Magic in 2002 Was Truly Something Else | Psychatog vs Squirrel Opposition

[@michaelsinnreich6626]

Always a winning episode when Frank makes an appearance.

[@lordmatz3435]

exactly my thoughts! but this channel rarely disappoints anyway, keep it up guys.

[@michaelsinnreich6626]

@@lordmatz3435 that was an inclusive cheer for Frank, not exclusive. The boys know that we love their hard work.

[@Trisket]

Legend has it pros figured out Psychatog was incredible by using it as a proxy for Shadowmage Infiltrator and realizing it was actually a better card in almost every scenario.

[@camo3951]

Also heard this! Unfortunately after I got my (very expensive) playset of shadowmage

[@zigzag2370]

This is exactly what happened.... I was actually there the day this interaction was discovered at star city games.... We were drafting and several of us were using psychatog as a proxy for infiltrator in an esper control deck that was all in on things like absorb and undermine and mana short original idea was that we would pressure out opponents by playing cards like meddling mage and shadow mage early on backed up by our force spikes and memory lapse and chainers edict or we could play stand still then sit back until we forced the opponent to break standstill and draw the control deck 3 cards that typically gaure teed us a counter spell of some sort we were trying to faceless butcher our meddling mages then cast upheaval which left a meddling mage in play but we kept discarding our hands and being left with a less then optimal board state and huge graveyard that's when it dawned on us that if we had psychatog instead of meddling mage we could use the huge graveyard left behind by upheaval to kill the opponent and that was basically the beginning of the terro that was Dr teeth.... Wizards even printed shock in the following set bc they needed a way to deal with psychatog but all that did was make us add red to the deck 😅

[@85mcarnold]

I wouldn’t be surprised if that was one reason. Alternatively, I remember that there was a deck that dominated at state championships that planned to Upheaval into Zombie Infestation. When the first pro level standard event was held afterwards, these Upheaval decks had replaced Zombie Infestation with Psychatog.

[@kahunamoe22]

​​@@zigzag2370ok I'm going to call bullshit, Ryan fuller was never at star city games. Stop lying. He's fucking Canadian and he won the San Diego masters. Then the deck destroyed the next weekend of JSS qualifiers in the US. Carlos Romao won the pro tour by not countering fact or fiction and instead saving to fight over upheaval. Ryan fuller is the tog innovator full stop.

[@kahunamoe22]

​@@85mcarnoldyes this coupled with the fact that shadowmage got wrecked by urzas rage.

[@dexterkennedy6710]

Just want to say. I really enjoy segments like where Frank discussed fact or fiction splits.

[@TrophyGuide101]

I was going to ask, do you think they recorded this before or after Frank's 2 absolute clutch fact or fiction 0/5 splits against Toffal from a few weeks back? If anyone missed it Frank bluffed having the card that did 2/3 damage for each instant or sorcery in their hand that would have been lethal so he gave Toffal a 0/5 split. Toffal was forced to take 0, the next turn he does the same split, Toffal laughs because he already took 0 but seen it was a bluff so he took the 5 this time, only Frank has topdecked the card he needed and snatched victory from the laws of defeat. One of the best plays I've ever seen.

[@mattc3581]

To be fair the FoF split was often relatively easy to do. There is often a powerful card in the 5 that you know they're going to want. You ask yourself, will they take that on it's own in a 1 vs 4 split, if so split like that and they only get one card. If not then the 4 is too strong, which card(s) of the 4 can you put with the powerful one to keep the two sides balanced the best. Job done. There are a few crazy cases like the 5-0 split, but normally the above works and isn't too hard to think through.

[@SickOfItAll1988]

Happy to see frank again, his excitement for the game is contagious

[@logancalapp2426]

I wish they did print runs like this today so casual players can feel what its like to play at the top

[@Last_Resort991]

Just play Magic Arena. You can easily play top decks for free.

[@logancalapp2426]

@@Last_Resort991 Well, kinda. You have to spend tons of wildcards and to get those either cost money or a lot of patience and grinding

[@bluesmanshoes]

You can make proxies yourself (print and put in sleeves) or order them printed on (kind of) authentic cardboard for a few cents per card.

[@lordmatz3435]

@@Last_Resort991 "for free" lmao. its a complete chore to grind arena, if you have responsibilities like work or shit like that.

