Latest Articles
Hidden Gems In Modern Horizons 3
Modern Horizons 3 is here! We have powerful reprints and brand-new format staples arriving. However, today I want to step away from the flashy cards. You already know about Emrakul, Flare of Denial, and Grist, Voracious Larva. Maybe we can
Turn Zero Magic: Things To Do And Play Before The Game
Magic is a weird game. Throughout its history, we even have some rules and cards that do things before the game begins! Today I would like to take a deep dive into pregame actions and procedures. We are about to get into some of the comprehensive
The Best Mana Rocks for Commander – Ramp Your Opponents Out of the Game
Who doesn’t like going fast? In Commander, accelerating your game plan can be the difference between winning and losing (or just having more fun). Mana rocks are one of the best ways to do so. These handy artifacts give you
9 Recent Commander Precon Decks You Should Try!
Commander has exploded in popularity over the past decade. With it came “preconstructed” or “precon” decks. These decks play Commander out of the box with a fully built 100-card deck that removes the need for buying cards or making your own list.
Best Outlaws of Thunder Junction Commander Cards You Need To Try
Outlaws of Thunder Junction is shaping up to be an exciting set with some potentially powerful new staples. Taking place in a Wild West frontier world, this set takes your Western tropes and gimmicks to the world of Magic. We’re
Look, Ma! They Put My Face On a Magic Card
Art mimics reality, or so the saying goes. Throughout the history of Magic, we have seen powerful wizards depicted on cards. Sometimes, those faces look awfully familiar! Today, I’ll be taking a look at Magic breaking the fourth wall. Let’s
The Best Vampires In Commander – Drain Your Opponents Dry
Hey folks, we are back with another installment! Today, prepare to enter the blood-curdling world of the best vampires in Commander! Vampires have been around since Homelands back in 1995! With just under 400 bloodsuckers legal in Commander, let’s go
What is Pauper MTG: A Beginners Guide to the People’s Format
Pauper is my absolute favorite constructed format. Today, I want to take a moment and share my enthusiasm for this incredible way to play the game we all love. We’re talking about a format that is not only accessible but
The Bolt Zone Episode 19: Building Better Magic Software with Ev from Spicerack.gg
Show Notes: With Nathan deep in PT testing, Cody is joined by a SPICY guest this week, Ev, the founder of Spicerack.gg. He talks all about building software for Magic players and unveils details about the new Spicerack tournament app.
MTG Meta Breakers: How to Beat Amulet Titan in Modern
Tap. Untap. Make mana. Tap. Untap. Make mana. Grab two lands. Give it haste. Kill you. You’re left scratching your head trying to figure out how to beat Amulet Titan in Modern. Amulet Titan is perhaps one of the strongest
How to Stay Open in MTG Draft – A Limited Guide
When you’re playing Draft, it’s important to be aware of what cards are being chosen. However, it’s equally important to pay attention to what cards are not being chosen. Today, we’re going to talk about the concept of being “open”
The Bolt Zone Episode 18: How to Read Your Opponent’s Mind (and Hand)
Show Notes: We’re talking about the most broken thing in Magic… reading your opponent’s mind. No Jace’s here though. Learn how to analyze your opponent’s hand based on their play, pick up on body language tells, and disguise your own
7 Best Dice for Magic: The Gathering
All Magic: The Gathering players know that the game goes beyond cards. To keep track of the size of your creatures, Planeswalker loyalty counters, and other key stats, you’ll need a trusty set of dice. Finding the best dice for
Best Commander Cards From Murders At Karlov Manor
Welcome to Karlov Manor Welcome back to Ravnica! We have a murder mystery underway. Today, I want to focus on our favorites and the best cards in MKM for Commander. Are these cards the work of a mastermind? Or do
The Bolt Zone Episode 17: Modern Yawgmoth Deep Dive with Brandon Osborne (aka Control4Daze)
Show Notes: In today’s episode, Control4Daze (aka Brandon Osborne) joins the show to talk about his pet deck in Modern, Yawgmoth. The boys are taking a deep dive into the archetype and offering tips and tricks to improve your play
EDH101: What is CEDH?
There are many different ways to play Commander. Is it “just a pile of cards I had lying around?” Maybe a carefully crafted masterpiece of your favorite cards? To me, it is about playing with the most powerful cards possible!
