Post-Combat
Forty Life
September 11, 2026
6 min to read
If you were to tell your Magic story across 45 cards, which ones would you choose? Rob reflects on his journey with Stone Soup draft.
Post-Combat
On Gollum
August 6, 2026
8 min to read
Rob takes us on a walk beside the visual evolution of Gollum, tracking the winding and erratic growth of the character over the years.
Post-Combat
Bad at Magic
July 2, 2026
6 min to read
Rob examines how we classify and sort information about ourselves and others, with one modern analog: bumper stickers.
Post-Combat
2026 Performance Review
June 4, 2026
8 min to read
Rob looks back on the past year of Magic design, from sets to Secret Lairs. The question is: what has stood above the rest?
Post-Combat
Successes of Strixhaven
May 7, 2026
10 min to read
Rob reflects on the return to Strixhaven, and how it stands apart in the chronology of Magic.
Post-Combat
Charm School: A History of Charms in Magic
April 2, 2026
9 min to read
Magic’s beauty lies both in its internal friction and the design choices Wizards has made to reduce that friction. The […]
Post-Combat
Deep Dives & Deep Dishes
March 5, 2026
12 min to read
If Magic is a pizza, then Rob is wondering who is eating it with all the toppings on.
Post-Combat
In Defense of Whimsy
February 5, 2026
7 min to read
Rob reflects on Magic’s evolving tone over the years, studying how splashes of whimsy help define an identity.
Post-Combat
Daylit Nostalgia and Nighttime Headaches: Revisiting Lorwyn
January 8, 2026
12 min to read
Rob meditates on what the return to Lorwyn represents, and how we navigate flaws found in sunny pastures.
Post-Combat
The Cardboard Ledger: 2025
December 4, 2025
10 min to read
Rob reviews the tape on 2025; the highs, the lows, and what cards we’ll be thinking about when 2025 is long behind us.
Post-Combat
One Battle Damage After Another
November 7, 2025
8 min to read
Writing from a cold and sanitized chain hotel, Rob ponders the effect that wear (or lack thereof) has on the value of our items.