cross-posted from: https://mtgzone.com/post/4323778

cross-posted from: https://mtgzone.com/post/4301874

cross-posted from: https://mtgzone.com/post/4301820

Do you double sleeve your decks? Why / why not?

I don't have that much first hand experience but here's a quick literary review of random internet posts:

Pros

• Cards are protected from liquids
• Keeps foils planar
• Top part of the card is protected from dirt
  • Is this really such a problem?
• Some people like the shuffle feel
• Cards remain single sleeved when you remove the outer sleeves and put them into a binder

Cons

• More costly
• Thicker decks, especially in 100 card formats
• Deck boxes become tight, trouble fitting tokens etc.
• Shuffling may become more cumbersome

cross-posted from: https://mtgzone.com/post/4265045

One of the coolest ways to play Magic: The Gathering is also one of the hardest to find. For years, Magic fans have obsessed over Mystery Booster 2, a special set where each pack features a bizarre hodgepodge of old, random cards and a few "playtest cards" that push the limits of the game's design rules and can only be played in this very specific format.

Mystery Booster 2 is also only available at in-person events like MagicCon and at special times through the Secret Lair online store. That isn't changing anytime soon, but publisher Wizards of the Coast is expanding the concept with a new set titled Mystery Booster Commander.

Announced at MagicCon Amsterdam on July 17, and debuting at GenCon in Indiana later this month, Mystery Booster Commander puts a fresh spin on the concept by focusing on, you guessed it, Commander.

Each pack of Mystery Booster Commander contains 20 cards, including plenty of legendary reprints and 59 brand new cards specifically designed for Commander. Wizards revealed two of those cards at MagicCon, the first of which is a throwback to the 1995 set, Homelands.

Joven and Chandler is a legendary red creature that's all about stealing and sacrificing artifacts. It's also a reference to several cards from Homelands, including the distinct creatures Joven and Chandler.

"I've been playing for a very long time," Rasmussen said in a press briefing attended by Polygon. "Homelands was one of my first sets. So there's a bit of nostalgia here for Joven and Chandler."

He added that some of the other smaller objects featured in the art may also be Homelands Easter eggs.

The second revealed card features a brand-new mechanic, Rulebreaker, which lets you break one rule from Commander. In this case, Tolabow, Loch Rascal is a legendary blue otter that makes more otters whenever you cast an instant or sorcery. If Tolabow is your commander, you can also pick one color besides blue and include instants of sorceries in your deck, which opens up a ton of cool possibilities for players to build around, from classic blue-red spellslinging to blue-green ramp to blue-white control.

Mystery Booster Commander features eight cards with Rulebreaker abilities, and Wizards worked directly with the Commander Format Panel to design them.

"Each of the eight cards allows for a unique deck-building ability that has never existed in Magic before," he said. "Plus, cute otter, what's not to love?"

Mystery Booster Commander launches at GenCon, which kicks off July 30.

Wizards of the Coast is making changes to how it handles Magic: The Gathering prereleases starting with Reality Fracture.

According to the company, two changes are occuring when Reality Fracture's prerelease occurs (which is scheduled to take place beginning Sept. 25).

The first change Wizards is making is removing the option for an at-home prerelease.

At-home prereleases were introduced during COVID-19 restrictions when playing in store wasn't always a possibility. While stores can no longer count those who purchase a set's prerelease kit as part of their prerelease metrics, Wizards says stores will still be able to sell prerelease kits during a set's prerelease window.

The second change has to do with the Two-Headed Giant format.

Currently, each 2HG team receives two prerelease packs for the event and build two decks from a combined pool of cards. Beginning with Reality Fracture, however, each 2GH team will receive just a single prerelease kit along with two play boosters from which to build their decks.

The company says that this change to 2HG prerelease events will lead to balanced card selection, a lower barrier to entry for players, and allow the format to allign with official Magic: The Gathering Tournament Rules.

cross-posted from: https://mtgzone.com/post/4247160

cross-posted from: https://mtgzone.com/post/4245961

cross-posted from: https://mtgzone.com/post/4240525

cross-posted from: https://mtgzone.com/post/4230818

Bonus artist pic:

Looks like I didn't win the chance to throw $200 at wizards. Ah well, maybe next time I'll win the lottery to spend money.

cross-posted from: https://mtgzone.com/post/4225284

The attacking player attacks with some creature. The defending player doesn't block, so the attacking player plays [[Michelangelo, Improviser]] using his first ability (sneak). The defending player targets Michelangelo using a [[Maze of Ith]].

Can the defending player target Michelangelo using the Maze (probably yes, since it enters attacking), and is it possible early enough to prevent it from dealing damage (thus also preventing his second ability from triggering)?

cross-posted from: https://mtgzone.com/post/4219557

cross-posted from: https://mtgzone.com/post/4208006