The Dive Down

Latest Episodes:

Episode 263: What Are We Playing in Chicago? Plus NRG... Chicago Feb 22, 2024

Show notes

The MagicCon is finally upon us. We prepare for a weekend full of side events by looking at the most exciting innovations for our favorite formats, and figure out how to win the most tickets for the coveted prize wall.

We take a look at Modern and Standard results since the release of Murders, plus whatever Pioneer results we can get our hands on, to share our favorite decks in each format and what strategies appear to be performing best too.

We also stop by the first NRG Series Open of the year in beauitiful Elmhurst, Illinois to chat with Dom Harvey, Misplaced Ginger, and Christian Calcano!

Don't forget, sign up for the officicial Dive Down afterparty at thedivedown.com/chicago!

Become a citizen of The Dive Down Nation!: http://www.patreon.com/thedivedown
Show the world that you're a proud citizen of The Dive Down Nation with some merch from the store: https://www.thedivedown.com/store
Upgrade your gameplay and your gameday with Heavy Play accessories. Use code THEDIVEDOWN2024 for 10% off your first order at https://www.heavyplay.com
Get 10% off your first 2 months of ManaTraders! https://www.manatraders.com/?medium=thedivedown and use coupon code THEDIVEDOWN_3YO
And now receive 8% off your order of paper cards from Nerd Rage Gaming with code DIVE8 at https://www.nerdragegaming.com/

Timestamps:
3:56 - Heavy Play: not complicated
6:04 - This week's show/housekeeping
12:37 - The Break Down begins: The NRG Chicago Pioneer $10k
19:05 - An interview with Derek Pite (aka Misplaced Ginger)
27:27 - Back to NRG Chicago
39:38 - The NRG Chicago Standard $5k
42:50 - The Dive Down begins: Planning for Magiccon Chicago!
48:58 - What we're playing in Modern
1:07:55 - What we're playing in Pioneer
1:18:58 - An interview with Dom Harvey
1:29:21 - Some Standard thoughts
1:42:04 - An interview with Christian Calcano
1:48:10 - Some final stuff about Magiccon Chicago
1:50:11 - Wrapping up

Our opening music is Nowhere - You Never Knew, and our closing music is Space Blood - Goro? Is That Your Christian Name?

email us: thedivedown@gmail.com
twitter: https://twitter.com/thedivedown

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Episode 262: Rainbow Rhinos and 19,442 Matches of Modern Feb 15, 2024

Show notes

Join us this week as we discuss how Modern has gone rainbow. The full compliment of Rhino Boys — Dave, Devon, Shane, and Stan — are together for the first time this year. We're talking about Modern in upheaval and the results from all the RCs this last weekend.

• thedivedown.com/chicago
• Rhino Supremacy, Part XXIV
• Lifelink, Hexproof, Trample, First Strike, Vigilance

Become a citizen of The Dive Down Nation!: http://www.patreon.com/thedivedown
Show the world that you're a proud citizen of The Dive Down Nation with some merch from the store: https://www.thedivedown.com/store
Upgrade your gameplay and your gameday with Heavy Play accessories. Use code THEDIVEDOWN2024 for 10% off your first order at https://www.heavyplay.com
Get 10% off your first 2 months of ManaTraders! https://www.manatraders.com/?medium=thedivedown and use coupon code THEDIVEDOWN_3YO
And now receive 8% off your order of paper cards from Nerd Rage Gaming with code DIVE8 at https://www.nerdragegaming.com/

Timestamps:
0:01 - A big announcement!
5:05 - Heavy mise en Play-ce
7:56 - This week's episode/housekeeping
14:51 - The Dive Down: Modern Upheaval, and not the card
17:40 - The Dallas RC meta and Leyline Rhinos
25:30 - Dallas winrates and conversion rates
38:15 - The Dallas top 8 and other Modern events
44:29 - A giant winrate matrix
56:10 - Up-and-coming decks from the past weekend
1:08:41 - Dave played Leyline Zoo
1:16:02 - Stan played Leyline Rhinos
1:23:40 - Devon played Goryo's Vengeance Asmo stuff
1:30:02 - Some brief Pioneer NRG prep chat
1:33:05 - Wrapping up

Links from this week's episode:
Denver RC listsing: https://melee.gg/Tournament/View/54549
@AzoriusI's data: https://twitter.com/AzoriusI/status/1757036428674891821?t=eUvsssljH2AZZ0U3SmOWpA&s=19
Typical Rainbow Rhinos List (from Mack Endress): https://melee.gg/Decklist/View/363672
Modern Matrix from MtgDecks.net: https://mtgdecks.net/Modern/winrates/range:custom_2024-02-09_2024-02-12
d00mwake's Goryo's Vengeance list: https://www.mtggoldfish.com/deck/6173859#paper

