Game Theory: I Lost EVERY Game of Magic... So You Don't Have To! (Magic The Gathering)

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Special thanks to Wizards of the Coast for sponsoring this episode!
When Wizards of the Coast approached us about doing an episode on Magic the Gathering, I felt like this was the sign I was waiting for to enhance my skills. By that I mean, learn how to finally win! I wanted to become the best Magic player I could and to do so, I needed to bring in some magic of my own - math! Stay with me, Theorists. Today we are going to learn the tricks to winning any game of Magic. Draw your cards!
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#MagicTheGathering #MTG #Magic #CardGame #Math #WizardsoftheCoast #MagicArena #GameTheory
More THEORIES:
What is MatPat Hiding? ►► bit.ly/2Zjmhvy
The END of Princess Peach! ► bit.ly/2CJuYbm
Minecraft's Ending, DECODED! ►► bit.ly/2d5o2Ky
Mario Kart 8, Mario's SCARIEST Game? ► bit.ly/2wyeell
What's Diamond Armor Worth IRL? ►► bit.ly/1Q5xhmM
Credits:
Writers: Matthew Patrick
Researcher: Justin Kuiper
Editors: Alex "Sedge" Sedgwick, Tyler Mascola, and Dan "Cybert" Seibert
Assistant Editor: AlyssaBeCrazy
Sound Editor: Yosi Berman
Sources:
www.mtgtop8.co...
www.streamdecke...
www.pokerology....

[@SouthShoreArc]

God I really needed this, I’m trying to get into magic but didn’t know how to play. BIG THANK!

[@Iruka1991]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/kJrbiKSXfK-Jh9U here you go

[@ekdeimos]

MTG Arena is a great starting point, being free to play. (Pay to win, yes. But not necessarily)

[@ekdeimos]

It also does a great job of teaching how to play.

[@thecomfycompie3415]

You can pick up a planeswalker deck to start you off for about £12. Or if you visit them this weekend you’ll get to start on the new set prerelease.

[@kedros45]

@@ekdeimos but not really. There are plenty competitive budget decks in both Standard, Modern and Commander. And certainly on MTG:A

[@pennywise7765]

“You can fill that deck with duplicates...” *_cries in commander_*

[@EstefanXimenes]

I feel ya buddy. It's the life we chose.

[@toab77]

Just fill your deck with basic lands and you can have consistent (albeit not good) draws :D

[@iam2ku4u]

Rats deck... ;)

[@hawkfan2300]

>cries i mean at least cards in commander don't rotate

[@raymondbenjamins5884]

Well, since there are so many different cards to choose from in commander, it's actually not that difficult to get "duplicates". I got a mill commander deck, where there are about 10 or so cards that do pretty much the same (mill the opponent for a couple of cards and provide a creature to defend against potential attacks from the opponent). Most commander decks I encounter, actually have a lot of cards which are similar or downright the same. It doesn't really matter if you draw "Random Creature" or "Creature of Randomness" if they do pretty much the same.

[@CalamityPyn]

the sound of jason off screen laughing at mat not being able to double bridge shuffle is great

[@cartoonmaster2401]

I know right XD

[@lucymurphy3369]

Jins Ly I can’t shuffle I related too hard

[@ryan-cochran]

I can't do it ether

[@kidjames6875]

@@lucymurphy3369 umhm

[@thegooddoctor413]

MatPat: I like to mill out my opponent Me with a deck revolving around the graveyard: this is where the fun begins

[@projectcancelled2190]

Dredge: oh hi thank you!

[@williamspaulding8129]

Same with yugioh.

[@tempest9962]

*laughs in Izzet phoenix*

[@rhysofsneezingdragon1758]

Laughs in leyline of the void

[@God-ch8lq]

@@tempest9962 laughs in brainstorm ban

[@yellowpie]

I like how the card for “Math” is basically the actual Magic Card “Look at me, I’m R&D”

[@liamglasier5127]

Matpat: we're trying to figure out why I'm bad at MTG also Matpat: my personal favorite deck is mill

[@krvys7226]

I mean, at least if it was self mill, he might have a chance. You know, between reanimator, and lab maniac

[@Ap0Kal1ps3]

At least he's having fun with mill decks. I'm getting tired of the lifelink aggro BS that everyone is playing. Anyone can do damage to win in 4 turns. Unless you're just trying to rank up, I don't see the point to playing aggro. It's boring and unfulfilling. Old school magic players are all about those crippling effects. It's not good enough to just defeat your opponent, you must crush their soul so that they defeat themselves. I've been messing with risen reef, omniscience, flood of tears, and agent of treachery. I bounce everything then steal all my opponent's lands. I got to diamond with this deck and had fun while doing it.

