Games

Lucky Paper Radio

Lucky Paper Radio is a podcast about Magic: the Gathering hosted by lifelong friends Andy Mangold and Anthony Mattox. Focused primarily on sandbox formats like Cube, which are free of banlists, rotation, and net decking, the show is about the best parts of Magic and how to get the most out of the game.

Latest Episodes:

Boston Cube Party Two and Sacred Geometry First Impressions Apr 21, 2025

Show notes

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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 concludes with a brief look at the decklists from Andy’s new cube, Sacred Geometry, which was only drafted three times prior to the event. The cube is still very much in its infancy, and Andy and Anthony’s discussion serves as a model for how to digest a very small sample size of gameplay results and turn those results into some high-level goals

Special thanks to Judge Bones for conceiving, writing, and recording the voiceover for this week’s intro!

Discussed in this episode:

Check us out on Twitch and YouTube for paper Cube gameplay.

You can find the hosts’ Cubes on Cube Cobra:

You can find both your hosts in the MTG Cube Talk Discord. Send in questions to the show at mail@luckypaper.co or our p.o. box:

Lucky Paper
PO Box 4855
Baltimore, MD 21211

If you’d like to show your support for the show, please leave us a review on iTunes or wherever you listen.

Musical production by DJ James Nasty.

Timestamps

0:00 - Intro
2:55 - Should we do a tournament report for every tournament we attend?
5:30 - Boston Cube Party 2 Overview
8:55 - Andy’s Tournament Report
10:52 - Andy’s Draft of Doubleton Synergy
18:53 - Andy’s Draft of 555-Jank
24:20 - Andy’s Draft of The Esper Cube
29:35 - Andy’s Draft of the Spicy Ramen Cube
35:33 - Anthony’s Draft of Hoopin’
41:25 - Anthony’s Draft of the Cascade Cube
49:09 - Anthony’s Draft of the Devoid Cube
53:08 - Closing thoughts on Boston Cube Party 2
55:05 - Sacred Geometry Initial Impressions

The Barash Files 005 — Playtesting and Cube Feedback Apr 14, 2025

Show notes

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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 this episode:

Check us out on Twitch and YouTube for paper Cube gameplay.

You can find the hosts’ Cubes on Cube Cobra:

You can find both your hosts in the MTG Cube Talk Discord. Send in questions to the show at mail@luckypaper.co or our p.o. box:

Lucky Paper
PO Box 4855
Baltimore, MD 21211

If you’d like to show your support for the show, please leave us a review on iTunes or wherever you listen.

Musical production by DJ James Nasty.

Timestamps

0:00 - Intro
3:44 - What is ‘playtesting’? How do you ‘playtest’ a cube?
9:55 - What kinds of feedback can players be trusted to give?
16:22 - How does Andy ask for feedback on the Neoclassical Cube and 100 Ornithopters?
28:24 - How does Anthony ask for feedback on Regular Cube, the Mono Black Cube, and the Turbo Cube?
40:14 - How does Zach ask for feedback on The Cascade Cube, and what is the story with Crashing Footfalls?
52:17 - The ballad of Aura Shards in 100 Ornithopters
1:06:54 - A note on ego when you receive feedback

The ↑↑↓↓←→←→ABCs of Combo Apr 07, 2025

Show notes

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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 designers.

Discussed in this episode:

Check us out on Twitch and YouTube for paper Cube gameplay.

You can find the hosts’ Cubes on Cube Cobra:

You can find both your hosts in the MTG Cube Talk Discord. Send in questions to the show at mail@luckypaper.co or our p.o. box:

Lucky Paper
PO Box 4855
Baltimore, MD 21211

If you’d like to show your support for the show, please leave us a review on iTunes or wherever you listen.

Musical production by DJ James Nasty.

Timestamps

0:00 - Intro
1:52 - Introduction to Combo
8:59 - How are Andy and Anthony defining a ‘combo’
16:47 - A selection of combos from the Turbo Cube
25:06 - Why does Anthony include combos in the Turbo Cube?
26:59 - Andy’s journey to loving combo
48:13 - How playing against combo changes your decision making
52:19 - The inescapable danger of playing combos alongside fair decks

Judge Bones Teaches You How To Organize Your Own Grassroots Cube Event Mar 31, 2025

Show notes

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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 judge a Cube event.

Discussed in this episode:

Check us out on Twitch and YouTube for paper Cube gameplay.

You can find the hosts’ Cubes on Cube Cobra:

You can find both your hosts in the MTG Cube Talk Discord. Send in questions to the show at mail@luckypaper.co or our p.o. box:

Lucky Paper
PO Box 4855
Baltimore, MD 21211

If you’d like to show your support for the show, please leave us a review on iTunes or wherever you listen.

Musical production by DJ James Nasty.

