Author: test

  • Liliana’s Contract – New Core Set 2019 Spoiler!

     

    Hey!

    We got a new spoiler card for the 2019 core set today, and it’s especially exciting for players of mono black!

    This card was spoiled by Top Level Podcast

    It’s also a great addition to any Demon deck, definitely a great friend of Griselbrand and 3 of his demon friends.

    It’s an interesting twist that the immediate win condition of the card demands that you have 4 different names of the demons. I love the flavor of that – you must summon 4 terrifying demons of 4 varieties – basically terrifying your opponent into losing.

    On top of the win condition component, you get a very decent cantrip card immediately, even if your demon count isn’t close to 4 yet, or even if you’re not playing any demons.

    Overall I think this is an awesome card for black players, and will find plenty of homes.

    Check out the entire 2019 Core Set Spoiler Here

    Card text:

    Mana Cost: 3BB
    Type: Enchantment
    Text: When Liliana’s Contract enters the battlefield, you draw four cards and lose 4 life. At the beginning of your upkeep, if you control four or more Demons with different names, you win the game.

  • MTGO Gameplay: Ghalta Gearhulk (By MTGGoldfish) Budget Modern

    I sat down to play a couple games with my new favorite modern/standard deck, Ghalta Gearhulk by Saffron Oliver from MTGGoldfish.

    You can pick the deck up for about 30tix on mtgo, so it’s super easy to get. It’s an absolute blast to play. Lots of dinosaurs, a bit of removal, some ramp…and oh yeah, this really sweet combo between Combustible Gearhulk and Ghalta, Primal Hunger…and also, well pretty much all the other dinos in the deck.

    combustible gearhulk

    ghalta primal hunger

     

    Basically, when you play gearhulk, either

    1. you get to draw 3 cards OR
    2. your opponent lets you reveal the top 3 cards from your library, and they take damage equal to the converted mana cost.

    Ghalta costs 12 mana so…there is some wicked potential for damage without anything else happening. I’ve seen it do over 20 damage in a single flip.

    So that’s just lurking in the deck, not to mention it’s a fun and decent aggro deck with lots of stompy dinos.

    Also, with regosaur alpha, it’s pretty easy and achievable to have a hasty Ghalta pretty quickly…which is naaasty for opponents.

    Anywho, here’s the first couple games.

    If you like the deck, check it out on MTGGoldfish:

    MTGGoldfish Youtube Deck Tech/ Gameplay

    Deck summary on MTGGoldfish

    Watch Video On Youtube

  • How to Play MTGO on Mac in 2026 — Complete Setup Tutorial

    Last Updated: February 2026

    Magic: The Gathering Online (MTGO) is a Windows-only application. Daybreak Games has never released a native Mac client. In 2026 there are four reliable methods to run MTGO on a Mac, ranging from free to paid. This guide covers all of them.

    Looking for MTG Arena instead? MTG Arena has a native Mac client and is the easier option for newer sets. MTGO is the home for older sets, drafts, leagues, and the full card pool including Legacy and Vintage.

    Quick Comparison: MTGO on Mac Methods

    Method Cost Apple Silicon Intel Mac Windows License
    CrossOver ~$74/year Yes Yes No
    Parallels Desktop ~$100/year Yes Yes Yes (Windows 11)
    Boot Camp Free No (Intel only) Yes Yes (Windows 10)
    VirtualBox Free Yes (v7.1+) Yes Yes

    Method 1: CrossOver (Recommended for Apple Silicon Macs)

    CrossOver by CodeWeavers is the easiest option for M1, M2, M3, and M4 Mac users. It runs Windows applications directly on macOS without requiring a Windows license. You pay for CrossOver itself (~$74/year or ~$499 lifetime), not for Windows.

    MTGO runs reliably through CrossOver and performs well even on Apple Silicon chips, which do not support Boot Camp.

    How to install MTGO via CrossOver

    1. Download and install CrossOver for Mac (free 14-day trial available)
    2. Open CrossOver and click Install a Windows Application
    3. Search for “Magic: The Gathering Online” — CrossOver has a pre-configured bottle for it
    4. Follow the installer prompts; CrossOver downloads and installs the Windows runtime automatically
    5. Launch MTGO from the CrossOver app or your Applications folder

    Pros: No Windows license needed, works on Apple Silicon, streamlined MTGO install
    Cons: Annual subscription cost, occasional compatibility quirks after MTGO client updates

    Method 2: Parallels Desktop

    Parallels Desktop runs a full Windows virtual machine inside macOS. On Apple Silicon Macs it runs Windows 11 ARM; on Intel Macs it runs standard Windows 10 or 11. Performance is excellent and games run close to native speed.

