<p style="text-align: right;"><em><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Worldslayer" href="#" target="_blank">Worldslayer</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by <a href="https://scryfall.com/search?q=a%3A%E2%80%9CGreg+Staples%E2%80%9D&amp;unique=art" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Greg Staples</a></em></p>
<p>Hello, and welcome to <em>Am I the Bolas</em>?<strong> This week, slay the <em>whole</em> world?!</strong></p>
<p>This column is for all of you out there who have ever played some <em>Magic </em>and wondered if you were the bad guy. I'm here to take in your story with all of its nuances so I can bring some clarity to all those asking, "Am I the Bolas?"</p>
<p>I'm ready to hear you out and offer advice. All you have to do is email amithebolas@gmail.com with your story, a pseudonym you want to use, and of course, only include details you don't mind in the column! You might see your story below one day. You might even hear it on the podcast. Which podcast?</p>
<p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-25893" src="https://commandersherald.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/bolcast_logo430x430-300x300.png" alt="" width="249" height="249" /></p>
<p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/@AmITheBolcast" target="_blank" rel="noopener">THIS PODCAST!</a></p>
<p>I'm Mike Carrozza, the guy who celebrates his opponents without needing it to pay for an evoke cost!</p>
<p><a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/hho-25-cheer-1.jpg"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-171470" src="https://edhrec.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/hho-25-cheer-1-215x300.jpg" alt="Cheer" width="270" height="377" srcset="https://edhrec.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/hho-25-cheer-1-215x300.jpg 215w, https://edhrec.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/hho-25-cheer-1.jpg 672w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 270px) 100vw, 270px" /></a></p>
<p><i>"That was so sick, you gotta send me the list!"</i></p>
<p>This week, how to respond to a world slain.</p>
<p>(Post edited for brevity, clarity, and then some.)</p>
<hr />
<h2>SUBMISSION</h2>
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<p><em>Hi there Mike,</em></p>
<p><em>I was playing Commander with some friends a few months ago. We had a player who is a longtime friend, new to </em>Magic<em>, join our pod for some Commander. Not their first game or Commander night, but they were still new to the game and making some sub-optimal decks. Knowing this, I tend to either play with powered down decks, or not target this player much during our games.</em></p>
<p><em>One game made me feel like a bit of a Bolas when our new player managed to swing in on someone with <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Worldslayer" href="#" target="_blank">Worldslayer</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and blow up all permanents on the board, with no follow-up win condition, effectively grinding the game to a halt.</em></p>
<p><em>I was playing a low-to-the-ground aggro deck, and was able to recover quicker than the other players in the pod, so I spent the time going after our Worldslaying friend, as punishment, and also to prevent another Worldslaying. I managed to quickly knock them out of the game, but after that point the other two players had recovered and the game lasted a much longer time before it ended and we could shuffle up again. (I don’t remember who won.)</em></p>
<p><em>Our <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Worldslayer" href="#" target="_blank">Worldslayer</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> pal was pretty miffed at the time for being targeted and then being forced to wait for so long to play again, but to me I think it’s a fair punishment for playing a land destruction wipe like that with no win-con and it was a learning moment of his own creation.</em></p>
<p><em>Anyway, we’re all good, still play lots together and are still friends. But I sometimes wonder if I was the Bolas for forcing a newer player to sit out of the </em>Magic <em>night for close to an hour watching us play, because they succeeded in playing a card they were excited about.</em></p>
<p><em>What do you think? <strong>Am I the Bolas?</strong></em></p>
<p><em>Thanks,</em></p>
<p><em>Trombone</em></p>
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<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Worldslayer"></div></div>
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<h2>VERDICT</h2>
<p>Thank you for writing and asking me to weigh in on your story. As I mention every week, if folks don't write to me, there's no column, so if you, the reader, want to send me a story, whether it's your own or one from Reddit or a friend's, please send it to amithebolas@gmail.com and I'll get to it here.</p>
<p>I'll begin by saying that this is a lovely submission because we don't have to wonder how the event affected anybody - everybody still hangs out and plays together. This seems to be water under the bridge and you're all fine, so that's really nice and I'm happy for everybody.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Friendly Neighborhood"></div></div>
