Alex Ullman
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nerdtothecore.com
Alex Ullman
@nerdtothecore.com
2.1K followers 240 following 5.4K posts
God damn it you have to be kind,
Member of the Pauper Format Panel,
Gut it out He/Him/His

linktr.ee/nerdtothecore
[email protected]
Posts Replies Media Videos
Reposted by Alex Ullman
nerdtothecore.com
Today on the blog I chronicle the first four #MTGPauper Challenges of the Avatar Season. Which of my predictions from last week came true and which fell flat? You're going to have to read to find out:

#MTGTLA

nerdtothecore.com/2025/11/25/n...
November 20-23 Pauper Challenge Recap
Want to learn more about the metrics I use in tracking the metagame? You can find an explainer here. A few weeks ago I started my first watch of Avatar: The Last Airbender with my son and I’d…
nerdtothecore.com
November 25, 2025 at 2:58 PM
nerdtothecore.com
Today in underappreciated black cards for Commander, I present the humble Dusk Legion Zealot. Black decks love velocity and excess material; Zealot provides both.

Just ask my friends how often I recommend this card for their deck. I can't shut up about it.

#CMDR
Dusk Legion Zealot {1}{B} Creature — Vampire Soldier When this creature enters, you draw a card and you lose 1 life. Once they reached Orazca, the Legion’s explorers ransacked tombs and temples, hunting for the Immortal Sun. 1/1 Illustrated by Winona Nelson
November 25, 2025 at 3:20 PM
nerdtothecore.com
Today on the blog I chronicle the first four #MTGPauper Challenges of the Avatar Season. Which of my predictions from last week came true and which fell flat? You're going to have to read to find out:

#MTGTLA

nerdtothecore.com/2025/11/25/n...
November 20-23 Pauper Challenge Recap
Want to learn more about the metrics I use in tracking the metagame? You can find an explainer here. A few weeks ago I started my first watch of Avatar: The Last Airbender with my son and I’d…
nerdtothecore.com
November 25, 2025 at 2:58 PM
nerdtothecore.com
One of my favorite aspects of honing off beat decks is finding those cards in my collection that just make sense.
Flesh Carver {2}{B} Creature — Human Wizard Intimidate (This creature can’t be blocked except by artifact creatures and/or creatures that share a color with it.) {1}{B}, Sacrifice another creature: Put two +1/+1 counters on this creature. When this creature dies, create an X/X black Horror creature token, where X is this creature’s power. “Just a taste?” 2/2 Illustrated by Jesper Ejsing
November 25, 2025 at 1:30 PM
Reposted by Alex Ullman
mets.com
Thank you, Brandon 🧡💙
November 24, 2025 at 8:11 PM
nerdtothecore.com
Someone check on @bugsmaytrix.bsky.social
levdev.bsky.social LevDev Tea Brewing Shenanigans! @levdev.bsky.social · 21h
MagicCon promo for next year...omg.
November 24, 2025 at 8:10 PM
Reposted by Alex Ullman
nerdtothecore.com
It's a slow day at the office and I'm working on my Hei Bai deck. I want to borrow from @alex.spikefeeders.com so give me your suggestions for the deck, but also your cut. Be respectful.

I want to keep this "Mono Black" Hybrid is okay, gold isn't.

And go.

moxfield.com/decks/D9AWk3...
Hei Bai Modified - Commander (Hei Bai, Spirit of Balance)
A deck created using Moxfield.
moxfield.com
November 24, 2025 at 5:52 PM
nerdtothecore.com
@deathtongue.bsky.social please PM me for your MTGO play point code!
November 24, 2025 at 6:26 PM
nerdtothecore.com
It's a slow day at the office and I'm working on my Hei Bai deck. I want to borrow from @alex.spikefeeders.com so give me your suggestions for the deck, but also your cut. Be respectful.

I want to keep this "Mono Black" Hybrid is okay, gold isn't.

And go.

