Whispers of the Muse: Max’s Deathfed/Grave Power (INN/DKA)
Although Innistrad block is now gone, it is far from forgotten! While many of its cards continue to see constructed competitive play, casual players too are using the flavourful designs from the sets to spur their own creative deckbuilding. Today’s Whispers of the Muse comes from just such an environment.
Dark Ascension: Spiraling Doom Review (Part 2 of 2)
Fresh from Gleeful Flames’ hiding in our last meetup, I’m back to put Spiraling Doom to the test. Joining me at the table is Jimi, who- given her affinity for mono-Red and Boros decks- is excited to give Flames a try. We sat down for a match of three games to pit the Dark Ascension Event Decks against one another, and here’s what resulted.
Dark Ascension: Gleeful Flames Review (Part 2 of 2)
We couldn’t return to a plane like Innistrad and not expect to escape at least a little fighting, and with the release of two new Event Decks (numbers nine and ten overall) we’re well equipped for it! Jimi’s piloting Spiraling Doom, looking to push my mono-Red burn deck to its very limits. Will she manage to hold out for victory, or will she go down in a sea of flames, 5 damage at a time…
Dark Ascension: Spiraling Doom Review (Part 1 of 2)
As we mentioned in our opening review of Gleeful Flames, multi-coloured Event Decks haven’t always fared so well in the court of public opinion. Because speed is such a potent weapon in their arsenal, to leave that on the table necessitates having effects powerful enough to compensate, and it dramatically ups the deck’s vulnerability to mana problems. Read more 
Dark Ascension: Gleeful Flames Review (Part 1 of 2)
Longtime readers might know the interesting path we’ve been tracking with regards to the Event Decks. Designed to be ‘entry level compatible,’ they have been marketed as gateway products to Friday Night Magic. The constraints they face in positioning themselves as such have been well documented here; with a limit of seven rare cards, there’s only just so much a deck can do.
Dark Ascension: Dark Sacrifice Review (Part 2 of 2)
This is it- our last Dark Ascension playtest, at least until the Event Decks release. The set has seem some interesting inclusions, from the all-star Grave Power to the Zombie-tribal Relentless Dead, and it will be interesting to see how this ranks amongst them. Joining me in the arena is Sam, who is piloting the aforementioned Blue/Green Grave Power. Who will come out on top?
Dark Ascension: Dark Sacrifice Review (Part 1 of 2)
By the late 1980’s, Dungeons & Dragons was having itself something of an image problem. The game, first published in 1974, had never shied away from adopting the terms and imagery of the occult, a fact which went largely unnoticed while the game was still in its infancy. Read more
Dark Ascension: Grave Power Review (Part 2 of 2)
With more behind us than ahead, we’re eager to savour every bit of Dark Ascension that we can. For today’s bout, we’ll be putting Grave Power through its paces. A deck with considerable potential, how will it do when required to perform? To test that out, I’ve enlisted Sam who’s selected Relentless Dead to pilot. Here we go!
Dark Ascension: Grave Power Review (Part 1 of 2)
If there’s a common complaint against the Intro Pack decks, it’s in the matter of thematic consistency. It’s not unusual to hear laments along the lines of, “half of the cards are focused around a theme, and the other half are just filler.” Even the most charitable precon fan has to admit that this has a ring of truth, and indeed the last deck we reviewed, Swift Justice, seemed to suffer from a lack of pronounced clarity (though it still did the business with Monstrous Surprise).
Today’s deck puts that notion to bed.
Dark Ascension: Monstrous Surprise Review (Part 2 of 2)
Moving on through the Intro Packs of Dark Ascension, it’s now time to test out the undying mechanic. Early feedback seems to be that its’ quite robust, but the jury’s still out until we’ve had a chance to give it a test drive. Joining me is Jimi, who has opted to pilot Swift Justice. Will I be able to take her down, or will it end up being me who’s in for the surprise?
Ertai's Lament 