Best Anthony Mattox Podcasts (2025)

1
Tarkir: Dragonstorm Cube Set Review 1:54:10

21h ago1:54:10

1:54:10

View all cards mentioned in this episode Andy, Anthony, and Parker talk about the results of the cube community survey for Tarkir: Dragonstorm. They discuss the sets new mechanics and how they function to support a the set’s themes and limited environment and how that relates to goals of many Cube designers. They also talk about the top cards catch…

1
Boston Cube Party Two and Sacred Geometry First Impressions 1:18:22

8d ago1:18:22

1:18:22

View all cards mentioned in this episode As they continue to attend more and more local, grassroots Cube events, Andy and Anthony find themselves asking: do people like these ‘tournament report’ episodes? They try to talk through their drafts at Boston Cube Party Two more quickly, but it still takes almost an hour to get through them. The episode c…

1
The Barash Files 005 — Playtesting and Cube Feedback 1:12:26

15d ago1:12:26

1:12:26

View all cards mentioned in this episode In the final installment of ”The Barash Files” (at least for now!), Zach — game designer at Wizards of the Coast — talks with Andy and Anthony about playtesting. The three talk about how they approach getting feedback on their specific different environments and how they use that information. Discussed in th…

1
The ↑↑↓↓←→←→ABCs of Combo 1:06:18

22d ago1:06:18

1:06:18

View all cards mentioned in this episode Andy and Anthony talk all things “combo”. After talking about both aggro and control on the show, they finally get around to this sometimes divisive part of the Magic landscape. They try to come up with a working definition of combo strategies, talk about their own history with it as players and cube designe…

1
Judge Bones Teaches You How To Organize Your Own Grassroots Cube Event 1:14:57

29d ago1:14:57

1:14:57

View all cards mentioned in this episode Andy and Anthony are joined by Judge Bones. As mid-sized Cube events have flourished, Bones has spearheaded the task of judging and carried valuable lessons over from event to event. Hot on the heels of The Salt Box in Baltimore, the three talk about Bones’ history with Cube and what it takes to host and jud…

1
The Salt Box Tournament Report 1:37:48

1M ago1:37:48

1:37:48

View all cards mentioned in this episode Andy, Anthony, and Patrick report on their experience at Baltimore’s first mid-sized Cube event: The Salt Box. Following the pattern of other regional events, the tournament featured multiple drafts of Cubes from the local area, organized by ranked choice selection. The three of them talk through the decks t…

1
Aetherdrift Cube Set Review 1:40:18

1M ago1:40:18

1:40:18

View all cards mentioned in this episode Andy, Anthony, and Parker talk about Aetherdrift and peripheral sets. They review the results of the Cube community survey where Cube designers submit the cards they’re giving a shot in their cubes and how highly they rate them. They also give their own overall impressions of the set in this single-episode r…

1
The Barash Files 004 — Building Skill vs. Building Community and Learning from Your Mistakes 1:21:06

2M ago1:21:06

1:21:06

View all cards mentioned in this episode Andy, Anthony, and Zach talk about improving as a Magic player, building a community and how they try to balance the two. They talk about the challenges of fostering positive social standards and how that can conflict with trying to improve at a competitive game. Discussed in this episode: The Null Hypothesi…

1
Mindbreak Trap Forgives All Sins with Julien Henry 1:31:57

2M ago1:31:57

1:31:57

View all cards mentioned in this episode Andy and Anthony are joined by Julien from their local playgroup, fresh off the pro-tour, to offer his expert advice on an important topic: updating the Turbo Cube. In Anthony’s novelty cube, the rules are modified so all spells and activated abilities cost Discussed in this episode: The Turbo Cube Cube Even…

1
Our Favorite Cards from 2024 1:00:06

2M ago1:00:06

1:00:06

View all cards mentioned in this episode Andy and Anthony talk about their favorite cards from the last year. They each go through their top favorite unique cards or cycles discussing their impact on their own cubes, cubes they’ve been playing, or their future potential for the format. Discussed in this episode: Aetherdrift and Aetherdrift Commande…

