Humans of Magic

Raphael Levy is a Magic Hall of Famer and Brazilian Jiu-jitsu black belt from Toulouse, France. He holds the record for most consecutive Magic Pro Tours played. 0:00 Intro 0:43 Playing 90-plus Pro Tours in a row 9:40 Happiness, finding balance 13:38 How Raph’s PT streak ended 19:05 Brazilian Jiu-jitsu (BJJ) journey 28:20 All-in…or all-out 31:18 BJJ mental game, big guy vs. small guy theory 40:26 How Raph ran his first marathon 53:42 State of today’s competitive Magic 1:03:42 COVID-19 and the Magic Pro League 1:09:23 Magic vs. parenthood

Maria is a Magic competitor and streamer based in Germany. 0:00 Intro 1:20 Content creator origin story 5:52 Competitive gamer origin story 9:42 Discovering Magic The Gathering 12:31 Success in competitive Magic and the gender barrier 20:17 The Venus and Mercury League (VML) 25:14 Misconceptions about VML and inclusiveness 31:42 Maria’s stream audience and how she focuses 40:11 Creator goals and finding balance 50:20 A Magic family 59:57 The Queen of Midrange 1:07:19 Balancing content with family duties 1:10:13 Peer recognition from other creators

Arthur King is a Chinese-American Magic player based in Shanghai, China. Arthur's podcast is called "The BingKing Podcast." Find it at https://www.youtube.com/@LookitCrows 0:00 Intro 1:03 Arthur’s origin story 8:53 Playing Magic during college 13:35 Moving to China 17:49 Getting into Commander 22:07 A fork in the road 29:09 Dancing in public spaces 36:14 Why Arthur stopped drinking 44:30 Life in China (as an ABC) 48:56 People want connection 54:23 Happiness 1:00:11 Has data ruined everything? 1:05:40 Doing hobbies for the wrong reasons 1:13:44 Building Commander decks 1:17:32 Nobody cares about the Magic story 1:21:00 Magic’s failure in the China market 1:30:17 Shanghai EDH rocks 1:33:12 How Arthur would fix Magic 1:38:45 The Magic social contract 1:41:55 Magic needs to be more watchable

Sierkovitz is a Limited Magic aficionado, data analyst and host of the Magic Numbers podcast. He is a long-time collaborator with 17Lands.com and focuses on making data accessible to Magic players of all skill levels. 0:00 Intro 0:35 Biggest trap with using data and win rates 9:56 Content creation goals and norms 17:51 “Limited is just a very small field” 22:03 The audience for advanced Magic data analysis 30:21 About the Companion mechanic 35:16 Advice for novice or returning Limited players 52:31 Building vs. playing Limited decks 56:54 If you’re frustrated with Magic Arena or losing in general, do this 1:02:37 Common pitfalls (that players can’t get out of) 1:06:55 Giving Sam Black his flowers 1:11:05 Where is the ultimate introductory course for Limited? 1:19:21 Positioning Limited in physical and digital Magic 1:27:51 Are we in the Golden Age of Limited? 1:30:52 Sierkovitz’s Magic origin story

Niv Shmuely is a Magic player and medical doctor from Israel. He has played in three Magic Pro Tours and the World Magic Cup as a member of the Israeli team. 0:00 Intro 3:30 How Niv got into competitive Magic 7:37 Pro Tour Valencia and the flood 11:50 Worlds Team Tournament - Israeli national team 15:52 Med school, Legacy format, COVID years 18:34 Pro Tour Philadelphia 24:23 Challenges to being an Israeli Magic pro 27:08 How family shaped Niv's Magic career 35:05 Why Niv chose med school (and changed careers) 43:37 Prague, Amsterdam and European transport 48:10 Present Israel situation, October 7 memories 55:57 Putting October 7 into perspective 1:04:54 Israel's military retaliation 1:12:00 Western reactions - now vs. Oct 1:19:05 American public sentiment towards Israel 1:24:40 "Hamas is not a government" 1:29:34 Be well-informed, thoughtful and supportive 1:36:32 Negotiation challenges 1:40:16 What needs to happen to achieve peace? 1:46:39 Anti-Zionism and anti-semitism 1:56:50 Palestine needs a state

Magic Con Amsterdam: June 28-30, 2024. 0:00 Intro 0:38 Why I went to Amsterdam 3:59 General experience 9:06 Notable moments 14:19 Memorable conversations 27:48 Takeaways Memorable conversations: - Justine Jones - Will Hall & Matej Zatlkaj - ZBexx - Josh Lee Kwai - Spice8Rack - Andrea Mengucci - Gabriel Nassif - Kai Budde & Jon Finkel - Rhystic Studies - Reid Duke