MTG Legacy Update – January 2024
A look back and a look ahead… Welcome to the new year! I am your BTB Legacy nerd, Curtis Ailes, and I will be doing my best to sweep up the last half of 2023, dither a bit about the
6 Tips To Improve Your Drafting Skills
Limited, especially Draft, is my favorite way to play Magic. Drafting decks in particular is something I love; passing packs back and forth to assemble the best deck we can on the fly from disparate parts. Many jokes are made
The Best Dragons for Commander MTG in Every Color
Dragons are one of the most beloved creature types in all of Magic. They originated in Alpha and are still with us today! In this article, we are going to look at the best dragons for Commander in each color.
The Bolt Zone Episode 16: We’re So Back! Let’s Catch Up on Comp. MTG (Feat. Tandy)
Show Notes: The Bolt Zone is back after a few weeks off and we’re excited to talk about all three big competitive formats! Standard, Pioneer, and Modern all deserve some attention right now, so let’s look at what’s going on
Dragon Shield Dual Matte Sleeve Review: The Best MTG Sleeves Around (Updated for 2024!)
Every Magic player knows that sleeves are essential. But they aren’t all created equal. Here at Bolt the Bird, we take the work out of testing sleeves so you don’t have to. Today, we’re looking at our top pick for
The Bolt Zone Episode 14: A Pioneer Check-In and First Look at Lost Caverns of Ixalan Spoilers
This week, Cody recaps his RCQ win on Rakdos Scam. Then the guys take a look at what’s been happening in the Pioneer metagame, including talk about the Boros Convoke deck and how Izzet Phoenix is shaping the format. Lastly,
Doctor Tribal – A Look at Universes Beyond Doctor Who
Doctor Who season is upon us! A new set with new cards featuring Doctor Who and their many companions. We have four Commander decks. Instead of discussing each deck, we decided to build a brand new deck. The precons will
The Bolt Zone Episode 13: Talking ‘Bout Deck Size. Is Bigger Really Better?
Magic is in a wild place right now and the decklists floating around prove it. Today, the guys look at some examples of decks going above 60 cards, talk about the theory behind numbering in deckbuilding, and help you understand
The Best Enchanting Tales Cards for Wilds of Eldraine Limited in Every Color
Wild of Eldraine’s Enchanting Tales set, with the WOT set code, isn’t our first bonus sheet to come with a Standard set. The concept began with Strixhaven’s Mystical Archive, cataloging instants and sorceries throughout Magic’s history with unique art and frames. Artifacts and
Episode 12: World Championship Recap + Inside Tourney Prep
Nathan is back from Las Vegas and the guys are recapping the World Championship. They go over everything happening in Standard and talk about what goes into testing for the most important Magic tournament all year. To support the show,
Sock Full of Pennies: A Short History of Red Deck Wins
Welcome back to BTB’s Legacy Roundup… wait a second. This isn’t Legacy. Today I am bringing something out of the ordinary, at least for me. Usually, I am running down the Legacy metagame but today will be playing the role
9 Mini Combos in Wilds of Eldraine Limited
The most important aspect of playing Limited is knowing how to squeeze the most value possible from your cards. Bombs are fantastic, of course, and removal is essential, but even the greatest bombs or a deck with all the removal
Land Destruction In EDH: You Need It!
Today’s topic is not nice. We are going to dive into the wonderful world of land destruction in Commander. Land destruction, like stax and hatebears often gets a bad reputation. A reputation that leads some people to dismiss the whole
MTG Meta Breakers: How to Beat Yawgmoth in Modern
Welcome to MTG Meta Breakers! This series is devoted to helping you take on some of the most common decks in your favorite formats (aka “the meta”). Whether you’re looking to grind competitive events on MTGO, want to win your
The Bolt Zone Episode 11: Modern Hammer Time Deep Dive with Travis Brown (aka DisgruntledElk)
In today’s show, Cody and Nathan are joined by Hammer Time aficionado Travis Brown (aka DisgruntledElk) to talk about the deck and its place in the meta. We take a deep dive into the archetype and help you pick up
MTG Meta Breakers: How to Beat Izzet Murktide in Modern (Updated September 2023)
Welcome to MTG Meta Breakers! This series is devoted to helping you take on some of the most common decks in your favorite formats (aka “the meta”). Whether you’re looking to climb the competitive ladder on Arena, want to win
