hate on me if you want but i think watching an arena format is a lot more viewer friendly for ppl that are newer to MTG (like myself) arena is also a lot cheaper to play and build a deck over time than paper. as much as i like playing card games against my friends in person, arena has a lot more ease of access for everyone
I can see how it's probably much friendlier to new players, but for people like me who used to play paper magic only, there is a sort of "magic" (no pun intended) to going to your local card shop on Friday nights and playing till dark, trading cards, hanging out with the community, seeing familiar faces, etc. that you just don't get with Arena. The feeling of sleeving your cards, rolling out your custom play mat, rolling your shiny new set of dice, and ripping a card of the top of your deck is just unmatchable. But I'm glad that it's more accessible because paper magic is a huge money sink 😅
@@kaleblavender6093 There are pros and cons to both sides. You can come across some real douchebags in person (happened to me enough that I quit going) and then you kinda lose that sense of "the gathering" in the name, which is a bummer. On the flip side, I also grew up with collecting the physical cards and I do miss that aspect a lot. I tried playing Arena and just felt like it wasn't for me. I don't think you can go wrong either way, personally. Seeing gatekeeping comments like the one above ("L take") ruins the experience. We all enjoy MtG - why does it matter hoe we enjoy it, if we ain't hurting others?
@@escobarisanoctopus I definitely agree that there are a lot of people with attitude problems who play Magic (seems to be a problem in all competitive gaming, like COD and Overwatch and LOL) and it can make an in-person experience miserable. I was lucky to be in a community of mostly supportive and friendly players, but there would always be that guy who came to FNM and told you your deck sucked, or tells you you're playing too slow. I don't personally care how anyone plays magic, but I wish there were still strong in-person communities, and I wish everyone got to have that kind of experience that is hard to replicate online.
MTG is also heavily dependend on removals and counters making it way too stale. The first game Nathan won literally for flooding his make disappears and removals. Most stupid game I have seen.
@@lolettoa2971 In Pro Tours and Ranked games yes you're right, it's pretty much that, but casually and commander is so much different, especially using "house rules" and banning certain cards or restrict them and so on
You know, even if the decks are homogenized and all, I have to admit I kinda like watching midrange slugfests a million times. Curse you Reid Duke for making me enjoy this!
With Tom Bombadil's effect in the upcoming set, I can see Fable of the Mirror Breaker being a massive problem for a long time in casual, unless the set adds something to counter it.
That last match really showed that there might be too much variance in the game of magic. I always had thoughts of a card game where you could choose the cards you start with in your hand, and possibly even the order of which cards you draw after that. Could be interesting idk. Kind of disappointing to see losses due to randomness/shuffler
I really liked how Marshall was like “WOW how is this happening, this must be so frustrating”. It’s on arena, that’s how, this is like every 3rd game you flood or screw and then it asks you if you had fun in the game lol
It's a good question. Luck is absolutely a factor, but deck choice and strategy also make a huge difference. These players spend a lot of time choosing and tuning their decklists and sideboard plans. Plus, while everyone in the world championship is an excellent player, all the small decisions they make over the course of the games add up in a really significant way, and many of these decisions are so difficult that you can study them without the time constraint and still not be sure of the right call. For instance, if we take a look at game 2 of match 3 between the Nathan and Eli, it's pretty clear that Nathan was unlucky not to draw his lands. However, if you examine the hand he kept closely (again, without the pressure or time constraint or the mental exhaustion of playing so many games), you'll probably agree that he shouldn't have kept it. It's sketchy enough that in such a high-stakes match (and being on the draw) he probably would have done better on a mulligan. But that said, it's also defensible to keep. The point is, it takes a lot of skill to make the right call there. So sometimes what looks like mana-screw arguably has more to do with nuanced decision-making and I think it's easy to overlook that. Luck is a totally a thing, but if it were overwhelmingly luck at this level, we'd probably see a lot more variety at the top tables of the big events than we do. PVDDR is a great example--he's got absurd accolades because he's just absurdly good at the game (definitely check out his matches or YT channel if you're not familiar). Guy's just brilliant--leagues above even your average pro.
