A Johnny's Pridemate
@ajohnnyspridemate.bsky.social
An MTG Substacker. Standard, Pauper, Cube, and sometimes (begrudgingly) EDH
Pinned
First Draw: ETB
Where else to begin, then by entering?
ajohnnyspridemate.substack.com
Who's ready to enter the battlefield?
ajohnnyspridemate.substack.com/p/first-draw...
ajohnnyspridemate.substack.com/p/first-draw...
Reposted by A Johnny's Pridemate
The issue is that this was a POSITIVE thing for players or NEUTRAL thing for players that didn't have a downside for players
Complaining about it is like saying "oh gorshhh my lobster is too buttery"
THAT is the underlying problem, they're taking away all the small joys in this game
Complaining about it is like saying "oh gorshhh my lobster is too buttery"
THAT is the underlying problem, they're taking away all the small joys in this game
How many of y'all really *really* cared about the prerelease date stamp on cards?
I've bought so many collections with these in piles of commons and bulk. No one seemed to care. Suddenly, with them gone, folks are acting like it's the only reason they went to prereleases and won't play them again.
I've bought so many collections with these in piles of commons and bulk. No one seemed to care. Suddenly, with them gone, folks are acting like it's the only reason they went to prereleases and won't play them again.
January 22, 2026 at 2:49 AM
The issue is that this was a POSITIVE thing for players or NEUTRAL thing for players that didn't have a downside for players
Complaining about it is like saying "oh gorshhh my lobster is too buttery"
THAT is the underlying problem, they're taking away all the small joys in this game
Complaining about it is like saying "oh gorshhh my lobster is too buttery"
THAT is the underlying problem, they're taking away all the small joys in this game
Standard is so back
January 21, 2026 at 4:15 AM
Standard is so back
Was trying the pick 2 draft for LCE on my computer and it had an error/needed to restart 😔
January 21, 2026 at 2:58 AM
Was trying the pick 2 draft for LCE on my computer and it had an error/needed to restart 😔
Can confirm this deck was good by the way it blew out my Golgari recursion deck (part of the problem may be that I overvalued Demo Field thinking it targeted basics, part of the problem may be that Rachel is just a much better Magic player than me, lol).
Philling the Yard - Graveyard Cube: Grixis control with a LOT of flashback and board wipes. Felt a little light on threats and a bit heavy on recursion. 2-1. Lost to a similarly grindy Temur spells deck (we only had time for 1 game lol)
cubecobra.com/cube/list/df...
cubecobra.com/cube/list/df...
January 20, 2026 at 4:52 AM
Can confirm this deck was good by the way it blew out my Golgari recursion deck (part of the problem may be that I overvalued Demo Field thinking it targeted basics, part of the problem may be that Rachel is just a much better Magic player than me, lol).
Was trying to do a detailed write up on @packonepickonela.bsky.social, but the thread disappeared while I was tab flipping, lol. Instead, here are the pics of the decks I made/largely lost with, lol. (It was a fun weekend, but man, I have a lot to learn still about drafting cubes other than mine!)
January 20, 2026 at 3:14 AM
Was trying to do a detailed write up on @packonepickonela.bsky.social, but the thread disappeared while I was tab flipping, lol. Instead, here are the pics of the decks I made/largely lost with, lol. (It was a fun weekend, but man, I have a lot to learn still about drafting cubes other than mine!)
Reposted by A Johnny's Pridemate
Lorwyn Eclipsed should have been a two set block. It's as clear as night and day.
January 19, 2026 at 9:25 PM
Lorwyn Eclipsed should have been a two set block. It's as clear as night and day.
Played a lot of cube today at P1P1 LA, but by far the best games of the day came at the very beginning and very end, outside scheduled cubing. Won a party box by uno reversing lethal damage, and played Boros control deck all the way to the bottom of my opponent's library in OG Lorwyn cube!
January 18, 2026 at 7:07 AM
Played a lot of cube today at P1P1 LA, but by far the best games of the day came at the very beginning and very end, outside scheduled cubing. Won a party box by uno reversing lethal damage, and played Boros control deck all the way to the bottom of my opponent's library in OG Lorwyn cube!
Ended up on an abzan elves midrange list because I got the toes lady, the command spell, new Rhys, the mass reanimate, and the giant that reanimates slow. Went extremely grindy, including a 3rd round 1st game that went 40 mins (that I still somehow had the time to 2-0). Drew both other rounds tho 😅
Really want to build changeling kindred tonight. Can't wait to crack some packs!!!
January 17, 2026 at 8:05 AM
Ended up on an abzan elves midrange list because I got the toes lady, the command spell, new Rhys, the mass reanimate, and the giant that reanimates slow. Went extremely grindy, including a 3rd round 1st game that went 40 mins (that I still somehow had the time to 2-0). Drew both other rounds tho 😅
Really want to build changeling kindred tonight. Can't wait to crack some packs!!!
