Three 4-row cases, with fronts displaying Magic cards, two smaller gift boxes with Magic cubes, and 10 deck boxes of 100-card decks.

It took a month of off-and-on motivation to finish the last bits, but all #HalvarMtG is packed away after donating and condensing. Hopefully I'll feel the spark again some day.

At my preferred LGS for Battletech this week, and we're all excited, laughing, building games for flavor.

When I walk by Magic tables, I hear The Tone™️. Arrogance, condescension, and smugness as one player pops off first. I now get why some folks derisively say, "Commander Players." 1/
#HalvarMtG

The annual Magic: The Gathering set release lineup, showing three Magic IP sets (Lorwyn Eclipsed, Secrets of Strixhaven, Reality Fracture) and four Universes Beyond crossovers (Unnamed UB set, Marvel Super Heroes, The Hobbit, and Star Trek).

If you're not #ActuallyAutistic, you will never know the intensity of a Special Interest. Thinking of little else day and night for years, decades.

Magic isn't *Magic* anymore. It's a bastardized Fortnite-ification of what I loved, for profit, and this image made me die a little inside.
#HalvarMtG

Flumph {1}{W} Creature — Jellyfish Defender, flying Whenever this creature is dealt damage, you and target opponent each draw a card. Flumphs siphon thoughts and energy from evil aberrations, and are often eager to share the dark knowledge they obtain with friendly adventurers. 0/4 Illustrated by Brian Valeza Art shows a luminescent yellow jellyfish-like creature with eyestalks, and a green glow connecting them to a howling orc, who appears to be swinging a club at them.

Some levity for the skyline.

I have a zero-wincon Marchesa deck that is essentially, "I am the queen. I keep Monarch at all costs. Don't make me get off this couch."
I enjoy making players (particularly students) cringe by asking repeatedly, "You wanna bump my Flumph?"
#HalvarMtG

Zangief, a Steet Fighter character with mountains of muscles, baby-smooth skin, and dark mohawk with beard, gestures emphatically and says, "Then, I have moment of clarity."

I realized part of my massive disconnect with Magic (autsitic special interest) lately goes beyond the deluge of Universes Beyond products being extremely Not For Me™️.

Half of products not *being* Magic anymore also means all the YT/pod content I consumed is also Not For Me™️, anymore.
#HalvarMtG

The Three Stooges (kids I got hooked on Magic last year) have been *living* in my classroom. Can't get rid of them (love it). They're waiting for the bus after school and one asks me about a card I sent him as a possible commander to deal with his friends' shenanigans (Ruric Thar). It set off a 20min nerd chest-beating frenzy of shouting how they would out-play and metagame each other that go so loud Coach (hallway supervisor/security came trotting around the corner. The next-level eye-roll they got when he realized they were shouting Magic cards at each other was priceless.

A #HalvarMtG and #BetterDaysMTG win to end the week.

AuDHD means I start decks like a goblin, tossing everything shiny in a pile, then algorithmically cut down by carefully selected criteria.
#HalvarMtG

Some #HalvarMtG anecdata:
I've noticed more and more cards creeping past the $1 mark. Cards that averaged $0.50 are now $0.83. Budget staples like Blackblade Reforged up to $2.

As tariffs and uncertainty make #1DH more turbulent, I'm wondering if a shift to "Budget" and #PDH / #Pendragon is needed.

Y'all have fun (really, enjoy what you enjoy!) but I'm out for quite a while. Time to heat up that Mute feature.
#HalvarMtG

Elsha, Threefold Master {U}{R}{W} Legendary Creature — Djinn Monk Trample Prowess (Whenever you cast a noncreature spell, this creature gets +1/+1 until end of turn.) Whenever Elsha deals combat damage to a player, create that many 1/1 white Monk creature tokens with prowess. 1/1 Illustrated by Irina Nordsol (Art depicts a slim, light bluish-white skinned being in bright blue, red, and pink monk clothing, mid martial arts pose)

Earl of Squirrel {4}{G}{G} Creature — Squirrel Noble Advisor Squirrellink (Damage dealt by this creature also causes you to create that many 1/1 green Squirrel creature tokens.) Creature tokens you control are Squirrels in addition to their other creature types. Other Squirrels you control get +1/+1. 4/4 Illustrated by Milivoj Ćeran (Art depicts a large reddish-brown squirrel with white ringlet wig on a throne, gesturing to two smaller squirrels)

#HalvarMtG thought:
Unstable was my first ever draft, so it is very memorable, and watchingbthe various mechanics become black-border designs (Augment is Mutate, dice rolling matters, etc) has been wild.