Welcome to card games. Poker, magic, blackjack, all have skill to maximize you chances to win, but at the end of the day it comes down to the heart of the cards
Another great match ending in flooding or screw in a high stakes game where RNG literally decides the outcome! Yay! Great commentary, lovely and sharp play, and the fundamental game design failing to provide reasonably fair outcomes yet again!
any1 else find it kinda perverse that they are both in the same room, televised, playing on computers instead of paper?? what is mtg anymore. we live in a society
There is definitely the charm of paper play, but given how cheating can affect even high level play, I'd rather have digital play that can avoid that altogether. Also from a presentation / viewability perspective from spectators, it's a lot more viewable and followable compared to paper.
@@rayndeon1 yeah as a viewer digital is way more accessable. taking out cheating and relying on a shuffler that pretty much decides games by unknown parameters / giving manaflood or no - is quite the same for me in the end. they really have to fix that mana/land stuipidty they can't handle since ages
pretty much how all tcgs work man, draw better than the opponent and win. nothing new really, especially not anything you can blame wotc for, if it wasnt fable and invoke it would be something else.
@@danielfreer8487 So how the fuck can I not blame wotc for this? They print cards like lucky clover and ban them. These cards have lucky clover imprinted on them. Only wotc is responsible here, ain't it somewaht like that?
@@THEdentist86 it does not matter what TCG you are playing, there will always be cards like this. People who draw better than their opponents will always win, its pretty much a given my dude, been playing multiple TCGs at the competitive level since before i got out of high school and thats just how it has always been. if something like this existing was rare, then i would say blame wotc, but the fact of the matter is drawing your best cards while your opponent does not, will almost always mean you win.
@@danielfreer8487 - Exactly. It's basically like so many other sports/competitions. Obviously the match is going to play out how it plays out, but ultimately the proper planning and preparation will favor the competitors who do that part properly--well before any matches are even played. Let's also make note that these are the two TOP PLAYERS that made the finals off a lot of prelim rounds against a monstrously stellar field. Do you really think a game is going to be decided because a player makes some silly mistake in the way they order their play? Or one player will play their hand exceptionally suboptimally? Come on now.
@@lordpye pretty much this lol, granted there have been some pretty harsh misplays done at this level because nobody is perfect, but by that same token the finals here were 3x best of 3 series, its pretty damn hard to claim its just luck as the only factor, and not skill when you do this many best of 3s.
paper is just horrible to watch - not that i don't like paper mtg, but as a view i better have it digital with all the benefits of editing as well as showing hands and stuff
I think it was easier to follow. For the last few years every new card drawn would be put up so everyone could read. But I understand I may be biased, from watching many years on paper tournaments.
@@shieldtablet942 it’s not only the cards drawn but the table is too cluttered and even if u put a 4K camera it can get confusing specially for new players like me I’ve watched some old wc matches and I get the paper argument but imho arena or mtgo is better for live-streaming
@@robarnold8248 What you say is dumb. And obviously so. Great things are more than just the sum of their parts. It's not just about the parts being individually good, it's about the parts synergizing with each other. I shouldn't have to say this. You are a grown man.
Watching people lose to mana flood or bad mana in general in 2022 feels really bad. Wish they would come up with something like Hearthstone to have consistency and... actually be able to play every game.
really they just need a better mana base, this current iteration of standard has the worst mana base i've seen in a while. We are really missing the pathways and strixhaven lands.
MTG's resource system with lands is simultaneously one of the best and worst things about MTG. It's one of the best things because the constraints it creates provides interesting and meaningful deckbuilding considerations as well as provide a cohesive and clear sense of identity and theme among the different colors. It's also one of the worst things because its nature can lead to a lot of non-games in not drawing enough lands to cast the spells in hand or drawing too many lands and thus not having spells in hand. I think in the grand scheme, with that significant downside being what it is, MTG is better with the land system than without. I don't think the game would be nearly as engaging with Hearthstone style mana - that's just a different game at the end of the day.
@@rayndeon1 yep completely agree, and lets be real here, there is a reason way more people play mtg than hearthstone lmao. MTG does not need to rip off a game that is lesser than itself.
