Return to Ravnica: Izzet Ingenuity Review (Part 1 of 2)
The concept of the guilds was the glittering foundation the entire set of Ravnica was built upon, and it gave the game one of its most enduring identities. Even as late as Scars of Mirrodin block, some half a decade later, it wasn’t at all unusual to hear folks refer to Red/White decks as “Boros,” even if some of the other guild names had fallen from common parlance. They were one of the game’s greatest flavour innovations, but they didn’t all come easily.
2011-12 Precon Championships: Round 2 and the Leaderboard
Welcome back to the 2011-12 Preconstructed Championships! This past weekend saw the first round of exciting deck-on-deck clashes as the eight contenders for Nagle Division glory took to the field to stake their claim on glory. On another battlefield, the readers taking part in this season’s Prediction League waged their own struggle for supremacy. There’s a treasure trove of prizes in play for the winner, and every point counts! Of course, with a total of twenty-eight matches to go, it’s still anyone’s game!
Return to Ravnica: Rakdos Raid Review (Part 2 of 2)
Halfway through the Return to Ravnica, it’s now time to showcase the wicked bacchanal of the Rakdos! A guild which received a very welcome image makeover from the original with tons of added style, the only question left to answer is how well they play. To find out, Sam joined me at the table with Izzet Ingenuity.
2011-2012 Precon Championships: Nagle Division (Part 1 of 2)
Agrarian society has gifted the English language with a number of useful phrases, and in the run-up to elections in November one of these must surely be ‘bellwether.’ Etymologically derived from the practice of stringing a bell around a castrated ram’s neck, a shepherd could tell which direction the flock was moving just by listening for the bell. Nowadays we associate it with a notion or concept that is an early indicator of how the rest of the body will go. In all aspects, it finds its very opposite in the Nagle Division.
Return to Ravnica: Rakdos Raid Review (Part 1 of 2)
Each year, designer and all-around face of Magic Mark Rosewater uses his weekly column over at the mothership to look back on the previous year and reflect on its highs and lows, failures and successes. These annual “State of Design” features are insightful reading, giving an insider’s perspective into the block gone by. A year on it’s easy to overlook, but buried within last year’s feature was this little gem: 2011 Goal #2: Combine nostalgia with innovation.
Return to Ravnica: Golgari Growth Review (Part 2 of 2)
Jimi’s back at the table for another round, and she’s packing some Azorius muscle to boot! Meanwhile, we get another look at one of Ravnica’s most prominent guilds, the Golgari. Because hey, every guild gets an Intro pack, but not every guild has an upcoming Event Deck and a Duel Deck appearance under their belt!
2011-12 Precon Championships: Make Your Predictions!
Welcome to the first prediction thread for the 2011-2012 Preconstructed Championships! As has become an Ertai’s Lament tradition, we’re running the Prediction League alongside the Championships to give you, the reader, a chance to flex your prognosticative muscles and see if you can call the matches. One the line is fame, glory, and- perhaps best of all- the chance to win fabulous prizes, ranging from Return to Ravnica Intro Packs, boosters, or a copy of Premium Deck Series: Graveborn!
News: Return to Ravnica Event Decks Revealed!
Those watching the mothership yesterday found an unexpected and early treat- the decklists for the two upcoming Event Decks for Return to Ravnica have been spoiled!
Return to Ravnica: Golgari Growth Review (Part 1 of 2)
2010’s Scars of Mirrodin was an exciting and inspiring set. Although not universally loved, of course, even its detractors had to be pleased with the basic question that the set’s existence raised. If we can return to Mirrodin, the thought went, where else could we go? Some strands of thought emanating from this question went a little further than others- there weren’t many clamouring for a return to Sarpadia, the setting for Fallen Empires, for example. But there were two names that kept coming up over and over in the Magic community.
Return to Ravnica: Selesnya Surge Review (Part 2 of 2)
It’s always fun when the payoff arrives after tremendous anticipation, and Sam and I both are eager to get to playing with the new Return to Ravnica Intro Pack decks. For her part, Sam’s grabbed the Rakdos Raid deck, a Black/Red brew with only one thing on its mind- aggression. Can the Conclave withstand the thundering force of their brutal bacchanal?
Ertai's Lament 