    You will need both a Parallels license (~$100/year) and a Windows license (Windows 11 Home is approximately $140 from Microsoft).

    How to set up MTGO via Parallels

    1. Download Parallels Desktop and install it
    2. During setup, Parallels guides you through installing Windows — it can download Windows 11 ARM directly for Apple Silicon Macs
    3. Once Windows is running inside Parallels, open the Windows browser and download MTGO from magic.wizards.com
    4. Install and launch MTGO — it behaves exactly as it would on a native Windows PC

    Pros: Best compatibility, seamless copy-paste between Mac and Windows, excellent performance
    Cons: Most expensive option (Parallels + Windows license combined), memory-intensive

    Method 3: Boot Camp (Intel Macs Only)

    Important: Boot Camp is only available on Intel-based Macs. If you have an M1, M2, M3, or M4 Mac, skip this section — Apple removed Boot Camp from Apple Silicon entirely.

    Boot Camp installs Windows natively alongside macOS on a separate partition. At startup you choose which OS to boot into. Since MTGO runs in native Windows via Boot Camp, performance is the best of any method. The trade-off is that you must reboot to switch between Mac and Windows.

    How to set up Boot Camp

    1. Open Boot Camp Assistant (Applications > Utilities, or search in Spotlight)
    2. Download a Windows 10 ISO from Microsoft
    3. Follow the Boot Camp Assistant wizard to partition your drive and install Windows
    4. Boot into Windows by holding Option at startup, then install Boot Camp drivers
    5. Download and install MTGO from magic.wizards.com

    Pros: Best performance of any method, free software (only need Windows license)
    Cons: Requires reboot to switch between Mac and Windows, Intel Macs only, requires a Windows 10 license

    Method 4: VirtualBox (Free)

    VirtualBox is a free, open-source virtualization tool from Oracle. Version 7.1+ added Apple Silicon support so it now works on M-series Macs, though performance is slower than Parallels. On Intel Macs it has been a reliable free option for years.

    You will need a Windows license and at least 8GB of RAM on your Mac.

    How to set up MTGO via VirtualBox

    1. Download VirtualBox for macOS
    2. Download a Windows 10 or Windows 11 ISO from Microsoft
    3. Create a new VM: 4GB+ RAM, 50GB+ virtual disk, OS type Windows 10/11 64-bit
    4. Mount the Windows ISO and install Windows inside the VM
    5. Install VirtualBox Guest Additions for better graphics performance and screen resolution
    6. Download and install MTGO from within the Windows VM

    Pros: Completely free, open source, no ongoing subscription
    Cons: Slower performance than Parallels, more setup required, still needs a Windows license

    Which Method Should You Choose?

    • Apple Silicon Mac, do not want to buy Windows: CrossOver
    • Apple Silicon Mac, want the best performance: Parallels + Windows 11 ARM
    • Intel Mac, want it free: Boot Camp (best performance) or VirtualBox (no reboot required)
    • Intel Mac, want convenience: CrossOver or Parallels

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Does MTGO have a Mac client?

    No. MTGO is Windows-only as of 2026. Daybreak Games, which acquired MTGO from Wizards of the Coast, has not announced plans for a native Mac client.

    Is MTGO the same as MTG Arena?

    No. They are separate products. MTG Arena is a newer free-to-play client with a native Mac app that supports recent Standard and Limited sets. MTGO is the older platform with a much larger card pool, a real card economy where cards hold monetary value, and support for every format including Legacy and Vintage.

    Can I run MTGO on an M1, M2, M3, or M4 Mac?

    Yes, via CrossOver or Parallels Desktop. Boot Camp does not work on Apple Silicon Macs, but both CrossOver and Parallels support the M-chip lineup well.

    Is CrossOver legal to use?

    Yes. CrossOver is a commercial product built on Wine, a legal Windows compatibility layer. Using it to run MTGO does not violate any terms of service.

    How much disk space does MTGO need?

    MTGO requires approximately 3 to 5GB for the client and card assets. If you are using a VM via Parallels or VirtualBox, budget an additional 20 to 30GB for the Windows installation itself.

