The Boogeyman | The History of Jace, the Mind Sculptor 

You can tell how heroic/antiheroic Jace is depending on where his hood is and how much of his face you can see

You did it. You let people remember his name, he got his powers back.

Rhystic: "There's seven Chandras total" M20: **Hold my beer**

Two years later, it’s 2019 and both Jace and Stoneforge have been unbanned in modern.

Funny note in Venezuela we call Jace, TMS "Maradona" like the Argentin soccer player cause he have his blue uniform and once he hits the battlefield he can do what ever he wants.

_It's showtime._ _-Jace, the Mind Sculptor_

And now Oko is the new boogeyman... a thief of crowns you could say

Nothing in the entire game of magic makes you feel more defeated than when your opponent says “you can keep it”. The game is not over, but you’ve already lost

I never again want to hear the phrase "you can go ahead and keep that at the top". *draws land*

*Teferi, Hero of Dominaria* That's the new Boogeyman for standard right now

I have a friend who is a really good deckbuilder, and he decided to make a meme deck once; it basically ran 2-4 copies of each Jace variant... It actually won a lot... but one game he almost got all 9 out at once, and then, gloriously, I top-decked Merciless Eviction. It was pretty merciless indeed.

Just survive another turn. All I can hope is that he’s merciful. Can’t hold on much longer... End of game.

What I find fascinating about this video is just how much its perspective on things has changed in such a relatively short amount of time. In less than three years, Jace has been unbanned and barely impacted modern, Planeswalkers have cemented themselves even further as the games premier card type with Wren and Six, both 3 and 5 mana Teferis, and of course, BrOko been banned in nearly all formats. There's also both WAR Narset and Karn, which have both been restricted. Furthermore, in the past 3 years of the total 13 years of Planeswalkers being a card type, the amount of them has more than doubled from 102 that were present during this videos' production to the over 200 we have now (exact number of 215 as of August of 2020). It goes to show both how Magic as a game evolves, and more specifically a shift in a certain aspect of design, that being Planeswalkers and their Power Level, and what I find even more interesting about all of this is that the modern increase of power level of planeswalkers can be traced back to, in my knowledge, Battle for Zendikar and the Gideon card printed in that set (Although it is arguable that Magic Origins and the printing of Jace, Vryn's Prodigy and all of the flip walkers in that started off this shift) which 'coincidentally' ties into the start of the modern age of Magic Storytelling and the shift to a more long form narrative with the central characters of the Gatewatch. Which then raises the question, which came first, the desire to print more and more powerful planeswalkers, or the desire to tell a greater narrative (basically all of the Gatewatch/Bolas Arc)? That I don't have an answer for. If one of the few readers of this comment knows, please share, preferably with cited sources.

And then they learned absolutely nothing and printed Oko even more powerful than JTMS. Yes, print a Vintage level card in a Standard Environment, nothing wrong here, wheeeeeee

I love how stoneforge has come full circle twice and is now a key feature in Hammertime, the #2 modern deck

He's baaaaaa~aaaack...

Jace fatigue has quickly become jace nostalgia. Seeing Jace be completely overrun ever since the war of the spark era has been disheartening for those of us who loved the card (especially now that bowmasters and the one ring both exist)

Watching this in 2019 after hoogak summer and urza/oko winter is just funny

And then BOOM! Jace is unbanned! The end is nigh.

Beetlejace Beetlejace Beetlejace

What a good youtuber

It's a funny point that was brought up about jace's dark side... It was said that Jace, when fully bad guy, is willing to wipe everyone's mind, and his ability would reflect that. Now that we have a Phyrexian Jace, I considered the plot against the card against character design and... I truly think Jace has something up his sleeve for the Phyrexians, ultimately. How many times has he unwittingly or unwillingly become a pawn to someone else's schemes? Twice? Or is it 3? Hmmm... interesting implications

I started playing Magic in 2010, saw a red dragon tribal deck (iirc) at a game store and begged my mom to buy it for me, along with a single booster pack. I opened Jace, The Mind Sculptor in the very first Magic booster pack I ever opened. I had no idea what value he had, but he was the only Planeswalker I had and I thought that was just so unique and cool, so he was my favorite and I shoved him into every deck I built (including the dragon deck--I was not a very good deck builder). He's in awful shape now, water damaged and bent and unplayable without sleeves because of how distinctly the card back has worn. But I keep him double sleeved, protected and in a secure spot, and even as my interest in Magic has waxed and waned, he's my most prized card and I'll always keep him around. I just find it so funny how I managed to have the amazingly good luck to immediately open one of the infamous cards in Magic history, and yet have absolutely zero clue about his value until he was already pretty much destroyed from use. It reminds me of my first few years playing Magic, and he never fails to make me smile.

