Magic Data Science
@mtgds.bsky.social
Doing math with Magic; doing Magic with math.
(Chromatic Lantern; Julie Dillon)
(Chromatic Lantern; Julie Dillon)
What abstract concept needs to be made into an Elemental next? And what color(s) should it be?
Like....
𝐀𝐧𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐞: black
𝐒𝐨𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫: red
𝐁𝐨𝐧𝐡𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐞: white
𝐙𝐞𝐢𝐭𝐠𝐞𝐢𝐬𝐭: white/black
𝐀𝐦𝐛𝐢𝐯𝐚𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞: black/red
𝐏𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐩𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐜𝐢𝐭𝐲: blue
Like....
𝐀𝐧𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐞: black
𝐒𝐨𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫: red
𝐁𝐨𝐧𝐡𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐞: white
𝐙𝐞𝐢𝐭𝐠𝐞𝐢𝐬𝐭: white/black
𝐀𝐦𝐛𝐢𝐯𝐚𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞: black/red
𝐏𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐩𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐜𝐢𝐭𝐲: blue
November 23, 2025 at 2:12 AM
What abstract concept needs to be made into an Elemental next? And what color(s) should it be?
Like....
𝐀𝐧𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐞: black
𝐒𝐨𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫: red
𝐁𝐨𝐧𝐡𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐞: white
𝐙𝐞𝐢𝐭𝐠𝐞𝐢𝐬𝐭: white/black
𝐀𝐦𝐛𝐢𝐯𝐚𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞: black/red
𝐏𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐩𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐜𝐢𝐭𝐲: blue
Like....
𝐀𝐧𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐞: black
𝐒𝐨𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫: red
𝐁𝐨𝐧𝐡𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐞: white
𝐙𝐞𝐢𝐭𝐠𝐞𝐢𝐬𝐭: white/black
𝐀𝐦𝐛𝐢𝐯𝐚𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞: black/red
𝐏𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐩𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐜𝐢𝐭𝐲: blue
A little @scryfall.com searching has turned up this card, which is new to me. A little on the expensive side, but it definitely plays the role of "play me after you've cast a million cheap spells."
November 23, 2025 at 1:39 AM
A little @scryfall.com searching has turned up this card, which is new to me. A little on the expensive side, but it definitely plays the role of "play me after you've cast a million cheap spells."
Electrostatic Infantry, at 2mv (with Trample!) might be cheap enough to work...
Surely one of the *-powered flyers or the Infantry -- or something like them -- could be printed at common.
Right?
Surely one of the *-powered flyers or the Infantry -- or something like them -- could be printed at common.
Right?
November 23, 2025 at 1:00 AM
Electrostatic Infantry, at 2mv (with Trample!) might be cheap enough to work...
Surely one of the *-powered flyers or the Infantry -- or something like them -- could be printed at common.
Right?
Surely one of the *-powered flyers or the Infantry -- or something like them -- could be printed at common.
Right?
...these all want you to wait until you've cast the creature before you really start slinging.
Tolarian Terror works because you can fire off a bunch of spells early and they all just make the Terror better. Same goes for things like Enigma Drake/Spellheart Chimera...
Tolarian Terror works because you can fire off a bunch of spells early and they all just make the Terror better. Same goes for things like Enigma Drake/Spellheart Chimera...
November 23, 2025 at 1:00 AM
...these all want you to wait until you've cast the creature before you really start slinging.
Tolarian Terror works because you can fire off a bunch of spells early and they all just make the Terror better. Same goes for things like Enigma Drake/Spellheart Chimera...
Tolarian Terror works because you can fire off a bunch of spells early and they all just make the Terror better. Same goes for things like Enigma Drake/Spellheart Chimera...
(Warning: mostly-Pauper-Cube-related thoughts)
I *love* these spellslinger → +1/+1 counter cards, but I've come to the realization that they're just not good enough.
I think one of the strengths of Izzet is the cheap spells, especially ones that replace themselves, but...
I *love* these spellslinger → +1/+1 counter cards, but I've come to the realization that they're just not good enough.
I think one of the strengths of Izzet is the cheap spells, especially ones that replace themselves, but...