Our opening music is Nowhere - You Never Knew, and our closing music is Space Blood - Goro? Is That Your Christian Name?

email us: thedivedown@gmail.com
twitter: https://twitter.com/thedivedown

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Episode 261: SCGCON Hartford & MKM Cards Appear! Feb 08, 2024

Show notes

RC Denver is coming up. MagicCon Chicago is coming up. As a bit of an amuse bouche for these giant upcoming events, this week Dave and Shane take a look at SCGCON Hartford — Modern $10ks, Pioneer Events — and talk about MKM cards that we've seen pop up across our formats. Leyline? Surveil? More?

• SCGCON Hartford's Modern $10ks
• Surveiling the Landscape
• Leyline is where?

Become a citizen of The Dive Down Nation!: http://www.patreon.com/thedivedown
Show the world that you're a proud citizen of The Dive Down Nation with some merch from the store: https://www.thedivedown.com/store
Upgrade your gameplay and your gameday with Heavy Play accessories. Use code THEDIVEDOWN2024 for 10% off your first order at https://www.heavyplay.com
Get 10% off your first 2 months of ManaTraders! https://www.manatraders.com/?medium=thedivedown and use coupon code THEDIVEDOWN_3YO
And now receive 8% off your order of paper cards from Nerd Rage Gaming with code DIVE8 at https://www.nerdragegaming.com/

Timestamps:
3:01 - Heavy Play is out of sight
4:50 - This week's episode/housekeeping
12:17 - SCG Hartford Modern 10k(s) check-in
23:15 - Saturday's Top 8 and general performance chat
36:28 - Sunday's Modern 10k
49:50 - New cards in Hartford's Pioneer events
53:55 - New decks from our favorite streamers
1:11:49 - Wrapping up

Our opening music is Nowhere - You Never Knew, and our closing music is Space Blood - Goro? Is That Your Christian Name?

email us: thedivedown@gmail.com
twitter: https://twitter.com/thedivedown

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Episode 260: Modern RC in Ghent & MKM Previews pt.2 Feb 01, 2024

Show notes

This week Shane returns, and in celebration we take a quick trip to Ghent to recap the Modern RC this week. What's going on in Modern as we make our way towards the next RC in Denver? But first (well, second, actually) — the last cards we like from MKM, and our top 5 lists!

• The More Modern Stays the Same, the More it Changes
• Rhino Supremacy, Part XVI
• More Orrible Murder

Become a citizen of The Dive Down Nation!: http://www.patreon.com/thedivedown
Show the world that you're a proud citizen of The Dive Down Nation with some merch from the store: https://www.thedivedown.com/store
Upgrade your gameplay and your gameday with Heavy Play accessories. Use code THEDIVEDOWN2024 for 10% off your first order at https://www.heavyplay.com
Get 10% off your first 2 months of ManaTraders! https://www.manatraders.com/?medium=thedivedown and use coupon code THEDIVEDOWN_3YO
And now receive 8% off your order of paper cards from Nerd Rage Gaming with code DIVE8 at https://www.nerdragegaming.com/

Timestamps:
3:54 - We can talk about Heavy Play
5:34 - This week's show/housekeeping
12:07 - The Break Down: Legacy European Championship Ghent
16:27 - Dave's Cool Decks, Inc diversion
22:52 - Deck performances
27:37 - The top 8
31:00 - Takes and takeaways
37:37 - The Dive Down: Week 2 of Murders at Markov Manor spoilers!
40:44 - Reenact the Crime
46:16 - Insidious Roots
50:49 - Break Out
57:55 - Gleaming Geardrake
57:56 - Tomik, Wielder of Law
1:01:21 - Pick Your Poison
1:05:16 - Assemble the Players
1:17:15 - Case of the Gorgon's Kiss
1:10:01 - Forensic Researcher
1:15:16 - Case of the Uneaten Feast
1:19:45 - Our Top 5 lists
1:39:26 - Wrapping up

Links from this week's episode:
Ghent matchup grids: https://mtgdecks.net/Modern/legacy-european-championship-ghent-legacy-european-tour-tournament-150715/winrates

Our opening music is Nowhere - You Never Knew, and our closing music is Space Blood - Goro? Is That Your Christian Name?

email us: thedivedown@gmail.com
twitter: https://twitter.com/thedivedown

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Episode 259: Only Murders in the Guilding (Previews, v1) Jan 25, 2024

Show notes

It's a simple show this week... or is it? Dave and Devon dive into the previews to date of the latest set — Murders at Karlov Manor! Tune in as we discuss Disguises, Cloaks, and whether the Mole God lives up to the hype (spoiler: it does).