@@rayndeon1 i would love to have them evolve the game even more. lands are the bane of the game since ever. i wish they would untie it from the general grand scheme and have it on the side as a macro part. i agree on identity - but there must be some cool ideas out there, that just lead to a more consistent - skill focused approach of the game. especially in a clash with those decks tinkered to perfection, it's a shame someone loses just to not playing the game at all. no skill no nothing, but RNG - killing all the tension and excitement in a tournament format. i remember (vaguely) a time where decks got played with so few lands and tons of methodes to "force draw" out the right amount (some G/W stuff 15years ago or so) - that decision making was actually a thing. but it eventually got banned back then. so my take - divide ressource management and libary and have an interessting consitent "land system" i don't mind of manipulating it from your main stack / library or what not - just erase "non-games"
Anyone else wonder if these are orchestrated? Why's it always seem like there's never a 4 game and out title match. Or at least the first few games, I know the players are making their own choices, but from a programming standpoint they could be live stacking decks
Not impressed by an Arena championship....the draw rates and win rates on a computer generated algorithm, is basically already choosing the winner before the game starts...agitating that humans are excited for computer generated play...disgusting
Slight of hand is a thing in mtg competitions .there algorithm needs tweaking for sure but u can stack ur deck if u practice enough without anyone knowing
@@brichardson342 wow really, cheating is real?...30 years of playing MTG and i never knew....thank you wise one for gracing me with your profound knowledge..
@@brichardson342 the biggest legal cheat is, use cards that allow you to search your deck...look through whole deck, while smoothly stacking a pile of your big combowambo's together, if you know your opponent always wants to cut your deck, pay attention to "how" they generally cut, and shuffle so your combo's have the most likely chance of drawing into your hand...a legal way to "tutor stack" your decks
Idk, I can’t follow paper as easy because you can’t read the cards unless they do the little digital image of the card all big on the side of the screen. I way prefer watching digital.
Eli going over and giving Nathan a hug after their match was some quality sportsmanship! Ya love to see it
hate on me if you want but i think watching an arena format is a lot more viewer friendly for ppl that are newer to MTG (like myself) arena is also a lot cheaper to play and build a deck over time than paper. as much as i like playing card games against my friends in person, arena has a lot more ease of access for everyone
L take
I can see how it's probably much friendlier to new players, but for people like me who used to play paper magic only, there is a sort of "magic" (no pun intended) to going to your local card shop on Friday nights and playing till dark, trading cards, hanging out with the community, seeing familiar faces, etc. that you just don't get with Arena. The feeling of sleeving your cards, rolling out your custom play mat, rolling your shiny new set of dice, and ripping a card of the top of your deck is just unmatchable. But I'm glad that it's more accessible because paper magic is a huge money sink 😅
@@kaleblavender6093 There are pros and cons to both sides. You can come across some real douchebags in person (happened to me enough that I quit going) and then you kinda lose that sense of "the gathering" in the name, which is a bummer. On the flip side, I also grew up with collecting the physical cards and I do miss that aspect a lot. I tried playing Arena and just felt like it wasn't for me. I don't think you can go wrong either way, personally. Seeing gatekeeping comments like the one above ("L take") ruins the experience. We all enjoy MtG - why does it matter hoe we enjoy it, if we ain't hurting others?
@@escobarisanoctopus I definitely agree that there are a lot of people with attitude problems who play Magic (seems to be a problem in all competitive gaming, like COD and Overwatch and LOL) and it can make an in-person experience miserable. I was lucky to be in a community of mostly supportive and friendly players, but there would always be that guy who came to FNM and told you your deck sucked, or tells you you're playing too slow. I don't personally care how anyone plays magic, but I wish there were still strong in-person communities, and I wish everyone got to have that kind of experience that is hard to replicate online.
It's just. Of you wanna learn how to play, go to MTG Arena. But if you wanna enjoy the game play It on paper with Friends.
That Ao, the Dawn Sky whiff, tho... the announcers were right: that just might have cost Eli the championship.
