Amulet Bloom | Quiet Speculation https://www.quietspeculation.com Play More, Win More, Pay Less Tue, 18 Jan 2022 02:21:05 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://www.quietspeculation.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/favicon.png Amulet Bloom | Quiet Speculation https://www.quietspeculation.com 32 32 Best of 2019: Twin’s Role in Modern https://www.quietspeculation.com/2020/01/best-2019-twins-role-modern/ https://www.quietspeculation.com/2020/01/best-2019-twins-role-modern/#comments Wed, 01 Jan 2020 17:00:39 +0000 https://quietspeculation.com/?p=21135 Editor's Note: The Twin ban remained highly controversial into 2019, especially among what I assume to be an extremely vocal minority of Modern die-hards. That sentiment pushed David to revisit Twin's previous role in the format with a thorough, data-driven approach. Also included in this re-run are David's thoughts headed into 2020, which deal with […]

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]]> https://www.quietspeculation.com/2020/01/best-2019-twins-role-modern/feed/ 2 Call the Police: Twin’s Role in Modern https://www.quietspeculation.com/2019/01/call-police-twins-role-modern/ https://www.quietspeculation.com/2019/01/call-police-twins-role-modern/#comments Tue, 29 Jan 2019 17:00:31 +0000 http://quietspeculation.com/?p=19444 Assumptions and collectively-held beliefs are fickle and powerful things. They can affect perception and, in a way, become reality if unchallenged. Therefore, it is critical for the skeptical mind to evaluate and investigate these ideas for validity, especially in the wake of recent bannings. After being challenged on long-held beliefs about Splinter Twin's effect on […]

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]]> https://www.quietspeculation.com/2019/01/call-police-twins-role-modern/feed/ 8 Complexity, Power, and Playability https://www.quietspeculation.com/2018/10/complexity-power-playability/ https://www.quietspeculation.com/2018/10/complexity-power-playability/#comments Tue, 02 Oct 2018 16:00:54 +0000 http://quietspeculation.com/?p=18856 There's an old saw in Standard: play the best deck with the best cards. Standard is about the cardpool's restrictions and the disparities in card power. Therefore, it makes sense to only play the most powerful cards, or to play as many as can work together. Modern's far greater size means there are far more options […]

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]]> https://www.quietspeculation.com/2018/10/complexity-power-playability/feed/ 7 The Spice of Rivalry: Brewing with Rivals https://www.quietspeculation.com/2018/02/the-spice-of-rivalry-brewing-with-rivals/ https://www.quietspeculation.com/2018/02/the-spice-of-rivalry-brewing-with-rivals/#comments Tue, 20 Feb 2018 17:00:32 +0000 http://quietspeculation.com/?p=17300 So, a new set released and I haven't addressed it at all. It's not that I didn't want to, or lack things to discuss. I was just a bit busy with a far more important project. And then with watching a Pro Tour. And then with chaos. I realize that talking about Rivals of Ixalan is […]

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]]> https://www.quietspeculation.com/2018/02/the-spice-of-rivalry-brewing-with-rivals/feed/ 8 Unfair Combo: A Beginner’s Guide https://www.quietspeculation.com/2017/02/beginners-guide-unfair-combo/ https://www.quietspeculation.com/2017/02/beginners-guide-unfair-combo/#respond Tue, 07 Feb 2017 17:00:42 +0000 http://34.200.137.49/?p=13193 Welcome back to the Beginner's Guide. I've had a bad habit of leaving many week-long breaks between these articles. This is unacceptable and I'm going to finish off the deck-type articles over the next few weeks. This is especially important given that the I'm onto the combo decks, which fall into distinct categories that aren't […]

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]]> https://www.quietspeculation.com/2017/02/beginners-guide-unfair-combo/feed/ 0 Fringe Decks: Bringing in 2017 with Brews https://www.quietspeculation.com/2016/12/fringe-decks-2017-brews/ https://www.quietspeculation.com/2016/12/fringe-decks-2017-brews/#comments Thu, 29 Dec 2016 17:00:55 +0000 http://34.200.137.49/?p=12626 This week, I’m dodging all the “Year in Review” and “Best of 2016” cliché topics, opting instead for pure, clean, fun craziness. 2016 has been a wild ride to say the least, and the hits just keep coming. For now, I’m throwing my hands in the air. No more theory, no more statistical analysis, no […]

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]]> https://www.quietspeculation.com/2016/12/fringe-decks-2017-brews/feed/ 16 Insider: The State of Modern Leading to PT OGW https://www.quietspeculation.com/2016/02/insider-the-state-of-modern-leading-to-pt-ogw/ https://www.quietspeculation.com/2016/02/insider-the-state-of-modern-leading-to-pt-ogw/#comments Fri, 05 Feb 2016 10:00:36 +0000 http://www.quietspeculation.com/?p=69954

When it comes to Modern right now, Ryan likes Lightning Bolt a lot. He provides a detailed overview of the metagame and explains his choice for Regionals.

