Nathan Holt (@WalkThePlanes) on the GentlemenBurninatorSociety HOTseat!!!

Welcome to the Gentlemen Burninator Society's inaugural interview. I'm SO stoked to have my first planeswalker on the blog, Nathan Holt!!

Check out his work at http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL3rP64NRtmbg0g-A_fwwpfaTpkmmwcwYl

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RT: Welcome Nathan, mind the fire...no really your cape is smoking a bit there..

NH: That's normal. It's to create a smoke-shield that will confuse beasts that might otherwise attack us. I understand if it makes you uncomfortable. 

RT: I just wanted to start by saying, I really enjoy your work! Your contribution to sharing the Magic community and keeping magic approachable for all skill levels has been awesome. You're actually one of the more accessible MTG figures I've come across on Twitter too, so thank you for that (@WalkThePlanes).

NH: You're welcome! That's music to my ears!

RT: Where did you get your start in Magic?

NH: When 3rd Edition came out way back in 1994 and I was a wee lad, my friend Tom introduced me to the game. I was obsessed with both collectible cards and fantasy tales, so I was quite taken by the game.

RT: What fuels your interest in Magic?

NH: It's a great way to socialize. I love structured activities with my friends, and Magic is a great way to bring friends together in that way.

RT: How much do you get to play now with your schedule? Do you play in paper, online, and/or consoles? My first experience was with DotP 2012.

NH: I play a few nights a week with my friends. Almost always paper. I play a little bit of MTGO. DotP is also great.

RT: What does the sense of community mean to you in Magic? Do you have a local spot?

NH: It means everything. WTP started as a kind of love letter from me to the community. The community has always supported us wonderfully. My main local spot is my brother's coffee table in South Philly. But Top Deck Games and Redcap's Corner are also great local game stores that I play at from time to time.

RT: Your videos are shot from all over the globe, what's it like traveling and seeing different cultures all sharing the same interest in Magic?

NH: It's a testament to how great the game and community are that there are players from all over the world attending are converging on the convention centers that host the Magic tournaments that we shoot at. The international representation demands a kind of respect from hobbyists everywhere. Magic is legit.

RT: Do you have a favourite place (Plane/Country) you've travelled to? Anywhere you'd like to visit?

NH: I hated Mirrodin. Zendikar was a blast until the Eldrazi ruined all the fun. Amsterdam is a phenomenal city. I'd love to go Japan and/or Kamigawa.

RT: Is there anything you're specifically excited to experience in Magic's future?

NH: The integration of more women into organized play. It's going to happen.

RT: Where did you get your start producing videos? 

NH: I'm an actor/writer, so I've been involved in various video projects for years going back to the 6th grade with my buddies in the backyard. 

<Lightning Round -- We play red, you knew this was coming>

RT: Favourite colour to play

NH: Lately, it's red!

RT: Favourite card

NH: Ambush Viper.

RT: Favourite figure in Magic (Player and/or character)

NH: Luis Scott-Vargas.

RT: Favourite Set

NH: Theros!

RT: Do you listen to MTG podcasts?

NH: Yes.

RT: Any plans to produce an MTG movie?

NH: .....stay tuned.... 

<Grabs fire extinguisher>

RT: A lot of new players will see you as one of the first Magic figures in the WotC videos, do you have any advice for them?

NH: Always try to have fun, don't get upset about bad luck, do what you can to help your opponent have fun.

RT: What do you think is the best way to introduce new players to the game and help them get started in the Magic community?

NH: Play with a friend. Play slowly. Don't try to learn all the rules at once. Duels of the Planeswalkers is terrific. It doesn't give a crap if you mess up the rules or if you wanna take 10 minutes on your turn. 

RT: My Magic community started in England but has since expanded across the globe through my travels and with social media (Twitter, Youtube, and Facebook). The core thing I've seen no matter where I've gone, is a shared interest in the game and the rich social experiences that it creates. On that note I'd like to shout out the Heavy Meta Podcast and it's army of listeners (#HMSVU) around the globe for fuelling my interest when I've been away from home!

RT: Do you have anyone you'd like to shout out?

NH: Jay Roselius aka Emilio Airhorn. He makes all the sweet electro-music for the show and he's a super fun guy to play silly games of multiplayer Magic with. 

RT: Is there anything else you'd like to add?

NH: I encourage everyone reading this to aid me in my quest to defeat Mark Rosewater and overthrow Wizards of the Coast!

RT: Thanks again Nathan, really looking forward to what you have for us next!

NH: *disappears in a puff of smoke, leaving behind a single Storm Crow*

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Absolutely thrilled to have Nathan on! 

@Ricostravels

Wait for it!!! Wait for it!!!

Nothing for the next 2 weeks guys, I'm a one man operation and sometimes life (in this case EXAMS) gets in the way. I have some exciting projects on the go that I can't wait to share :)

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Bear with me here, it'll be worth it!!

@Ricostravels

Burninated!!

