Raise the Standard: an MTG Podcast

Oracle Text: Welcome back, Standard friends! Today, we resume our discussion about FINAL FANTASY x Magic: the Gathering cards that we think are going to find their place in the Standard meta. From Summon creatures to everybody's friend Bob, we're taking you through Part 2 of our FF picks! As this is Magic's first-ever Standard-legal Universes Beyond set, there was a lot of content to get through!...

Oracle Text: The most anticipated and best-selling set in Magic: the Gathering history is finally here! Saddle up your chocobos, because today we're talking about our Standard picks for FINAL FANTASY. This is Magic's first-ever Standard-legal Universes Beyond set, so we're bound to see an impact on the format. Join us today for part one of our long discussion about what cards and archetypes we thi...

Oracle Text: All audio is good audio! We're back with another episode of Time in the Round , where we bring you the tangents, discussions, and chats that didn't quite make it into the main podcast series. So sit back, relax, and laugh with us through the rants and bits that exist in the space between regular episodes! | This episode of Raise the Standard was recorded at the State Library of Victor...

Oracle Text: We've talked a lot about Tier 1 and Tier 2 decks, their place in the meta and how they define the Standard meta--but what about fringe decks? What about those strange 1- or 2-ofs in a tournament that barely see any play? Today we're talking about Fringe Decks , or more frequently understood as the "Other" category when looking at a tournament meta breakdown. What are fringe decks? Why...

Oracle Text: We're smack-dab in the middle of the competitive season, so today we're talking about the innovation that we see in the format during RC/RCQs! What makes the competitive season interesting? How does the format change during this time? And why should you participate in these events? Topics Include: 'Tis the season to not get copyright struck Cori-Steel Cutter is a good card Magic is an...

Oracle Text: Congratulations! It's your first ever competitive REL event!...What happens now? Fresh of the heels of RC 9 in Melbourne, today we're talking through competitive MTG events: what to expect, how they differ from FNM and weekly events, and how to prepare for your first attendance. Competitive events come in all flavours, from qualifying events to regional championships and beyond! Topic...

Oracle Text: There's been a massive shake-up in the Standard format, and it's in the form of one particular card that is absolutely cutting through the competition. We are, of course, talking today about Cori-Steel Cutter. This 2-mana equipment is a force to be reckoned with! Join us as we chat about what makes this card so powerful, which decks it's popping up in, and why we're seeing it cut and...

Oracle Text: Sometimes, we here at Raise the Standard can go on a bit of a tangent. Perhaps more than sometimes... frequently , we go on a bit of a tangent. And rather than let perfectly good audio go to waste, we bring to you Time in the Round , a series dedicated to all of the rants and bits that didn't quite make it into the main episodes. These pieces are taken from across numerous episodes th...

Oracle Text: Today we bring you another episode courtesy of our experience during Early Access Tarkir: Dragonstorm on the MTG Arena client! Thank you to Wizards of the Coast for inviting us to participate in the early access streamer event for Tarkir--we had an amazing time and are so grateful that we got to experience Tarkir cards first hand so that we can bring you today's episode focusing on Ta...

Oracle Text: A huge thank you to Wizards of the Coast for giving us the chance to participate in Tarkir: Dragonstorm Early Access on the MTG Arena client! This episode would not be possible without that support, and we are incredibly grateful for the opportunity to have streamed and played Early Access Tarkir: Dragonstorm. Today, we're bringing you a special BONUS episode! We played a bit of Tarki...

Oracle Text: Put on a jumper, grab a cup of tea, and join us for a chat with Australian Pro Player and Melbourne Magic stalwart , Ben Tudman . After our Tarkir discussion, we settled in for a casual conversation with Ben, discussing: Orzhov Pixie the Standard Metagame Predicting the playing field | You can find and follow Ben across social media @ ⁠bentudman⁠ and you can follow Team Bus Stop's pro...

Oracle Text: ⁠ Standard , formerly known as Type 2 or Type II , is a ⁠rotating⁠ ⁠constructed⁠ play ⁠format⁠ for ⁠Magic: The Gathering⁠ , that was created on January 10, ⁠1995⁠ . ⁠[1]⁠ ⁠[2]⁠ It is the most widely sanctioned constructed format at all levels of organized play. ⁠[3]⁠ Standard matches are ⁠best-of-3⁠ , so this format is called Traditional Standard on ⁠Magic: The Gathering Arena⁠ . Stan...

