The Bolt Zone – Details, episodes & analysis

Show Notes: 

This week, Cody is joined by members of Team Odyssey to discuss competitive testing and everything that goes on behind the scenes of a Pro Tour caliber testing team. Special thanks to Noah Rabin and Ethan Jones for sharing their insights. 

To support the show, consider subscribing to our Patreon here: https://www.patreon.com/boltthebird. 

Check out our new line of merch at: https://www.boltthebirdmtg.com/shop! 

We’re thrilled to partner with Heavy Play to share their lineup of high-quality card gaming accessories. Check them out at https://heavyplay.com and use code BTB10 at checkout for a 10% discount! 

Interested in sponsoring the show? Want to be a guest? Please direct all inquiries to cody@boltthebirdmtg.com.

Episode Links: 

-Follow Team Odyssey on Twitter/X: https://x.com/TeamOdysseyMTG 

-Follow Noah on Twitter: https://x.com/RabinNoah 

-Follow Ethan on Twitter: https://x.com/EthanJonesMtG

The Violent Outburst ban is shaking up Modern ahead of MH3. Meanwhile, Standard continues to evolve with new additions from MKM as RCQ season chugs along and RC’s arrive on the horizon. The boys break down what you should be doing in both formats. 

To support the show, consider subscribing to our Patreon here: https://www.patreon.com/boltthebird. 

Check out our new line of merch at: https://www.boltthebirdmtg.com/shop! 

We’re thrilled to partner with Heavy Play to share their lineup of high-quality card gaming accessories. Check them out at https://heavyplay.com and use code BTB10 at checkout for a 10% discount! 

We’re also so excited to be partnering with TOA Magic. Check out their massive selection at https://toamagic.com/ and use code BOLTZONE at checkout to get 5% off ALL singles and sealed Magic products. 

Interested in sponsoring the show? Want to be a guest? Please direct all inquiries to cody@boltthebirdmtg.com.

Episode Links: 

-Standard Metagame: https://www.mtggoldfish.com/metagame/standard#paper 

-New Modern Metagame: https://www.mtggoldfish.com/metagame/modern#paper

Nathan is back from Las Vegas and the guys are recapping the World Championship. They go over everything happening in Standard and talk about what goes into testing for the most important Magic tournament all year. 

To support the show, consider subscribing to our Patreon here: https://www.patreon.com/boltthebird. 

Check out our new line of merch at: https://www.boltthebirdmtg.com/shop! 

We are proudly sponsored by Boogie Board, makers of The Ultimate LCD Life Pad. Say goodbye to crinkly notebooks. Learn more here: https://www.myboogieboard.com/games.   

Interested in sponsoring the show? Want to be a guest? Please direct all inquiries to cody@boltthebirdmtg.com.

Episode Links: 

-Nathan’s World’s Soldiers List: https://melee.gg/Decklist/View/327033 

-Nathan’s World’s Draft List: https://melee.gg/Decklist/View/327426 

-Standard Meta Snapshot: https://www.mtggoldfish.com/metagame/standard#paper 

In today’s show, Cody and Nathan are joined by Hammer Time aficionado Travis Brown (aka DisgruntledElk) to talk about the deck and its place in the meta. We take a deep dive into the archetype and help you pick up equity in your Hammer matches. 

To support the show, consider subscribing to our Patreon here: https://www.patreon.com/boltthebird. 

We are proudly sponsored by Boogie Board, makers of The Ultimate LCD Life Pad. Say goodbye to crinkly notebooks. Learn more here: https://www.myboogieboard.com/games.   

Interested in sponsoring the show? Want to be a guest? Please direct all inquiries to cody@boltthebirdmtg.com.

Episode Links: 

-Travis’ Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/disgruntled_elk/posts 

-Updated Mono-White Hammer List: https://www.mtggoldfish.com/deck/5856289#paper 

-Updated UW Hammer List: https://www.mtggoldfish.com/deck/5856290#paper 

-Follow Travis on Twitter: https://twitter.com/DisgruntledElk 

This week, Cody and Nathan are talking about all things Modern. With the next RCQ season about to start, they give you a rundown of the format and break down the top 15 most popular decks you should consider. Learn why Modern is the best format!

Don’t forget to use the hashtag #boltzonechat on Twitter and let us know your favorite Modern deck for a chance to win a Bolt the Bird Boogie Board!

To support the show, consider subscribing to our Patreon here: https://www.patreon.com/boltthebird. 

We are proudly sponsored by Boogie Board, makers of The Ultimate LCD Life Pad. Say goodbye to crinkly notebooks. Learn more here: https://www.myboogieboard.com/games.   