Because the new Elsha has...
Monklink.

I haven't felt this engaged with #HalvarMtG in 2 years. The combination of a banger *actual Magic* set (attended Dragonstorm Prerelease) and SCGcon with the Goblin Lore Crew has me more excited to build and play than I have been since leaving my other Head and GameClub in SD.
#BetterDaysMTG

Street Riot {4}{R} Enchantment During your turn, creatures you control get +1/+0 and have trample. “They said obey and you’ll be happy. They said you’ll be safe. But we’re not safe. We’re not happy. And we will not obey.” —Domri Rade Illustrated by Tomasz Jedruszek (Art shows shadowed figures with a variaty of animal bones and hides, weilding clubs and torches, crowding a cobblestone street)

Rubblebelt Rioters {1}{R}{G} Creature — Human Berserker Haste Whenever this creature attacks, it gets +X/+0 until end of turn, where X is the greatest power among creatures you control. “If the system is broken, break the system.” —Domri Rade 0/4 Illustrated by Tomasz Jedruszek (Art shows several warriors with improvised leather clothing and bone/wood weapons advancing through an autumn scene, smashing stone statues)

I think about these flavor texts a lot.
#HalvarMtG

Since leaving my friends & GameClub almost 2 years ago, Magic has been a steadily declining SpIn for me, due to personal opportunity for play & WotC's UB/HatSet direction.

But, wow, was Dragonstorm prerelease (my first in 21mo) a blast.
It felt like Magic again.
Bravo! 🤩

#HalvarMtG
#BetterDaysMTG

BlueSky moderation page, showing terms related to Final Fantasy and MagicCon Chicago muted.

Happy for folks who partake, but it just drives home for me that I never will and most of this year's Magic sets are extremely not for me.
#HalvarMtg

Commander Brackets (Beta) 1: Exhibition- Your ultra-casual commander deck •No mass land denial or extra turns •No 2-card infinite combos •No "Game Changers" •Few tutors 2: Core- The average preconstructed deck •No mass land denial •No chaining extra turns •No 2-card infinite combos •No "Game Changers" •Few tutors 3: Upgraded- Beyond the strength of an average precon deck •No mass land denial •No chaining extra turns •Late-game 2-card infinite combos •3 "Game Changers" 4: Optimized- High power commander. It's time to go wild! •No restrictions [other than the banned list] 5: CEDH- High power with a very competitive and metagame focused mindset •No restrictions [other than the banned list]

Game Changers White mana symbol White Drannith Magistrate Enlightened Tutor Serra's Sanctum Smothering Tithe Trouble in Pairs Blue mana symbol Blue Cyclonic Rift Expropriate Force of Will Fierce Guardianship Rhystic Study Thassa's Oracle Urza, Lord High Artificer Mystical Tutor Jin-Gitaxias, Core Augur Black mana symbol Black Bolas's Citadel Demonic Tutor Imperial Seal Opposition Agent Tergrid, God of Fright Vampiric Tutor Ad Nauseam Red mana symbol Red Jeska's Will Underworld Breach Green mana symbol Green Survival of the Fittest Vorinclex, Voice of Hunger Gaea's Cradle Multicolor mana symbol Multicolor Kinnan, Bonder Prodigy Yuriko, the Tiger's Shadow Winota, Joiner of Forces Grand Arbiter Augustin IV Colorless mana symbol Colorless Ancient Tomb Chrome Mox The One Ring The Tabernacle at Pendrell Vale Trinisphere Grim Monolith Lion's Eye Diamond Mox Diamond Mana Vault Glacial Chasm Commander Brackets (Beta)

Reading Gavin's primer of the Commander Brackets, I first laughed that I only own three "Game Changers" (2 unused, 1 as a compassionate teaching tool for students).

Then "Every one of my decks could be a 1 with this system..." unless reading & following the *spirit* of the primer.

