Mana Brain Podcast

AmmiO
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A Magic the Gathering podcast covering a variety of MTG related topics. Hosted by AmmiO. You can watch the video versions of these podcast episodes on YouTube here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLk4iYNqGKjxzoIXZBdJ3gRylW8h198V1_

  1. Fixing Magic

    07/15/2024

    Fixing Magic

    Timestamps 0:00 Intro Thesis 2:06 Gameplay - Problem Cards & Risky Mechanics 19:01 Bans 25:17 Ban Timing Windows 30:09 Cards to Ban and How to ban them 36:30 Fun is more important than Data 38:01 Actually Playtest the Cards 48:32 Simplify the Cards 53:32 Not Learning Lessons, Repeating Mistakes 58:04 Play Draw Problem 1:03:42 Big Spell Finishers, ETBs, Planeswalkers 1:13:52 Tournament Rounds are Too Long 1:22:24 Prices & Finance - MH3 Pro Tour 1:26:42 Too Many Sets Too Fast 1:37:14 Anecdotal Player Reactions to MH3 1:40:34 Staples are too Expensive 1:42:45 Collector Boosters 1:45:00 Mythic Rarity 1:49:32 Standard Rotation 1:50:05 Financial Barrier to MTG 1:55:36 Premium Priced Packs 1:57:42 Arena Economy 1:59:51 Precon Deck Viability 2:07:29 Digital Redemption 2:13:06 Prize Support 2:16:59 Promos 2:21:53 The Value of Tournament Coverage 2:27:32 Consistency & Simplicity 2:34:47 Too Many Card Variants 2:45:42 Missing Cards on MTGO & Arena 2:59:08 Digital Exclusive Cards 3:01:00 Organized Play Problems 3:09:12 Game Stores & Singles Distribution 3:22:13 Card Stock Quality & Foil Curling 3:33:27 Don't Fire Your Most Talented People 3:35:56 Viewer Comments 3:52:49 Force of Will is Duct Tape 3:55:22 More Comments 4:05:27 Time to Sell Out 4:13:51 Goodbye

    4h 14m

  2. 04/11/2024

    Outlaws of Thunder Junction Set Review

    0:00 Intro 0:29 Ping Lands 3:44 Overall Set Impressions 4:54 Akul, the Unrepentant 7:18 Annie Joins Up 9:48 Archmage's Newt 12:47 Arid Archway 13:42 Assimilation Aegis 15:56 Aven Interrupter 19:10 Beastbond Outcaster 23:42 Bovine Intervention 26:23 Bristly Bill 27:40 Bruse Tarl, Roving Rancher 31:06 Canyon Crab 32:59 Caught in the Crossfire 37:06 Caustic Bronco 39:51 Claim Jumper 43:18 Collector's Cage 47:00 Colossal Rattlewurm 50:53 Conduit Pylons 52:19 Demonic Ruckus 54:23 Duelist of the Mind 56:44 Dust Animus 59:11 Ertha Jo 1:01:59 Esoteric Duplicator 1:04:21 Fblthp, Lost on the Range 1:07:31 Final Showdown 1:12:51 Fomori Vault 1:14:04 Forsaken Miner 1:16:27 Fortune, Loyal Steed 1:18:16 Freestrider Lookout 1:20:01 Frontier Seeker 1:24:12 Geralf, the Fleshwright 1:25:57 Getaway Glamer 1:27:44 Ghired, Mirror of the Wilds 1:29:56 Gisa, the Hellraiser 1:31:41 Grand Abolisher 1:34:19 Great Train Heist 1:36:02 High Noon 1:38:02 Highway Robbery 1:40:54 Honest Rutstein 1:42:07 Insatiable Avarice 1:45:46 Jace Reawakened 1:48:56 Kaervek, the Punisher 1:51:08 Kambal, Profiteering Mayor 1:53:02 Kellan Joins Up 1:54:21 Kellan, the Kid 1:56:43 Kraum, Violent Cacophony 1:57:35 Lavaspur Boots 1:58:21 Legion Extruder 1:59:49 Lilah, Undefeated Slickshot 2:02:37 Lively Dirge 2:04:02 Lotus Ring 2:06:40 Magda, the Hoardmaster 2:08:07 Magebane Lizard 2:10:59 Make Your Own Luck 2:12:49 Malcolm, the Eyes 2:14:45 Memory Vessel 2:16:00 Nexus of Becoming 2:16:53 Nurturing Pixie 2:18:39 Oko, the Ringleader 2:21:35 One Last Job 2:24:24 Outcaster Trailblazer 2:26:32 Pest Control 2:27:15 Phantom Interference 2:29:10 Pillage the Bog 2:31:13 Pitiless Carnage 2:33:01 Railway Brawler 2:34:39 Requisition Raid 2:36:25 Riku of Many Paths 2:38:42 Ruthless Lawbringer 2:40:12 Satoru, the Infiltrator 2:43:03 Scorching Shot 2:44:17 Seize the Secrets 2:45:06 Seraphic Steed 2:48:20 Shoot the Sheriff 2:50:34 Simulacrum Synthesizer 2:52:25 Slick Sequence 2:53:57 Slickshot Lockpicker 2:55:30 Slickshot Show-Off 2:57:17 Smuggler's Surprise 2:58:55 Spinewoods Armadillo 3:00:46 Step Between Worlds 3:01:47 Tarnation Vista 3:04:18 Three Steps Ahead 3:06:16 Thunder Salvo 3:07:02 Tinybones Joins Up 3:08:55 Tinybones, the Pickpocket 3:10:38 Torpor Orb 3:12:10 Unfortunate Accident 3:13:05 Vadmir, New Blood 3:14:57 Visage Bandit 3:15:39 Vraska Joins Up 3:16:05 Wylie Duke 3:19:17 Commander Exclusive Cards 3:23:04 Outro ► Patreon | https://www.patreon.com/AmmiO ► Twitter | https://twitter.com/AmmiObejas ► Twitch | https://www.twitch.tv/ammio ► YouTube Media Channel | https://www.youtube.com/@AmmiO ► VOD Channel | https://www.youtube.com/@AmmiOVods