Gabriel Nassif is a Magic Pro Player and Hall of Famer from Paris, France. Interview was recorded at the RAI Amsterdam Convention Centre, during Magic Con Amsterdam. 0:00 Intro 0:54 Pro Tour Amsterdam and Worlds 3:52 Tournament recap - key decisions 7:18 Fond Amsterdam (and PT) memories 12:07 Getting back on the Magic grind 15:01 Streaming competitive events 16:35 Thoughts on Magic organized play 19:17 What keeps Gab motivated? 22:13 Playing basketball 27:37 Gab’s brother, American sports, Lebanese culture 32:59 Goals for second half of 2024

Kurohitsuki is a Magic content creator and streamer from Buffalo, New York. Interview was recorded at the RAI Amsterdam Convention Centre, during Magic Con Amsterdam. 0:00 Intro 1:10 "Kurohitsuki" name and persona 7:15 Kuro's background 10:32 A very special gift 11:27 Becoming a creator 14:58 Favorite creature type 18:13 Getting into Commander and Spelltable 21:57 Deckbuilding - "I'm a Vorthos at heart" 28:04 Favorite Commander of all time 31:33 Favorite Magic card of all time 38:16 Creative consistency - finding balance 44:58 Reaching one's potential 48:43 Wrapping up 2024

ZBexx is a Magic content creator and cosplayer from Portland, Oregon. Interview was recorded at the RAI Amsterdam Convention Centre, during Magic Con Amsterdam. 0:00 Intro 0:57 Exploring Amsterdam and Dutch culture 6:11 Traveling as a Magic couple 8:35 Choosing a Magic content lane 11:19 Branching outside of Magic 16:09 Keeping up with Magic set releases 19:12 Positive self-talk, confidence, role models 24:02 Hardest time as a creator 29:22 Dedication to the cosplay craft 32:19 Fan feedback and connection 34:06 Birds of Paradise 36:57 On working with brands 40:43 Lorcana at major conventions 44:04 Disney sponsorship - what if?

Vitalii "V" Ponomariov is a Ukrainian Magic player, LGS owner, and IT professional. He currently lives in Lviv, Ukraine. V and I first connected in 2022 when he shared his perspective on Ukrainian Magic on the Magic The Gathering Subreddit. He introduced me to his friends in the Ukrainian Magic community, which allowed me to make the Humans of Magic feature "This Ukrainian Life." I am fortunate to have V on again to tell his story. 0:00 Intro 1:03 Opening an LGS in Ukraine 8:03 Ukrainian Magic scene 18:56 Outlaws of Thunder Junction...in Lviv 26:40 Finding meaning in an existential threat 35:52 "It is a luxury to be able to prioritize myself" 41:22 Russia, geopolitics, destroyed opportunities 51:51 The indecisive West 1:00:41 Magic and tabletop games as mental relief 1:02:59 Music, creativity, guiding principles 1:10:20 "Fear of Missing Out" in Magic 1:18:54 Lord of the Rings and Universes Beyond Patreon: patreon.com/humansofmagic

Sam, a.k.a. Rhystic Studies, creates videos about the art, history, and culture of Magic: the Gathering. 0:00 Intro 1:50 Podcast monologues, Twitter bios 7:31 Discord fan interactions 10:39 Recent interviews 14:08 On being a solo act 16:02 Collaboration opportunities 18:41 Creative choices and financial viability 21:17 The indie game developer 22:57 Hbomberguy and taking on epic projects 27:59 Confidence (and experience) trumps fear 34:29 Level-ups as a creator 38:21 "The guitar is the ultimate feedback machine" 41:26 Keeping oneself creatively honest 45:07 What Rhystic Studies is really about 47:57 On being misunderstood 49:27 Guitar talk 54:32 Heat in Austin, TX 56:26 Podcasting in one take 59:35 Productivity systems and removing friction 1:05:02 Planning for future events (and a wedding) 1:08:55 Getting security for events Patreon: patreon.com/humansofmagic

Rob Bliss is an artist and illustrator for Magic The Gathering. Rob is also a concept artist and has worked on productions such as Harry Potter, Guardians of the Galaxy, and The Dark Knight. 0:00 Intro 1:00 Speaking engagements 5:08 How Rob developed his style 12:30 Early life as artist 15:23 Imitation breeds uniqueness 20:21 Strength of initial arrogance 23:34 "Making it" as a young artist 30:38 The 2000 AD comic book experience 38:29 Moving into concept art 39:29 Illustrating Magic cards 47:04 Phallic images - setting the record straight 59:32 "I'll quit something because I hate doing it" 1:04:36 On conforming as a creative 1:15:50 Working on the Harry Potter movies 1:21:43 Working with Guardians of the Galaxy 1:28:11 On humor and opening up to people 1:33:28 Playing records as a DJ 1:40:16 On public speaking Patreon: patreon.com/humansofmagic

