Magic The Flavouring

The full line up of 2021 mainline products were spoiled by WOTC alongside Zendikar Rising, and the guys finally have time to go digging for clues, and see what flavour can be uncovered. But along with brand new Planes, there are surprise returns (in more ways than one) and also some notable absences...  Also the guys check in with the ongoing web fiction and not only talk about the direction it&ap...

Spoiler season is upon us for Zendkiar Rising and the is no doubt that this set is looking to be packed with new lore and flavour for the Plane. The guys take us through their personal top 5 things they are hyped for and also discuss the set's full length trailer, and the return of web fiction!  Also because WOTC seem determined to run us into the ground with new releases, we will be saving t...

Two Secret Lair drops, Commander Collection Green, Commander Legends and Zendikar Rising. It's been a busy couple of weeks, with all the new reveals and spoilers for up coming sets, and the guys are going to talk through as much of it as they can! What new flavour is on offer? What predictions came true? And what future details can be discerned?  Music by Michael Rawcliffe Audio.  Twitter:  M...

Today the guys build a Commander deck around the Cosmic Horror genre with Ertai, The Corrupted at the helm. What balance can be struck between play-ability and staying true to your flavour? What different ways can you build when focusing on flavour? And most importantly of all what basic land arts did Andy choose?!?  Also we touch on the importance of knowing where your favourite genres/franchises...

Every Double Masters Box Topper (except for one...) has brought with it new art that puts fresh flavour spins on some of the games most iconic cards. But which ones do the guys think are the most interesting, not only for their visual beauty but also as space to expand lore and tell stories. Also, there are some of the negatives to come out of these premium pieces, so what do Andy and Nathan think...

Today the guys are joined by Magic: The Gathering Artist Titus Lunter! Titus talks about his experience with the game as both a creative and a player and explores the relationship between these two identities in both his deck building and illustration process.  We also dive deep into the debate surrounding the artistic value of fantasy art created for commercial use. Can you divorce the final piec...

Zendikar Rising is within sight and the guys have a lot of speculation to throw around! Based on Mark Rosewater's SDCC online panel and key art that has been released, as well as picking up on clues from around mtg, Zendikar Rising seems to have many different avenues that it can go down, and they all seem to point towards an exciting set!  Also Nathan has just found his new most hated/favour...

The guys look at some of the most played spells in Commander and suggest alternatives that may better fit your EDH deck's theme or aesthetic. The Commander format has one of the largest card pools of any format to choose from, so when crafting you pile, shop around! You may be surprised by some cads that are considered "strictly worse" than other cards but are actually more suitable...

This week the guys deep dive into characters that have only ever appeared on flavour text and throw around wild speculations on who of those characters will be getting a Legendary Creature card in the near future.  Also Andy talks about some recent art that has been on his mind and Nathan espouses some feelings on character names.  Music by Michael Rawcliffe Audio.  Twitter:  MTF- @MTFlavouring,  ...

This week the guys are joined by writer and game designer Anthony Tessitore! Ant worked on Magic: The Gathering from Magic Origin's to Modern Horizons and is currently running his own games company GuildHouse Games with their new game Varia! Ant was also a prolific writer for CoolStuffInc. and is co-host to the Snack Time podcast with Vorthos Mike.  Andy, Nathan and Ant talk all things flavou...

 Jumpstart not only brings a whole new way to play and enjoy MTG, it also is packed to the brim with flavour! Andy and Nathan talk through their personal highlights from the set and dive into the art, mechanics and text of this fun new product.  Music by Michael Rawcliffe Audio.  Twitter:  MTF- @MTFlavouring,  Andy- @AndyMannface,  Nathan- @TheFoxintheMoon,  Youtube:   https://www.youtube.com/chan...

For a core set, M21 has a tonne of flavour. Legendary's old and new, a wide art style and varied game play makes this set a force to be reckoned with. But with the highs also come some lows and Andy and Nathan, recording in 30'c heat are here to rant all about it! Also if you didn't think Ice Cream Vans could upset a person, think again...  Music by Michael Rawcliffe Audio.  Twitter...

Andy and Nathan talk through the more mechanical aspects of Core Set 21 as well as looking at the broader flavour style that core sets offer. With new creature types, big reprints and a deeper level of game play than we are used to seeing from a set like this, M21 is looking to be one of the most interesting non-story sets in yet!  Music by Michael Rawcliffe Audio.  Twitter:   MTF- @MTFlavouring,...