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  • Kaya The MTG Shadowcat

    Kaya The MTG Shadowcat

    Kaya – The MTG Shadowcat

    Kaya The MTG Shadowcat
    Kaya The MTG Shadowcat
  • Kaya, Ghost Assassin – MTG Card Summary

    Kaya, Ghost Assassin – MTG Card Summary

    Kaya, Ghost Assassin

    Wizards has just released a new spoiler card from the upcoming set Conspiracy: Take The Throne which is set to be released on August 26th, 2016. The first card is a brand new planeswalker, named Kaya Ghost Assassin. If you’re interested in reading Kaya’s sordid back story, you can click here.

    According to her backstory, she has the ability to “slip through solid items and physically interact with ghosts and the spirit world.” Hmm…Is Kaya the MTG Shadowcat?!

    The same face in the artwork shows a rogueish smirk…while barely attempting to conceal a vicious dagger…and in another, she’s got a look of calculated violence as she plunges the very same dagger into the neck of her spectral assassination victim.

    Definitely an interesting choice for inclusion in multiplayer formats, especially.

    What do you think? Have you come up with any clever uses of the MTG Shadowcat yet? Feel free to leave them in the comments below, or tweet them @tcpwalker on twitter.

    She’s got an interesting dynamic in that she has no ability to gain new loyalty counters, but instead loses them. However, when she exiles, she returns to play with all loyalty counters again.

    Flavor wise, that makes sense. She’s a shifty rogue…always dodging and sneaking away to commit some silent act of assassination…then returning with that sly smirk back on her face.

    We’ll be interested to see what other great mutiplayer dynamics emerge from Conspiracy: Take The Throne.

     

    kaya ghost assassin planeswalker image

    What abilities Does Kaya Ghost Assassin have?

    Obviously when it comes down to planeswalkers, it’s all about those abilities. Kaya has 3.

    Kaya’s 3 abilities :

    [0]: Exile Kaya, Ghost Assassin or up to one target creature. Return that card to the battlefield under its owner’s control at the beginning of your next upkeep. You lose 2 life.

    [-1]: Each opponent loses 2 life and you gain 2 life.

    [-2]: Each opponent discards a card and you draw a card.

     

    Read The “Planeswalker Story” of Kaya Ghost Assassin…

    planeswalker-story-kaya
    planeswalker-story-kaya

    Kaya Artwork

    kaya ghost asssassin artwork 2
    Source: http://magic.wizards.com/en/story/planeswalkers/kaya-ghost-assassin\

     

    Kaya Ghost Assassin Artwork 1
    Image Source: http://magic.wizards.com/en/story/planeswalkers/kaya-ghost-assassin

     

    kaya ghost asssassin artwork 3
    Image Source: http://magic.wizards.com/en/story/planeswalkers/kaya-ghost-assassin

  • Blessed Alliance – MTG Card Summary

    Blessed Alliance

    Blessed Alliance MTG Card Summary

  • *NEW* – Eldritch Moon Visual Spoiler

    *NEW* – Eldritch Moon Visual Spoiler

    Eldritch Moon - Visual Spoiler

  • *New* Shadows Over Innistrad – Visual Spoiler

    *New* Shadows Over Innistrad – Visual Spoiler

    Shadows Over Innistrad - Visual Spoiler

  • *NEW* – Zendikar Expeditions Visual Spoiler

    *NEW* – Zendikar Expeditions Visual Spoiler

    Zendikar Expeditions - Visual Spoiler

  • Born of the Gods Preview

    Born of the Gods Preview

    Hey I’m James, and in honor of launch weekend I’m writing this Born of the Gods Preview and which cards I think will be useful. Enjoy!

    So in preparation of the pro tour qualifier coming up in March I’ve been looking over several of the cards in Born of the Gods and I like a lot of what I see. Some of it is overrated and some of it you may have completely glanced past but here is where I’ll talk about the potential that I see.

    First up is Xenagos, God of Revels. I hear a lot of people saying he is going to be great, but I actually don’t see it. Jund colors might run it but honestly Exava and rakdos are better 4 drops, especially with all the new removal that can clear out the indestructibles.

    Xenegos, God of Revels
    Xenegos, God of Revels

    Mogis, God of Slaughter on the other hand, looks like he is going to be a powerhouse. The simplest of the gods so far, he makes your opponent choose to lose life or a creature every turn, and in his colors either one is a big loss. Watch out for this guy.

