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.
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.
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?
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.
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 […]
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Rob’s Mid-Life Krasis
October 2, 2025
14 min to read
When you’re feeling absent, where do you turn? For Rob, he uses his Ravnica Cube to find his bearing in and out of the game.