value of the cards themselves as there would be more demand.

    Join the revolution here!