Wow. Prior to the actual release of Zendikar Rising, bans are already on the horizon. Why does this keep happening, and what do Gerry and Bryan think needs to change to prevent bans in the future? What cards do they expect to get the axe? Is this the straw that breaks the camel’s back when it comes to player morale? It’s not all bad news this week though. With Standard temporarily on ice, the guys check in on a Modern league, and find a format picking up some exciting new tools from Zendikar Ris...
Sep 24, 2020•1 hr 37 min
With a couple days of new Standard under their belt, Gerry and Bryan are ready to share their first impressions. And those impressions are generally summed up by a simple mantra: "Play Omnath and Lotus Cobra." Drawing your deck on Turn 4, turns producing dozens of mana, passively gaining tons of life, ample card advantage... It's all possible for Four-Color Genesis Ultimatum. Is there any hope, or are we doomed to another two years of Standard defined by ramp? 4 Omnath, Locus of Creation (ZNR) 2...
Sep 19, 2020•1 hr 10 min
Gerry and Bryan have been hard at work building decks for new Standard, and their work has unveiled a bevy of new information about the format. Cards have been rapidly moving up and down their personal rankings, and they discuss each and every card they considered for inclusion in their Top 10s. If you're looking for a head start on deckbuilding come release week, you CANNOT miss this episode. Music: Mega Man 2 "Ending theme" Remix by zookun | Music composed by Manami Matsumae & Takashi Tate...
Sep 11, 2020•1 hr 52 min
A whole bunch of new Zendikar Rising cards have been previewed and Gerry and Bryan have opinions in this monster episode. What mechanic has the guys feeling some real trepidation at first glance? What creature have they already picked out as one of the best cards in the set? Why can’t Gerry convert in Fall Guys? All this and some bonus talk about the best deck in Historic! Music: Mega Man 2 "Ending theme" Remix by zookun | Music composed by Manami Matsumae & Takashi Tateishi Timestamps: Path...
Sep 04, 2020•2 hr 29 min
Our first look at Zendikar Rising is here and Gerry and Bryan are already over the moon about one of the new cards! Find out what they think of new versions of Jace and Nahiri, and get their breakdown of the Historic format in a post-Field of the Dead world. Also, does Magic have too many formats right now? Music: Mega Man 2 "Ending theme" Remix by zookun | Music composed by Manami Matsumae & Takashi Tateishi Timestamps: Jace, Mirror Mage - 0:50 Nahiri, Heir of the Ancients - 12:08 Field of ...
Aug 27, 2020•1 hr 47 min
With substantial changes in both Arena constructed formats, Gerry and Bryan are finally enjoying themselves again! Standard has a bit of a Sultai problem, but this past week showed there is still a lot of room for innovation. Similarly, Sultai Field occupies the top tier of historic, but there are a bunch of options that are starting to figure out the best way to fight the zombie hordes. Listen and learn how to climb the ladder! Music: Mega Man 2 "Ending theme" Remix by zookun | Music composed b...
Aug 21, 2020•1 hr 21 min
Post-ban Standard has quickly become centered around yet another Simic-based archetype, but Gerry and Bryan aren’t ready to give up hope! The guys are convinced that there are multiple archetypes capable of challenging for the throne, they just need to adjust for the Sultai menace. Hear how Gerry’s finding success with rebuilt classics and how Bryan is changing Sultai to get the largest edge in the mirror. A can’t miss episode for anyone who wants to win in Standard! Music: Mega Man 2 "Ending th...
Aug 13, 2020•1 hr 10 min
After months of player unrest, Wizards stepped in and gave the players the sweeping changes they've been clamoring for! Bans have dramatically transformed Standard and Pioneer overnight. Gerry and Bryan got right to work, and they’re bringing you their analysis and early picks for both formats! Are you ready? Music: Mega Man 2 "Ending theme" Remix by zookun | Music composed by Manami Matsumae & Takashi Tateishi Timestamps: B&R surprise announcement - 2:45 New Standard - 24:23 Pioneer - 3...