[@thomascarrie2312]

You know mill is super viable

[@Ap0Kal1ps3]

@@thomascarrie2312 Yeah since ashiok got added it's okay. Still loses more often than not. And with the way a lot of decks race to remove excess cards from their library, you're usually just helping a person by milling them. Like my agent of treachery/risen reef/mirror image deck. I just need to make sure I get a bunch of land out early or play a nissa or omniscience and the mill deck doesn't get a fifth turn. Plus without ashiok, there's not a lot to deal with gaea's blessing. Oh well, rotation happened so it's not like gaea's blessing is viable anymore but you get my point.

[@brokenursa9986]

I've built two mill decks, both Commander, one led by Nekusar and the other led by Phenax. The Nekusar deck sucks, and I hate it, by the Phenax deck, which is built around Relentless Rats and Persistent Petitioners, is actually a decent deck. I built in an infinite rat engine that significantly increases the speed of my milling.

[@readable1019]

“I lost every game of magic so you don’t have to” *I A L R E A D Y D I D T H A T*

[@casfolsom8228]

Same

[@cheesecakelasagna]

Relatable, have a nice day.

[@the23237]

XD

[@phoebeblake9883]

RIP

[@darkmagician290]

Lol same

[@captaingeoffreyarcherbekke6172]

"the trick is, you can add duplicates of cards in your deck" .......well, now we know why he lost every game

[@SuperNovaArtz]

Cant add duplicates if its Commander or Oath Breaker.

[@2DnMe]

imagine having duplicates in your deck _this comment brought to you by the commander gang_

[@projectcancelled2190]

Yea... wonder what his mana base looked like before he figured this out

[@milezw]

Hence why Tri-Brigades in Yu-Gi-Oh crush casuals. . . . Or am I the only sicko playing Tri-Brigades in casuals?

[@OmniGeek26]

@@milezw another thing at my locals I hate is P.U.N.K Therions. I played someone using it last week and the opened: Psy-Frame Gamma Emergency Teleport Emergency Teleport Emergency Teleport Fateful Adventure.

[@silvertipstudio9622]

Matpat after getting a few things reflected: I hate everything! Yu-Gi-Oh players: you get used to it

[@tylergeyston8928]

ture

[@lancecape8021]

Yu gi oh:complex. Pokemon : im'a end this man's career

[@lancecape8021]

True

[@jacobtruelove9326]

That’s assuming you’re allowed to attack

[@notaboutroses1710]

Mirror force, destroying friendships ever since the anime aired

[@Nanook128]

Matt "You have three deck types: Aggro control and midrange" Combo: "Am I a joke to you?"

[@krvys7226]

I know your angry, but don't just storm off...

[@richardrichard2625]

Does combo exist in magic

[@splatmaster1903]

Blizzard seems to think so lol

[@Nanook128]

@@richardrichard2625 Yes. They can be fairly complicated. Here is a video that discusses a really old school combo from back in the day: kzbin.info/www/bejne/a33Fc3etebF0rJo

[@efuii]

The thing is: combo decks are control decks that win by a combo of cards instead of damage by a large creature. By this definition, combo is a subtype of control.

[@Gofan]

MattPat-“You might not recognize these cards” Me- *Lights cigar to try and forget*

[@WANEL]

edgy

[@haveiszalfaroqie1628]

Spicy Nexus of Fate playing forever on their turn.

[@farfloff]

jokes on you, scientists have proven that cigars can help increase memory. (I just made that up, but i'm hoping you don't read past the first sentence.)

[@denissezapata6223]

Subscribe to Richard the revolver

[@pokenutter]

I miss the innocent days where Nexus of Fate was the worst thing we had to worry about.

[@rawwbnoles4787]

"Here's looking at you, Burn" Woah. For a moment I really thought he was talking to me.

[@bondocena6654]

Nice name.

[@AzeriusDenetrate]

Meanwhile me a yugioh player being asked how my deck works: I DON'T EVEN KNOW HOW MY DECK WORKS

[@jennajeffries6872]

I was thinking the same thing lol

[@thorinpeterson6282]

Probably normal summon a thing, which then searches a thing, then xyz summon a bigger thing that lets you fish for something else. That's basically every YuGiOh deck

[@Idiot_King-2750]

Same

[@lancecape8021]

Yu gi oh 4 life

[@lancecape8021]

But sirisly tho how do you have a deck you understand

[@zambi1205]

That moment when you tense up because you are trying to suppress the maniacal laughter that just involuntarily happens when you have a good hand

[@davidholoka3365]

Yeah. I know that feeling too well. I likely have alot of tells so I needed this.

[@tchgs11zdok15]

😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂👌👌👌👌👌

[@darkwarriorprogram6546]

Right? And you start like biting the inside of your cheek or something to keep for smiling.

[@megarotom1590]

The trick is to laugh maniacally regardless of what hand you get

[@vulpecula_et_nox1683]

u might as well replace the sun at that point, beamin so hard XD

[@unoriginal1562]

“Jason did you just beat Chris?” “Yeah!” “That’s no victory”

[@kitsinthewebs222]

"What?"

