The Dive Down

A Magic: The Gathering podcast for the casual spike, focused on Modern, Pioneer, Explorer, and more!

About the show

The Dive Down is a Magic: The Gathering podcast focused on the latest decks, trends, and strategies for the casual spikes in Modern, Pioneer, Explorer, and more!

Each week your hosts Dave, Shane, and Stanislav discuss the latest innovations, competitive events, and level-up topics for paper and online players.

Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thedivedown

Proudly sponsored by Heavy Play, a new card gaming accessories brand that'll improve your gameplay and game day. Use code THEDIVEDOWN2024 for 10% off your first order at https://www.heavyplay.com/

We're also sponsored by ManaTraders, the best Magic card rental service for both Magic Online and paper! Get 10% off your first 2 months of ManaTraders! https://www.manatraders.com/?medium=thedivedown or use Manatraders coupon code THEDIVEDOWN_8LU

The Dive Down on social media

Episodes and Blog Entries

  • Episode 73: Diving Deeper: How Do I Know If I'm Winning?

    Episode  |  May 15th, 2020  |  1 hr 53 mins

    This week we tackle a level-up prompt from a Patron of The Dive Down Nation - what does it mean to have advantage in a game of Magic? We explore what advantage can look like in different aspects of the game, how to use it in your game play, and how to play when you are ahead or behind.
    The Break Down: Cool decks from recent challenges
    The Dive Down: The Unified Theory of Magic
    The Dive Down, pt. 2: Debunking the Unified Theory of Magic

  • Episode 72: Sleeve/Believe/Heave: Constant Companions, v.2

    Episode  |  May 8th, 2020  |  1 hr 51 mins

    We take three more Companions and three new decks through the S/B/H process, and let you know what we thought about them! Maybe we even used that hippo one! (We didn't.)
    The Break Down: The Lotus Box is a League
    The Dive Down: Yorion, Lurrus (Again?), and Gyruda
    The Wind Down: 3 Minutes About Hobbies

  • Episode 71: Sleeve/Believe/Heave: Constant Companions, v.1

    Episode  |  May 1st, 2020  |  1 hr 59 mins

    This week The Dive Down boys test out some of the latest decks in Modern and Pioneer, all featuring Companions! Love them or hate them, they are certainly here for now. Listen and learn what we think about 3 of the newest popular Companions!
    The Break Down: 2 Challenging Modern Challenges
    The Dive Down: Our New Friends Lurrus, Obosh, and Zirda
    The Wind Down: Funeral For a Friend

  • Episode 70: Ponza: Sprawling Out

    Episode  |  April 24th, 2020  |  1 hr 53 mins

    We hang out with our old friend Klothys and her minions as we do a deck dive into the latest tier 1 Modern deck, Ponza!
    The Break Down: Challenge of the Companions
    The Break Down, cont: The Takes You're Looking For
    The Dive Down: 2 Glorybringers on Turn 3

  • Episode 69: Ikoria: A Lair of Spoilers, Pt. 2

    Episode  |  April 17th, 2020  |  1 hr 49 mins

    Dave is back and we tackle a second batch of spoilers from Ikoria, and give you our picks to click in Pioneer and Modern! Then we wind things down with The Dive Down Nation's spoiler survey.
    The Break Down: The latest Pioneer Super Qualifier
    The Dive Down: More Monsters, Fewer Problems
    The Wind Down: The Nation's spoiler survey

  • Bonus 7: Mono-Red Prowess ft. Ryan Overturf

    Episode  |  April 15th, 2020  |  1 hr 21 mins

    In this bonus episode, Dave and Stan got to chat with Ryan Overturf about Mono-Red Prowess! Who doesn’t love an explosive Lightning Bolt deck? We chat about the deck’s evolution in Modern, how to evaluate its threats, side boarding and more!

  • Episode 68: Ikoria: Lair of the Spoilers, Pt. 1 ft. Aspiring Spike

    Episode  |  April 10th, 2020  |  1 hr 48 mins

    We have Evart Moughon, aka Aspiring Spike, on as a guest host to go over the first batch of Ikoria spoilers!
    The Break Down: Modern Showcase!
    The Dive Down: Behemoth Spoilers!
    The Wind Down: Listener Questions!