So red is the colour of power, energy, passion, and impulsiveness...and yes..in a complete turn around from last week (sorry @Mattystudios) I bought my Mono Red "all in" deck. It got me thinking a bit...why does Red just resonate with me?

Mono red is often criticized as the deck you play if you hate game interaction whether it be playing against the other person (and not just playing your deck), or the short length of the matches (you live or die by the speed of your deck and its ability to deliver). Some have even criticized it as a deck that takes "no skill to play", you know what? Fair point. Anyone can pick up a Red deck and get with the game-plan, but if you want to consistently win, you're going to need more than burn and fast creatures.

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I like Red because it lets me do what I want to do in magic, avoid drawing due to time, follow a specific set of objectives and plays, and win. There is no other deck that I know of that fits these goals better than Mono Red.

I like making critical decisions where I can see the IMMEDIATE effect of my actions and plays. Every play counts in the ticking time bomb that is; can I beat you before that turn 5 play comes down and I need to settle for burn and hope you haven't got lifegain in your card sleeve(s).

As a new player, I would go so far to say it's been critical for my development and understanding of the game, to see how the mechanics of different decks play out, against my predetermined, but lightning fast approach. The clearer your plays are to me and how your deck works, the clearer my lines of play. Red is a learning tool for new players and a challenge for experienced players to master. It's also one of those decks that logically makes sense. The 4 of's make for familiar grips and the opportunity for important experience and repetition. Remember, I'm not a player with years or experience, or even a great deal of experience in the last year. Odds are in every single game I'm playing, I'm trying to catch up to your experience level.

My first experience deckbuilding and playing competitively was with UW Control (might as well have been called UW Deeeenied -- There's a new society name in there somewhere!) and I learned so little about other decks and my own, that it changed what was initially an adrenaline rush to a dragged out inevitability. I may have stopped you every step of the way for the first 5 turns, but after that the game stalled and so did the interest of both players.

Red, is the rush I look for when slinging cardboard. Red gives me the biggest opportunity to evaluate situations, put you under extreme pressure, learn, re-evaluate, and of course BURNINATE.

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Huge dip in views last week! Not sure what's up but maybe I need to rekindle the flame here...I've been in discussion with @theproxyguy about producing some @Ricostravels/GentlemenBurninatorSociety tokens (might mail those around the world if people are interested in snapping a pic of them playing with it). I'm also hoping to put together a custom playmat so I can spread the word a bit when I finally get back to land and sling cardboard with some of you but not without some time and energy to put a solid design together.

I REALLY appreciate this support with re-tweets and to my dedicated readers, thank you, you're awesome and I've really enjoyed sharing discussions on some of the topics that come up!! I am ALWAYS interested in your views on issues that come up and particularly on where in the world you're reading from :D


#burinateatanycost
#prefereablycheapandefficientthough
#studentofthegame

Shout out! @EatenByBeebles

@Ricostravels

Not a bad problem to have

So watching Pro Tour Theros in Dublin, and being on the other side of the world, and being a couple of months still away from home (and the opportunity to play paper). It hit me, I have no REAL idea what I'm going to get to play when I get back to Canada. I have a dilemma that maybe you can help me with. (Note: Thanks to @Mattystudios for keeping me from compulsively buying every card I want to play on a whim).

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If you look carefully at one of my previous articles, specifically my top 10 cards, you'll see that every colour of the pie is represented. I have the shell for UW control, I have some of the cards for RDW, I have some of the pieces for Green aggro, I have the shock lands to support almost every significant colour combination...and...I don't own any of the high yield planeswalkers.

Before I sound like every other player who is moaning about card prices and availability...I want to show you the other side of the coin. Right now, the field is so diverse, so rich in archetypes and flavour, that it almost doesn't matter which direction I go in. So I'm reasonably (@MattyStudios might disagree) content to hold back and wait for the time being. Paper speculators be damned, the more diverse the field, the greater the spread of demand and the more affordable the cards may become over time.

For someone in my position (not being able to physically play paper for a few more months) it means that it's less necessary to snatch up the cards I forecast are going to be in demand (For Instance: if I hadn't called Thundermaw Hellkite early, I never could have played UWR Tempo). When the meta moves forward and IF (big if) it remains so diverse the greater spread of desirable cards, SHOULD keep the demand for specific cards more under control. To me, and perhaps to WotC, when the field remains competitive and diverse we all win. More people can afford to play (and win) with different decks, and each deck has to prepare for the larger field of options, opponents, and strategies. Simply put, the greater the field diversity, the greater the chance that skilled play wins out over raw card power, while maintaining the lowest barrier to entry possible.

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I'm not a card speculator in the true nature of the term, I'm not looking to flip cards for profit. I try to forecast prices so I can actually play the game with the pieces that should be available to everyone. While rarity is great for making limited play special and truly giving you that "wow" feeling when you see a card hit the board, it really REALLY ruins the chance to play with all the cards in a set. When cards reach that level that they really only acquired with loads of money (And that money scales directly to rarity and power in standard), instead of merit (re: any MMO) or chance (such as boosters), it's only the richest (wo)man who wins at the expense of the greater field.

