Good Luck High Five

On this episode, Maria and Meghan catch up on all the Magic the Gathering story — from the very end of Phyrexia: All Will Be One to the end of March of the Machine (and a bit of Aftermath) — they’ll get you caught up on all of the happenings in the multiverse. So sit back, relax, and enjoy a good old fashioned storytime! PLUS: A GLHF exclusive preview card from Lord of the Rings:...

On this episode, Maria and Meghan take a first look at Magic’s newest upcoming set Lord of the Rings: Tales of Middle Earth! Hear all about the new mechanics, cards and magnificent art that graces this Modern-legal offering. PLUS: Meghan has a soapbox moment, Maria reads some Watto fan fiction, and which phase of the moon is the most hot? Become a GLH5  Patron   Today! Listen to Weekly Magic...

Have you ever wondered what goes on behind-the-scenes of a big Magic the Gathering tournament? Wonder no more with  Desk After Dark ! Your hosts  Maria Bartholdi  and  Mani Davoudi want to shed some light on what it’s like to actually produce a Magic tournament, from start to finish. With a combined decade+ of experience covering the best game in the world, Maria and Mani are here to answer your q...

On this episode, Maria and Meghan get ready for a brand new world of Standard ahead of Banned & Restricted announcement next week. What will get the hammer? What will be spared? And what will the world look like afterwards? PLUS: Lord of the Rings is nearly upon us and your intrepid hosts are ready with their predictions of mechanics and card designs for the new set. (Spoiler: some of these id...

On this episode, Maria and Meghan take you an a magical journey through everything new that’s coming up this summer and fall for Magic the Gathering. From big changes to Standard, to Lord of the Rings, to the Wilds of Eldraine – your hosts guide you as they explore brave new worlds for the first time and peek at what’s ahead. PLUS: shouldn’t there be a downside for being th...

On this episode, coverage legend and Pro Tour Historian Brian David Marshall visits the GLHF crew to tell one of his favorite Magic stories and to make you a delicious cocktail! PLUS: All the tea from MagicCON Minneapolis and Pro Tour March of the Machine! Find out what decks destroyed in Standard and in Draft — and why the winner is such a big deal. PLUS: Maria doesn’t understand The...

On this episode, Maria welcomes very special guest host Carolyn Pardee to the show to talk Pro Tour March of the Machine! Carolyn (3-time VML champion and excellent Magic the Gathering player) helps get you prepped for what to look out for on coverage this weekend. Between a super-cool (but weird!) Draft format and a Standard format that may welcome some exciting changes to popular decks, Carolyn...

On this episode, Maria and Meghan dive deep into the draft data of March of the Machine to find out what cards to pick, what cards to pass, and which colors make everyone the most sad. The best color may surprise you! PLUS: a look at the best commons in each color as well as the Top 5 Best Cards overall which are truly something special to behold. This draft format is a dream, get out there and pl...

On this episode, Maria and Meghan relive Maria’s exciting prerelease experience playing March of the Machine for the very first time! Find out what kind of deck Maria built – including what cards majorly over-performed. Hear how you should approach attacking battles, whether or not to Backup and more! PLUS: Storytime with Meghan continues and Maria enjoys (?) it with a new cocktail you...

On this episode, Maria and Meghan welcome Judge Rob to the show to explain all of the tricky new & returning mechanics as well as cards that might trip you up at this weekend’s March of the Machine prerelease! This set features brand new card types as well as a BIG rules change involving tokens — so you’d better tune in before you throw down. PLUS: Cutest and Grossest card of...

On this episode, Maria and Meghan get pumped for March of the Machine with a look at the exciting new cards and mechanics of the upcoming set! See their  ridiculously good preview card, find out what they think might be the best art of the YEAR, and learn how to properly Battle (with a capital “B”) your opponent. PLUS: A haunted Randomizer and chapter 2 of Phyrexia: All Will Be One Sto...

On this episode, Maria and Meghan celebrate the newest official Magic the Gathering format: Oathbreaker! Join Judge Rob as he walks our hosts through some amazing listener-submitted Oathbreaker decks and crafts decks specifically for Meghan and Maria. Want to guess which planeswalkers they chose? Find out – and get inspiration for your own spicy builds. PLUS: The first episode of New Phyrexi...