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]]> https://www.quietspeculation.com/2016/02/insider-the-state-of-modern-leading-to-pt-ogw/feed/ 1 Insider: Now or Never – My Final Modern Specs Before the Pro Tour https://www.quietspeculation.com/2016/02/insider-now-or-never-my-final-modern-specs-before-the-pro-tour/ https://www.quietspeculation.com/2016/02/insider-now-or-never-my-final-modern-specs-before-the-pro-tour/#comments Mon, 01 Feb 2016 11:00:14 +0000 http://www.quietspeculation.com/?p=69797

The Pro Tour is days away and the time to buy cards before the tournament is dwindling. Adam shares insight into some potential specs he has identified.

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]]> https://www.quietspeculation.com/2016/02/insider-now-or-never-my-final-modern-specs-before-the-pro-tour/feed/ 5 The True Danger of the Splinter Twin Ban https://www.quietspeculation.com/2016/01/the-true-danger-of-the-splinter-twin-ban/ https://www.quietspeculation.com/2016/01/the-true-danger-of-the-splinter-twin-ban/#comments Tue, 19 Jan 2016 18:35:49 +0000 http://34.200.137.49/?p=6702 By now you've read at least a dozen articles, a hundred tweets, and a thousand forum posts about the January 18th banlist update. The response to Splinter Twin's banning is likely to surpass the reaction to all previous Modern ban announcements combined, as the community rages, celebrates, and grieves for for months to come. I […]

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]]> https://www.quietspeculation.com/2016/01/the-true-danger-of-the-splinter-twin-ban/feed/ 81 Modern Banlist Predictions for January 18, 2016 https://www.quietspeculation.com/2016/01/modern-banlist-predictions-for-january-18-2016/ https://www.quietspeculation.com/2016/01/modern-banlist-predictions-for-january-18-2016/#comments Wed, 13 Jan 2016 18:25:12 +0000 http://34.200.137.49/?p=6576 By the time I publish my next article, the Modern collective will already be deep in the throes of rage, elation, shock, and joy after reading the January 18th banlist update. Monday can't come soon enough! The last time I was this excited about a scheduled announcement was the first Force Awakens trailer. As for […]

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]]> https://www.quietspeculation.com/2016/01/modern-banlist-predictions-for-january-18-2016/feed/ 25 The Case for an Amulet Bloom Banning https://www.quietspeculation.com/2016/01/the-case-for-an-amulet-bloom-banning/ https://www.quietspeculation.com/2016/01/the-case-for-an-amulet-bloom-banning/#comments Tue, 12 Jan 2016 17:00:47 +0000 http://34.200.137.49/?p=6480

A reckoning is coming. After months of ban mania, speculation, theorycrafting, and general rage against the Wizards machine, the January 18, 2016 banlist update will decide if Amulet Bloom is an acceptable Modern deck. Many authors players have vehemently opposed the combo strategy since Justin Cohen's February run at Pro Tour Fate Reforged. Others, including […]

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]]> https://www.quietspeculation.com/2016/01/the-case-for-an-amulet-bloom-banning/feed/ 30 Modern Metagame Breakdown: 12/1 – 12/31 https://www.quietspeculation.com/2016/01/modern-metagame-breakdown-121-1231/ https://www.quietspeculation.com/2016/01/modern-metagame-breakdown-121-1231/#comments Wed, 06 Jan 2016 17:00:40 +0000 http://34.200.137.49/?p=6379 This metagame update almost didn't happen. With a banlist announcement coming up in just two weeks and a new midrange deck redefining the online metagame, it felt silly to analyze a format that is sure to be radically different before January even ends. I changed my mind after sitting down and going through the numbers. […]

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]]> https://www.quietspeculation.com/2016/01/modern-metagame-breakdown-121-1231/feed/ 47 Where We’ve Been: A Study of Pro Tour Modern Decks https://www.quietspeculation.com/2015/12/where-weve-been-a-study-of-pro-tour-modern-decks/ https://www.quietspeculation.com/2015/12/where-weve-been-a-study-of-pro-tour-modern-decks/#comments Thu, 10 Dec 2015 17:00:31 +0000 http://34.200.137.49/?p=5991

Last week, I wrote an article detailing the history behind Modern’s extensive banlist, complete with Wizards' official announcements and an analysis of each. This was, by far, my most popular article to date in the almost six months that I’ve been writing for Modern Nexus. This week, I plan on approaching another Modern topic in similar […]

