Field Report 002 – Tactical Retreat

Logged by MaD SaXXon, Tibalt’s Apprentice

This week’s mission to return to the LGS was… aborted. I couldn’t make it early, and after how cold the first contact felt, I didn’t feel the fire to force my way back in late.

I’ve been reflecting: if my first experience had been warmer—if names had been exchanged or even a “glad you joined us” thrown my way—I might’ve pushed harder to get there. But as it stands? Meh.

This isn’t surrender, mind you—just a tactical retreat. I’ll regroup and return on Monday, early this time. Every great plan needs a little recalibration.

Until then,
—MaD SaXXon, Tibalt’s Apprentice

Comments

Lab Report 001: The Binary Trap — Why Fun Should Be the Goal

LAB REPORT 001: The Binary Trap — Why Fun Should Be the Goal Commander is one of the richest formats in Magic, but all too often I see players fall into what I call the binary trap . It's the idea that there's only one acceptable outcome: winning. When winning is your only goal, the game becomes black and white—either you win and have fun, or you lose and walk away disappointed. Every card, every turn, every interaction is judged by whether it contributes to a victory, and if it doesn’t, it’s seen as a waste. That’s a lot of pressure to put on a game. But when you make fun your primary objective, the whole game opens up. Suddenly, there are infinite shades of gray between winning and losing. You start to notice the little victories—the perfect topdeck, the unlikely combo that almost goes off, the chaos you unleash with a single card. You laugh more. You engage more. You remember more. Fun doesn’t have to be the opposite of winning—it can include it—but it’s far more susta...

Lab Report 23: The Climb Begins

Lab Report 23: The Climb Begins It’s the first of June, and I’m officially beginning my climb to Mythic. It’s not flashy—I’m currently sitting at Gold II —but I’m not here to tear things up. A slow and steady climb is perfectly fine if I’m learning along the way . Right now, I’m using two decks to make the push. I don’t think just one will cut it. I’ll talk more about the decks once I’ve put them through their paces and know they can hold their own. I’ve never been a “competitive” player. I’ve always prized fun over victory , flavor over meta, and jank over efficiency. But now, I want to test myself. I want to see if I can grow—not just as a deckbuilder, but as a pilot. Let’s find out. – madsaxxon, Tibalt’s Apprentice

Lab Report 24: Why Archenemy is the Perfect Format for Streaming

Lab Report 24: Why Archenemy is the Perfect Format for Streaming by madsaxxon, Tibalt’s Apprentice So here’s a spicy take for the streamers, the guests, and the chaos gremlins alike: Archenemy might just be the perfect way to play Commander on stream. I had the chance to join a streamed Archenemy game hosted by Jake the Lithomancer . Jake’s known for combining janky brews, flavorful storytelling, and just enough chaos to keep things unpredictable. You’ll find him streaming these wild Commander sessions on Twitch and sharing game highlights and deckbuilding thoughts over at @jake_the_lithomancer . Now, let’s get the basics out of the way—Archenemy is a variant format where one player becomes “the archenemy” and takes on a team of three opponents. The twist? The archenemy starts with 40 life, draws two cards per turn, and gets a ridiculous bonus each turn from a deck of scheme cards—oversized, splashy effects that feel like a blend between cheating and plot armor. And yes, it’...

Lab Notes!

Search This Blog