    3h 25m
  3. The Dream Is Dead - How Bad Card Designs Ruined Magic

    01/07/2024

    The Dream Is Dead - How Bad Card Designs Ruined Magic

    0:00 Intro & Topics 3:09 2017 Jund 10:26 vs. Pioneer Rakdos Midrange 29:10 2013 Standard UW Control 34:02 vs. Pioneer UW Control 39:06 Gifts Storm 42:25 vs. Pioneer Lotus Field 46:31 Everything is an Avengers Level Threat 52:57 Powercreep 55:20 Balanced ≠ Fun 56:22 Dark Souls - Bed of Chaos 1:00:36 Too Many Beds of Chaos in Magic 1:05:25 Commander-Fication of Magic 1:09:14 Overly Wordy & Complicated 1:12:05 Examples of Powerful yet Fair Cards? 1:13:22 Made-for-Commander Cards 1:16:41 Problematic Designs - Lack of Consistency 1:19:43 Gotcha Cards 1:23:09 Incompetent Designers 1:28:37 Abilities in the Wrong Order 1:30:25 Unnecessary Extra Abilities 1:31:44 No Limits or Safety Valves 1:32:10 Titan Triggers 1:32:49 Asymmetrical Stax 1:34:15 White Removal Hits Everything 1:35:11 Randomness - Determining Games via Dice Rolls 1:45:34 Breaking the Color Pie 1:50:15 Interaction Windows 1:52:22 Every Format is Unfun 1:54:13 What about Standard? 1:59:20 The Unfun Isn't Endemic to Magic 2:02:00 Pioneer Horizons 2:07:16 Large Tournament EV 2:20:59 Other TCGs Tournament EV 2:23:56 What's Wrong With Me? 2:25:21 Q&A Background Music: The Thought of You - TrackTribe Space Jazz - Kevin MacLeod MydNyte - Noir Et Blanc Vie Inspired - Kevin MacLeod Jazz Club - Kriss FynestLyk - Noir Et Blanc Vie Baeb Steps - Noir Et Blanc Vie A Typical Ride Out - Noir Et Blanc Vie A Brand New Start - TrackTribe Cosmic Groove - Cooper Cannell Great Whyte 18 - Noir Et Blanc Vie ► Patreon | https://www.patreon.com/AmmiO ► Twitter | https://twitter.com/AmmiObejas ► Twitch | https://www.twitch.tv/ammio ► YouTube Channel 1 | https://www.youtube.com/@AmmiO ► VOD Channel | https://www.youtube.com/@AmmiOVods

