If there’s one thing that every Fallout game has taught us, it’s that humans never learn their lesson. As if Earth needed to endure any more nuclear explosions, Fallout 76 allows players to launch nukes of their own and even encourages them to do so.
While obtaining pre-war nuclear launch codes was a privilege only a few in the world had, the post-apocalyptic wasteland hands out codes as if they were phone numbers. If you're looking to leave a radioactive scar upon Earth yourself, you're gonna need to know what Nuke Codes are currently active.
Currently active Fallout 76 Nuke Codes (May 20 - May 27):
Alpha: 443 08 932
Bravo: 318 14 079
Charlie: 573 67 175
Nuke Codes reset every Sunday at 5pm PT / 8pm ET / Monday 12AM UTC:
What are Nukes Codes used for in Fallout 76?
Screenshot by Destructoid
In Fallout 76, Nuke Codes are weekly codes for launching nukes across the Appalachian Wasteland. When the codes reset every Sunday night, any codes held within player inventories will be deleted. Each code consists of eight digits corresponding to one of the three nuclear launch sites within the game: Alpha, Bravo, and Charlie. Since each code can be used by any player while they are active, the community comes together to decipher the codes each week so that individuals don't have to.
Besides nuking other players’ camps for fun, nuclear launches play a vital role in the endgame of Fallout 76. After an area is nuked, some of the highest-level enemies, loot, and mutated flowers spawn within the newly created blast zone. Some bosses such as the Scorchbeast Queen only spawn when particular areas are nuked.
How to use Nuke Codes in Fallout 76
Every player is capable of taking advantage of the regions nuked by other players but to launch nukes of your own, there are some prerequisites.
Here’s what needs to be done in order to use Nuke Codes to launch nuclear missiles:
Complete the Main Quest
Become a member of the Enclave faction
Complete the Enclave quest, I am Become Death (This acts as a tutorial for the launch process)
Alternatively, having a team member launch a nuke will automatically complete the quest for you.
Obtain a Nuclear Keycard - By using the tracking terminal located within the Whitespring Congressional Bunker, you can trigger a repeatable quest to track a cargobot convey which carries a Nuclear Keycard.
Travel to any of the three nuclear launch sites: Alpha, Bravo, or Charlie
Fight high-level enemy hordes within the launch site. (Prepare for level 50+ robots)
Input the weekly Nuke Codes found at the top of this page that correspond to the nuclear launch site you’re at. (Ex. the Alpha code only works for Launch Site Alpha.)
Select your target and launch your nuclear missile
Where are the nuclear launch sites in Fallout 76?
There are three nuclear launch sites in Fallout 76, each located within the Savage Divide region. There aren't many differences between them, but if a player has recently used a site to launch a nuke, the interior will be on lockdown (effectively a cooldown state).
Where to find Launch Site Alpha, Bravo, and Charlie
Launch Site Alpha (Screenshot by Destructoid)Launch Site Alpha (Screenshot by Destructoid)Launch Site Charlie (Screenshot by Destructoid)
Launch Site Alpha
Site Alpha is located North of West Tek Research Center.
Launch Site Bravo
Site Bravo is found directly South of the Palace of the Winding Path, or Northeast of the Grafton Dam.
Launch Site Charlie
Site Charlie is Southwest of Foundation within a warehouse facility.
Learning the rules of how to play Magic: The Gathering is all you need to do in order to have fun at most tables. But at some point in your journey as a Planeswalker, you may run into an opponent whose deck always has the upper hand against yours. This boils down to the balancing system within MTG, which, like many competitive games, is roughly based on a “Rock, Paper, Scissors” system. The concept is easy to follow, but it isn't as simple as it sounds.
In Magic: The Gathering, there are numerous deck archetypes that represent our rock, paper, and scissors. At the core of MTG (and other card and video games), there are three primary archetypes: Aggro, Control, and Combo. This guide will go over these three archetypes and the Keyword Abilities that contribute to their success. By the end, you’ll be able to identify the archetype of any given deck, along with its strengths and weaknesses.
