Walking The Planes

In Episode 8, Nate Holt and Shawn Kornhauser take you to Pro Tour Return to Ravnica in Seattle, the home of Magic: The Gathering.

In "Going Pro," Nate Holt and Shawn Kornhauser continue their journey through the Magic tournament multiverse at San Antonio for that city's first Grand Prix. Get the Grand Prix perspective from Pro Tour legend Luis Scott-Vargas plus newcomers Grayson Maloch and Will Schendel.

What does it mean to be a "greedy" Magic player? Walking the Planes finds out at Grand Prix Atlantic City. We also meet Josh (a real card shark), catch up with retired Wizards R&D member Zac Hill, and talk to the one and only Reid Duke about his illustrious career in competitive Magic. Plus, there's a scene that our producer describes as "Terrence Malick meets Jersey Shore"!

Gerry Thompson needs help to improve his performance at the Pro Tour. Who should he turn to? New teammates? Or something more mysterious? Watch as he and veteran pro Ben Stark go on a mission to win Pro Tour Gatecrash in Montreal. Along the way, we meet a merry band of Canadian hosts, a first-time Pro Tour competitor, a well-scarfed aristocrat, and Melissa DeTora, who made history on this unforgettable weekend. It's Walking the Planes: Episode 11!

How far will you go to do what you must? Go on a journey with Walking the Planes to Grand Prix Strasbourg, where we meet a Hall of Famer, a Goblin gamer, a star of the stream, and a wayward American chasing a dream. Like moose in mating season, there's some awkward and silly encounters that you won't soon forget. It's Episode #12: "The Stranger"!

Why are we losing our minds over the Pro Tour? Why do we care so much? Why do we love it? Is it watching our favorite players handle the pressure of life-altering matches? The stories of memorable games? Or is it the subtle things, like hearing a judge call out "five seconds.....draft"? Take a trip with Walking the Planes to Pro Tour Dragon's Maze and discover what the excitement is all about. Special appearance by @day9tv a.k.a. Starcraft star Sean Plott!

In the all-for-one, one-for-all world of Team Limited Magic tournaments, you need friends you can trust. Friends who will put their faith in you to make the right play for the team. Friends who can carry you when you lose. Most importantly, you need friends to have fun with! Get a glimpse of the uniquely awesome team dynamics in action at Grand Prix Providence. NOTE: No Hall-of-Famers were harmed in the filming of Walking the Planes.

Brace yourself for a trip to the largest Magic: The Gathering tournament of all time at Grand Prix Las Vegas. Witness the Modern Masters Limited format on rare display at a major tournament, meet one of Magic's most morbid illustrators, get personal with some fresh-faced newlyweds, and take in the sights and sounds of a convention hall filled with more than 4,000 Magic players. Magic pros and newcomers alike attempt to become Modern Masters in Walking the Planes.

Worlds Week 2013 in Amsterdam was the most spectacular event in the history of Magic. With epic showdowns between world class players every round, emotions ran high. This episode is about revenge, conquering the past, a star in ascendence, a colossal battle of nations, and a tyrannical monster gone mad with power.

After a crushing loss at the hands of Wizards of the Coast in last year's Community Cup, the Community Team is out for revenge. No matter how strange the format, whether it's Wacky Draft or Ironroot Chef, the Community Team is unafraid of these titans who make Magic. Why? Apparently, they're not that good anymore.

How badly do you want to play on the Pro Tour? Enough to live out of your suitcase as you travel from tournament to tournament? If your love of the game is so strong that sacrifice and setbacks don't diminish your desire, then competitive Magic may be more than a hobby. It may be your calling. You may be a grinder.

When Richard Garfield created Magic: The Gathering, he made a few mistakes. Some spells were so powerful, so dominant, that they were never printed again. Those who wield the remaining few still battle with them. They feel an unparalleled power coursing through their veins. Some call it "broken". They call it "Vintage".

What kind of Magic player are you? What's your style? Whether you're devoted to red, or have a penchant for foreign language cards, or are attracted to certain card illustrations, chances are the aesthetic of your game matters to you. There's no "right" way to do it. It's a matter of taste.