Timestamps

0:00 - Intro
4:48 - What is a Magic judge?
8:05 - Judge Bones’s history with Magic and Judging
13:21 - Judge Bones’s history with Cube
21:45 - What is it like judging a small, grassroots Cube event?
26:23 - How are grassroots Cube events run?
31:43 - How to run your own grassroots Cube event
38:43 - Security concerns, or lack thereof, of having strangers draft your cube
46:34 - Bones’s tips to other judges for working Cube events
51:35 - Rapid fire logistics of Cube event organization
1:00:34 - Andy, Anthony, and Bones’s purely subjective suggestions for running your Cube event

The Salt Box Tournament Report Mar 24, 2025

Show notes

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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 they drafted, highlights of their matches, and their experience beyond of the event, catching up with and hosting the regional cube-heads, at last in their home town.

Discussed in this episode:

Check us out on Twitch and YouTube for paper Cube gameplay.

You can find the hosts’ Cubes on Cube Cobra:

You can find both your hosts in the MTG Cube Talk Discord. Send in questions to the show at mail@luckypaper.co or our p.o. box:

Lucky Paper
PO Box 4855
Baltimore, MD 21211

If you’d like to show your support for the show, please leave us a review on iTunes or wherever you listen.

Musical production by DJ James Nasty.

Timestamps

0:00 - Intro
4:07 - The One Where Patrick Abandons 12 Years of Veganism
11:47 - The Salt Box Overview
18:08 - Andy and Patrick’s Saturday Morning Draft of the Neoclassical Cube
29:51 - Anthony’s Saturday Morning Draft of The Oldest School
34:39 - Andy and Anthony’s Saturday Afternoon Draft of Theseus
45:27 - Patrick’s Sunday Morning Draft of Theseus
50:38 - Patrick’s Saturday Afternoon Draft of Reading Rainbow
54:36 - Saturday Evening Extracurricular Activities
57:34 - Andy’s Sunday Morning Draft of the Virtually French
1:06:11 - Anthony’s Sunday Morning Draft of 100
1:15:01 - Andy’s Sunday Afternoon Draft of Kamigawa Remastered
1:25:31 - Patrick’s Sunday Afternoon Non-Draft of Virtually French
1:26:35 - Anthony’s Top 8 Draft of The Regular Cube

Aetherdrift Cube Set Review Mar 17, 2025

Show notes

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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 review. Finally, they close with Parker’s rundown of his experience at Cube For a Cause in New York.

Discussed in this episode:

Check us out on Twitch and YouTube for paper Cube gameplay.

You can find the hosts’ Cubes on Cube Cobra:

You can find both your hosts in the MTG Cube Talk Discord. Send in questions to the show at mail@luckypaper.co or our p.o. box:

Lucky Paper
PO Box 4855
Baltimore, MD 21211

If you’d like to show your support for the show, please leave us a review on iTunes or wherever you listen.

Musical production by DJ James Nasty.

Timestamps

0:00 - Intro
4:52 - Episode Overview
7:47 - Mechanic: Start Your Engines and Speed
12:24 - Mechanic: Exhaust
15:07 - How do we approach vehicles in our cubes?
20:08 - On the coexistence of vehicles and mounts
22:21 - Why cycling is a cowardly ability (according to Parker)
33:46 - Overview of Lucky Paper Cube Survey
35:46 - 5. Diversion Unit
40:16 - 4. Scrounging Skyray
42:18 - 3. Greasewrench Goblin
44:07 - 2. Marauding Mako
46:26 - 1. Grim Bauble
57:40 - Honorable Mention: Brightglass Gearhulk
1:00:39 - Honorable Mention: Cryptcaller Chariot
1:03:04 - Honorable Mention: Sundial, Dawn Tyrant
1:06:20 - Honorable Mention: Agonasaur Rex
1:11:19 - Honorable Mention: Shefet Archfiend
1:14:54 - Honorable Mention: The Aetherspark
1:21:18 - Parker’s Cube for a Cause Tournament Report

The Barash Files 004 — Building Skill vs. Building Community and Learning from Your Mistakes Mar 10, 2025

Show notes

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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 Hypothesis

Check us out on Twitch and YouTube for paper Cube gameplay.

You can find the hosts’ Cubes on Cube Cobra:

You can find both your hosts in the MTG Cube Talk Discord. Send in questions to the show at mail@luckypaper.co or our p.o. box:

Lucky Paper
PO Box 4855
Baltimore, MD 21211

If you’d like to show your support for the show, please leave us a review on iTunes or wherever you listen.

Musical production by DJ James Nasty.

Timestamps

0:00 - Intro
2:22 - Balancing Developing Skill as a Player with Building a Community
9:17 - The Nuanced, Complex Social Dynamics of Playing Magic
12:57 - The Factors that Contribute to a Playgroup’s Vibe
27:20 - The Tension Between Improvement and Community
32:54 - The Value of Shared Expectations in a Community
40:45 - On “Take Backs” and Learning from Your Mistakes
1:03:07 - Zach asks Andy and Anthony if they’re satisfied with their level of competitiveness
1:06:42 - Sequencing speed round

Mindbreak Trap Forgives All Sins with Julien Henry Mar 03, 2025

Show notes

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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:

Check us out on Twitch and YouTube for paper Cube gameplay.