Image by Destructoid
The three core deck archetypes in Magic: The Gathering (MTG)
Aggro (Aggressive) deck archetypes in MTG
Starting with one of the easiest-to-understand archetypes, Aggro decks are everything that you think of when you hear “aggressive.” The strategy is to be in your opponent’s face, hitting hard and fast. To do this, Aggro decks primarily contain cards of the Red mana color due to its cheap creatures and Burn spells (such as Lightning Bolt) which are capable of dealing raw damage to any target.
Some abilities that thrive in Aggro decks are Haste, Prowess, and Trample. These abilities allow creatures to dish out damage quickly and efficiently. Remember, the goal of an Aggro deck is to be fast and overwhelm your opponents before they have a chance to establish themselves. You’ll be looking to swing (attack) with all of your creatures in every combat phase, if possible.
Although most Aggro decks in MTG use Red cards, that isn’t to say that other colors can’t be used to build aggressive decks. One of the weaknesses of Red cards is the lack of removal and denial options. Pairing Red with colors that cover its shortcomings, such as Black or Blue, will make for a slightly less aggressive but more well-rounded deck. The popular Gruul Aggro combination uses Red cards to establish an early board advantage and then uses enchants and +1/+1 counters from Green cards to form a powerful mid-game roster.
If you can’t defeat your opponent quickly enough, your army of small creatures won’t be able to stand up against the fearsome monstrosities built by Ramp decks or the various gimmicks that Combo decks employ.
Combo deck archetypes in MTG
Combo decks are the paper to Aggro decks’ rock, but that metaphor doesn’t paint the whole picture. Your strategy becomes a matter of putting together the pieces of a puzzle. Reliably drawing those pieces and defending your work in progress are the keys to being a successful Combo player. This is why Combo archetypes in MTG perform so well against Aggro strategies; There isn’t a fear of a Counterspell or Exile card awaiting your grand finale.
Each Combo deck has an overall win condition, with most having a few lesser combos included. While there isn’t a particular color that is overrepresented in Combo decks, there are many boxes that need to be checked to succeed.
Helpful spells and abilities for Combo decks in MTG include:
Tutor cards allow you to search your library for specific card types.
Spells or permanents with Hexproof, Indestructible, or Ward, which effectively increases the cost to target a permanent with spells or abilities.
Triggers or abilities such as “enter the battlefield (ETB)” or “Whenever you…” provide a focus for the deck to be built around.
An example of a win condition for a Combo deck would be Revel in Riches. By utilizing the Pirates tribe and their various means of Treasure generation or cards such as Brass’s Bounty, victory is easily attainable.
Image via Wizards of the CoastImage via Wizards of the CoastImage via Wizards of the Coast
With an ideal starting hand, Combo decks easily spiral out of control and become a dominant force at the table– or simply win the game. But as we mentioned at the beginning of this guide, this concept is only simple on paper. While Combo strategies excel against Aggro decks, they fall victim to the disruption that Control archetypes specialize in. A simple Counterspell or various forms of removal could put a stop to a Combo deck before it has the chance to get the ball rolling.
Control deck archetypes in MTG
With a Control deck, you’re disrupting the opponents’ strategy in every way that you can. This is done with Counterspells, forms of removal such as Destroy or Exile cards, or advanced strategies such as Mill or Discard. It’s because of these tools that Combo decks fear going up against Control decks.
Colors that are synonymous with Control decks are Blue, White, and Black. Each of these colors provides the means to put a stop to any deck strategy out there– so long as you have the cards in hand and mana to spare.
Helpful spells and abilities for Control decks in MTG include:
Scry and Surveil cards along with sources of card Draw in order to keep a healthy amount of solutions in your hand to address any issues that arise.
Removal cards range from soft-removal options such as Bounce (return target permanent to its owner’s hand) to hard-removal in the form of Destroy or Exile cards.
Abilities that effectively increase the number of spells at your disposal. These would be Flashback or Magecraft spells or any card that allows you to “return Instant or Sorcery cards from your graveyard.”