  • Episode 67: Sleeve/Believe/Heave: Pioneer Budget Decks

    Episode  |  April 3rd, 2020  |  1 hr 42 mins

    This week we each take a budget deck through the S/B/H process, and share our experiences testing out some novel options in Pioneer!
    The Break Down: Talking Two Pioneer Super Qualifiers
    The Dive Down: Ox Talk (and some other things)

  • Episode 66: Mono-White in Pio: Heliod, Fun-Crowned, pt. II

    Episode  |  March 27th, 2020  |  1 hr 53 mins

    This week we head back for another Heliod deck dive, this time in Pioneer!
    The Break Down: Super MTGO Qualifiers in Modern and Pioneer
    The Dive Down: Infinite Clicks 'n' Damage 'n' Stuff

  • Episode 65: Staying in Touch at a Distance

    Episode  |  March 20th, 2020  |  1 hr 51 mins

    This week's a weird one, because things are weird. We first go over the Modern and Pioneer MTGO Challenges, then head into a grab bag of listener questions!
    The Break Down: Business as Usual
    The Dive Down: Staying Healthy, and Staying Positive

  • Episode 64: MTG Bans, SCG Regionals, and Other Happy Thoughts

    Episode  |  March 13th, 2020  |  1 hr 49 mins

    This week we're doing a bit of a news show — we're covering and discussing a bunch of current topics in Modern and Pioneer including Monday, March 9th's B&R, Pioneer on Arena, and SCG Regionals in Modern. Join us as we break down and break down and break down the last week of mtg.
    The Break Down 1: Pioneer Masters
    The Break Down 2: B&R
    The Dive Down: SCG Regionals (Modern)

  • Episode 63: Testing Innovations in Modern and Pioneer

    Episode  |  March 6th, 2020  |  1 hr 49 mins

    This week we are looking at some of the newest (and oldest) tech and decks in Modern and Pioneer! Mono G Walkers in Pioneer, Grinding Station Breach in Modern, and... Shadow of Doubt?
    The Break Down: The Modern and Pioneer Showcase Challenges
    The Dive Down: Innovations in Modern and Pioneer

  • Episode 62: Orzhov Sram Auras: Pants in Pioneer

    Episode  |  February 28th, 2020  |  1 hr 56 mins

    The gents explore a Patreon request - Orzhov Sram Auras - in Pioneer! Who's wearing the pants in this format? Listen to find out!
    The Break Down: SCG Indy Pio Open
    The Dive Down: Some Hate, Some Hope, Some Pants
    The Wind Down: Hey... Whacha Doin?

  • Bonus 6: Modern Blue Moon w/ ThePenSword

    Episode  |  February 25th, 2020  |  1 hr 23 mins

    In this bonus episode, Stan interviews a fixture of the MTGO leagues and Modern Blue Moon aficionado, Jacob Cumiskey aka ThePenSword. They talk about the ins and outs of Blue Red control decks, ranging from Thing in the Ice to Through the Breach, and gush over some of their favorite counterspells.

  • Episode 61: Heliod Combo: Modern Spike Feeding

    Episode  |  February 21st, 2020  |  1 hr 51 mins

    We take a dive into Heliod Company Combo in Modern. How it works, what we learned, and how annoying it is to play on Magic Online!
    The Break Down: NRG Indianapolis
    The Dive Down: Infinite Life and Infinite Misclicks
    The Wind Down: Manners, Schmanners

  • Episode 60: More Meta, More Meta, More Meta

    Episode  |  February 14th, 2020  |  1 hr 43 mins

    We're headed back to where it all started - Modern! This week's episode is an exploration of the past month+ of Modern events on Magic Online. What's rising, what's fading, and what do we think about it?
    The Break Down: RPT Phoenix and Shane's GP Phoenix experience
    The Dive Down: More Meta, More Meta, More Meta