The Premodern Threat Levels are back, and this time we have three months of new data to dig through.

Zac and Phil revisit the cards they've been tracking across the format, using the Blackman threat metric to measure both how widely cards are played and how many copies appear in those decks. The new browser extension makes it easier than ever to snapshot the format and compare how these numbers change over time.

We look at Swords to Plowshares, Counterspell, Wasteland, Mishra's Factory, Mogg Fanatic, Phyrexian Dreadnought, Parallax Wave, Survival of the Fittest, Grim Lavamancer, Jackal Pup, Terravore, Exalted Angel, Wall of Roots, Wall of Blossoms, Squee, Masticore, Chain of Vapor and more.

Then Phil discovers something potentially much more important:

ZOMBIE TRAILBLAZER.

Is this the next great Premodern brew? Probably not.

But we're absolutely going to find out.

00:00 — Welcome to Returnal Durdles
01:36 — Premodern Threat Levels Are Back
02:01 — The Cards We're Tracking
03:27 — Swords to Plowshares
04:27 — The Threat Level Extension
05:01 — What Is a Blechman?
05:36 — What Does a Threat Level Actually Mean?
06:50 — Premodern Is a Healthy Format
08:28 — Gush Is Everywhere
09:19 — What Is Premodern's Next Most-Played Land?
10:27 — Counterspell Breaks the Data
11:08 — City of Brass?!
11:32 — Mogg Fanatic Is Everywhere
12:16 — The Goblins Math
14:34 — Goblin Sharpshooter Needs More Respect
16:03 — The Phyrexian Dreadnought Package
17:28 — Dreadnought vs. Parallax Wave
19:19 — Survival of the Fittest & Squee
20:40 — Jackal Pup & Burn
22:00 — Portent Is Apparently a 4-of
22:21 — Terravore & Wall of Roots
23:20 — Exalted Angel Falls Off
24:17 — Where Is Meddling Mage?
25:30 — Wall of Blossoms Is Disappearing
25:54 — The Zombie Trailblazer Discovery
27:06 — THIS CARD IS BUSTED
28:36 — "It Dies to Swords"
29:28 — How Many Blackmans Is Zombie Trailblazer?
30:13 — The Deepest Part of the Data
31:24 — Orcish Lumberjack Is MOVING
33:09 — More Zombies?!
33:55 — Zombie Trailblazer Deck Incoming
34:54 — Masticore & Chain of Vapor
35:52 — Dark Ritual Is a 36-Blackman Card
36:03 — Stifle & Portent
37:09 — Subscribe to Returnal Durdles
38:46 — Why Your Subscription Matters Right Now
39:14 — The Zombie Trailblazer Challenge
40:11 — Final Thoughts

The Premodern Threat Levels are back, and this time we have three months of new data to dig through.

Zac and Phil revisit the cards they've been tracking across the format, using the Blackman threat metric to measure both how widely cards are played and how many copies appear in those decks. The new browser extension makes it easier than ever to snapshot the format and compare how these numbers change over time.

We look at Swords to Plowshares, Counterspell, Wasteland, Mishra's Factory, Mogg Fanatic, Phyrexian Dreadnought, Parallax Wave, Survival of the Fittest, Grim Lavamancer, Jackal Pup, Terravore, Exalted Angel, Wall of Roots, Wall of Blossoms, Squee, Masticore, Chain of Vapor and more.

Then Phil discovers something potentially much more important:

ZOMBIE TRAILBLAZER.

Is this the next great Premodern brew? Probably not.

But we're absolutely going to find out.

