Amplify is part of the legion of creature-focused mechanics unleashed during the Onslaught block, which was THE creature block. Let’s take a deep dive into what this keyword ability does, how it works, its history, and exactly what type of...
Read moreToday we’re taking a look at bloodrush, the Gruul mechanic for 2013’s Gatecrash. It isn’t necessarily the most powerful mechanic, but it’s probably the mechanic that best catches the Gruul aspect of attacking and making your creatures very big...
Read moreManipulating the top card of an opponent’s library is very powerful. Fateseal was created as a mechanic that lets you “negative scry”, that is, scry your opponent’s library instead of your own.
Read moreIn the midst of the Masques block was Nemesis, a 143-card set that introduced the fading keyword to Magic. Step through the veil with me back to the turn of the century and welcome the ephemeral permanents of Nemesis.
Read moreOptions in a game are always good, and entwine is one of those mechanics where the more options you have, the merrier. Cards that are flexible in their mana cost and their use are always good in my book.
Read moreHave you ever found yourself wishing you could access a spell in your graveyard so you could run it back and win the game? Well, if that’s the case, retrace is the mechanic for you.
Read moreToday I want to talk about a new mechanic introduced in Alchemy Horizons: Baldur’s Gate. Double team has been teased as a “get two for the price of one” keyword. Who doesn’t like a deal?
Read moreAfter the finale of the Phyrexian storyline in March of the Machine and then its Aftermath, we’re going to be returning to Eldraine for a second visit. This plane seems to be the location of story resets, as last time we were here was immediately...
Read moreAlchemy has been around on MTG Arena for some time now, and it’s started to settle into its little niche as the digital-only format where digital-only mechanics go to die. One of the mew mechanics, “boon,” is reminiscent of planeswalker emblems...
Read moreMagic has a string of cards and mechanics that allow you to durably alter a creature after it’s already been cast. Cipher is one of those experiments that seems to have exhausted its narrow design space between under- and overpowered.
Read moreIn Magic you’ll find yourself mana-flooded a fair amount, and buyback gives you a way to sink that extra mana into spells that can bury your opponent. There are also other means of paying buyback besides just extra mana, so let’s delve into this...
Read moreOne turn they’re here, and then poof they’re gone! Magic’s vanishing mechanic puts a time limit on your permanents and forces you to use time as a resource. But what makes vanishing unique, and how did it come about?
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