But while Control decks seem to have all of the solutions for dealing with other deck archetypes, they struggle to close out games on their own. Control decks are notorious for running very few creatures, which greatly limits their offensive capabilities and makes defending those creatures a necessary task for victory. Many Control players resort to unconventional win conditions such as Laboratory Maniac or the various Jace Planeswalkers and their card drawing and milling mechanics.
Control decks can easily dismantle the strategies of Combo decks but struggle to keep up with the output of creatures and spells cast by Aggro players. Players of Control decks will frequently lose mana advantage to Aggro players due to the cost differences between the two. Eventually, Control players will run out of answers to Aggro players’ numerous questions, and defeat becomes inevitable.
Other deck archetypes in Magic: The Gathering (MTG)
Aggro, Combo, and Control archetypes are the foundation of many decks within MTG. There are a vast number of strategies that build off of one or a combination of multiple archetypes to create a unique playstyle. Archetypes such as Tempo or Midrange fuse the strategies of Aggro and Control decks but deploy them at opposing stages of the game.
Wizards of the Coast continues to expand the number of archetypes that exist in the game by introducing new abilities with every set. But at its core, Magic: The Gathering will forever be one of the most captivating games of Rock, Paper, Scissors ever.
If you go onto any anime streaming site, chances are you’ve seen anime with wacky titles like Reborn as a Vending Machine, I Now Wander the Dungeon or Do You Love Your Mom and Her Two-Hit Multi-Target Attacks? While the titles make them sound like April Fool’s jokes, these are real anime and are part of a popular subgenre known as isekai.
In isekai, protagonists are transported or reincarnated into another world vastly different than their own. Seeing the protagonist develop confidence, gain strength, and grow into the shoes of a hero makes isekai anime very appealing to fans of all ages.
While I couldn’t tell you why so many isekai have odd titles that reveal the majority of the plot, I can tell you what the 10 best isekai anime of all time are.
A light-hearted comedy and reverse isekai, where Satan was forced to retreat through a portal that transported him to modern-day Tokyo. Due to Earth’s lack of magic, Satan and his demon generals lose their powers and are transformed into humans. Satan takes up the name, “Sadao Maou,” and gets a job at MgRonalds (a parody of McDonald's). Instead of waging war, Sadao and the generals face the struggles of life at minimum wage, while spending their time off figuring out how to return to their world.
The Devil Is A Part-Timer! Is an entertaining take on the isekai genre that provides a unique answer to the question, “What if the overpowered characters were transported to our world instead?”
After an unfortunate death and encounter with a mysterious character known as Being X, a Japanese salaryman is reincarnated into a new, war-torn world as a young girl named Tanya. Hoping to eventually live a life of luxury, Tanya enlists in the military with the expectation that the knowledge from her past life could jump-start her career.
As Tanya proves herself to the Empire and rises in the ranks, she strays further from her original goal of living a life of luxury, as being an overachiever gets her assigned into increasingly dangerous combat roles. Tanya’s power is frequently put on display in large-scale, explosive fight scenes with some of the best action animations to date.
Arguably considered the anime that pioneered the MMORPG setting, .hack/Sign was one of the first anime to explore the psychological and sociological subjects surrounding video games.
After Tsukasa wakes up in an MMORPG known simply as The World, he struggles to remember who he was and how he got into the game. After realizing that he can’t log out of the game, he begins his search for answers. Eventually, he meets the Crimson Knights and their leader Subaru, who—along with several other players—decide to join his investigation, since Tsukasa’s very existence seems to be the key to The World.
.hack/Sign paved the way for many popular isekai series, like Sword Art Online and Log Horizon. While the psychological and slow-burning aspect of .hack/Sign may not appeal to everybody, its role in expanding the isekai subgenre and merging the world of video games and anime has secured its spot as one of the best isekai anime of all time.
Gate is a balanced blend of both a regular isekai and reverse isekai. Japan Self-Defense Forces (JSDF) officer Youji Itami travels through a mysterious gate into a fantasy world ripe with supernatural creatures and medieval warriors after said beings invaded Tokyo. Youji and his team work to create an alliance with the empire on the other side of the gate and add a diverse cast of fantasy characters to their group along the way.
