Tolarian Tutor: How To Be A Better Combo Player in Magic: The Gathering

[@_traximundar_3165]

How can I focus on Magic when all I can watch is that beatifull suit? Jokes apart, this is such a good series of videos, thank you very much.

[@jerryturgin6583]

Heya, long time combo player here. I've played twin and storm in the modern gp, scg, and pt circuits for around 6 years, as well as playing various combo decks in vintage, legacy, standard, pauper, and recently Cedh. The biggest issue newer combo players have, in my experience, is knowing your place in the matchup. I remember playing twin, having every copy of splinter twin surgical extracted, and then winning with pestermite beats, because in a control matchup you NEED to win early or not at all. A creature is a creature and if you don't have enough combo pieces to go off, it is best to make plays assuming you'll never draw it. For example, in UR gifts storm, if I can't combo off but I have a baral or electromancer in play, eventually that will deal 20 combat damage, AND I HAVE GOTTEN THERE AGAINST DECKS LIKE INFECT BECAUSE OF IT. Likewise, if you are playing against an aggro deck, you might as well play a control role. Your lategame just wins on the spot, and therefore is 9 times out of 10 objectively better than an aggro deck. I remember playing mono black Sidisi ANT in cedh, and when my sidisi tutor got stifled, I had just enough removal that eventually I drew into my combo, 10 turns later. Also know every niche and minut interaction of all of your combo cards, because sometimes you have winning lines that wouldn't be possible otherwise. This has been my intro to combo. Have a wonderful day!

[@victoryiamjay]

Playing combo is like building a gun from IKEA.

[@KoverKingz]

Geariko oh geez that takes me back

[@calebmoberg192]

"So your telling me that you like to play magic, because you like to build IKEA furniture."

[@ActuallyDiogenes]

Well, you're not wrong

[@barry_crisp]

Ah, a man of culture.

[@mtg_seal_8332]

IKEA gun, Paul, IKEA gun

[@91mattmac]

Damn, your suit is boss!

[@thegoldbarracuda]

Professor, you should make Tutor videos with going more in-depth with deckbuilding. I could definitely use more advice on how much of a certain type of card you should use in a deck, such as removal, counters, mana acceleration, tutors, etc.

[@Jessay]

If you're playing EDH, The Command Zone has a few very descriptive videos on this

[@AffinityforMTG]

These series has been fantastic, Prof! Could you consider doing a 15+ minute Tolarian Tutor video about what Chains of Mephistopheles does exactly?

[@TheStephenation]

Reading the card explains the card. What part of "Ogni volta che un giocatore pesca una carta, deve prima scartarne una di quelle che ha in mano. Se non ha carte in mano, invece di pescare, deve prendere la prima carta del grimorio e metterla direttamente nel cimitero. Gli effetti di questo incantesimo non si applicano alla prima carta che ogni giocatore pesca durante la propria fase di acquisizione." don't you understand? Uh, that's what my copies say anyway...

[@FatTrucker84]

Affinity for MTG it's actually very simple. If you would draw a card, and it isn't the FIRST card you drew on your draw step, instead you discard a card. If you're able to discard a card this way, then you can draw a card to replace the one you discarded. If you can't discard a card to chains' effect, you mill a card. So with a howling mine and a chains on the field, howling mine triggers, you draw a card. This is the first card you drew on your draw step. You keep the card. Then you draw for turn. Chains triggers. You discard a card and draw a card. Easy peasy.

[@FatTrucker84]

Clarification, chains doesn't "trigger" . It's a replacement effect. With a chains out and a wheel of Fortune, everyone discards. Then they try to draw cards. These cards are not the first cards you would draw on your draw step so chains takes effect. Since you cannot discard to chains because your hand is currently empty, you just mill 7 instead of drawing 7.

[@Ottawa3453]

That's an extraordinary narrow request.

[@troymcalister5000]

If it isn't your first draw of the turn, discard a card before drawing. If you can't, mill 1 *instead* of drawing a card. That's really all Chains does. It turns your extra draws into either cycling (if you can discard before drawing) or self-mill (If you can't).

[@00031849]

7:44 made my day. Thank you professor.

[@corytucker6668]

These videos are so fun to watch! Keep up the great work, you really are doing a great job with these tutor videos. Got me back into playing again after not playing for maybe 10 years!