Wow, hard cut off the video right at the beginning of the emotional moment? Allow a little resolution for those that didnt watch this on twitch.
"This almost never happens (land flooding) in these games". 😂😂
I almost cried listening to that comment.
He's right if almost never means more than half of the time.
game of pure skill. oh wait - i mean RNG
You do realise majority of games over a wide range of genres have RNG.
MTG is also heavily dependend on removals and counters making it way too stale. The first game Nathan won literally for flooding his make disappears and removals. Most stupid game I have seen.
@@lolettoa2971 In Pro Tours and Ranked games yes you're right, it's pretty much that, but casually and commander is so much different, especially using "house rules" and banning certain cards or restrict them and so on
You know, even if the decks are homogenized and all, I have to admit I kinda like watching midrange slugfests a million times. Curse you Reid Duke for making me enjoy this!
I love Nathan man. Let out that winning emotion! I always KNEW you’d be the best!
Only if he can beat PVDDR
@@chickentrendies6989 well Azorius control isn’t good against grixis invoke.
@@LeedyFGC 😆
nah the "winning emotion" just looked bitch made, lost respect for him once that happened
shuffler MVP
With Tom Bombadil's effect in the upcoming set, I can see Fable of the Mirror Breaker being a massive problem for a long time in casual, unless the set adds something to counter it.
would of been a little better for us if they pull the camera down for nathans field on his turn so we can see his plays better but still good :)
surely at 36:00 double wandering emperor is lethal?
nice find! that one was hard to notice
great find btw wp
Damn you’re right, nice spot
Especially he is all tapped out like that! Great find
Marshall gets too excited for the mic to handle at times…lol
That last match really showed that there might be too much variance in the game of magic. I always had thoughts of a card game where you could choose the cards you start with in your hand, and possibly even the order of which cards you draw after that. Could be interesting idk. Kind of disappointing to see losses due to randomness/shuffler
It’s the voice of wristwatch revival !
Bro honestly... after watching the first 3 games shuffler is NOT fine.
I really liked how Marshall was like “WOW how is this happening, this must be so frustrating”. It’s on arena, that’s how, this is like every 3rd game you flood or screw and then it asks you if you had fun in the game lol
35:43 missed lethal?
He won anyway, but yeah double Wandering Emperor would have been lethal that turn
Question. If everyone uses identical or similar decks and uses mostly the best strategy, is it kind of luck?
It's a good question. Luck is absolutely a factor, but deck choice and strategy also make a huge difference. These players spend a lot of time choosing and tuning their decklists and sideboard plans. Plus, while everyone in the world championship is an excellent player, all the small decisions they make over the course of the games add up in a really significant way, and many of these decisions are so difficult that you can study them without the time constraint and still not be sure of the right call. For instance, if we take a look at game 2 of match 3 between the Nathan and Eli, it's pretty clear that Nathan was unlucky not to draw his lands. However, if you examine the hand he kept closely (again, without the pressure or time constraint or the mental exhaustion of playing so many games), you'll probably agree that he shouldn't have kept it. It's sketchy enough that in such a high-stakes match (and being on the draw) he probably would have done better on a mulligan. But that said, it's also defensible to keep. The point is, it takes a lot of skill to make the right call there. So sometimes what looks like mana-screw arguably has more to do with nuanced decision-making and I think it's easy to overlook that. Luck is a totally a thing, but if it were overwhelmingly luck at this level, we'd probably see a lot more variety at the top tables of the big events than we do. PVDDR is a great example--he's got absurd accolades because he's just absurdly good at the game (definitely check out his matches or YT channel if you're not familiar). Guy's just brilliant--leagues above even your average pro.
Welcome to card games. Poker, magic, blackjack, all have skill to maximize you chances to win, but at the end of the day it comes down to the heart of the cards
Now we just need to fix the playlisy
how much prize money for 1st place?
100000
I have some original card collections,do you want them?
Hes he allowed to play full control?
Another great match ending in flooding or screw in a high stakes game where RNG literally decides the outcome! Yay!
Great commentary, lovely and sharp play, and the fundamental game design failing to provide reasonably fair outcomes yet again!
