On this episode, Maria and Meghan let you in on all of their favorite Magic Core Set 2020 preview cards (Some are hot! Some are not!) and welcome not one, but TWO wonderful guests! Erin Yaritz from the Twin Cities chapter of the Lady Planeswalkers Society stops by to tell everyone about how they can get involved or start their own chapter and Rookie of the Year Sam Ihlenfeldt drops in to crack a booster of Modern Horizons (just in time for a quiz from Meghan!) PLUS: basic Sealed deck tips for an...
Jun 26, 2019•58 min•Transcript available on Metacast On this episode, Maria and Meghan preview the Mythic Championship coming up this week in Las Vegas! Find out what players, decks and underdogs our hosts are cheering for (you can play along at home!) – and who they think will take the whole thing down. PLUS: Magic Core Set 2020 releases in a hot minute and previews are underway in full force! Hear about the newest cards on the block and what exciting applications they might have. BONUS: Is Modern broken thanks to a certain Hogaak-y boy? It...
Jun 18, 2019•50 min•Transcript available on Metacast On this episode, Maria and Meghan give you all the critical info you’ll need to rock any Modern Horizons event you want to play! Maria lets you know how Sealed and Draft went for her last weekend at the Modern Horizons prerelease – with info about all of the color pairs and what archetypes you’ll want to be sleeving up. PLUS: New(ish) decks in Modern including the busted card Hogaak, Arisen Necropolis. Too busted? Only time will tell! And movie producers, give GLH5 a call: it&#...
Jun 12, 2019•58 min•Transcript available on Metacast On this episode, Maria and Meghan welcome Judge Rob back to the podcast to talk all about Modern Horizons! He uses cards from the set to explain Magic rules that you’ll need to know heading into your prerelease, sealed tournament, or draft. Even if you think you know all of the rules that will pop up in this set – you probably don’t, because there are A LOT of them. Be in-the-know before you throw(down)! Rob will be in the comments section of the YouTube video version of this s...
Jun 04, 2019•1 hr 1 min•Transcript available on Metacast On this episode, Maria and Meghan break down the current Standard metagame! Find out what decks are killing it right now…and which are getting killed. If you’re looking for something fun to play at FNM or on Arena, this is the episode for you! PLUS: Modern Horizons preview cards continue to pour in, Maria likes her bread supple, and Meghan is all about that Momir life. Help Support The Show! http://www.patreon.com/glhfmagic Subscribe to The Upkeep: the-upkeep.blubrry.net/feed/podcast...
May 28, 2019•53 min•Transcript available on Metacast On this episode, Maria and Meghan get all Modern-y with some new Modern Horizons preview cards! Hear their hot takes on the newest previewed cards and the more than 40 (?!?) mechanics that will be in the set. It seems awesome for Limited, but exactly how much will it shake up one of Magic’s most beloved formats? PLUS: Standard is like the Wild West once again with the addition of War of the Spark – hear what new decks the pros out there are brewing and which ones spark our hosts̵...
May 22, 2019•47 min•Transcript available on Metacast On this episode, Maria and Meghan dive deep into the controversial news of the week: the Magic Pro League and Mythic Championship III. With 16 new “discretionary slots” available and two new members joining after the departure of two MPL’ers – what does this mean for the future of the MPL and what it stands for? Listen in as Maria goes on a rant with a very bizarre (and disturbing) metaphor and our hosts discuss the events of the week – mere minutes after the news b...
May 14, 2019•45 min•Transcript available on Metacast On this episode, Maria takes the week off to explore Wales – so Meghan is hosting with Amateur Pro Greg! They chat about tips for winning War of the Spark sealed (Greg played a TON of this in London!), what some of their absolute favorite Standard decks are throughout history, and you get a chance to play along in a Magic story Choose Your Own Adventure! Help Support us in Tough Times: http://www.patreon.com/glhfmagic Subscribe to The Upkeep: the-upkeep.blubrry.net/feed/podcast/ Subscribe ...
May 07, 2019•52 min•Transcript available on Metacast On this episode, Maria and Meghan recap what was a thrilling (in more ways than one) Mythic Championship London! Broadcasting from the kitchen of their British Air B&B, our lovely hosts regale us with stories about and first impressions of War of the Spark prerelease draft, what the pros brought to the table for Modern, and how the London Mulligan might change how we play Magic. PLUS: Flavor Text Theatre presents War of the Spark Movie Pitches (there’s lots of body swapping), Meghan is...
May 01, 2019•49 min•Transcript available on Metacast On this episode, Maria and Meghan welcome very special guest Athena Froehlich to the show! Athena helps our two intrepid hosts make it through an hour of Magic, laughter, and complete delirium on approximately zero hours of sleep. Why are they so sleep deprived? Jet lag from arriving in London for the next Mythic Championship, of course! Get a preview of War of the Spark draft and Modern before the big event! PLUS: Flavor Text Theatre MadLibs goes places no MadLibs have gone before, info on the ...