<p>Trombone, my friend, it has been a really long time since I've seen <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Worldslayer" href="#" target="_blank">Worldslayer</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> in play. It's a card that absolutely demands an answer. Whether it's being used by a player who knows how to build around it and ensure they have the follow-up turns mapped out or, in this case, in the hands of a less experienced player content with seeing the game get stalled as a demonstration of power, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Worldslayer" href="#" target="_blank">Worldslayer</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> needs to go. If it goes off once, it is abundantly clear that it cannot happen again, and so I can't fault you for making the call to go after the player who used it.</p>
<p>I have to assume in this case that you didn't have any removal for the Equipment itself and so you opted for player removal, which is a bummer, but it is what it is. Having the game get set back repeatedly turns a game of <em>Magic</em> into a Sisyphean punishment designed to torment you, and if it keeps happening, it's almost like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Worldslayer" href="#" target="_blank">Worldslayer</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> has <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="The One Ring" href="#" target="_blank">The One Ring</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> levels of influence on its bearer. Not <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="The One Ring" href="#" target="_blank">The One Ring</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> the card, but The One Ring from the <em>Lord of the Rings</em> books and movies. (I've finally watched the movies, and to those concerned, you can stop telling me to watch them! I have, they're contemporary miracles and should be considered modern-day wonders.)</p>
<p>I understand the temptation of <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Worldslayer" href="#" target="_blank">Worldslayer</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> in the eyes of the inexperienced. It's such a huge effect that warps the game and <em>Magic</em> is a game about conflict and power. What's more powerful than deleting the entire game? Inexperienced players likely don't hang onto their lands for turns following the Slaying or have a follow-up because to use <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Worldslayer" href="#" target="_blank">Worldslayer</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is the goal and the end game for them. It's in the deck to do this at least once and then when they do it, it's all "Hell yeah, I did it! <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Worldslayer" href="#" target="_blank">Worldslayer</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, baby!"</p>
<p>A brief moment of celebration before being hit with the realization that the game doesn't just end there. Some might scoop and I wouldn't blame them, but the game goes on. This is most definitely a lesson to be learned by the newer player.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Accumulated Knowledge"></div></div>
<p>By having <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Worldslayer" href="#" target="_blank">Worldslayer</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> go off and invoking the wrath of their opponents immediately after, it should dawn on this player to have a plan should they do this again. Or maybe they decide the card is not worth the smoke. Did you have a chat with this player about <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Worldslayer" href="#" target="_blank">Worldslayer</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and why you went after them so hard?</p>
<p>I do think that knocking out a player and having them twiddle their thumbs for an hour is a bummer byproduct of the format sometimes. I'd like to use my parting words in this article to encourage players who have control over their playing environment to have things to do or plans for passing time when a player is eliminated and has time to wait.</p>
<p>You are not the Bolas, Trombone. Though Bolas Trombone conjures a fun image of a massive planeswalking Dragon wearing shades and playing some ska ("pick it up, pick it up, pick it up"), I cannot say this was a Bolas move. You did what was best for your game plan and took out the only player who presented such a massive threat to you and the game in general.</p>
<p>I'd be lying if I said I didn't like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Worldslayer" href="#" target="_blank">Worldslayer</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> in concept, though. What a crazy card. <em>WotC</em> printed a nuke onto a sword in 2003 and couldn't predict this would happen more than 20 years later. What a gift this game's history continues to be.</p>
<p>Not the Bolas! Happy holidays!</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Flow of Knowledge"></div></div>


Am I the Bolas? - A World Slain

<p style="text-align: right;"><em><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Withercrown" href="#" target="_blank">Withercrown</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> | Art by <a href="https://scryfall.com/search?q=a%3A%E2%80%9CMiranda+Meeks%E2%80%9D&amp;unique=art" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Miranda Meeks</a></em></p>
<hr />
<p>Hello, and welcome to <em>Am I the Bolas</em>?<strong> This week, a new player just wants to play <em>something</em>!</strong></p>