[@Miarosepetals]

Unoriginal 156 hello ynniv!

[@cartoonmaster2401]

Oof

[@theaway9052]

"No friends around me to Physically Play with" 2020: Am I a joke to you?

[@DraconiaDrawing]

My Lgs closed and I’m sad now

[@silentcrow6602]

Yeah

[@LsdRaccoon]

@Jamir Pridgen Alexa play despacito at full volume

[@matthewwriter9539]

No...2020 is no joke. It nearly destroyed me before I ever heard of COVID-19.

[@matthewwells2520]

Oh God no!!! There are 2020!!! Reasons why 2020 is no joke.

[@quantumperception]

Magic games tend to come down to two factors in my experience: deckbuilding and resourcefulness. Because of the random shuffle, you are always going to be doing the best you can with the resources at your disposal. Deckbuilding just makes sure that you are as likely as possible to have any given resource when you need it.

[@cardsfanbj]

Step one: find an ancient Egyptian artifact containing the soul of a pharoah

[@lokojo122]

Step two: get deck from your Grandpa (it has no phathetic cards in it)

[@justsomeguywithahandlebarm2456]

Matpat says ai frends that wont leave you All the people with clinical or normal depression whale they have headaches or crayng why why why did you have to remain me I know I can write but english is my second language and I'm Bulgarian with intayer new alphabed

[@rodrigolivsan]

Wrong Card Game.

[@denissezapata6223]

Subscribe to Richard the Revolver

[@CrabOnABeach]

@@rodrigolivsan that's the joke

[@maYTeus]

MTG sponsored video Makes Yu-Gi-Oh reference Me: "is that allowed?"

[@corison2058]

clint william “is that legal?” “I will make it legal.”

[@enclavenews4564]

They are both owned by wizards

[@GeoffreyGore]

@@enclavenews4564 Isn't Yu-Gi-Oh tcg just Konami's brand?

[@enclavenews4564]

They make the cards

[@enclavenews4564]

Yeah konami made it

[@hannahkeppley4726]

Matpat: The likelihood of two matching shuffles is less than 1% Me screaming at my screen: THEN HOW DID I SHUFFLE ALL OF MY LANDS TOGETHER MATPAT!!??!? Context: I was playing a game with my father and I couldn’t seem to pick up any mana, then all of the sudden it was all I would draw! I almost flipped the table at the end of that game!!

[@SuperNovaArtz]

Ouch, I've felt that. I had some really good cards but waa super low on mana. It sucked.

[@Monica13774]

I had a fire plains walker( I play water + fire) a my first card and got literally no Mana.... Btw I lost. Shocker.

[@electroboi425]

off

[@awesomespurr3606]

Getting flooded is one of the worst feelings a human can ever feel.

[@wldnrkls]

that's not the same thing at all

[@yarglewithwings9112]

"in magic, you can stack the deck in your favor...literally" bruh I got banned from a GP for following your advice :(

[@mr.dominion8049]

Ahhahahaha

[@kat0na_cat]

HAHAHA 😂

[@lyanderthegreat663]

8:20 "You may look at this list and not recognize any of these cards." Au Contraire, MatPat. I know these cards all too well. Nexus of Fate makes the hairs on the back of my neck stand up.

[@greatesterrboi408]

U french?

[@tcarlos210]

Nexus of Fate is a damn good card.

[@benjamincumming3371]

Damn fucked card. Damn degenerate, awfully handled and designed card.

[@Dukstless]

I actually died to a 1/1 army because they got into Nexus of Fate loop.

[@whynot1880]

I play too much modern to care

[@samcarney1200]

"Magic is an imperfect game. You dont know what your opponent has" *laughs in lantern control

[@User__Not__Found]

I love this deck more than any other deck I've ever played... I just wish it was better against the decks that actually matter... lol

[@deadacc6338]

Oof

[@unai49999]

You all crying red

[@officialteaincorporated243]

*laughs in playing with yourself Wait.... that sounds weird

[@DavidSmith-cr7mb]

@@officialteaincorporated243 why i quit right there. decks that play with themselves for a half hour. nah, bruh, keep your storm deck and go wail on that 12 year old at the card shop tourney, im going to play cribbage instead, a balanced game.

[@jurgenhanewald673]

"I can finally summon my strongest creature" Blue Player: "Are you Sure about that?"

[@ianhoneycutt3858]

Laughs in Aetherize

[@nathanhester9111]

LMAO FR

[@wetershinobi4111]

Ha Ha exile goes *brrrrrrrr*

[@God-ch8lq]

@@game_mations3807 laughs in mindbreak trap

[@Poke_Phantom]

@@ianhoneycutt3858 laughs in counterspell

[@saulcuthbertson7248]

"You can fill that deck with duplicates." **Sad commander noises**

[@swagboss9720]

Persistent Petitioners, Seven Dwarves and Shadowborn Apostles: And I took that personally

[@sly9998]

@@swagboss9720 relentless rats: why you forget me bby? :c

[@projectcancelled2190]

You can always play Rats

[@jish55]

We play commander BECAUSE duplicates aren't fun, where it's much more random and you can't rely on the same strategy.