[@kingjames3943]

Please, I have to know where you get your suits. I am big into suit wearing and I have been trying to find an establishment that sells clothes like that

[@joshsmith529]

Thankyou for being so committed for so long. It's my birthday weekend btw

[@DreamPurpleFloyd]

0:09 Arshtype 5:20 Giftssfffffstorm 5:52 HUMMflexability 8:13 gnnnh 8:15 Feeeew 8:49 TIMIN' 10:58 huhuhuhu

[@adamreece5498]

As an avid fan of football i loved the football analogy! It might not have been completely correct but still....it work.....and most of entertaining and informative.

[@emdub9679]

Thanks professor, I will be referring to this when I get back to work with my EDH deck

[@ong5589]

Breathe in deeply, and cross fingers hope the combo pieces come Edit: Also cross fingers that I survive 5-6 turns 😂 New Perspective player here

[@garrett1433]

Ong Sen ik the feeling bro, I am aswell a new perspective player xD

[@YvngCas]

Do you still play

[@eyesofthefox]

Thanks for this! I've been running Vito/Revenge but sometimes 6 turns is too long versus a lot of the current meta decks.

[@squallgallardo]

I love his vest.

[@dennisdegooijer]

I think this is my favorite series on KZbin. Cant wait for the commander focussed video's :P

[@vallisroyeaux4979]

I’ve never been as called out from a KZbin video as being called a mad scientist in Magic.

[@christopherantone9627]

I love that you tried a football analogy.... got it totally wrong, but good for you for giving it a go. Luv ya prof.

[@MTGUnpacked]

Timely video. Still learning the Marionette Master / GPG combo. Main issue right now is combo disruption.

[@Jotora]

"Like an offensive line defending a wide receiver on the way to touchdown in football..." Hmm, didn't know prof was a sports fan. ..."whatever that means." Baited.

[@sakabato24]

4:57 "Assuming you're not going to go all in right away". Did you assume that I play some slow combo deck!?! Spanish Inquisition says otherwise! xD Great video for beginners that need to understand the basic concepts of how combo decks work and explaining that combo is interactive enough in MtG. Thanks professor~

[@bensolo7217]

I really love that football reference. Now what I really want to see is an NFL analyst drop an MTG reference. "Like a Magic player tapping all their cards to sorcery another player's wizard.... Whatever that means"

[@RoscoeKane]

I love the messing with "-arch" and "-arc" in the pronunciations. My wife majored in English, sending to her for torment.

[@alvinrascon4832]

I would love a commander version of this and all the videos that would apply.

[@Dustlite]

Thank you for the perspective. Only editing foible I noticed was with displaying Rogue Refiner and Whirler Virtuoso. Refiner was obscured and Whirler wasn't shown. Other than that small thing, good video.

[@milkncookie]

I've always though combo plays were more like Magic Minesweeper. Is this any better?

[@blackgibson302]

The Professor. English major. Still spells it Flexability. Come on, prof... lol, it's flexibility.

[@RayDai_thecpum_bacon]

Hey Prof, I love your mtg content, and it's one of the things that has gotten me more involved in the game! Recently, I've been trying my hand at the Pokemon TCG and was wondering if you could briefly go into the nuances of the elements of that game too! What makes a card good, some competitive pokemon/supporter/energy ratios, resources online, that kind of stuff. Being a noob is part of starting a game, but I think some videos like these could really help me get into the game more like how your videos got me into magic!

[@xCCflierx]

im a pretty slow and subpar control pilot. but combo decks are almost by bread and butter. I don't understand or know the important combo pieces to be able to make the decks myself, and my first time piloting a specific deck is usually clunky and slow, but once you know what you need and what you can live without, combo is the most fun imo

[@damienmanners6337]

Ark - e- type - great suit though professor!

[@triple_gem_shining]

Awesome vid. Combo control is def my fav deck type

[@owenmasur5640]

I play mono blue high tide in competitive commander. It is quite different from many other combo decks, for once you resolve high tide with 4 lands in play, you are almost unstoppable and can win through card advantage alone.

[@zbarnettnba]

Where does one find a suit this beautiful? Like... WANT! Thanks for the vid! Helps an up and coming storm player like me!

[@TheoFrastB]

Bravo Prof! Tolarian Tutor has become my favorit series of the channel! Keep the good work up!

