What is okay to play in a casual setting? Can you break out your hardcore land destruction deck around the kitchen table? Is it okay to play a 20-counterspell deck in the Casual room on MTGO? Do your friends hate you when you whip out your mono-black heavy discard deck? Brian leads us in a discussion of deck-type etiquette when playing in a non-tournament environment. Give us your opinions on the forums!

Have you ever read a Magic novel? Do you check out the flavor text and wonder what is going on? Or is it all just a card game to you? We discuss some of the flavor of the game, from stories and characters to the evolution of Magic art since Alpha. Let us know what you think about the flava of the game!

Out of the Deck Box! This week Mike shows off a deck that has come to be known simply as "The 5-Color Deck". Here it is in all its unsleeved glory! Land (20) 7: Forest 2: City of Brass 2: Island 2: Mountain 2: Plains 2: Reflecting Pool 2: Swamp 1: Crystal Quarry Artifact(7) 3: Lotus Petal 2: Etched Oracle 1: Lotus Bloom 1: Platinum Angel Multicolor (12) 4: Guided Passage 1: Cromat 1: Dune-Brood Nephilim 1: Genju of the Realm 1: Glint-Eye Nephilim 1: Nicol Bolas 1: Palladia-Mors 1: Vaevictis Asmadi 1: Witch-Maw Nephilim White (1) 1: Honden of Cleansing Fire Blue (1) 1: Honden of Seeing Winds Black (1) 1: Honden of Night's Reach Red (1) 1: Honden of Infinite Rage Green (17) 4: Kodama's Reach 4: Utopia Tree 4: Wall of Blossoms 2: Forgotten Ancient 1: Constant Mists 1: Honden of Life's Web 1: Regrowth Forum topic here: http://cardshark.freeforums.org/viewtopic.php?t=122Email us at [email protected] Send me an article at [email protected] Cardshark located at http://www.cardshark.com RSS feed: http://feeds.feedburner.com/themanapool February is Classical Music Month here at The Mana Pool! Opening music: Also Sprach Zarathustra by Richard Strauss Closing music: Ride of the Valkyries by Richard Wagner