Rival’s Duel 74- Let’s Build Live!

Hello and welcome to our regularly scheduled episode of Rival’s Duel. The rivals are back and they are trying something new. Most of the time when Eric and Nole take on a let’s build, it’s with a little bit of prep-work, or at least knowing what commander they are building. This time is different, as they have gone to EDHREC and hit the random button until they found a general that was somewhat interesting and somewhat not awful (Sorry to all you Lady of the Mountain fans). They finally settled on a little known (and we’ll admit it, probably tier 2 at best) Blue horse spirit from Kamigawa, because of course it’s from Kamigawa. Did our Rivals do justice to Cloudhoof Kirin? What did they miss in their flash building session? Give them a listen and let them know in the comments below. As always full shownotes after the break.

Rival’s Duel 73- Commander 2016 Set Review

Welcome to another episode of Rival’s Duel. We Are Back and it’s the most wonderful time of the year for commander players. The new Commander pre-cons are out and we finally have 4 color legends so Eric can actually build his “anything but blue” deck. We dedicate this episode to all the people who listen to us on a long commute from work, as this episode clocks in at just under 2 hours long. For any of you who ask why we usually talk about legendary creatures and planeswalkers as soon as they are spoiled, this is why. Cuddle up with your partner, and don’t feel daunted by this impressive set review. Give us a listen and let us know what partner pairings you are looking forward to in the comments below.

Rival’s Duel 72- Pitching a Tentpole

Hello and welcome to another episode of Rival’s Duel. This week, the rival’s return to their roots. The episode is shorter and (dare I say) sexier, and more to the point, Eric and Nole are at each other’s throats with a good argument like the days of old (like before WtoC put out a new product every two weeks). This week, it’s all about the iconic tentpole creatures for each color and which colors is the best. We’ve weighed in with our opinion, and now we want yours. Give it a listen and let us know in the comments below.

Rival’s Duel 71- Gremlins Ate Our Set Review

Hello everyone and welcome to another episode of Rival’s Duel. It’s that time again. We are off to a new plane and that means a new set and a slew of brand new cards. This time we are off to Kaladesh. Does this Indian inspired steampunk plane get Nole and Eric’s engines running? Is there a card that we overlooked that you are looking forward to playing in your commander decks? Give us a listen and let us know in the comments below. As always, full shownotes after the break.

Rival's Duel 70- Yet Another Announcement Day Episode

Hello everyone and welcome to another episode of Rival’s Duel. Another two weeks, another…batch of spoilers, I guess? WotC’s announcement day has come and gone, giving us a new slew of products to speculate about. Kaladesh spoilers have also started, giving us new legends and planeswalkers to talk about. Some day we will get to do an episode that is not totally seeped in nothing but news, but today is not that day. Are you also struggling with spoiler burnout? Give us a listen and let us know in the spoilers below.

Rival’s Duel 69- A Nearly Incomplete (but Much More Timely) Conspiracy Set Review

Hello and welcome to another episode of Rival's Duel. It's back to back set reviews as Conspiracy: Take the Crown has been (mostly) spoiled. The last Conspiracy set had lots of cool new cards for Commander and this set is no different. We also talk about some other products that has come out during our summer of weirdness, such as FtV: Lore (AKA: FtV: misnamed) and Duel Decks: Nissa vs. Ob Nixilis. Are we excited for the same cards you are from Conspiracy: Take the Crown? Give us a listen and let us know in the comments below. As always, full shownotes after the break.



       

Rival’s Duel 68: Let’s Tweak- We Love Mono Red Edition

Hello and welcome to another episode of Rival’s Duel. This week, Eric and Nole are playing doctor and looking at a fan’s decklist. This decklist tickles both of them in all the right places, as it’s somewhat unexpected, a control deck (Nole’s favorite flavor), and Eric’s 5 favorite colors (Red, Red, Red, Red, and Red).  Mono Red Control was the first deck Nole ever built and it’s still something that he jams on occasion, and Eric’s love of fire is well know by all (including the Ottowa fire department, we told you that that was a bad idea Eric!). Do you agree with the Rivals’ suggestions? Give us a listen and let us know in the comments below. As always, full shownotes after the break.

Rival’s Duel 67- Over the (Eldritch) Moon

Hello everyone and welcome to another episode of Rival’s Duel. Sorry for the delay in release, our boss Kozilek was upset that we were once again complaining about the eldrazi and and held us up in post. Fortunately, we were able to remind him that he was destroyed in the last set and he has temporarily disappeared in a puff of logic. That being said, we are ready to review the newest set and give you our take on it. For the first time in our history, we are feeling kind of reserved in our enthusiasm for this set. Are we wrong? Is this set full of hidden gems for commander that we have missed? Let us know in the comments below. As always, set review shows have no shownotes, so sit back and enjoy.
 

Rival’s Duel 66- We’re Not Tournament Legal

Hello and welcome to another another episode of Rival’s Duel. Well WoTC finally went and did it. In their latest scheme to kill Magic, WotC has taken a concept from unglued (the famously large B.F.M) and translated it into real, black bordered magic. Since the door has been opened for silver bordered cards to come to the “real world” (this door was actually opened in Future Sight with the card Barren Glory), we are taking a look at the un sets and considering which other ones we’d like to see in our EDH decks. We also go over the plethora of EMN legends and planewalkers spoiled so far. Which cards from the un-sets do you wish were in black bordered? Did we miss any hidden gems? give us a listen and let us know in the comments below. As always, full shownotes after the break.

