Parker LaMascus
@parker.luckypaper.co
[he/him] edits luckypaper.co; watches birds; reads a lot
Shadows Over Innistrad came out nearly a decade(!) ago. It's still one of my favorite sets for #mtgcube, and an exemplar for excellent graveyard-focused design:
luckypaper.co/articles/sha...
luckypaper.co/articles/sha...
Shadows Over Innistrad: A Retro Design Review — Lucky Paper
Ten years after its original release, we investigate (get it?) Shadows Over Innistrad from a cube design perspective. It might just be the best graveyard set in Magic's history, and that's not even ou...
luckypaper.co
January 12, 2026 at 4:33 PM
Shadows Over Innistrad came out nearly a decade(!) ago. It's still one of my favorite sets for #mtgcube, and an exemplar for excellent graveyard-focused design:
luckypaper.co/articles/sha...
luckypaper.co/articles/sha...
Just finished my longest, most ambitious Magic article draft yet.
It won't be published for awhile... but there might be a teaser in some upcoming Lucky Paper pieces ;) love publishing entire articles as prep work for other projects!
It won't be published for awhile... but there might be a teaser in some upcoming Lucky Paper pieces ;) love publishing entire articles as prep work for other projects!
January 9, 2026 at 7:43 PM
Just finished my longest, most ambitious Magic article draft yet.
It won't be published for awhile... but there might be a teaser in some upcoming Lucky Paper pieces ;) love publishing entire articles as prep work for other projects!
It won't be published for awhile... but there might be a teaser in some upcoming Lucky Paper pieces ;) love publishing entire articles as prep work for other projects!
Weak cards are not just unavoidable in #mtgcube. They're not merely "acceptable," either. Weak cards have unique cube design benefits *because* of their weakness:
luckypaper.co/articles/the...
luckypaper.co/articles/the...
The Overton Window of Mutual Playability — Lucky Paper
Cube designers often cut their weakest cards for stronger
luckypaper.co
December 22, 2025 at 1:51 PM
Weak cards are not just unavoidable in #mtgcube. They're not merely "acceptable," either. Weak cards have unique cube design benefits *because* of their weakness:
luckypaper.co/articles/the...
luckypaper.co/articles/the...
Reposted by Parker LaMascus
⭐ New Video 🪓
Revolution, Fascism, & Magic: The Gathering
Folks, this one's a bit big...
youtu.be/4JghX1MBU68
Revolution, Fascism, & Magic: The Gathering
Folks, this one's a bit big...
youtu.be/4JghX1MBU68
December 21, 2025 at 7:04 PM
⭐ New Video 🪓
Revolution, Fascism, & Magic: The Gathering
Folks, this one's a bit big...
youtu.be/4JghX1MBU68
Revolution, Fascism, & Magic: The Gathering
Folks, this one's a bit big...
youtu.be/4JghX1MBU68
I was 100% thinking about your Empirical Vanilla test (especially the year-to-year depreciation of keywords) as I was writing this :)
December 4, 2025 at 8:27 PM
I was 100% thinking about your Empirical Vanilla test (especially the year-to-year depreciation of keywords) as I was writing this :)
MaRo's "stages of design" indeed map closely here. I combined a few of his stages because 1) ain't nobody got time for seven, and 2) if you ignore changes to rules/template/product design (things outside players' control), then a few of his stages collapse into broader blocs.
December 4, 2025 at 1:34 PM
MaRo's "stages of design" indeed map closely here. I combined a few of his stages because 1) ain't nobody got time for seven, and 2) if you ignore changes to rules/template/product design (things outside players' control), then a few of his stages collapse into broader blocs.
A tricky thing about #mtgcube, and Eternal deckbuilding more generally, is that pet cards don't always play well together.
It's not just "power creep," either. Magic's design ethos has changed so much over 30 years, it might as well be 4 different games:
luckypaper.co/articles/fou...
It's not just "power creep," either. Magic's design ethos has changed so much over 30 years, it might as well be 4 different games:
luckypaper.co/articles/fou...