moxfield.com/decks/D9AWk3...
Hei Bai Modified - Commander (Hei Bai, Spirit of Balance)
A deck created using Moxfield.
moxfield.com
November 24, 2025 at 5:52 PM
Reposted by Alex Ullman
lukeoneil47.bsky.social
Nemik from Andor
November 24, 2025 at 3:13 PM
nerdtothecore.com
Here's a deck I'm not building but oh man does this seem sweet:
Monk Gyatso {3}{W} Legendary Creature — Human Monk Whenever another creature you control becomes the target of a spell or ability, you may airbend that creature. (Exile it. While it’s exiled, its owner may cast it for {2} rather than its mana cost.) “My ancient cake-making technique isn’t the only thing on your mind, is it, Aang?” 3/3 Watermark: Air Nomads Illustrated by Masateru Ikeda Abdel Adrian, Gorion's Ward {4}{W} Legendary Creature — Human Warrior When Abdel Adrian enters, exile any number of other nonland permanents you control until Abdel Adrian leaves the battlefield. Create a 1/1 white Soldier creature token for each permanent exiled this way. Choose a Background (You can have a Background as a second commander.) 4/4 Illustrated by Karl Kopinski Nomads en-Kor {W} Creature — Kor Nomad Soldier {0}: The next 1 damage that would be dealt to this creature this turn is dealt to target creature you control instead. The Kor forsake roots for the winding of the path; forsake voices for the silence of the mind; forsake all else for the poverty of isolation. 1/1 Illustrated by Val Mayerik Ashnod's Altar {3} Artifact Sacrifice a creature: Add {C}{C}. “If you work at sawing up carcasses, you notice how the joints fit, how the nerves are arrayed, and how the skin peels back.” —Ashnod, to Tawnos Illustrated by Greg Staples
November 24, 2025 at 3:52 PM
nerdtothecore.com
I am going to cause problems on purpose:
Pia Nalaar, Consul of Revival {R}{W} Legendary Creature — Human Artificer Thopters you control have haste. Whenever you play a land from exile or cast a spell from exile, create a 1/1 colorless Thopter artifact creature token with flying. Renegade turned revolutionary turned rebuilder. 2/3 Illustrated by Marta Nael Monk Gyatso {3}{W} Legendary Creature — Human Monk Whenever another creature you control becomes the target of a spell or ability, you may airbend that creature. (Exile it. While it’s exiled, its owner may cast it for {2} rather than its mana cost.) “My ancient cake-making technique isn’t the only thing on your mind, is it, Aang?” 3/3 Watermark: Air Nomads Illustrated by Masateru Ikeda Martyr's Cause {2}{W} Enchantment Sacrifice a creature: The next time a source of your choice would deal damage to any target this turn, prevent that damage. Dying is a soldier’s talent. Illustrated by Jeff Laubenstein Fanatical Devotion {2}{W} Enchantment Sacrifice a creature: Regenerate target creature. The Oracle told Eladamri he would save his people by abandoning them. His followers adopted that ideal. Illustrated by Massimiliano Frezzato (misprinted)
November 24, 2025 at 3:16 PM
nerdtothecore.com
#MTGPauper
4 Adventuring Gear 4 Akoum Hellhound 2 Apostle's Blessing 4 Crop Rotation 4 Escape Tunnel 4 Forest 1 Gruul Turf 2 Lightning Bolt 7 Mountain 2 Nest Invader 4 Plated Geopede 4 Sabotender 1 Sejiri Steppe 4 Sheltering Landscape 2 Temur Battle Rage 3 Tilling Treefolk 4 Twisted Landscape 4 Writhing Chrysalis Sideboard 1 Bojuka Bog 3 Cast into the Fire 2 Healer of the Glade 1 Pyroblast 3 Red Elemental Blast 3 Relic of Progenitus 2 Weather the Storm
November 24, 2025 at 2:45 PM
nerdtothecore.com
Continuing to tool away at "Mono Black" Modified. Hei Bai gives the deck big game in the Command Zone and pushes to build towards more sacrifice outlets for combat shenanigans.

