A word from author, Patrick “The Innovator” Chapin:
the “Next Level Magic” eBook is a comprehensive course on realizing your goals in Magic, whether they are to qualify for the Pro Tour, or whether you want to just put up better results at your local FNM. We’ll begin Section 1 by laying out a blueprint of the most useful way to approach improving your Magic game; we will discuss why Zvi was right when he said that the better strategy in Magic is about having more and better options; and we will examine the direct correlation between having effective mental shortcuts and making better decisions in Magic. These tools will help to form a foundation that you can build on once we get to more specific Magic scenarios — but without this foundation, you will not have the results of which you are capable.
Section 2 will center on the four perspectives: four ways of thinking that will be useful to us in every area of Magic. Whether we are discussing card advantage or building a Magic team, whether we are contemplating sideboard options or deciding on the twenty-third card for our Draft deck, these four perspectives will be useful in organizing our thoughts and tackling problems.
Section 3 will begin our descent into in-game Magic theory. Here, we will begin by discussing the nuts and bolts of Magic theory: the important differences between the early game, the mid-game, and the late game. We will help you to understand your role in a given game (should you be the aggressor or the defender?). We will discuss card advantage, virtual card advantage, tempo, the Philosophy of Fire, mulligans, sideboarding, manabases, templating, and more.
Section 4 is dedicated to the Mental Game. Here we will discuss everything from reading opponents to preventing tells, from bluffing to Jedi Mind Tricks. This section features a great deal of useful material — but as entertaining as this aspect of Magic may be, it is worthless if you don’t have a sound foundation of tight technical play and a useful mindset. Magic games are generally decided by tight technical play, not mind games. This material is useful, and a better understanding makes you a better card player, but it is vital to remember that playing Magic as perfectly as you can is what is important. It is generally better to spend your time and energy doing playing excellent Magic, rather than practicing “mind tricks” on people.
Section 5 revolves around the major archetypes in Magic strategy. Here we will discuss everything from Control to Mana Denial, Combo to Burn, Discard to Weenie/Token, Reanimator to Aggro-Control, and more. This section is not just a look at all of the major archetypes in the game’s history, but is also a useful tool for breaking down the basic premises behind the major archetypes and what it takes for them to succeed, as well as what it takes to defeat them.
Section 6 is dedicated to Limited, primarily focusing on Draft, though there are some Sealed-specific areas. Although much of what it takes to succeed in Draft is based on Magic concepts discussed in earlier sections, there are concepts specific to Limited that need to be understood. When people write about Limited, they usually just talk about what cards they drafted or played, and what plays they made in game. We will discuss some fundamental Limited theory that many players are lacking in their game. This core understanding of drafting is extremely useful for anyone who plays Limited, whether at their local eight-man draft or the Top 8 of a Grand Prix.
We are about to get down to business… but before we do, it is imperative that we get on the same page with regards to our approach to the game. Just as it is dangerous to teach someone how to shoot a gun without teaching them how to use it properly, it is dangerous to teach people Magic theory without helping them develop a solid foundation.
Without the proper approach to improving at Magic and understanding this game we know and love, one risks missing out on what they could be learning as a result of thinking they already know “enough.” This is easily understood when you observe the amateur who tricks someone at FNM with a “mind trick.” They then try the same trick over and over, patting themselves on the back each time it works, never even realizing that they probably could have won even more games if they had been spending this focus on finding a more perfect line of play.
When I was much younger, I read a book by George Baxter that radically changed my experience of Magic. Now the theory he presented is quite crude by today’s standards, but the timelessness of the text and the significance it held for competitive Magic was unparalleled. Weekly articles are a fantastic way to discuss Magic, however it is time for a complete, timeless collection of theory, technique, and stories. That is what “Next Level Magic” sets out to be.
The “Next Level Magic” eBook is available exclusively on StarCityGames.com as an E-Book available as a PDF, and is formatted to be easily read on screen or printed out. It has been designed as a step-by-step guide through Magic Theory, how to think about Magic, how to actually improve your own game specific to you, and how to achieve the results you are looking for.
If you Top 8 just one PTQ as a result of what you learn here, the investment has already paid you back, not to mention the upside if you actually win the event. Aside from how astoundingly useful the guide is, it is also a ton of fun to read and become immersed in, as it contains countless stories from my 15 year career as a Professional Magic Player.
“Next Level Magic” is about mastering Magic and producing results.
Testimonials
From Mono-Red ten years ago to Five-Color Control today, Patrick Chapin has been instrumental in deck and theory development for years. After a mediocre finish at Pro Tour: Hollywood, Patrick helped me rethink my approach to the Pro Tour, influencing my deck choice for Pro Tour: Berlin. In this strategy guide, he shares his years of accumulated knowledge and expertise. Anyone interested in improving their game would do well to check it out!
Pro Tour: Berlin Champion, Luis Scott-Vargas
When I browse on StarCityGames.com, I never miss a chance to check out Patrick’s articles. As the great deckbuilder he is, he always has some insightful comment or some new tech to delight me, making him a much enjoyable read.