Four TCGs in Magic's Trench Coat — Lucky Paper
Magic's design has changed so radically over 30+ years that it might as well be four different games. We break down those eras of design, and what they imply for the deckbuilders and Cube designers wh...
luckypaper.co
December 4, 2025 at 1:18 PM
A tricky thing about #mtgcube, and Eternal deckbuilding more generally, is that pet cards don't always play well together.
It's not just "power creep," either. Magic's design ethos has changed so much over 30 years, it might as well be 4 different games:
luckypaper.co/articles/fou...
It's not just "power creep," either. Magic's design ethos has changed so much over 30 years, it might as well be 4 different games:
luckypaper.co/articles/fou...
Sure! Same reasoning explains the very good reasons why cubes would want any colorless cards, or fixing cards. (There's a reason people went hard on Icehide Golem in 2019, haha.) I like colorless cards! But they are not drawback-less.
November 18, 2025 at 1:28 AM
Sure! Same reasoning explains the very good reasons why cubes would want any colorless cards, or fixing cards. (There's a reason people went hard on Icehide Golem in 2019, haha.) I like colorless cards! But they are not drawback-less.
Haha sorry! But maybe you can save your time – I think the benefits of hybrid tend to get covered by Maro and the cube status quo! (And those are real benefits I mention in the piece!)
November 18, 2025 at 1:25 AM
Haha sorry! But maybe you can save your time – I think the benefits of hybrid tend to get covered by Maro and the cube status quo! (And those are real benefits I mention in the piece!)
this was a middle domino on my journey to realizing that magic is not, in fact, the greatest game ever made. not even close. (the best game is probably imaginary friends, or watching raindrops race across a car's windows.)
but out of scope for the ATLA piece, i thought.
but out of scope for the ATLA piece, i thought.
November 18, 2025 at 1:22 AM
this was a middle domino on my journey to realizing that magic is not, in fact, the greatest game ever made. not even close. (the best game is probably imaginary friends, or watching raindrops race across a car's windows.)
but out of scope for the ATLA piece, i thought.
but out of scope for the ATLA piece, i thought.
rosewater and I agree that the color pie is made up of precedents and concessions. But I go further – Magic is nothing except mechanics, and a pseudo-psych fiction to make them feel universal.
So, like, sure, RG birds. But switching in 2025 is kinda an admission the emperor was always naked...
So, like, sure, RG birds. But switching in 2025 is kinda an admission the emperor was always naked...
November 18, 2025 at 1:18 AM
rosewater and I agree that the color pie is made up of precedents and concessions. But I go further – Magic is nothing except mechanics, and a pseudo-psych fiction to make them feel universal.
So, like, sure, RG birds. But switching in 2025 is kinda an admission the emperor was always naked...
So, like, sure, RG birds. But switching in 2025 is kinda an admission the emperor was always naked...
On the Hybrid piece I feel obligated to tag @irreleverent.bsky.social, with thanks for the Discord convo that inspired me :)
November 17, 2025 at 1:13 PM
On the Hybrid piece I feel obligated to tag @irreleverent.bsky.social, with thanks for the Discord convo that inspired me :)
This week's next piece is, dare I say, the most complete exploration of hybrid mana in cube design ever written.
Researching this piece surprised me... I would have never guessed Red's first all-upside 2/2 at 2MV, and I bet you won't either.
luckypaper.co/articles/the...
Researching this piece surprised me... I would have never guessed Red's first all-upside 2/2 at 2MV, and I bet you won't either.
luckypaper.co/articles/the...
The Risks Of Hybrid Mana — Lucky Paper
Hybrid mana is a frequent design tool for Wizards and for the Cube designers who follow in their footsteps. But hybrid cards exhibit some predictably risky tendencies in Cube. Read on to find out why,...
luckypaper.co
November 17, 2025 at 1:12 PM
This week's next piece is, dare I say, the most complete exploration of hybrid mana in cube design ever written.
Researching this piece surprised me... I would have never guessed Red's first all-upside 2/2 at 2MV, and I bet you won't either.
luckypaper.co/articles/the...
Researching this piece surprised me... I would have never guessed Red's first all-upside 2/2 at 2MV, and I bet you won't either.
luckypaper.co/articles/the...
TWO new #mtgcube articles this week? You better believe it.