[@DerickAfterDark]

The end of world championship decks does seem like a missed opportunity for easy money. I believe Pokemon TCG still does it.

[@ilyannattv]

"and a bunch of lands" just made my day. Best editor in these parts by far.

[@necrow4155]

I laughed so hard there.

[@MattBraddick]

Carlos Romão's WC Psychatog deck was a significant milestone for me. I bought this deck in high school out of pure curiosity, wanting to see what WC players did when building decks. It took me several months of toying around with the deck, but I finally figured out how to pilot it properly, and that whole process made me an infinitely better player. This one product did more to improve my skills than any individual article, game, or experience, and I'll remember it always. I"m not exaggerating when I say it changed my life; it made Magic more than just a casual game to play with friends, it became a lifelong hobby.

[@Zer0Sen]

That's such a nice story to hear man :3, my first love of card games beyond casually playing was Dino Rabbit in 2012 Yu-Gi-Oh! and the subsequent formats with Wind-ups, Mermail, Spellbook and Dragon Rulers. A format for which I was too young to play at the time was DupeTroop which entailed a bunch of different decks with varying playstyles but all centered around the card Card Trooper.

[@profanemagic5671]

for me that deck was the perfect storm when I was ~11 years old. We had a guy in my card-shop that had all the vintage-staple decks and had no problem with handing a noobie like me a full powered deck just so he could giggle at the way I played them in the beginning. Joke was on him really quickly tho, as I became very good with them :D

[@alexssain]

I really miss when magic cards didnt have 36 lines of text. Very fun episode guys as usual.

[@MarvelOfRain]

It is unfortunately inevitable if you want the game to evolve. That said I wonder what would become of the game if they focused more on reprints and made only like one set of cards a year. Sounds like an interesting format, but other then that I cannot imagine Magic still being around without the increasing complexity. There is just so many cool, innovative and fresh card games and I cannot imagine how magic could stick around without its depth.

[@darthsnarf]

Selective memory some old cards have paragraphs of text too, but there are way more cards with more complicated abilities today, they almost never print vanilla creatures anymore

[@Fabregas200788]

Karsten is an MTG MVP, can't say it better tbh I'm such a huge fan of Frank, his knowledge, experience, insights and charisma are absolutely a HOUSE!

[@HurricaneGregor]

That's probably why he's in the MTG Hall of Fame.

[@nyvisalays2475]

They mentioned the bird every game but the nightscape familiar(s) did so much work. The fact you can play them after your upheaval to get restarted quickly is really good.

[@whydoesfloat]

I always forget that Frank Karsten is a PHD mathematician! Looking at Fact or Fiction through a combinatorics lens is so interesting!

[@drainfafnir4465]

I would love to see a Frank Karsten plays magic but with mathematical analysis series.

[@tciddados]

The Fact or Fiction value talk reminds me of the wild 2x 0-vs-5 Fact or Fiction play on an earlier vid.

[@Paul_Franz]

Was thinking the same thing. That was one of the coolest play sequences I've ever seen.

[@apparatus_concession]

Next video: Magic in 2050 will truly be something else

[@Stampee23]

I would love to see them make this unironically. Just let them decide what to power creep and play a deck like that.

[@Jedicake]

"New Secret Lair: U.S. Presidents"

[@GaybrohamStinkton]

Didnt they make a future set? That was semi an joke

[@larsegholmfischmann6594]

Xzikomfdfhj's Scorn: R, sorcery, You win the game, unless a player pays 20 life, then you lose the game instead ... red is still OP in the future

[@ComfyDents]

"RoboRosewater"

[@RealJohnKimble]

I loved playing psychatog, it was my first "competitive deck" that and I had a nimble mongoose/wild mongral/aquameba/basking rootwalla madness deck. To this day I still hold these cards close to my heart. So many amazing childhood memories.

[@victorperezurbano9504]

Psychatog madness was my first ever competitive deck and I will always love it too

[@WebCamParrot]

Frank Karsten quickly becoming one of my favourite parts of mtg content on youtube!

[@GoDzJtFr]

Frank's advice for FoF was fantastic. It's so great to hear someone who lived through those standards break it down for casuals

[@mrjollyweeper6316]

This series along with the best deck ever series are just the best magic content. I love seeing old decks

[@robertcousins2274]

Agree. I have moved on from playing magic. I prefer the way it used to be and love these videos!