[@user-rw5zw9wi2q]

It's okay op you're a Commander player so you don't count.

[@kermitthetoad9093]

I used to play Yugioh with a kid who'd always set the same 5 cards at the top of his deck every duel. Everytime I called him out on it he'd say he was just really lucky. 1 trillion times luckier than me apparently...

[@witchydragon106]

That's why you get the option to cut the opponent's deck beforehand.

[@Volvary]

Better lucky than good.

[@tishaflorence1009]

Heart or the cards man

[@isaacwilliamson9659]

What you do is stack your deck with counter cards, go first and block everything

[@Ap0Kal1ps3]

With practise, it's easy to stack the deck without technically cheating. It's a fair shuffle, but it's also not because you can keep track of where certain cards are. This is why MTG players cut each other's decks after a shuffle happens.

[@florianricquart4114]

"Hopefully, yours was better than mine" Pretty sure you're above me. Last time I shuffled a deck of cards, I managed to cut myself

[@justdave.nothingelse5051]

Nice

[@KR-wl5yd]

-claps-

[@MonochromeTrouble]

Oof.

[@KR-wl5yd]

Nice profile pic!

[@turbodarkness3167]

I don’t play magic I play Pokémon so I shuffle a deck of cards like at least 30 times a day

[@AmberPanda382]

I play commander, so I can’t really do duplicates. That’s where skill in deck building comes in. You need multiple cards that have similar affects and different combos to decrease probability. Also, if you have a few tutors they are basically whatever combo piece you need

[@22781dave]

Just play Relentless Rats or Persistent Petitioners etc. Problem solved! : ) P.S. Yes, I see this is a 4 month old comment I'm replying to. I'm just fooling around.

[@sn0ww_angel]

that yugioh reference was literally just the whole anime in one statement

[@zanderpxl581]

"you need to know what's in your opponent's hand" *laughs in 8 rack*

[@pwnr2012]

Laughs in thoughtseize into inquisition. Oh that's a nice hand, would be a shame if you only had lands

[@cizz8315]

No believe in heart of the cards

[@An_Ian]

@@cizz8315 I did as a kid then I learned how to win

[@maniatikoleal]

look mom, no hands!

[@seizedthoughts6044]

That’s my deck.

[@dg-7273]

"computerised friends that will never leave you" geez that got depressing.

[@steeljawX]

Until support ends and servers are turned off.....

[@kitsinthewebs222]

Thats our everyday life for us 2000's kids.

[@terriblesoup7606]

There is a lot of lore in magic the gathering I think you should make a theory about it

[@Loki.Lyesmyth]

True but its muddled to F%ck.

[@rowanfredericks9656]

I agree

[@tordisplays]

Yess

[@Gabe_Otwtfyb]

MTG is just dnd in card format

[@rowanfredericks9656]

@@Gabe_Otwtfyb you clearly have no idea what your talking about

[@elizabethstevenson9707]

Here’s a tip. If someone casts a removal spell on the first creature you play, that means they have at least two more in their hand. So play your worst creatures after that if you can until they use all their spells.

[@silveriiosonline8945]

Matpat- "A 52 card deck has nearly infinite outcomes in the draw! Amazing, right?" Then please explain why I always draw the same brick of a hand in Yo-gi-oh?

[@hairlessopossum4042]

Poorly optimized deck

[@silveriiosonline8945]

@@hairlessopossum4042 and a bad joke combos into the Roid architype.

[@chancecarlson2023]

Matt making this video: "I guide others to a treasure I cannot possess"

[@ForgottenFigure]

True

[@virginlungs420x]

When you realize that the yellow corner in the... Theory circle? Is Food Theory.

[@nintendope8837]

Me when I get the exact same pack of pokemon cards twice in a row: matpat help

[@CartmanTuttle]

"an Optimal strategy" It's Blue/White Control, isn't it?

[@dsquarehead0175]

CartmanTuttle What can’t I counter?

[@archer9480]

Close, but the real answer is Esper Control. Just make it so you're the only one allowed to play at all, and then you win! Boring but Effective!

[@castraatmoko5444]

@@archer9480 that would be simic flash in standard and some version of stoneforge mystic mindsculptor shennanigins

[@jdnelson4855]

I heard simic control

[@immortalnub]

There is no "best deck." If there was, everyone would be using it at tournaments.

[@joshfromjuniorstudios]

“Wizards of the Coast” I thought they were just called Surfers

[@SuperBulian]

Junior Studios maybe even Timmy’s.

[@soulodolo6721]

I thought they were called bloods and crips....

