As soon as the Alchemy Qualifier Weekend was over, we didn't even have time to try out the winning lists, because the format underwent some rebalancing the very next day! No buffs, just nerfs to tone down some of the strongest and most popular decks in order to reduce their explosiveness and have a fresher and less stagnant format for the months to come... Especially in view of the arrival of MTG—Final Fantasy, which will not have its own Alchemy miniset. But let's take a look at the rebalances!

About a year ago we were here wondering if the heist mechanic was too strong, or at least too oppressive, for the Alchemy format. In this regard, Wizards of the Coast initially chose not to take any action, perhaps trusting in a natural evolution of the format, but then came to the conclusion that it would be better to limit its power and announced the nerf of Grenzo, Crooked Jailer first (November 2023) and that of Impetuous Lootmonger then (March 2024). Today, heist is no longer considered a problem, but we could find ourselves faced with an Alchemy mechanic that is a bit too pushed again.

Tarkir: Dragonstorm's debut on MTG Arena is just around the corner, and as with every new set coming out, you can't miss our usual guide to the limited archetypes, which takes care of giving an overview of how the set is structured. We've already talked in depth about the 7 new mechanics introduced with this new set, but in case you missed it, don't worry, because you can catch up below, and they'll be mentioned again anyway. Tarkir: Dragonstorm's theme is centered on 5 tricolor clans, each of which has its own mechanic that characterizes it.

Aetherdrift was an extremely profitable set for our beloved Goblins, especially with the addition of four great creatures in Burnout Bashtronaut, Greasewrench Goblin, Draconautics Engineer, and Howlsquad Heavy. These are already seeing play in both Standard and Pioneer formats, leading Goblins to sporadic results in competitive Magic and paving the way for ever more diverse variations. However, I like to surprise you, and today I would rather not talk to you about either format, also because there is something else that has caught my attention and that was secretly released along with Aetherdrift. I say “secretly” because it's not a regular card present in the set but an addition in its Special Guests. I am talking about Chrome Mox!

We're already in the midst of the Tarkir spoiler (dragon) storm, with the new set headed to MTG Arena on April 8th and the release date set for the 11th. While we are receiving new cards daily , a little at a time, all the new mechanics that will be part of this set have already been revealed, and we can therefore already start taking a look at them! Tarkir: Dragonstorm is structured into five tricolor clans, and each of them is attributed a new identifying mechanic, in addition to two new generic ones that you can find everywhere.

It's already been a week since Alchemy: Aetherdrift hit MTG Arena, and after having had the chance to try them out a bit, let's see what seems to be the best cards in the set! Of the 30 cards it is composed of, I selected the 8 most interesting for the Alchemy format, giving them a rating and classifying them, just as I did for the previous Alchemy sets: Bloomburrow and Duskmourn. The following cards are already seeing play, maybe even only sporadically and partially, but this does not mean they are the only ones, given that I had to leave out some others of approximately the same level.

This week, MTG Arena's Midweek Magic event might have been a little more special than usual for some, because we finally got to try out Standard Pauper! I have always found Pauper (commons only) and Artisan (commons and uncommons only) extremely interesting and stimulating for several reasons that I can summarize as follows: They are fresh and new, and it’s not possible to netdeck the strongest lists right away, thus creating an unexplored metagame and leaving room for inventiveness and creativity like the Magic of the past.

With the tabletop prerelease already underway and the digital set coming to MTG Arena on February 11, it's time for our usual guide to Aetherdrift's limited archetypes! I've already written a couple of articles on Aetherdrift about the introduction of the 10 racing teams and the limited mechanics, which can be considered as a supplement to this, and I'll leave them here in case you want to delve deeper.