"No room to unban Jace without a sufficient reprint..." *Sees Masters 25 have a Jace on its pack art. :O

One, two Jace is coming for you...

Jace, the Metagame Sculptor

Content Cop - Jace

gotta love how Both jace, and stone forge got unbanned from modern watching this vid is weird on this day

One video I would love to see in the future is "The Magic Art of Rebecca Guay". I'd imaine it would be quite interesting, given her unique artistic style and variety of cards.

There is character fatigue with all of gatewatch, Jace is just predominant because he has 2 more then the next highest amount. Also his face doesn't just appear on planeswalkers. How many cards bare his image/referance him in some way?

I'm really glad that someone else combs through and watches older episodes of The Magic Show.

Brilliant work as per usual, you always exceed my expectations with each new entry to your library!

Your videos are so awesome! I wish they would come out more often, but at the same time, it's probably for the best that you don't rush them. Keep up the amazing work.

I just found you channel after seeing you on The Command Zone. Your videos really are top notch, thank you for the effort and unique content.

This is the best, well put together video I've ever seen on magic. Thank you for the time you put into this

Man, your videos are awesome. The way you present the information and how you build a narrative around it is so pleasant. Keep up the good work!

I think you make some of the best magic content in existence. I seriously have never seen higher quality stuff. One with nothing is one of the coolest videos I've ever seen. I still watch that one and thoughtseize pretty regularly. That and bolt. Basically all of them

Fun parallel you drew with the boogeyman and Jace. Good storytelling.

Every video you make is a masterpiece. Can't thank you enough for your dedication to your craft.

I love it Sam! Every time you release a new video, I think there's no way the next one can be so amazing. And every time i think that, you prove me wrong. I loved the deep-dive, especially because I started playing (long) after Jace the Mind Sculptor was in standard. This provided a lot of cool backstory that I didn't know before!

Good to know other people were freaked the fk out by their friends doing the bloody mary thing....

Ohhhh I love this videos!!! Thank you!!

I appreciate all of the random information about jace!! I appreciate all the work you out into these videos man

I loved this video! It had such a great, lore like feel. I wasn't able to play with The Mind Sculptor when it was insane in standard, but I remember a con I went to that was running a tournament and walking the tables and only seeing the Caw Blade deck. I had never seen the like and it was something to behold. Really great vid!

This video is actually still pretty insightful in retrospect post-ban. You did your research well!

*jace gets unbanned* "oh" *deconstructs all modern decks for cards to move to commander decks*

This video got my sub. I have to say, I'm absolutely transfixed by the way you tell these stories. It's masterful. I can't pinpoint certainly what makes your way of storytelling here so compelling, but I must say I love it. Excellent.

Enjoying rewatching some great Rhystic Studies episodes

You make great content keep it up

Superb!!! Love it sam!

This is probably my favorite video you've done, and that's saying quite a lot because I love most of them

10:41, Jace's distribution is as prevalent as we think it is. You called out Garruk, Gideon, Liliana, Nissa, and Chandra. Throw in Ajani and you have account for half of the planeswalkers ever printed between seven characters and Jace has the most of all. At nine cards Jace makes up almost a tenth of all planeswalker cards ever printed. Furthermore, Lorwyn was released in October of 2007, which means there has been a new Jace almost ever year since the planeswalker card type was introduced and when there wasn't a new one, there was a reprint of an old one. All of that makes him very prevalent and his ubiquity anything but false perception.

Exceptionally well thought out and above par editing, which for you is par for the course lol, keep up the awesome ^_^.

A buddy of mine just introduced me to your channel using the Colors of Ravnica video. Loving what I’m watching! Your vids are simultaneously fascinating and enriching - absolutely deepening my love for an already incredible game. Cheers, brother.

I have watched this video probably 10 times and the first two minutes every single time has giving me chills very well-made video sir.

I would have to disagree with you on the point that "Jace-Fatigue" is only based on perspective.While there may be only nine cards depicting our favorite mind mage, he's had a major part in the story of a majority of the blocks released since Return to Ravnica. It's not that people are complaining that there are too many Jace cards (although some may argue this as well), but that Wizards seems to be using him a a character in almost every new story.

I think you described Jace as a whole. Through this video you painted a picture of what is Jace. I'm a fan of blue and he is my favorite planeswalker. So thank you for the great content as always.

This is only the 2nd video I've seen from you, but I must say I have subscribed and loved these videos you have made.

Man, I really love the editing in your videos. You do a great job.

Jace was banned July 1, 2011 Zendikar block was scheduled to rotate September 30, 2011 They banned Jace and Stoneforge Mystic only 3 months before their planned rotation. That's like if two douchebags were at a club and they were on their way to the door, when suddenly two bouncers grabbed and threw them outside.

