Signs and Sorceries: MTG Summit 2023 Edition

Brad Aldridge • December 15, 2023

Editorial

MTG Summit, ONWARD!

Stepping into the MTG Summit for the second year in a row felt like coming home, only with more cardboard and less awkward family dinners. This time, though, we were making an appearance as special guests, representing Commander Spellbook, the search engine for EDH combos.

Space Cow Media (the brains behind EDHREC, Archidekt, EDHRECast, Commander's Herald, Commander Spellbook, and a few others) decided to throw their sponsorship our way. No pressure, right? I mean, who wouldn't want to make sure the fans appreciate the fruit of our labor, especially when that labor involves choosing the perfect shade of pink for our shirts (No, we are not sponsored by Pepto Bismol, unfortunately)?

Deckboxes in hand, we swaggered down to the Commander area, ready for some serious shenanigans. Our table filled up faster than a Simic player can say "adapt", and we were primed for action. Thankfully, Michael Celani, aka "GamesfreakSA," joined our merry band. If you don't know him, he's the gentleman behind the How They Brew It articles at Commander's Herald. Some call him a genius; others call him a madman. I call him a fellow co-conspirator in the pursuit of epic Commander battles.

I slam-dunked my deck onto the table, one of my personal favorite decks straight out of one of Michael's articles:

Because nothing says "thank you for your articles" like beating your friends with the very deck they inspired! The game dragged on for a whopping three hours, like a Magic-themed marathon. In the end, I didn't emerge victorious, but we all had so much fun that we forgot time was a thing.

Post-match, we attracted a small crowd using sign language to communicate.

Now, let's talk about the elephant in the room, or in my case, the perpetually pink-shirted wizard at the table. You see, I'm deaf. Accompanying me is Tony Bonny, my trusty sidekick and interpreter. We made a splash in one of our Kingdoms TV gameplay videos, showcasing what happens when you mix Magic and American Sign Language (ASL):

An Important Detail Being Left Out

Now, picture this: a bunch of Magic players, animatedly signing away at a table (It's like a silent disco, but with more counterspells).

Fast forward to our second match, where I unleashed my "Infect but not touching you" Gale, Waterdeep Prodigy

deck, partnered with Scion of Halaster
. I issued a warning that my deck was more infectious than a catchy tune, but Meren of Clan Nel Toth
 had plans of her own. By turn two, she casually dropped Melira, Sylvok Outcast
, and in that moment, I could practically hear the ominous "dun-dun-dun" in the background. My spidey senses tingled. Well, more like my Magic senses, and I knew there was some persist combo up his sleeve.

Then came the real kicker. Meren played Defense of the Heart

, and suddenly, the table resembled a courtroom in session. A hushed silence hung in the air, broken only by the occasional nervous cough. After much debate and a few awkward glances, they collectively shrugged and decided, "Eh, let's play some more creatures."

Defense of the Heart triggers on the Meren player's upkeep, and it was like the Magic equivalent of letting a gremlin near water. Chaos ensued. Creatures flooded the battlefield like they were auditioning for a Broadway play, and before we knew it, the game was over quicker than you can say, "Abracadabra, you're immune." It was a plot twist worthy of a Magic-themed soap opera.

During the match, we crossed paths with Ali, aka GirlWithTheGreenSuit, a hard-of-hearing cEDH player and renowned Winota, Joiner of Forces enthusiast. We met a few months back at a Utah cEDH tournament and had been itching for a showdown ever since. Luckily, Ali had Xander with a spare cEDH deck, and the stage was set for a clash of titans: Winota, Zur the Enchanter, Godo, and Tayam.

The game was intense, the Stax was real, and, to cut a long story short, I ended up tapping my Talisman and City of Brass

into killing myself before Winota could finish me for lethal. It's all in good fun, right?

Dawn of the Second Day

Day two dawned with grand plans of exploring artist booths and vendor tables. Spoiler alert: it didn't happen. Jordan and Julian from Kingdoms TV whisked us away for a quick cEDH game. My plans for vendor exploration? Lost to the wind, my friends.

Post-Kingdoms TV shenanigans, I found myself in the unexpected realm of a 2HG draft with my interpreter, Tony, facing off against Dana Roach and Matt Morgan (of EDHRECast fame), Bobbie Christine, a well-known aggro queen in Commander, and three other guest challengers.

Suddenly, I found myself in a perilous situation: a written signature request! My very first ever! I fumbled through my pockets only to realize I was as prepared as a squirrel in a grocery store. Enter Dana Roach, the hero of the day, lending me his pen like a Magic wand in the nick of time.

Booth-hopping ensued, and eventually, we joined the Commander pod queue. Lo and behold, I encountered a fellow signer! After a chat, Fred, a local game store wizard from Inner Circle Comics & Games, who was working as MTG Summit staff that just ended his shift, joined our game with a custom art Krenko, Mob Boss

as Jar Jar Binks. It was chaos, laughter, and Goblin tokens galore. The crowd loved it, and some even clamored for Fred's autograph.

After the game, Fred bid us adieu, headed for a showdown with Kyle Hill that he's been longing for. A young girl took his vacated spot, expressing her dream of becoming an ASL teacher inspired by her father and sister. We played, we laughed, and my Gale, the infect deck, made a valiant, if unsuccessful, return.

Twelve Hours Remaining

Day three arrived with eager challengers seeking a taste of defeat at our hands. My infamous "Manbearpig" Raggadragga

deck made an appearance, facing off against Aminatou, Vorinclex, and Zacama. It was a fierce battle, but Manbearpig prevailed with an infinite combo that left everyone wondering if Magic was a card game or a circus act. An infinite combo that once made its appearance on our first Kingdoms TV gameplay.

With victory in hand, I sought out Thomas A. Baxa to sign my Hateflayer

card. A brief trip down card memory lane ensued in our conversation, complete with altered arts on Goblin tokens. Good times.

A chance meeting with a friendly player from the day before led to a final match. My Kami of the Crescent Moon

, aka "Blue Moon Ass Man," faced off against Lurrus, Teysa Karlov, and Sai, Master Thopterist. Banter flowed, cards were drawn, and the game unfolded at a pace that would make a turtle seem speedy. Alas, I became the archenemy, and my Stax-induced downfall arrived when Teysa swung for lethal.

Last Stand

The days had taken their toll, but there was one more battle left in us. Tony borrowed my Lulu, Loyal Hollyphant

deck, a Selesnya Aristocrat with more infinite combos than a conspiracy theorist's wall of red strings.

I unleashed my Osgir, the Reconstructor

deck, and the battlefield was set against Kwain, Itinerant Meddler
 and Commissar Severina Raine
. It was a war of attrition, a symphony of spells, and a Saga that unfolded like a Shakespearean tragedy, only with more mana. In the end, infinite combos had the final say, and my Lulu deck claimed victory using Fiend Hunter, Sun Titan, and Blasting Station for a dose of infinite damage.

And so, weary but triumphant, we bid farewell to the MTG Summit, our decks battered and our tales legendary. Until next time, may your draws be swift and your opponents befuddled!