[@blackcamo5236]

I was drinking a soda as a peaceful person at my favorite time of day; the moment to see the teacher in one of his many videos, when suddenly he makes a spectacular entrance out of the ordinary and I spit all the soda on my cell phone. It was when I realized why I love these videos. Our teacher is always improving the quality in all its aspects. Thanks for make me buy a new cellphone. The last one was a mess. Love your vídeos teacher ✌✌✌ PD: i buy a new cellphone whit the money you make me save all these years😅

[@kristbg]

Love the outtakes too!

[@Eckendenker]

the green screen in this is so smooth and sparingly used, its a true joy to watch

[@JonathanHecht]

Its good you made this video, when Kaladesh was new i took upon myself the challenge of trying to win gameday with a Pummeler deck and boy do you really need to know when is it safe or not to combo off. I did win both Kaladesh gameday and even an amonkhet gameday with the deck though (aether revot out catted me)

[@mr.mammuthusafricanavus8299]

I really enjoy my Bant Mechanized clues deck; it covers all your points in making a decent combo deck:P

[@eirikastokes9652]

Really loving the Ravenclaw suit, prof!

[@homebrewhorus7110]

Michael Stokes needs more huffle

[@robertmain5079]

I truly can't tell if it's like an actual branded suit (Probably not, I'm just being stupid) but if so, where can I get me one for prom? CAW CAW!

[@softsoftkitty]

Yes! I was hoping he'd provide some tips on how to better play Pascal Maynard's Mweh Neh Neh.

[@leoestellar5232]

Excellent video Professer! Keep doing what your doing. ^w^

[@AndrusPr8]

My persist deck doesn't relly on an infinite combo, but powerful threats like Desecration elemental. When it's on the board, disrupting the combo turns into a lesser priority now that an 8/8 with Fear is dominating the battlefield.

[@Vlandrik92]

There is an E in the middle of Archetype, it's not Arch-type, as in what type of arch something might be, but ark-i-type. www.dictionary.com/browse/archetype

[@Nightwishmaster]

I know I'm very likely wrong here, but I can't shake the feeling that he full well knows that, and was saying it like that on purpose. It's like he was making a point of saying it wrong and doing so multiple times. Maybe he said it one time before as an accident or something and someone called him on it so he's just trolling, or something like that. I swear it feels like he's saying it on purpose, though I have no idea why he would even do that, it's what my gut says for some reason. It was bothering me enough to pause the video and see if anyone else thought so as well lol... I mean the man was an English professor....

[@powderstone8187]

These videos are comedy videos. English professor=manipulates language to make jokes that only people familiar with language get lol that, and the joke is that he's an english professor spelling simple words incorrectly

[@kanalintu9246]

Let me tell you a joke... ...speed vs cunning

[@homebrewhorus7110]

kana lintu funny joke

[@jim5735]

It was the first magic the gathering product I ever bought. :(

[@mangohub3252]

Kiwi The one same my man

[@DeusExMachina_MMXI]

Hey Professor, very good locking Outfit ;-)

[@thelunchlady8276]

Does he have the key though?

[@Baby_boodle]

I thought it was a bit ostentatious lol

[@notsosilentbob4128]

Great video one thing as a Legacy Storm player, I think strength is a different aspect. Resiliency might be a better term in your example.

[@Mrtfarrugia]

The offensive line protects the quarterback not the wide receiver.

[@clifgordon]

Mrtfarrugia that’s the joke 🙄

[@mikeyman480]

r/Whooosh

[@CheironOfPelion]

Out! Out with you and your sportsball knowledge!

[@Leo-pr7ly]

:) Maybe an Idea: Tutor Series about specific (Modern) Decks, with good tricks and tipps about Matchup Sideboarding and how to use the whole potential of Deck XYZ and common mistakes players do et cetera.

[@assault410]

What is my plan? CRASHING THIS PLANE, WITH NO SURVIVORS

[@warmice4136]

this video is super helpful! Ever thought of doing a vid on building a deck?

[@xnick_uy]

Excellent video. I loved the magic effects and the outfit.

