UnKhanTrollable

All aboard the hype train! Next stop. Tarkir!

                Magic players really have it good when you think about it. I don't many other games that get such an infusion of new toys as frequently as us noble spellslingers. I'm not really sure at what clip video game publishers release DLC, but I can't imagine it matches the rate that Wizards of the Coast gives us new goodies and definitely not for the same game...for twenty years straight! No, Magic has something special going on when it comes to keeping things fresh. A few weeks ago, I was getting all set to begin writing an article about the upcoming rotation. I also wanted to start taking a look at what kind of expectations we have for the first-ever "wedge" set.

                A quick aside: Mark Rosewater, Magic's Head Designer, has tried on many occasions to stress to the player base that Khans of Tarkir is a wedge set and not the beginning of a wedge block. The foundation of the block is based on a unique draft structure that they wanted to experiment with and it is all wrapped up in the trappings of a time travel story. So, the Khans block will not have as many parallels to the Shards of Alara block as one might guess without considering that information. End aside.

                I was all set on examining how rotation works and ready to take a stroll down memory lane with the Return to Ravnica block, but I couldn't keep pace with the changes and spoilers that WotC was unleashing. The first, dubbed, again by Mark Rosewater, as a game changer was quite literally that. In his article, Metamorphosis, he goes into great detail about the new two-set block paradigm and how Standard will rotate in the future. He also breaks down all of the factors and consideration that led them to make the change. It's very well-written and has some visuals that very clearly illustrate the shift. The community's response to the changes was overwhelmingly positive and I'm looking forward to watching the next few years of Magic unfold.

                Next, the spoilers begin leaking out via social media as the WotC crowd travels to various cons. Before we know it we get THE announcement. The one we've been speculating on for so long: Fetches. Allied Fetches. This is pretty huge. It will impact multiple formats and should, at least, begin to break down some of the barriers to getting into Modern and, to a lesser degree, Legacy. But they will be terrific in Standard, too. It's now known that the Sultai's mechanic will be Delve which will play exceptionally well with the fetch lands. And then there's Courser of Kruphix. Already a Standard stand out, Courser's value gets shifted into overdrive with fetches in the format. As you can see, its monetary value gets shifted into overdrive as well:

Image courtesy of www.mtggoldfish.com

                Now, it's Christmas in September and the spoiler season is in full swing and new cards are dropping daily. The wedge theme is bringing blow after blow of mid-range goodness delivering some very  stout creatures. The majority of the creatures we've seen to date are all up side in the rules text, leaving you only to figure out how to cast them on time given their demanding mana costs. Even the recently spoiled Butcher of the Horde is sporting mostly upside, regardless of being a Demon, a race that typically asks for a mandatory payment in exchange for some benefit. Exciting stuff built into the game's very first white Demon. There's so much to talk about...so many presents to open. Every new card has to be analyzed, every one warrants a discussion. Spoiler season is awesome. New formats are awesome. And Khans is shaping up to be awesome.

                There's way too many spoilers to cover here, but I would like to open it up for discussion. With so many audiences being targeted with each new set, let's toss out a few fire starters. Check out the questions below, jump into the comments and chime in. See you at the Prerelease!

1. Of the Charms spoiled so far, which do personally like best? Which do you feel will see the most play in Standard?

2. Of the legendary Khans spoiled so far, which are you most looking forward to building around in Commander? Which do you think will cause the biggest splash?

3. How would you go about attacking Courser of Kruphix after the upcoming rotation?

4. Which mechanics are you looking forward to playing with in Limited the most?

I want to here from you! Let us know what you think and comment here on the blog. :)

-Eric Peel

What do you value that at BRO?

Special cards from special people.

Magic: The Gathering is a game of value, but one man's playset is another man's drink coaster.

Whether there is just something about the artwork, or maybe a unique mechanic has you dreaming about that day you combo off into the sunset, there is something for everyone in the Magic-Verse.

Here is a look at some of our local's favorite cards.

First up is Clio Canfield. He is recently back from a trip to Australia and we are glad to have him back in the MTG community at Fanatix!  he was excited to share his favorite card: Foil Russian Kiln Fiend.

 -" it was the first deck i put my heart and soul into. A combo deck made to win on turn 3 everytime lol" -Clio

Next up we have some what of a connoisseur of Magic cards. David Sirkis is known to have some interesting cards in his collection and here are some of his favorites!  Also, a big congratulations going out to him and his bride as they get married this weekend. Fanatix wishes you the best and we appreciate all the years of support!

David's altered foil  Elspeth, knight errant. Done by Brandon Brown of Modfly alters.

































Full art Teferi, Mage of Zhalfir by master alterer Gamo Kristofferson.


































And lastly a one of a kind miscut From the Vault Lotus Petal.

Andrew Tharpe has been the notorious "red deck" guy since he can remember... when he sent me this picture it was really no surprise to me but still a fitting card that means a lot to him.

Alpha Lightning Bolt -"I've had this card forever, JW got it for me as a birthday gift." adds Andrew. 

Next up is a good friend of Fanatix: Alex Flanders.  Here is what he had to say about this un-assuming Llanowar-Elves:

         "It's not a fancy card, but pretty much my entire Magic experience started with this card. I remember Walt getting into magic and talking about the game, so I wanted to as well. I had started a mono black vampire deck, but it just didn't feel right. Still, I didn't know enough about magic to know what kind of deck I really wanted. That was until I played Magic The Gathering on Xbox 360. They had a green elf deck and after playing all the decks that was the one which felt most right to me. Just the idea of how something so small and weak could turn into a monster by using the powers of those around them. Llanowar has been a staple of my elf deck ever since that moment I first started putting it together. When I haven't been able to get mana, he was there to give me just enough to play my next card; and when I think of my deck and all the elves in there he was the one that first came to mind. He's not powerful, he's not rare, he's just a 1/1 elf, and that alone should terrify you because where there is one elf there's about a hundred more waiting to come out." 

Last up is your old store owner. When Fanatix first opened I was building an artifact deck to join in on the growing MTG fun, and I decided to open a pack of M11... I was hunting for Steel-Overseers. I was on my lunch break and almost didn't go back to work because I was so excited that I opened a foil Steel Overseer on my first try.

I still have that card, and every time I look at it I realize that we have built a community one game at a time.

We don't stop playing because we grow old, we grow old because we stop playing.

Games for all,

Phillip Chalker