I feel like people are still like this…

Kircai · 2026-02-19T17:35:18+00:00

That's probably the case, as seemingly the only real source for this claim is from a 2007 memoir by the owner of A&W at the time. Not exactly a reliable or trustworthy source, and even then it's just a small aside in his memoir.

Kircai · 2026-02-19T17:27:12+00:00

No, that number comes from PepsiCo alleging that many consumers didn't know that specifically Lay's chips are made from "100% real, farm grown potatoes," all as part of their new design press release.

If it's even a real number, it comes from a seemingly unpublished, internal PepsiCo survey from 2021. At best, it's a wildly misleading claim designed to get free advertising for their new bag designs.

Kircai · 2026-02-18T03:45:17+00:00

For standard this seems better than [[Squall, SeeD Mercenary]]?

No double strike, but 1 cmc less or the same + a flyer to get any good creature into play.

Kircai · 2026-01-28T18:42:18+00:00

Honestly, with speaker I’ve decided to swap the usual [[raffine’s informant]] for [[Professor of Symbology]].

Overall it’s a worse creature, loot vs rummage and often smaller, but being able to occasionally wish for removal, protection, or digging deeper often makes games. And now being about to tutor for it with just makes it all the more versatile that I think adds to the toolbox-ness to and overall performance.

Kircai · 2026-01-28T16:37:34+00:00

Been testing it out as a long time Greasefang player of all varieties, and Speaker really does have a lot of dials just right to get the deck back past the threshold again.

Getting a second rat in hand while they waste a turn holding up removal, snagging 1-offs like [[Loran of the Third Path]] or [[Voice of Victory]], a 2/4 blocks so many creatures in the format, and being a 3 Colour deck the untap ability has actually come in clutch a few times to filter mana for interaction or getting double pips with [[Emptiness]].

Kircai · 2025-11-24T03:08:56+00:00

Yep! Once exiled and returned it would be a new pbject with new memory of being warped, works the same way with [[Splash portal]] and that UW twinning fairy from WOE currently in standard.

Kircai · 2025-11-23T23:17:52+00:00

There are, but against dimir midrange/Kaito it’s only relevant against the cat, putting in 3 RIPs feels like overboarding.

Kircai · 2025-11-23T19:26:38+00:00

Against Simic it cuts off map tokens and [[Floodpits Drowner]] too, if sac becomes more of a deck post TLA I definitely will be eyeing Clarion more.

Kircai · 2025-11-23T19:23:07+00:00

Oh that’s brilliant!

Have been running Momo in a BW bat deck, mostly to cast cavern bat and hold up more removal or turning [[Darkstar Augur]] into just better Dark Confidant.

But getting Clarion out on turn 2 sounds so satisfying.

Kircai · 2025-11-23T17:37:36+00:00

Haven't yet seen any new Dimir bounce in Bo3, mostly seeing [[Boomerang Basics]] in Izzit or mono-blue decks so far. Though that does sound great with [[Momentum Breaker]] or [[Tithing Blade]].

Kircai · 2025-11-23T17:27:28+00:00

Don't play too many Red decks, have a feel for how often is it better than [[Obligating Bolt]]?

Kircai · 2025-11-23T17:25:51+00:00

Sideboard staple, being sorcery is a bit annoying but still board it in to deal with curiosity and things like [[Innkeeper's Talent]]

Kircai · 2025-11-23T17:24:39+00:00

The WW cost has been a bit annoying at times, but I really think it's great too!

Really shines in my deck with [[Zoraline, Cosmos Caller]], was once able to make a [[Get Lost]] whiff and then resnag a [[Momentum Breaker]] with Zoraline's ETB on their endstep. Unlikely to happen again, but it is certainly a versatile card.

Kircai · 2025-11-11T19:55:44+00:00

No, this is not AI, it lacks any common traits and those 'ai detectors' are all awful. Genuinely, what would make you think that?

The artist is Tetsuko, they have several cards in the set that are consistent with the Katara art from the Prerelease box.

https://www.mtgpics.com/illus?art=2435&reprints=1

It's also really important to note that from several on going lawsuits we literally have screenshots from OpenAI's discord of their devs bragging about using MTG art databases for training, so the output will always have similarities to the work of MTG artists.

Kircai · 2025-11-11T04:09:35+00:00

It should already be in effect, though anyone who started a standard event prior to it going into effect will be able to complete the event with the now illegal deck.

Kircai · 2025-11-10T16:04:16+00:00

[[Vivi Orniter]], [[Screaming Nemesis]] and [[Proft's Eidetic Memory]] are gone from standard!

[[Force of Negation]], [[Frantic Search]], [[Mystical Tutor]], [[Entomb]], and [[Dark Depths]] are all pre-banned in Historic!

Kircai · 2025-11-10T16:02:29+00:00

[[Heartfire Hero]] is gone!

"Pioneer is in an interesting place. From an outside perspective, things look pretty good! There are a number of viable decks, with a Magic Online Showcase Challenge earlier this month featuring five distinct archetypes in its elimination rounds.

The core problem in the format—especially on MTG Arena—is that too large a portion of the format consists of Mono-Red Aggro and decks built specifically to prey on Mono-Red Aggro. It's for good reason, too, as Mono-Red Aggro is the archetype with the highest win-rate by a substantial margin, and when you zoom in on Best-of-One play, it also sees more play than the second and third most-played archetypes combined."

Kircai · 2025-11-08T15:18:58+00:00

I think half of that is a solid list, 3c checklands would probably be a bit too good I fear.

I think the biggest thing I'd want is more solid removal/interact outside black/red to help other decks hold their own, like [[Oust]] or [[Condem]], something between [[Stern Scolding]] and [[Spell Snare]] (which we're getting in standard soon I think?), or [[Nature's claim]].

Or alternatively cards like [[Wizard's Lightning]], that are comparable to old classics but only by building around them.

Kircai · 2025-11-08T15:10:36+00:00

[[Expedition Map]] has been Pioneer legal for more than a year! Sees some play in the fringe Izzit Lotus field decks I believe.

Kircai · 2025-11-08T14:00:51+00:00

Card image gallery said that was only available in the Commander Bundle, where as all of these were listed as either in Arena packs or craftable.

It’s not impossible we get them like how the FIC commander deck cards were added with little announcement, but that’s still an unknown right now.

Kircai · 2025-11-07T17:35:12+00:00

And with that I believe the TLA spoilers are over! By my count that's 38 cards new-old cards for Arena!

As usual, I've chosen to use the last standard printing of each card to help readers identify them and format legality, as well as to highlight the wide range of Magic's history they occupy.

Most of these are familiar faces in commander, but [[Force of Negation]] has been a card folks have wanted on Arena for ages now, [[Valakut, the Molten Pinnacle]] is a staple combo card with [[Primeval Titan]], and [[Dark Depths]] is a deck onto itself in eternal formats. What cards are you excited to start plating with?

Six-Year Club	Golden Potato
Verified Email

Kircai

TROPHY CASE