#HalvarMtG

A Color of Magic playmat covered in late-game cards. Screen annotation shows 19 creatures providing power buffs to one another.

Played my first Magic game in months today (Gaming Enrichment). Kid kept talking trash, "Rakdos for life!" and "Green White is lame" so they chose the Kylar modified precon for me to play...

I won by attacking for 1090, making them do the math, while their girlfriend pointed and laughed.
#HalvarMtG

I think I need to make a conscious effort to both tag and diversify what I am willing to post here. Reskeets on current events and neurodiversity abound, but mute or follow as you choose:

#HalvarMtG Magic
#HalvarVents useless rants
#HalvarTeaches Education
Adding #HalvarMechs for Battletech.

I've said or done very little with #HalvarMtG in recent months because I get the itch to build something new, have a recurrent idea, then quit and doomscroll, or start my 12th Minecraft world to abandon.
I don't have anyone to play with and monthly Daddy Parole is used for a Battletech campaign. 1/2

(With Alt)

For what it's worth, I believe in the philosophy that restriction yields creativity in games and art. Limiting common legality to MTGO downshifts not only keeps Pendragon in line with Pauper & PDH (aiding access & reach), but keeps us honest.
#HalvarMtG

Ok, it's #HalvarMtG story time.

Spring 2018, I am thoroughly HOOKED on Magic & my LGS just closed. Friend is opening a new one, but my students & I will miss Dominaria prerelease.

So I meet a neighboring (50mi) store employee in a parking lot to exchange money and duffle bags full of Magic cards.

Thinned 2k cards out, down to 2.5 4-row cases & a fourth for tokens, sleeves, misc.
Next is tearing apart all constructed decks & finding nicer storage for the BattleBox and Cube.

No need to have more than 2 of a card (4 for lands and pauper-legal variant staples) anymore.
#HalvarMtG

The port over from Doombird is nearly complete. I see the Voice of Optimization shared on the skyline 😖.

I dont need one of the primary sources for format acceleration, Money Pile pubstompers, and pretentious bad takes polluting my feed.

Windmill-slamming BLOCK, keep playing jank.
#HalvarMtG

When the new Commander Format Panel folks ask questions, use your voice.
BUT
Don't be a goon. Answer the question, not try to meme-lord the replies. Give reasonable feedback.

Thanks, folks!
#HalvarMtG

I really do need a distraction, and am contemplating attending a Magic event in defiance of... everything.

So, folks in the know, what's coming up in the next few months within a day's drive of Minneapolis? I know MC Chicago, but that's scary.
#HalvarMtG

#HalvarMtG
Collecting for its own sake is one thing, but I'm wondering, especially in comparison to collection size and constructed decks,

How often do you PLAY Magic?

#HalvarMtG
Cutting down the collection again I'm & curious, for the nerds out there:

•How many formats do you have decks for, regardless of amount played?

•How many decks do you have, and what formats for?

•How many cards do you have? Do you have a number of each you limit or keep a minimum of?

I'm threading some of my more personally foundational posts under the pinned one, as there's randomly twice as many followers as a week ago.

Also, if you want to mute:
•I use #HalvarMtG for my Magic (SpIn) posts
•I'll start tagging my personal rants as #HalvarVents and
•Ed-related as #HalvarTeaches

In any multiplayer format,
1DH (former, needs reprint)
PDH
Artisan
EDH,
You will fear my open swamp at all times.
#HalvarMtG

#ActuallyAutistic / #HalvarMtG crossover for #MentalHealthMTG

Magic has been my SpIn for years. The primary content I consume (YT, pods, articles) and my self-regulation at night when I have (or make) an hour to myself.

BUT I've been increasingly disconnected in recent months.
1/

A Color of Magic playmat covered in Magic Foundations cards. Arrayed in front are Progenitus, alt-art Chandra, Sire of Seven Deaths, Doubling Season, Prerelease foil Krenko, alt-art foil Giada, Homunculus Horde, Lunar Insight, Kiora, Ghalta, alt-art Goblin Bushwhacker, and Arahbo.

#HalvarMtG hadn't *bought* Magic product for over a year because of funds and life. No events since leaving SD (and my other head, @soultrinketstudios.bsky.social). I used last of store credit with MH3 and traded for a weak DSK kit.

This week I got a Foundations kit to play on webcam and... well...