Become a citizen of The Dive Down Nation!: http://www.patreon.com/thedivedown
Show the world that you're a proud citizen of The Dive Down Nation with some merch from the store: https://www.thedivedown.com/store
Upgrade your gameplay and your gameday with Heavy Play accessories. Use code THEDIVEDOWN2024 for 10% off your first order at https://www.heavyplay.com
Get 10% off your first 2 months of ManaTraders! https://www.manatraders.com/?medium=thedivedown and use coupon code THEDIVEDOWN_3YO
And now receive 8% off your order of paper cards from Nerd Rage Gaming with code DIVE8 at https://www.nerdragegaming.com/

Timestamps:
1:10 — Getting Heavy
4:00 — Tell Us If You’re Coming to Chicago!
4:45 — Spoiler: We’re Talking About Cards!
5:45 — Housekeeping
7:00 — It’s Cards!!
8:00 — It’s Rules!!
9:18 — Disguise
13:11 — Cloak
16:49 — Investigate
18:28 — Collect Evidence
23:01 — Suspect
23:17 — Cases
27:56 — Split Cards
30:40 — Just Random Cards
30:55 — Lightning Helix
33:24 — No More Lies
36:15 — Warleader’s Call
39:41 — Proft’s Eidetic Memory
43:25 — Krenko, Baron of Tin Street & Crime Novelist
47:37 — Fugitive Codebreaker
51:10 — Treacherous Greed
55:20 — Intrude on the Mind
58:52 — Massacre Girl, Known Killer
1:02:25 — Doorkeeper Thrull
1:05:53 — Leyline of the Guildpact
1:10:34 — Delney, Streetwise Lookout
1:13:28 — Anzrag the Quake-Mole
1:17:28 — Archdruid’s Charm
1:21:58 — Urgent Necropsy
1:25:36 — Kylox’s Voltstrider
1:30:08 — Sharp-Eyed Rookie
1:32:32 — Long Goodbye
1:33:04 — Surveil Lands
1:36:00 — One More Thing

Our opening music is Nowhere - You Never Knew, and our closing music is Space Blood - Goro? Is That Your Christian Name?

email us: thedivedown@gmail.com
twitter: https://twitter.com/thedivedown

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Episode 258: What is Standard Right Now? Jan 18, 2024

Show notes

Join Shane and Devon as they embark on an epic journey through the realm of... Standard. Yes, Standard. With RCQ season in full swing, it's time to look over all the decks you need to know to be prepared. The boys look at the recent history of standard, how WOTC is trying to revitalize it, and provide insight on basically all the decks in the format. With everything from hyper-aggro to over-the-top ramp, this format has something for everyone!

The Dive Down: It's Standard.

Become a citizen of The Dive Down Nation!: http://www.patreon.com/thedivedown
Show the world that you're a proud citizen of The Dive Down Nation with some merch from the store: https://www.thedivedown.com/store
Upgrade your gameplay and your gameday with Heavy Play accessories. Use code THEDIVEDOWN2024 for 10% off your first order at https://www.heavyplay.com
Get 10% off your first 2 months of ManaTraders! https://www.manatraders.com/?medium=thedivedown and use coupon code THEDIVEDOWN_3YO
And now receive 8% off your order of paper cards from Nerd Rage Gaming with code DIVE8 at https://www.nerdragegaming.com/

Timestamps:
4:22 - Heavy Play: not bad
5:45 - This week's show/housekeeping
10:24 - Standard then and now
22:09 - So what IS Standard?
27:28 - What does Standard look like right now?
28:11 - Domain Ramp
32:19 - Esper Midrange
34:32 - Rakdos Discover
37:54 - Golgari Midrange
43:00 - Azorius Soldiers/Flash
48:14 - Mono-Red Aggro
54:57 - Azorius Tokens
1:00:26 - The other midrange decks
1:10:06 - Big Rakdos
1:12:45 - Azorius Craft
1:16:30 - Bant Toxic
1:21:34 - Azorius Tempo
1:24:19 - How to approach Standard in the RCQ season
1:33:54 - Wrapping up

Links from this week's episode:
Frank's Metagame Mentor article: https://magic.gg/news/metagame-mentor-everything-you-need-to-win-your-early-2024-standard-rcq

