Tip of the Magic Top Hat - This Weeks Best MTG Tips, Tricks, Tech and More...

Welcome to another installment of Tip of the Magic Top Hat, a weekly series where I will share my favorite MTG related articles or other content of the week.  Topics will vary from week to week but will likely include things like, MTG Comedy, Strategy, Limited Play, MTG Community, MTG Finance, etc.

#1) A Case for Swiss Drafts

Category: MTG Finance, MTGO, Limited
By: Danny Brown
A great look at the value of Swiss Drafts on MTGO.  I completely support this strategy of drafting on MTGO.  The best way to learn a new set is by playing the set, so make sure to get you money's worth in the beginning of a new set and play Swiss.  Then once you have the experience and skill move on to 8-4's.  Never play 4-3-2-2's.

#2) A Friendly Reminder about Fall Set Rares

Category: MTG Finance

By: Danny Brown
This is Danny Brown week I guess.  He is one of my favorite MTG Finance writers.  While I don't subscribe to Quiet Speculations insider articles (so don't worry anything I post here will be from their free content) I do frequent the site.  The tend to post short but interesting and useful articles in their free content section and this is no exception.

#3) Meet the Awesome League of Female Magic: The Gathering Players

Category: MTG Community
By: Liza Dadoly
Seems like the topic of sexism in the gaming world and in the MTG community is alive a strong.  I thoroughly support the Lady Planeswalker Society (and am a member myself along with my girlfriend).  While I don't think sexism is confined to gaming culture we can certainly do better.  I believe that full acceptance of female gamers is coming and soon - at least my the majority of the community. 

Thanks for reading, check back next week for more great MTG articles, podcasts, and other MTG content.

Tip of the Magic Top Hat - This Weeks Top MTG Tips, Tricks, Tech and More

Welcome to another installment of Top Hat, a weekly series where I will share my favorite top three MTG related articles or items online.  Topics will vary from week to week but will likely include things like, MTG Comedy, Strategy, Limited Play, MTG Community, MTG Finance, etc.

#1) More Magic: The Gathering Strategy Board Game

Category: New Product
By: Alex Ullman
A sneak peek at the upcoming new product from Wizards of the Coast and Hasbro... Magic the Gathering Board Game!  Looks super sweet, check it out.

#2) A Time of Heroes

Category: Standard, Deck List

By: Mike Cannon

I read this article and ended up running this deck at my local gaming store's Game Day event.  I made a few improvements over the list Mike has here (improved mana base by running 4x Mana Confluence, 4x Battlefield Forge, 4x Temple of Triumph and no shelter lands).  It did ok but not great.  Throughout playing it I noticed that Akroan Crusader was better than Satyr Hoplite in the deck and I ended adding it Glimpse the Sun God for Sunday's Game Day event.  Turns out Yoshihiko Ikawa figured out a much better version which you can find here.

#3) Conspiracy for Two

Caregory: Casual, Conspiracy
By: Mike & Tifa Robles
Ever find yourself hanging out with your best friend or significant other and wanting to play Conspiracy?  Now you can combine the convenience of Winston style two-player draft with the crazy, zany fun of Conspiracy.

Thanks for reading, check back next week for more great MTG articles, podcasts, and other MTG content.

MTGO Statisfaction Survey by WTOC

MTGO Statisfaction Survey by WTOC

Wizards wants to know what you think about MTGO - let them know!

Survey Link
(Posted on Magic Online Weekly Announcements Blog)

I love Magic and I play regularly on MTGO, but there are certainly things about the play experience and software client that could be so much better.  This is our opportunity to let Wizards know what we think. 

Top Hat - This Weeks Top MTG Content

Welcome to the first Top Hat, a weekly series where I will share my favorite top three MTG related articles or items online.  Topics will vary from week to week but will likely include things like, MTG Comedy, Strategy, Limited Play, MTG Community, MTG Finance, etc.

#1) KTK Draft: Durdling 101

Category:  Drafting
By: Jacob Van Lunen
A little old, as it is from 9/26, but I wanted to include it as I thought it an interesting perspective on drafting Mardu.  Also, love the title.

#2) Team Building - Design for Multiplayer

Category: Magic Design, Multiplayer, Commander, Conspiracy

By: Mark Rosewater
An insider look at MTG design for multiplayer (Commander and Conspiracy) for multiplayer week on MTG Daily.  If you don't already follow Rosewater's column, you should.