00:00 — Welcome to Returnal Durdles
01:36 — Premodern Threat Levels Are Back
02:01 — The Cards We're Tracking
03:27 — Swords to Plowshares
04:27 — The Threat Level Extension
05:01 — What Is a Blechman?
05:36 — What Does a Threat Level Actually Mean?
06:50 — Premodern Is a Healthy Format
08:28 — Gush Is Everywhere
09:19 — What Is Premodern's Next Most-Played Land?
10:27 — Counterspell Breaks the Data
11:08 — City of Brass?!
11:32 — Mogg Fanatic Is Everywhere
12:16 — The Goblins Math
14:34 — Goblin Sharpshooter Needs More Respect
16:03 — The Phyrexian Dreadnought Package
17:28 — Dreadnought vs. Parallax Wave
19:19 — Survival of the Fittest & Squee
20:40 — Jackal Pup & Burn
22:00 — Portent Is Apparently a 4-of
22:21 — Terravore & Wall of Roots
23:20 — Exalted Angel Falls Off
24:17 — Where Is Meddling Mage?
25:30 — Wall of Blossoms Is Disappearing
25:54 — The Zombie Trailblazer Discovery
27:06 — THIS CARD IS BUSTED
28:36 — "It Dies to Swords"
29:28 — How Many Blackmans Is Zombie Trailblazer?
30:13 — The Deepest Part of the Data
31:24 — Orcish Lumberjack Is MOVING
33:09 — More Zombies?!
33:55 — Zombie Trailblazer Deck Incoming
34:54 — Masticore & Chain of Vapor
35:52 — Dark Ritual Is a 36-Blackman Card
36:03 — Stifle & Portent
37:09 — Subscribe to Returnal Durdles
38:46 — Why Your Subscription Matters Right Now
39:14 — The Zombie Trailblazer Challenge
40:11 — Final Thoughts

The Hobbits are coming to Magic, but how much are they actually going to change Legacy?

Zac and Phil go through the new Hobbits from Vetter Breath cards and find something surprisingly refreshing: there aren't that many cards worth talking about for Legacy.

We break down the eight cards that caught our attention, including Bilbo, Thief in the Night, The Great Goblin, Giant's Boulder, Thirandil, the Elven King, Inside Information, Bilbo's Gambit, Plunder the Trollshaws, and Riddles in the Dark.

Bilbo is the clear standout, looking like a powered-up version of a card that's already on Legacy's banned list. But does that actually make him a problem?

We also discuss:

• Why Universes Beyond sets keep feeling like Commander products
• The new Storied mechanic
• Bilbo vs. Dreadhorde Arcanist
• Whether The Great Goblin can enable a combo
• Why Giant's Boulder isn't the next Astrolabe
• Can Thirandil actually save Elves from Orcish Bowmasters?
• Why Inside Information probably isn't a Storm payoff
• Bilbo's Gambit and the Legacy "Silence" problem
• Why Riddles in the Dark isn't Fact or Fiction
• And why we're actually happy that the set has a lower Legacy power level

If we missed a card, let us know in the comments.

And if you're done with Universes Beyond and want to play Classic, Peak, Pre-War, or Premodern, check out Returnal Durdles.

00:00 — The Hobbit Set Isn't Breaking Legacy
00:57 — Flavor vs. Power Level
02:37 — The Storied Mechanic Is Metalcraft+
04:40 — Urza's Saga Is Already Storied?!
05:56 — Why We're Building Locked Formats Instead
06:48 — Peak Legacy Event Announcement
07:17 — Bilbo, Thief in the Night
10:02 — The Great Goblin
12:55 — Giant's Boulder vs. Astrolabe
16:27 — Does Giant's Boulder Work With Scry Payoffs?
17:40 — Thirandil, the Elven King
19:40 — Inside Information
21:36 — Bilbo's Gambit
24:30 — Bilbo Is an EDH All-Star
26:29 — Plunder the Trollshaws
27:39 — Riddles in the Dark
28:48 — Riddles vs. Fact or Fiction
30:14 — Just Play Three Wishes
31:27 — The Eight Cards That Matter
32:00 — Why We're Happy the Power Level Is Lower
32:40 — Returnal Durdles & Locked Formats
33:00 — Submit Your Own Legacy Takes

Timestamps

The Hobbits are coming to Magic, but how much are they actually going to change Legacy?

Zac and Phil go through the new Hobbits from Vetter Breath cards and find something surprisingly refreshing: there aren't that many cards worth talking about for Legacy.

We break down the eight cards that caught our attention, including Bilbo, Thief in the Night, The Great Goblin, Giant's Boulder, Thirandil, the Elven King, Inside Information, Bilbo's Gambit, Plunder the Trollshaws, and Riddles in the Dark.

Bilbo is the clear standout, looking like a powered-up version of a card that's already on Legacy's banned list. But does that actually make him a problem?