1
Aesthetic Values and Style in Cube Design 1:07:07

2M ago1:07:07

1:07:07

View all cards mentioned in this episode Inspired by two standards of beauty from different cultures — the Japanese Wabi-Sabi and the Italian Sprezzatura — Andy and Anthony are talking about a seemingly mundane card choice in 100 Ornithopters and how that reflects on the aesthetic values that are informally codified in cube design. Discussed in thi…

1
Vintage Cube Sucks 1:01:10

3M ago1:01:10

1:01:10

View all cards mentioned in this episode Andy and Anthony talk about why they think Vintage Cube sucks. Riddled with unintelligibly complicated cards, self-solving puzzles, and value generating haymakers that take no investment or strategy to maximize, it’s not our hosts’ favorite kind of Cube. Discussed in this episode: Aetherdrift and Aetherdrift…

1
Debriefing Vertex Philadelphia & 100 Ornithopters Unite 1:16:37

3M ago1:16:37

1:16:37

View all cards mentioned in this episode Andy and Anthony recap Magic events they participated in this week. First, Anthony talks through his experience at Vertex Philadelphia, a ~100 person Cube tournament. Anthony had another solid run in his drafts, and the event was the first time his new Broadcast Shuffling method was tried at scale to reasona…

1
The Barash Files 003 — Reflections on Cube Drafts Past 1:21:12

3M ago1:21:12

1:21:12

View all cards mentioned in this episode On the third installment of The Barash Files, Zach shares stories from his drafts of some of Andy and Anthony’s cubes over the last few years. He shares insights into how he approaches them as a player, and how effectively they deliver on their stated goals. Discussed in this episode: Drafting the Bun Magic …

1
Using the Foundations Starter Collection as the Base for Your Own Cube — with Carmen Klomparens 1:19:00

3M ago1:19:00

1:19:00

View all cards mentioned in this episode Andy and Anthony talk with Carmen Klomparens, lead designer of the Foundations Starter Collection, about the set and how it’s a great option for new Cube players looking for a starting point. They talk about what’s in the set, how and how it was designed, and then each offer ideas and specific cards they’d a…

1
Changing Patterns in Magic R&D 1:05:35

4M ago1:05:35

1:05:35

View all cards mentioned in this episode Andy and Anthony talk about changes to the design of Magic cards over the years: including some overt changes like “snap on equipment” and more subtle differences in how attack triggers are worded they feel would have been done differently in the past. They talk about how each changes the texture and focus o…

1
The Barash Files 002 — On Terminology, Communication, and Community 1:25:15

4M ago1:25:15

1:25:15

View all cards mentioned in this episode In the second installment of “The Barash Files”, Andy, Anthony, and Zach talk about Cube terminology. They talk about how the language we use effects that kinds of conversations we have which in turn effect the kinds of communities we build. New terminology can enable talking more efficiently about concepts …

1
Always Be Cubing — 2024 in Review 1:29:05

4M ago1:29:05

1:29:05

View all cards mentioned in this episode Andy and Anthony close out 2024 reflecting on their year in Magic. This year Magic’s new direction as a product driven primarily by marketing goals fueled with cheap gimmicks and cross branding feels solidified. Our hosts talk, kind of briefly, on how their relationships to the game have changed because of t…

1
The Barash Files 001 — The Principles of Game Design 1:12:44

4M ago1:12:44

1:12:44

View all cards mentioned in this episode Zach Barash joins Andy and Anthony for the first episode in a series where he shares his game design expertise. In this first episode, the three talk about the first principles of game design, including the iteration loop most game designers follow (and similar processes in other fields!). Starting with idea…

1
A Loom Made of Yarn: the Tools of Cube Design 56:59

4M ago56:59

56:59

View all cards mentioned in this episode Andy and Anthony talk about the essential digital tools and workflows for Cube designers. Starting with finding and gathering cards on Scryfall, to sculpting and sharing lists on Cube Cobra and tools for analyzing and comparing lists, they talk about how to leverage resources to make designing and playing Cu…