An introduction to the Israel-Palestine conflict with Spice8Rack, Magic YouTuber and political activist. 0:00 Intro 3:00 Ground rules and expectations 6:47 Resources - journalists 9:07 Resources - coordination 10:32 Resources - education 11:15 Resources - books 22:26 How do we know if a resource is legitimate? 32:12 How do we know if an influencer is legitimate? 40:32 Social media has real value (but use it wisely) 49:52 Be well-informed - and take action 53:10 It's okay to be emotional (on the internet) 58:59 Willful ignorance and team mentality 1:03:18 Why the Israel-Palestine conflict is important 1:09:52 Campus protests and institutional response 1:16:15 Student protesters should be commended 1:19:23 anti-Zionism vs. anti-Semitism 1:27:04 Scale of what's happening, business interests 1:35:46 Use of force - the Israeli state's position 1:44:59 Definition of "Nakba" 1:49:44 What needs to happen next? 1:58:25 Israeli government and American dependency 2:08:28 Managing expectations with the West 2:16:38 Final words - call for action --- Spice8Rack's recommended resources: [JOURNALISTS] - WizardBisan1 - on Instagram & TikTok - Eye on Palestine, Middle East Eye - on Instagram & TikTok [COORDINATION] - National Students for Justice in Palestine - on Twitter & Instagram - BDS (Boycott Divest & Sanction) - Palestine Action - Jewish Voice for Peace - Palestine Solidarity Campaign [EDUCATION] - Dr. John Duncan - "JohntheDuncan" on YouTube [BOOKS] - S. Englert - "Settler Colonialism: An Introduction" - R. Khalidi - "The Hundred Year’s War on Palestine" - S. Awad, & B. Bean - "Palestine: A Socialist Introduction" - B. Bashir, & A. Goldberg - "The Holocaust & the Nakba" - A. Lowenstien - "The Palestine Laboratory" - A. Davis - "Freedom is a Constant Struggle" - F. Fanon - "The Wretched of the Earth" - J. Abusalim, J. Bing & M. Merryman Lotze - "Light in Gaza" In the conversation, we referred to Kyle Hill as "Phil" -- sorry, Kyle!

Alison Luhrs is a creative writer and worldbuilder for Magic The Gathering. She was also the creative lead for Baldur's Gate 3, and is currently the narrative director for Destiny 2. 0:00 Intro 1:00 Doing improv 6:49 Improv's learning curve, embracing failure 12:23 Connecting with the audience 15:37 "Book Club" 19:21 Getting into the games industry 21:46 Career at Wizards of the Coast 24:25 Ixalan 25:38 Magic storytelling evolution 29:27 Writing the Thunder Junction epilogues 32:29 Why Alison left her name off the Ixalan stories 38:12 Subverting expectations 39:50 Research and writing frameworks 43:23 Magic storyline starter kit 46:13 Collaborative writing with friends 49:30 Advice for folks entering the games industry 54:56 Living through the COVID era 56:53 "Badass wilderness woman" (and "Lost" commentary) 1:03:25 Alison's friendship philosophy 1:10:11 Legendary Kaladesh PAX improv event 1:13:15 Being the Baldur's Gate 3 creative lead 1:21:54 Lightning round Q&A Patreon: patreon.com/humansofmagic

Andrea Mengucci is a Magic The Gathering content creator and player. 0:00 Intro 1:27 Interview start 3:14 Content evolution, new YouTube channel, logistics 8:32 Connecting with audience, making it fun 13:02 Magic content innovation 16:29 Why Mengu isn't making Commander content 17:56 Modern format bans 20:35 Tournament and Pro Tour mindset 23:00 COVID changed EVERYTHING 26:04 The REAL life of a top Magic content creator 35:38 Surrounding oneself with strong players 38:01 Competitive Magic is in a weird place 39:02 CovertGoBlue's big impact on Mengu 43:31 "I have a bad relationship with Magic Arena" 49:21 The Karnies podcast 54:36 Content creator vs. pro player lifestyle 1:01:12 Mengu's legacy Patreon: patreon.com/humansofmagic

