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:

Tutors in Cube Design: Creating Variety by Reducing Variety May 06, 2024

Show notes

Andy and Anthony talk about “tutors” in Cube and how cards that give you access to any card in your library impact the game. Historically, both of our hosts have tended to avoid them in most of their Cube designs, but the serve a unique function that could make them worth considering.

⁠View all cards mentioned in the episode →⁠

Discussed in this episode:

Timestamps

0:00 - Introduction

2:12 - Andy’s Salty Bad Beats

8:20 - What is a tutor?

11:10 - What tutors have Anthony and Andy been playing since the beginning and why?

16:21 - Why have Anthony and Andy mostly avoided unconditional tutors in their Cube designs?

18:48 - Tutors in the Neoclassical Cube

37:24 - Tutors in 100 Ornithopters

43:47 - Our hosts current advice on designing with tutors

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

You can find the hosts’ Cubes on Cube Cobra:

If want us to do a pack 1, pick 1 from your cube submit it on our website. 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:

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.

Lucky Paper
PO Box 4855
Baltimore, MD 21211

Outlaws of Thunder Junction Cube Community Set Review Apr 29, 2024

Show notes

Andy, Anthony, and Parker review the results of our Cube community set survey for Outlaws of Thunder Junction. As with every set, we asked Cube designers which cards they’re excited about from Magic’s latest world of hats, and how confident they are in them remaining in their Cubes long-term.

⁠View all cards mentioned in the episode →⁠

Discussed in this episode:

Timestamps

0:00 - Introduction

6:16 - Episode Overview

21:51 - 10. Phantom Interference

24:45 - 9. Aven Interrupter

28:26 - 8. Nurturing Pixie

32:06 - 7. Requisition Raid

34:43 - 6. Three Steps Ahead

38:44 - 5. Harvester of Misery

46:24 - 4. Legion Extruder

52:35 - 3. Bristly Bill, Spinesower

57:53 - 2. Slickshot Showoff

1:03:57 - 1. Forsaken Miner

1:07:07 - Honorable Mention Tinybones

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

You can find the hosts’ Cubes on Cube Cobra:

If want us to do a pack 1, pick 1 from your cube submit it on our website. Send in questions to the show at mail@luckypaper.co. You can also find both your hosts in the MTG Cube Talk Discord.

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.

Cube Design Iron Chef: Goblin Charbelcher Apr 22, 2024

Show notes

Andy and Anthony revisit designing a Cube starting with a single card as inspiration. Starting with Goblin Charbelcher, they each explore themes and mechanics that could make the card relevant in a Cube, and build off those to create rough Cube skeletons.

⁠View all cards mentioned in the episode →⁠

Discussed in this episode:

Timestamps

0:00 - Introduction

3:11 - Overview of episode

4:37 - Meta show business, including the first edition of the Lucky Paper Mailbag

11:57 - All about our focal card: Goblin Charbelcher

16:11 - Anthony’s Charbelcher Journey

31:14 - Andy’s Charbelcher Journey

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

You can find the hosts’ Cubes on Cube Cobra:

If want us to do a pack 1, pick 1 from your cube submit it on our website. Send in questions to the show at mail@luckypaper.co. You can also find both your hosts in the MTG Cube Talk Discord.

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.

The Hardest Part is Just Getting Started, with Sam from Rhystic Studies Apr 15, 2024

Show notes

Andy and Anthony are joined by Sam from Rhystic Studies to talk about his first Cube design project. Sam, who produces thoughtful, carefully written videos on Magic, has been interested in Cube design for years and has finally made the leap to create his own list. They talk about what motivates Sam’s design goals, how he’s approached the project, and what he’s looking forward to in his first experiences playing it.

⁠View all cards mentioned in the episode →⁠

Timestamps

0:00 - Introduction

3:06 - Betrayal Corner and the Magic to Game Design Pipeline

7:53 - Introduction to “Kitchen Table All Stars”, Sam’s new Cube

11:46 - Why now and why Cube is Sam’s “end game” for Magic

22:22 - Cube Design in the Liminal Space Between the First Complete List and the First Actual Draft

30:23 - What Are Sam’s Goals for the First Draft

44:34 - What are the other hallmark cards of Kitchen Table All Stars?