Aug 06, 2020•1 hr 13 min
With the Arena Open coming up this weekend, Arena Decklists finally gives the people what they’ve been clamoring for—an entire episode focused on Historic! Gerry and Bryan even brought along a special guest in the form of Historic devotee Nick Prince. The trio teams up to let you know exactly what this young format is all about and what they see as the best choice for this coming weekend. Music: Mega Man 2 "Ending theme" Remix by zookun | Music composed by Manami Matsumae & Takashi Tateishi ...
Jul 30, 2020•1 hr 27 min
After last week’s bans, Modern and Pioneer events revealed some subtle changes starting to take root. Gerry and Bryan are looking to get one step ahead of the shifts. They got together to identify new trends and potential responses in both formats. If you’ve been dying for a return to classic Arena Decklists metagame analysis, this is the episode for you! Follow along for the Modern PTQ at: https://magic.wizards.com/en/articles/archive/mtgo-standings/modern-champ-qual-2020-07-20 Follow along for...
Jul 24, 2020•1 hr 32 min
Once again, the Banned and Restricted list has shaken up almost every format. Gerry and Bryan are weighing in on what the changes mean, and what new decks are ready to step into the top tiers of their respective formats. Plus, a bold new proposal for how the banned list should operate going forward and thoughts on the ever changing shape of organized play. Music: Mega Man 2 "Ending theme" Remix by zookun | Music composed by Manami Matsumae & Takashi Tateishi Timestamps: B&R announcement ...
Jul 16, 2020•1 hr 11 min
With the rug pulled out from under them by upcoming bans, Gerry and Bryan decide to give a little back to their Patrons and spend THREE HOURS answering every single question they were asked. Get to know more about the guys as people and expect plenty of great Magic insight sprinkled in along the way. Music: Mega Man 2 "Ending theme" Remix by zookun | Music composed by Manami Matsumae & Takashi Tateishi arenadecklists.gg patreon.com/arenadecklists youtube.com/arenadecklists twitter.com/arenad...
Jul 10, 2020•3 hr 12 min
Gerry and Bryan are bringing you an Arena Decklists classic this week—the deck dump! Follow along as they review the best (and worst) of the new Standard decklists, and even talk through a few bonus decks. Follow along at: https://magic.wizards.com/en/articles/archive/mtgo-standings/standard-league-2020-07-02 Music: Mega Man 2 "Ending theme" Remix by zookun | Music composed by Manami Matsumae & Takashi Tateishi Timestamps: Mono-Red - 3:53 Jund Food - 6:08 Rakdos Sacrifice - 7:58 Izzet Spells...
Jul 03, 2020•56 min
Long time friend of the podcast Yoman_5 stops by to discuss his experiences in the Core Set 2021 Streamer Showcase. What cards underwhelmed and impressed? What dormant archetype has been brought back from the dead with the printing of a powerful new rare? What cards are still flying under the radar and just waiting to be unlocked? Listen and find out! Music: Mega Man 2 "Ending theme" Remix by zookun | Music composed by Manami Matsumae & Takashi Tateishi arenadecklists.gg patreon.com/arenadec...
Jun 26, 2020•55 min
Gerry and Bryan are back to bring you their look at the best cards in Core Set 2021. In an effort to get you better prepared for your Week 1 tournament, the boys changed the formula a bit and added the reprints to the mix. Plus, Gerry learns what Jumpstart is! Music: Mega Man 2 "Ending theme" Remix by zookun | Music composed by Manami Matsumae & Takashi Tateishi Timestamps: Reprints Honorable Mentions - 4:00 #5 Reprint - 8:31 #4 - 10:26 #3 - 13:14 #2 - 15:42 #1 - 18:49 New Cards Honorable Me...
Jun 18, 2020•1 hr 2 min
Gerry and Bryan are back, and reviewing what we’ve seen so far from Core Set 2021! The last Core Set was deceptively powerful. Do the guys think this new set can live up to its predecessor? What card do they feel is the surefire focal point for our next Standard format? Listen and find out! Music: Mega Man 2 "Ending theme" Remix by zookun | Music composed by Manami Matsumae & Takashi Tateishi Timestamps: B&R Announcement - 3:18 Baneslayer Angel - 6:31 Basri Ket - 7:30 Basri's Lieutenant ...
