bant spirits | Quiet Speculation

Punishing Fire: Qualitative Results and Conclusion

David Ernenwein — Tue, 21 May 2019 16:00:01 +0000

Last week, I unveiled the first part of my Punishing Fire test. With the data compiled and revealed, it's time for the less-concrete part. The data is the data and speaks for itself. However, that's not the whole story. Magic isn't just a numbers game; there are a lot of intangibles. For instance, it's also supposed […]

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Testing Punishing Fire: Quantitative Data

David Ernenwein — Tue, 14 May 2019 16:00:01 +0000

And now it's time for everyone's favorite part of the banlist test: the experimental data. With 500 matches of Jund with and without Punishing Fire under my belt, I have developed a very strong opinion on unbanning the card. Today, I will reveal the hard numbers and their statistical significance. As always, these data are […]

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Testing Punishing Fire: Experimental Setup

David Ernenwein — Tue, 07 May 2019 16:00:51 +0000

The time has come to start rolling out the results of my latest foray into the Modern banlist. In the past, the return of this series was hailed with a public vote for which card I'd work on, followed by months of silence while I actually did the work. This time, extenuating circumstances dictated the […]

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Deceptively Poor: Spoiler Week 3

David Ernenwein — Tue, 15 Jan 2019 17:00:05 +0000

The set release is nigh! With all of Ravnica Allegiance spoiled, speculation can end and brewing begin. I'm pleasantly surprised by all the potential Modern playables. This expansion might not go down in history like Khans of Tarkir, but I expect plenty of cards to see play, if only because they're too interesting not to brew with. However, […]

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MTG Metagame Finance #27

Edward Eng — Fri, 11 Jan 2019 02:39:38 +0000

As Ravnica Allegiance spoilers flood in, Eddie highlights cards you should probably get rid of based on hype. And he takes a deeper look into Box Toppers.

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MTG Metagame Finance #23 (Free Giveaway #2!)

Edward Eng — Fri, 14 Dec 2018 10:00:16 +0000

Ultimate Masters has hit the market and there’s already been a lot of movement. The prices of the reprints dropped as they usually do when a set first hits the market. But it seems like the prices have started to rebound a lot quicker this time around. There’s a slight possibility they could drop again […]

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Hindsight 20/18: Metagame Review

David Ernenwein — Tue, 11 Dec 2018 17:00:34 +0000

The Modern metagame cycles, though the process is slow and hard to see. This complicates determining which trends are just flashes in the pan and which must be accounted for and adapted to. Metagame-specific decks, like Death and Taxes at GP Las Vegas 2017, can look like real decks, at times frustrating players trying to […]

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MTG Metagame Finance #22

Edward Eng — Thu, 06 Dec 2018 21:11:24 +0000

Eddie covers the latest movements in his MTG portfolio and again shares his recommendations for holds and folds. And be sure to tune in for office hours later!

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In Questionable Company: Updating Spirits

David Ernenwein — Tue, 16 Oct 2018 16:00:07 +0000

Every player has their own biases and preferences when it comes to deck selection. There's nothing wrong with playing to strengths, and it is important to remember that Magic is a game. You have more fun playing something you enjoy. However, this goes both ways, and you can dislike a deck for less-than-rational reasons. I have […]

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Hold ‘Em & Fold ‘Em #11

Edward Eng — Thu, 20 Sep 2018 18:30:11 +0000

For this week, Eddie brings more Guilds of Ravnica spoiler talk and a dive into one of Magic's newest formats to crop up, Premodern.

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Hold ‘Em & Fold ‘Em #10

Edward Eng — Thu, 13 Sep 2018 09:00:45 +0000

Eddie weighs in on how the bombshell new tool for BGx decks, Assassin's Trophy, will affect other cards, all while covering his latest holds and folds for the week.

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Return to the PPTQ Grind: Week 6

David Ernenwein — Tue, 11 Sep 2018 16:00:46 +0000

I definitely peaked too soon. There's no possible way to follow up to last week's Jurassic Park intro and not look pale in comparison. I can't even go for the ironic method of pointing out this out, I've done that before. My remaining option is to just awkwardly forge ahead and feel relief that the qualification system […]

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Two Weeks Out: Analyzing SCG Milwaukee for GP Dallas

Trevor Holmes — Thu, 27 Oct 2016 17:53:20 +0000

We’re less than a fortnight away from Grand Prix Dallas, the first big-stage Modern event in what seems like forever. I’m pumped, even though I won’t be playing, as I recently returned from Dallas, Texas on an architectural field study and that place is freakin’ awesome. Why that matters to you I can’t imagine, but […]

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A Spirited IQ Test

David Ernenwein — Tue, 23 Aug 2016 16:00:08 +0000

Without the need to grind after winning an early PPTQ, I've been free to brew and experiment. As always, some of these new ideas are good. Most are not. But you never find out unless you indulge your inner Mythbuster and proverbially throw your deck at the wall to see if it works. Never actually throw your […]

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