[@andersmith1484]

I’m on the floor that was the funniest thing to ever exist

[@Mandatorian-r7o]

Does that make life guards "Knights of the Coast?"

[@phoenixcat2203]

Love that joke dude

[@_dood]

15:31 me checkin my opponents blood pressure mid-game: *i know everything*

[@AnimeJuggz_]

am i the only one who feels like this video didnt exist in 2019?

[@briansul3071]

So much .. this is the first time I've seen this video and I sometimes watch vids by earliest date added lol

[@truegrit2060]

4:33 as somebody who's been playing it for a few years. ( Commander) It actually boils down to the most jankiest combos you can come up with. You can also just run infect and have the whole table hate you.

[@grantquartuccio5467]

so true! I beat my friends with janky things like creating infinite planeswalkers while they are playing Jund, Grixis Control and Mono-Red pheonix (some of the most expensive, powerful decks in Modern)

[@samuelgunn9881]

"Who wants to draw a card? 😁 Awesome! Lose 2 life." -Words of a friend when playing grouphug.

[@kittsune815]

Esper combos exist. The colors involved literally have an answer to everything anyone else plays. So, infect can only go so far.

[@unbanrofellos5786]

Tribal hatebears

[@etaidade3983]

My favorite deck has card combos that make 5 unblockable infects Bring the hate, it shall only feed me

[@conormurphy4328]

All you need is luck, patience, and a little bit of smarts... And a *FUCKTON* of money.

[@blacklanner5795]

*laughs in warhammer*

[@Bladewarriorcat]

Mostly money

[@michaelgrey1503]

Laughs in Yugioh as well.

[@zephelheim]

When it comes to magic, that is much true

[@aronswindell3097]

Laughs in power 9

[@Mimiyan_or_Pikapikafan]

Tip during the game regardless of trading card game: Using effects to discard or search for specific cards allow you to lower chance mid-game

[@jisaswarm5218]

I'm ten and I LOVE Magic! My dad has almost all of the cards, especialy the old ones and him me and my brother play ALL THE TIME! Him and my brother also really like using the op deck... I've actually won one or two games before! I've never played arena though and the graphics CAN'T COMPARE to playing it IRL! But we sorta don't have to deal with decks because we always know which deck each of us is going to use XD (love your work been a fan for three years!)

[@StudioGallifrey]

Expectations: this video Reality: loses to 3/3 Elks

[@catherinedinapoli2030]

Ah Oko

[@deathwishunicorn2895]

Studio Gallifrey The feels bad

[@joaotemudo9019]

BOY DO I HAVE NEWS FOR YOU

[@hellsing7310]

First game I every played, I lost to a 1/1 Token Creature.

[@nelik1]

I have forsaken my humanity. I have an oko oathbreaker.

[@TheBlackAbyss1]

When Matpat wears a Chaos Theory shirt everybody pays attention to everything but him.

[@kirbystar634]

I dont do the gates but I feel like there is definitely a code in the part where he smooshed down the deck hand chance

[@matthewclemons8116]

I think it might have to do with the number of the cards in the first sequence

[@cstaie85]

This video was great! Funny thing is that this video is perfect to describe standard and modern. Commander though has a very different style of play.

[@rickstrtv]

6:06 ah yes my favorite artifact.

[@WarmLillie]

Tip on how to play a card games. Read your opponent and figure out their next movie. Know what your cards do and practice facing against different types of opponent. Make sure deck flows and it consistent Finally believe the heart of card and summon the ancient soul of Pharaoh. I do something different call the soul of the Pharaoh sister that a magician.

[@lucykitsune4619]

Or you just throw in one of every legendary you have which happens to exactly make a deck and hope for the best. Or you include some cards in your deck that will fight your opponent when you play them and leave winning or loosing basically predetermined by your random deck-order, if you survive long enough to actually pull it off...

[@weegee9616]

Learn from the main protagonist In the yu hi oh anime.

[@AirahsELL]

Have a lot of money and buy a deck someone else made.

[@-._._._-_._._.-]

Step 1: spawn Exodia Step 2: win

[@OriginalSpectorius]

@@-._._._-_._._.- Draw* Exodia

[@catnat6571]

"How to not suck at card games" Me: *cries in Monstermon*

[@sleepysebbyzzz]

Yes

[@thetruechickenking9172]

Wizard of the coast sponsoring matpat expecting him to talk about the vast lore, nope, just math

[@andrewmesser2899]

Mat: talking about standard Me: laughing in commander, legacy, modern and pauper "My personal favorite strat is mill." Darn it Mat, you make us look bad! (Playing EDH red/blue storm)

[@brendanpierce96]

1:06 Jason laughing Mat's inability to bridge shuffle hilarious

[@givrally7634]

2:51 "And then multiply that by another trillion" > Screen shows 1 billion.