Our opening music is Nowhere - You Never Knew, and our closing music is Space Blood - Goro? Is That Your Christian Name?

email us: thedivedown@gmail.com
twitter: https://twitter.com/thedivedown

Support The Dive Down

Episode 257: What is Modern Right Now? Jan 11, 2024

Show notes

It's time for The Dive Down to get back to work! We're fully into 2024 and this week Shane and Dave are diving deep into what Modern is right now. Tune in as we discuss SCG Cincinnati's 20K and 10K along with the most recent MTGO Showcase Challenge and try to answer some of the formats biggest questions. How dare Scam still exist? How did Rhinos get to be 14% of the meta at the 20K? Is Yawgmoth the new top moth? All this and more on this week's Dive Down.

• Queen City Callbacks
• Not Dead After All After All
• Sometimes UW Control Can Be Good

Become a citizen of The Dive Down Nation!: http://www.patreon.com/thedivedown
Show the world that you're a proud citizen of The Dive Down Nation with some merch from the store: https://www.thedivedown.com/store
Upgrade your gameplay and your gameday with Heavy Play accessories. Use code THEDIVEDOWN2024 for 10% off your first order at https://www.heavyplay.com
Get 10% off your first 2 months of ManaTraders! https://www.manatraders.com/?medium=thedivedown and use coupon code THEDIVEDOWN_3YO
And now receive 8% off your order of paper cards from Nerd Rage Gaming with code DIVE8 at https://www.nerdragegaming.com/

Timestamps:
3:57 - A Heavy Play surprise
8:27 - Housekeeping/this week's episode
12:51 - The Dive Down begins: What is Modern in 2024?
15:59 - The SCG Cincinnati $20K meta and performance
42:34 - The MTGO Showcase Challenge meta and performance
56:35 - So what's going on in Modern right now?
1:11:55 - The NRG Championship results
1:16:43 - A tiny Wind Down
1:20:27 - Wrapping up

Our opening music is Nowhere - You Never Knew, and our closing music is Space Blood - Goro? Is That Your Christian Name?

email us: thedivedown@gmail.com
twitter: https://twitter.com/thedivedown

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Episode 256: New Year... New Formats? Jan 04, 2024

Show notes

This week's episode is not about about Modern or Pioneer! Instead, we fire off our free passes to MTGO's Vintage Cube and figure out how D00mwake became one of the format's trophy leaders. We also dust off our Arena accounts to play a little Timeless. Are we picking up new formats for the show? Only one way to find out!

Become a citizen of The Dive Down Nation!: http://www.patreon.com/thedivedown
Show the world that you're a proud citizen of The Dive Down Nation with some merch from the store: https://www.thedivedown.com/store
Upgrade your gameplay and your gameday with Heavy Play accessories. Use code THEDIVEDOWN2023 for 10% off your first order at https://www.heavyplay.com
Check out our sponsor Barrister and Mann! https://www.barristerandmann.com/ Use coupon code THEDIVEDOWNTWENTYTHREE for 15% off your first order of some incredible fragrances, soaps, beard oils, and more.
Get 10% off your first 2 months of ManaTraders! https://www.manatraders.com/?medium=thedivedown and use coupon code THEDIVEDOWN23
And now receive 8% off your order of paper cards from Nerd Rage Gaming with code DIVE8 at https://www.nerdragegaming.com/

Timestamps:
2:18 - Heavy Play is also wonderful
4:24 - This week's episode/housekeeping
8:28 - It's Vintage Cube time!
54:57 - The best cards in Vintage Cube
1:14:00 - Beaudelaire is back, baby
1:17:00 - Time for... Timeless
1:39:44 - Wrapping up

Our opening music is Nowhere - You Never Knew, and our closing music is Space Blood - Goro? Is That Your Christian Name?

email us: thedivedown@gmail.com
twitter: https://twitter.com/thedivedown

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Episode 255: The Birds Are Back in Town, ft. CCR & OafMcNamara Dec 28, 2023

Show notes

Izzet Phoenix is back on the menu so we're diving back in for the first time in 5 years! Stan is joined by CCR from MTG Grindcast, along with the Pioneer trophy leader & Izzet Phoenix aficionado OafMcNamara to break down the deck in all its controlling glory.

We chat in great detail about how to evaluate the cantrips and removal spells in a turbo xerox deck, how it pairs up against other top decks in the metagame, how to maximize its various flex slots, the benefits of Izzet over Grixis, and so much more. We have a couple true Phoenix masters on this episode so the level ups are imminent.