Oops, looks like some Friday Nights spilled into this episode of Walking the Planes! But the boys from Loading Ready Run aren't the only ones who stand out in the Magic community. Twitch streamer Kenji Egashira found an exceptional way to bring Magic into your home. Cancer survivor Maya Carroll's bravery would stand out in any crowd, even as Magic gave her a way to blend back in. And then there's Alexander Hayne, whose victories on the battlefield make for an exceptionally promising career in pro Magic!

Before you make a play, how much do you think about it? How do you know it's the right move? Magic is a deeply strategic game, and playing correctly is harder than you think. It might even be impossible. How much does playing correctly matter to you?

Hey there, Planeswalkers! It's me, Mr. The Wizard. Welcome to my neighborhood! There's all kinds of Magic players here, each of whom can teach us something about the game. If you're a new player, you'll learn a lot about the Sealed Deck format from Hall of Famer Ben Stark. If you love competition, you'll enjoy seeing the best players compete to become a Grand Prix champion. If you like flavor, you might like imagining your favorite characters brawling against each other! What can you teach your neighbors about Magic?

Have your emotions ever gotten the better of you while playing Magic? If so, you're not alone. It's common for people of all ages to become frustrated when they lose. Even players on the Pro Tour. They call it "tilt." But these negative emotions can be unpleasant for our opponents and worsen our ability to think strategically. So how can we improve ourselves as gamers? How can we become more gracious in defeat? In Walking the Planes Episode #24, we explore tilt, delve into a fun Block Constructed format, and watch one of Magic's most beloved characters win the trophy that's eluded him for nearly 20 years.

It's a conspiracy! Few things in life are as fun as multiplayer Magic. Most people play at home, conspiring with and against their friends in a rich metagame. But the great thing about Magic is that you can play it anywhere! Every week, physics teacher Jordan Burkey of the Abington Friends School transforms his lab into a battlefield. Only, it's the friendliest, most welcoming battlefield this side of the Multiverse.

Do you enjoy playing Magic with an audience? When people stand around your table at your local game store, do you get nervous? Or does it ignite your spark? At the Pro Tour, top players from around the world gather to play in the ultimate spotlight for thousands of viewers. With success comes attention. If you're like Magic mega-star Brian Kibler, you live for these moments. Whether it's in your living room or at a large tournament, how do you feel when all eyes are on you?

Who’s better at Magic? Wizards of the Coast or the Magic community? The people who make the game or the game’s biggest fans? Let it be decided at the annual Magic Online Community Cup! With a variety of off-the-wall formats including the infamous Ironroot Chef Challenge, the community and Wizards of the Coast duke it out for the most important trophy in the history of humankind. It’s an event so fun, even evil babies love it!

Did you play with morph cards the last time they appeared in Magic? If so, you know how powerful it is to transform something harmless into something terrifying. You’ve made the combat phase a riddle, and you know the look on your opponent’s face as he or she goes mad trying to guess the answer. Maybe we’re also morphs, going about our normal lives in one way, and becoming someone else when we game. How can the gamer inside us evolve into something greater?

Who do you turn to for advice on Magic strategy? Which friends point you in the right direction? If you know who your A team is, bringing them to a Team Grand Prix is an experience unlike anything else in gaming. As opposed to a normal Magic tournament, where discussing strategy with onlookers is strictly forbidden, at Team Grand Prix your teammates are indispensable collaborators for executing the gameplan in three simultaneous matches. If you’re “the middle man”, the pressure’s on you to lead the charge!

What is your greatest dream related to Magic? To collect every card from every set? To teach all your friends how to play? Or maybe you'd like to win a tournament. Perhaps even the World Championship! Today we tell the story of Worlds Week 2014, a magical event showcasing the best Magic talent in the world playing in the Magic World Championship and World Magic Cup. For those involved, it's a fairy tale come to life.