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]]> https://www.quietspeculation.com/2015/12/where-weve-been-a-study-of-pro-tour-modern-decks/feed/ 6 Modern Metagame Breakdown: 11/1 – 11/30 https://www.quietspeculation.com/2015/12/modern-metagame-breakdown-111-1130/ https://www.quietspeculation.com/2015/12/modern-metagame-breakdown-111-1130/#comments Wed, 09 Dec 2015 17:00:11 +0000 http://34.200.137.49/?p=5944

I'm getting spoiled with all this Modern event data. November brought us the Regional Pro Tour Qualifier circuit, nonstop StarCityGames Qualifiers, and a massive North American Grand Prix in Pittsburgh. Those data-Scrooges at Wizards even started releasing MTGO League decklists! Between crunching those numbers, speculating about the new Grand Prix promo card, and sitting back […]

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]]> https://www.quietspeculation.com/2015/12/modern-metagame-breakdown-111-1130/feed/ 16 Bannings: Past and Future https://www.quietspeculation.com/2015/12/bannings-past-and-future/ https://www.quietspeculation.com/2015/12/bannings-past-and-future/#comments Thu, 03 Dec 2015 17:00:19 +0000 http://34.200.137.49/?p=5833 Recently, the public has been reminded that Modern exists. This has naturally reignited discussion about bannings. GP Pittsburgh featured a lot of fair, powerful decks battling for fame and glory. This was generally fun, exciting, and interesting. GP Pittsburgh also featured Amulet Bloom. This was controversial, upsetting, and bordering on taboo. Parents were covering their children’s […]

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]]> https://www.quietspeculation.com/2015/12/bannings-past-and-future/feed/ 39 Twins and Trends at GP Pittsburgh https://www.quietspeculation.com/2015/11/twins-and-trends-at-gp-pittsburgh/ https://www.quietspeculation.com/2015/11/twins-and-trends-at-gp-pittsburgh/#comments Tue, 24 Nov 2015 17:00:52 +0000 http://34.200.137.49/?p=5741

On Monday morning, one of my Magic friends asked me to share my favorite moment from Grand Prix Pittsburgh. That was like asking ten-year-old me what I wanted for my birthday. Was it Craig Wescoe finally doing justice to the obscure albeit awesome GW Hatebears? A Jeskai Twin deck (yep, Jeskai) not just making Top 8 […]

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]]> https://www.quietspeculation.com/2015/11/twins-and-trends-at-gp-pittsburgh/feed/ 19 Insider: Modern Winners & Sleepers from Pittsburgh https://www.quietspeculation.com/2015/11/insider-modern-winners-sleepers-from-pittsburgh/ https://www.quietspeculation.com/2015/11/insider-modern-winners-sleepers-from-pittsburgh/#comments Tue, 24 Nov 2015 12:30:09 +0000 http://www.quietspeculation.com/?p=67681

PT Pittsburgh will be the talk of Modern for the next few weeks, and the obvious candidates are already getting screen time. Sheridan highlights a few winners you might have missed at first glance.

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]]> https://www.quietspeculation.com/2015/11/insider-modern-winners-sleepers-from-pittsburgh/feed/ 6 Two Decklists For GP Pittsburgh! https://www.quietspeculation.com/2015/11/two-decklists-for-gp-pittsburgh/ https://www.quietspeculation.com/2015/11/two-decklists-for-gp-pittsburgh/#comments Thu, 19 Nov 2015 17:00:22 +0000 http://34.200.137.49/?p=5646 Greetings, halflings! Welcome to that special time of the year. The one-use Halloween costumes have been thrown out, the smell of turkey is in the air, and we’re just starting to determine which of our family members are actually worth buying Christmas presents for. We’re slowly pulling out of our Modern offseason, and the recent […]

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]]> https://www.quietspeculation.com/2015/11/two-decklists-for-gp-pittsburgh/feed/ 7 RPTQ Results and Three Predictions for GP Pittsburgh https://www.quietspeculation.com/2015/11/rptq-results-and-three-predictions-for-gp-pittsburgh/ https://www.quietspeculation.com/2015/11/rptq-results-and-three-predictions-for-gp-pittsburgh/#comments Tue, 17 Nov 2015 17:00:49 +0000 http://34.200.137.49/?p=5596 I started mulling over predictions for this article all the way back on November 3 when I posted my October metagame breakdown. I'll be honest: Modern wasn't looking too hot. Twin was back, but linear aggro, combo, and ramp (oh my!) commanded worrisome metagame shares. Jund and even Abzan kept respectable format slices, but were […]

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