Finally, it’s time for everyone’s favorite part of the banlist test: the experimental data. After playing 500 matches with GB Elves over several months, I can finally put some data to the speculation about the impact of unbanning Green Sun’s Zenith. I will be revealing the hard numbers and their statistical significance. As always, these […]
Modern
Creeping Chill has been sanctioned for a month now, and Dredge is steadily regaining its former status as format boogeyman. David’s article from last week met the deck’s rise with an optimism I’m no longer sure I can personally espouse: despite the hate, Dredge put three copies into the Top 32 of GP Atlanta and, more […]
Magic news culminated last week with the announcement of Ultimate Masters and the Box Toppers. Eddie surveys the developments and offers recommendations.
It’s finally time for another banlist testing report. Back in May, readers chose Green Sun’s Zenith as the next banned card to test, which I’ll just call GSZ from here on out. I’ve spent the intervening months grinding games and recording results to test its effect on Modern. This week, I’ll explain my test procedure, […]
Looking over the Top 32 lists from last week’s Modern Open, I realized I hadn’t studied Wizards’ 5-0 lists in some time. My wake-up call? Andrew Schneider’s deck, which revolved around a Guilds of Ravnica card that immediately piqued my interest when it was spoiled six weeks ago: Arclight Phoenix. A careful review of each […]
It’s time for another Hold ‘Em & Fold ‘Em! With a recent rotation, what’s on Eddie’s mind this week?
As the metagame shifts, decks rise and fall. Sometimes, that churning is explosive. Such events are exciting and foster discussion and articles. However, it is important to remember to temper excitement with reason. Spikes and oscillations are just that, and only matter if they’re sustained. After Golgari Grave-Troll was banned, Dredge dropped out of sight. […]
Black Friday and the holiday season are coming. Adam shares some ways to make the most of the opportunities they will present in MTG finance.
Birthing Pod may have held the title for a good while, but Splinter Twin takes the cake as Modern’s most controversial ban ever. Even today, players debate its place on the banlist ad nauseam, a discussion seemingly reinvigorated with each new deck and expansion; Twin’s defense league has persisted to the extent of literally becoming […]
The SCG Dallas Open showcased some interesting developments in several formats. Eddie takes stock of new technology and logs the changes to his portfolio in response.
The Beginner’s Guide series offers advice to new to Modern players and dispels common myths about the format’s workings. This week, inspired by some consistent misplays I’ve observed, I am going to be tackling Modern’s control decks. There appears to be a perception that they’re something to tread carefully around. But control is just another […]
How many times have you heard something you disagree with? How often has it pertained to Modern? My answer to both questions is plenty. Lately, none spur me into debate more than the claims that countermagic is bad and midrange is dead. In this article, we’ll debunk each of these myths by examining theory, decklists, […]
Another week of Guilds of Ravnica, another set of recommendations. Eddie provides the latest moves in his portfolio, including some Modern breakouts and a few odd foils.