Walking the Planes went to Pro Tour Fate Reforged and came back with a slew of jokes about everyone's favorite topic: math! If you just went "huh?", we're not surprised. It's no secret that Magic is one of the most enjoyable ways to learn basic skills in mathematics, but the fun doesn't stop there. Watch Nathan troll the pros, learn about game design from Ian Duke, and behold as our Pro Tour champion takes his deck to infinity and beyond!

Are you a Spike or a casual? Or both? What do you enjoy more: the handshake after winning a sanctioned match? Or casting a spell you’ve always wanted to cast for the first time? At Pro Tour Dragons of Tarkir, Walking the Planes learns that the competitive mindset and a care-free, fun-loving attitude are not mutually exclusive. Most players enjoy a variety of ways to experience Magic. Some spells are fun to cast no matter what setting you’re playing in. Like dragons, for instance. I mean, who doesn’t love dragons?

Has it happened to you yet? Have you experienced the moment when your casual interest in Magic transformed into an absolutely crazy passion? Maybe it was a particularly fascinating card or deck that did it for you. Or maybe it happened that one night at a friend's house or Friday Night Magic when your whole plan finally came together. Or maybe you were confronted by a dark lord of black Magic and your spark ignited in a time of great trauma, thereby transforming you into a Planeswalker. Though it happens in many ways, the result is the same: Magic is more than just a hobby.

How much do you know about the best Magic players in the world? Have you watched them play? Have you learned from their mastery of the game we love? There's something amazing about their performance under pressure. In the newest episode of Walking the Planes, we see the champions of the game stand out, even amid the buzz and excitement of PAX Prime. And because they are quite versatile mages, they show off a little acting and singing as well!

Have you ever wanted to waltz right into Wizards of the Coast's office and school them in games of Magic? You might not get that chance soon, but in the meantime, you can watch some of the Magic's beloved streamers, podcasters, and other content-makers get that chance and fight on behalf of the entire community! Follow Walking the Planes and go inside Wizards for the annual Community Cup. Equal parts casual and epic, it all adds up to one of the most fun events of the year.

This week's Walking the Planes features the acting chops of the last two Pro Tour winners: Joel Larsson and Martin Dang. If that doesn't excite you, there's also a dramatic moment at the annual Hall of Fame dinner, the brave story of Pro Tour player Brandon Burton, and the wise teachings of "Coach Luis." And whatever you do, keep watching to the end of the credits!

Walking the Planes went to the World Magic Cup! In this episode, we learn about the unusual interests of Hong Kong Magic players, which countries can rage like a goblin, and what pure joy looks like when a team brings home victory for a nation. Bringing a light-hearted spin on serious competition, WTP and the World Magic Cup honor players from all over the globe!

Do you play Modern? How would you describe your deck? Competitive? Fun? Weird? Hilariously horrible combos but who cares I love it? At Pro Tour Oath of the Gatewatch, Walking the Planes puts the creativity on display. Throw in a Back Alley Brawl, a trip down memory lane with "Jonny Magic", and the Rise of the Eldrazi, and you've got a classic episode of WTP!

WTP goes to Madrid for Pro Tour Shadows over Innistrad! We explore the two faces of cards that transform, the many faces of a player that transforms. We talk about Magic's flavorful side with competitive players, and celebrate the many famous faces in the Top 8! It all adds up to another fun episode of Walking the Planes! Random Warning: this video is not safe for people with a fear of mustaches.

Five years ago, Shawn Kornhauser and I showed up to Pro Tour Philadelphia on a whim. We made a silly video. For me, it was a fanboy's love letter to the Magic community. We were urged to make more. We Kickstarter'd our way to the World Championship a few months later. By then, we were hooked. Greg Collins of Wizards of the Coast gave us a great opportunity to produce a hybrid sketch comedy / documentary web series. Basically a dream come true. Whenever we asked someone to appear on the show, the answer was always yes. Most often with enthusiasm. It was that relationship with the Magic community that put gas in our tank (crewed our vehicle?) and kept our spirits high. We hope you've enjoyed the run of this show half as much as we enjoyed making it. And we're not done telling stories about Magic yet.