Become a citizen of The Dive Down Nation!: http://www.patreon.com/thedivedown
Show the world that you're a proud citizen of The Dive Down Nation with some merch from the store: https://www.thedivedown.com/store
Upgrade your gameplay and your gameday with Heavy Play accessories. Use code THEDIVEDOWN2023 for 10% off your first order at https://www.heavyplay.com
Check out our sponsor Barrister and Mann! https://www.barristerandmann.com/ Use coupon code THEDIVEDOWNTWENTYTHREE for 15% off your first order of some incredible fragrances, soaps, beard oils, and more.
Get 10% off your first 2 months of ManaTraders! https://www.manatraders.com/?medium=thedivedown and use coupon code THEDIVEDOWN23
And now receive 8% off your order of paper cards from Nerd Rage Gaming with code DIVE8 at https://www.nerdragegaming.com/

Timestamps:
3:42 - Heavy Phoenix Play
5:15 - Housekeeping/This week's show
7:35 - This isn't your Modern's Phoenix
12:43 - Phoenix's gameplan and deck construction
37:49 - Cantrips. Just cantrips.
53:54 - The removal
1:00:52 - The flex cards
1:13:21 - Matchups
1:27:50 - Grixis Phoenix??
1:34:10 - Fable and other considerations
1:41:18 - Wrapping up and where to find our guests

Our opening music is Nowhere - You Never Knew, and our closing music is Space Blood - Goro? Is That Your Christian Name?

email us: thedivedown@gmail.com
twitter: https://twitter.com/thedivedown

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Episode 254: RC Atlanta is Over and So is 2023 Dec 21, 2023

Show notes

With all the discourse swirling around Dreamhack Atlanta, the Dive Down boys decide to avoid it at all costs and just look at the cold hard facts - which decks did well, which decks did poorly, what did the matchup spreads look like, and where does Pioneer go from here. We also wrap up the show with an extended wind down recapping some of our favorite moments from Magic, podcasting, and pop culture.

Finally, at long last, UW control is good (in Pioneer). Thanks to Temporary Lockdown lining up just right against the latest builds of Rakdos Midrange and the up and coming Amalia combo, along with a ton of other counterspells and removal cards, control finally found a weekend to dominate the metagame.

And in case you were wondering what kind of movies, music, TV, podcasts, and video games we've been consuming all year, we take a chance to finally recap our favorites from the year as well.

Become a citizen of The Dive Down Nation!: http://www.patreon.com/thedivedown
Show the world that you're a proud citizen of The Dive Down Nation with some merch from the store: https://www.thedivedown.com/store
Upgrade your gameplay and your gameday with Heavy Play accessories. Use code THEDIVEDOWN2023 for 10% off your first order at https://www.heavyplay.com
Check out our sponsor Barrister and Mann! https://www.barristerandmann.com/ Use coupon code THEDIVEDOWNTWENTYTHREE for 15% off your first order of some incredible fragrances, soaps, beard oils, and more.
Get 10% off your first 2 months of ManaTraders! https://www.manatraders.com/?medium=thedivedown and use coupon code THEDIVEDOWN23
And now receive 8% off your order of paper cards from Nerd Rage Gaming with code DIVE8 at https://www.nerdragegaming.com/

Timestamps:
2:55 - The Heavy Play fence
4:34 - This week's episode/housekeeping
9:59 - The Break Down: The Atlanta Pioneer RC
37:21 - Takeaways from the weekend
52:14 - What's up with this meta?
1:00:20 - Stan Smells Better
1:02:13 - The Wind Down: Your hosts are talking
1:03:08 - Our favorite Magic things this year
1:07:30 - Best new host of the year
1:09:16 - Our favorite episodes of the year
1:13:59 - Stan's favorite thing
1:14:35 - The card(s) of the year
1:16:51 - The card(s) we would revoke from existence
1:19:30 - Magic is good
1:21:25 - Music we liked this year
1:25:32 - Movies we liked this year
1:28:38 - TV we liked this year
1:33:30 - Podcasts we liked this year
1:40:41 - Video games we liked this year
1:46:42 - Wrapping up

Links from this week's episode:
https://melee.gg/Tournament/View/28009
https://twitter.com/karsten_frank/status/1736897130722140214/photo/2

Our opening music is Nowhere - You Never Knew, and our closing music is Space Blood - Goro? Is That Your Christian Name?

email us: thedivedown@gmail.com
twitter: https://twitter.com/thedivedown

Support The Dive Down

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