51:38 - Identifying and Handling Power Outliers

56:13 - Pack 1, Pick 1 from Sam’s Cube

Discussed in this episode:

Intro backing music “Lonesome Journey” by KeysOfMoonMusic
Betrayal (Board Game)
Pandemic (Board Game)
Sam’s Cube, “Kitchen Table All Stars”
Episode 191: Vibes-Forward Cube Design with Ryan Overturf
Steve Stillman on Twitter
Episode 182: Emergent Cube Design by Example
100 Ornithopters in a Trenchcoat
Caleb Gannon’s Drafts of His Own Powered Synergy Cube on MTGO
Sam’s Interview on Humans of Magic
Hillary’s “Baby’s First Cube”
DanDan
Dear Gonti, Love Sophie by Rhystic Studies
Understanding Sagas | How Magic Art Depicts In-World Histories by Rhystic Studies
Red Deck Wins by Rhystic Studies
Games Within Games | The Story of “Forgetful Fish” by Rhystic Studies

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

You can find the hosts’ Cubes on Cube Cobra:

If want us to do a pack 1, pick 1 from your cube submit it on our website. Send in questions to the show at mail@luckypaper.co. You can also find both your hosts in the MTG Cube Talk Discord.

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.

Magic on the Holodeck: Outlaws of Thunder Junction First Impressions and Personal Cube Additions Apr 08, 2024

Show notes

Our Cube Prospective Surveys for Outlaws of Thunder Junction is now open! Let us know what you are testing in your cube from the latest set.

Andy and Anthony talk about their first impressions of Outlaws of Thunder Junction and the cards their interested in for their own Cube lists. Anthony is not too impressed by the aesthetics of the set, but they manage to power through, talk about the mechanics and how they might be relevant to different Cube designers, and even a few individual cards that stand out.

⁠View all cards mentioned in the episode →⁠

Discussed in this episode:

Timestamps:

0:00 - Introduction

3:26 - Upcoming Cube Event Rundown

9:17 - Andy and Anthony’s Broad Impressions of Outlaws of Thunder Junction

25:27 - Mechanics from Outlaws of Thunder Junction

26:10 - Outlaws

28:19 - Committing a Crime

36:01 - Spree

44:29 - Mounts and Saddle

48:08 - Plot

51:12 - Unnamed mechanics and themes

52:14 - Bun Magic Cube Additions

52:55 - Slick Shot Showoff

53:48 - Goldvein Hydra

54:50 - Harvester of Misery

56:22 - Andy’s long list of half-considered ‘maybes’ for the Bun Magic Cube

57:04 - Regular Cube Additions

57:41 - Trained Arynx

58:32 - Demonic Ruckus

59:15 - Bristly Bill, Spine Sower

1:00:17 - 100 Ornithopters Additions

1:02:24 - Lost Jitte

1:04:43 - Trash the Town

1:09:10 - Pitiless Carnage

1:10:14 - Pest Control

1:11:03 - Requisition Raid

1:13:07 - Turbo Cube Additions

1:13:28 - Magebane Lizard

1:14:17 - Geralf, the Fleshwright

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

You can find the hosts’ Cubes on Cube Cobra:

If want us to do a pack 1, pick 1 from your cube submit it on our website. Send in questions to the show at mail@luckypaper.co. You can also find both your hosts in the MTG Cube Talk Discord.

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.

Striving for a More Accountable and Inclusive Playgroup Apr 01, 2024

Show notes

Guests Tara, Jenn, and Haiyue join Andy and Anthony for a discussion on making play spaces that are more accountable and inclusive to help grow more diverse playgroups. Tara brings her perspective as a professional diversity, equity, and inclusion consultant; Jenn, their experience organizing and judging events; and Haiyue what she’s learned managing the VML, and, from all of them, much much more.

As Cube designers, our hosts and many of our listeners need to grow their communities as much as their Cube lists if they hope to play consistently. Our guests bring their broader perspective on why it’s so important to do that in an inclusive way and how to go about it.

Discussed in this episode:

Episode 130: Cube Community Building
5 Steps to Break Down Gender Barriers in MTG by guest Haiyue
How To Organize Inclusive And Accessible Events by guest Tara with help from other contributors
The View From Here by Katie G. Bates
Playing with Power — Inclusivity in Magic
Safe and Brave Spaces Don’t Work (and What You Can Do Instead) by Elise Ahenkorah
The VML
CubeCon
Redlining in the United States
Magic the Gathering Infraction Procedure Guide
Set Boundaries Find Peace Book by Nedra Tawwab
No Land Beyond
Tara’s Website

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

You can find the hosts’ Cubes on Cube Cobra:

If want us to do a pack 1, pick 1 from your cube submit it on our website. Send in questions to the show at mail@luckypaper.co. You can also find both your hosts in the MTG Cube Talk Discord.

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.

100 Ornithopters in a Trenchcoat Mar 25, 2024

Show notes

Andy and Anthony talk about Andy’s newest Cube experiment: a cube who’s only creatures are Ornithopters. Andy couldn’t help but entertain the idea of an all-ornithopter Cube in a humorous tweet, and a recent draft of it in the Cube Con discord inspired him to flesh out the idea even further.