    2h 50m
  4. Every Ring is Fine

    12/28/2023

    Every Ring is Fine

    Discussion on what has gone wrong with the Modern format and why it's so bad now, as well as proposed solutions. *This episode contains visual elements and is recommended to be viewed rather than only listened to. You can follow Dylan at his Twitter or support him on Patreon. ► https://twitter.com/PariahPopular ► https://www.patreon.com/iHumanMTG Music: Anchors Aweigh - Charles Zimmerman Etude Op. 10 No. 3 (Tristesse) - Chopin Siegfried Idyll - Wagner Timestamps: 0:00:00 Intro 0:01:16 August 7th Bans and Lack Thereof 0:14:18 Main Topic (Modern Bad) 0:14:44 Bad Play Patterns 0:35:00 Problems Summarized 0:35:47 Everything is an Avengers-Level Threat 0:37:50 Other Format Issues 0:39:39 43 Banworthy Cards 0:40:11 Ban the Evoke Elementals 0:41:25 Ban Force of Vigor 0:42:45 Ban Force of Negation 0:44:06 Problems with Free Answers 0:47:21 Ban The One Ring (financial discussion) 0:54:12 Ban Orcish Bowmasters 0:57:06 Ban Wrenn & Six 0:59:30 Ban the Triomes 1:03:45 Ban LotR Landcyclers (Lorien Revealed) 1:06:39 Ban Boseiju 1:08:07 Ban Urza's Saga 1:10:45 Ban Blood Moon 1:14:09 Ban Ragavan 1:16:48 Ban DRC 1:17:34 Ban Murktide 1:18:58 Ban Creativity 1:19:44 Ban Amulet 1:20:28 Ban Hammer 1:21:10 Ban Cascade 1:22:40 Ban the War Walkers 1:24:23 Ban Companions 1:25:26 Ban Yawgmoth 1:25:51 Ban Breach 1:26:25 The Cost of Bans 1:30:08 The Price of Modern 1:40:34 Technically Diverse 1:42:21 2023 Modern is the worst format ever 1:47:19 Who likes Modern? 1:52:57 How to fix Modern 1:57:11 What's safe to unban? 2:19:21 Pioneer 2:22:04 Balanced ≠ Fun 2:32:02 In Memoriam ► Patreon | https://www.patreon.com/AmmiO ► Twitter | https://twitter.com/AmmiObejas ► Twitch | https://www.twitch.tv/ammio ► YouTube Channel 1 | https://www.youtube.com/@AmmiO ► VOD Channel | https://www.youtube.com/@AmmiOVods

    2h 40m

  5. 01/25/2023

    Phyrexia All Will Be One - Set Review

    Set review of Phyrexia All Will Be One, covering new cards' applications in Pioneer, Modern, Legacy, and Commander.   Timestamps: 0:00 Intro  0:33 Elesh Norn, Mother of Machines 2:48 The Mycosynth Gardens  3:32 Green Sun's Twilight  4:38 Nahiri, the Unforgiving  7:41 Tyvar, Jubilant Brawler  8:56 Unctus, Grand Metatect  10:19 Venerated Rotpriest  12:17 Vindictive Flamestoker  13:58 Ally Fast Lands (reprint)  14:10 Blue Sun's Twilight  14:34 Cankerbloom  15:09 Capricious Hellraiser  16:27 Conduit of Worlds  17:12 Geth, Thane of Contracts  17:57 Kemba, Kha Enduring  18:45 Kethek, Crucible Goliath  20:04 Melira, the Living Cure  20:54 Minor Misstep  21:59 Mirran Safehouse  23:24 Norn's Wellspring  23:54 Phyrexian Arena (reprint)  24:14 Phyrexian Obliterator (reprint)  24:34 Skrelv, Defector Mite  25:31 Skrelv's Hive  26:17 Soulless Jailer  26:54 The Filigree Sylex  27:35 Thrun, Breaker of Silence  28:08 Tyrranax Rex  29:00 "Battle" Card Type  29:35 Outro   Music (in order): --- Marxist Arrow by Twin Musicom is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Artist: http://www.twinmusicom.org/ --- Acid Jazz by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Source: https://freemusicarchive.org/music/Kevin_MacLeod/Jazz_Sampler/AcidJazz_1430 Artist: http://incompetech.com/ --- Commander Impulse - DivKid --- Baeb Steps - Noir Et Blanc Vie Patreon Twitter YouTube Twitch Facebook