Pro Tour: Yokohama Champion, Guillaume Wafo-Tapa
Patrick is more than a good deck-builder… His writing and teachings help people at every level of the game, and he cracks me up.
Nine Time Pro Tour Top 8 Competitor, Gabriel Nassif
In the game of Magic, the player is presented with infinite different plays depending on not only the cards in play, but the cards in your opponent’s hand and deck. To decipher this information, you must use a series of deductive reasoning garnered from your opponent’s play and body language. There are maybe 25 people in the world who currently play the game that can do this at the highest level… Patrick Chapin is one of those people.
Pro Tour: Honolulu 1 Champion, Mark Herberholz
Patrick is a great deck builder, he is also great player and writer. He knows everything about Magic, so you can learn something worthy from him. I promise his articles must be nice for us!
2005 Player of the Year, Kenji Tsumura
I’ve been in the game longer than most, and since day 1, Patrick Chapin has been one of the most innovative and creative Magic players I have ever known. Not only is he one of the best deck-builders out there, he is also a fantastic player, and offering a strategy guide with insights into his brain will raise the bar for all competitive players.
Magic/Poker Superstar, David Williams
I’ve met a lot of people in these 14 years since I started playing Magic. I’ve had the luck to meet great people, to face very good players, and to meet many people who were animated by the passion of the game. Patrick is one of the very few people I’ve met that could respond to any of these three descriptions. I’m glad I met him, and I’ll be glad to read his book when it’s out!
Hall of Famer, Olivier Ruel
Patrick Chapin is one of Magic’s brightest minds, and one of the most fun people to hang out with at events. Patrick’s clever innovations for Five-Color Control helped me win Grand Prix: Denver.
Grand Prix: Denver Champion, Gerry Thompson
Patrick Chapin is a rare Magic player. There are a few Magic the Gathering players that have a strong grasp of Magic theory. These are the players that are able to build the decks we all play. And there are only a few of the very elite, the very top players in Magic. They are the ones you will find making money playing tournaments. And there are only a very few that can explain how to play the game, to explain it so that it is easy to understand. These are the ones that write books. Chapin is able to do all three.
Magic Writer/Theorist, Eric D. Taylor
In the history of the game, few players have had both a complex
theoretical understanding of the game and also the practical chops to
play the game at the top level; Patrick is one of the best.
Magic Writer/Theorist, Adrian Sullivan
(The Segment on Tempo) is the best explanation of tempo I have ever read.
Professional Cynic, Tim Aten
Great Player. Great Writer.
Designer of Quick n’ Toast, Manuel Bucher
Patrick Chapin is without question one of most devoted Magic players in the game today. From his endless hours of playtesting, to his thoughtful hours of strategy article writing, to his constant connection to the Magic community, I believe he is one of the most knowledgeable players in the game today and there is a lot that one can learn from him
2008 World Championships Finalist, Jamie Parke
Patrick is one of the greatest minds to ever play the game. His passion, strategic insights, and technical understanding are one of the reasons that Patrick is one of the most sought-after teachers around. Unlike many other Masters, Patrick’s love of Magic extends beyond the professional circuit and deep into the heart of the game itself. You can find him enjoying a 128 multi-player game at Gencon with the same enthusiasm as the Pro Tour. Patrick is always worth reading.
2007 Vintage World Champion, Stephen Menendian
Patrick is one of the most successful creative deck-builders and players in the history of Magic. Many people can tell you how to find the best decks on the net, and make routine strong plays. Many other players can tell you how to make different plays or unique decks. He is one of the few to explain how to make the strong but innovative deck or play. His imaginative plays not only make one better at the game, but they are also highly enjoyable.
Wizards R&D Member, Erik Lauer
People with experience are the best you can learn from, and Patrick has been around for quite some time, so you can safely say he knows what he’s talking about. When Patrick talks, people listen.
Pro Tour Top 8 Competitor, Martin Juza
What puts Patrick Chapin in his own league, when it comes to most Magic strategists, is his totally unparalleled success both as a theoretician AND as a player. His ability to consistently convert his Magic knowledge into tournament results manifests itself in the clarity and accessibility of his writing style – the reader seems to experience what Patrick thinks as he thinks it!
Yet, even more impressively, Patrick’s consistency isn’t the consistency of comfort, of security, of resting on his laurels. Despite a professional career that spans almost a decade and a half, making him one of the ‘oldest-school’ Pros currently active, he continues to pioneer new strategies, ideas, decks, and pieces of technology almost every week – and his love of the game is such that many of his best pieces were scrawled out laboriously by hand! So his nickname, “The Innovator,” isn’t so much a title as it is a simple fact. Patrick Chapin will go down in history alongside names like Hahn, Flores, Taylor, Hacker, and Mowshowitz as one of the game’s all-time greatest minds.