#WhatdeckshouldIplay
#Abolishmythic
#PTTHS

@Ricostravels

One month in

This is perhaps the easiest choice of topics in the long and illustrious lifespan of this blog. We're one month in, over 750 views, and the icing on the cake, I got derfed.

I'm not about to sit on my backend and revel in this glorious moment (I might take a min or two ;) ) by myself, so a BIG thank you to everyone reading this and especially to the retweeters among the HMSVU!

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How about some cool stats?

Since this blog started a month ago, the number one referral method is through twitter, so every single retweet and favourite really counts! Right now the overall count is over 500 views with most of them from Twitter, Manadeprived, and a few other random sites. I've tried my best to share the link without being spammy and to always to post it when it's relevant to the material at hand.

My Hearthstone article is the most viewed by a significant margin, behind it are how much is too much article and my top 10 cards. I always want to keep my posts interesting and unique so it'd be interesting to hear what you like the most.

Most of you reading are from America, followed by Canada and then the rest of the world. I have viewers from: UK, Indonesia, Russia, Spain, Australia, Germany, France, and the Caribbean...and I'm sure the IPs are being mixed up a bit with NZ and Portugal not appearing! I LOVE the global viewership guys and gals!

Twitter has been amazing for sharing your stories as well! It's been awesome to follow along on your MTG experiences from Asia, Europe, the US, and the South Pacific! Twitter so much more than just sharing what you had for lunch, and it's incredible how it's been a such a tool for networking and growth. Heavy Meta is built on a foundation of personalities and chemistry and is distributed far a wide by mutual interests and the viral nature of Twitter sharing.

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Where do we go from here? I want to continue to produce short, interesting stories and perspectives that you can enjoy or at the very least give you food for thought. If there was anything I would like to increase..it might be my approachability, whether it be on Twitter or just in people responding to my posts, I really do savour the interaction over these mediums. What do you think? Let me know :)

Finally, I want to thank @Derfington for taking the time to do a picture of me in his unique and always eye catching art-style. It's something I've wanted so badly for so long, and I know these things take time and energy. Thank you!

I remain in awe of how fast this Heavy Meta machine continues to roll forward.

@Ricostravels

Top 10 cards I can't wait to play with

As some of you may know, or have figured out from my cryptic twitter handle, I travel (What does Rico do...He travels - Kevy)

I love travelling, but it keeps me from playing MTG a lot of the time (like right now where my closest card shop is a 1 hour flight away or a 24 hour swim). To make a long story short, I haven't got a chance to play with paper cards since the 2013 winter holiday season and I won't until 2014.

So without further or do, here are the top 10 cards I can't wait to play with in no particular order!

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1) Scavenging Ooze - Can't wait to play with this card, the om nom nom ability looks sick, finding a way to get your ooze through seems to be the biggest problem but luckily that's what removal is for..it also feeds the ooze! Supposed to be less powerful with Theros but I won't know the difference :)

2) Deathrite Shaman - I've never had a chance to play with this guy, but I can see him fitting into a Std Rock deck or fueling my Modern BR burn deck into the later game. Not completely sold on either but I'm looking forward to taking it for a spin regardless.

3) Dark Confidant - Modern BR burn, loading up on twice as many cards (or more) per turn sounds burntastic to me! More an investment piece in case I can pony up to play Modern Jund!

4) Lightning Bolt - It's THE burn spell, I'm in no way new to this one but it's fun to have so many options. #gentlemenburninatorsociety

5) Firedrinker Satyr - This is my noob card. When it came out I called it "garbage" because I frankly couldn't see past its downside. Excited to take this for a spin and discover what this card is really made of.

6) Sphinx's Revelation - I had this sucker in my Std UWR Tempo deck but never needed to cast him (note: UWR Tempo might as well have been Red and blue and white deck wins -- perhaps my fav deck ever).

7) Thoughtseize - A lot of hype around this one. If I can ever afford to pick them up, I'm interested to give them a go. Feeds the ooze? Nom.

8) Shocklands - Knowing your 3 colour deck is sorted by turn 2 is a great feeling.

9) Dreadbore - Planeswalkers are going to pile up in standard so killing them for BR is fine with me. At this stage I don't really like planeswalkers, they complicate the game (make it very expensive) and the more recent changes kinda kill the flavour, I'm also still new so simple is better.

10) Jace, Memory Adept - This is the only standard legal planeswalker I own. I could never get him to mill someone to death, but with all these Sphinx's revelation decks, you could see it happening and being a key piece in the mirror match.

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That's all for me this week, I'm pretty excited to get to actually play this game again. The amount of time I spend reading up on playing MTG so I can finally play like I know what I'm doing, when I do physically get to play with my paper cards, is absolutely bonkers. I've ordered a pile of cards from FacetoFacegames, and I can't wait to get my HeavyMeta shirt when I get home in December #EarlyHolidayPresents

Until then, DotP 2014 will have to do!

@Ricostravels -- Thank you for every Retweet and Favourite! Which cards are you looking forward to playing with?