First up, my thoughts on ATLAxMTG. ATLA was my favorite TV show as a teen. The set may be a good product, but if so, that's in spite of Magic's game engine, not because of it:
luckypaper.co/articles/the...
First up, my thoughts on ATLAxMTG. ATLA was my favorite TV show as a teen. The set may be a good product, but if so, that's in spite of Magic's game engine, not because of it:
luckypaper.co/articles/the...
The Game Design Pitfalls of Crossovers — Lucky Paper
We're living in an age where Magic embraces crossovers. The effects that crossovers have on the quality of the game design itself have largely flown under the radar -- until now.
luckypaper.co
November 17, 2025 at 1:07 PM
TWO new #mtgcube articles this week? You better believe it.
First up, my thoughts on ATLAxMTG. ATLA was my favorite TV show as a teen. The set may be a good product, but if so, that's in spite of Magic's game engine, not because of it:
luckypaper.co/articles/the...
First up, my thoughts on ATLAxMTG. ATLA was my favorite TV show as a teen. The set may be a good product, but if so, that's in spite of Magic's game engine, not because of it:
luckypaper.co/articles/the...
Sam's original piece and several more resources are linked at the bottom of this article. If the idea resonates with you, there are a lot of tools to help!
October 28, 2025 at 1:23 PM
Sam's original piece and several more resources are linked at the bottom of this article. If the idea resonates with you, there are a lot of tools to help!
This week I break down "big and small games" of Magic. I first heard the idea from @samuelhblack.bsky.social, where it helped me level up in Retail Draft, but over the years it's become one of my favorite Cube design tools – especially to craft synergy decks!
luckypaper.co/articles/rem...
luckypaper.co/articles/rem...
Removal Vs. Synergies in Cube — Lucky Paper
It might seem like removal spells are incompatible with synergy decks, but the reality is more complex. We discuss an versatile, evergreen tool to fine-tune a cube's synergies.
luckypaper.co
October 28, 2025 at 1:22 PM
This week I break down "big and small games" of Magic. I first heard the idea from @samuelhblack.bsky.social, where it helped me level up in Retail Draft, but over the years it's become one of my favorite Cube design tools – especially to craft synergy decks!
luckypaper.co/articles/rem...
luckypaper.co/articles/rem...
3/x OH YEAH and in the first half of mouse's set, behind the wailing sax and two keyboardists playing the nastiest polyrhythms you've ever heard, a B&W projector was cycling thru cell mitosis, super-close-up video of ants carrying a bee corpse, and abandoned freight cranes. sublime and numinous
October 15, 2025 at 11:07 AM
3/x OH YEAH and in the first half of mouse's set, behind the wailing sax and two keyboardists playing the nastiest polyrhythms you've ever heard, a B&W projector was cycling thru cell mitosis, super-close-up video of ants carrying a bee corpse, and abandoned freight cranes. sublime and numinous
2/x
anyways, i never thought i'd be in the same country as mouse, so it was such a dream to just... take the train to see them, kinda on a whim, transit and hotel and vinyl all less than the price of a nosebleed ticket in the US.
forget magic the gathering, try the magic of music.
anyways, i never thought i'd be in the same country as mouse, so it was such a dream to just... take the train to see them, kinda on a whim, transit and hotel and vinyl all less than the price of a nosebleed ticket in the US.
forget magic the gathering, try the magic of music.
October 15, 2025 at 10:43 AM
2/x
anyways, i never thought i'd be in the same country as mouse, so it was such a dream to just... take the train to see them, kinda on a whim, transit and hotel and vinyl all less than the price of a nosebleed ticket in the US.
forget magic the gathering, try the magic of music.
anyways, i never thought i'd be in the same country as mouse, so it was such a dream to just... take the train to see them, kinda on a whim, transit and hotel and vinyl all less than the price of a nosebleed ticket in the US.
forget magic the gathering, try the magic of music.
this week I saw one of my top 5 bands live, mouse on the keys.
opener Oavette was new to me, but i was instantly hooked. they played 45 minutes no breaks, the entire album:
tokeirecords.bandcamp.com/album/oavett...
mouse was as awesome as i hoped: mouseonthekeystokyo.bandcamp.com/album/midnight
opener Oavette was new to me, but i was instantly hooked. they played 45 minutes no breaks, the entire album:
tokeirecords.bandcamp.com/album/oavett...