moxfield.com/decks/D9AWk3...
Hei Bai Modified - Commander (Hei Bai, Spirit of Balance)
A deck created using Moxfield.
moxfield.com
November 23, 2025 at 5:57 PM
nerdtothecore.com
Dinner decor
Images of Darth Vader, the Millennium Falcon, and Yoda in a Japanese wood print style
November 22, 2025 at 11:06 PM
Reposted by Alex Ullman
parkermolloy.com
Ÿ̴̻̣̫̭̦̻̣͙̂̽̎͘r̴͍̭̒̆͆̈́̓ ̷̫͙̞͈̋̇̀͋͂ͅȏ̴̧̳̪̯͈̜͉̠̔̈̓̅̀͘͠p̸͔̜͇̬̹͔̮̝̬̔͊̏͐̋͐̏̓e̷̡̳͈̦̤̣̦̍́̒̏̂̂͘n̵̫̖͖̭̥͋̏̄̋͜͜͝ ̵̯̥̤̋̓̑m̶̻̽̓̀̌̔͗͊̍͑̏o̷̡̳͓͉̼̳̘̍͛̿̃͌͝u̵̗̭̱͓̳͐͐̆t̶̝̔̅̔̔̚͠h̶̡̛̃ ̴̖͎̣̱͓̖͎̄͝a̷̹̼̺̖͂͗̚ͅw̶͈̞̹̬͗ȁ̷̳͇̞̱̪̙̬̬į̶̧̛͕̬̄͊̌̔̀͊̇̆̚͜ţ̸͕̗̅̀̿͐̑̒̐̓i̴̜̪̘̠̣̥̊̈̌͌̏͒̏̀͊̋ͅn̶̼̖̙̖͂̇͒́́́̕͝ǵ̵̳͖̫̯̠̯̺͇̽̊̎͂͝ ̶͎̝̮̘̄m̸̳͍͈̥̝͖̊͐̓̒̇͋̾̋͜ẏ̵̦̬̼͕̱͙̒͘ͅ ̸̛͙̜̫̬̻͈̦͇͛̑̃̓̒͊͝h̵͔͓̏̈́͋͆̅̽̏̇͝ä̷̧̧̱̠̪͉͍̜́̇͊ͅr̴̨̛͇͕̪̈́̎̿̈͑̔̚͝v̶̧͍̖͇̫̠͕͙̙͚̑e̸͕͎̽̑̄͛̉̃̈s̸̤͛̀ţ̵̦̱͒̃͗
̵̡̙͕̝̐̂̀̎͐̏̇ͅD̴̛̞̥̘̼̣͈̮̟̃̾͂ͅr̴̝̪̹̫͔̱̗̬̥͓̊ì̸̡̡͚̭͎̽̈́͑͆̈́̆ͅṅ̶̛̻̟̝̥͊̏̈́̀̈́̎̚k̵̰͕̼̈́́͜ ̶̨̪͕̦̦͇͈̰̞̈́̒̈͒͐̉̏͜f̶̧̞̒̽̋͑̽r̴̨͓̥̠̫̠͙̩̣͐̀̒͋͛̓̓̕͝o̶̲̒̌̽͒m̷̨̰̙̳͓͖̬͉̽͆̎̽͋ͅͅ ̸̮̭̄̂͆̉̋̋̔̊̇m̴͉͛̉́è̴͕̖̥̰̺͚͓̗ ̶̢̫͑͑͒̔L̸̡͂̈́ő̷̝̜͂͆̈́̌̕v̸͍͓͍͖̙̺̝̈̆ë̵̜̠́͋̑͂̈́̐̂̂̐
RFK Jr., looking grotesque
November 22, 2025 at 10:47 PM
Reposted by Alex Ullman
thefightriff.bsky.social
Good morning it’s Saturday and I’m going waiting for the cable guy to come make my internet work in my new place and thinking about this guy who will destroy all technology for no particular reason.
A simian sorcrer preparing to blow up an artifact land or mox all for the low low price of one red mana.
November 22, 2025 at 3:55 PM
Reposted by Alex Ullman
magpie.tips
Is this loss
Donald Trump posting 4 photos of him and zohran on truth social
November 22, 2025 at 12:21 AM
Reposted by Alex Ullman
annamerlan.bsky.social
Mamdani probably got home, turned to his wife, and let out the longest, loudest “this fucking guy” of all time
November 22, 2025 at 12:15 AM
Reposted by Alex Ullman
emmapartlow.com
Apparently, they're hitting close to the 150 player mark for UK Pauper Nationals. That's incredible!

There's still time to sign up! 😤

#MTGPauper
emmapartlow.com Emma Partlow @emmapartlow.com · 14d
Hiii. 👋 Going to be annoying for a moment.

Want to mention that on November 29th, UK Pauper Nationals will be happening with a whopping 100 players already registered!

Excited to jam Pauper in a world without High Tide? You can grab your ticket now! 👇

buytickets.at/mtgpauperuk/...

#MTGPauper
Tickets: https://buytickets.at/mtgpauperuk/1708374
November 21, 2025 at 5:50 PM
nerdtothecore.com
Okay but what if I was "Mostly Black Modified"?
Pyrrhic Revival {3}{W/B}{W/B}{W/B} Sorcery Each player returns each creature card from their graveyard to the battlefield with an additional -1/-1 counter on it. They found themselves alive again, still bearing their mortal wounds. Illustrated by Richard Kane Ferguson
November 21, 2025 at 4:31 PM
nerdtothecore.com
Reasonable Alt Commander?
Hei Bai, Spirit of Balance {2}{W/B}{W/B} Legendary Creature — Bear Spirit Whenever Hei Bai enters or attacks, you may sacrifice another creature or artifact. If you do, put two +1/+1 counters on Hei Bai. When Hei Bai leaves the battlefield, put its counters on target creature you control. “My friend gave me hope that the forest would grow back.” —Aang 3/3 Illustrated by Tyler Smith
November 21, 2025 at 4:13 PM
nerdtothecore.com
This is a Vat of Rebirth* appreciation post:

*also what I call my Cold Brew Coffee brewing pitcher.
Vat of Rebirth {B} Artifact Whenever another artifact or creature you control is put into a graveyard from the battlefield, put an oil counter on this artifact. {2}{B}, {T}, Remove four oil counters from this artifact: Return target creature card from your graveyard to the battlefield. Activate only as a sorcery. Illustrated by Peter Polach
November 21, 2025 at 2:16 PM
Reposted by Alex Ullman
prisonculture.bsky.social
uomod.com/moms-for-lib...
Moms for Liberty Shut Out Nationwide with Every Candidate Losing in 2025 Elections - UOMOD
In a stunning rebuke, Moms for Liberty candidates failed to win a single contested race in the November 4, 2025 elections.
uomod.com
November 21, 2025 at 1:49 PM
Reposted by Alex Ullman
bdm.bsky.social
If you are at #paxunplugged this weekend please come find me or the rest of my game team to check out our first game, @cataclysmarcade.bsky.social — an actual physical TCG coming out next year.
November 21, 2025 at 1:13 PM