It’s important to consider alternative solutions to any problem. No matter how clear the solution to a given problem may be to you, never discount the possibility of other perspectives offering insight. Or that biases can blind to us to potential solutions. Either way, entertaining alternatives can get the creative juices flowing. Which is why […]
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.
Continuing on with article types that have been vanishingly rare this year, it’s time to look at the lessons from a specific tournament. I haven’t done this since February because there just haven’t been any Modern tournaments. Wizards has neglected every other format in order to push Arena. Which means that other competitive formats have been neglected. […]
Alright, now. Everybody exhale. Last week is over. We can all try to grind our way through the rest of the year. We’ve been through enough already. Now it’s time for some lighter fare, especially the kind that used to be my bread and butter. Then, the lockdown rendered then impossible. I am of course […]
Happy Election Day, America! May your vote be counted and the voting process as stress-free as mine. Living in a state that’s been all mail-in ballots for years has considerable advantages in a pandemic year. And if not, take heart. At minimum, you won’t be bombarded by annoying, omnipresent, and pleading political advertising for at […]
As October comes to a close, it’s time for me to wrap up my look into the new decks from Zendikar Rising. Admittedly, it’s mostly been a case of deck evolution rather than outright new decks. Even Belcher had a direct predecessor. And that’s a good thing. Modern’s been churning non-stop for over a year. […]
Zendikar Rising has had a notable effect on Modern, but it’s been mostly positive. Whether it’s making Death and Taxes finally viable or shaking up the Prowess decks, the new additions seem to be providing the right incentives without being oppressive. However, one card is drawing ire, mostly by association rather than anything it’s actually […]
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 […]
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 […]