mouse was as awesome as i hoped: mouseonthekeystokyo.bandcamp.com/album/midnight
midnight, by mouse on the keys Tokyo
11 track album
mouseonthekeystokyo.bandcamp.com
October 15, 2025 at 10:40 AM
this week I saw one of my top 5 bands live, mouse on the keys.
opener Oavette was new to me, but i was instantly hooked. they played 45 minutes no breaks, the entire album:
tokeirecords.bandcamp.com/album/oavett...
mouse was as awesome as i hoped: mouseonthekeystokyo.bandcamp.com/album/midnight
opener Oavette was new to me, but i was instantly hooked. they played 45 minutes no breaks, the entire album:
tokeirecords.bandcamp.com/album/oavett...
mouse was as awesome as i hoped: mouseonthekeystokyo.bandcamp.com/album/midnight
Thanks for filling in the blank! It's an awesome story. I'll push an update to credit Tim.
October 14, 2025 at 4:11 PM
Thanks for filling in the blank! It's an awesome story. I'll push an update to credit Tim.
aaaand now all of the typos are fixed (i hope)
October 14, 2025 at 1:54 PM
aaaand now all of the typos are fixed (i hope)
("show the cards who shuffles whom" comes from a P Sully anecdote on SCG's Resleevables. if anybody has a better source than that pod's now-inaccessible audio, I'll happily update that paragraph)
October 14, 2025 at 12:08 PM
("show the cards who shuffles whom" comes from a P Sully anecdote on SCG's Resleevables. if anybody has a better source than that pod's now-inaccessible audio, I'll happily update that paragraph)
This week's #mtgcube piece has been brewing for awhile. Sometimes, you have to show the cards who shuffles whom.
luckypaper.co/articles/uni...
luckypaper.co/articles/uni...
Universes Beyond and the Meaning of Life — Lucky Paper
The typical debate about Universes Beyond's effects on Magic is framed as a matter of market value. But once we start weighing the success of these co-branded products, we've already lost a rigged gam...
luckypaper.co
October 14, 2025 at 12:03 PM
This week's #mtgcube piece has been brewing for awhile. Sometimes, you have to show the cards who shuffles whom.
luckypaper.co/articles/uni...
luckypaper.co/articles/uni...
Okay, it turns out the Phillies will not be winning the 2025 World Series. Otherwise, this Kamigawa #mtgcube retrospective has held up pretty well over the last 48 hours.
I daresay this might be the finest article on baseball, Magic: The Gathering, and world travel ever written.
(Granted, that doesn't leave much competition... but you should still read it!)
luckypaper.co/articles/kam...
#mtgcube
(Granted, that doesn't leave much competition... but you should still read it!)
luckypaper.co/articles/kam...
#mtgcube
Kamigawa and The New York Yankees — Lucky Paper
Kamigawa is a lightly fictionalized version of real-world Japan. What does that mean for the set? What does it mean for its players? A meditation on trading cards, cultural exchange, and baseball.
luckypaper.co
October 10, 2025 at 12:51 PM
Okay, it turns out the Phillies will not be winning the 2025 World Series. Otherwise, this Kamigawa #mtgcube retrospective has held up pretty well over the last 48 hours.
I daresay this might be the finest article on baseball, Magic: The Gathering, and world travel ever written.
(Granted, that doesn't leave much competition... but you should still read it!)
luckypaper.co/articles/kam...
#mtgcube
(Granted, that doesn't leave much competition... but you should still read it!)
luckypaper.co/articles/kam...
#mtgcube
Kamigawa and The New York Yankees — Lucky Paper
Kamigawa is a lightly fictionalized version of real-world Japan. What does that mean for the set? What does it mean for its players? A meditation on trading cards, cultural exchange, and baseball.
luckypaper.co
October 8, 2025 at 11:38 AM
I daresay this might be the finest article on baseball, Magic: The Gathering, and world travel ever written.
(Granted, that doesn't leave much competition... but you should still read it!)
luckypaper.co/articles/kam...
#mtgcube
(Granted, that doesn't leave much competition... but you should still read it!)
luckypaper.co/articles/kam...
#mtgcube