The humor is, at times, on the mature end of the spectrum, with silly depictions of war between warriors clad in iron armor against attack helicopters, mortar teams, and modern-day assault rifles. But despite its violence, Gate is an appealing isekai that explores a difficult path to coexistence between different worlds.
If you’ve ever wondered what it’d be like to be the last player character in a world filled with NPCs (non-player characters), Overlord is the anime for you. But while every world needs heroes to save it, they also need villains to be saved from. Ainz Ooal Gown, an overpowered elder lich, sets out to conquer the world alongside his loyal cast of followers.
After experiencing all the world has to offer, his final quest is to put his power to the test and see just how OP he has become. Overlord is packed with non-stop entertainment, with lovable characters and some of the most ridiculous displays of power in all of anime.
5. KonoSuba: God’s Blessing on This Wonderful World!
By far one of the funniest isekai and anime in general, KonoSuba: God’s Blessing on This Wonderful World follows ordinary protagonist Kazuma Sato as he finds himself stumbling into increasingly dangerous yet hilarious situations. While his party members include a goddess, an un-killable knight, and a famous magician, their contrasting personalities end up being the fuel for most of the series’ conflicts.
Despite having the Adventurer job (class) and being much lower level than his companions, Kazuma ends up being the glue that holds everything together. How he does so is what makes KonoSuba one of the most hilarious isekai anime out there.
Minoru has always wanted to rule from the shadows. After being reincarnated into another world, Minoru takes advantage of his new life as Cid Kagenou and becomes the mysterious Shadow, leader of Shadow Garden.
Cid amasses followers and tasks them with looking into the rise of a fake group known as the Cult of Diabolos, an imaginary enemy that sounds fitting for Shadow Garden. Unbeknownst to Cid, his imagination influences the development of the world around him. The conspiracies and intrigue actually become real.
Cid’s grandiose lines, and the lengths he goes to be the most dramatic character he can be, makes Eminence in Shadow stand out amongst the typical isekai anime of recent years.
While its cast of bright-haired twin maids and cute creatures make it seem like another cutesy isekai, Re:Zero - Starting Life in Another World is quickly filled with death and conflict for protagonist, Subaru Natsuki.
After being transported to a fantasy world, Subaru is cursed with a power that, at first, doesn’t sound too bad: “Return by Death.” Much like an autosave feature from video games, Subaru’s power becomes a cycle of failure and death, as he learns that this world is anything but a game. Subaru has to learn to make the most out of each resurrection, in order to save the people around him.
Re:Zero is an isekai that punches above its weight and can hold its own when compared to the most popular anime. While it checks off all of the boxes for what makes a satisfying isekai, it boasts character development and emotional appeal that isn’t always expected from the isekai genre.
Satoru Mikami ends up being reincarnated as a slime after losing his life. While slimes are typically considered a bottom-tier monster in any fantasy world, Mikami is granted a few unique abilities based on his final thoughts before his death. With his built-in AI-like Great Sage assistant, and the Predator ability that makes him a slime version of Kirby, Mikami—now known as Rimuru Tempest—seeks to be a Demon Lord, the pinnacle of all monsters.
With his newly acquired powers, Rimuru focuses on building a nation of monsters that allows his fellow monsters and followers to have a peaceful place in the world. That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime's Rimuru ends up becoming one of the wisest and most inspirational isekai protagonists of all time.
Since its anime debut in 2000, Inuyasha can be found in nearly every conversation or online debate over what is considered the greatest anime of all time. High school student Kagome Higurashi is sent back in time to the Sengoku period in Japan to help a half-demon, Inuyasha, recover the shards of a powerful jewel. While at first the two are hesitant to trust each other, Inuyasha and Kagome form a slow-building romance that influences their fates.