[@whaleofdarkness]

Being 15 is no excuse, Thoralf. In 2004, Julien Nuijten was 15 years old when he won the world championship with Astral Slide.

[@Zer0Sen]

That last game was really good. Hibernation is one hell of a card.

[@jana-mariefranke849]

Yes, I asked myself tho if all green permanents also would mean his green lands? Cuz they didn't return those 😅

[@MrRoyBurns]

@@jana-mariefranke849 Lands are colorless permanents (except for corner cases like Dryad Arbor)

[@craigrgriffin]

Anytime i see frank karsten, or even look at one of his decklists I can literally feel the energy behind it. Always love when you guys have him on. Edit: evidentsly everyone agrees

[@facemop134]

I Love Frank Carsten, its always so cool when he appears in any of your Videos. Pls invite him more often!

[@MajestixComicsClix]

Frank reading a bedtime story to them is everything Also, more MTG history with Frank. Love these

[@lenlee14]

I’m a simple man. I see Frank Karsten, I hit the thumbs up button! 👍

[@roboticbychoice1081]

I love Frank's breakdown of FoF. It's often such a complex card to play against.

[@Varler_]

These episodes are always fun! I never realized just how strong Psychatog was. It looks so unassuming!

[@07kamakaze]

Frank is such a gem i always enjoy watching him play these old decks

[@nathanieldurant2845]

This was my childhood! Invasion and Odyssey block all the way!!!

[@RocKM001]

Invasion block was awesome.. the first set ever where 5 color decks were viable. Had so much fun mucking about with those multi color decks!

[@99wattr89]

I love how, with a simple studio, real people playing real games, and some smart editing choices, you folks are able to produce MtG entertainment that blows the biggest shows like Game Knights out of the water.

[@TaisxD]

This is one of the best ones ever. The decks are so cool, the editing is phenomenal as always and Torralf and Frank are the perfect duo at hyping and reminiscing together. Please do way more of these and please get Karsten back to tell us more about the olden days when magic was about reading and math.

[@MartinJohns]

Probably my favourite series that you guys do. Seeing Magic from times that I missed is awesome.

[@tingeltangel2163]

This Videos take me back to my childhood. It feels so good and brings back so much memories. It was a time with no worries. Playing with your friends. Sometimes even drawing from the same Deck. A time where i had no idea, which cards are good, which are Bad. A time, where we younger players always got ripped from older players in Our school-library.

[@merke323]

Wow, thanks guys, Psychatog was my very first deck, this really felt like home! That colour screw on Frank's side though: when the opposition deck discards opposition you can tell something went wrong

[@michaelng7274]

This is so nostalgic, I love it! I used to play competitively during this era. Was lucky enough to reach top 100 in our country. In one of our practice games, I have 5 cards in the graveyard and needed to put cards there in order to reach threshold, so I casted Fact or Fiction. My friend separated the pile 5-0. I was so stumped. It was one of my fondest memories during that time. Thank you for reminding me of the fun times.

[@kookooburu]

This is my favourite series of yours, old Magic with Mr. K

[@lucaswalker824]

I just love Toffel's energy and hype

[@toffel1612]

🥰

[@Yammenkow]

I love this series so much. Super fun to see what magic used to look like.

[@vladtodorov4665]

Frank and this old magic brings back so much nostalgia and history

[@SuperDomi94]

I truly believe the "documentary" bits of these videos are amazing segments that hold an almost archaelogical value from the TCG world perspective. When you also had deep insights as the one provided by Karl and Thoralf over each play you really get an insanely educational product for those who seek a better understanding of the game's history and mechanics, and an highly entertaing one to boot! Just great work guys, keep 'em coming!

[@Meddling_Mage]

Could watch Frank Karsten make FoF splits for hours. Complex and fascinating thought process that goes into making those decisions.

[@djdaddyd5032]

I only get to play paper mtg so often now that my friends and I are grown up, you guys really bring the love back to my kitchen! Thank you!

[@ericlizama8552]

I've never played old-school Magic, but something about old control decks that play 1/2s makes me smile.

[@OtherSideLLC]

As someone whose work is often adjacent to combinatorics and game theory i would love to hear Frank talk about the mathamatics of MTG

[@matteorebeschi6824]

I started playing Magic during the Odissey block so this bring back lots of memories! Love these throwbacks to the early 2000s! Keep em coming!