    30 min
  6. Interview with a Local Game Store Owner

    12/20/2022

    Interview with a Local Game Store Owner

    Topics: Running a game store; Tabletop games; Card game singles and  sealed product; Competing with big box stores and online retailers;  Direct-to-Consumer products (Secret Lairs); MTG 30th Anniversary;  Tournaments and Organized Play; Standard's decline and other formats;  MTG Arena; Wallet Fatigue; The MTG audience and player base; Covid  lockdown's effect on stores; WPN Premium. Timestamps: 0:00:00 Preview 0:00:39 Intro 0:01:44 Why did you want to open a game store? 0:04:28 MTG sales compared to other games 0:08:36 What's more profitable: Sealed or Singles? 0:09:44 Problems with buying and selling Singles 0:12:15 Difference in singles amongst various card games 0:13:25 Should you Buy Trade-ins or Open Sealed product? 0:14:58 Card Game Accessories 0:16:36 Board Games 0:18:03 Competing with Big Box Stores and Online Retail 0:22:29 Letting go of your dream 0:24:56 Profit Margins on Snacks and Merch 0:25:39 How to handle Players who Don't Buy Anything 0:26:50 Competing with Big Box Stores and Online Retail continued 0:28:22 Effects of Wotc removing MSRP 0:32:17 Why you should support your Local Game Store 0:34:00 Direct-to-Consumer products (Secret Lairs) 0:37:23 MTG 30th Anniversary controversy 0:42:14 Expensive Products 0:44:12 The Value of Hosting Tournaments 0:49:42 Bad Prize Support 0:52:28 The Value of Giveaways & Raffles 0:54:33 Why has Standard declined? 0:58:29 Why has Drafting declined? 1:01:01 Is Legacy dead? 1:03:03 Vintage format 1:05:02 Why isn't Pauper more popular? 1:06:37 Pioneer & Modern 1:07:20 Is Commander the most profitable format? 1:09:28 MTG Arena Economy 1:14:15 Organized Play 1:17:39 Wallet Fatigue 1:23:22 Is the MTG Audience growing or shrinking? 1:25:33 Are Collectors Panic-Selling due to MTG 30? 1:27:16 Covid Lockdown effects on Game Stores 1:30:50 Who is the Typical Player? 1:33:17 Why are there so few Female Players? 1:35:06 WPN Premium Benefits 1:42:21 Advice for Opening a Game Store 1:51:08 Closing Thoughts 1:52:04 Where to find Collector Legion Patreon Twitter YouTube Twitch Facebook