Whether you’re looking to get into anime for the first time or you’ve been transported into the past and want to experience the classics, Inuyasha is the isekai anime for you. It’s difficult to pin one genre to Inuyasha, since it does everything so well that you’ll often forget that it was an isekai. The animation, though over 20 years old, still holds up wonderfully. The romance between Inuyasha and Kagome rivals that of many other love stories in romance anime, all while treating fans to a decade-long adventure that contains something that every type of anime fan can appreciate.
Local Game Stores are becoming increasingly difficult to find as the world shifts to digital storefronts. Luckily for those living in remote areas or whose favorite store closed down, Magic: The Gathering has a thriving online player base across many platforms.
Many popular platforms take the (excuse the pun) magic from the tabletop to the internet. Each accommodates a variety of game modes and features which makes some more appealing than others.
Player preferences are primarily formed around three criteria:
Game modes (Ex. Standard, Commander, Two-Headed Giant)
Accessibility (Installation, setup, cost)
User Experience (Interface, gameplay automation, matchmaking)
With those in mind, here are the best ways to play Magic: The Gathering (MTG) online:
While Tabletop Simulator can be used to play virtually any tabletop game, it doesn't mean that it's easy. MTG can be played in Tabletop Simulator but requires a tremendous amount of work for every player involved.
Players will need to create or find a table suitable for MTG on the Steam Workshop.
Decks must be created and imported into the game with assets for each card.
The process of finding games is left up to the player, mostly an option suitable for games between friends
When XMage works, it's one of the best clients for playing MTG online. Unfortunately, XMage is rife with issues both in and out of the game. Players frequently mention being unable to download the client due to website errors or experiencing other game-breaking bugs.
Modern interface, considered a successor to Cockatrice
Completely free
Infrequent updates - new sets are usually introduced within a month of release
If bugs are present, it could be months before they're addressed
During a good patch, XMage is considered a go-to platform, but those patches are becoming increasingly rare
Cockatrice launched in 2010 and was the community’s first attempt at digitizing Magic. Wizard of the Coast’s Magic: The Gathering Online was the primary platform for players who wanted to play Magic over the internet. But for many paperplayers, paying for an additional digital collection of cards simply wasn’t affordable.
Cockatrice launched with the promise of a completely free-to-play Magic experience online, a promise that has held up to this day.
Screenshot by Destructoid
Pros:
Complete card library
Full control of the gameplay means it’s easy to undo or fix mistakes
In-game chat for communication
Can play every type of game mode
Free to use and doesn’t require paying for cards
Cons:
No automated actions - it’s important for all players to be well-versed in the rules and mechanics
Arguments over how to resolve cards are common
Complicated to set up, not a simple download and play process
Barebones, the quality of the experience is left entirely to the players
Smaller pool of players means games can be difficult to find
As time has passed, so too have the technology and capabilities of the internet. While Cockatrice still receives support and occasional updates, the interface is dated and the client feels like a chat room from the early 2000s. Setting up and playing on Cockatrice has gotten easier over the years, but can still be off-putting to some players.
In 2002, Wizards of the Coast launched Magic: The Gathering Online, which could be considered a pioneer of online card gaming. While heavily criticized for its in-game economy and numerous bugs, MTGO has managed to stay alive despite facing many competitors over its two-decade lifespan.
Unlike Cockatrice, MTGO provides gameplay automation, meaning instead of arguing with your opponents, you can blame the computer for everything (and you will). At any point in time, MTGO can be described as a buggy but complete experience. For those who don’t mind the costs associated with a digital collection, there isn’t a more comprehensive platform for playing Magic online.
Image via Wizards of the Coast
Pros:
Complete card library
Official Wizards of the Coast product
Players own their cards as digital assets, can trade and sell them
Can play every game mode
Automated actions simplify the gameplay process and takes the burden off of players
Cons:
Have to purchase or rent digital cards to use, can be very expensive
Client tends to lag in later stages of games
Many bugs with card interactions or with the client itself
Client feels very outdated
Only in English
Only for Windows
Unfortunately, MTGO is only available in English and on Windows PCs. This severely harms the accessibility factor which lowers our overall rating for MTGO.
