Ponder
208 episodes - English - Latest episode: over 1 year ago - ★★★★ - 27 ratingsTJ Rogers, Jamie Rigatti, and Melvin the Muppet ponder all things from the world of Magic: the Gathering. Each episode, your hosts will discuss anything and everything related to the world of Magic and will answer listener questions of any kind.
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Episodes
Episode 133 - The Danger of Jeweled Lotus and Kaladesh Remastered
November 05, 2020 05:22 - 1 hour - 79 MBThe controversy over Jeweled Lotus has been high and opinions differ on how good it is. Is it an intentional chase rare to drive sales or just a well designed card? We also ponder how Kaladesh Remastered will play compared to the original and look back to Amonkhet remastered for hints. Access the Three Moons Lounge here Visit the Ponder website
Episode 132 - Battle of Wits: Commander Legends
October 29, 2020 04:00 - 1 hour - 70.1 MBWizards announced that Magic Arena Mobile won't be released in 2020. Are we shocked even a little bit? We ponder what to really expect for mobile and when. We also bring back our favorite Ponder game, Battle of Wits. We take some of the Commander Legends creatures and debate what jobs they are best suited for, like three inept high school guidance counselors. Access the Three Moons Lounge here Visit the Ponder website Melvin's Minute 10/25/2020
Episode 131 - Exploiting Leaks for Finance and Calling out Racism
October 22, 2020 04:00 - 1 hour - 66.6 MBRacism has reared its ugly head in the community again in the form of card alters, and we talk about how to handle those who create it and those who support it. We also ponder what happens when the Magic finance community exploits leaked cards for a profit. Access the Three Moons Lounge here Visit the Ponder website
Episode 130 - Omnath's Grand Finale
October 15, 2020 04:32 - 1 hour - 72.7 MBAfter a more than grand showing at the Grand Finals, Omnath is out of here! We look towards a locus-free Standard future. We also ponder tostadas. Access the Three Moons Lounge here Visit the Ponder website
Episode 129 - Predatory Products and Certified Cuties
October 08, 2020 04:49 - 1 hour - 79.2 MBThe Walking Dead Secret Lairs set has caused an uproar, but is it any more predatory than the Booster Pack lottery we're used to? We ponder if this is the start of a bad trend. But don't worry, Jamie lifts our spirits with her Zendikar Rising Certified Cuties list.
Episode 128 - Why Magic Can't Be Your Everything
October 01, 2020 04:53 - 1 hour - 69.7 MBMagic is a big part of our lives, but what happens when it's the only thing? Jamie shares how she feels when Magic becomes too, and TJ recalls when it almost overwhelmed him. We also ponder Omnath's future and with whom we really want to party.
Episode 127 - Is Ramp the Problem?
September 24, 2020 04:56 - 1 hour - 94 MBZendikar Rising has been out for a week and your hosts are already having problems. TJ explains why a ramp card might get banned before it's even legal to play. Jamie shares her frustration with Arena's release, and the whole gang ponders more shoes for the Gatewatch.
Episode 126 - Putting your Zendicards on the Table
September 17, 2020 04:44 - 1 hour - 72.2 MBZendikar Rising has been fully revealed, and Jamie is back to help us out with her professional limited opinion. Will it be fast or slow? What's the bombiest bomb for draft? What will shake up Standard? We ponder what the new set will bring to both limited and constructed play.
Episode 125 - Zendikar Rising Highlights and First Impressions
September 10, 2020 04:00 - 1 hour - 87 MBPreviews are rolling in, and we are starting to get a feel for the theme of Zendikar Rising and what it has to offer. We look at some of the cards that excite us, might be game changers, or are just plain fun. We ponder if this set finally ends the Zendicurse of past blocks.
Episode 124 - Party on Zendikar
September 03, 2020 05:28 - 1 hour - 75.4 MBIt's preview time, and the party is coming to us! We look at the party mechanic and the new spin on modal cards, check in on the Hall of Fame update announcement, and ponder who we'd want to see in and why.