    1h 53m
  7. Brother's War Review and Dominaria Postmortem | Mana Brain #7

    11/07/2022

    Brother's War Review and Dominaria Postmortem | Mana Brain #7

    In this episode, I'm once again joined by Nicolas Johnson to talk about the cards from Dominaria United we underrated, overrated, and which still have potential, then move on to Brother's War previews. Timestamps: 0:00:00 Intro    0:00:24 Dominaria United Postmortem 0:22:57 The Brother's War 1st look 0:23:26 Urza, Lord Protector 0:26:14 Gix, Yawgmoth Praetor 0:27:22 Awaken the Woods 0:28:08 In the Trenches 0:28:42 Teferi, Temporal Pilgrim 0:32:16 Mechanized Warfare 0:33:34 Titania, Voice of Gaea 0:35:27 Siege Veteran 0:36:35 Painful Quandary 0:37:26 Brotherhood's End 0:38:57 Loran of the Third Path 0:39:50 Drafna, Founder of Lat-Nam 0:41:41 Diabolic Intent 0:46:04 Fauna Shaman 0:46:51 Kayla's Reconstruction 0:48:12 Hurkyl's Final Meditation 0:48:58 Ashnod, Flesh Mechanist 0:51:04 Visions of Phyrexia 0:52:24 Fade from History 0:53:29 Soul Partition 0:54:38 Commands 0:59:39 Feldon, Ronom Excavator 1:00:49 Hurkyl, Master Wizard 1:03:04 Gruesome Realization 1:03:38 Obliterating Bolt 1:04:35 Audacity  1:04:51 Tocasia's Welcome 1:06:22 Dreams of Steel and Oil 1:06:55 Obstinate Baloth 1:08:18 Great Desert Prospector 1:08:48 Zephyr Sentinel 1:09:30 No One Left Behind 1:10:30 Forging the Anchor 1:12:19 Calamity's Wake 1:13:49 Corrupt & Flow of Knowledge 1:14:45 Go for the Throat 1:16:22 Urza, Powerstone Prodigy & Mishra, Excavation Prodigy 1:17:14 Lay Down Arms 1:18:40 Gaea's Gift 1:19:26 Splitting the Powerstone 1:20:04 Recruitment Officer 1:20:20 Machine Over Matter 1:20:42 Fallaji Archaeologist 1:21:40 Bitter Reunion 1:22:37 Overwhelming Remorse 1:23:47 Stern Lesson 1:24:07 Saheeli, Filigree Master 1:24:42 Mishra, Claimed by Gix 1:25:16 Deathbloom Ritualist 1:25:41 Tocasia, Dig Site Mentor  1:26:21 Hajar, Loyal Bodyguard 1:26:42 Harbin, Vanguard Aviator 1:27:29 Tawnos, the Toymaker 1:27:54 Urza, Prince of Kroog 1:29:01 Mishra, Tamer of Mak Fawa 1:29:23 Queen Kayla bin-Kroog 1:30:43 Third Path Iconoclast 1:31:51 Yotian Dissident 1:32:59 Platoon Dispenser 1:33:46 Liberator, Urza's Battlethopter 1:34:04 Stasis Coffin 1:35:07 Portal to Phyrexia 1:35:45 Urza's Sylex 1:37:17 Arcane Proxy 1:39:54 Clay Champion 1:41:06 Skitterbeam Battalion 1:41:50 Phyrexian Fleshgorger 1:44:03 Surge Engine 1:44:25 Perennial Behemoth 1:44:58 Steel Seraph 1:46:42 Simian Simulacrum 1:46:57 Thran Spider 1:47:24 The Stone Brain 1:48:24 Transmogrant's Crown 1:49:10 Phyrexian Dragon Engine 1:49:56 The Mightstone and Weakstone 1:51:10 Mishra's Research Desk 1:52:02 Combat Thresher 1:52:41 Fortified Beachhead 1:53:47 Argoth, Sanctum of Nature 1:55:00 Mishra's Foundry 1:55:14 Demolition Field 1:55:51 End of Main Set review 1:56:25 Brother's War Commander 1:59:14 Outro Twitter Facebook Twitch YouTube

    2 hr

  8. 10/01/2022

    Unfinity in cEDH and Legacy | Mana Brain #6

    In this episode, we discuss Unfinity's Attractions and Stickers for cEDH and Legacy, and highlight notable cards from the set. 00:00 Intro 00:32 Attractions 05:21 Dice Rolling Cards 07:44 Attractions continued 09:28 Stickers 14:17 ____ Goblin 20:31 Clown Car 23:34 Comet, Stellar Pup 27:38 Embiggen 29:45 Magar of the Magic Strings 34:07 Myra the Magnificent 36:46 Pair o' Dice Lost 42:24 Saw in Half 47:59 Strength-Testing Hammer 50:19 Our Top Picks 52:43 Outro Twitter Facebook Twitch YouTube

    53 min
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About

A Magic the Gathering podcast covering a variety of MTG related topics. Hosted by AmmiO. You can watch the video versions of these podcast episodes on YouTube here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLk4iYNqGKjxzoIXZBdJ3gRylW8h198V1_

Information

  • Creator
    AmmiO
  • Years Active
    2022 - 2024
  • Episodes
    13
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © AmmiO
  • Show Website
    Mana Brain Podcast