Oracle Text: Joining us in the studio today is none other than legendary and iconic Melbourne Magic player, Ben Tudman! It can be daunting when a new set releases to understand which cards are good, which ones might be good, and which ones are...well, let's say not as good. So, we've brought in Ben as our expert, as a member of Team Bus Stop and a 3-time Pro Tour player , Ben knows his Magic cards...

Oracle Text: We're back! Today we're wrapping up our discussion on common deck archetypes and we're focusing on the reactive archetypes today, the decks that are looking to mitigate threats and "answer questions" rather than pose them. Topics Include: How many deck archetypes can you fit in a single deck? Playing in the Overlord's arena What is aliens? | This episode of Raise the Standard was reco...

Oracle Text: This is Part One of our deck archetypes duology! There are many different types of decks across all of Magic's formats--what are they, and what is the difference between them? Today, we're talking about the proactive deck archetypes, the foot-forward, asking questions decks that seek to play ahead and stay ahead. We'll dive in to the way these decks combine with one another, different...

Oracle Text: Today we ask important questions: what is a judge? who are judges? why judges? We're dipping our Standard toes into the deep, deep pool of judging: what is a judge's role? how can I find a judge? what are judges? Think of this a primer to judges for those of you who may never have interacted with a judge and/or are not familiar with the role judges play in Magic. Rest assured we will...

Oracle Text: It's post-ProTour season! Domain Overlords swept the competition away and Matt Nass is your new ProTour Champion! So...now what? Today we're discussing: What did the meta look like at PT Chicago? Standout decks & familiar faces What will Standard look like going forward? A huge congratulations to Matt Nass and his victory at ProTour Aetherdrift! You can find Nass's list and all of...

Oracle Text: I'm ready to start playing Standard!...Where can I find decklists? How can I buy cards for my deck? What cards are legal in the format? All of these questions and more answered in today's episode, where we dive in to building your Standard deck! Topics include: Popular places to find decklists Where you can buy cards (both local and online) the 7-Point Highlander Committee Foundation...

Oracle Text: Pack your bags and head to your local game store--it's time for FNM!* Today, we're straying a bit away from strictly Standard (shocking, we know!) and taking you through the motions of an FNM, including: What is FNM? What can I expect at FNM? Is FNM constructed, limited, or both? Grab your playmat, check the MTG Companion app for your nearest FNM, and let's go! | This episode of Raise...

Oracle Text: We bring you a special BONUS EPISODE this week as we sit down to talk about the Standard Pro Tour that's happening this weekend at MagicCon Chicago! Topics of choice include: How has Standard changed since the last Pro Tour in Vegas? What decks do we think will dominate Chicago's PT? Just exactly how good is Sheoldred, the Apocalypse? Join us as we speculate on this weekend's upcoming...

Oracle Text: It's been three months since the release of Magic: the Gathering Foundations , a set designed to give Standard a, well...strong foundation to stand on! Today, we're looking at some of the most impactful cards from Foundations and discussing: When will we see Foundations hit its peak? Will more Foundations cards see Standard play? Why have these cards in particular seen such success in...

Oracle Text: We bring you a bit of a shorter episode today, but one that is no less important! Who is Standard for? And why should you play it? The audio for this episode is a bit up and down, and we apologise for that! There was an issue with the levels in the studio that went unnoticed until it was time to edit. Bear with us as we have a quick chat about the Standard format--it's for you! It's f...

Oracle Text: 3...2...1...GO! It's time to Start Your Engines because today is Aetherdrift pre-release and we're here to share with you Meia's Top 5 Speculative picks for Aetherdrift Standard. This aether-boosted set has it all: new mechanics, busted card draw, and a homunculus host to boot! We'll break down the cards we think are going to have a sizeable impact on the format and reflect on the wel...

Oracle Text: Today, we raise our Standard flag! In this inaugural episode of Raise the Standard , Kira and Meia set out to explore the dynamic world of the Standard format. Tackling core concepts ranging from metagame diversity to dollar dollar bills, Kira and Meia seek to "Set the Standard" for their discussions going forward. Today we're untapping, moving to our main phase, and asking: What is S...