Our first playmat is currently available for pre-order! Illustrated by Andy and featuring gold, foiled details it expresses our love of the most punk rock Magic format.

Pre-order a playmat here

The show now has a dedicated PO box. Want to send us a letter? A drawing? I don’t know, maybe an Ornithopter you doodled on you want Andy to put in his Cube? Send it along to:

Lucky Paper

PO Box 4855

Baltimore, MD 21211

⁠View all cards mentioned in the episode →⁠

Discussed in this episode:

Cubes Mentioned:

100 Ornithopters

Timestamps

0:00 - Introduction

1:39 - Opening up the Plug Bag

6:24 - Art Episode Follow Up

20:02 - 100 Ornithopters Cube Introduction

25:50 - Anthony’s First Impressions of 100 Ornithopters

32:25 - The powerful strategies this cube supports

41:33 - Known issues with the 100 Ornithopters Cube

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

You can find the hosts’ Cubes on Cube Cobra:

If want us to do a pack 1, pick 1 from your cube submit it on our website. Send in questions to the show at mail@luckypaper.co. You can also find both your hosts in the MTG Cube Talk Discord.

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.

The episode concerning the art provokes. Mar 18, 2024

Show notes

Our first, limited edition playmat is now available for pre-order. The playmat is designed and illustrated by Andy and custom printed to order. Orders will only be available for a limited time. Pre-order a mat here.

Andy and Anthony talk about “ART!” loosely as it relates to Magic: The Gathering. They talk about the role of creative work in the game, the nuances of art and illustration, how the approach to illustration has changed over the history of the game, and even the present and future of large language model generated images.

⁠View all cards mentioned in the episode →⁠

Discussed in this episode:

Timestamps

0:00 - Introduction and Garden Path Sentence Corner

5:24 - Overview of episode

7:57 - Why is there art in Magic?

10:22 - Are the illustrations in Magic even “Art”?

28:56 - What do we think about Carly Mazur’s Faithless Looting?

34:44 - The Invention of the Camera and the Beginning of Modern Art

46:34 - On AI Generated Art

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

You can find the hosts’ Cubes on Cube Cobra:

If want us to do a pack 1, pick 1 from your cube submit it on our website. Send in questions to the show at mail@luckypaper.co. You can also find both your hosts in the MTG Cube Talk Discord.

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.

Vibes-Forward Cube Design with Ryan Overturf Mar 11, 2024

Show notes

Andy and Anthony are joined by Ryan Overturf, sharing his Cube design wisdom. Starting with Ryan’s articles on power outliers and letting fun drive Cube design, they talk about their approach to Cube design and how they let play experience, vibes, and taste inform their processes.

⁠View all cards mentioned in the episode →⁠

Discussed in this episode:

Timestamps

0:00 - Introduction

3:51 - What is a power level outlier?

18:40 - Exciting cards to draft and the right vs. the wrong power outliers

28:54 - How power level outliers might make the game more egalitarian

33:05 - Making mopey threats appealing with the power of nostalgia

35:46 - Power level outlier’s contributions to a player’s ability to make a comeback

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

You can find the hosts’ Cubes on Cube Cobra:

If want us to do a pack 1, pick 1 from your cube submit it on our website. Send in questions to the show at mail@luckypaper.co. You can also find both your hosts in the MTG Cube Talk Discord.

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.

Murders at Karlov Manor Cube Community Set Review Mar 04, 2024

Show notes

Andy, Anthony, and Parker review the results of the Murders at Karlov Manor Cube Community Survey and discuss the top cards, tested by the most Cube designers. They dig into some trends, patterns, and surprises in the cards people are giving a chance in their environments.

⁠View all cards mentioned in the episode →⁠

Discussed in this episode:

Timestamps

0:00 - Introduction and Clue Talk

7:10 - Overview of Set Review Format

9:26 - Carnage Interpreter from Ravnica: Clue Edition

14:15 - Unshakable Tail from Murders at Karlov Manor Commander

17:26 - Murders at Karlov Manor in Broad Stokes

19:18 - 9. Cryptic Coat

25:15 - 8. Aftermath Analyst

27:42 - 7. Deduce

30:21 - 6. Escape Tunnel

33:24 - 5. Snarling Gorehound

35:10 - 4. Surveil Lands

39:08 - 3. Sharp-Eyed Rookie

44:05 - 2. Novice Inspector

46:41 - 1. Demand Answers

Cubes mentioned:

Pulp Nouveau

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

You can find the hosts’ Cubes on Cube Cobra:

If want us to do a pack 1, pick 1 from your cube submit it on our website. Send in questions to the show at mail@luckypaper.co. You can also find both your hosts in the MTG Cube Talk Discord.

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.

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