5 Best Wilds of Eldraine Commanders You Need to Try!
Wilds of Eldraine is here! Today I would like to highlight six commanders from the set. Some of these cards give old classic archetypes a new spin. Others completely enable new strategies. With each commander, I have prepared a suite
How to Build a Competitive MTG Deck Part Five: Control
Hey guys, Welcome to the fifth and final installment of Bolt the Bird’s series on competitive deck building! Our final topic will be how to build a competitive control deck. If you missed the previous articles in the series you
The Bolt Zone Episode 10: Your Modern RCQ Season Primer
This week, Cody and Nathan are talking about all things Modern. With the next RCQ season about to start, they give you a rundown of the format and break down the top 15 most popular decks you should consider. Learn
Wilds of Eldraine Ultimate Draft and Limited Archetype Guide
Do you hear that? The raucous sounds of gingerbread knights mixed with the soft snoring of a plane deep in magical slumber. No elk this time around, though! Wilds of Eldraine is almost here and the Limited environment is shaping
MTG Meta Breakers: How to Beat Rakdos Midrange in Pioneer
Welcome to MTG Meta Breakers! This series is devoted to helping you take on some of the most common decks in your favorite formats (aka “the meta”). Whether you’re looking to grind competitive events on MTGO, want to win your
The Bolt Zone Episode 9: Wilds of Eldraine First Look + Latest Modern Antics
Nathan is back stateside from Barcelona so the guys recap his time at the Pro Tour, including Team Handshake’s deck selection process. Nathan also talks about handling the pressure of his recent winning streak while Cody talks about back-to-back weekend
EDH101: What is Ramp in Commander?
EDH is a format full of flashy spells and big plays. But, how do you get there? Ramp! Today we are going to discuss the role of ramp spells in EDH. How does each color tackle it? And finally, what
Our Favorite New Cards From the Commander Masters Precons
Commander Masters is out soon. With it comes four Commander decks. Each deck features various reprints, and more importantly new cards! Today let’s answer the question, are any of these new cards any good? Are there new staples hidden in
MTG Meta Breakers: How to Beat Rakdos Scam in Modern
Welcome to MTG Meta Breakers! This series is devoted to helping you take on some of the most common decks in your favorite formats (aka “the meta”). Whether you’re looking to grind competitive events on MTGO, want to win your
Tales of Middle Earth and How It’s Affecting Legacy
“Legacy is in a place where you can play anything you want.” -Andrea Mengucci, June 11, 2023 One of the competitors at the forefront of our format recently commented on the state of Legacy, and I could not agree more.
Boogie Board LCD Tablet Review: The Best MTG Life Tracker (and Reusable!)
If you’re a serious Magic: The Gathering player, you’ve probably seen your opponent show up across the table with a nifty tablet for tracking life. They write out two tidy columns, track life throughout the game, and with the press
Episode 7: Level Up Your Game By Gaining Small Edges
This week, Cody and Nathan take on a listener question, reflecting on times they’ve leveled up as competitive players. They talk about key concepts like using your resources and taking advantage of the stack then go on a few tangents
The Bolt Zone Episode 6: Improve Your Testing Process Feat. Javier Domínguez
We’re joined by the Fervent Champion himself, Javier Domínguez, to talk about everything you need to get ready for your next tournament! We dive into deck selection, the importance of a testing team, and how you should approach playtesting for
Commanders We Can’t Wait to Play: Lord of the Rings: Tales of Middle-Earth
Lord of the Rings: Tales of Middle-earth (LTR) is the latest cross-over expansion for Magic the Gathering. The set brings with it cards legal in Modern, Legacy, and the topic of today’s discussion: Commander. Is this set fantasy fluff or
MTG Legacy Metagame Highlights: June 2023 Update
Welcome back to BTB’s Legacy Roundup, I’m Curtis Ailes, the ringleader of this circus. What is Going On in Legacy? It’s been a month since I wrote about the Legacy meta and it’s a good time to step back and
Hippo Good? Hippo Good. Keruga Fires Pioneer RCQ-Winning Tournament Report
Riddle me this… Do you like casting spells like Atraxa, Grand Unifier and Koma, Cosmos Serpent for free? Do you like tutoring creatures from your deck for free? Do you like winning games against the most popular deck in the
The Bolt Zone Episode 4: You Need To Learn Your Pioneer Deck + LotR Spoilers First Look
With round three Regional Championships right around the corner, the boys are taking a final look at the Pioneer meta. And since this round of RCQs and the next RC is also Pioneer, they also discuss the importance of understanding
EDH101: An Introduction to Removal in Commander
Welcome back to another edition of EDH101. Today we are looking at removal. This topic can be a bit tedious to cover. Many Commander players claim folks run too little removal. Others run none at all. Today I will take