November 23, 2025 at 1:00 AM
(Warning: mostly-Pauper-Cube-related thoughts)
I *love* these spellslinger → +1/+1 counter cards, but I've come to the realization that they're just not good enough.
I think one of the strengths of Izzet is the cheap spells, especially ones that replace themselves, but...
I *love* these spellslinger → +1/+1 counter cards, but I've come to the realization that they're just not good enough.
I think one of the strengths of Izzet is the cheap spells, especially ones that replace themselves, but...
Davchrohn, on Reddit, shares a German printing of Wan Shi Tong, Librarian with a fractional "ˣ ∕₂", which as far as I know, is totally unprecedented. But extremely charming.
Zimone and I are very much in favor of adding _more_ math to Magic cards.
Zimone and I are very much in favor of adding _more_ math to Magic cards.
November 22, 2025 at 1:51 AM
Davchrohn, on Reddit, shares a German printing of Wan Shi Tong, Librarian with a fractional "ˣ ∕₂", which as far as I know, is totally unprecedented. But extremely charming.
Zimone and I are very much in favor of adding _more_ math to Magic cards.
Zimone and I are very much in favor of adding _more_ math to Magic cards.
Which lines of Magic rules text "go hardest"?
November 21, 2025 at 5:34 PM
Which lines of Magic rules text "go hardest"?
Challenge: find a creature that's less blockable (without "can't be blocked")
November 20, 2025 at 6:18 PM
Challenge: find a creature that's less blockable (without "can't be blocked")
How.much of the strength of these two blue removal spells (#1 and #10 commons through two days, by GIHWR) is due to their getting around the "dies or is exiled" clause on Earthbent lands?
In this set, these are blue land destruction spells a non-trivial portion of the time...
In this set, these are blue land destruction spells a non-trivial portion of the time...
November 20, 2025 at 1:39 PM
How.much of the strength of these two blue removal spells (#1 and #10 commons through two days, by GIHWR) is due to their getting around the "dies or is exiled" clause on Earthbent lands?
In this set, these are blue land destruction spells a non-trivial portion of the time...
In this set, these are blue land destruction spells a non-trivial portion of the time...
What are the other 6 cards in this unofficial cycle* that I'm asserting exists?
You can also feel free to quibble with the four I've chosen here.
You can also feel free to quibble with the four I've chosen here.
November 19, 2025 at 7:17 PM
What are the other 6 cards in this unofficial cycle* that I'm asserting exists?
You can also feel free to quibble with the four I've chosen here.
You can also feel free to quibble with the four I've chosen here.
After one day, the top 5 commons (4 shown here, of course) are all removal. 3 of them are Lessons, which is cool.
I have heard people claim that removal is overrated, but I've never understood where they're getting that idea.
I have heard people claim that removal is overrated, but I've never understood where they're getting that idea.
November 19, 2025 at 1:05 PM
After one day, the top 5 commons (4 shown here, of course) are all removal. 3 of them are Lessons, which is cool.
I have heard people claim that removal is overrated, but I've never understood where they're getting that idea.
I have heard people claim that removal is overrated, but I've never understood where they're getting that idea.
Do we think, in the upcoming The Hobbit set, that we will see reprints of these 1-mana landcyclers in the conventional (non-UB) frame?
(I'm really hoping so; but not particularly optimistic...)
(I'm really hoping so; but not particularly optimistic...)
November 18, 2025 at 9:25 PM
Do we think, in the upcoming The Hobbit set, that we will see reprints of these 1-mana landcyclers in the conventional (non-UB) frame?
(I'm really hoping so; but not particularly optimistic...)
(I'm really hoping so; but not particularly optimistic...)
Thanks to #P0P1 participants, I can share with you a little wisdom-of-the-crowds preview for TLA. These cards were the ones most picked for the contest, and that's usually a decent predictor of GIHWR. So, until we begin getting @17lands.bsky.social data, here's a start.
November 18, 2025 at 4:43 PM
Thanks to #P0P1 participants, I can share with you a little wisdom-of-the-crowds preview for TLA. These cards were the ones most picked for the contest, and that's usually a decent predictor of GIHWR. So, until we begin getting @17lands.bsky.social data, here's a start.