[@josephroso6076]

I love editing in the interludes about iconic old cards. So fun to take the trip to 2002.

[@Scrimshaw_DuBois42]

This is some of my favorite MTG content on KZbin right now. I've always loved these World Champ decks, and it's even more fun to watch them with the context of the stories behind the decks and the tournaments. This actually gives me an idea for a series: Like the "Best Deck Ever" tournaments you've done for Standard and Modern tournament winners, but for Duel Decks. Idk if anyone but me would actually be interested in that series, but maybe you could try a couple of the Duel Deck Anthology decks? Those were a lot of fun to play, and they actually could be pretty powerful sometimes.

[@logicmass621]

Frank's explanation of fact or fiction was super insightful.

[@flooohooo]

I love the mix of history and gameplay of mtg. Great video, especially with Frank! Keep this going for as long as possible!

[@brofst]

These series are so great, not just the gameplay portion but the interspersed discussions.

[@wyrdstoneforge]

Man, do I love this series and miss Dr. Teeth dearly.

[@frederikklarname149]

I love this series! Frank is such a gem. And so is everyone from the Cardmarket team - onscreen or not. Thanks for blessing us with these uploads.

[@purplelilypervincle4898]

This was really a bad day for me, going back home and finding that my favorite youtuber made a new video really cheered me up🎉❤ This series Is really awesome

[@Jlizard27]

I hope the rest of your day and tomorrow go better for you!!

[@BuddyTheCat2020]

I really liked this Format of half gameplay, half an interview. Very well done!

[@neatnotgoodgaming701]

Please more!!! I love Frank! What an incredible player, and just generally awesome guy!

[@adamkoudsi535]

I love the sound design of the creatures entering the battlefield!

[@nathantripathy]

Magic was so clean back in the day.

[@mikotagayuna8494]

Fact or Fiction was such a well-designed card. Both players have agency over the outcome and it never feels unfair even though its caster will always get some value out of it. It forces players to acknowledge each other's presence and pits them in a battle of wits beyond stack battles. I was truly sad to see it get power creeped.

[@tedsterrux]

EOT FoF was considered virtually unbeatable, I don't think anyone at the time considered it fair

[@KKDT]

Thanks for bringing back Frank again! Great video guys! :)

[@Korwinga]

I really like these look back videos. I've been playing magic basically since the beginning, but not playing even semi-competitively until 2008. It's fun seeing just how powerful some of the older cards are.

[@guillaumegladieux9839]

Best mtg content available, as always with you guys. Kudos ! I hope you'll continue this serie.

[@BruderSeth]

11:00 never thought I'd hear an English Rat Race reference from Toffel

[@DeinOmma]

Mega gutes Video! Einfach immer wieder schön alte Decks zu sehen!

[@patpatsbacks9117]

This is such a cool series. It’s awesome to hear Frank talk about and share all the nostalgia.

[@moralessanchezoscarelias6412]

Love to hear stories from those times. The nostalgia is strong with Dr Teeth

[@Dirdle]

Picturing what present-day MtG must be like just from the comparisons made in these videos is an experience, it has to be said.

[@wombleking]

My first MTG event was a FNM Odyssey draft, so seeing the old decks in action is a real nostalgia hit.

[@martinweyrauch4257]

Yes Frank is somewhat such a great addition to you guys!

[@durza19]

Awesome video from the best Magic channel on the tube.

[@jasonriggs758]

I love these old tournament deck videos!

[@omerastrahan4952]

My older brother got me into magic with a Psychatog deck, he ran a playset of Spell Pierce, Mana Leak and Memory Lapse OG Polluted Deltas, and Accumelated Knowledge and Fact or Fiction for card draw and an Intuition in the main board AND in the sideboard with a full set of Cunning Wish. It was Bonkers. Still the most memorable deck for me

[@MrtnMrnv]

The Psychatog deck has been my favorite deck since 2002.

[@matteoguidolin8394]

Such good content! It's really interesting to see how strategies and tactics were different at that time. Also got some hints for my commanders, so thank you very much!

[@tendietyrant4206]

I really enjoy these videos, Frank's explanations are great. I also love seeing older cards that I heard were great used in game to see exactly how and why they were so good. It also helps that pretty much every game played in this series really comes down to the wire.