Jun 11, 2020•1 hr 8 min
On May 25, 2020, George Floyd was murdered by an act of police brutality. The eight minutes and forty-six seconds of silence contained in this podcast represent the amount of time the murderer spent with his knee on Mr. Floyd’s neck as he struggled to breathe. The Arena Decklists Podcast stands with protesters. We stand with the Black Community. We call for an end to an oppressive system of “justice” that was designed from the ground up to perpetuate white supremacy. For thoughts on race in Magi...
Jun 04, 2020•9 min
Between upcoming bans, various PTQs, and all the other events, there’s a lot to talk about! Gerry and Bryan give their cliff notes on each format, from what’s happening to which deck to play. Eighth Edition Article: https://magic.wizards.com/en/articles/archive/selecting-eighth-edition-wrapup-2002-11-25 Music: Mega Man 2 "Ending theme" Remix by zookun | Music composed by Manami Matsumae & Takashi Tateishi Timestamps: WOTC tweet addressing Companion - 0:47 Historic - 16:31 Pioneer - 22:02 Mod...
May 29, 2020•1 hr 13 min
Gerry and Bryan have thoughts on recently announced changes to upcoming Pro Tours and as you might expect, they’re fired up! Listen while they bring you up to speed on the curious case of the disappearing two million dollars, and why it’s completely disingenuous to write off the retroactive changes as a necessary reaction to Covid-19. In the midst of all of this, the guys are still bringing you their picks for the best decks in BO1 and BO3 for upcoming events. Plus, Gerry takes a victory lap and...
May 22, 2020•1 hr 19 min
With two massive Standard tournaments on the docket this weekend, Gerry and Bryan got together to break down all the best decks. What successful archetype is Gerry finally ready to turn his back on? Does Bryan think Temur Adventures is here to stay? What off the radar aggro deck looks like it’s poised for a breakthrough? All this and more on this week’s episode! Music: Mega Man 2 "Ending theme" Remix by zookun | Music composed by Manami Matsumae & Takashi Tateishi Timestamps: Jeskai Lukka - ...
May 14, 2020•1 hr 10 min
A meme deck quickly rose to the top of Standard, which left Gerry and Bryan reeling. How did this abomination, which completely ignores everything we've learned about Magic deck-building, get to be the best deck in Standard? It might be time we have to unlearn everything we thought was true. Music: Mega Man 2 "Ending theme" Remix by zookun | Music composed by Manami Matsumae & Takashi Tateishi Timestamps: Why Jeskai Lukka is bad - 3:00 Misconceptions - 14:50 Matchups - 30:15 Growth Spiral vs...
May 07, 2020•1 hr 8 min
Gerry and Bryan are back with an Arena Decklists’ classic: the Modern Deck Dump! Everyone knows Lurrus is public enemy #1 in Modern right now, but what else has Ikoria done to shake up the format? Listen and find out! Music: Mega Man 2 "Ending theme" Remix by zookun | Music composed by Manami Matsumae & Takashi Tateishi Timestamps: Shadow - 11:12 RG Atarka - 13:11 Goblins - 16:35 Mono-Blue Tron - 18:45 UR Lutri - 19:54 GW Heliod - 22:10 GB Lurrus - 24:25 Abzan Lurrus - 26:36 Yorion - 28:35 B...
May 01, 2020•1 hr 52 min
Have we ever seen such an enormous shake-up in every format due to a single set (or mechanic)? Gerry and Bryan break down each major constructed format but mostly discuss how Standard’s companion hype won’t last forever. Music: Mega Man 2 "Ending theme" Remix by zookun | Music composed by Manami Matsumae & Takashi Tateishi Timestamps: Standard - 3:54 Fires - 17:24 Gyruda - 18:17 Yorion - 22:02 Winota - 28:15 Flash - 30:43 Thoughts on Standard Gameplay - 33:52 Pioneer - 44:19 Modern - 44:56 L...