[@andre51605]

In this case wouldn't combo be a control subtype? Since you can play a control game until you can bring out a large threat(in this case, an unstoppable combo)

[@QuasiGame0]

I cant tell if my ninja deck is a sequence Combo or just Aggro It tries to curve out turns 1-3 with cards that have building interactions to continue dealing damage each turn Prefering to close game with March of Swirling Mist or a 5/5 Menace Flyer by turn 5

[@sushimartyr6311]

I… can’t tell now if my Mardu sacrifice “engine” deck is a combo deck or just a really synergistic lower midrange one. Possible combos exist within it, but none of them really try to go infinite or anything like that, and I have multiple paths to victory. Not sure if I’m playing it wrong or it just never fell in that category to begin with.

[@isaaktastet6324]

Any good mono white card draw for my modern life gain deck?

[@TheCaptainstupendous]

Nice video, and very daper suit! I like the visuals too, of you planswalking in and out. Great job!

[@brenomacedo6134]

wow nice suit! Also great video series!

[@ForeverLaxx]

I liked how you start the video with "combo isn't solitaire" then proceed to explain that 2 out of 3 matches are basically solitaire. Otherwise, despite a few spelling errors, not a bad video.

[@s4m3fu]

Hey I guessed right in the twitter sneak peak! Tubular!

[@casimiriii5941]

Will you be doing "how to become a better midrange player" next? I hope so.

[@aerbon]

if my deck is about spellweaving using cards such as pyromancers assault is it controll or combo?

[@eleafs4547]

Any tips on g/w vizier elves?

[@richardwright359]

Dude I love that jacket it's suave as all heck

[@jazzyhorde]

Hey Professor! Love the video ! Quick question, where does titan shift belong within combo? Is it more midrange in a sense ?

[@goremall]

This is great advice, thank you 🙏

[@maahes2783]

Very nice video man

[@FrozenSpector]

Bits of awkward editing in this episode, but still super helpful. Great series, Prof!

[@JesusGarcia-qy9zx]

Here is a suggestion. Ask the subscribers to summit a list of cards that are on their decks and make suggestions on how to improve them. You can always select them at random.

[@allNicksAlreadyTaken]

Is someone else reminded of the little intro videos of the doctors in "Maniac" by this video?

[@Alex_U_]

I love these courses, very engaging.

[@Avathee]

I love your suit! Lookin' daper!

[@clon1122]

Mfw when professor is on a hover board.😁

[@Hoonters-goona-Hoont]

Damn, you always look so dapper.

[@silverknight6831]

Great show, thank you.

[@memie7911]

Can you make a video on token decks too?

[@DoomedScholar]

I have a storm EDH deck but I never know what I'm gonna draw. If I end up drawing like 4 lands in a row, then I combo'd out for nothing.

[@xunxekri]

My favorite combo is Mikaeus, Matter Reshaper, Solemnity, + an aristocrat. Have that, plus a mana dork, a Lightning Greaves, a Spawnsire of Ulamog, and a Laboratory Maniac in deck. Have a bunch of Eldrazi in your sideboard. Sac the Reshaper infintely, puking out your entire deck. Then use a Greaves'd hasty dork to add mana, sac it, and repeat for infinite mana. Cast Spawnsire of Ulamog, then cast all the Eldrazi from your sideboard, including Emrakul, the Aeons Torn. Then, when you have no cards in library at the beginning of your extra turn, you win with your Laboratory Maniac. I have, in fact, won a game of Modern with this.

[@xunxekri]

Not a competitive game, just a casual one.

[@StarBoundFables]

Your suits are epic!

[@Sn00gans]

Arch-type or Ark-type?

[@brannantisdale815]

Maybe interchangeable? I go with the latter.

[@BlaineTog]

Ark-eh-type.

[@Sn00gans]

But he uses BOTH!

[@noahriccione1479]

Finally built two budget decks that I think might be competitive for $50 or less green infinite tokens combo where u use some to convoke into chord or calling to give them haste or blue black ninjas I’m building both but it’s gonna be a few months before I can save up for ninjas cause Imma buy a pioneer and standard deck too I think

[@zouxiaonan9751]

isn't flexibility spelt wrongly in the video?

[@DiogoSantos-sr7bz]

Great vids! True gems 🙂 thank you!

[@scottmwyman]

the defensive line doesn't cover the wide receivers...thats like blocking an instant with a wall.