1
Fixing is Cringe with Jenn the Judge 1:07:29

5M ago1:07:29

1:07:29

View all cards mentioned in this episode Andy and Anthony are Joined by Jenn the Judge to talk about “5 Color Good Stuff” decks in cube. They talk about what aspects of a Cube enable 5 color decks, and the impacts these decks have on the feel and fun of an environment. They talk about some of the strategies they employ in their own cubes, including…

1
Foundations Community Set Review 1:30:56

5M ago1:30:56

1:30:56

View all cards mentioned in this episode Andy, Anthony, and Parker review the results of the Foundations Cube Community survey. They talk through the top cards that have Cube designers most excited and theorize about what’s catching people’s interest and some of the patterns in the results. They talk about the associated Jump Start set with one maj…

1
On Board Wipes and Cube Design 1:07:56

5M ago1:07:56

1:07:56

Andy and Anthony talk all things board wipes in Cube. They talk about the varieties and boundaries of cards that reset the board state and how they effect gameplay and add strategic depth to games with or against them. They talk about the roles of board wipes in their main Cubes. View cards mentioned in this episode > Discussed in this episode: Fou…

1
Clown Shoes Cubes and How to Use Feedback 1:04:35

5M ago1:04:35

1:04:35

Andy and Anthony talk about their Cubes included in CubeCon 2024: Andy’s 100 Ornithopters and Anthony’s Regular and Turbo Cubes. They talk about what they learned about each from players’ feedback and the decklists after the event. They also talk about potential changes they’re considering based on that feedback. View all cards mentioned in this ep…

1
Foundations First Impressions 1:19:11

6M ago1:19:11

1:19:11

Andy and Anthony talk about Foundations, Magic’s latest set, akin to old Core Sets. The set fills multiple roles including being an approachable set for beginners, a nostalgic set to invested players, and a way to support standard with basic effects that stay in the format longer. Our hosts talk about their overall impressions of the set and indivi…

1
Heuristics for Having a Good Time 1:07:17

6M ago1:07:17

1:07:17

In the wake of CubeCon 2024, Andy and Anthony talk about how they approach drafting new Cube environments. They talk about their general draft strategies and heuristics they start with to get a sense of what’s going to be important in the environment just by looking at the packs being passed. View all cards mentioned in this episode Discussed in th…

1
2–1 Into 3–0 Into 3–0 Into 3–0 Into Drop and Go Eat Ramen 1:31:50

6M ago1:31:50

1:31:50

Andy and Anthony, are joined by perennial favorite, Patrick, to recap their experience at CubeCon 2024. They talk about how they approached the event, the Cubes they drafted, and the highs and lows of every deck they drafted throughout the event. Growing to almost 600 players in it’s third year, CubeCon continued to deliver on being an opportunity …

1
Bloomburrow and Duskmourn: House of Horror Cube Community Set Reviews 1:49:28

6M ago1:49:28

1:49:28

Andy, Anthony, and Parker, belatedly discuss the results from the last two standard sets’ Cube community surveys, Bloomburrow and Duskmourn: House of Horror. They talk about the top cards that have the attention of the most Cube designers as well as their general observations about what from each set the community is responding to. View all cards m…

1
Ryan Saxe’s Auto Battler Inspired Format 1:47:13

7M ago1:47:13

1:47:13

Andy and Anthony talk with Ryan Saxe about his latest Magic passion project. Inspired by one of his favorite video game genres, AutoBattlers, Ryan has been working to create a Magic variant that incorporates the feeling of quick mini-games and constant upgrades and expansion of your arsenal. In his format, players face of in a series of mini-games …

1
Commander Bans and Consumption as Self Expression 1:15:10

7M ago1:15:10

1:15:10

Andy and Anthony take a step aside from their typical focus on Cube and reflect on the recent shake ups in Commander. They talk about the major bans that have rattled the format and their feelings about Wizards of the Coast formally taking control of the fan-made format which has become the dominant form of the game. View all cards mentioned in thi…

1
Boromir Sucks and Oko is a Joke-O: Sweeping Updates to the Turbo Cube 1:18:36

7M ago1:18:36

1:18:36

Andy and Anthony talk about a big batch of updates to Anthony’s Turbo Cube. In this Cube, all spells and activated abilities cost {2} less. They talk about their general philosophy of updating Cubes, what types of strategies Anthony is hoping to bolster with these updates, and talk through the changes card by card. View all cards mentioned in this …