On this episode, Maria and Meghan dig into second breakfast as they explore the upcoming Lord of the Rings Magic set! Some really exciting cards have already been previewed and let’s just say we’re dancing around the Party Tree. PLUS: Tips on drafting Shadows Over Innistrad which drops on MTG Arena this week, Meghan wraps up The Brothers’ War Storytime and Maria asks “which...

Have you ever wondered what goes on behind-the-scenes of a big Magic the Gathering tournament? Wonder no more with  Desk After Dark ! Your hosts  Maria Bartholdi  and  Mani Davoudi want to shed some light on what it’s like to actually produce a Magic tournament, from start to finish. With a combined decade+ of experience covering the best game in the world, Maria and Mani are here to answer your q...

On this episode, Maria and Meghan take a break from the 8th snowiest Minneapolis winter  of all time to go on Spring Break! …Well, not really. They’re still in their studio. But they can pretend (*tears*)! Come hang out as they play tons of games to celebrate the lighthearted side of Magic the Gathering including an extended Randomizer, Flavor Text Theatre: MadLibs, and Cast, Reanimate...

On this episode, Maria and Meghan take a trip back to their favorite old Standard Corner…it’s just your average, everyday corner…for the first time in  months!  Find out why Standard is hot right now and what the most fun decks in the format are to play! (Spoiler: there are lots of good options! I know! We’re surprised, too!) PLUS: Meghan discovers clouds, and Flavor Text T...

On this episode, Maria and Meghan talk about all the new newness coming to Magic the Gathering in the coming months. And, spoiler alert: there’s a lot of new new. Hear about the new Lord of the Rings set (and what cards our two hosts would design), March of the Machine and just, where, exactly – we might be marching — as well as Commander Masters, Alchemy: Phyrexia, and Innistrad...

On this episode, Maria and Meghan recap the first paper Pro Tour since November of 2019 — Pro Tour Phyrexia! Hear what it was like to be back in person playing  real life Magic cards with the pros — and what the top memories of the big event were. PLUS: How to level up your Phyrexia: All Will be One Draft with data-backed science from 17 Lands. Become a GLH5  Patron   Today! Listen to...

On this episode, Maria and Meghan get you prepped for Pro Tour Phyrexia: All Will Be One this weekend! It’s the first paper Pro Tour since November of 2019 and the best-of-the-best will be back to battle with  actual, physical, paper cards IN THE SAME ROOM! It is very exciting. Get caught up with the best strategies (backed up by lots of data!) on All Will Be One Draft as well as the constru...

On this episode, Maria and Meghan regale you with stories from their Phyrexia: All Will Be One prerelease last weekend! Find out what cards they believe over-performed and what the keys to this brand new Limited format may be. PLUS: Judge Rob stops by to talk MagicCon Philly next week and what the new planeswalkers mean for Oathbreaker (a super-fun quick multiplayer format!) – including a ne...

On this episode, Judge Rob stops by to set us straight on all the rules and tricky new card interactions from Phyrexia: All Will Be One! Don’t head into your prerelease this weekend without it! PLUS: Cutest and Grossest (so many contenders!) cards are crowned — and an update on the 7 Layer Bar conspiracy we accidentally uncovered on this week’s episode of The Upkeep. Warning: wha...

On this episode, Maria and Meghan jump face-first into a pile of brand new Phyrexia: All Will Be One mechanics and cards! Find out all about the new and returning mechanics and how they work and which new cards our hosts are most excited about. It looks like White might finally have its day in the sun! PLUS: Just what, exactly, does Phyrexian oil taste like and how do YOU feel about the one-and-on...

On this episode, Maria and Meghan say a fond farewell to the planeswalkers that have officially been compleated in Phyrexia: All Will Be One. Which of the 10 showing up in this set are safe — and which are on their way to a more perfect state? Let’s just say: Maria is SHOOK. Plus: Storytime with Meghan continues as we venture into time time following the The Brothers’ War, and is...

On this episode, Maria and Meghan get you prepped for Dominaria Remastered – dropping this week! Learn how to approach the draft environment — from the top-tier commons you won’t want to pass, to the synergies in different color pairs, you’ll hit your LGS feeling ready to rock and ready to thrown down with 30 years of Magic history. PLUS: it’s Storytime with Meghan as...

On this episode, Maria and Meghan kick of 2023 in style — by deciding not to compete in a decathlon. A sports decathlon, that is. A  Magic decathlon — well, now that’s another story. Right now on MTG Arena, you can compete in a decathlon spanning 10 different ways to play Magic — culminating in a Finals event at the end of the month. Your hosts will let you know what events...