[@mr-snakely7372]

Prof has really stepped up the jacket game. Well played sir. That bow tie though lol

[@brianfediuk]

Flexability? I think you mean flexibility. Otherwise amazing work as always!

[@FEHanzo]

nice jacket professor!

[@chromark7552]

that jacket though

[@opensfulmtg9625]

Thanks for this video ! I'm starting to play in modern with a budget storm deck and it's hard sometimes but it is indeed very fun! I'm looking forward to play more combo decks :D

[@morriss.edelsteindds1213]

Why no videos on Unstable? Does anyone know?

[@emdub9679]

Morris S. Edelstein, DDS it's a joke draft set, not much point in talking about it

[@morriss.edelsteindds1213]

Roman why not? It's a great set to play. It's a great holiday gift. It would even been a good booster box game because of the automatic value of the lands. Is he angry that he wasn't invited to the LRR prerelease so he's doing everything he can to keep it quiet?

[@emdub9679]

Morris S. Edelstein, DDS it's because you have to rely on a single foil land or a collection of non foils to win the booster box game why I don't think it's worth it, there isn't a lot of value in a box compared to Amonkhet for example.

[@morriss.edelsteindds1213]

Roman even if not for value, doesn't this set seem right up his alley? It's less competitive, more community magic. He hasn't even mentioned it. It really just comes off as him being angry about something. He keeps putting out these repeat filler videos about accessories and hasn't discussed a single product this whole month.

[@emdub9679]

Morris S. Edelstein, DDS I know what you mean, but that's not the point of the booster box game, ask him on twitter about it, mention me as well @wubrgish I can't use it right now due to work.

[@matthewwilliams7843]

You should do a "How to be a better mill player" video.

[@flynnryan6165]

Matthew Williams yeah mill is kind of hard to pull off

[@conradcash1472]

Tip number 1, dont

[@gr3yyp03]

Matthew Williams Mill can be tough to pull off but I feel it's like playing a mix of a control and combo. Now for mill, it would have to depend on the format you are playing and your match up. I've had the same question as you and i feel i put decent amount of time looking into it, anything outside of standard is going to be easier to brew in due to the card pool available. I feel that going against control and combo decks are a little easier to deal with, if you know what you're playing against, you can shut down their strategy. I say take note from the from the Professor in regards to " how to defend your combo" section as something to keep in mind when you want to get your strategy going. I like to think about how my deck can benefit from their loss. But just in case, I throw in graveyard exile to really screw them over in the event they can recover. Hope this helps a little.

[@PatPuppy]

@Tolarian Community College, Will you be doing a review for Ultimate Guard Matpod and other products used to protect our playmate in march when Ultimate Guard Matpod is released?

[@Chrome536]

I have an white black aristocrats thing that with a mix of solemnity butcher ghoul a sacrifice creature and one of 20 death trigger effects just combos off to either kill my opponent, kill their creatures, draw my library, infinite mana, or gain me infinite life

[@robertmain5079]

I too, enjoy having no friends to play with.

[@teamppappi2526]

Proffesor would you please make a review about the DEX Protection Supreme Gaming Chest? i just got an email from massdrop, it looks k, but looks can b extremely deceiving, anyways, thank you so much for all your hard work, you always make ur videos so fun to watch and rewatch :)

[@KuroNoKeiyakusha88]

I'm not sure how widely it's played, but there's a deck in standard that costs pretty much peanuts, does fare against aggro on some level and it's super hard to counter... Play either UB or Grixis pirates that create treasures when they either die or ETB... You can also play some artifact creatures if you want to(with Grixis, your Unlicensed disintegration wil Bolt your opponent in his/her face) and when you have enough mana, play Marionette master and immediately sacrifice the treasures... you get mana and opponent takes 5(assuming you chose to put the counters on marionette) damage for each artifact that got sacced... and you can activate this as an instant even if somebody were to shoot Master down.... just beware of counterspells... since there's no way to blow up your opponents's treasures, the combo is pretty much a done deal when Master enters play...

[@Battleguild]

Kintoki Sakata It's a fun deck, Spell Swindle and Torrential Gearhulk can make it pretty explosive.

[@scuffedwizard]

Dredge was not played enough?

[@charleschin7984]

Dude his suit reminds me Of the new "etched foil cards" from legends

[@ThePerfectFart]

Arc or arch?

[@stresselemental]

Strength or Resilience?