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).

[@DreamPurpleFloyd]

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

[@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!

[@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

[@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

[@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

[@emdub9679]

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

[@joshsmith529]

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

[@dennisdegooijer]

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

[@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.

[@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.

[@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.

[@vallisroyeaux4979]

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

[@squallgallardo]

I love his vest.

[@damienmanners6337]

Ark - e- type - great suit though 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"

[@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~

[@MTGUnpacked]

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

[@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.

[@RoscoeKane]

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

[@triple_gem_shining]

Awesome vid. Combo control is def my fav deck type

[@Eckendenker]

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

[@alvinrascon4832]

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

[@TheCaptainstupendous]

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

[@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!

[@eirikastokes9652]

Really loving the Ravenclaw suit, prof!

[@homebrewhorus7110]

Michael Stokes needs more huffle

[@rm0517]

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!

[@TheoFrastB]

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

[@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!

[@leoestellar5232]

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

[@blackgibson302]

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

[@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

[@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.

[@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😅

[@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

[@zbarnettnba]

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

[@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

[@oiddymanning7313]

There are many types of Combo decks. Is there a video out or coming up that show how to use, build and counter those decks?

[@mr.mammuthusafricanavus8299]

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

[@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?

[@softsoftkitty]

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

[@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

[@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.

[@xnick_uy]

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

[@brenomacedo6134]

wow nice suit! Also great video series!

[@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.

[@kristbg]

Love the outtakes too!

[@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)

[@assault410]

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

[@Alex_U_]

I love these courses, very engaging.

[@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.

[@maahes2783]

Very nice video man

[@richardwright359]

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

[@goremall]

This is great advice, thank you 🙏

[@allNicksAlreadyTaken]

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

[@Avathee]

I love your suit! Lookin' daper!

[@warmice4136]

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

[@clon1122]

Mfw when professor is on a hover board.😁

[@s4m3fu]

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

[@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.

[@DiogoSantos-sr7bz]

Great vids! True gems 🙂 thank you!

[@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.

[@silverknight6831]

Great show, thank you.

[@Hoonters-goona-Hoont]

Damn, you always look so dapper.

[@casimiriii5941]

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

[@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.

[@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.

[@Sn00gans]

Arch-type or Ark-type?

[@brannantisdale815]

Maybe interchangeable? I go with the latter.

[@BlaineTog]

Ark-eh-type.

[@Sn00gans]

But he uses BOTH!

[@junyisang8672]

But eggs was pretty much solitaire. Probably one of the least fun combo decks of all time.

[@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.

[@isaaktastet6324]

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

[@StarBoundFables]

Your suits are epic!

[@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

[@aerbon]

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

[@zouxiaonan9751]

isn't flexibility spelt wrongly in the video?

[@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

[@charleschin7984]

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

[@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)

[@scottmwyman]

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

[@chromark7552]

that jacket though

[@nicktuck5855]

You had me at “Eidoloff”.

[@jazzyhorde]

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

[@FEHanzo]

nice jacket professor!

[@memie7911]

Can you make a video on token decks too?

[@zacharyklewin3603]

Would really love to see these archetype videos delve into more info regarding commander/multiplayer formats. Great job so far regardless.

[@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.

[@eleafs4547]

Any tips on g/w vizier elves?

[@bwilson774]

My favorite deck right now is my blue/red grand pili pila infinite bonfire of the damned (basically a fireball that can destroy hexproof creatures in a pinch) my deck include irencrag pryromancer goblen electromancer and alot of card draw to get to my combo as fast as possible while dealing out consistent damage either with card draw or cheap burn spells, with the goblin electromancer cutting my mana costs so I can negate any attempts to disrupt my combo pieces. I have no life gain whatsoever. It's a high risk high reward deck. I've lost more games than I've won with it but nothing beats the feeling of a turn 4 win. Usually that win goes turn two goblin electromancer, three pili pila, negate on my enemies turn if necessary, turn four grand architect, tap a blue mana, infinite fireball. Next game.

[@JustifiedNonetheless]

I *_really_* like janky combos even though they don't win reliably just for the WTF reaction from other players. One of my favorites was a deck with Shared Fate and nothing else but Islands. I mulliganed until I had Shared Fate in my opening hand, and we all laughed as realization set in with my opponent that there was literally nothing else he could do. Another involved imprinting a Leveler into a Summoner's Egg, using Donate to pass the egg to an opponent, and then killing it to insta-deck the opponent. Then, in later games, I'd stick some other fatty in the egg and let my opponent help me cheat it into play for cheap.

[@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

[@rm0517]

I too, enjoy having no friends to play with.

[@DarksteelHeart]

Speed vs Cunning is what got my friend into MTG. We split the cost of the set and I took Cunning he took Speed.

[@CrimsonFox36]

step one, play your cantrips step two, crack your cantrips. step three, play faith's reward, repeat until clock runs out

[@FrozenSpector]

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

[@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.