Julian Knab is the host of the Everyday Eternal podcast and creator of the Legacy Premier League. 0:03:11 who is Julian Knab? 0:08:31 the competitive mindset 0:13:37 producing the "Everyday Eternal" podcast 0:20:50 edutainment and authenticity for creators 0:27:41 what is the Legacy format, and who is it for? 0:37:24 Commander's effect on Legacy 0:47:11 fighting perfectionism - and balancing pragmatism 0:53:13 Julian's quality bar for competitive Magic content 1:04:23 looking back on 2022 - podc...
Mar 13, 2023•2 hr 14 min
Anuraag Das is a Magic streamer specializing in guerrilla Magic tournament coverage. He streams at https://www.twitch.tv/anzidmtg. 0:01:30 "where I am as a content creator has shifted" 0:05:26 from playing Magic to covering Magic 0:09:15 what is "meaningful" when it comes to content? 0:15:39 developing one's streaming brand 0:17:11 monetizing coverage - the harsh reality 0:31:37 sponsorships 0:36:08 the entitlement mindset trap 0:40:17 intrinsic creator motivation 0:47:15 start with YouTube, not...
Mar 06, 2023•1 hr 47 min
Reid Duke is the Pro Tour Phyrexia champion and a member of the Magic Hall of Fame. 0:01:30 aftermath of winning the Pro Tour 0:06:23 coming back from a 0-2 deficit in the PT Top Eight 0:10:33 Reid's Pioneer deck - "I had no expectations" 0:14:20 Reid's testing house and making collective judgments 0:16:55 Reid on Kai Budde - "he's superhuman" 0:20:05 key "turning points" of Pro Tour Phyrexia 0:24:32 how does Reid feel about his legacy? 0:30:15 the next milestone - winning Worlds 0:32:49 prepara...
Feb 27, 2023•1 hr 11 min
Jesse Robkin is a writer, filmmaker and Magic player. Jesse is currently fundraising for her short film STRESS FRACTURE - https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/stress-fracture-film 0:01:30 confronting fears 0:10:45 a new spin on a post-apocalyptic story 0:15:21 the impending doom of the future 0:22:18 creative freelancing - one year anniversary 0:25:57 Jesse's new short film - "Stress Fracture" 0:32:46 consistent themes in Jesse's creative work 0:43:50 make the audience think 0:47:58 how did Jesse ...
Feb 20, 2023•1 hr 52 min
Nathan Steuer is the 2022 Magic: The Gathering World Champion. -- 0:01:45 playing the Magic Online Championship Series (MOCS) 0:06:03 mindset entering a tournament top eight 0:10:03 writing and journaling 0:11:23 Nathan's 2022 highlights 0:15:31 books as inspiration 0:19:22 taking the unconventional road - life, school and Magic 0:30:04 why college wasn't the right fit for Nathan 0:36:51 growth as a Magic player in 2022 0:42:56 breaking the ceiling - from grinder to Pro Tour level player 0:45:23...
Feb 06, 2023•1 hr 15 min
Skyler Warfield is a Magic personality, Twitch streamer, and OnlyFans creator. -- 0:01:50 relationship to Magic - then vs. now 0:06:38 Nerd Rage Gaming tournament circuit 0:10:36 parasocial relationships 0:14:04 Abe Stein 0:16:59 NRG St. Louis travel story 0:25:01 Jesse Robkin 0:34:36 Skyler loves Valorant 0:49:42 Skyler's streaming mindset 0:55:24 the truth about hitting Twitch Partner 0:58:55 playing Magic for fun vs. as a job 1:01:18 being an OnlyFans creator - a deep dive 1:27:37 thoughts on...
Jan 30, 2023•1 hr 51 min
Jean-Emmanuel Depraz is a professional Magic player from France. He is the 2017 Grand Prix Warsaw winner and second-place finisher in the 2021 World Championships. -- 0:01:40 intro 0:03:13 on walking and thinking 0:07:04 Legacy European Championships 0:10:31 the team testing process 0:17:15 on meditation 0:23:50 mindset while playing Magic 0:32:55 Magic origin story 0:39:33 why JED wants to focus less on Magic now 0:43:14 creating content vs. playing Magic 0:50:38 taking Magic breaks 0:57:27 wha...
