Lab Report 042: Platinum Blues and Desert Dreams

One week left in the season… and I’m still sitting at Platinum 2. Oof.

I’ve tried pushing hard on MTG Arena, but let me tell you—after two glorious wins in a row, nothing kills the vibe faster than five straight games of mana screw. It’s hard not to feel like the system is conspiring against me. Is it rigged? Maybe. Maybe not. Either way, it sure isn’t fun.

And that’s the biggest takeaway this week: pushing the game doesn’t make it better, it just makes it less fun. Arena’s “win or die” atmosphere leaves no room for the joyful chaos I love. After a few refreshing games of paper Magic and some Spelltable slinging, I’m reminded just how different the vibe is. Those formats give you room to breathe—to chat, to laugh, to build wild decks and pilot them badly but with style.

So here’s my new game plan: I’m trading the digital grind for the real-life grind. Arizona’s got some new stores I haven’t even played at yet. It’s time to shuffle up, show up, and maybe even road trip to some new tables.

After all… I didn’t become Tibalt’s Apprentice just to auto-concede to variance.

Stay spicy, my friends—
~ MaD SaXXon, Tibalt’s Apprentice

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