Instant Speed MTG: Instant Speed Gazette #003

Columns for the Control-Oriented!

New sets! Old Cards! CRAZY Draft Experiences!

In the past week, Magic players across the world have been blessed with back-to-back announcements of this years upcoming supplemental sets.

Eternal Masters will be a no-holds-barred royal reprint rumble. Modern Masters has enjoyed two incarnations thus far, and has resulted in modes like Commander and Modern becoming more accessible in card availability and value, while also creating a premium draft experience. We can assume these successes have led to Eternal Masters, reprinting cards from all the way back to even before the Ice Age that we here at Instant Speed began our magic career with. While the exact lists are only speculation for some, safe to say that this entire set will be worth having for any player who deviates from standard!

Conspiracy: the Reign of Brago will be coming at us in August, promising even more premium draft experiences. While EDH-heads will have less to dance in circles over, and Legacy legionnaires will need not gnash their teeth at their cube losing a couple percent of value, each of us will enjoy a set specifically designed to be drafted " with new cards that affect the draft itself and new Conspiracies that twist the rules against your foes -- Trade votes and spread your attacks to manipulate the game in your favor".

What can we expect? Take this example from the first Conspiracy set, Cogwork Librarian.

Check out the official announcements HERE and HERE.

Competition is Fierce!

While the Eldrazi may be crushing dreams on playmats everywhere, Pro Magic Players world-wide are getting ready to start grinding out pro points in preparation for Pro Tour: Shadows Over Innistrad. Meanwhile, Twitch viewers will have all the competition to watch an analyze that we can handle!

For a comfortable warm up, Star City Games Philly is coming up coming up next weekend, February 27th and 28th. These are always great events spanning multiple formats, so be sure to join twitch.tv/scglive for a weekend full of Eldrazi and counter-Eldrazi debates!

GP Detroit hits March 4th, giving us another taste of Modern in the competitive circuit. GP Washington DC follows only one weekend after, bringing us exciting, pro-packed Team Sealed events. Check out the official streams at twitch.tv/magic!

Spoilers! Shadows Over Innistrad has made its way to the hands of a very select few, and we have several spoilers to discuss!

Compelling Deterrence is a compelling reason to look forward to playing Dimir Zombies. Also, this card is easily a front-runner for "Most Comic Artwork."

Watcher in the Web will be a popular body in the drafts to come. If you are someone who depends on flyers to get damage in, start practicing other tactics!

WereWolves! More flip-cards makes for more fun, and more interesting brews, so bring them on!