Jan 23, 2023•1 hr 51 min
Josh Lee Kwai is the CEO of The Command Zone, and the creative force behind Game Knights and Extra Turns. -- 0:01:50 Miles Davis and Larry Bird 0:06:27 maintaining the crazy 0:11:55 YouTube and the competitive landscape 0:17:57 the real work begins when you think it's "done" 0:22:11 kill your creative darlings 0:25:30 how Josh develops the right company culture 0:29:26 the four key values of the Command Zone 0:37:10 how Josh keeps himself honest - his circle 0:40:30 Josh's relationship with The ...
Jan 16, 2023•1 hr 50 min
Brian David-Marshall is a Magic player, Magic Pro Tour historian, and co-founder of Neutral Ground. -- 0:04:00 on being starstruck 0:07:56 Brian on family 0:13:03 Brian's comic book career 0:23:10 letter from Jerry Siegel / Brian starts his own comic business 0:30:17 first contact with Magic 0:37:51 being part of Magic's earliest tournaments 0:43:43 Neutral Ground 0:50:10 memorable interactions with Magic players 0:56:07 historical context - early era Magic, Alpha to Revised editions 0:59:51 ope...
Jan 03, 2023•2 hr 49 min
Looking back at 2022 for Humans of Magic - what worked, what could be improved, and what's next. 01:43 highlight - consistency 05:26 highlight - making it conversational 13:45 highlight - putting myself into it 27:17 to improve - content experimentation 32:33 to improve - A/V quality 35:54 to improve - fear of the new 39:41 looking ahead - 2023 Show notes: humansofmagic.com Patreon: patreon.com/humansofmagic
Dec 27, 2022•47 min
Chase "Manacurves" Carroll is a Commander content creator and video editor. -- 0:04:00 nicknames and alts 0:07:25 life in a North Carolina college town 0:10:41 Chase's Magic collection / the Magic origin story / getting into Commander 0:20:33 funny deckbuilding gaffes / Kokusho and rules changes 0:26:37 personal backstory / Chase LOVES the "Dead or Alive" fighting game 0:35:30 path to content creation 0:44:53 Chase studied to be a social worker / being open with mental health 0:59:31 getting ser...
Dec 20, 2022•2 hr 28 min
We talk to some of the best Magic content creators in the business about... THE CREATIVE VOICE! -- 0:02:24 [Finding The Voice] Evart "aspiringspike" Moughon 0:06:24 [Finding The Voice] The Asian Avenger 0:07:54 [Finding The Voice] Rebell Son 0:10:59 [Finding The Voice] Pleasant Kenobi 0:13:02 [Finding The Voice] Sam of Rhystic Studies 0:17:09 [Authentic Voice] Taalia Vess 0:20:16 [Authentic Voice] Tappy Toe Claws 0:27:48 [On Speaking Out] Alan of Mental Misplay 0:30:05 [On Speaking Out] Pleasant...
Dec 13, 2022•41 min
Jamie Topples is a Magic content creator and painter. Jon Rigatti is a Magic player and musician. Together, this incredible couple makes sweet Magic happen. -- 0:03:30 Jon is a musician / Jamie likes to sing and dance 0:11:29 Jon introduced Jamie to Magic 0:19:12 how Jamie started streaming Magic 0:27:15 Jamie's first draft and LGS end boss 0:31:44 Jamie's streaming motivation 0:33:08 Jon's current relationship with Magic 0:36:19 MTGO vs. Magic Arena 0:41:47 2020 meetups - Taalia Vess, Lady Lavi...
Dec 06, 2022•1 hr 58 min
Alex "Higher" Heyer is a content creator specializing in the Competitive Elder Dragon Highlander (CEDH) format. He is a member of the Playing With Power collective. -- 0:03:30 parenthood 0:10:54 communication as parents 0:16:05 Higher's social work and philosophy for mentoring youth 0:25:00 Higher's childhood / getting into Magic 0:36:24 how Yu-Gi-Oh influenced Higher's Magic deckbuilding 0:42:30 multiplayer Magic: threat assessment and brewer's advantage 0:52:24 getting better at multiplayer Ma...