We also discuss:

• Why Universes Beyond sets keep feeling like Commander products
• The new Storied mechanic
• Bilbo vs. Dreadhorde Arcanist
• Whether The Great Goblin can enable a combo
• Why Giant's Boulder isn't the next Astrolabe
• Can Thirandil actually save Elves from Orcish Bowmasters?
• Why Inside Information probably isn't a Storm payoff
• Bilbo's Gambit and the Legacy "Silence" problem
• Why Riddles in the Dark isn't Fact or Fiction
• And why we're actually happy that the set has a lower Legacy power level

If we missed a card, let us know in the comments.

And if you're done with Universes Beyond and want to play Classic, Peak, Pre-War, or Premodern, check out Returnal Durdles.

00:00 — The Hobbit Set Isn't Breaking Legacy
00:57 — Flavor vs. Power Level
02:37 — The Storied Mechanic Is Metalcraft+
04:40 — Urza's Saga Is Already Storied?!
05:56 — Why We're Building Locked Formats Instead
06:48 — Peak Legacy Event Announcement
07:17 — Bilbo, Thief in the Night
10:02 — The Great Goblin
12:55 — Giant's Boulder vs. Astrolabe
16:27 — Does Giant's Boulder Work With Scry Payoffs?
17:40 — Thirandil, the Elven King
19:40 — Inside Information
21:36 — Bilbo's Gambit
24:30 — Bilbo Is an EDH All-Star
26:29 — Plunder the Trollshaws
27:39 — Riddles in the Dark
28:48 — Riddles vs. Fact or Fiction
30:14 — Just Play Three Wishes
31:27 — The Eight Cards That Matter
32:00 — Why We're Happy the Power Level Is Lower
32:40 — Returnal Durdles & Locked Formats
33:00 — Submit Your Own Legacy Takes

Timestamps

What happens when you take a Magic format from 10 years ago and attack it with everything we've learned since?

That's the experiment behind Peak, Classic, and the other locked formats we're exploring on Eternal Durdles.

Instead of simply copying old tournament lists, Zac and Phil discuss how modern deckbuilding theory can reveal cards, strategies, and entire archetypes that may have been overlooked when these formats were originally played.

Phil has been digging through old Miracles lists and finding cards like Unexpectedly Absent and Sylvan Library that seem dramatically underexplored. Zac is doing the same thing with Classic and Peak decks, looking for forgotten strategies that might be ready for a second life.

We also talk about:

• Why you shouldn't blindly copy old decklists
• How locked formats create new brewing opportunities
• The danger of "getting lost in the sauce" of metagame tuning
• Unexpectedly Absent in Peak
• Four-of Sylvan Library
• Rebuilding forgotten Classic decks
• Nahiri + Emrakul Miracles
• What modern Magic players know that players didn't know then
• The upcoming Peak event in New York

And yes, Zac has acquired Un-Glued Islands.

00:00 — Why Locked Formats Are So Exciting
01:25 — The First Big Peak Event
02:45 — Don't Just Copy Old Decklists
03:45 — We Know More About Magic Now
04:15 — Phil's Miracles Rabbit Hole
07:50 — The Unexpectedly Absent Breakthrough
10:40 — Why Nobody Played Sylvan Library
13:30 — The Untapped Territory of Locked Formats
15:20 — Optimizing Forgotten Classic Decks
17:45 — Getting Lost in the Sauce
19:45 — Zac's TradeMagic Pickup
22:00 — Esperzoa: The Forgotten Brew
24:45 — What If We Rebuilt These Decks Today?
27:00 — The Nahiri Miracles Experiment
30:20 — Why Old Decks Were Never Fully Explored
31:55 — Come Play Peak!
33:20 — Locked Formats Beyond Nostalgia
34:00 — Welcome to a New Magic

What happens when you take a Magic format from 10 years ago and attack it with everything we've learned since?

That's the experiment behind Peak, Classic, and the other locked formats we're exploring on Eternal Durdles.

Instead of simply copying old tournament lists, Zac and Phil discuss how modern deckbuilding theory can reveal cards, strategies, and entire archetypes that may have been overlooked when these formats were originally played.

Phil has been digging through old Miracles lists and finding cards like Unexpectedly Absent and Sylvan Library that seem dramatically underexplored. Zac is doing the same thing with Classic and Peak decks, looking for forgotten strategies that might be ready for a second life.