1
State of the Game 2024 1:08:36

7M ago1:08:36

1:08:36

Andy and Anthony reflect on the Mark Rosewater’s reflection on the past year in Magic. Every year, Magic’s lead designer shares lessons learned and strengths from each booster set. This year’s felt lacking a bit of thematic focus, but maybe the lack of focus is emblematic of this last year in Magic. View all cards mentioned in this episode Discusse…

1
Cards We Were Wrong About: 2024 Standard Rotation 1:12:35

7M ago1:12:35

1:12:35

Andy and Parker look back on all the sets currently cycling out of standard and talk about their overall impressions and how individual cards from each have aged in their various Cubes. Anthony’s there too, kinda just vibing cause he’s been updating his Cubes at an agitated non-newtonian fluid pace. View all cards mentioned in this episode Discusse…

1
Randomness Revisited — Strategy vs. Tactics in Game Design 1:09:21

8M ago1:09:21

1:09:21

Andy and Anthony revisit randomness in Magic with more resources and input form listeners. They talk about decision making at large and small scales in games: strategy vs tactics, and how randomness impacts what kind of planning are rewarded. View all cards mentioned in this episode Discussed in this episode: Stardew Valley bdouble0 on YouTube Flor…

1
Using Little Pieces of Paper as a Supermassive Random Number Generator 1:02:39

8M ago1:02:39

1:02:39

Andy and Anthony talk about randomness in Magic, and specifically just how much randomness there is in a Cube draft. They talk about where randomness comes from and how different mechanics use the library or other sets of cards as a random source to make them work. They also go into their own preferences and how they thing about randomness in their…

1
Grassroots Cube Event Potpurri 1:13:44

8M ago1:13:44

1:13:44

Andy and Anthony talk about some of the past and pending Cube events they are attending. This year has seen a proliferation of new small Cube events. Anthony reviews his experience at the Capitol Cube Champs and they talk about what they’re excited about in the upcoming Cube 4 Charity hosted by Upkeep New York. View all cards mentioned in this epis…

1
Spotlight: Recross the Paths 33:32

8M ago33:32

33:32

No regular episode of Lucky Paper Radio this week, sadly, but in an effort to not leave y’all empty handed and to help highlight a great new Cube podcast, we’re bringing you and episode of Kade Goforth’s Recross the Paths. Discussed in this episode: Bloomburrow and Bloomburrow Commander Surveys Recross the Paths on Spotify Recross the Paths RSS Fee…

1
French Vanilla Face-Off 1:00:03

9M ago1:00:03

1:00:03

Andy and Anthony each rank every evergreen creature ability and then, tier by tier, discuss what they love each adds (or doesn’t) to the game. View all cards discussed in this episode. Discussed in this episode: Bloomburrow and Bloomburrow Commander Surveys Evergreen Keyword Abilities Tier List Maker dinrovahorror’s Draft of the Neoclassical Cube T…

1
Bloomburrow First Impressions, Mechanics, and Personal Cube Additions 1:24:02

9M ago1:24:02

1:24:02

Andy and Anthony take a first look at Bloomburrow, breaking down the mechanics, flavor, and the cards their interested in giving a try in their on Cube environments. View all cards mentioned in this episode Discussed in this episode: Bloomburrow Community Survey Commander Set Survey Bloomburrow Mechanics Overview Episode 193: 100 Ornithopters in a …

1
Book Club: The Beauty of Games by Frank Lantz 1:32:48

9M ago1:32:48

1:32:48

In the first “book club” episode, Andy, Anthony, and Parker talk about The Beauty of Games by Frank Lantz. The book sets out to defend the thesis that games are artistic works (or, more descriptively, “aesthetic works”) worth the same level of appreciation as other art forms and teach sophisticated, systems-thinking. After reading the book, our hos…