Nov 29, 2022•2 hr 1 min
Rebell Son is a content creator, YouTuber, and UX designer. 3:20 playing 1v1 formats 8:03 on group-think and the need to play the cards to evaluate them 12:02 content creators are not incentivized to break formats 14:15 roots in the Modern format / competitive gaming issues 16:18 Rebell's first time playing Commander / playing Magic creates stories 19:02 attraction to puzzles 20:55 why Rebell gets angry as a gamer / Overwatch vs. MTG 25:30 Rebell's father 37:18 Rebell's mother 41:06 the concept ...
Nov 14, 2022•2 hr 36 min
Brian Kibler is a Magic Hall of Famer, pro gamer, game designer and broadcaster. 3:30 a day in the life of a Hearthstone streamer 7:02 why Brian has stayed with Hearthstone for streaming 14:48 how Brian views and experiences Commander 24:05 Post Malone convinced Brian to play Commander 32:09 James's first encounter with the Kibler playmat 37:07 there is a Brian Kibler impersonator out in the wild 40:02 Brian explains Live Action Role Playing (LARP) 47:20 what Brian enjoys about LARP 51:52 Brian'...
Nov 08, 2022•1 hr 39 min
Alan of Mental Misplay is a content creator, kung fu practitioner, and student of gonzo journalism. 2:42 structuring content and accountability 10:10 streaming an EDH game: challenges & considerations 15:50 the hard reality of being a full-time creator 18:30 Alan's Magic and EDH origin story 24:35 Ramp Gang, Rebell Son and "let's record these games" 31:44 where Alan's showmanship comes from 38:41 did Alan play other constructed formats? 40:03 Alan breaks down CEDH and multiplayer dynamics 48...
Nov 01, 2022•2 hr 35 min
Michael Sinclair II is a tabletop RPG performer, voice actor, and Magic content creator. 2:30 intro / career aspirations 5:03 Michael's critique of computer science 9:11 Michael recently moved back to the Pacific Northwest 15:00 what Michael loves about the Pacific Northwest 17:56 formative experiences in the US Navy 24:55 exploring communities: kink, BDSM and marginalized folks 35:55 Michael's multicultural childhood 48:47 life coaching: experience & takeaways 1:00:05 how Michael feels abou...
Oct 25, 2022•2 hr 5 min
Taalia Vess is an actor and multimedia content creator. 3:06 intro 6:10 Taalia's coffee routine 10:26 Taalia's diet 11:27 life of a creator: upcoming events 12:53 Taalia is opening up her own LGS 14:57 from Twitch to Whatnot 20:48 what will Taalia's LGS be like? 24:39 leaving the comfort zone as a creator 29:26 authenticity 33:15 parasocial relationships 35:59 being around toxic and controlling people 37:27 how Taalia started making Magic content 42:43 Taalia was an actress 43:59 early streamer ...
Oct 18, 2022•2 hr 14 min
Ben Seck is an Australian Magic: The Gathering player and Creative & Game Design Director. Ben is one of the top Limited format players in the game, and the only player to have won a Grand Prix in Africa. 2:58 intro 7:24 Seattle vs. Barcelona lifestyle 14:47 career progression in the American tech industry 18:58 Ben's parents / Asian upbringing / finding Magic 23:16 landing on a game design career / nature of learning 27:46 Magic's rise alongside the early World Wide Web 35:53 ethical play i...
Oct 11, 2022•2 hr 39 min
Tappy Toe Claws is a cosplayer, content creator and microbiologist. 3:30 intro 6:51 better work situation = happier 12:16 Magic origin story 16:26 starting cosplay at 14 years old 22:06 Tappy as a kid 26:11 favorite Pokemon team 29:11 college & Midwestern cosplay: Daisho Con 34:44 what keeps Tappy engaged with cosplay? 41:17 cosplay integrity - does it exist? 44:34 generalists vs. specialists 50:53 nature of human debate 52:47 what IS cosplay? 58:53 what would you say to cosplay fans? 1:07:5...
Oct 03, 2022•2 hr 35 min
Crim Nguyen, a.k.a. The Asian Avenger, is a musician and content creator. 3:15 hair talk 8:37 present-day grind 11:05 family 12:47 fear of flying 15:48 dealing with fear 17:42 Crim’s content creation evolution / being on multiple platforms 24:52 “can I be entertaining regardless of the game?” 27:33 changing lanes as a creator: “isn’t it fucking scary?” 32:06 reframing success and failure / switching games 36:32 planning and not planning / Devin Nash 41:21 Humans of Magic: on YouTube! / be bold a...