[@givrally7634]

@Bowstick That's not what the short system is. The long system gets a new term every million, and uses a variation of the old term for thousands. In french, the scale is as follows : Millions, Milliards, Billions, Billiards, Trillions, Trilliards. The short scale (or short system) gets a new term every thousand. I'll put in parentheses what the term in french is : Million (Million), billion (milliard), trillion (billion), quadrillion (billiard). When Mat says trillion, he really means a thousand billions, or 10^12. Your error is in converting between numeral systems. Indeed, a (short) billion is equal to a (long) milliard, and a (short) trillion is equal to a (long) billion, but a (short) trillion is not equal to a (short) billion. (Boy my idle game knowledge can finally be useful for once)

[@deathkorpswatchmaster2414]

I've been playing magic with my dad for the past 7 years. ITS ABOUT TIME

[@Flashbingus]

FOR THE EMPEROR!!!!!!

[@sparko3178]

Remember when Yu-Gi-Oh had no card limit, that was fun

[@xcarazor2855]

2,222 card decks. Sounds like a dream

[@jotarokujo8423]

Pucci ???

[@jish55]

no, no it wasn't. I had a friend who used EVERY SINGLE CARD SHE HAD, where shuffling alone took 15 minutes because of how tall her deck was.

[@MrLuc420]

I used to play back in middle school (I'm 28). And I was the only kid who had a deck with the minimum amount of cards. Kids laughed at my measly tiny fiend deck. Until I (go figure) got the cards I needed and kicked their asses.

[@christopherreichle6670]

"Now you may not recognize any of these cards" I recognize a Nexus flash deck when I see one. I know with limited certainty what that ENTIRE deck does.

[@destertae1996]

Yeah, it's expensive Solitaire

[@johnjameson859]

Simic Nexus is sadboi times, god I'm glad that deck rotated

[@MiniatureAcademy]

Me too, the Nexus deck was a dark period in Standard history.

[@billowen3285]

Lol

[@Niv0505]

Certainty

[@shellfire6931]

As someone who's been playing Magic for years, I really needed this. Thanks.

[@IceMetalPunk]

I know this was only made because of the sponsorship and you don't usually do physical games on this channel, but a strategy video about Commander would be a nice follow-up, given how the different rules change these tips quite a bit.

[@liamsmith8518]

"I wanna outsmart the game of magic" Me: Do you mean manaweave

[@BramLastname]

Isn't there a 6 card combo that allows you to draw and play your entire deck turn 1? I remember seeing something like that Where people used it to make a Turing machine using a MTG deck that is/was completely legal.

[@ForgottenFigure]

Manaweaveing does help alot

[@freyamiles3718]

@@BramLastname elements (risen reaf) can pretty much do that

[@God-ch8lq]

@@freyamiles3718 risen reef has rotated but using peer into the abyss + teferi's ageless insight will draw your whole library (peer draws half your library, teferi's ageless insight doubles the amount of cards you draw from any source except your draw step)

[@jurgenhanewald673]

@@freyamiles3718 remember the two days wegen risen reef was the lost Brocken card in M20? Good Times

[@senseisalt1863]

this man just referenced yugioh in a video SPONSORED by magic.

[@edvance1030]

That's because Yugioh is better than Magic. There, I said it.

[@NuggetGX]

Eddie and Pokémon is better then both of those !

[@senseisalt1863]

I thoroughly agree

[@Nobody-rg1pn]

Tell me how to be better a yugioh

[@miguelcastillo3723]

We need a yugioh theroy

[@Armageddon0324]

this has gotta be my favourite video on all the channels

[@notaverage5551]

9:41 I just learned scientific notation in school so I understand stuff like that now lol

[@ibreakyou7134]

MatPat: "It all boils down to math and statistics" Me: "Uh MatPat you forgot strategy man..."

[@jilvermazariegos]

Strategy involves statistics and probability. So he isn't wrong

[@ibreakyou7134]

@@jilvermazariegos good point. I guess the correct word is tactics? The building and planning of your decks mechanics and flow so that everything functions. None of that is probability or math.

[@dubbleyou248]

Strategy is about statistics

[@SharowbladyeGaymerPorate]

And money And luck

[@shadowpaws7678]

DJuan Blackmon I disagree when building a competitive deck there is a lot of math involved with determine card ratios and especially with magic where you need to consider lands vs cost of cards and ratio of different colours

[@modothegreat108]

MatPat: "Luck has to be on my side sometimes!" Stephanie: "Sora, I challenge you to a game of cards!"

[@zethstar3475]

I JUST GOT THAT

[@naitsab_33]

Those are always good spent 4 hours

[@thetravelingspectator4124]

I see your a man of culture as well

[@thatrandomeliteultra1158]

Who is Sora I heard that name before.

[@avihaygozlan8739]

@@thatrandomeliteultra1158 kingdom hearts protanganist

[@tatumtots25]

This is actually hilarious, matpat is literally teaching us what everybody does for mtg (at least smart players). But it’s still entertaining

[@astraesl9547]

I guess commander users are idiots then lol

[@devonharkless6047]

"slow controll decks," I've seen decks that can lock down the bord in 1turn.

