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:

Innistrad: Crimson Vow Cube Community Set Review Nov 29, 2021

Show notes

Andy and Anthony are joined by Parker LaMascus to share the results of the Innistrad: Crimson View cube community survey. They look at the top cards that the most people are interested in for their cubes, what makes them appealing, and what contexts they fit best in.

Follow along with every card mentioned in the card image gallery.

Timestamps (includes spoilers!):

4:42 — A new theory for why cube designers are so interested in powerful cards
9:42 — Survey structure and introduction to community review
13:26 — Honorable Mention Voldaren Epicure
19:36 — 24. By Invitation Only
21:24 — 23. Cemetery Protector
24:11 — 22. Cemetery Illuminator
27:17 — 21. Fleeting Spirit
31:58 — 20. Voldaren Bloodcaster
36:03 — 19. Kessig Wolfrider
37:05 — 18. Wandering Mind
40:19 — 17. Occult Epiphany
45:25 — 16. Reclusive Taxidermist
46:28 — 15. Torens, Fist of the Angels
51:34 — 14. Ascendant Packleader
53:52 — 13. Overcharged Amalgam
56:29 — 12. Reckless Impulse
58:14 — 11. Scattered Thoughts
1:00:46 — 10. Sorin the Mirthless
1:03:05 — 9. Ulvenwald Oddity
1:04:24 — 8. Fell Stinger
1:07:49 — 7. Hopeful Initiate
1:10:28 — 6. Dread Fugue
1:12:07 — 5. Cemetery Gatekeeper
1:15:17 — 4. Cemetery Prowler
1:17:49 — 3. Graf Reaver
1:19:36 — 2. Welcoming Vampire
1:24:42 — 1. Thirst for Discovery
1:30:46 — Closing Thoughts

Discussed in this episode:

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

You can find the hosts’ Cubes on Cube Cobra:

If you have a question for the show, or want us to do a pack 1, pick 1 from your cube, email us at mail@luckypaper.co. Please include how you’d like to be credited, your pronouns, a link to your cube if relevant. 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.

Innistrad: Crimson Vow Cube Additions Nov 22, 2021

Show notes

Our Innistrad: Crimson Vow survey is open! Please take a few minutes to let us know what you’re testing in your cube from the new set.

Andy and Anthony talk about Innistrad: Crimson Vow through the lens of their many specific cubes, including the themes, mechanics, and individual cards that fit into particular contexts. They dig into many of the most powerful cards of the set relevant for Andy’s main cube, a few interesting twists on lower power cards for Anthony’s, and look at the set from a range of other angles.

Discussed in this episode:

Timestamps:

4:23 — Introduction to episode format
5:36 — Context: Bun Magic Cube
7:34 — By Invitation Only
12:17 — Kessig Wolfrider
15:48 — Reckless Impulse
21:17 — Ulvenwald Oddity
23:38 — Graf Reaver
26:31 — Hopeful Initiate
32:06 — Cemetery Prowler
33:11 — Occult Epiphany
36:40 — Cemetery Gatekeeper
38:06 — Dread Fugue
42:53 — Context: Regular Cube
43:49 — By Invitation Only (again)
48:29 — Gryff Rider
50:17 — Twinblade Geist
52:29 — Whispering Wizard (except not)
57:23 — Parish Blade Trainee
58:43 — Context: Irregular Cube
1:00:24 — Irregular Cube “Commons”: Belligerent Guest, Blood Petal Celebrant, and Bloodcrazed Socialite
1:03:05 — Curse of Hospitality
1:06:13 — Eruth Tormented Prophet
1:09:12 — Ancient Lumberknot
1:12:34 — Patchwork Crawler
1:14:29 — Context: Turbo Cube
1:16:07 — Investigator’s Journal
1:16:51 — Pointed Discussion
1:17:36 — Demonic Bargain
1:19:11 — Cemetery Gatekeeper (Again)
1:22:05 — Faithbound Judge in the Alt Win Condition Cube

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

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.

Innistrad: Crimson Vow Mechanics & First Impressions Nov 15, 2021

Show notes

Our Innistrad: Crimson Vow set survey is open! Please take a few minutes to let us know what you’re testing in your cube from the new set.

Andy and Anthony take a first look at Innistrad: Crimson Vow, breaking down themes, mechanics, and cycles for Cube. They talk about opportunities the headline mechanics including Blood, cleave, and yet another influx of double faced cards could offer for all manner of cubes. They also explore the less obvious, unnamed mechanics of the set that reinforce existing themes.

Timestamps:

3:16 — Review structure overview
6:56 — Training
14:31 — Cleave
23:11 — Blood Tokens
28:26 — Daybound/Nightbound
28:58 — Disturb
33:34 — Double Faced Cards
34:50 — Exploit
40:30 — Mythic “Cemetery” Cycle
49:09 — Graveyard themes in general
50:15 — Tribal themes
52:39 — Lifegain theme
55:00 — Enchantments matter
56:07 — Overall impressions

Discussed in this episode:

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

You can find the hosts’ Cubes on Cube Cobra:

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 Use and Abuse of Archetype Driven Design Nov 08, 2021

Show notes

Andy and Anthony talk about archetypes in Cube design. They discuss what archetypes are, why they’ve become a fundamental part of limited set design, and the uses and limitations of applying the same process to Cube design.