[@miguelabreucoelho]

I was looking forward to see an episode for this year because I remember fondly this time and how standard was so fun. Another reason, besides being super effective, that psychatog decks were so popular was that they were relatively cheap to build, considering they were almost all affordable commons and uncommons, with the only rares being the Upheavals. I also remember very well being totally locked out of the game by those pesky Opposition decks, but if I recall correctly, a lot of them had Static Orb to control even more the untapping on the board. Fun times for Magic that I wish would come back.

[@imGrisky]

You know we want more. Look at how much fun you are having

[@arielgomes7989]

Love this series, but Frank makes it so much better with all the knowledge

[@CommanderSoe]

Awesome Video, love it ❤ Frank is so exited and looking forward to the next ones. Also I really love your Video ideas and all the work which is put into it.

[@jtwolf007]

I loved my squirrel opposition deck. So much fun!

[@quantum_beeb]

One of the junior super series I won when I was 16 was against a psychatog control deck in all 3 of the quarterfinals, semi, and finals because I played a zoo-ish deck, but had the secret tech in the sideboard of 4 phantom centaurs and blew all 3 opponents out with it. Good memories.

[@bark_madly]

Great game! Great commentary! Great episode! ❤❤❤

[@motorboot2822]

Yesyesyes! Frank & Toffel is a golden combo

[@rmcminiking]

My dad got me these exact two decks after I learnt how to play! They were the first MTG products I ever owned 🔥

[@dr3g_55]

thoralf casually pulled the cleanest win i've ever seen. If I did I would probably brag forever

[@zealcrux]

I love this series! It also makes me super nostalgic for these gold border cards, I remember picking up a few of these decks when I was still learning how to play, so it's super cool seeing all these stories come to life!

[@nickfanzo]

I remember this format, played a lot back then. Also played tog in extended, vintage and now premodern. Tog with yawgmoth’s will in vintage was pretty sweet 😂 Suggestion - Replay Frank’s 2005 championship appearances where he plays gifts. Or better yet, you play gifts and give Frank the other decks 😊

[@JordanPridgen]

The periodic history lessons in the middle of these games are great fun. It's nice getting a little insight into how people thought about cards in earlier eras of mtg. Also decks these days need cooler names like Dr. Teeth!

[@yuriemmettippi4503]

Frank? A must for the channel! More Magic lore back i time? Knowledge is always good, and allows us zoomers to understand the evolution of this game. You guys make magic history really beautiful to watch and learn. And also please more inside jokes like "a bunch of lands"

[@Bad_Wolf788]

I started playing around this time and it really did feel like Magic

[@Fabregas200788]

29:21 curtis cole - connecting dots epic tune, thanks for it, guys!

[@dr_volberg]

The best Fact or Fiction story from a competitive event. Psychatog vs Red Deck Wins. Player casts Fact or Fiction at the end of turn. Reveals 5 lands from the top of the deck. The RDW player splits 5 vs 0. The other player is confused, but takes the 5 lands. Still at the end of RDW Player's turn, they cast Blood Oath and name land. The Tog player reveals their hand with 6 lands in it and lose the game.

[@thewitchking6402]

This was amazing! I’d love to see 2003

[@circusf.7262]

I dropped yugioh and started playing magic this year, and i see that as a good thing! When i searched for things i liked to make a deck, there was everything! Ninjas, werewolves, rats (my pet is a rat) and after yugioh, playing with mana is very refreshing. Love the game, love you guys

[@NecroBurt]

Literally everyone I know wishes they still did this.

[@Monkey12Ninja]

This is so exciting

[@kovala]

Squirrel opposition! One of my all time favorite decks

[@dennisbabych]

Amazing game. I started play MTG back in 2003 so UG Madness was my favorite deck when you have to fight against Astral and their Exalted Angels :) So waiting for you 2003 match ;)

[@zachelkins1229]

I really wish wizards would release decks like this again, gold bordered or otherwise.

[@lainpereyra1833]

Yieeehhh this is the psychatog game that i want to see! Superb!

[@heavyonthemustardplz]

Competitive decks from old formats (with Frank) is probably my favorite content on this channel, please keep doing more!

[@Lcngopher]

Loving thoralf’s shirt

[@Bomsanchu]

omg thoralf's shirt is so cute, avatar is such a good cartoon and i love that shirt!