We also talk about:

• Why you shouldn't blindly copy old decklists
• How locked formats create new brewing opportunities
• The danger of "getting lost in the sauce" of metagame tuning
• Unexpectedly Absent in Peak
• Four-of Sylvan Library
• Rebuilding forgotten Classic decks
• Nahiri + Emrakul Miracles
• What modern Magic players know that players didn't know then
• The upcoming Peak event in New York

And yes, Zac has acquired Un-Glued Islands.

00:00 — Why Locked Formats Are So Exciting
01:25 — The First Big Peak Event
02:45 — Don't Just Copy Old Decklists
03:45 — We Know More About Magic Now
04:15 — Phil's Miracles Rabbit Hole
07:50 — The Unexpectedly Absent Breakthrough
10:40 — Why Nobody Played Sylvan Library
13:30 — The Untapped Territory of Locked Formats
15:20 — Optimizing Forgotten Classic Decks
17:45 — Getting Lost in the Sauce
19:45 — Zac's TradeMagic Pickup
22:00 — Esperzoa: The Forgotten Brew
24:45 — What If We Rebuilt These Decks Today?
27:00 — The Nahiri Miracles Experiment
30:20 — Why Old Decks Were Never Fully Explored
31:55 — Come Play Peak!
33:20 — Locked Formats Beyond Nostalgia
34:00 — Welcome to a New Magic

With the next Legacy Banned & Restricted announcement just days away, Zac and Phil dive into the latest Threat Level Report to see which cards are dominating the format—and which ones deserve a closer look.

Using Blackmans, our custom metric that combines play rate and copies per deck, we analyze the current Legacy metagame and discuss how cards like Tamiyo, Force of Will, Orcish Bowmasters, Urza's Saga, Flow State, Doomsday, Kozilek's Command, and Fantasticar have shifted over the past month.

Topics include:

• The rise and fall of Legacy's biggest threats
• Why combo continues to dominate the format
• Fantasticar's impact on gameplay
• What the data says Wizards should ban
• Our predictions for the August B&R announcement

Will Wizards act decisively—or will Legacy stay the same?

Let us know your predictions in the comments!

00:00 Legacy Ban Announcement Preview
02:00 What Is Threat Level?
04:10 Wasteland & Force of Will Trends
05:45 Tamiyo, Murktide & Bowmasters
10:00 New Cards to Watch (Felia, Fleshraker, Kaaito)
13:30 Urza's Saga & Combo Trends
20:40 Flow State, Thoughtseize & Doomsday
25:00 Kozilek's Command & Eldrazi
26:00 Fantasticar's Threat Level
28:40 The Candelabra Debate
33:30 Ban Predictions & Final Thoughts

Timestamps

With the next Legacy Banned & Restricted announcement just days away, Zac and Phil dive into the latest Threat Level Report to see which cards are dominating the format—and which ones deserve a closer look.

Using Blackmans, our custom metric that combines play rate and copies per deck, we analyze the current Legacy metagame and discuss how cards like Tamiyo, Force of Will, Orcish Bowmasters, Urza's Saga, Flow State, Doomsday, Kozilek's Command, and Fantasticar have shifted over the past month.

Topics include:

• The rise and fall of Legacy's biggest threats
• Why combo continues to dominate the format
• Fantasticar's impact on gameplay
• What the data says Wizards should ban
• Our predictions for the August B&R announcement

Will Wizards act decisively—or will Legacy stay the same?

Let us know your predictions in the comments!

00:00 Legacy Ban Announcement Preview
02:00 What Is Threat Level?
04:10 Wasteland & Force of Will Trends
05:45 Tamiyo, Murktide & Bowmasters
10:00 New Cards to Watch (Felia, Fleshraker, Kaaito)
13:30 Urza's Saga & Combo Trends
20:40 Flow State, Thoughtseize & Doomsday
25:00 Kozilek's Command & Eldrazi
26:00 Fantasticar's Threat Level
28:40 The Candelabra Debate
33:30 Ban Predictions & Final Thoughts

