The Grand Arbiter

Lethal Vapors {2}{B}{B} Enchantment Whenever a creature enters, destroy it. {0}: Destroy this enchantment. You skip your next turn. Any player may activate this ability. The vapors infiltrate every crevice, poison every lung, and snuff out every life. Illustrated by John Avon

Magic Card of the Day: Lethal Vapors

This card is so obnoxious and is so much more effective now more than ever with indestructible existing. I don’t think I’d ever play it but it represents a fascinating dilemma. Playing who will be the noble sacrifice is a super interesting! #mtg

Madame Askew and the Grand Arbiter For more than a dozen linear earth-years, Madame Askew and the Grand Arbiter have hosted their cheeky interactive events–Tea Duelling, Splendid Teapot Racing, Compliment Duelling, and the Cog Match Ga...

I may be in the sewing trenches but @teagrandarbiter.bsky.social and I shall be hosting our regular Friday Tea tonight, nonetheless! Join us live at 6:30 PM Pacific (Seattle) on YouTube:

youtube.com/@madameaskew...

{W} Legendary Creature — Bird Advisor Flying {0}: You may cast target instant or sorcery card from your graveyard this turn. If that spell doesn’t target a creature you control, it costs {8} more to cast this way. If that spell would be put into your graveyard, exile it instead. Activate only once each turn. (You still pay the spell’s costs. Timing rules for the spell still apply.) 2/3 Illustrated by Wesley Burt

Magic Card of the Day: Mavinda, Students' Advocate

That wall of text is daunting but this bird effectively gives spells that target your creatures flashback for free! In strategies that can capitalize on it becomes a power house effectively doubling spells, particularly those that cantrip. #mtg

Winners Revealed in 4th Annual Golden Tippy Teacup Awards The 4th Tippy Golden Teacup Awards took place Friday night on the aethernet, recognizing special achievements in the world of steampunk. Several awards were related to the Wild Wild West Steampunk Con...

Our report from the 4th Golden Tippy Teacup Awards, recognizing special achievements in the world of #steampunk. @madameaskew.bsky.social @teagrandarbiter.bsky.social @everiotartist.bsky.social steampunk-explorer.com/news/winners...

Oh no!

It’s great but it’s such wrong text!!! But good job Rob Spenser

Enter the Infinite {8}{U}{U}{U}{U} Sorcery Draw cards equal to the number of cards in your library, then put a card from your hand on top of your library. You have no maximum hand size until your next turn. “Don’t just have an idea—have all of them.” —Niv-Mizzet Illustrated by Terese Nielsen

I watched someone cast enter the infinite with this and combo in my face. I’ll never let her be anything but a moon again.

Instill Energy {G} Enchantment — Aura Enchant creature Enchanted creature can attack as though it had haste. {0}: Untap enchanted creature. Activate only during your turn and only once each turn. Illustrated by Dameon Willich

It’s wild that the only printing with oracle text is MAGIC 30?????

Instill Energy {G} Enchantment — Aura Enchant creature Enchanted creature can attack as though it had haste. {0}: Untap enchanted creature. Activate only during your turn and only once each turn. Illustrated by Dameon Willich

Instill Energy {G} Enchantment — Aura Enchant creature Enchanted creature is unaffected by summoning sickness. 0: Untap enchanted creature. Use this ability only during your turn and only once each turn. Illustrated by Ron Spencer

Instill Energy {G} Enchantment — Aura Enchant creature You may untap target creature both during your untap phase and one additional time during your turn. Target creature may attack the turn it comes into play. Illustrated by Dameon Willich

Magic Card of the Day: Instill Energy

Sometimes a card goes through functional changes via errata because it is so old. For a hot second this gave haste, (haste wasn’t in alpha as it is now) and it still gives effectively half haste/half vigilance? Look it’s kinda a mess. Use oracle text. #mtg

You could build this as a clover deck!

Kazuul's Toll Collector {2}{R} Creature — Ogre Warrior {0}: Attach target Equipment you control to this creature. Activate only as a sorcery. Travelers are advised to bring extra swords, preferably shiny ones. 3/2 Illustrated by Greg Staples

Magic Card of the Day: Kazuul’s Toll Collector

He’s not very handsome but he does pick up all the toys your Voltron Commander left on the floor when they died to make an immediate threat. Equip costs can be pretty high so replacing all of that with 0 can be too much to stop! #mtg

Here’s some other fun ideas!

Haunted Plate Mail {4} Artifact — Equipment Equipped creature gets +4/+4. {0}: Until end of turn, this permanent becomes a 4/4 Spirit artifact creature that’s no longer an Equipment. Activate only if you control no creatures. Equip {4} ({4}: Attach to target creature you control. Equip only as a sorcery.) Illustrated by Izzy

Magic Card of the Day: Haunted Plate Mail

Before reconfigure, there were random suits of armor like this that would only walk around if nobody was looking. I mean it costs 4 mana to put this on, so it’s unlikely anyone will wear it! At least it can attack and be a blocker post wrath? #mtg

I’ve talked about this before but one of my favorite sets is Judgement, but Alara Block had a huge impact as well! What were your favorite sets?

Importantly only if both doors are opened!