Our listener submitted pack 1, pick 1 this week comes from Cassie’s cube, The Facedown Slide, heavily featuring morph, cycling and related mechanics.

Timestamps:

5:24: Listener submitted pack 1, pick 1
13:59: What is an archetype?
15:35: 10, 2-color archetypes in limited design
19:19: Some differences between limited design and Cube design
26:33: What works about archetype driven Cube design
32:36: The texture and style of different deck archetypes
35:47: How to avoid low-agency, on-rails drafting
38:40: The approach to archetypes in the Regular Cube
42:32: Making archetypes meaningful with small numbers of cards
45:01: Emergent archetypes in the Combat Trick Cube
50:13: The relationship between build-arounds and archetypes
52:46: How many cards do you need to define an archetype
1:01:32: Summary and closing thoughts

Discussed in this episode:

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

You can find the hosts’ Cubes on Cube Cobra:

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.

A Farewell to Cube Tutor Nov 01, 2021

Show notes

For a transcript of this week's scripted opening, see our website.

Music for this episode was adapted from Matt McInerney’s EP Mined. Thanks, Matt.

We’ll be back next week with a regular episode.

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

Evolving Cubes and the Power of Novelty Oct 25, 2021

Show notes

Andy and Anthony talk about a few loosely related Cube topics. They kick things off with a pick from a spooky cube, reflect on some recent drafts and how different playgroups can evaluate environments drastically differently, some individual cards, and the power of novelty.

Our listener submitted pack 1, pick 1 this week comes from listener Anthony’s very spooky Horror Cube.

Timestamps:

3:17 — Spooky listener submitted pack 1, pick 1
9:42 — Getting your fill of individual cards
15:32 — Dissonant feedback from different playgroups
27:49 — The continuing saga of Cling to Dust
31:49 — Follow up on Field of the Dead
41:40 — The power of novelty
50:20 — An impromptu pumpkin carving competition

Discussed in this episode:

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

You can find the hosts’ Cubes on Cube Cobra:

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.

A Normal Conversation About Magic Cards Oct 18, 2021

Show notes

We’re compiling an audio memorial to CubeTutor, so please share your reflections on the site and the role its played in our community, or just your thanks to Ben, with us by sending a voice memo to andymangold@gmail.com. If I don’t confirm receipt of your message within 48 hours send me a message on Twitter or Discord (andymangold#5271).

Andy and Anthony talk about a handful of individual cards from each of their Cubes: why they like them, how they’ve shaped the format or changed as the format evolved, and gameplay highlights. Follow along with the cards in the image gallery.

Timestamps:

1:42 — Balance
5:29 — Portable Hole
8:17 — Dryad Greenseeker
10:16 — Serum Visions
11:52 — Mogg War Marshal
13:46 — Censor
15:29 — Rix Maadi Reveler
18:23 — Murktide Regent
20:44 — Go for the Throat
22:02 — Barbed Spike
23:54 — Recurring Nightmare
27:53 — Discovery // Disperal
31:20 — Seal of Fire
31:12 — Untethered Express
37:51 — Shocklands

Discussed in this episode:

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

You can find the hosts’ Cubes on Cube Cobra:

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.

Mark Rosewater is My Personal Design Intern with Jason Waddell Oct 11, 2021

Show notes

Andy and Anthony talk with Jason Waddell about Cube, game design, and the complications of Magic as a hobby. Jason share’s his experience with the ups and downs of his relationship with the game.

Follow along with the card image gallery. View complete show notes and timestamps on our website.

Discussed in this episode:

Riptide Lab
Who’s the beatdown
UB Trippin (not actually by PVDDR, please excuse Andy’s mistake)
Jason’s CFB Article Archive
Bike Burnout on A Path Less Pedaled
Three different recent interviews with Richard Garfield on Drive to Work
The Cube Map
The Bant Cube
Nickelodeon All star brawl
Project M
Apex Legends
Skinner box
Slay the Spire
Roguelike
Dominion
17lands
Degenerate Micro Cube
Turbo Cube
Grid draft Winchester draft, and Winston draft
Roguebook

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

You can find the hosts’ Cubes on Cube Cobra:

Musical production by DJ James Nasty.

CubeTutor Shutdown Oct 06, 2021

Show notes

Andy and Anthony talk about the imminent shutdown of CubeTutor. Don’t forget to export your data!

Discussed in this episode:

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

You can find the hosts’ Cubes on Cube Cobra:

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.

Innistrad: Midnight Hunt Cube Set Review Oct 04, 2021

Show notes

Andy and Anthony are Joined by Parker to dive into Innistrad: Midnight Hunt and all the cards and mechanics they’re interested in for cubes of all kinds.

For detailed, linked timestamps view the episode on our website. You can also follow along with the brand new card image gallery, which includes images of every card mentioned in the episode, in chronological order.

Discussed in this episode:

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

You can find the hosts’ Cubes on Cube Cobra:

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.