Since its launch in 2018, Magic: The Gathering Arena has been the reigning champ when it comes to the most streamlined MTG experience on the market. Arena is a vast improvement over Wizards of the Coast’s first child, MTGO. The UI has been modernized and the game rules engine was built from the ground up and is written in a way that allows for endless development.
Screenshot by Destructoid
Pros:
By far the most streamlined gameplay experience - all phases, spells and triggers are automated
Free to play - cards can be earned with currency obtainable in-game, though can also be purchased with real money
The most polished of all options
Ranking system, matchmaking, automated events
Official Wizards of the Coast product
Translated into eight different languages
Easy to download and jump right into games
Tutorial and in-game guides
Cons:
Doesn’t contain the complete card library, only around 10,000 cards out of the 26,000+ (since Ixalan)
Game modes such as Commander and Two-Headed Giant aren’t available
Can’t trade or sell cards. Cards can only be obtained through purchasing packs or utilizing a Wildcard system.
Even though it has a smaller card library and only five game modes (four of which are similar to but not entirely identical to paper MTG game modes), Arena earns its place as #2. For people new to Magic, Arena is the place to be. While other options mostly cater to people already familiar with MTG, Arena provides a tutorial, helpful tooltips, and beginner decks to introduce beginners to various mechanics.
SpellTable is the new kid on the block (or at least on this list). During the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, the future of paper MTG was unclear. SpellTable, previously known as VirtualEDH, was quickly developed as a way to keep the Commander game mode alive (since Commander had limited online support at the time).
Within months of its inception, SpellTable joined Wizards of the Coast and was able to expand support to all formats. SpellTable maintains the authentic paper MTG experience by utilizing a mobile phone or webcam and a good ol’ tabletop surface. Over time, the developers have enhanced the app with features that create a sort of “paper Magic 2.0” feeling.
Image via Wizards of the Coast
Pros:
The most authentic paper Magic: The Gathering experience online
Use all physical cards that you own (including proxies)
Sort of an augmented reality experience since card images can be read by the client
Official Wizards of the Coast product
Supports all game modes
Easy-to-use interface
Free
Cons:
Requires a webcam or phone and space to set up a suitable playing area
No built-in matchmaking system. Finding games and play groups requires some work from the player
Some of the popular Discord groups require a subscription in order to use their matchmaking services
Gameplay done over a webcam can make it easier to cheat
Despite being created as a temporary solution for paper MTG due to social distancing, SpellTable has continued to be a popular choice for playing MTG online by players around the world. No other app captures the “dining room table with your buddies” aspect of Magic: The Gathering quite like SpellTable does.
All those years of stepping on insects have come back to bite us in the butt. Like the many other creatures in the Appalachian Wasteland of Fallout 76, insects have evolved to become some of the most terrifying enemies around. Despite that, insects are one of the more convenient enemy types to eliminate for the Big Game Hunter daily quest. So grab your insect repellent and weapon of choice; we’re showing you all of the best insect locations in Fallout 76.
All insect locations in Fallout 76
Of the many insect locations across the Appalachian Wasteland, Aaronholt Homestead, Carson Family Bunker, and Fort Defiance are the best for completing quick and easy daily quests. Each of those locations has a high number of insects that are on the easier end of the spectrum, such as Radroaches, Bloodbugs and Bloatflies.
Image via Bethesda
Map Marker
Location
Insects
1
Aaronholt Homestead
Bloodbugs, Bloatflies
2
Carson Family Bunker
Radroaches
3
Fort Defiance
Ants, Bloatflies, Bloodbugs
4
New River Gorge Bridge
Bloodbugs, Bloatflies
5
Tanagra Town
Crickets
6
Autumn Acre Cabin
Bloodbugs, Bloatflies
7
Big Maw
Bloatflies, Ticks, Stingwings
8
Sons of Dane Compound
Various insects
9
Middle Mountain Cabins
Honey Beasts
10
Freddy’s House of Scares
Honey Beasts
11
Grafton Dam
Honey Beasts
12
Crater Watchstation
Bloodbugs, Radscorpions
Every insect event in Fallout 76
If you’ve ever wanted to roleplay a post-apocalyptic exterminator, the various insect events in Fallout 76 can make your dreams (or nightmares) come true. Events are some of the best sources for a high volume of enemies to put your builds to the test. So either grab a friend or a big gun, lest you fall to a swarm of insects in these events:
While Project Paradise has many rare drops and a variety of insect enemies, it requires coordination between many players to maximize the rewards. However, the other events on the list are much more manageable for solo players or small groups.
