Welcome to our third Community Corner Creator Spotlight! In this article series, we interview two content creators within the Magic: The Gathering community and get their perspectives on various topics. We've covered many creators already, from UberGuitarDude and Cats and Commanders to Guild Pack and KyleGathersMagic. Today, we are interviewing MTG Rookies and Garage The Gathering!

MTG Rookies

Blake and Jake, also known as MTG Rookies, host a YouTube channel and a TikTok account where they put on skits, give advice for aspiring Magic players, and provide news about the game as well.

Who/What introduced you to Magic? What is the first set release you remember playing?

Blake: I was introduced to Magic from a streamer that I watch, Paymoneywubby. I had some friends who also played, so once I started playing myself, they were great resources for all of the beginner questions that I had. Unfortunately, they did not live nearby, so I had to go down to the local game store for games, but that was also a great experience due to the knowledge and friendliness of the players that I met there. 

Jake: Blake was actually my introduction to Magic! He and his wife taught Bailee and me how to play through a game of Commander. Pantlaza, Sun-FavoredPantlaza, Sun-Favored holds a special place in my heart as my learner deck, which Blake graciously let me borrow and play until I got a grasp on the rules. I’m someone who loves learning new things, being with friends, and competing, so I’ve always been a huge fan of strategy games. All I needed was an invitation from a friend and a sick Dinosaur deck to get hooked.

What is your favorite card/commander and why?

Blake: My favorite commander has been the same for a while, and that is Arcades, the StrategistArcades, the Strategist. I love the fact that you are able to just take these huge walls and throw them at your friends. The built-in card draw is also a nice plus.

Jake: I have SO much trouble picking favorites, so I’ll just give a few. My newest commander is Xyris, the Writhing StormXyris, the Writhing Storm, which I built specifically because my wife bought me the foil Secret Lair print of Time ReversalTime Reversal with the flying goose horse on it.

My hope is that it grows into a deck that has a reputation for accelerated gameplay and big swings in momentum, so that everyone sees a ton of their deck and has fun when it’s at the table. The first Commander deck I bought for myself was the Miracle Worker precon helmed by Aminatou, Veil PiercerAminatou, Veil Piercer, which I’ve heavily upgraded over the last few years. Shark TyphoonShark Typhoon and Starfield of NyxStarfield of Nyx are two strong and absurdly fun cards that I always love to draw into.

Why do you create content for Magic? What is the goal of your content?

Blake: Our channel mainly focuses on creating content for beginners to the game, but we also want to make sure that veterans of the game can find enjoyment in it as well. 

Jake: We want to share the joy that can come from every facet of this game: the art, the deckbuilding, the strategy, the gameplay, and the gathering. We hope that this kind of content will invite new players to try Magic and grow to love it as well. When they do, we also want to be a resource that makes learning the game simple, approachable, and fun.

Blake of MTG Rookies (photo provided)

What sets your content apart from other creators?

Blake: As beginners ourselves, we try to bring that energy and perspective into the content that we make. When we started thinking about making Magic content, we noticed there didn’t seem to be a lot of creators making content for beginners who were actually beginners themselves. We saw that and thought beginners might like to see others in the same boat making content about the game they were beginning to love. 

Jake: Since we ourselves are new to the game within the past five years, we are still actively discovering new things. That “rookie experience” colors our content with a sense of discovery, wonder, and fun. And because Magic is always evolving, there will always be new mechanics, art, and characters to learn and connect with - even for vets.

Jake of MTG Rookies.

What about life outside Magic influences your content?

Blake: A lot of the ideas for the skits that we make come from real situations we have run into with our pod. We try to play it up a little, but usually it isn’t too far off from what actually happened. 

Jake: I come from a family of teachers, and I’ve always been a learner, so I love the process of teaching. I find it so rewarding to help others learn new skills and explore new ideas, but also discover new things about themselves as they grow in their character. I’m also a musician, and my wife is an artist (she actually did all of our branding), so we constantly have a hunger to create.

Are you attending any upcoming events where players could meet you?

Blake: We are planning on attending MagicCon: Atlanta later this year and would love to meet anyone and everyone there. 

Jake: You can find us on TikTok LIVE every Wednesday at 8 p.m. CST! We rate commanders, answer questions, give stuff away, and mostly just yap about Magic.

What is one thing you would change about Magic?

Blake: It is hard to say what I would want to change with the game without having a long-standing history with it. From the small amount of time I have been playing, though, I have noticed a shift in Magic sets seeming to be more focused on selling product versus focusing on the playerbase and what they want. I am not going to pretend to know the backend business of a TCG, though, so I try not to harp on it too much. 

Jake: Since I entered the game, Universes Beyond has shifted from a dessert to the main course. I don’t foresee Wizards of the Coast completely axing UB, and I’m not advocating for that. However, I would love to see a higher ratio of in-universe sets to UB sets. The feedback from the community seems to support this, as well as releasing fewer sets per year - especially when it comes to standard, because who on Earth can keep up these days?

Garage The Gathering

Dom of Garage The Gathering.

Dom of Garage the Gathering is a creator who, alongside his buddy Joel, plays Magic from the comfort and familiarity of the garage. Their YouTube channel has nearly 7,800 subscribers invested in the sacred tradition of garage Magic.

Who or what introduced you to Magic? What is the first set release you remember playing?

Joel (of Joel are Magic) actually introduced me back in college! He did that thing where he handed me a box of bulk to make a deck from and then immediately blew me up with a Red Deck Wins monstrosity. Big statement to the game that I still wanted to play after that, haha. I came in at the end of the Alara block, so Zendikar is the set I call my true first. So many fond memories of Kor FirewalkerKor Firewalker and Caw-blade.

What is your favorite card/commander and why?

My absolute favorite card is Authority of the ConsulsAuthority of the Consuls. I have no idea why that card has so many words on it for one mana, but they all speak to my heart. I like control, I like a long game where I outvalue everyone, and Authority enables that in maybe the best way.

Why do you create content for Magic? What is the goal of your content?

I am very fortunate to have made a slew of friends who were already into content creation- so when they started gathering in my garage (get it?) to play, I threatened to start filming them… and they were ok with it. The rest is history!

What sets your content apart from other creators?

The Garage is a special place; it represents the part of the Commander pod that doesn’t get enough recognition: the location. The Garage has become its own character in a way, and it sort of informed all the decisions we’ve made along the way. Everything we do is about being a REAL pod and being relatable. It’s almost like the filming is secondary to the camaraderie, which is totally intentional.

What about life outside Magic influences your content?

My biggest influences that seep into GtG content would be my family. It’s really my Garage, you know? That’s my holiday storage, that’s where our keepsakes are put away, where my kids and I play on the weekend. I am so proud of what we’ve built while always making sure to put my wife and kids first. Also pretty heavily influenced by food. I love food.

Are you attending any upcoming events where players could meet you?

Yeah! Catch me at MagicCon: Atlanta! And stay current on anything else by checking socials.

What is one thing you would change about Magic?

I would axe Bracket 1 as it’s explained now. Exhibition doesn’t need its own bracket; it’s making everything else worse. I’d also reduce Universes Beyond releases to Secret Lairs only.

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