Explore is a mechanic that debuted in Ixalan, a set filled with adventure and exploration tropes. The Lost Caverns of Ixalan brought us back to that plane, and the explore theme returned, now in the underworld. Ixalan people have plenty of...
Read moreInnistrad’s spooky gothic horror vibes not only make the setting visually appealing, they open up interesting design space. How do you make game mechanics that not only feel flavorful within the world but also work in the game itself?
Read moreThroughout Magic’s history, keywords and mechanics will appear in a set and then fade away for a few years. In Crimson Vow we saw the main-set return of a mechanic originally seen in 2015’s Dragons of Tarkir set, and it’s come up on rare...
Read moreFrom the mysterious dark woods, there’s a name for the culprits of mischief and fantasy: faeries. But which faeries can help you in your deckbuilding and general gameplay?
Read moreThe embalm mechanic, which is basically the mummy mechanic from the ancient Egypt themed set, does the idea of the mummy justice, at least from a pop culture perspective. How does it work and what are the best cards? Let’s take a look!
Read moreToday we’re taking a look at a mechanic that benefits creatures from being around their own kin, so to speak, and that’s kinship. With the mechanic kinship, the more creatures you reveal as you draw from the same type, the merrier.
Read moreHave you ever heard of the radiance mechanic? If not, that may be because there are only ten cards with it in the MTG universe. Let’s let our light shine like a radiant star and find out why there are so few of them in print.
Read moreHello planeswalkers! Let’s dive into a little-known mechanic that uses the same word as popular MTG slang. We’re talking about the sweep keyword today, not to be confused with the slang term for a board wipe. Board wipes are common, powerful, and...
Read moreCards with silver borders are among the craziest in all of Magic: The Gathering. It’s pretty much their main selling point. Coming from what are known as “Un-sets”, silver-bordered cards are aimed at a casual, kitchen-table...
Read moreIf you think that math is for blockers, absorb is guaranteed to make blockers’ brains explode. Let’s take a look at how this keyword ability works, how it fares against multiple sources of damage, and how the MTG designers came up...
Read moreWhen planeswalkers arrived on the Magic scene in 2007 with Lorwyn, they were confusing to a lot of us in the casual player base. Weren’t we supposed to be planeswalkers? Isn’t that what the little rulebooks in our 4th edition starter decks...
Read moreAmplify 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...
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