Apr 23, 2019•52 min•Transcript available on Metacast On this episode, Maria and Meghan welcome back Judge Rob to help everyone through all of the cards, tricky interactions, and new rules that you’ll need to know before heading to your War of the Spark prerelease! You’ll want to listen because this set is especially complicated and there *will* be things you didn’t consider. How exactly does the new Niv-Mizzet work? What’s the deal with some weird static abilities on Planeswalkers? Which ONE card references a mechanic (but ...
Apr 16, 2019•1 hr 16 min•Transcript available on Metacast On this episode, Maria and Meghan welcome back very special guest and Magic know-it-all Magic VonExpert the Magic expert to preview some new cards from War of the Spark! That’s right! Not only will you hear about GLHF’s **exclusive** preview card, Magic VonExpert has three new cards of his own to preview as well! You’ll also get some insight into R&D’s design process when it comes to the new set, all thanks to VonExperts inside knowledge. PLUS: War previews galore, Me...
Apr 09, 2019•1 hr 1 min•Transcript available on Metacast On this episode, Maria and Meghan give you their first reactions to the brand new War of the Spark trailer! What do they think is going to happen on Ravnica? Who will win? Is Liliana dead??! What will Bolas do with all of those sparks?!?! PLUS: all the shiny new preview cards your brain can handle (who is the Wanderer??), a wrap of of the Mythic Invitational (find out who’s bracket came out on top) including the decklists of the Top 4 competitors, our hosts set some Arena goals for themsel...
Apr 02, 2019•54 min•Transcript available on Metacast On this episode, Maria and Meghan dive face-first into a fluffy pile of Best-of-One knowledge! They’ll give you tips on how to best rank up in the format on Magic Arena, what decks benefit from the unique format (and which ones…don’t), exactly how much better it is to be on the play (we use math!!), and dole out some ideas on some spicy brews to help you get up that Ladder. PLUS: Meghan spins a tale of the Gruul Clan on Ravnica that involves tattoos and rubbery bones, Maria bur...
Mar 26, 2019•51 min•Transcript available on Metacast On this episode, Maria and Meghan talk about the spiciest of brews they’ve been piloting in Standard lately while Maria reveals a newfound truth about herself as a Magic player. PLUS: Our creative hosts invent several new cards that are SURE to be included in War of the Spark, Meghan can’t pronounce “chieftain” to save her life, and an Arena Accident that has left one of our hosts scarred…possibly for life. Help Support us in Tough Times: http://www.patreon.com/glhf...
Mar 19, 2019•45 min•Transcript available on Metacast On this episode, Maria and Meghan check out the beautiful new stained glass art for 36 of the planeswalkers included in the newest upcoming set: War of the Spark! What do SO MANY planeswalkers mean for Standard? For Limited? For ANYTHING, really?! Our wonderful hosts give us their predictions about what will and won’t happen in the new set, how the planeswalkers will balance the format, and what will happen in the story. PLUS: We get some insight into where we’re headed for upcoming ...
Mar 12, 2019•58 min•Transcript available on Metacast On this episode, Maria and Meghan get hyped for Modern Horizons – the hottest new yoga magazine from 1993! Oh no, wait…it’s the new vegan restaurant that just opened up down the street…no wait, it’s actually a brand new Modern product from Wizards of the Coast! Who knew?! Our intrepid hosts hypothesize what will be included in the set (Legacy staples in Modern?!? More Boggles?! Taking more turns?!) and talk about the top deck in the format right now. PLUS: a deep di...
Mar 06, 2019•1 hr 5 min•Transcript available on Metacast On this episode, Maria and Meghan recap what was an *amazing* Mythic Championship Cleveland! Find out what the top decks were, how it felt to work on the show behind-the-scenes, and what insights they have about Standard moving forward. Also: Yay Autumn Burchett!! PLUS: a deep dive on the future of Magic the Gathering through the eyes of Head Designer Mark Rosewater, Meghan gives us a storytime about the Golgari Clan on Ravnica, and Maria tells a disturbing tale about fungus. Help Support us in ...
Feb 27, 2019•1 hr 3 min•Transcript available on Metacast On this episode, Maria and Meghan welcome Amateur Pro Greg back to the show to talk Mythic Championship Cleveland prep! Find out what the top pros are drafting (so you can do it on Arena!) and why. What are the worst color pairs to be in? What are the best? And what’s the best common? The answer may surprise you. PLUS: Greg gives us the rundown on the top decks in Standard, our hot takes on the War of the Spark teaser trailer, and a chance for YOU to win big if you pick the best players an...
Feb 19, 2019•1 hr 1 min•Transcript available on Metacast On this episode, Maria and Meghan walk you through the top decks in Standard (with a little help from Reid Duke) and how to beat every single one of them! They’ll let you know what cards to watch out for, what cards you need to care about killing or countering, and how to get that edge that will let you level up. PLUS: We catch up with three of the guilds on Ravnica in Storytime with Meghan (it’s back! It’s back!), dip into the GLH5 Mailbag to answer an interesting question abo...