Lo vi, no entendí 😢
Why not just play with paper magic instead on arena? They're in the same venue right.
any1 else find it kinda perverse that they are both in the same room, televised, playing on computers instead of paper?? what is mtg anymore. we live in a society
There is definitely the charm of paper play, but given how cheating can affect even high level play, I'd rather have digital play that can avoid that altogether. Also from a presentation / viewability perspective from spectators, it's a lot more viewable and followable compared to paper.
@@rayndeon1 yeah as a viewer digital is way more accessable. taking out cheating and relying on a shuffler that pretty much decides games by unknown parameters / giving manaflood or no - is quite the same for me in the end. they really have to fix that mana/land stuipidty they can't handle since ages
I mean its much better spectating a match in arena....infinitely better. Not sure its perverse at all.
Not at all. I have no desire to watch paper magic.
I know the nostalgia well too but I find this to be a realllllly good facsimile.
Cannot read the cards. Useless how can i watch a mtg tournament properly
2/3 of the sets had games decided by mana screw lol. skill game.
Needed to see another comment
Draw all Kikis and Invokes, become champion... good job wotc, good job
pretty much how all tcgs work man, draw better than the opponent and win. nothing new really, especially not anything you can blame wotc for, if it wasnt fable and invoke it would be something else.
@@danielfreer8487 So how the fuck can I not blame wotc for this? They print cards like lucky clover and ban them. These cards have lucky clover imprinted on them. Only wotc is responsible here, ain't it somewaht like that?
@@THEdentist86 it does not matter what TCG you are playing, there will always be cards like this. People who draw better than their opponents will always win, its pretty much a given my dude, been playing multiple TCGs at the competitive level since before i got out of high school and thats just how it has always been. if something like this existing was rare, then i would say blame wotc, but the fact of the matter is drawing your best cards while your opponent does not, will almost always mean you win.
@@danielfreer8487 - Exactly. It's basically like so many other sports/competitions. Obviously the match is going to play out how it plays out, but ultimately the proper planning and preparation will favor the competitors who do that part properly--well before any matches are even played.
Let's also make note that these are the two TOP PLAYERS that made the finals off a lot of prelim rounds against a monstrously stellar field. Do you really think a game is going to be decided because a player makes some silly mistake in the way they order their play? Or one player will play their hand exceptionally suboptimally? Come on now.
@@lordpye pretty much this lol, granted there have been some pretty harsh misplays done at this level because nobody is perfect, but by that same token the finals here were 3x best of 3 series, its pretty damn hard to claim its just luck as the only factor, and not skill when you do this many best of 3s.
So every match was decided by the roll/mana screwd…lul
Peak magical gathering
That's what happens when you play greedy 3 colour decks
that's what happens when you play on arena
Nice
Aside from the benefits of not cheating, I can't understand why such a high level tournament is not paper. There is a lot left out this way.
It’s easier to follow for the viewers this way but next year they are going back to paper anyways
paper is just horrible to watch - not that i don't like paper mtg, but as a view i better have it digital with all the benefits of editing as well as showing hands and stuff
@@aK1baby exactly but ppl cant accept change and benefits of the modern age so bacl to paper for next years wc
I think it was easier to follow. For the last few years every new card drawn would be put up so everyone could read. But I understand I may be biased, from watching many years on paper tournaments.
@@shieldtablet942 it’s not only the cards drawn but the table is too cluttered and even if u put a 4K camera it can get confusing specially for new players like me I’ve watched some old wc matches and I get the paper argument but imho arena or mtgo is better for live-streaming
missed lethal with double emperor meh
Standard right now looks like "Just put good stuff in your deck"
that's every competitive thing ever 😂"why is football just a bunch of good players all on the same team"
@@robarnold8248 What you say is dumb. And obviously so. Great things are more than just the sum of their parts. It's not just about the parts being individually good, it's about the parts synergizing with each other. I shouldn't have to say this. You are a grown man.
Yep, sort by rares/mythics THEN look at uncommons to see if any synergize to fill the last 4-8 cards lmao
Standard is a meme anyways who cares
The whole game is imbalanced meme depending on removals and counters.