    Ephara, God of the Polis is nifty, but won’t really be played unless Bant becomes good and Prophet of Kruphix makes her really shine, though she may see some sideboard play in blue/white aggro or esper control. Won’t see much of her though.

    Hero of iroas is a guy that a lot of people are overlooking, but 2/2 heroic for 2 is decent by itself, but the fact he makes things like unflinching courage and gift of orzhova 2 costs makes him great, not to mention that everything with bestow cost one less to bestow. Any deck running white and enchantments should be mainboarding this guy, and he’ll be a welcome new addition to the Sphere of safety decks.

    Then we have Brimaz, king of Oreskos. I’m impressed because a 3/4 Vigilant for 3 mana is already great, but one that creates an attacking and blocking token every time he does either is unbelievable. The only problem is that in Standard drown in sorrow and bile blight are going to make those tokens all but obsolete especially when illness in the ranks can hop in from the sideboard. He has a chance to be really good, and Modern and EDH will play the crap out of him.

    Brimaz, King of Oreskos
    Brimaz, King of Oreskos

    Hero of Leina Tower has the potential to become big but the only current deck that could take advantage of this is Naya Beats. With the release of this set however, Bant has a chance to be a real threat to every current deck and Hero of Leina Tower couldn’t ask for a better set up than Bant-chantments with bestow creatures, or green-white heroic weenies with instants.
    Karametra, god of the harvests is at first a little disappointing. In green white there was a good chance to make a decent token pumper or life giver and instead we got a land fetch. After another look though, in bant or naya deck it has the potential to really let you get ahead. Naya beats is full of cheap creatures that could snag out those lands and let you shufle your deck and let you play multiple hasty’s and stormbreaths. In bant when combined with the prophet of kruphix this card becomes a juggeraut and if you’re running elvish mystics and sylvan caryatids this thing could have you up to playing a Worldspine Wurm turn 7.

    There are 5 ‘fated’ cards. The first fated retribution is a 7 cost that wipes out creatures and planeswalkers. Awesome for commander but in a format with merciless eviction and supreme verdict everywhere, it won’t really see play.

    Fated conflagration is ok, but has the same problem Xenagos the god does. It’s a 4 drop in decks that have better 4 drops. it may be sideboarded in naya beats but don’t look for value here.
    Fated Return may not see play in standard but in EDH and possibly Legacy a card that grabs a creature from anyone’s graveyard, makes it indestructible and then lets you scry will be golden. Fated Intervention is interesting and the only reason it’s playable is because it is an instant and lets you drop 2 suprise blockers. Otherwise, not all that great, I’d rather play Advent of the Wurm.

    Finally Fated Infatuation looks good, and I feel like it could see play, but esper control will be loosening it’s grip on the meta and this card might not have room as the control players shift towards being more anti green or anti white as the heroic weenies pick up speed.

    The archetypes that came in the set are cool, though only the white and red ones will see play instandard. 3 cost creatures that give and take away trample and first strike sound pretty great to me, though I belive the black and green ones will see a lot of play in Commander EDh decks just for the extra kick of everything having hexproof and deathtouch.

    Satyr Firedancer
    Satyr Firedancer

    Satyr Firedancer finally makes burndecks not only viable byt good by turning magma jet into a 2 cost 2 damage to a player, 3 damage to a creature and a scry 2.

    Spirit of the labrynth is really going to be hurting those esper control players and you can expect to see a lot of this in sideboards to stop blue from gaining too much card advantage, grab these early if you want to get a little value.

    Chromanticore has to be my favorite just because I love 5 color cards especially for Commander games and this guy is just there for fun. he may not be great, but he will certainly be fun to play.

    Gild finally provides a good and consistent way to get rid of those pesky indestructible gods along with revoke existence and unravel the aether so you can be guarenteed the gods won’t be providing the same force they did beforehand with every color now having access to a way to easily pop them off the field.

    And last on my list is the Eidolon of Countless battles. H’ll be ood in Naya beats, but in white weenies with brimaz and Precinct captain running around this card is going to make every hit a little bit worse, and blue white decks are really going to enjoy having this thing to put all their enchantments on. Watch out for this guy here, he’ll see plenty of play.

    Thats it for this article but check in next time and I’ll be discussing the merits of Theros block mechanics and what I want to see from Journey into Nyx.

    Want deck help? Click here to Check out my gig at fiverr I’ll help you get your deck working in top shape!