Timestamps

Could today's Legacy players build better decks than the pros of 2010?This week Drake returns to Eternal Durdles to explore one of the most fascinating Magic experiments we've ever discussed: Classic Legacy.We revisit the Legacy format as it existed before Delver of Secrets, before Modern Horizons, and before years of deck optimization changed how players approached Brainstorm, Counterbalance, Tarmogoyf, and Jace, the Mind Sculptor.Along the way we discuss:• How modern heuristics reshape old decklists• The forgotten rules that changed Legacy forever• CounterTop brewing• Death's Shadow in Classic Legacy• Why Tarmogoyf still dominates• Landstill vs Counterbalance• Dutch Stax• Reanimator packages• The future of Classic LegacyIf you've ever wondered what Legacy looked like before the power creep—or what would happen if today's players went back in time with sixteen years of experience—this episode is for you.Chapters00:00 Intro & Why Classic Legacy Is Exploding01:30 Drake's Latest Brews05:45 Why Old Decklists Look So Strange11:20 The Rules That Changed Legacy Forever15:30 Modern Players Build Better Decks20:10 Brewing with Today's Knowledge24:30 Is Blue Actually the Best Color?30:20 Death's Shadow Comes to Classic Legacy35:00 Building CounterTop Today41:00 Trinket Mage Technology45:30 Land Tax, AK & Hidden Gems50:00 Counterbalance vs Landstill55:00 Where Classic Legacy Goes Next

Could today's Legacy players build better decks than the pros of 2010?This week Drake returns to Eternal Durdles to explore one of the most fascinating Magic experiments we've ever discussed: Classic Legacy.We revisit the Legacy format as it existed before Delver of Secrets, before Modern Horizons, and before years of deck optimization changed how players approached Brainstorm, Counterbalance, Tarmogoyf, and Jace, the Mind Sculptor.Along the way we discuss:• How modern heuristics reshape old decklists• The forgotten rules that changed Legacy forever• CounterTop brewing• Death's Shadow in Classic Legacy• Why Tarmogoyf still dominates• Landstill vs Counterbalance• Dutch Stax• Reanimator packages• The future of Classic LegacyIf you've ever wondered what Legacy looked like before the power creep—or what would happen if today's players went back in time with sixteen years of experience—this episode is for you.Chapters00:00 Intro & Why Classic Legacy Is Exploding01:30 Drake's Latest Brews05:45 Why Old Decklists Look So Strange11:20 The Rules That Changed Legacy Forever15:30 Modern Players Build Better Decks20:10 Brewing with Today's Knowledge24:30 Is Blue Actually the Best Color?30:20 Death's Shadow Comes to Classic Legacy35:00 Building CounterTop Today41:00 Trinket Mage Technology45:30 Land Tax, AK & Hidden Gems50:00 Counterbalance vs Landstill55:00 Where Classic Legacy Goes Next

CLASSIC LEGACY DISCORDhttps://discord.gg/Yg7UMC86mSupport us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/Et ernalDurdlesUse our link for a free Month of Elite on TradeMagic.gghttps://trademagic.gg/eternaldurdlesBuilding decks for a new format doesn't have to mean spending hundreds of dollars.In this episode, Zac and Phil walk through how they're using TradeMagic.gg to turn unused cards into staples for Classic Legacy, Peak Legacy, and Premodern. From organizing collections and managing wants lists to trading for original printings and supporting emerging formats, this is a behind-the-scenes look at how they're building new decks without constantly buying singles.We also discuss:Why Classic Legacy is growingSupporting Moxfield and Scryfall integrationHow the TradeMagic credit system worksTrading into expensive staplesOriginal printings vs. reprintsBuilding collections for new Eternal formatsWhether you're a long-time collector or just getting into Classic Legacy, this episode will help you get more value out of the cards you already own.#MagicTheGathering #ClassicLegacy #TradeMagic #Premodern #MTGTimestamps00:00 Why New Formats Are Fun to Collect02:30 Supporting Classic Legacy05:55 TradeMagic Overview07:20 Building a Want List11:55 How the Trading System Works16:00 Trading With New Members18:20 Why TradeMagic Builds Community20:50 Why Eternal Staples Are Affordable Again23:20 Get Started With TradeMagicTCGPLAYER AFFILIATE LINK:https://partner.tcgplayer.com/OexAAnJOIN US ON DISCORD: https://discord.gg/hrC7PxQZTEProudly supported by Three For One Trading: shop.threeforonetrading.comRiverside Partner Link: https://riverside.sjv.io/KB0E07MOXFIELDEternal Durdles Moxfield: https://www.moxfield.com/users/EternalDurdleshttps://www.moxfield.com/users/Durdlemagushttps://www.moxfield.com/users/ForceofPhilChannel Art Assets by: https://www.instagram.com/jonthetallone/