1
Text, Subtext, and Cards with Secrets 1:00:23

9M ago1:00:23

1:00:23

Andy and Anthony talk about complexity in Magic. After their discussion on the previous episode on Andy’s Neoclassical Cube comparing arguable simplicity of old school Magic cards, and continued discussion on the MTG Cube Talk Discord, they talk about the nature and different types of complexity. They compare cards which are simpler to read vs to p…

1
It Feels Good to Riffle Shuffle Duals: Preparing the Neoclassical Cube for Steel City 1:07:31

10M ago1:07:31

1:07:31

Andy and Anthony talk about Andy’s Neoclassical Cube. They talk about some of the changes Andy’s been making leading up to it being played by a wider audience at Steel City Cube. They talk about how the design philosophy has evolved and their recent experience playing the Cube. View all cards mentioned in this episode. Timestamps 0:00 - Introductio…

1
Modern Horizons 3 Cube Community Set Review 1:14:12

10M ago1:14:12

1:14:12

Andy, Anthony, and Parker review the results of the Modern Horizons 3 Cube Community Set Review. As usual, we asked the Cube community to share what cards from the set they’re interested in trying in their Cubes, for whatever reasons that are relevant to their own curation goals, and how confident they are the cards will be hits. We compiled the re…

1
Boston Cube Party Tournament Report with Patrick ‘Dirt’ Doherty 1:17:24

10M ago1:17:24

1:17:24

Fresh off of Boston Cube Party, Andy, Anthony, and Patrick recap their weekend of Cubing. They talk through highlights of the event and the Cubes they drafted over a great weekend of Magic. ⁠View all cards mentioned in the episode →⁠ Discussed in this episode: Boston Cube Party Episode 206, with Richard Garfield Andy’s Twitter thread recapping the …

1
The Joy of Gaming with Richard Garfield 1:06:06

10M ago1:06:06

1:06:06

Andy and Anthony are joined by Richard Garfield, legendary game designer and the creator of Magic: the Gathering. Richard talks about how he got interested in modifying and tweaking games, his concept that players can be loosely understood as either ‘honers’ or ‘innovators’, and why some games with great mechanics have no soul as a result of overde…

1
Full Vintage Rotisserie Draft with Alex and Aran 1:10:13

11M ago1:10:13

1:10:13

Anthony is taking a break this week and it takes no less than two other people to fill his shoes, so Andy is joined by two other friends from their Baltimore playgroup to discuss two recent roto drafts of the full vintage card pool. They share their strategies surrounding this complicated draft format and talk about whether or not it led to actuall…

1
A Review of All the Coolest Cards from Modern Horizons 3 1:21:06

11M ago1:21:06

1:21:06

Andy and Anthony take a first look at Modern Horizons 3. The latest installment of this Time Spiral-esque series continues the tradition of a huge range of cards and an abundance of callbacks and remixes of classics. Our hosts talk about their overall impressions of the set and go into individual cards their interested in generally and for specific…

1
A Cube is Like a Building 1:00:35

11M ago1:00:35

1:00:35

Andy and Anthony talk about the history of architecture and the design of the physical spaces we inhabit. They draw parallels to design more broadly, the design of games as mental spaces, and specifically Cube design. Discussed in this episode: The Beauty of Games Buckminster Fuller Tech Won’t Save Us, Episode 221: Tech’s Plan to ‘Ethnically Cleans…

1
Reading Series — The Creator of ‘Magic the Gathering’ Knows Exactly Where it All Went Wrong 1:22:13

11M ago1:22:13

1:22:13

Andy and Anthony read and comment on the entirety of a recent article on the early history of Magic and it’s creator’s struggles with the game. The article, including quotes from an interview with Richard Garfield, explores his complex relationship to his creation. It explores his perspective on games, and why he values them. Since it’s first publi…

1
Commitment to the Bit — On Context Shift Cubes 55:51

11M ago55:51

55:51

Andy and Anthony talk about novelty Cubes. Many Cubes are built around a novelty concept or design restriction. Novelty designs can be fun and light, but gimmicks can also pigeonhole cubes, making them feel unworthy of serious attention. Our hosts discuss their experience with novelty design, from its benefits to its challenging implications. ⁠View…

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Anthony Mattox Podcasts

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