List of all insects in Fallout 76
Screenshot by Destructoid
Fallout 76 is teeming with creepy crawlies, from the poor Radroaches that introduce us to combat in every Fallout game to the menacing Fog Crawlers that don’t take kindly to shrimp-fried rice jokes. Here is the complete list of insects you can encounter in Fallout 76:
Ants
Bee Swarms
Bloatflies
Bloodbugs
Cave Crickets
Fireflies
Fog Crawlers
Honeybeasts
Mothmen
Radroaches
Radscorpions
Stingwings
Ticks
If you’ve ever walked the path of vengeance in Fallout: New Vegas, you’ll be pleased to hear that the Cazadores haven’t returned in Fallout 76. That isn’t to say that the insects in West Virginia are to be underestimated. Appalachia hosts a wide variety of insects that embody the spirit of Muhammad Ali. Some of them float like butterflies, and all of them sting like bees.
As of 2024, there are over 27,000 unique cards in Magic: The Gathering. But despite the high number of cards, most formats such as Standard and Pauper include restrictions for the types of cards allowed. If you’ve found your parent’s old MTG cards or came across some at a garage sale, chances are the cards can’t be used in a majority of the game modes that local game stores (LGS) hold events for.
One type of game mode that is an exception to this is considered the most popular game mode of Magic: The Gathering: Commander. It's a little different from your normal Magic duel.
How to play Commander in MTG
Commander, also known as Elder Dragon Highlander (EDH), is considered the most popular (and most fun) format in Magic: The Gathering. Walk into any LGS and if there are MTG players, they most likely have a Commander deck. So what separates this format from the rest?
Commander is a free-for-all format played with 2-6 players
For the best experience, it's recommended to play with at least three players. This is due to Commander-specific cards that introduce interactions with multiple opponents
Each player begins with 40 health as opposed to the standard 20 health.
Each player has a designated Commander card (more information on that below).
Commanders are played from a zone known simply as the Command Zone.
When destroyed or exiled, Commanders are returned to the Command Zone instead.
Each subsequent cast of the Commander will require an additional two colorless mana (there isn’t a cap to this additional cost).
An additional rule in Commander that helps players get home at a decent hour is the Commander Damage rule. If a Commander deals at least 21 combat damage to an opponent over the course of the game, that opponent loses the game. So don’t worry, if your former friend has a field of Lifelink Angels and their health is well over 300, you don’t have to swing on them until midnight.
Other than these rules, everything plays exactly how typical Magic: The Gathering modes do. So with these rules in mind, it’s time to move on to what my personal favorite part of Commander is: deckbuilding.
How to build a Commander deck in MTG
Commander decks have 40 more cards than their Standard counterparts. While that seems like it’d make for a more expensive game mode, the opposite is true. Since Commander has far fewer restrictions and banned cards, it means that the demand for the majority of cards is much lower than that of the Standard format.
Local game stores often have boxes with unsorted cards that are perfect for filling out a Commander deck, often priced under a dollar. Online, many of these cards go for as little as a penny each. With that in mind, here are the rules for building a Commander deck in Magic: The Gathering:
Your deck must be comprised of 99 cards plus your Commander.
Any Legendary creature can be used as a Commander.
One Legendary creature card is designated the Commander.
Two exceptions to this rule are:
Two Legendary creatures that have the Partner ability (this would allow 98 other cards in the deck)
Planeswalkers that contain the text, “this card can be your commander.”
The rest of the deck must be built around the Commander’s mana color identity.