#3)  Threat Assessment...Or How I Painted a Target on My Face

Category: Drafting, Multiplayer, Conspiracy
By: Evan Pringle
Ok, another one that is technically not from this week.  But I've been meaning to post a link to this article for a while so here goes.  This is a retelling of one of the coolest drafts I was involved in at my local game store. It was release weekend of Conspiracy and my first taste of the fun and exciting format.  Evan is a great guy and regularly writes for Cardshark.com so I will be adding a feed to the blog for his articles.

#4) Beta Booster on Openboosters

Caregory: Comedy
By: Openboosters
Since most of this weeks posts are not actually from this week, including this one, I figured I add a four.  Definitely worth a watch... think Magical Masterbation... ;-)

Thanks for reading, check back next week for more great MTG articles, podcasts, and other MTG content.

Top Hat - This Week's Top MTG Articles

Welcome to the first Top Hat, a weekly series where I will share my favorite top three MTG related articles or items online.  Topics will vary from week to week but will likely include things like, MTG Comedy, Strategy, Limited Play, MTG Community, MTG Finance, etc.

#1) Five Myths About Drafting

Category:  Drafting
By: Jacob Wilson
A great article that covers some of the common pitfalls many drafters, even some pros, can fall into from time to time.  A great read and could definitely improve your game.

#2) Format Solved: MTG Nation Already Sick Of Standard

Category: Comedy

By: The Weekly Mulligan
Hilarious!  Also, one of the main reasons I hate constructed.  Forget standard, just draft!

#3)  What To Do In A Green-On-Green Metagame 

Category: Standard
By: Adrian Sullivan
A more serious look at the situation with Courser in the standard metagame.

Thanks for reading, check back next week for more great MTG articles.

Release of Eric's MTGO Tracker (Beta)!

You can download the FREE MTGO Tracker here.

Please download this spreadsheet and try it out. It tracks your performance in MGTO events so you know exactly how good you are and how much you are spending on MTGO. Are you good enough to, "Go Infinite?" try it and find out!
If you like using this spreadsheet please consider donating a dollar. Thanks, Eric

Screen Shots:

4-0 Khans of Tarkir Prerelease Deck (09/21/2014)

Format:  Sealed Deck - Khans of Tarkir Prerelease

•  Deck List
• 1 Alabaster Kirin
• 1 Kill Shot
  
• 2 Mardu Hateblade
• 1 Timely Hordemate
• 1 Watcher of the Roost
  
• 1 Bellowing Saddlebrute
• 1 Debilitating Injury
• 1 Disowned Ancestor
• 1 Krumar Bond-Kin
• 2 Mardu Skullhunter
• 1 Ruthless Ripper
• 1 Swarm of Bloodflies
• 1 Arc Lightning
• 1 Crater's Claws
• 1 Mardu Warshrieker
• 1 Woolly Loxodon
• 1 Abzan Guide
• 1 Chief of the Scale
• 1 Duneblast
• 1 Utter End
• 1 Bloodfell Caves
• 1 Opulent Palace
• 1 Scoured Barrens
• 2 Wind-Scarred Crag
• 2 Forest
• 4 Plains
• 1 Mountain
• 6 Swamp
• Sideboard
• 1 Erase
• 1 Firehoof Cavalry
• 1 Sage-Eye Harrier
• 1 Siegecraft
• 1 Take Up Arms
• 1 War Behemoth
• 1 Dead Drop
• 1 Kheru Dreadmaw
• 1 Molting Snakeskin
• 1 Rakshasa's Secret
• 1 Retribution of the Ancients
• 2 Rotting Mastodon
• 1 Shambling Attendants
• 1 Sultai Scaenger
• 2 Act of Treason
• 3 Barrage of Boulders
• 1 Bloodfire Mentor
• 1 Bring Low
• 1 Tormenting Voice
• 1 Valley Dasher
• 1 Blinding Spray
• 1 Cancel
• 1 Crippling Chill
• 1 Embodiment of Spring
• 1 Mystic of the Hidden Way
• 2 Taigam's Scheming
• 1 Treasure Cruise
• 1 Wetland Sambar
• 1 Feed the Clan
• 1 Incremental Growth
• 2 Kin-Tree Warden
• 1 Roar of Challenge
• 1 Sagu Archer
• 1 Smoke Teller
• 1 Tusked Colossodon
• 2 Abomination of Gudul
• 1 Death Frenzy
• 1 Kheru Lich Lord (Prerelease Promo)
• 1 Icefeather Aven
• 2 Snowhorn Rider
• 1 Sultai Charm
• 1 Temur Ascendancy
• 1 Warden of the Eye
• 1 Sultai Banner
• 2 Temur Banner
• 1 Swiftwater Cliffs
• 1 Thornwood Falls