[@olivegardensrestroom688]

"How to beat the Joker with a Joker" -A Film theory and Game theory collab

[@eagletsnupper7876]

Oh my god, they should collab sometime they seem like they'd like each other

[@olivegardensrestroom688]

@@eagletsnupper7876 Yea Mat would be best friends with Mat if they really sat down and talked to each other😂

[@tassadar7945]

@@olivegardensrestroom688 but how do their wives get along? Since i know Steph always works with Mat on GT, And Steph and Mat work together a lot on FT

[@khit007]

Have you ever seen game theory and film theory in the same room? My theory is that they're the same person O:

[@ashtonhunter4727]

"Pause this video right now, run out and grab them" Me: *wrapped in a towel* But the sun hasn't come up yet...

[@VivBrodock]

magic isn't actually a game of statistic, it's a game of calculus. There's a concept called the mana curve, using the mana costs of your deck you can line up the lands in your deck to match to give yourself the best probability of being able to cast your spells so you can construct a curve then use linear algebra to determine the amount of mana you'll need every turn fill out a sixty card deck with the lands able to give you that mana. Then the easiest way to win from there is make sure that every spell you cast is the most impactful you can get for the mana you can cast. This is why red aggro will always be around, no matter how bad the cards get, it just uses the mana curve more effectively then any other deck.

[@oliverhand9408]

I'm sure there's a thousand comments telling you how to bridge, but when you do, always keep your thumb(s) on top, they keep the cards from springing everywhere when you bend them in a "bridge", and your fingers cupped into the arch. When you bring your fingers out of the arch, stretch them flat to catch the cards. You don't need to impart intense force to drop the cards, just enough force in your thumb to keep the cards from flying up at your face. If they don't fall when you bring your fingers down, try releasing tension from your hands.

[@cartoonmaster2401]

Game Theory on Magic: The Gathering *TheOdd1sOut wants to know your location*

[@humain1025]

I know right

[@remyautomatic2185]

Oh he knows your location... James knows everything...

[@I_Stole_Your_Toast]

He already does.

[@jayands]

So does DesolatorMagic

[@lucienwan5232]

Des starts swearing

[@loganfrandrup6590]

Yep, Mat Pat is definitely a Blue Deck Player. Blues are always on the chase for more information.

[@brianisgett1095]

I tend to play swamp or forest. My brither hates it when I play swamps as I play an undead deck

[@lu_emery]

Maybe black, he seems like the type of person who would play hand look/discard shenanigans.

[@tchgs11zdok15]

And here's me who never played any card strategy games : *wHaT's A dEcK?*

[@loganfrandrup6590]

@@lu_emery Yeah, Blue and Black seems like a combo that he would like, a slow, destructive control deck.

[@mongolifepawn842]

Ya he is my least favorite color combo.

[@kevind6723]

Small correction. Drawing your last card does not cause you to lose in Magic. What causes you to lose is when you attempt to draw and don’t have a card to draw. So it’s possible to have zero cards left in your deck and still win.

[@theftking]

“This game is a card game! It boils down to math and statistics! MatPat, a musical theater kid, should be good at this!” Lmao

[@anandtandon6489]

Game Theory: Makes a video on card games Theorists: okay this is epic

[@hometea_]

agreed

[@oofers17]

People ruined the 69 :(

[@chrishansen1842]

Now if he could make a theory on Card games on Motorcycles.

[@oresti9271]

@@chrishansen1842 that's true 😂

[@OriginalSpectorius]

@@oofers17 but now we're going for the 399!

[@inkyinkluv]

When I saw the notification for this video pop up I was like: “Man, those losses at Monstermon must’ve been tough. MatPat legit went and trained to suck less at card games to only become a master and teach us the same in a video.”

[@eduardovillicana8509]

8bitryan plays better he's a pro

[@afemur7834]

I've been playing for ages, over 10 years. I mainly play commander, but very rarely do I even hold onto my hand. I usually keep it on the table in front of me and only look at it just before or during my turn.

[@vitorschroederdosanjos6539]

9:14 there are 10^78 - 10^82 atoms in the universe not 10^23 that's a HUGE DIFFERENCE

[@mastercraftme]

Matpat: I suck at shuffling cards Me: *high fives screen*

[@IcyAuron]

Basic introduction: You need lands to- MatPat: USE THEIR BODY LANGUAGE AGAINST THEM!

[@vibid3]

Matpat: This dude's got literally nothing. Inspiring Roar (the spell he's holding): Hey man. I'm trying my best.

[@erinleightodd]

"Between Man, Woman, or Machine." Well, I guess I'm a machine..

[@ianalexavier5972]

Would you like to play the imitation game? Lol

[@2DnMe]

Same here. Beep bo skdap.