You can find the hosts’ Cubes on Cube Cobra:

You can find both your hosts in the MTG Cube Talk Discord. Send in questions to the show at mail@luckypaper.co or our p.o. box:

Lucky Paper
PO Box 4855
Baltimore, MD 21211

If you’d like to show your support for the show, please leave us a review on iTunes or wherever you listen.

Musical production by DJ James Nasty.

Timestamps

0:00 - Intro
2:55 - Turbo Cube Overview
6:01 - Hate Bears and Julien’s Theory on the Turbo Cube
12:49 - The Diversity of Local Metas
16:26 - Reconsidering the Pack Size in the Turbo Cube
22:30 - The State of the Black Discard Deck
34:10 - Should Anthony break singleton for more cards in the Turbo Cube?
46:00 - Breaking Serve: Julien’s Suggested Adds to the Turbo Cube for Turn 0 Interaction
56:17 - Anthony’s Reservations About Two Recently Printed Payoff Cards
1:00:17 - Julien’s other Suggested Adds to the Turbo Cube
1:15:47 - Do fetch lands makes sense in the Turbo Cube?

less. They talk about how the environment has been playing, how successful recent changes have been, and new cards to consider adding.

Our Favorite Cards from 2024 Feb 24, 2025

Show notes

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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:

Check us out on Twitch and YouTube for paper Cube gameplay.

You can find the hosts’ Cubes on Cube Cobra:

You can find both your hosts in the MTG Cube Talk Discord. Send in questions to the show at mail@luckypaper.co or our p.o. box:

Lucky Paper
PO Box 4855
Baltimore, MD 21211

If you’d like to show your support for the show, please leave us a review on iTunes or wherever you listen.

Musical production by DJ James Nasty.

Timestamps

0:00 - Intro
3:58 - Andy’s Honorable Mentions: Fell, Refute, Joust Through, and No More Lies
5:15 - Anthony’s Number 10: Blacksmith’s Talent
6:53 - Andy’s Number 10: Shadow of the Second Sun
10:20 - Anthony’s Number 9: Glaring Fleshraker
12:32 - Andy’s Number 9: Talon Gates of Madara
15:52 - Anthony’s Number 8: Elementalist Adept
17:59 - Andy’s Number 8: Forsaken Miner
21:35 - Anthony’s Number 7: Disruptor Flute
23:15 - Andy’s Number 7: Warleader’s Call
25:22 - Anthony’s Number 6: Goblin Surprise
26:52 - Andy’s Number 6: Brainsurge
30:16 - Anthony’s Number 5 and Andy’s Number 3: Searslicer Goblin
32:44 - Andy’s Number 5: Slick Sequence
35:36 - Anthony’s Number 4: Mandibular Kite
37:16 - Andy’s Number 4: Proft’s Eidetic Memory
39:27 - Anthony’s Number 3: Glyph Elemental
42:12 - Anthony’s Number 2: Mischievous Mystic
44:34 - Andy’s Number 2: Psychic Frog
49:52 - Anthony’s Number 1: The Landscapes
53:01 - Andy’s Number 1: The Surveil Lands

Aesthetic Values and Style in Cube Design Feb 17, 2025

Show notes

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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 this episode:

Aetherdrift and Aetherdrift Commander Cube surveys
Boonta Vista 383: “Stanking Ass Or Otherwise”
Wabi-Sabi
Sprezzatura
Wabi-Sabi for Artists and Designers by Leonard Koren
Wabi-Sabi: Further Thoughts by Leonard Koren
Neoclassical Cube
Dear Gonti, Love Sophie
The Fire Swamp
Pack One, Slick Ones
Free “Playing Oppression” PDF
Arlo’s Thoughts on Cube as an Art Project

Check us out on Twitch and YouTube for paper Cube gameplay.

You can find the hosts’ Cubes on Cube Cobra:

You can find both your hosts in the MTG Cube Talk Discord. Send in questions to the show at mail@luckypaper.co or our p.o. box:

Lucky Paper
PO Box 4855
Baltimore, MD 21211

If you’d like to show your support for the show, please leave us a review on iTunes or wherever you listen.

Musical production by DJ James Nasty.

Timestamps

0:00 - Intro
1:34 - “Vintage Cube Sucks” Follow Up
7:34 - Cultural ideas of beauty that influence Cube design
13:29 - What is wabi-sabi?
28:30 - What is sprezzatura?
32:01 - Disenchant/Naturalize effects in 100 Ornithopters
44:27 - How do we cultivate style in our cube design choices?
48:05 - Examples of stylish Cube design choices
53:06 - Anthony talks about fractals
54:40 - Arlo’s point about cube inclusions never meant to be put in decks
57:52 - Vanquisher’s Banner vs. The Great Henge in 100 Ornithopters and cube style comes full circle

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