Allied Strategies Magic The Gathering Podcast

This week’s show goes into a few different moderately sized topics, including a discussion of Mana Advantages, the number of health that Healing Salve would need to restore to be as powerful as Ancestral Recall, and then we get to our main topic of how to save Pioneer, a format in which 3 of the […]

This week we’re joined by returning guest Sam Sherman, currently ranked #32 on the MTG Elo Project, putting him in a solid third place among members of this episode. He’s been jamming some M21 drafts and is here to educate you (and us!) about the format. He’s also just started streaming Magic at https://www.twitch.tv/samdsherman – […]

This week we’ve picked out some cards from the upcoming Core Set to talk about that we think might make waves in Standard, Historic, and Modern! Download this video here! (right click and “save as…”)

This week we have Eli back on the show, coming off of a top 8 finish at the PT! We discuss the tournament itself, the process of playing an Arena/Discord tournament, and the decks that everyone settled on. Download this episode here! (right click and “save as…”)

Ben and Sam are playing the PT this weekend! Listen in to hear all about the decks they’ve been considering and their thoughts on the metagame. Next week we’ll check back to see how they did! Download this episode here! (right click and “save as…”)

A massive rules change and banning has landed on the Standard format (in addition to all the others), and this week we’re taking a look at some of the strategies that may emerge (or have been left standing) from the destruction. Next week we’ll explore this further as the PT will be upon us. Download […]

Ben and Sam both won tournaments this weekend! Unfortunately, neither format will continue to exist for much longer, as there is an impending B&R announcement, which we discuss, along with other news about Player Bannings, the MPL, and the new Double Masters set. Download this episode here! (right click and “save as…”)

This week, Ben and Sam are practicing for a brand new format, consisting of a bunch of random sets from Magic’s history. We also cover the changes to Organized Play this year. Download this episode here! (right click and “save as…”)

We’re piling onto the discussion about companions, covering our expectations for banlists, our thoughts on the mechanic and the cards as a whole, and our take on the entire process that led us to this point. We’ll tackle such questions as “should a card that is exciting for Standard but awful for Modern/Legacy be printed?” […]

It’s time for a stroll down memory lane as we tell the tales of our favorite constructed decks of all time (along with a few dishonorable mentions!) What decks do you have the fondest memories of? Let us know on twitter @alliedstrats Download this episode here! (right click and “save as…”)

With dozens of drafts under our belts, this week we’re breaking down the fundamentals of the Ikoria Draft format – how each Archetype works, the key cards in each strategy, and cards that have surprised us by over- or under-performing. Download this episode here! (right click and “save as…”)

Sam’s cooked up a spicy Modern Combo deck built around Zirda, with a Collected Company shell and some cards you may recognize from decks such as his beloved Birthing Pod. The inspiration for this deck comes partly from Friend of the Podcast Raymond, who submitted a Pioneer deck for discussion last week. Here’s the rough […]

This week Ben and Sam have picked out some Ikoria cards that have potential in Pioneer and Modern, and Tristan has picked bad cards that he should be ashamed for picking and will deservedly be made fun of. Check out Friend of the Podcast Raymond’s Bant Blink pioneer deck: https://tappedout.net/mtg-decks/pioneering-bant-blink/ Download this episode here! (right […]

Ikoria spoilers are here, and we’re taking a look at them and discussing the mechanics of the set. Companion in particular has drawn a lot of scrutiny from the community, so we’re weighing in with our thoughts. Download this episode here! (right click and “save as…”)

We’ve created a new segment for the show! Find out what it is towards the end. For our main topic, we’re discussing new Organized Play changes in response to the changing global situation. It’s impacted the amount of Magic we’ve been playing too, but we hope to return to strategy content next week with some […]

Allen Wu (@nalkpas on Twitter) tweeted about this Standard format having the characteristics of a good one, yet not being fun. This week we’re discussing that theory, in addition to the news of Magic’s enhanced online offerings in this era of no tabletop play. Download this episode here! (right click and “save as…”)

This week we’re taking a look at a selection of the Video Games we’ve enjoyed most. If you’re finding yourself inside more often these days, you may be interested in picking up one of these to help pass the time, and we’ve got recommendations for every type of person, including how the different games relate […]

Staring down a Dream Trawler, a Citadel Siege, or a Glorybringer can be a daunting prospect, but the best Magic players find ways to edge out a few extra percentage points in these situations and we’re going to give an overview of some of those strategies for both Draft and Sealed. Download this episode here! […]

Sam’s been messing around with a mono blue list in Pioneer – here is the list: 4 Thassa’s Oracle 4 Ashiok’s Erasure 4 Omen of the Sea 2 Thassa, Deep-Dwelling 4 Gadwick, the Wizened 2 Brazen Borrower 4 Witching Well 2 Agent of Treachery 2 Reflector Mage 2 Temple of Enlightenment 2 Thassa, God of […]

Follow along with this episode here: https://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?multiverseid=265418 Download this episode here! (right click and “save as…”)