Interested in sponsoring the show? Want to be a guest? Please direct all inquiries to cody@boltthebirdmtg.com.

Episode Links: 

-Current Modern Meta: https://www.mtggoldfish.com/metagame/modern#paper

Nathan is back stateside from Barcelona so the guys recap his time at the Pro Tour, including Team Handshake’s deck selection process. Nathan also talks about handling the pressure of his recent winning streak while Cody talks about back-to-back weekend Top 8s with Rakdos Scam. Then they look at some Wilds of Eldraine spoilers to see which cards are here to break formats this time. 

To support the show, consider subscribing to our Patreon here: https://www.patreon.com/boltthebird. 

We are proudly sponsored by Boogie Board, makers of The Ultimate LCD Life Pad. Say goodbye to crinkly notebooks. Learn more here: https://www.myboogieboard.com/games.   

Interested in sponsoring the show? Want to be a guest? Please direct all inquiries to cody@boltthebirdmtg.com.

Episode Links: 

-Wilds of Eldraine Spoilers: https://www.mtggoldfish.com/spoilers/Wilds+of+Eldraine#paper

No scams here! This week, Cody is joined by Pro Tour Lord of the Rings Champion Jake Beardsley to recap the first Modern PT in several years. They also take a deep dive into Rakdos Scam, look at what makes the deck tick, and evaluate its place in the meta. 

To support the show, consider subscribing to our Patreon here: https://www.patreon.com/boltthebird. 

We are proudly sponsored by Boogie Board, makers of The Ultimate LCD Life Pad. Say goodbye to crinkly notebooks. Learn more here: https://www.myboogieboard.com/games.   

Interested in sponsoring the show? Want to be a guest? Please direct all inquiries to cody@boltthebirdmtg.com.

Episode Links: 

-Jake’s PT-winning decklist: https://melee.gg/Decklist/View/315176

-Follow Jake on Twitter: https://twitter.com/makememesnotwar 

-Modern format snapshot on 8/5/23: https://www.mtggoldfish.com/metagame/modern#paper

This week, Cody and Nathan take on a listener question, reflecting on times they’ve leveled up as competitive players. They talk about key concepts like using your resources and taking advantage of the stack then go on a few tangents about their favorite examples of gaining an edge in competitive play. 

To support the show, consider subscribing to our Patreon here: https://www.patreon.com/boltthebird. 

We are proudly sponsored by Boogie Board, makers of The Ultimate LCD Life Pad. Say goodbye to crinkly notebooks. Learn more here: https://www.myboogieboard.com/games.   

Interested in sponsoring the show? Want to be a guest? Please direct all inquiries to cody@boltthebirdmtg.com.

We’re joined by the Fervent Champion himself, Javier Domínguez, to talk about everything you need to get ready for your next tournament! We dive into deck selection, the importance of a testing team, and how you should approach playtesting for more success. Plus, Javier talks about his excitement for a close-to-home PT and how his relationship with Magic has changed over the years. Come get this advice from two world champs for the price of one!

To support the show, consider subscribing to our Patreon here: https://www.patreon.com/boltthebird. 

We are proudly sponsored by Boogie Board, makers of The Ultimate LCD Life Pad. Say goodbye to crinkly notebooks. Learn more here: https://www.myboogieboard.com/games.   

Interested in sponsoring the show? Want to be a guest? Please direct all inquiries to cody@boltthebirdmtg.com.

Episode Links: 

-Javier’s Twitter: https://twitter.com/JavierDmagic 

-Competitive Magic with the Karnies: https://open.spotify.com/show/5vFzlOtEdx4iuOcFE6XpxY?si=5e8ac0a995824fe5

Haven’t you heard? Hippos are the talk of the town! Special guest Elliot Raff joins Cody to talk about Keruga Fires, the deck that brought them both success the past two weekends. They also chat about the state of Pioneer after seven Regional Championships and look back at hot takes from the last episode. 

To support the show, consider subscribing to our Patreon here: https://www.patreon.com/boltthebird. 

We are proudly sponsored by Boogie Board, makers of The Ultimate LCD Life Pad. Say goodbye to crinkly notebooks. Learn more here: https://www.myboogieboard.com/games.   

Interested in sponsoring the show? Want to be a guest? Please direct all inquiries to cody@boltthebirdmtg.com.

Episode Links: 

-Elliot’s Dreamhack Dallas Keruga Fires List: https://melee.gg/Decklist/View/299625 

-Cody’s RCQ-winning Keruga Fires List: https://www.mtggoldfish.com/deck/5643797#paper 

-Compilation of MTG Melee Links to Find RC Decklists: https://airtable.com/shrocd5i5pchqJ1pd/tblBi7CFOnwSgYkvH