This week the guys are joined my MTG artist Wayne Reynolds!  Wayne chats through his experiences leading up to working on magic, as well as other IP's such as Pathfinder and 2000AD, and shares with the guys his thoughts on the future direction of Fantasy art. Also Andy and Nathan pick Wayne's brains about his Double Masters Blightsteel Colossus art as well as some of their own favourite...

As we finally close the last chapter of the Bolas story with Ravnica and War Of The Spark rotating out of standard, Andy and Nathan look back at MTG's favourite Plane. How was it left, where will it go and what story threads seem like they would offer the best returning story lines for when we inevitably go back?  Music by Michael Rawcliffe Audio.  Twitter:   MTF- @MTFlavouring,  Andy- @AndyM...

Five Secret Lair drops in one week! That's a lot of cardboard to talk about. The guys talk through the latest offerings from Secret Lair and look at the creative space this controversial product has opened up.  Also watch as the guys fail to avoid dipping their toes into the sea of public discourse and look out for some top tips on toilet etiquette when playing Virtual magic...    Music by Mi...

The guys have a very special guest on the show, Vorthos Mike! Alternative art has been coming into its own over the past year and it looks like a trend set to continue, but Vorthos Mike is here to tell you that this trend has deep roots in Magic's history. Also Nathan and Andy get schooled on the secrets still hidden in MTG art and the importance of taking a careful look at every card in your...

The guys go through the history of flip, split and double faced cards to explore the ways in which R&D have used space not only to try new mechanics but also broaden the stories they can tell.   Also the guys talk about where they want to see these mechanics used in the future, and why naming conventions are just as important as any other part of a card.   Music by Michael Rawcliffe Audio.  Tw...

Looking ahead into this 'Year of Commander' the guys break down the Tribal Commanders they want to see introduced into the EDH format, as well as breaking down what criteria they want in their tribal support and why some of the more powerful tribal decks in the format are perhaps not the most flavourful.   Also, bare witness as to why Andy and Nathan haven't been invited to design c...

Today the guys take a moment to ask the important questions surrounding MTG lore. What Plane has the best pubs? Do Dragons have to deal with heart burn and much, much more (maybe too much).   If you have any hypothetical questions that you want the guys to tackle in future episodes, send them in! No question is too asinine, no technicality too trivial!  Music by Michael Rawcliffe Audio.  Twitter: ...

The Human factions of Ikoria are perhaps not as splashy as their Monster counterparts, however as the guys find out, their design is far more nuanced and deep than appearances would lead you to believe. Andy and Nathan look at the use of the colour pie, visual aesthetics and narrative choices that make the Humans of Ikoria one of the big draws of this high concept Plane.  Also make sure you hit up...

The Monsters of Ikoria are plentiful and each of them unique, so naturally the guys have quite a bit to say about them. At first glance Ikoria's lore seems to just be about giant monsters smashing the heck out of each other, but a closer look at the geography of the Plane and its relationship with the creatures that live in it reveals a much deeper mythos and one of the most interesting new p...

It's Commander 2020, and foolishly the guys thought they could talk about it in the last 10mins of the previous episode. Never going to work. So enjoy this bonus episode as they talk through the new legendaries and some of the more king sized new toys for EDH.  Music by Michael Rawcliffe Audio.  Twitter:   MTF- @MTFlavouring,  Andy- @AndyMannface,  Nathan- @TheFoxintheMoon,  mtflavouring@gmai...

Ikoria has just finished spoiler season and the guys talk through it's mechanics and gameplay. Do the set's new abilities deliver on its kaiju battle aesthetic and is the actual gameplay deep enough to justify it's bold design?  Also, Andy makes a feeble attempt to be even handed regarding magic player backlash and Nathan finds a Fox to fill an Otter shaped hole.   Music by Michael...

The guys run through the small steps you can take to engage with the game of Magic when you can't actually sit down and play it. With almost everyone around the world unable to get a face to face game in right now, how can you keep sane and still connect with MTG?  Also Ikoria spoilers begin to drop right as recording starts, and Nathan goes on an emotional journey about a specific Otter... M...