There’s a reason that stories tend to follow a certain structure. And similarly why studios seem to favor reboots and retreads over actually new movies. Humans are creatures of expectation and habit. We are used to certain things happening a certain way, especially once they’ve been socially reinforced, and when those expectations aren’t met it […]
modern top 5
It’s summer. There’s not much happening on the Magic front. And I’ve got summer things to do. So I’m giving in and doing a list article. At least the algorithm will be satisfied. And I still have my professional pride preventing me from doing it in a nonanalytical way. The Online Metagame An explainer/disclaimer before I […]
Welcome back to Modern Top 5: Modern Horizons 2 edition! Yesterday, we touched on the Incarnations (ranked from best to worst here) and dove deep on Sudden Edict, Urza’s Saga, and Prismatic Ending. Now, it’s time for the final chapter in our comprehensive Modern Horizons 2 spoiler overview: heaps of text on my picks for […]
Modern Top 5 is a long-running article series in which I use a set of pre-defined metrics to rank the best of breed in different categories. Past contests have included utility cards, hosers, enablers, beaters, and planeswalkers… come to think of it, though, most of those contests are due for an update! Today’s brand-new entry […]
Ho, ho, ho! Welcome to another edition of Modern Top 5, this one held together by tinsel-thin Christmas allusions. Although it’s no “illusion” which color’s on top at this year’s end! Today, we’ll break down the format’s piniest players. Trimming the Tree Our first gift is actually a hand-me-down: an older Modern Top 5 metric […]
With the new year fast approaching, I figured I’d follow in Spotify’s footsteps and call out the biggest cards of 2019. We’ve got many possible entrants between Throne of Eldraine and Modern Horizons. Read on for hot takes on the year’s greatest and how they might fare in 2020! You Are Now Rocking With the […]
Happy halloween, everyone! By the time my next article rolls around, we’ll all have Kit-Katted (or in my case, Coffee Crisped) ourselves into a spooky stupor. So what better time than now to head off a Modern Top 5 series focusing on Magic’s five colors? Naturally, we’ll start with the scariest, so yank your head […]
The focus of Magic’s newest expansion, War of the Spark, is planeswalkers. These have historically lacked what it takes to consistently make a splash in Modern. Walkers are fair cards, after all, and designed for a Standard power level; besides, in a Turn Four Format, successfully integrating a permanent type that tends to cost four […]
Successful Magic decks are like well-oiled machines: the pieces fit together well enough to ensure they enact their gameplans consistently and effectively. They owe their cohesion to enablers, cards that supercharge certain gameplay mechanics or themes (i.e. “artifacts matter”). Just like payoff cards, or the ones newer players crack in packs and immediately want to cast, […]
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 […]
Modern used to come under fire in its early days for how focused its decks were. The format’s many linear decks gave onlookers and format dabblers the impression that Modern was but a mess of such decks “passing in the night,” like “two ships.” But focus isn’t everything, and dilution has its merits. As perception […]
Every year has its ups and downs, and so does every card. While this year blessed Modern with untold diversity, a few cards seem to have been left by the wayside. This article explores some of them in detail, reasoning why certain spells are perhaps best left in 2017. #5: Kalitas, Traitor of Ghet Amonkhet […]
Modern Top 5: Utility Spells kicked this series off, and in my eyes, it was hugely successful. Not only did it present a measurable way to analyze cards that I’m quite proud of, but the article also inspired a lively debate in the comments. Today, we’ll revisit the series, focusing on some of Modern’s most […]