Teferi Time Raveller: Hold my Beer

You have the most aesthetically beautiful videos. Your editing is superb. I'm not too knowledgeable of Magic, but I still love it, and I really enjoy your videos as well.

I just love your videos!!! I’m an artist, have just started playing magic and love the analytical nature of these videos! Thanks for all the amazing work :)

In Modern, powerful linear strategies can win turn 3. Storm, burn, vizier/druid combo, affinity, etc. In Modern, the best 'fair deck' can counter that turn 4 jace for 1 mana with a stubborn denial. Modern games are regularly over by the time Jace had the chance to activate once or twice. He's obviously strong, but considering how few and far between you get good Modern control decks, Jace seems a reasonable supplement to a weak archetype.

Its interesting coming back here after a couple years, times sure have changed. Jace the once overpowered insane card is now what id consider a relatively fair and well designed planeswalker. Its been unbanned along with stoneforge and nowhere near as busted as people feared, set after set has drawfed these cards in powerlevel and overall they've been pushed into just playables

Ahahaha at 2:20 I legit had to pause the video and open a new tab, actually saying out loud "Chapin did a what now!?". I had never seen that song before. Man this is beautiful.

amazing content as always. this literally gave me chills

You missed one of the largest component of why Jace was so busted: Gideon Jura. Gideon was the lock for the deck. turn 4 jace to 5 jura meant game. And Jace/Gideon was the bulwark against Valakut. The other broken deck.

Now we have both Stoneforge and Jace. What a time to be alive

This was such a fun installment of this series! A lot to learn, and a lot to consider.

Always appreciate your content, always looking for more!

He's back

I remember GP Dallas 2011. It was my first GP as a competitive Magic player, and I went in confident that I could at least get a decent win/loss ratio. 8 rounds of nothing but Caw-Blade later, I was disgusted at the Standard format, and have since stuck strictly with Modern and Legacy, only dabbling in Standard when the format isn't completely warped or a 3-deck format.

Your videos are so well edited. Great work as usual.

I'm an Elf mage....I see Jace , the Mind sculptor? My army has already killed him...and I keep going. Never was afraid of this card.

Wait. since when was unban Jace a meme? I've been sacrificing virgin sheep every unban cycle to get Bloodbraid Elf or Deathrite Shaman back! Screw Jace.... signed. Long time Jund player

Now make one on the Menace that was “Oko, Thief of Crowns” so good that it had to be Banned in essentially EVERYTHING.

Dude, this channel rocks. Not many folks get me to sub within three minutes of their first video I watch but you pulled it off.

Another example for the beginning is the Scottish play.

and here we are... the boogeyman unleashed!

Absurdly good and simple editing. Loved it.

Great video! Ì really liked the interviews with pro players speculating on how good jace was and I'd like to see more of that in future videos.

Opponent- *taps out and plays jace* Me an intellectual storm player- guess I'll win

Here we go.

That was perfection! Thanks for the great video!

great vids, man. hope you continue!

"I wanna talk about how worldwake in type 2 will be more then just 'Jace is good'. Let me start by talking about how Jace will define the format"

Awesome video man! I can tell you put a lot of resarch and other effort into the video. Keep it up! ☺

I'm so glad RU-vid decided to pop your video on automatically after a Rudy video. This is fantastic stuff man, and I can tell it's hard work putting these together. Bravo!

The "Boogeyman of magic" Laughts in Oko thief of Crowns

its crazy how now jace would never be played in modern

Love your vids. I always appreciate seeing them.

rewatching some of your old videos is making me want to get back into magic lol. Haven't played since Throne of Eldraine released

Aaannnnddd....UNBANNED

To be fair, the pros who said that "decks running Jace are bad" during the Bloodbraid Elf - Jund era of Standard weren't wrong (which is an impression that some people might falsely get from this video). Those Cascade-based decks simply had enough built-in card advantage, haste and direct damage to deal with Jace too effectively - which is also why I think that an unbanning of Jace would be perfectly fine in Modern. Edit: I did not mean to say that Jace is safe to unban in Modern because of Cascade 2-for-1s being a big deal in Modern, they obviously *aren't*. I was specifically talking about aggressive Jund decks using Cascade 2-for-1s to hold Jace down in the Standard season he had his debut in. I do, however, consider Jace to be a good unbanning because by turn 4, the Control player is often far enough behind that even tapping out to resolve Jace, the Mind Sculptor might actually be a death knell instead of a saving grace.

I love how well produced these videos are.

Love your videos! Can't wait to see more.

love how all these op cards are unbanned now

I'm a simple man : I see a TheMagicManSam video, I know I'm going to watch it ten times.

Awesome video man! Great job as always!