Victor Adame Minguez is an artist and illustrator for Magic The Gathering. Victor's Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/victoradameart/ 0:00 Intro 1:00 Beginning of Victor's creative journey 5:53 Making art a viable career 6:38 Artistic ability vs. practice 9:30 "I don't have any other skills" 15:32 Magic art guidelines 17:06 Advice for aspiring Magic illustrators? 20:18 The Grist that sold for $35K 26:09 Early days of working with Wizards of the Coast 29:05 Moving from digital art to oil paintings 35:42 Experiencing creative burnout 41:45 Developing the grind mindset 44:44 How Victor met his wife, Carley Hart 50:17 Magic artist celebrity 57:50 Magic Con Chicago 1:02:39 Fun fact about Victor (that nobody knows about) 1:06:39 Favorite illustration / favorite artists 1:10:23 Value of original paintings 1:12:19 Illustrating for different card rarities 1:14:41 Victor's new passion project Patreon: patreon.com/humansofmagic

Evart "Aspiringspike" Moughon is a Magic player and streamer. He is best known for his deckbuilding innovations in the Modern format. 0:00 Intro 0:50 Streaming Dark Souls 6:02 Personal off-stream projects 7:58 Value of effective practice 13:45 Viewership drop when variety streaming 15:53 Deckbuilding process 23:17 Innovating (and breaking) the Modern format 27:50 The Crokeyz tweet 31:30 Right place, right time 36:01 Talking about success 37:42 What Spike learned from Kai Budde and Reid Duke 46:59 Level-up - Pro Tour deck selection process 53:01 Questioning assumptions, intuitive learning, stream feedback 58:28 On expressing negative emotions on-stream 1:01:55 Working on the Lord of the Rings set 1:15:34 Making a tabletop RPG with TCG elements 1:19:12 Boundaries of creative output and personal life 1:22:06 Five questions with Aspiringspike (lightning Q&A) Patreon: patreon.com/humansofmagic

Javier Dominguez is a Magic pro player from Spain. He won the 2018 Magic World Championship. 0:00 Intro 1:24 The language of Magic 3:43 Repeatable decision-making 5:23 Leveraging poker skills, studying the game 10:20 Frustrations 12:49 Being competitive vs. having fun 16:46 Choosing Magic over poker (and Hearthstone) 24:57 Was the old Magic Pro Tour ACTUALLY good? 34:42 The love of the game 37:42 Nature of competitive games 42:43 How Javier wants to be remembered 43:15 Becoming World Champion - did Javier change? 49:40 Preparing for Worlds (work-life-happiness balance) 59:33 Javier's climb to greatness 1:01:49 Hitting a ceiling and starting over 1:05:54 "You can be wrong" - a healthy approach to doubt 1:08:16 Goals and process for 2024 1:10:31 Lightning round Q&A Patreon: patreon.com/humansofmagic

Foil Bug is committed to serving the MTG community by sharing shiny content, creating premium merch, and guiding players to amazing stores around the world. 0:00 Intro 1:16 What is FOIL BUG? 3:55 Spicerack.gg integration 5:22 Split player bases across two stores 10:31 How the FOIL BUG Store Locator helps new players 12:47 FOIL BUG content for foreign language cards 17:32 James loves German language cards 18:54 Helping players track down hard-to-find cards 24:03 Features - today vs. future 28:22 Shout-out to folks who helped along the way 32:42 Entrepreneurial challenges - and how to overcome them 44:01 Giving it your all 51:38 How to join the FOIL BUG movement Patreon: patreon.com/humansofmagic

Kyle and Terren Huck are the owners of Apex Gaming, a Magic The Gathering card shop and tournament organizer in Caldwell, Ohio. The Apex Gaming documentary is now on the Humans of Magic YouTube channel - https://www.youtube.com/@humansofmagic 00:00 Intro 01:49 Kickoff 02:35 Kyle and Terren self-intros 03:48 Apex origin story 07:39 Apex business principles 11:07 Starting a Magic business - managing risk 13:18 Attracting a player base - local & otherwise 17:03 Working with WOTC for WPN Premium store status 20:56 Working on getting Pro Tour invites from WOTC 23:42 The wonderful world of Magic retail 30:33 Any recent customer trends for Magic product? 33:47 Impact of Lord of the Rings, Dr. Who and Universes Beyond 39:36 The craziest Magic purchase...by an employee 42:21 Make the customer experience great 45:26 Carrying Magic product vs. other games 47:39 Lorcana - why it's worth paying attention to 50:37 How Apex started streaming tournaments 54:39 Key focus areas for a solid streaming production 58:02 Tournament storylines & stakes 1:05:10 Deck techs and supporting content 1:07:18 Vision for what's next Patreon: patreon.com/humansofmagic