Episode 123 - Defeating Losing Streaks
August 27, 2020 04:40 - 1 hour - 77.2 MBAll players have bad runs, get cold, and just can't seem to win a game. Jamie talks about hers from last week and how losing streaks affect streamers. With our listeners, we ponder some ways to handle them when they do show up in our games, pro or casual.
Episode 122 - Looking at Lessons Learned from Last Year
August 20, 2020 14:59 - 1 hour - 77.3 MBMark Rosewater released his annual "State of Magic" article this week about what WotC has learned in a year. We go over it and give our own opinions. We also check in with Jamie on how Amonkhet Remastered is going and ponder what it takes to truly remaster a previous set.
Episode 121 - The Art of Smelling Booster Packs
August 13, 2020 04:39 - 1 hour - 73.3 MBWe all love the smell of fresh cards straight out of a booster pack, but did you know that each pack has its own unique aroma? We act as your set sommeliers this episode, weaving a sensory story with our descriptions. We also ponder what to do when our relationship with Magic starts to get unhealthy.
Episode 120 - A Ban Too Late?
August 06, 2020 04:00 - 1 hour - 73.4 MBThere's only a few weeks left until Standard rotation, but this week's Banned and Restricted announcement has finally axed the cards that people have been unhappy about for a long time. Will the fun return? Is it too late? We also ponder how people are expressing their frustrations on social media and if these are justified or just the fallout of "Angsty Magic Twitter".
Episode 119 - Set Boosters and Paper Boomers
July 30, 2020 04:00 - 1 hour - 74.3 MBWant to buy some packs but can't stand the draft chaff? Well check out the new set boosters! It's a new product to get more playables into your hands. We talk about who they're for and why they even exist. There's also been some conflict between the old school paper playing boomers and the new digital arena zoomers, but we're okay with that. We also give Jamie a bunch of extra work in this one.
Ponder 119 - Preshow (unedited)
July 29, 2020 19:34 - 35 minutes - 35.8 MBNormally only available to our patrons, we decided to give everyone access to this preshow. We talk about comedy, death, and starting some only fans channels. (Warnings: mature content)
Episode 118 - Magic Products and Entitlement
July 23, 2020 04:00 - 1 hour - 83.3 MBAs a surprise to no one, there have a lot of complaints about the latest premium product, Double Masters. Unfortunately, your friends on Ponder are here to break it to you that not every product is designed just for you. We ponder the outrage of entitlement that seems to come with each new premium product.
Episode 117 - The Path to Pro in 2020
July 16, 2020 04:00 - 1 hour - 73.9 MBAfter a quick look at the B&R announcement, TJ breaks down how the pro Magic 20-21 season works, and we see what it takes to get into the MPL and Rivals and what it takes to stay there. We also ponder if it's good or bad for current pros, rising stars, and players hoping to get there.
Episode 116 - Stop it! Magic Etiquette Stories, Complaints, and Advice
July 09, 2020 04:00 - 1 hour - 89.4 MBThis week it was our listeners who did the pondering for us when we asked "What is your one big rule or complaint for Magic Etiquette?" We share your stories, advice, rules, and complaints from tournaments, casual paper, online, and everything in between.
Episode 115 - Core Set 2021: A Palate Cleanser
July 02, 2020 04:00 - 1 hour - 84.1 MBAfter some powerful sets and complex mechanics in the last few sets, it's nice to get a bit of a break with Magic Core Set 2021. The limited play feels like a return to the comfortable, while still being challenging. We give our early impressions of the set this week and also ponder picking new creature types for ourselves.
Episode 114 - Wizards Content Creator Confusion
June 25, 2020 04:00 - 1 hour - 84.1 MBThe WotC Content Creator Program has a lot of people scratching their heads after some players were removed from it. Who is it even for and what's it serving? Why are people upset with it? We ponder what it is now, what's not working, and what it could be.
