Deafening Silence | Art by Igor Kieryluk

Can You Hear Us Now?

The Magic multiverse is a bit of a strange place. Goblins, Dragons, and Faeries inhabit planes from Dominaria to Lorwyn. This same vibrant diversity extends to the planeswalkers themselves. And for us here on the plane of Earth, individuals from all walks of life enjoy playing Commander with friends and family. Of course, one of Magic's greatest strengths is its accessibility to all, whether through players shortcutting strategies across language barriers or seeing themselves in key characters who make a difference. Sometimes, that accessibility extends beyond words that can be spoken. Today, we're speaking and signing with three individuals who are part of Magic's deaf demographic, including the Commander Spellbook team's very own BJ Aldridge.

Tell us a bit about yourself and your personal journey into playing Magic: The Gathering.

Justin "SERGTACO" Rutledge:  First of all, I hate blue. I grew up loving Pokemon and Yu-Gi-Oh cards. I didn't know what Magic until I was a sophomore in high school around 2013. It wasn't until I was a freshman in college that my coach taught me how to play Magic. I've been in love ever since. My first commander was the Kalemne, Disciple of Iroas precon. My stronger build is Daretti, Scrap Savant.

Gregory Croke: I've been playing Magic for 11 years. I first started in 2012 at a Thanksgiving gathering. I've been playing competitively since 2014. Currently I focus on Commander and Limited formats, but I also play Modern here and there.

BJ Aldridge: I'm that guy who carries two oversized suitcases full of twelve random Commander decks while sporting a custom playmat with a picture of a guy laughing and signing "U Mad?" in American Sign Language (ASL). I'm the guy who glued four copies of One with Nothing card on a plastic championship belt so I can compete for said-unwinnable belt in our local pod and then wear it around my waist. Yeah, I'm that guy. But I also work with Commander Spellbook to showcase the best combos in the format.

How do you personally play Magic as a deaf player?

Justin: I used to play Magic using Cockatrice and communicated through their chat text box. I like playing in person as well, but with deaf peers. I've only played on SpellTable once. Playing online makes it a lot easier to communicate with hearing people. Playing casually with hearing people isn't as casual in "casual" mode, but when competing in a special event or tournament setting it would be competitive. And I'm just there to kick ass.

Gregory: I play the game as normally as you'd expect. It's not too different because most games are played using gestures with hearing people as well. Of course, hearing people also don't talk to me as often, so gestures can be extra important during our games when it comes to the little things.

BJ: I started playing with others who are deaf or know sign language. I had my first experience playing against an opponent who knew nothing about sign language and hadn't played against deaf players before. That changed my perspective because of the communication barrier. If you want to see myself and other deaf players playing Magic, you can watch below and see more on the Kingdoms TV Youtube channel.

Could you share some strategies you use to communicate with others during gameplay? 

Justin: I have deaf friends I play Magic with, so I use ASL when I communicate. For hearing people, I write on paper or type on my phone. Then I'll hand them their pen and paper or they type on their phone to respond.

Gregory: I primarily use gestures, like to "tap" or moving to the next phase. I can use a Boogie Board or paper to write back and forth as needed.

BJ: At first, I tried to use my voice, but it came with a "deaf accent". Some people can understand what I'm saying, but not others. I started to use gestures for moving to the next phase, passing the turn, etcetera. When it comes to more complex rulings or interactions, I usually bring out my phone and use an app called BIG that allows us to type and pass the conversation along.

What challenges, if any, have you faced in playing Magic as a deaf person, and how have you overcome these challenges?

Justin: Confidence. There was a game where I needed to question if the ruling was correct based on how a hearing player was trying to do things. I decided not to call the judge because I wasn't sure and didn't want to waste time if it was actually legal. I didn't want to look like a fool. Didn't overcome that confidence challenge in that moment unfortunately, but I did improve on being more aggressive in asking for rulings when I'm unsure about something.

Gregory: No real challenges for me, thankfully. I've always personally felt comfortable playing even as a deaf person. I know when to speak up and call a judge as necessary as well, and that helps with situations where others might think twice.

BJ: When it comes to casual events, players are often understanding and that allows us to be more engaging. But when it comes to competition, I can understand why players want it to be more serious and competitive since there are prizes on the line. I feel that the communication access for the deaf isn't quite there yet for competitive events.

How do you feel technology or game design could help improve the experience for deaf or hard of hearing players in the future?

Justin: AI (artificial intelligence). Seriously. I wouldn't be surprised if we eventually have AI judges. AI would be able to translate whatever needs to be translated wherever the language or ruling. AI could type out everything and have logs of the game. It'll describe everything that has happened in every phase. It'll give us communication access and it'll also help prevent cheating.

Gregory: Incorporate closed captioning for Twitch streams when streaming major events. I rely on my knowledge when I watch the streams, but I miss out on conversations about the strategies, player bios and things like that.

BJ: I would LOVE to have subtitles for EVERYTHING. At live Magic conventions, the interaction between players, and the announcements. We're not quite there yet with the technology available it seems, but it could be any time soon!

Do you have any advice for other deaf or hard of hearing individuals who may be interested in getting into Magic?

Justin: Have patience with the game. It'll eventually come together. I'd also suggest learning a lot of different cards and rulings so that hearing opponents don't try to take advantage of you. If you like Yu-Gi-Oh or any other card game I think you will love Magic: the Gathering. Trust me.

Gregory: You may feel a bit nervous when playing against hearing people at first, but once you get into it, it's a lot easier than it looks. Most games are played using gestures anyway. Play Arena to learn the ropes, it has a fantastic tutorial. 

BJ: If you play or have friends that play Magic, I suggest you try and dare yourself to show up in any local gaming store (LGS) for a pick-up or attend any Magic convention. They're very fun and the community is very welcoming.

Can you share some of your most memorable or positive moments while playing Magic? 

Justin: In one game, I did OVER 9,000 damage within the first three turns. That was insane! I also played a six-player EDH game and copied Eternal Dominion a bunch of times with three extra upkeeps a turn. Everyone scooped. Thought it was hilarious.

Gregory: The most memorable moments involve playing Commander with my fellow deaf friends. Commander is a social format so there's a lot of feedback and laughter while playing. And that's always fun with friends or strangers who end up becoming friends.

BJ: Me and one of my deaf friends were dying to try out the draft event in one of our LGS. We finally attended one of the events and found out that they did not have enough pods to fire off the draft event so they were playing Standard. We then decided to play Commander on a separate table. One of the players saw us and decided to withdraw his match just to join us for Commander. He was very engaging throughout the match; very patient and kind to us. After the game was over, he asked us to come back again so we could play some more. I loved that warm welcome that is everywhere in the Magic community.

Lastly, what message would you like to share with both the deaf and the hearing Magic community? 

Justin: Everyone needs a group hug.

Gregory: Magic: the Gathering is a complex game that has quite a learning curve, but it's a lot of fun! If you enjoy complex card games and strategy, this game is for you.

BJ: You are not alone; as Justin said: everyone needs a group hug. We have a deaf community that plays Magic in-person and online. We would love to welcome you and all other hearing people who know ASL or are interested in learning to our Discord server. And if you're already playing Commander or want to learn how, head over to EDHREC to get the best tips for literally any card.

Signing Off (for now)

Have questions for the Commander Spellbook team (or maybe you're looking to put your name on a wicked cool combo that the site doesn't have yet)? Are you a deaf or hard-of-hearing individual who plays Magic? We want to hear your take in the comments. And of course, keep an eye (and ear, if possible) out for more collaborative content.