<p>This column is for all of you out there who have ever played some <em>Magic </em>and wondered if you were the bad guy. I'm here to take in your story with all of its nuances so I can bring some clarity to all those asking, "Am I the Bolas?"</p>
<p>I'm ready to hear you out and offer advice. All you have to do is email amithebolas@gmail.com with your story, a pseudonym you want to use, and of course, only include details you don't mind in the column! You might see your story below one day. You might even hear it on the podcast. Which podcast?</p>
<p><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-25893" src="https://commandersherald.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/bolcast_logo430x430-300x300.png" alt="" width="249" height="249" /></p>
<p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/@AmITheBolcast" target="_blank" rel="noopener">THIS PODCAST!</a></p>
<p>I'm Mike Carrozza and I'm in Japan right now!</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Kami of the Crescent Moon"></div></div>
<p><i>I met this guy at an onsen, he was friendly and generous!</i></p>
<p>(Post edited for brevity, clarity, and then some.)</p>
<hr />
<h2>SUBMISSION</h2>
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<p><em>Hi Mike,</em></p>
<p><em>Big fan of the column and second time writing in.</em></p>
<p><em>I’ll get right into it. We have a relatively new player in our pod. He’s a good guy, very friendly, but being so new his turns take a loooong time. Even in the early turns with only one or two mana to spare, he somehow seems to agonize about which spells to play, which should tell you how long later turns can take. </em></p>
<p><em>A lot of us in the pod didn't start playing until a few years ago. Our rookie days aren’t that far in the past so I do try to make space for that, but it can be frustrating. On top of that, he has a tendency to make panicked decisions when he realizes how long he’s taking that often end up with king making.</em></p>
<p><em>For example, a few weeks ago we were playing a riveting game. I was playing <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Hazel of the Rootbloom" href="#" target="_blank">Hazel of the Rootbloom</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, the new guy was playing <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Cloud, Midgar Mercenary" href="#" target="_blank">Cloud, Midgar Mercenary</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, the guy opposite me was playing <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Szarel, Genesis Shepherd" href="#" target="_blank">Szarel, Genesis Shepherd</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, and the other guy was playing <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Raggadragga, Goreguts Boss" href="#" target="_blank">Raggadragga, Goreguts Boss</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. Raggadragga and Cloud struggled in the game from a lack of resources and going aggro a little too early. Szarel had really popped off and, during the final turn of the game, they were about to overwhelm us with a bunch of pumped creatures.</em></p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Hazel of the Rootbloom"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Szarel, Genesis Shepherd"></div></div>
<p><em>I had quietly amassed a large amount of token artifacts and creatures, but had kept a low profile. That said, Szarel could tell I was a threat, so he swung a few smaller creatures to take out the other two players, but sent a large host of creatures my way. With trample, I was going to die to combat damage. But I had anticipated this and used Hazel's ability to tap my tokens to play <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Arachnogenesis" href="#" target="_blank">Arachnogenesis</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. </em></p>
<p><em>By sparing the other two and having Szarel with their shields down on my next turn, I would have all I needed with my new Spider tokens to swing the game in my direction. But wouldn’t you know it, making an impulsive and panicked play, the kingmaker countered my <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Arachnogenesis" href="#" target="_blank">Arachnogenesis</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> with a <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mana Tithe" href="#" target="_blank">Mana Tithe</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. I try to point out to him that countering me effectively kills him, but he just wanted to counter the spell and play a new game. I’m frustrated, but okay, he’s unfamiliar with kingmaking so I cool off and we get back to another game.</em></p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Arachnogenesis"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Mana Tithe"></div></div>
<p><em>The next time we meet, it happens again but not to me. I do remember chuckling and pointing out that he kingmade again and he sheepishly just says he saw a big spell popping off and wanted to counter it, not fully understanding what it would mean to the game. Again, we move on.</em></p>