Pro Tour Honolulu Top 8 Competitor, Zac Hill
Patrick’s love of learning, and his willingness to learn from anyone, is one of the keys to his success, and something everyone should try to emulate. Ideas don’t remember who thought of them — whether the player is good, bad or indifferent. A good idea is a good idea is a good idea. Sometimes someone will have a “bad” idea and it will still help you to approach the problem the right way. Looking at everyone as someone to learn from (and also teach) is really the best way to approach the game.
I’ve also had the pleasure of playing with many good players in my time, and pretty much all of the best decks I played (excluding Prison at 97 Chicago) were someone else’s design. Deadguy Red at Worlds 98, I can thank Dave Price for making me embrace the Jackal Pup; Mono Black at Nats 2000 (thank you Mike Flores); Tinker at Worlds 2000 (Dan OMS, who got the idea from someone at Canadian Nationals); and even Dragonstorm recently at Worlds 2007 (thank you Patrick Chapin).
While Patrick was probably better than me when I played his deck, no one was going to mistake Mike Flores for a PT champion. He might have only had 3 Vampiric Tutors in his Vampiric Tutor deck, but it was a great idea and a great deck, and I was happy to play it. Patrick says it perfectly — listening to and learning from everyone is the single most important thing you can do.
On a related note, listening to Patrick talk about meeting edt reminded me of another thing I love about Magic: how it brings together people in a peer environment from all age groups. Even now I regularly play Magic with teenagers, through to people in their forties. I can be on a draft team and turn to Brian David-Marshall for deck construction advice, and then turn to Steve Sadin (who’s half Brian’s age) and get his take on things (Note: I’d probably take Steve’s advice here).
The mental game of Magic is something that other people have often referred to as one of my biggest strengths, but it’s something I don’t even notice — which might be the key. I don’t get phased or rattled easily, I don’t dwell on past mistakes, or mana screw, or bad luck. There are things outside of all of our control, and they can lose you games, matches, or tournaments but there’s no point in focusing on them instead of the things you can control.
It’s easy to blame mana screw for a loss, but did you still play your best? Did you lose your focus and only have a 5% win rate instead of a 10% win rate? I always play at my best when I’m losing, and I think that’s important. Not having excuses also helps after the fact, when examining your play and your decision-making.
Nobody ever learned anything by saying, ‘I got mana screwed’ (except maybe to play more land), or ‘he topdecked.’ Sometimes when he topdecked you could have won one turn earlier, if you’d made a slightly more optimal play earlier. Be self critical, but divorce your sense of self from your play. You can’t let things affect you emotionally, but at the same time you have to really examine your choices, question them, and see what you could have done better.
Patrick is absolutely right when he says that sometimes you win but gave them an extra turn to kill you, or draw their out. Sometimes you wasted a card. Just because you won doesn’t mean you played optimally, so you have to be equally critical even when you win. Only by objectively observing your choices and decisions, win or lose, lucky or unlucky, will you improve, and only by not letting your mistakes rattle you will you win the next game or the next round.
Hall of Famer, Jon Finkel
PRICE: $27.00 USD
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: How much does the “Next Level Magic” eBook cost?
A: $27.00 USD
Q: How will I receive my copy of the “Next Level Magic” eBook?
A: You will see the book show up in the “Downloads” account section.
Q: How big is the “Next Level Magic” eBook?
A: Next Level Magic is a 214 page PDF file.
Q: Does “Next Level Magic” cover the Magic 2010 rules changes?
A: Yes. After Wizards of the Coast announced the Magic 2010 rules changes, Patrick went back and added three additional pages of material discussing those changes. Everyone who originally ordered the “Next Level Magic” eBook received a free copy of the Magic 2010 update, and this additional material has since been incorporated into the “Next Level Magic” PDF.
Q: Do I have to have or create a PayPal account in order to purchase the “Next Level Magic” eBook with a credit card?
A: Yes. If you wish to purchase the “Next Level Magic” eBook via credit card or PayPal, you must have or create a PayPal account in order to do so.
Q: Can I combine an order for the “Next Level Magic” eBook with another StarCityGames.com order?
A: No. The “Next Level Magic” eBook must be ordered separately using the link provided on this page. Sorry. 🙂
Q: Will I see my “Next Level Magic” eBook order within my StarCityGames.com order history?
A: No. All credit card/PayPal orders for the “Next Level Magic” eBook are submitted through a separate PayPal shopping cart system. That system is used exclusively for Next Level Magic, and is not connected to your StarCityGames.com account.
Q: Can I purchase the “Next Level Magic” eBook with a check or money order?
A: Yes. Please make your check or money order for $27.00 USD payable to “StarCityGames.com“, then mail to:
StarCityGames.com
attn: Next Level Magic eBook
5728 Williamson Rd NW
Roanoke, VA 24012
Be sure to include the email address at which you wish to receive the PDF.
Q: I have a question regarding the “Next Level Magic” eBook. Where should I send it?
A: [email protected].