Apr 23, 2020•1 hr 14 min
After building a ton of new decks, Bryan and Gerry come together to form their Top 10 list for Ikoria, Lair of Behemoths. What card shot up their rankings in record time? What hyped cards didn’t even make the cut? Listen and find out! Music: Mega Man 2 "Ending theme" Remix by zookun | Music composed by Manami Matsumae & Takashi Tateishi Timestamps: Gerry's #10 - 7:16 Bryan's #10 - 13:01 Gerry's #9 - 19:23 Bryan's #9 - 21:40 Gerry's #8 - 26:55 Bryan's #8 - 32:40 Bryan's #7 - 38:55 Gerry's #7 ...
Apr 17, 2020•1 hr 30 min
In this MONSTER episode, Gerry and Bryan cover the first wave of Ikoria previews. In a vacuum, the set has a ton to offer but will it be enough to compete with Standard’s top tier? Music: Mega Man 2 "Ending theme" Remix by zookun | Music composed by Manami Matsumae & Takashi Tateishi Timestamps: Snapdax, Apex of the Hunt - 10:09 Narset of the Ancient Way - 16:10 General Kudro of Drannith - 19:42 Offspring's Revenge - 24:03 Song of Creation - 27:22 Sprite Dragon - 33:04 Emergent Ultimatum - 3...
Apr 10, 2020•1 hr 35 min
As a founding member of the podcast, Gerry and Bryan welcome back Michael Majors with open arms. He recently left his position at Wizards of the Coast and shares why, what he learned, and what his future in content creation will entail. As a master of deckbuilding and theory, Michael's return is the most exciting news for the Magic community in quite some time. Music: Mega Man 2 "Ending theme" Remix by zookun | Music composed by Manami Matsumae & Takashi Tateishi arenadecklists.gg patreon.co...
Apr 02, 2020•1 hr 1 min
Following a massive expansion of digital organized play, Gerry and Bryan find themselves drawn back into Standard. They’re breaking down the results from the first wave of Arena qualifiers. Do you have to play Uro to have a chance in this format? What former top-tier deck put up an absolutely miserable conversion rate? Plus, a bonus look at Pioneer and Modern events from Magic Online! Music: Mega Man 2 "Ending theme" Remix by zookun | Music composed by Manami Matsumae & Takashi Tateishi Time...
Mar 27, 2020•1 hr 18 min
Gerry and Bryan planned to return to regularly scheduled programming this week, but the news just wouldn’t cooperate. After a rash of cancellations due to COVID-19, the future of Magic changed in an instant. While everyone’s primary focus should be on health and safety, the guys are optimistic that Magic can still play a role in our lives. They offer advice for improving your play in the absence of a competitive scene, and talk about how they intend to pass the time until we are all brought back...
Mar 20, 2020•1 hr 13 min
Gerry and Bryan sit down to discuss Magic’s latest B&R update and how it affects each format. First they have to talk about the massive impact of #coronavirus on competitive Magic. Music: Mega Man 2 "Ending theme" Remix by zookun | Music composed by Manami Matsumae & Takashi Tateishi Timestamps: COVID 19 reactions - 1:17 B&R announcement - 18:40 Modern - 36:56 Azorius Stoneblade - 41:24 Standard - 54:28 Question of the week - 1:10:05 arenadecklists.gg patreon.com/arenadecklists youtu...
Mar 12, 2020•1 hr 26 min
With a plethora of events on the horizon, Gerry and Bryan check in with each major format in order to prepare you for your upcoming events. Can Azorius Control be stopped? What did stop Amulet Titan? Is anything better than Dimir Inverter? Music: Mega Man 2 "Ending theme" Remix by zookun | Music composed by Manami Matsumae & Takashi Tateishi Timestamps: Hunter Burton Memorial - 0:37 Standard - 9:22 Pioneer - 33:41 Modern - 49:24 Question of the week - 1:15:34 arenadecklists.gg patreon.com/ar...
Feb 28, 2020•1 hr 24 min