<p><em>And then last week, we’re playing a game and my <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Valgavoth, Harrower of Souls" href="#" target="_blank">Valgavoth, Harrower of Souls</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> deck has been burning people gradually but now I’m ready to turn up the heat. I have a <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Zulaport Cutthroat" href="#" target="_blank">Zulaport Cutthroat</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and a <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Blood Artist" href="#" target="_blank">Blood Artist</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> out so I cast a <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Blasphemous Act" href="#" target="_blank">Blasphemous Act</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> to make a huge dent in the life totals at the table. </em></p>
<p><em>I have a full grip of cards from Valgavoth and my opponents are all low on resources. The spell will take one of the better players out and severely drain the other. The kingmaker won’t get hit with any of the death triggers because they’ll die to my <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mogis, God of Slaughter" href="#" target="_blank">Mogis, God of Slaughter</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> on their upkeep, no matter what. But he counters my spell with a <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Negate" href="#" target="_blank">Negate</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. I ask why, pointing out that he will be dead either way and this will prolong the game. He shrugs, my spell is countered, and he dies on his upkeep.</em></p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Blasphemous Act"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Zulaport Cutthroat"></div></div>
<p><em>That was a lot so I’ll keep this brief: <strong>Am I the Bolas for this rookie kingmaking driving me up the wall? At what point is </strong></em><strong>he </strong><em><strong>the Bolas for constantly making his most impactful play a <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Counterspell" href="#" target="_blank">Counterspell</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> on his way out of the game for no other reason than he just wants to play a spell?</strong></em></p>
</div>
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<p><em>Thanks,</em></p>
<p><em>Jundly Sprunklesbry</em></p>
<p>(If you don't leave a pseudonym, I'll just give you one.)</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Squee, Dubious Monarch"></div></div>
</div>
<hr />
<h2>VERDICT</h2>
<p>Thank you for writing and asking me to weigh in on your story. As I mention every week, if folks don't write to me, there's no column, so if you, the reader, want to send me a story, whether it's your own or one from Reddit or a friend's, please send it to amithebolas@gmail.com and I'll get to it here.</p>
<p>The first thing I'd like to address is the use of "kingmaking" in this submission. While I usually think of kingmaking as immediately giving the game away to another player, it's also correct to use it in this instance wherein a player whose odds at a victory are low does something to swing the game in someone else's favor, or at least tries to.</p>
<p>This is a pretty frustrating one. I understand where you're coming from. Unfortunately, this is essentially his lesson to learn. I don't think you're being unreasonable. While, I can appreciate that Rookie doesn't seem to do it as a grudge against you or something, it feels pretty unpredictable. In one of your examples, he wants the game to end sooner, but in the second example, he's prolonging it for everybody but him.</p>
<p>Is this something the playgroup has also expressed is an annoyance? If so, it's probably time for a chat with Rookie to discuss behaviors that aren't meshing with the group. As he is newer to the game, these faux pas might not flag to him as something to avoid, yet. Is he aware of how his plays make you feel about the game?</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Warriors&#039; Lesson"></div></div>
<p>I recognize that, in the moment, you all discuss the plays that are being made and how they impact the game. If there's room for a chat about game expectations and how these moves create a negative play experience for you, it's worth having a direct conversation about it. Bringing up these two examples would also be smart as they highlight inconsistencies in the types of plays that result in the <em>same</em> thing: frustration.</p>
<p>I think this is more about discussing intention with Rookie and bringing attention to that.</p>
<p>The trouble here is this is a bit high-horsey - not to be confused with <em>Hi, Horsey!,</em> one of Bojack Horseman's lesser known sitcoms. This conversation topic feels like it can veer into lightly-condescending, so be mindful of this in your approach. I wish you luck with it, but I think all in all, it should go fine.</p>
<p>I'm leaning not the Bolas because it's giving me "he doesn't know any better" vibes. Nobody's at fault, really. It's somebody catching up to where the rest of you are and falling into the similar things I'm certain we've all done, without thinking, at one point or another.</p>
<p>Were the Rookie no longer a Rookie and intentionally throwing a spanner in the works even if it's not best for him, that'd be pretty spiteful and that's not the kind of player I'm interested in playing with. But it feels like there's a bit of a grace period here.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="When We Were Young"></div></div>


edh etiquette

Am I the Bolas? - A World Slain

Am I the Bolas? - Rookie Kingmaker