I'm sure I'm the last person to notice this, but if you cast Cycle of Renewal, but sac an Earthbent land... you actually get to bring it back, tapped. So you're just netting two lands!
November 18, 2025 at 4:08 PM
I'm sure I'm the last person to notice this, but if you cast Cycle of Renewal, but sac an Earthbent land... you actually get to bring it back, tapped. So you're just netting two lands!
Why do we think Dragonfly Swam specifies "nonland" in addition to "noncreature"?
Even though lands are more likely to die in this set than in other sets, they're not likely to linger in the graveyard...
Even though lands are more likely to die in this set than in other sets, they're not likely to linger in the graveyard...
November 18, 2025 at 2:13 PM
Why do we think Dragonfly Swam specifies "nonland" in addition to "noncreature"?
Even though lands are more likely to die in this set than in other sets, they're not likely to linger in the graveyard...
Even though lands are more likely to die in this set than in other sets, they're not likely to linger in the graveyard...
Why are Sporecrown Thallid and Immerwolf templated one way ("each other creature you control that's a X or Y gets...") while Kirri and Nightpack Ambusher are templated another way ("other X and Y you control get...")?
November 18, 2025 at 11:41 AM
Why are Sporecrown Thallid and Immerwolf templated one way ("each other creature you control that's a X or Y gets...") while Kirri and Nightpack Ambusher are templated another way ("other X and Y you control get...")?
...though it loses points for not being a haiku in Japanese.
(At least, I think it doesn't.)
ツ
(At least, I think it doesn't.)
ツ
November 17, 2025 at 11:50 PM
...though it loses points for not being a haiku in Japanese.
(At least, I think it doesn't.)
ツ
(At least, I think it doesn't.)
ツ
Is there any card in TLA that competes with Sokka's Haiku for the 𝑺𝒉𝒂𝒅𝒐𝒘𝒇𝒂𝒙 𝐀𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐝?
If so, make your case here...
If so, make your case here...
November 17, 2025 at 11:50 PM
Is there any card in TLA that competes with Sokka's Haiku for the 𝑺𝒉𝒂𝒅𝒐𝒘𝒇𝒂𝒙 𝐀𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐝?
If so, make your case here...
If so, make your case here...
TLA has some conventional archetypes -- flyers, draw two, aggro, ramp aggro, go-wide allies, sacrifice, spellslinger, +1/+1 counters, go-wide aggro, and ramp. But most of them have an interesting set-specific bend to them.
November 17, 2025 at 11:42 PM
TLA has some conventional archetypes -- flyers, draw two, aggro, ramp aggro, go-wide allies, sacrifice, spellslinger, +1/+1 counters, go-wide aggro, and ramp. But most of them have an interesting set-specific bend to them.
In a respectable second place, with 464.2 points, was rocketmanmtg, followed by
@rrrn22 at 463.1 -- and then several others close behind!
Here is how the rest of the competitors finished out:
@rrrn22 at 463.1 -- and then several others close behind!
Here is how the rest of the competitors finished out:
November 14, 2025 at 2:31 AM
In a respectable second place, with 464.2 points, was rocketmanmtg, followed by
@rrrn22 at 463.1 -- and then several others close behind!
Here is how the rest of the competitors finished out:
@rrrn22 at 463.1 -- and then several others close behind!
Here is how the rest of the competitors finished out:
📯I am pleased to announce the winner of the first-ever Arena Powered Cube #P0P1 Challenge:
🎇dipples! 🎆
Going deep on RW (Gut, Bolt, Helix, Oust) and leaning on Black Lotus were keys to a sizeable victory!
🎇dipples! 🎆
Going deep on RW (Gut, Bolt, Helix, Oust) and leaning on Black Lotus were keys to a sizeable victory!
November 14, 2025 at 2:31 AM
📯I am pleased to announce the winner of the first-ever Arena Powered Cube #P0P1 Challenge:
🎇dipples! 🎆
Going deep on RW (Gut, Bolt, Helix, Oust) and leaning on Black Lotus were keys to a sizeable victory!
🎇dipples! 🎆
Going deep on RW (Gut, Bolt, Helix, Oust) and leaning on Black Lotus were keys to a sizeable victory!