Feb 13, 2019•1 hr 12 min•Transcript available on Metacast On this episode, Maria and Meghan do a deep dive about all the new information and controversy surrounding the announcement of Magic’s 1st-ever Mythic Invitational. What’s up with the wacky format called “Duo Standard”? Why did one participant suddenly drop out? And what does Wizards of the Coast hope for the future of Arena and it’s foray into esports? Find out! PLUS: New Standard decks that will help you take all the turns ever, mess-around with some midrange anti...
Feb 05, 2019•1 hr 6 min•Transcript available on Metacast On this episode, Maria and Meghan dive into the mailbag to answer questions from listeners. The big one? What do they think about the potential future of no Grand Prix coverage? Nothing has been officially confirmed (except the loss of text coverage) so our hosts answer hypothetically about a world where GPs fly far, far under the radar. PLUS: hot new Standard decks after SCG Indianapolis (Maria goes Midrange?!), draft tips following GP New Jersey, and our first Ravnica Allegiance segment of ...
Jan 29, 2019•1 hr 3 min•Transcript available on Metacast On this episode, Maria and Meghan share their experiences from the Ravnica Allegiance prerelease! They threw down at two separate events (and played a bunch online) – so what do they think about the new format? Which guilds did they pick, and, more importantly, how did they perform? What cards stood out to them as great? Which stood out as terrible? Find out! PLUS: Thoughts on Arena’s Best of 1 meta game as we all get ready to give Best of 3 a go in the new season, a brand new set br...
Jan 22, 2019•1 hr•Transcript available on Metacast On this episode, Maria and Meghan welcome Judge Rob back to the show! He’ll get you prepped for the Ravnica Allegiance prerelease this weekend by letting you in on the rulings for tricky cards, weird interactions, and brand new game mechanics. Want your question about Electrodominance answered? Look no further! How about your query on Captive Audience? Rob’s got you covered! Want a truly unique and maybe even delicious oeuvre derve recipe that Maria made up on the spot? Then you̵...
Jan 15, 2019•1 hr 18 min•Transcript available on Metacast On this episode, Maria and Meghan preview a BRAND NEW and 100% EXCLUSIVE Ravnica Allegiance card! We’ll give you a hint about it: it’s great. Want more info? You’ll have to listen to the show! PLUS: A deep dive on Modern and a debate about whether or not Krark-Clan Ironworks (KCI, for short) needs to be nerfed. Your intrepid hosts will also highlight other top decks in Modern, run through some of their favorite preview cards for the new set, and Maria is secretly a remote-contr...
Jan 09, 2019•1 hr 5 min•Transcript available on Metacast On this episode, Maria and Meghan hand out the 2018 Chrimby Awards! With categories like Best Set, Best Art, Best Flavor Text & more, this is one awards show that’s not to be missed! Think the Oscars but with no commercials, fancy dresses, or presenters making really, really awkward jokes with a teleprompter. What categories did we get right? Which did we get horribly wrong? Let us (and the Academy!) know! And Happy New Year, everyone! Become a GLH5 Member in 2019! http://www.pat...
Jan 02, 2019•56 min•Transcript available on Metacast On this episode, Maria and Meghan get ready for Ravnica Allegiance by diving into the new mechanics from the set! Find out what they think about Rakdos’ new mechanic of Spectacle, the Simic’s re-hashed Monstrosity, Gruul’s ability to SMAAASH!, and the Azorious’ continuing love of legal documentation. PLUS: Brand new Ravnica Allegiance preview cards, a look at the fun formats on Magic Arena, and our hosts try to remember the facts about the polio vaccine. Show Us Some Love...
Dec 25, 2018•1 hr 3 min•Transcript available on Metacast On this episode, Maria and Meghan share a METRIC TON of Magic news! They give you all the behind-the-scenes highlights from the (sadly) last ever World Magic Cup (they were both there, nbd), dive deep on all of the latest news with the Magic Pro League, and hit the highlights from the shiny new Arena updates (hello, bot personality friends!) PLUS: Our intrepid hosts try a bunch of strange British potato chips that are Christmas dinner themed. Gross or Good? You decide! Show Us Some Love this Hol...
Dec 18, 2018•53 min•Transcript available on Metacast On this episode, Maria and Meghan invite Pro Tour Historian Brian David-Marshall onto the show to talk about all the upcoming changes to Magic’s future. How do we feel after last week’s gigantic announcement? What are we most excited about? What do we still have questions about? And, most importantly, when do we get $10 million dollars?! PLUS: A preview of the upcoming World Magic Cup (complete with a sock bet!), a round-up of the week’s news (there was A LOT), and Meghan and Maria put out a req...
Dec 12, 2018•1 hr 24 min•Transcript available on Metacast On this episode, Maria and Meghan take out their crystal ball and make some predictions about what will appear in the next Magic set: Ravnica Allegiance! What will the new guild mechanics be? Which guilds will fall to Bolas’ dark will and which will stand strong for their plane? Will Maria and Meghan EVER agree about anything ever again? Find out! PLUS: Stay in-the-know with Magic news, get ready for holiday downtime with a Guilds of Ravnica draft update, and stick around for some truly te...
Dec 05, 2018•1 hr 2 min•Transcript available on Metacast 