Episode 113 - When Magic is only in the Background
June 18, 2020 04:00 - 1 hour - 80.2 MBCore set 2021 is out and we.... well, we're having a hard time focusing on Magic right now, and it feels like it's been pushed into the background of our lives. We strive to carry on and summon the core set cuties to help us lift our spirits. We also ponder Core Set 2022, because it's never too early.
Episode 112 - Puppy Love: Core Set 2021 Early Impressions
June 11, 2020 04:00 - 1 hour - 81.2 MBIt's preview season for Core Set 2021 and we're feeling the puppy love. Dogs are running rampant, and we talk about which ones (and other cards) we're already excited about. We also get hyped on some great reprints, a twist on some old favorites, and a new planeswalker. We finish up by pondering planeswalker talk shows.
Episode 111 - Companion Changes? Thanks, I Hate it
June 04, 2020 05:19 - 1 hour - 73.3 MBWizards of the Coast has taken a mulligan on the Companion mechanic, and the newest version is, well, you read the title. We try to figure out how this particular version came to be and what it means to limited and constructed going forward. We also ponder the bannings and share a must-listen segment from the Color of Magic Podcast. Listen to Color of Magic here Follow @ColorofMTG here
Episode 110 - Wild Companion Change Speculations
May 28, 2020 04:00 - 1 hour - 73.8 MBChanges are coming for Companion, but we don't know what. Why bother critically hypothesizing about them when you can make crazy, outlandish guesses instead? We try both. We also ponder even more secret lairs, a leak, and rocks. New merch at https://www.teepublic.com/user/ponder
Episode 109 - The Arena Open and Curated Cuties
May 21, 2020 04:41 - 1 hour - 83.6 MBThe Arena Open was just announced. Is it for you? We look at what the Arena Open structure is and compare its format and cost to similar paper tournaments. We also look forward to the CFB Pro Showdown, and Jamie gives us a Curated Cuties of ICoria list.
Episode 108 - Balance Versus Innovation
May 14, 2020 04:00 - 1 hour - 79.2 MBWhat's more important when designing future sets? Innovation is important to keep the game fresh, but without balance power creep and narrow strategies can take over. We each ponder which is more important, how this trade-off has affected past sets, and what might be coming in the future. We also ponder krakens.
Episode 107 - From Super Star to Pro: Innovating with Mashi Scanlan
May 07, 2020 04:00 - 1 hour - 88.2 MBFrom the days of Superstars to the creation of CFBPro, from Magic TV to Magic FM, our special guest Mashi Scanlan has been innovating Magic content. In our first Channelfireball podcast crossover, Mashi weaves the tales of his life's story and CFB's together. Then we ponder mutating our pets.
Episode 106 - Arena's Renaissance
April 30, 2020 04:00 - 1 hour - 71.9 MBHuman drafts have finally arrived on Magic Arena, and people (especially Jamie) couldn't be happier. Was it a make or break necessity for Ikoria? We discuss how people are returning in droves after frustration with bot drafting and what that means for players. We also say goodbye to our DCI numbers.
Episode 105 - Early Ikoria Topples Tips
April 23, 2020 04:00 - 1 hour - 72.8 MBShe's had a week to sink her teeth in, but that's all she needs. Jamie is here to give us the run down on Ikoira limited. We ask her what the early strategies are, what's good and what's overrated. We also get hyped for her Eleague competition and wrap up by pondering porcuparrots.
Episode 104 - Ikoria Power Rankings
April 16, 2020 04:19 - 1 hour - 88.2 MBAfter a quick celebration for human drafts on Arena, we start the deep dive into Ikoria. To review some of the most powerful cards, we decide to pit them against each other. We review the mythic Apex beasts, the Mythos cycle, and the new planeswalkers in a head to head elimination to find out which will be the last cards standing.
