Month: February 2014

The Puzzle Box – Larger Inside than Out: Infinity Drafting

“Are you a restrictions-breeds-creativity kind of guy?” This is the question that our dear community manager, Jason Alt, asked me when I was wondering about what he wanted for the site. The answer was yes, but actually I had no idea how strongly that answer applies. I know that there are people who live outside…

Read More

Brainstorm Brewery #89 – Brews and Ale

It’s a podcast mishmash as Houston Whitehead (@TNSGingerAle) from Tap ‘n’ Sac drops by to talk about scumbaggery, his article series on Brainstorm Brewery, and podcasting. How can you deal with a dealer who is severely underpricing cards in his or her case not knowing they went up? How do you make sure your trade…

Read More

The Value of a Common Man

Either as Magic players or Magic financiers, we each try to get the most value out of the things we do related to the game. It has turned into a lifestyle for many of us, but we all do it on the most basic levels. Before we got to where we are in regards to…

Read More

Pitt Imps Podcast #58 – PT Born or the Gods

In this weeks episode of the Imps we spend a lot of time on the PT. We go over changes implemented during the event as well the new Modern Meta after the bannings/unbannings. We touch on SCG St.Louis and make mention of what your game day will be like.   Your hosts: Angelo & Ryan Angelo’s…

Read More

Conjured Currency – Pod, Post-Prohibition

[Editor’s note: DJ submitted this article before the pro tour took place. Some of his metagame predictions didn’t turn out quite the way he thought they would, but the thought process behind them is still valuable and informative. DJ will be back next time to address what went wrong in assuming Kiki Pod would be more popular than…

Read More

Standard Commander Gatecrash Archetypes and Example Decks (Part 2)

Author’s note: Since this article series was started, Born of the Gods has been released. Its addition altered the Dimir, Simic, and Gruul decks enough to warrant a revision of the example deck lists. For the Standard Commander format including Return to Ravnica block and Theros block, the addition of the Born of the Gods…

Read More

A Constructed Player’s Finance Article: Two Approaches

Welcome back, brewers. This week, you’re getting a slightly different article. Considering that this is Brainstorm Brewery, I wanted to write a finance-related piece for once. Fair warning: I’m a player first and a financier second, but I thought it might be interesting to see how a player takes a look at finance. I also…

Read More

The Spike Feed #26 – An Evening at SCG St. Louis

It only took 25 episodes, but we’ve finally recorded a live show together. Cameron gives a quick tournament report, Dustin complains about the state of trading, and Curtis prepares himself for an epic scrub-out at SCG St. Louis. We also have a quick conversation on the lack of gender diversity in MTG, and offer exactly…

Read More

I’m Dreaming of a Green Winter

Sometimes when you’re brewing, you strike gold with the first draft of your first list, and that’s exactly what happened here. I knew I wanted to brew a mono-green aggro/devotion deck that could easily abuse [card]Aspect of Hydra[/card]. As I feverishly began scribbling cards down that were reasonable in it, it began to feel more…

Read More

Pitt Imps Podcast – #57 Underdog

So apparently SCG fired the entire state of New Jersey so we got a little less to talk about. We go over the first Limited GP of Born of the Gods in Mexico City and lets not forget Legacy in Paris. Then Ryan goes over his Master Cruelties deck that he was challenged to make and…

Read More

Serum Visions: All-Grain Brewing

Hello, everyone, and welcome back to Serum Visions! This has been a fun week for home brewing in the Colman house. I got to do some bottling of beer that has been in the fermenter for well over three months. It doesn’t take too long to bottle beer, but you need a friend to do…

Read More

Brainstorm Brewery #88 – Current Pro

Taking time out of his busy schedule of Pro Tour preparation, Ray Perez Jr. (@RayFuturePro) drops by the show to give us some inside info about how the member of a team like MTGMadness prepares for a Pro Tour stop, to tell us about the decks he likes in Modern, and to talk a little…

Read More

Modern Technology

Two weeks ago, in The Unwilling Speculators, I wrote about the Modern format and how its affordability (or lack thereof) is quickly spiraling out of control. The article got some good discussion going—thank you to all the commenters who contributed. The article wasn’t intended to be another “blame Wizards” piece. I can only fit so…