This includes the mana colors used to cast the Commander card along with any mana costs associated with abilities that the card may have.
Ex. Ghired, Mirror of the Wilds has a mana cost of Red, Green and White. If used as a Commander, the deck can only contain cards that have Red, Green, White, or Colorless mana costs.
Besides basic land cards, each card must be unique.
Cards that have the same name but are from different sets are considered the same card.
Having access to nearly the entire library of MTG cards makes putting together a cheap, well-built deck much more accessible for players. It’s worth noting that your Commander or any other card in your deck doesn’t have to be in English. You can find great deals on MTG cards in various languages by using sites such as EDHREC or Scryfall which have many filter options that streamline your card search.
Wizards of the Coast makes it even easier to jump into Commander by selling preconstructed (pre-con) Commander decks. Wizards has begun to increase the number of Commander precon sets every year, with 2023 having 25 Commander precons, up from past years that saw only 4-5 decks being released. These preconstructed decks provide access to Commanders that are crafted specifically for the game mode and are a solid foundation for new players.
Image via Magic Madhouse
Many guides can be found in the MTG community that give ideas on how to take pre-con decks to a higher level with various budget options. However, it’s recommended that you learn how the Commander plays first so that you understand what synergies or directions that the deck can take before you begin spending money.
Why Commander over other MTG formats?
Unlike Standard, Commander decks truly feel like your own. Instead of chasing a meta where everybody plays Azorius Control and players know the exact decklist that their opponents have, Commander allows for endless possibilities. You can build around your favorite Legendary creature, your favorite tribe, or construct a deck entirely around a single win condition (such as this example from Commander Mechanic with the Luck Bobblehead from the Fallout Universes Beyond set).
With your first Commander deck in hand, you’re ready to join players of the most popular format in Magic: The Gathering. If you don’t have an LGS near you or you’re hesitant to put your friendships on the line with an absurd deck strategy, you’re in luck. Nowadays, MTG is easier than ever to play online, with options for every type of player. From official platforms such as Magic: The Gathering Online or SpellTable, to community-managed apps like Cockatrice and XMage, your cards won't ever have a chance to collect dust.
As with any Bethesda game, Fallout 4 is jam-packed with weapons, armor, and collectible items that you’ll want to fill your suspiciously large backpack with.
But none of these seem to encumber us as often as the dozens of cigarette cartons and table lamps that we swipe from across The Commonwealth. Whether you’re looking to mod a laser rifle and make it your own, or you’re rebuilding Boston one settlement at a time, you’ll need to scrap junk items to acquire the valuable materials they hold within.
Scrapping individual junk items in Fallout 4
If you’re only scrapping a small number of junk items or you’re worried about accidentally scrapping collectible items that you wish to keep whole, you can break down junk individually within your settlements.
Go to the settlement where you’d like the materials to be deposited
Find the junk items within your inventory and then drop (R on PC, square on PlayStation, X on Xbox) the item into the world
Switch into build mode (Hold V on PC, the touchpad on PlayStation, the change view/left menu button on Xbox)
Hover over the items and select “scrap”
Screenshot by Destructoid
The materials from the scrapped items will be automatically deposited into the settlement workshop inventory that you’re within. While this is a fairly simple process, it can be quite a hassle when you’re looking to scrap an inventory and a half worth of junk. But worry not, there is a much easier method of scrapping junk items in bulk with minimal clicks.
Scrapping all junk at a workshop in Fallout 4
When at a settlement workshop, you have the option of transferring all junk items and scrap materials on your character into the workshop inventory (Press T on PC, triangle on PlayStation, Y on Xbox). When building or crafting items in that settlement, the workshop will automatically break down the junk items into their materials as they are needed.
Screenshot by Destructoid
Keep in mind that there are some collectable items that can be scrapped, so make sure to store them safely in a different inventory since there won’t be a prompt that warns you about them being consumed.
Turning all of our junk into scrap solves both the issue of disposing of them and stocking up on much-needed materials. So now that you’ve got a surplus of over 300 units of steel, you don’t need to pick up any more coffee pots… right?
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