[@impacthd8164]

Shoutout to my friends and I on the USS Bataan on our 2014 deployment. The picture @11:50 is of a Sailor/Marine tournament during the deployment! Can't believe i saw both myself and that picture in this video 5 years later.

[@a_guy_in_orange7230]

"Some decks take this to the next level, burn" *Laughs in Rat Colony*

[@ericjacobson3305]

Cries in Battle of Wits

[@conormurphy4328]

I don’t know what you guys are talking about but I know it’s funny

[@ericjacobson3305]

@@conormurphy4328 For those out of the MTG loop. Rat Colony is a card that can have any number of cards called "rat colony" in a deck, making it very consistent. Battle of Wits is a card that requires you to have around 240 card deck instead of 60, making it hilariously inconsistent. #Explaining the Joke

[@bridget8.306]

I have a rat-mander deck that has 50 rat colonies

[@natthorn5840]

Something something Shadowborn Apostle.

[@leipamies3940]

My first 10 cards of my deck were -Fire type energy -Hawlucha -Switch item -Venonat -Bulbasaur -Squirtle -Jigglypuff -Professor Kukui -Phanpy -Gothita

[@erikv4181]

“Today’s Episode is sponsored by wizard’s of the coast” My goblin brain, immediately associating it with D&D: *GASP*

[@atlasatlastt]

Same my sorcerer brother

[@menaatefadly]

i still need to find a way to play this

[@caram740]

Saaaaaaaame

[@tylerjeje]

Always wanted to play d&d but never got the chance

[@jaimegurrola1016]

Don't you dare GOBLINATE anything!!

[@montystein8858]

Mat: Run out and get a deck of cards! Me: I... I literally have a deck in my pocket... Mat: You didn't even pause the video... Me: 😳

[@natalie3524]

Versus me: *running around the house for 5 minutes asking anyone if they have a deck of cards before finally finding one*

[@queeenie]

I leave one in my pocket too...

[@oldguitarspirit]

Just play colorless Eldrazis and forget about everything else. When the 13 mana cost 15/15 with anihilator drops you WILL drench your friends in fear.

[@ryuzkailawliet-l3179]

Matpat:Explains probablitys Me making a search deck:I already drew the card I needed

[@Shadowmaxim]

Little do they know my deck has 52 Siege Rhinos.

[@jevry4307]

defenitely not illegal in any possible way whatsoever

[@isabelleerb1021]

hate to break it to you but you can only have four of the same card in a deck.

[@aaron.lightfoot9226]

Izzy-So 1604 r/woooooshh

[@jevry4307]

@@aaron.lightfoot9226 r/doooooooooouchhh

[@amberhernandez]

SaffronOlive is a genius.

[@jg1009]

MatPat didn’t have the heart of the cards. Thats why he was losing on GTLive

[@aidang7278]

HEART OF THE CARDS! BARBARA! NOOOOO! Good move. Not for me though. Edit:Did not realize this wasn't a markiplier uno reference.

[@animecentral6280]

Aidan G do you know where the heart of the cards came from

[@Mrtfarrugia]

@@animecentral6280 That's the joke.

[@animecentral6280]

Mrtfarrugia ik that I wouldn’t use a joke if I didn’t know where part of the joke came from

[@tristancampbell8427]

MatPat: ill show you how good i am at bridge shuffling Everyone watching who plays tcgs: *aggressive staring*

[@CHKNSkratch]

how did I not know this episode existed until now?

[@d5dizzler962]

‘Somebody beat Jason! -Matpat 2019

[@aname7286]

Why is there only 23 likes

[@briannasimmons493]

This is the biggest nerd-gasm ever I love mtg so much

[@fracturedframe1462]

MMMM YES MY FELLOW NERD

[@fracturedframe1462]

Btw I have a discord wanna join fellow nerds and nerd out about mtg? Here discord.gg/uWAAJF5

[@lordsnom5287]

we all are nerds here

[@duelknight]

@@fracturedframe1462 the discord link expired

[@fracturedframe1462]

@@duelknight here ya go fellow nerd if it expires dm me on discord discord.gg/9YyYTg2 Pingu#9191

[@gandhibarge7421]

Matt: I like mill! Me: *Laughs in gaia's blessing*

[@johnathanreeves4654]

Mat says something like "mtg is simple u win by making your opponent having 0 or less hp left" Mean while me and my friends playing mtg with Platinum angles having somewhere around -600 hp still going xD

[@blightyfrogs]

7:07 I could know the exact composition of my deck if I am running 60 forests...

[@deadacc6338]

Fair enough

[@dangehret1349]

What if they all have different art?

[@blightyfrogs]

@@dangehret1349 I must be careful to only run 60 copies of the same return to zendicar forests

[@rightfulfuture4]

59 forrests and an oviya

[@polecat3959]

I should bring a deck of 60 forests to a friday night magic game. Just to see who notices.