Elemental Resonance {2}{G}{G} Enchantment — Aura Enchant permanent At the beginning of your first main phase, add mana equal to enchanted permanent’s mana cost. (Mana cost includes color. If a mana symbol has multiple colors, choose one.) Illustrated by Mark Tedin

Magic Card of the Day: Elemental Resonance

Mana advantage is everything in commander. If someone has a powerful permenant you can take advantage of it and just be a cute parasite making huge mana bonuses! #mtg

Infinite Reflection {5}{U} Enchantment — Aura Enchant creature When this Aura enters attached to a creature, each other nontoken creature you control becomes a copy of that creature. Nontoken creatures you control enter as a copy of enchanted creature. Illustrated by Igor Kieryluk

Magic Card of the Day: Infinite Reflection

Sometimes your opponent will have better creatures than you, it just happens. With this, all your creatures will be that best creature. Your aura is also safer when that player is hesitant to remove their creature. Mutually assured destruction. #mtg

Fourth Annual Tippy Golden Teacup Awards Set for Friday Night Madame Askew, The Grand Arbiter, and Eve Riot will team up on Friday, Feb. 20, to host the Fourth Annual Tippy Golden Teacup Awards, honoring authors, artists, and other personalities in the steampunk...

The Fourth Annual Tippy Golden Teacup Awards will be presented Friday night during a free live streaming event. The awards recognize accomplishments by #steampunk luminaries. @madameaskew.bsky.social @teagrandarbiter.bsky.social @everiotartist.bsky.social

steampunk-explorer.com/news/fourth-...

So what cards do you see being played! I see Nimble Mongoose and Harrow to start!

For those who accessorize after

Spirit Link {W} Enchantment — Aura Enchant creature (Target a creature as you cast this. This card enters attached to that creature.) Whenever enchanted creature deals damage, you gain that much life. Illustrated by Kev Walker

Magic Card of the Day: Spirit Link

Bend your opponent’s ultimate weapon into your immortality! This aura lets you turn combat and non combat damage into life, particularly effective with things that hit all opponents so you will gain 3 life for each 1 you lose. A classic solution for 1 mana! #mtg

Custody Battle {1}{R} Enchantment — Aura Enchant creature Enchanted creature has “At the beginning of your upkeep, target opponent gains control of this creature unless you sacrifice a land.” Goblins resolve disputes by splitting everything straight down the middle. Illustrated by Greg Hildebrandt & Tim Hildebrandt

Magic Card of the Day: Custody Battle

You can keep your Commander, but you have to sacrifice a land every turn. Early it’s rough because it’s hard to stabilize but late it loses teeth, until you realize you are just one mana short after being in litigation with Commander Protective Services #mtg

Unhallowed Pact {2}{B} Enchantment — Aura Enchant creature When enchanted creature dies, return that card to the battlefield under your control. Agreements with demons seldom end at the grave. Illustrated by Volkan Baǵa

Magic Card of the Day: Unhallowed Pact

This week is about flexible auras!

On it’s face this is a protection piece to save your creature if it were to die but you can put it on your opponents creatures so when they inevitably are killed in a board wipe you get that creature on your side! #mtg

Loved the inspiration from @girlpodmtg.bsky.social last week! Are there any mtg mechanics you love that you don’t see enough of? #mtg

Omg this is such a great one!

Blazing Archon {6}{W}{W}{W} Creature — Archon Flying Creatures can’t attack you. “Through the haze of battle I saw the glint of sun on golden mane, the sheen of glory clad in mail, and I dropped my sword and wept at the idiocy of war.” —Dravin, Gruul deserter 5/6 Illustrated by Zoltan Boros & Gabor Szikszai

Magic Card of the Day: Blazing Archon

“Can’t” is a powerful word in Magic. It fully prevents an action and is not able to be bypassed. I do find it funny that this embodiment of justice says,” No you can’t come here” . Of course if something “enters attacking” the archon thinks that’s chill. #mtg

It’s always so amazing when art of me and @madameaskew.bsky.social shows up! I hope you had an Amazing time!!

Web of Inertia {2}{U} Enchantment At the beginning of combat on each opponent’s turn, that player may exile a card from their graveyard. If the player doesn’t, creatures they control can’t attack you this turn. Cephalids specialize in lose-lose situations. Illustrated by Don Hazeltine

Magic Card of the Day: Web of Inertia

Graveyards can be an incredible resource but this card makes not having any cards in it a huge liability. Graveyard hate suddenly make it so they can just watch helplessly as the web closes in around them. They can still attack your planeswalkers tho! #mtg

Sandwurm Convergence {6}{G}{G} Enchantment Creatures with flying can’t attack you or planeswalkers you control. At the beginning of your end step, create a 5/5 green Wurm creature token. Cantankerous and territorial, sandwurms claim even the skies above their dunes. Illustrated by Slawomir Maniak

Magic Card of the Day: Sandwurm Convergence

Does this happen to you often? Your opponent has made a handful of 1/1 flyers and you just happen to have no blockers cause you are playing Green? Worry no more with this sandy solution that comes with a bonus 5/5 every turn! Talk about a deal! #mtg

Koskun Falls {2}{B}{B} World Enchantment At the beginning of your upkeep, sacrifice this enchantment unless you tap an untapped creature you control. Creatures can’t attack you unless their controller pays {2} for each creature they control that’s attacking you. Illustrated by Rob Alexander

Magic Card of the Day: Koskun Falls

So you want a Ghostly Prison/Propaganda in black? Well that will run you back 4 mana, tapping a creature you control every upkeep, and will have a worse then legendary super type. But if that sounds fair you can tax attackers in black. Hope you like it? #mtg