Episode 103 - Dreadnought Magic: Ikoria First Impressions and Mechanics
April 09, 2020 04:00 - 1 hour - 80.9 MBForget "Battle-Cruiser Magic". Ikoria is bringing us giant creatures so big that we had to create a whole new term, "Dreadnought Magic". We talk about mutating giant monsters, why TJ loves cycling, and ponder if Companions are just Magic's version of Pokemon waiting to happen.
Episode 102 - Moving Magic Forward
April 02, 2020 04:36 - 59 minutes - 59.7 MBThis episode may be coming out on April Fool's, but the world's crazy enough right now. Magic is moving on with changing ways to play, and we look ahead towards the release of Ikoria and future releases and tournaments. We also ponder replacing TJ with more Jamie.
Episode 101 - MagicFest Online and Adaption in Crisis
March 26, 2020 04:00 - 1 hour - 62.1 MBIn the wake of large tournaments being cancelled, the Magic scene is being forced to adapt, and leading the way is CFBEvent's MagicFest Online. We breakdown how you can play and when. We also cover some other new events to watch out for. MagicFest Online Info Melvin Reads Alice's Adventures in Wonderland
Episode 100 - Celebrating with the Magic Community
March 19, 2020 04:47 - 1 hour - 87.4 MBOur 100th Episode! This episode has 10 questions, 10 answers from the Magic podcast community, and 1 great time. Special thanks to Lords of Limited, Color of Magic, 75 Card Pickup, Best of 3 Podcast, Building Blocks Podcast, Eyes on the Mise, Midweek Metagaming, The Dive Down, The Vorthos Cast, and Scry Me a River.
Episode 99 - Cracking Mythic Top 10 and the Aftermath
March 12, 2020 04:57 - 1 hour - 81.4 MBGetting to Mythic Rank is every competitive Arena player's goal, and this week Jamie made the top 10! But how hard do you have to work to maintain it, and what happens if you can't? Jamie shares her experience with us. We also say good bay to some cards hit by the B&R and ponder the solitude of Arena.
Episode 98 - A Brand Built on Teaching with AdamAntMTG
March 05, 2020 05:19 - 1 hour - 73 MBThis week we welcome a special guest who has built his brand up in a unique way. Keith (AdamAntMTG) joins us to talk about how his love of teaching others the game helped grow his stream to a surprising success. He gives us tips on how to engage directly with viewers to teach the game. We also ponder pop-tart improvements. AdamAntMTG on Twitter AdamAntMTG on Twitch Donate to Zach's St. Baldrick's Foundation fundraiser
Episode 97 - A Week of FOMO: DreamHack and more Secret Lairs
February 27, 2020 05:55 - 1 hour - 68.6 MBLast weekend was the biggest Magic tournament that no one knew about. DreamHack was in Anaheim, had a ridiculous prize pool, but an extremely small attendance. If you blinked, you might have missed it. Speeding right along behind it is even more Secret Lairs. We ponder why they're coming so fast and what you might miss out on if you don't plan accordingly.
Episode 96 - The Magic World Championship 2020
February 20, 2020 05:37 - 1 hour - 72.8 MBSixteen players. Three days of Magic. A million dollars in prizes. Some quickly thrown in pineapples. The weekend was huge in the world of Magic, and we talk about what we liked and didn't, from the players, to coverage, and Arena tie-ins. We also ponder a design for PV's champion card.
Episode 95 - PT Phoenix and Secret Lair Overkill
February 13, 2020 05:00 - 1 hour - 67 MBEven though Jamie was trying to finish up her Arena Mythic rank, she still had time to catch some of the PT Phoenix limited play and gives us her professional opinions. And in case you haven't had enough yet, there's another Secret Lair release coming up. Is this too much yet? We finish up by pondering where we'd be right now without Magic.