Sep 27, 2022•1 hr 48 min
Alexander Hayne is widely considered to be the greatest Canadian Magic player of all time. He is the Pro Tour Avacyn Restored Champion. 6:36 is Alex old-school? 8:09 from learning Magic to playing the Pro Tour 12:17 present-day relationship with Magic 16:27 figuring out what’s next 18:02 the fire vs. the grind 21:48 depression & the rear-view mirror 26:11 “mistakes shape who I am” 29:03 tools from therapy 36:10 mental health stigma 38:26 PT Barca mindset 47:41 winning PT Barca & unforese...
Sep 20, 2022•2 hr 41 min
Dom Harvey is a high-level Magic: The Gathering player and content creator. He writes for Star City Games and runs the Dominaria's Judgment podcast. 3:23 intro 10:15 UK to Canada: "my life was going nowhere" 17:29 being a Brit who doesn't like soccer 22:15 the most Canadian thing Dom has picked up? 23:27 it's about the gathering 27:38 on prize splits and feel-bads 32:37 the fire 35:38 growing up with competitive Magic 41:05 oral history of Pro Tour Philadelphia: concept to reality 51:08 James's ...
Sep 11, 2022•1 hr 34 min
Deathsie is a Magic content creator and Limited specialist. He has been ranked number one in several games, including Magic Arena, Marvel Snap, Tetris Effect, and King of Stackers (Tetris). Show notes: humansofmagic.com Patreon: patreon.com/humansofmagic Music: @kuplasound
Sep 06, 2022•1 hr 32 min
Milan Bhayana is one of the youngest players to qualify for the Magic Online Champions Showcase (MOCS) and Magic Pro Tour. He is a Top Chef competitor and owner of the 'lilchefmil' Tik Tok account with 921K followers. [3:42] Attending school online [6:39] Offline connections matter [11:32] College aspirations [14:16] Building a Tik Tok account with his sister [18:27] Top Chef experience [22:40] Top Chef takeaways [24:15] Parents [28:28] Magic origin story [31:33] Learning mindset: Magic and cook...
Aug 30, 2022•48 min
Joseph Johnson is an actor and content creator. [9:12] First Comicon experience / meeting John Wick [12:45] Becoming a character [17:20] Acting: nature vs. nurture [22:37] Art of improv / having fun with it [26:15] Working in the film industry [29:07] Empathy vs. ego / the importance of your circle [35:12] "The pandemic made me realize I need to step my game up" [37:08] Falling in love with acting [43:57] Lessons from the community [46:34] Ambition / staying in the game [52:10] Positive influenc...
Aug 23, 2022•2 hr 3 min
Veggie Wagon is a comedian and content creator. [7:14] Moving to Medford, Mass [13:36] Chemistry degree to acting career [18:00] Veggie as actor [20:41] Performing for others as a kid [23:15] Growing up adopted [32:24] Weight of self-expectation [35:46] On family [41:29] Charity work: motivation [45:49] A content creator's responsibility [51:49] Masks we wear as creators [54:19] Gathering Support: lessons learned [1:07:12] Origin of 'Veggie Wagon' name [1:12:31] Influences: Back to the Future [1...
Aug 16, 2022•2 hr 7 min
Melissa DeTora is a Senior Game Designer at Wizards of the Coast and currently leads the MTG Casual Play Design team. She is the first woman to Top 8 a Magic Pro Tour. [8:03] Melissa's WOTC journey: Intern -> Senior Game Designer [9:47] What is Play Design? [13:38] Play Design -> Casual Play Design [17:41] Playtesting Commander during COVID-19 [23:26] Designing for "Casual" [25:57] Play Design interactions with Commander RC and CAG [28:21] Too many treasures / Dockside Extortionist is OP [...
Aug 09, 2022•1 hr 36 min
Jon Corpora is the Content Manager for TCGplayer and producer of the YouTube series Pretty Deece. Show notes: humansofmagic.com Patreon: patreon.com/humansofmagic Music: @kuplasound
Aug 02, 2022•2 hr 3 min
