I love it when a deck finally comes together. When all the faith is finally rewarded and the years of suffering and disappointment finally pay off. Mostly because it typically happens to decks that move from mediocre to barely viable. Think of Belcher, Ad Nauseam, the good stuff piles, or Ponza; decks that have been […]
David Ernenwein
David has been playing Magic since Odyssey block. A dedicated Spike, he's been grinding tournaments for over a decade, including a Pro Tour appearance. A Modern specialist who dabbles in Legacy, his writing is focused on metagame analysis and deck evolution.
October is upon us, which means that it’s time to do another metagame update. Modern continues to chug along in this paperless world. And better for me, Wizards seems to have finally gotten its act together and is regularly reporting results. Ever since I started caring about MTGO, I’ve had to deal with really inconsistent […]
Time waits for no man, as they say, and Magic is the same for all players. Good advice will always be good advice, but relevance is relative. By the same token, Magic players need advice that is relevant to formats as they actually exist. And that must be re-evaluated periodically. The second Beginner’s Guide article […]
Magic can get weird at times. There are utterly incomprehensible cards like Ice Cauldron. Sometimes it’s rules weirdness, like Blood Sun not stopping Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth’s ability. Other times it’s a deck that makes no sense, like Inverter of Truth combo. And sometimes it’s because of logical paradoxes and other contradictory truths. Case in […]
With the new set fully spoiled, it’s my turn to look at the spoilers. Normally, I’d have led off with a look at the new mechanics. It just wasn’t applicable this time. Kicker and landfall have been around before, and party isn’t really a mechanic. And the Spell lands aren’t enough to carry a whole article. […]
Ah, spoiler season. The time when I don’t have to stretch myself doing statistical work. Just looking at the new cards, doing some basic analysis, and speculating about whether there’s a place in Modern for them. Simple and low-pressure, just what this year’s called for. Then, something had to come in a ruin everything: a […]
It’s the start of a new month, and that means it’s time for a new metagame update. Yes, I do intend this to be a regular monthly feature. Based on how discussions are going, there’s never been a greater need for clear data. Additionally, I’ve been doing it piecemeal via events for quite some time […]
It’s time, once again, for a return to The Beginner’s Guide to Modern. This my long-running but periodic series where I cover the fundamentals of Modern for those new to the format. Though, as happens with a series that’s four years old at this point, I’ve already covered all the fundamentals and obvious misconceptions long […]
Decks come, and decks go. The metagame has no sacred cows. A deck must find its niche and then hold it to maintain relevance. Strength in a vacuum doesn’t matter, nor does the dedication of the player base. Three years ago, Grixis Death’s Shadow was an absolute monster of a deck, to the point that […]
In case you haven’t noticed, Magic can be weird. I’m not just talking about cards or mechanics, though mutate, Goblin Game, and Raging River are certainly out there. I’m talking about how counter-intuitive the game can be. Again, not in the Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth still works under Blood Sun sense (though that absolutely qualifies). I […]
Another month gone in quarantine. At least, I think it’s been a month. Time is steadily losing all meaning to me. What even is this year, and what was I talking about? Oh yeah, it’s August now, so I need to take another look at Modern’s metagame. Fire up the spreadsheets and break out the […]
There are many old sayings about plans going awry. Even when it seems like everything lines up perfectly, there’s always a chance for something to go wrong. Throw in a global health crisis, and everything goes out the window. The shutdown seemed like the perfect time to run another banlist test. It’s been over a year […]
The greatest problem I face as an article writer is finding something to write about. Inspiration is fickle, as motivation can also be. This is made especially difficult by the pandemic choking off my easiest content source: actual Modern tournaments. Without much happening in greater Modern to discuss and limited source material, I find myself […]