Episode 94 - Pioneer Player Tours, Manastrike, and the Creator Program
February 06, 2020 05:44 - 1 hour - 76.8 MBWe've got a whole lot to cover this week! There were not one but two Player Tours last weekend, and we go over the hot new Inverter deck that was all over the place. TJ gets hyped for the new Magic phone game, Manastrike, and we talk about the Magic Creator Program and what that could mean to content creators of all sizes. We also ponder lasagna.
Episode 93 - Jersey Lessons and an Unsanctioned Viewing
January 30, 2020 06:00 - 1 hour - 70.2 MBJamie is back from MagicFest New Jersey and we can't wait to hear about her experience. She not only tells about how the tournament went, but she confides in us with a couple of uncomfortable situations that happened while she was playing. We also get our first look at what the new "Un" product, Unsanctioned, will consist of and how it's different than the previous ones. Finally, we loudly argue about, er, we ponder the perfect nachos.
Episode 92 - Theros Sealed Prep and a Legacy Lost
January 23, 2020 05:21 - 1 hour - 84.5 MBJamie has been crushing sealed pools all week getting ready for MagicFest New Jersey, and she tells us what she's learned early about the format. It also seems that Legacy has disappeared from the 2020 schedule, but TJ has a reason why. Then we wrap it all up with pondering our own replacements.
Episode 91 - Themes in Theros and Bans in Modern
January 16, 2020 06:29 - 1 hour - 92.6 MBWe take advantage of our professional limited expertise, Jamie Topples, to look at the themes we can expect to see in Theros Beyond Deck limited decks and what we should expect in color sets and decks. Then, remember Modern? There were several bans this week and TJ gives us the whys and the impact. Finally, we all get to ponder having a Theros god for a roommate.
Episode 90 - Preshow
January 16, 2020 02:49 - 30 minutes - 31.5 MBA special bonus, listen the the preshow for episode 90. These are normally a Patreon patron exclusive but everyone once and a while one escapes into the wild. Enjoy.
Episode 90 - Theros Beyond Death Early Impressions
January 09, 2020 05:38 - 1 hour - 82.6 MBThe previews for Theros Beyond Death are coming out, and we've already got so much to talk about. We reminisce about the original block and see which mechanics are back and which have been reborn. We highlight the cards that have excited us so far and talk about what to expect from the set. Then we round out the episode by pondering a Magic-themed yearly holiday.
Episode 89 - 2019 Reflections and the Mail Bag
January 02, 2020 05:00 - 1 hour - 88.7 MBMagic has been through a lot in 2019, and we take a little time to reflect on the highs and lows, the good times and the bad. We also decided that a good way to end the year would be with an extended mail bag segment, where we ponder personal teleportals and hot dogs.
Episode 88 - Planeswalkers: Naughty or Nice with Crocodile MTG
December 26, 2019 04:30 - 1 hour - 85.2 MBIt's the holidays, and we thought that a seasonal game was in order. So this episode we decide which planesewalkers are naughty and which are nice. And since Jamie is sick, we asked our pal Crocodile MTG to join us. He's an up and coming content creator bringing you multiple formats each week. We go on to ponder what Melvin did for a Klondike bar. Crocodile MTG on YouTube, Twitter, Twitch
Episode 87 - Theros Beyond Death Early Play and Impressions
December 19, 2019 05:00 - 1 hour - 75.3 MBThe After Party event on Arena gave everyone a chance to see and play with some of the new Theros cards early, including two new planeswalkers. We look at how they played as well as the other set mechanics. We go on to ponder the past and those player haters (not really) at WotC.
Episode 86 - MCVII and the Paywall to Brawl
December 12, 2019 05:36 - 1 hour - 88.6 MBMythic Championship VII is in the books and it was either great for Magic, or terrible for Magic. We talk about what's gotten better and what's gotten worse in 2019 for events and tournaments. Also, why we gotta pay to brawl? We try to understand Arena's new event, and then we finish off by flexing on each other with Ponder host power rankings.