Rival’s Duel 65- A Time Traveling Eternal Masters Review

Hello everyone and welcome to another episode of Riva’s Duel. We are back! Sorry we missed our spot two weeks ago. Due to the worst possible timing on some jokes, our episode was unfit to air (We go into this in depth on the podcast. Long story short, we made a bunch of jokes about guns, gun control, and how easy it was to buy a gun in Wyoming and almost posted it the same day as the shooting in Orlando. Since we’re not sociopaths and out of respect for the people affected, we opted not to post our episode. Our thoughts and prayers are with the people affected by this tragedy.). However, we are now back and ready to give you our thoughts on Eldrich Moon Spoilers (Hello Emrakul and creepy angel art that will haunt my nightmares.) as well as our full look at Eternal Masters. Normally we wouldn’t review a reprint st but there is enough awesomeness to merit us gushing over it. What are you looking forward to in Eternal Masters? Give us a listen and let us know in the comments below. Since this is a review show, there are no full shownotes, just sit back and enjoy.

Rival’s Duel 64- Four Colors of Speculation

Hello and welcome to another episode of Rival’s Duel. While we were gone (sorry about that, still cleaning the Eldrazi spawn out of my circuit breaker) WoTC announced a whole bunch of stuff. So much that we have a bunch of stuff to baselessly speculate about. We cover all the announcements from WoTC, including the ones that don’t not apply to Commander (but are still sweet. Seriously, draft packs of Conspiracy is great.). We then spend a great deal of time speculating about what the four color legendary creatures in Commander 2016, will look like and what type of decks they are likely to helm. As always, the full shownotes are after the break.

Rival’s Duel 63- This Episode Should be Banned

Hello and welcome to another episode of Rival’s Duel. To follow up from last episode (and hopefully make it that we don’t have to talk about it for a while) we are wrapping up the banned list discussion by discussing what cards we (and you the listeners) feel should be on the banned list. Think of us like an audio version or every Reddit thread you’ve read about this ever, without all the mindless shouting and comparing people to Hitler. Do you agree with our thoughts? What cards to you feel should be forever banished from Commander tables? Give us a listen and let us know in the comments below. As always, full shownotes after the break.

Rival’s Duel 62- This Episode is Banned

Hello everyone and welcome to another episode of Rival's Duel. This episode is an episode that promises to be controversial, despite the fact that Eric and Nole pretty much agree on the topic at hand. This is an episode that has been a long time coming, tonight the Rival's take on the banned list. We are going card by card, saying the cards we think could come off the list, and which ones have earned their spots and deserve their place forever stuck in our trade binders. Do you agree with us? Give us a listen and let us know in the comments below. As always, full shownotes after the break.          
        

Rival’s Duel 61- Shadows Over Innistrad Commander Review

Hello and welcome to another episode of Rival’s Duel. There is a chill wind blowing, and that thing lurking in the darkness is starting to move. Therefore, it is time for the Rivals to breakout their magnifying glasses and search the spoilers for clues to what cards will be good for commander in Shadows over Innistrad. We also take a moment to answer a few listener emails. Give us a listen and let us know what cards you are excited about for the new release. As always, full shownotes after the break.

Rivals Duel 60- The Planeswalker’s Guide to the Multiverse

Hello and welcome to another episode of Rival’s Duel. This time, Eric and Nole are picking where to take their planeswalker vacation, as they are arguing about the best plane in the multiverse. Both have picked their favorite and are duking it out over which one is the best. They also take an opportunity to gush over SOI spoilers and to answer several listener e-mails. Can you guess which planes they chose? (hint: it’s probably not what you think.) Do you think that they’re both wrong because they left your favorite plane on the cutting room floor? Give us a listen and let us know in the comments below. As always, full shownotes after the break.




 

Rival’s Duel 59- Let’s Build: Naya Walkers Edition

Hello and welcome to another episode of Rival’s Duel. In this episode, Eric and Nole are taking their own unique take on “superfriends” decks, AKA cramming as many walkers as you can in a deck. Their take: Let’s cut two colors and that will make it better… There are times when we question Eric and Nole’s better judgement. (If only we had a name for this kind of groups. Gate keepers? Oath Watchers?… What’s that Mr. Kozilek, sir? Why yes, I’ll get back to work. No sir, I’ll get back to work.) As always, full shownotes after the break.

Rival’s Duel 58- The Color Free Free-for-All

Hello and welcome to another episode of Rival’s Duel. This week, Eric and Nole a running another gauntlet. What is the gauntlet you might ask? While most of our arguments here on Rival’s Duel are a 1-vs-1 affair, the gauntlet is our version of a free for all, where we take all (or most) of a subset of commanders, pit them all against each other, and decide who comes out on top. In honor of Oath of the Gatewatch (specifically the printing of colorless basic lands making these decks much more possible), this gauntlet is pitting all of the colorless generals against each other. Who will take home the prize of best colorless Commander? Give it a listen and let us know what you think in the comments below. As always, full shownotes after the break.

Rival’s Duel 57-The Super Undistorted, Super Late, OGW Review Show

Hello everyone and welcome to another episode of Rival’s Duel. Apologies for the lack of an episode last time, it seems Kozilek distorted the audio into sometHing unrecognizable to anything but his eldritch brood. HowEver, after a brief negotiation with our new “business partners” (and I’m typing that under no coercion whatsoever), we are happy to bring you our Oath of the Gatewatch review, as weLl as answer some listener emails.  What cards from OGW already have sPots in yoUr decks? Give us a liSten and let us know in the comments below. As always, full shownotes after the break.

Rival’s Duel 56- The Last 2015 Review You’ll Ever Need

Hello and welcome to another episode of Rival’s Duel. The week, Eric and Nole are wrapping up 2015, from everything from WotC’s product releases, to changes to the commander rules, to the state of Commander. We also talk about our resolutions from 2015 and what you can expect from us in the next year. Give it a listen and let us know what you are excited about in the upcoming year. As always, full shownotes after the break.