Read More

Nobles, Nacatls, and How I Learned to Love Loxodon Smiter

Just like everyone else, I have been busy trying to craft a Modern deck reflecting the DCI Banned & Restricted List changes that you are all likely aware of by now. Previously,  I had been playing with a Naya-plus-[card]Deathrite Shaman[/card] build (a la Brian Kibler) that I liked very much, but with this update I…

Read More

C(ube) + C(ommander) Magic Factory #4 – Evasive Maneuvers Review

This time on C+C Magic Factory, we’ll be reviewing the Commander 2013 deck, Evasive Maneuvers. Here’s a review of the grading system we’ll be using.  The first grade for each card is a Cube grade, the second, a Commander grade. Cube: [A+]: First-pick card on power level alone or tier 1 for associated archetype(s). [A]: High…

Read More

Pitt Imps Podcast #56 – Not a Wrestling God

I’m this weeks episode of the Pitt Imps we had Calvin Layfield from the Direct Damage Cast on to help us go over the Sunday Super Series results. As well as the SCG Open in Nashville. We complain about the event deck. We speculate on what cards will be in the new FTV and speak…

Read More

The Spike Feed #24 – “New” Standard

Dustin, Curtis, and Cameron take some time to analyze the brand “new” standard format that debuted this weekend. Decks changed a bit, prices fluctuated, and we’re generally unhappy with all of it. Thanks for joining us!   Hosted by: Dustin Gore Cameron McCoy – @Cameron_mccoy Curtis Nower – @CurtisNow Music by Micah Jones

Read More

Modern: Which Zoo for You?

For those who don’t know, I play Zoo exclusively in Legacy, and likely would have been playing it exclusively in Modern too if it wasn’t for one small issue…[card]Wild Nacatl[/card] is banned. Well, not anymore! There were significant changes to the DCI Banned & Restricted list this time around, with [card]Deathrite Shaman[/card] getting booted from…

Read More

Casually Infinite – Rare Drafting

If you’re not, you should be. Rare drafting is a vital strategy if you’re seeking to cut down on your Magic expenses or go infinite. It is a way to help boost the EV of a given draft and make sure you’ll have the money to enter the next draft you want to play in….

Read More

The Puzzle Box: User’s Manual

Hello, everyone, and welcome back to the Puzzle Box! I have been showered with compliments these last few weeks since my final reflections on our little project were published. Maybe showered is a bit strong of a word, but it is certainly how I feel. People have been asking about the process of building the…

Read More

Plant of the Gods

Three things I think I know: 1. Modern has had a barrier-to-entry problem since its inception. It used to be (incorrectly) attributed to things like copies of [card]Hallowed Fountain[/card] being $40, but as the format has grown in popularity, very real scarcity issues have caused staples to spike at a rate far beyond anything most…

Read More

Brainstorm Brewery #87 – Finance Shminance

It’s a Modern-tastic episode as the gang is joined by Mox Reuby himself—Reuben Bresler (@moxreuby). With bannings and unbannings shaking up the Modern format, there is a lot to discuss. How much of it is finance, and how much of it is general speculation about what the Modern format will look like? You decide! So…

Read More

Shot in the Dark at the New Modern

Buying season for Modern is here. Or long past, as some would like to say, as prices of perceived staples have already quadripled or more. To say that there has been a cataclysmic shift in the Modern metagame due to the B&R announcements would be an understatement. Modern prices are shooting through the roof as speculation…

Read More

C+C Magic Factory #3 – Eternal Bargain Review

For the third installment of C+C, we’ll be reviewing the Eternal Bargain preconstructed deck, looking at the impact of new cards and notable reprints for Cube and Commander.  The first two installments can be found here and here. Here’s a review of the grading system we’ll be using.  I’m switching it up to match the…

Read More

Pitt Imps Podcast #54 – Laughing, Choking

Well on slow tournament week we decided to finally have Chewie on to share his Pre-Release story from Born of the Gods. Angelo shares his as well and Ryan sucks. We talk about the need(or lack of one) for seeded packs at a Pre-Release and put in our 2 cents on the B&R announcement.   Our Guest…

Read More