January 17, 2026 at 12:35 AM
Really want to build changeling kindred tonight. Can't wait to crack some packs!!!
Was going to have a WFH day before going to prerelease tomorrow night, but I guess not! The machine must turn onwards/demands the ever increasing labor of the young + overeducated. Yay capitalism!
January 16, 2026 at 4:09 AM
Was going to have a WFH day before going to prerelease tomorrow night, but I guess not! The machine must turn onwards/demands the ever increasing labor of the young + overeducated. Yay capitalism!
I started writing a rundown of all the new cards I like for a bunch of formats for ECL, but I think I'm too tired to finish it. Working a 40hr week isn't exactly conducive to putting out hot takes, lol.
January 15, 2026 at 4:38 AM
I started writing a rundown of all the new cards I like for a bunch of formats for ECL, but I think I'm too tired to finish it. Working a 40hr week isn't exactly conducive to putting out hot takes, lol.
Reposted by A Johnny's Pridemate
"I just don't think a company would force their own OC into a profitable system like this. It seems like, extra risky, and shareholders hate risk. So like, doesn't it make a lot more sense if it's, like, from a novella that both us have never heard of?"
Play Group of New MtG Players Cannot Determine Which IP Lorwyn Eclipsed is From | Commander's Herald
A local friend group has been pushed into unfriendly discourse as debate rages over which Intellectual Property the new Magic the Gathering set is from.
commandersherald.com
January 14, 2026 at 5:28 PM
"I just don't think a company would force their own OC into a profitable system like this. It seems like, extra risky, and shareholders hate risk. So like, doesn't it make a lot more sense if it's, like, from a novella that both us have never heard of?"
New main series post on Substack tomorrow btw.
January 10, 2026 at 9:35 PM
New main series post on Substack tomorrow btw.
Dawg my deck is aaaassssss
I'm gonna draft powered cube rn 😀
January 10, 2026 at 5:17 AM
Dawg my deck is aaaassssss
Everyone knows the Prof is in the pocket of Big Merfolk!
(It's almost as if someone who likes Magic The Gathering would push people to support a real set of Magic the Gathering)
(It's almost as if someone who likes Magic The Gathering would push people to support a real set of Magic the Gathering)
January 10, 2026 at 12:13 AM
Everyone knows the Prof is in the pocket of Big Merfolk!
(It's almost as if someone who likes Magic The Gathering would push people to support a real set of Magic the Gathering)
(It's almost as if someone who likes Magic The Gathering would push people to support a real set of Magic the Gathering)
Went 2-1 tonight at the shop via mono-W lifegain. Lost only to Izzet Lessons because I flooded turns 2-5.
January 9, 2026 at 6:18 AM
Went 2-1 tonight at the shop via mono-W lifegain. Lost only to Izzet Lessons because I flooded turns 2-5.
I'm gonna draft powered cube rn 😀
January 8, 2026 at 5:24 AM
I'm gonna draft powered cube rn 😀
I'm going to play so much Cube on Lorwyn prerelease weekend. Friday night sealed -> Sat/Sun at Pack 1 Pick 1 LA!
January 7, 2026 at 3:35 AM
I'm going to play so much Cube on Lorwyn prerelease weekend. Friday night sealed -> Sat/Sun at Pack 1 Pick 1 LA!
I think I'm legally required to jam this card in my main comp deck (mono-W lifegain)
January 6, 2026 at 7:06 PM
I think I'm legally required to jam this card in my main comp deck (mono-W lifegain)
Cracking up still about the draft itself here. Friend passed me a Clarion Conqueror because she thought I was a W main, but really, I'm more of a G-player/Timmy.
LGS had Dragonstorm for draft tonight. Haven't played the set since it came out last spring, but have toyed with a lot of the cards in constructed. Ended up on a really fun aggro Jeskai list, and played against Sultai graveyard, Temur bullshit, and then a mirror, but control. So much fun for a 1-2!
January 6, 2026 at 5:45 PM
Cracking up still about the draft itself here. Friend passed me a Clarion Conqueror because she thought I was a W main, but really, I'm more of a G-player/Timmy.
I had not yet seen the boy
January 6, 2026 at 12:46 AM
I had not yet seen the boy
If ECL has a good 1-drop green elf, I WILL be running full elfball in standard 😃
January 5, 2026 at 7:15 PM
If ECL has a good 1-drop green elf, I WILL be running full elfball in standard 😃
As a red player, this shit cool as hell
January 5, 2026 at 6:25 PM
As a red player, this shit cool as hell
Who's ready to enter the battlefield?
ajohnnyspridemate.substack.com/p/first-draw...
ajohnnyspridemate.substack.com/p/first-draw...
First Draw: ETB
Where else to begin, then by entering?
ajohnnyspridemate.substack.com
January 4, 2026 at 8:21 PM
Who's ready to enter the battlefield?
ajohnnyspridemate.substack.com/p/first-draw...
ajohnnyspridemate.substack.com/p/first-draw...