Manascrew the gathering at its best, guess the rigged shuffler in Arena doesnt help much either
My Wolf deck would taken them down. Both, at the same time. They just played a hand full of lands. Pfff.
This is hilarious
yep, arena is still a mess to watch. needs more paper.
I think this shows very clear why Arena is not an Environment where you want to play a MTG Championship.
Why?
Worlds being decided over mana screwed issues! That’s arena’s wotc 🤢
Yes, you never get mana screwed in paper magic!
Watching people lose to mana flood or bad mana in general in 2022 feels really bad.
Wish they would come up with something like Hearthstone to have consistency and... actually be able to play every game.
really they just need a better mana base, this current iteration of standard has the worst mana base i've seen in a while. We are really missing the pathways and strixhaven lands.
MTG's resource system with lands is simultaneously one of the best and worst things about MTG. It's one of the best things because the constraints it creates provides interesting and meaningful deckbuilding considerations as well as provide a cohesive and clear sense of identity and theme among the different colors. It's also one of the worst things because its nature can lead to a lot of non-games in not drawing enough lands to cast the spells in hand or drawing too many lands and thus not having spells in hand. I think in the grand scheme, with that significant downside being what it is, MTG is better with the land system than without. I don't think the game would be nearly as engaging with Hearthstone style mana - that's just a different game at the end of the day.
@@rayndeon1 yep completely agree, and lets be real here, there is a reason way more people play mtg than hearthstone lmao. MTG does not need to rip off a game that is lesser than itself.
@@rayndeon1 i would love to have them evolve the game even more. lands are the bane of the game since ever.
i wish they would untie it from the general grand scheme and have it on the side as a macro part.
i agree on identity - but there must be some cool ideas out there, that just lead to a more consistent - skill focused approach of the game. especially in a clash with those decks tinkered to perfection, it's a shame someone loses just to not playing the game at all. no skill no nothing, but RNG - killing all the tension and excitement in a tournament format.
i remember (vaguely) a time where decks got played with so few lands and tons of methodes to "force draw" out the right amount (some G/W stuff 15years ago or so) - that decision making was actually a thing. but it eventually got banned back then.
so my take - divide ressource management and libary and have an interessting consitent "land system" i don't mind of manipulating it from your main stack / library or what not - just erase "non-games"
I dont play hearthstone, how do they do it to make it more consistent? Thanks!
Anyone else wonder if these are orchestrated? Why's it always seem like there's never a 4 game and out title match. Or at least the first few games, I know the players are making their own choices, but from a programming standpoint they could be live stacking decks
Easily and that's my main issue with digital tournaments
arena is rigged as f and the reason why i stopped playing it, the shuffler is all but random
Is table top dead now? Has covid ruined everything
They switched to Arena the year before covid happened
Would be fun if they started roping each other.
The true Arena experience.
Historic is much better than standard, is so boring.
trash last game
😂 no paper at world’s ? Paper being turned into a video game competition is cringe.
I believe that it's to mitigate cheating, but I ultimately agree: paper is best.
Ah and the worst. . MTG Arena Cards are the most slow gaming synergy of all entire MTG Card game.
Not impressed by an Arena championship....the draw rates and win rates on a computer generated algorithm, is basically already choosing the winner before the game starts...agitating that humans are excited for computer generated play...disgusting
Slight of hand is a thing in mtg competitions .there algorithm needs tweaking for sure but u can stack ur deck if u practice enough without anyone knowing
@@brichardson342 wow really, cheating is real?...30 years of playing MTG and i never knew....thank you wise one for gracing me with your profound knowledge..
@@brichardson342 the biggest legal cheat is, use cards that allow you to search your deck...look through whole deck, while smoothly stacking a pile of your big combowambo's together, if you know your opponent always wants to cut your deck, pay attention to "how" they generally cut, and shuffle so your combo's have the most likely chance of drawing into your hand...a legal way to "tutor stack" your decks
Idk, I can’t follow paper as easy because you can’t read the cards unless they do the little digital image of the card all big on the side of the screen. I way prefer watching digital.
Where did the woke they lady place?