Listen "Vintage Bootcamp with Justin ‘IAmActuallyLvL1’ Gennari – Get Ready For Eternal Weekend | EP.202"
Episode Synopsis
Julian is joined by the Vintage Ambassador himself, Justin Gennari, for a full guided tour of the current Vintage metagame. Justin breaks down why Vintage might be secretly the healthiest format in Magic, what really separates Esper and UB Lurrus, why Max Gilmore’s BUG Lurrus is both sweet and clunky, and how weird accidents like Kitesail Larcenist actually happen in Vintage.We dig through everything: Lurrus tempo, PO and Breach combo, Mono Black’s breakout performance, the three major Workshop variants, the sad state of Bazaar decks, Mono White Initiative, the Doomsday renaissance (or lack thereof), and Oath in 2024+. Justin also shares what he’s sleeving up for Eternal Weekend Europe and gives 10-second thoughts on the post-ban Legacy landscape.A must-listen if you’re heading to Bologna - or just want to know what the Vintage sickos are up to these days.00:00:00 – Cold OpenJulian introduces Justin “Vintage Ambassador” Gennari and sets up the two-part Eternal Weekend special.00:03:30 – Justin’s MTG World TourTravel plans, EW Europe, EW Japan, and why he’s skipping Legacy in Tokyo.00:06:00 – Is Vintage the healthiest format in Magic?Why Vintage is currently wide, balanced, and surprisingly “normal.”00:08:50 – What does “Lurrus” even mean in Vintage?Esper vs. UB Lurrus: matchup data, removal differences, and why blue decks have always ruled Vintage.00:14:20 – Max Gilmore’s BUG Lurrus Top 8Is it real? Is it clunky? Why Justin isn’t surprised it didn’t catch on.00:18:30 – Beautiful Weird Vintage CardsKitesail Larcenist, synergy discovery, and why Vintage rewards deep card-pool exploration.00:21:10 – Combo Lurrus: PO and BreachHow PO works in 2024, Thundertrap Trainer shenanigans, Gifts Ungiven Breach piles, and why Stock Up is secretly busted.00:28:10 – The Return of Paradoxical OutcomeMentor/PO vs. Lurrus/PO vs. Jewel Shops: styles, power level, and Justin’s preferences.00:31:00 – Mono-Black Aggro’s Big EW NA PerformanceWhy the “Legacy deck in Vintage” works, its swingy matchup spread, and how discard + Null Rod hits Vintage’s weak points.00:36:20 – How Stompy decks shape EW sideboardingWhy Justin always budgets for unpowered Stompy: Mono-Black, Mono-White, Eldrazi.00:39:30 – Workshop OverviewThree competitive variants right now:• Sphere Shops (soft-lock + clock)• Jewel Shops (turn-1/2 storm combo)• Raker Shops (Fleshraker + double-Top infinite)And how to actually attack each one.00:48:30 – Graveyard SectorDredge’s falloff, why Vine disappeared, and the death of Survival/Hogaak-style lists.00:54:30 – Mono-White InitiativeStill top tier. Mulligan-intensive, fast, volatile, and extremely annoying. Why it thrives online and in paper.00:59:00 – “Getting Vintaged”Accepting the format’s variance and why you need mental detachment skills to survive.01:00:50 – Goblin Combo?Why Snoop isn’t really a deck anymore1:03:00 – Oath of DruidsWhy Atraxa pushes Oath toward Show & Tell combo, when it’s a good metagame call, and why Justin wants to like the deck but can’t.1:09:50 – Doomsday in 2024Lurrus Doomsday, traditional piles, and the role of specialists like Tsubasa_Cat in shaping the metagame.1:14:30 – Legacy in 10 SecondsJustin’s very quick take on post-ban Legacy and his plan for EW Europe.https://x.com/IamActuallyLvL1/https://www.youtube.com/c/IamActuallyLvL1https://www.twitch.tv/iamactuallylvl1Thank you for tuning in,Until next time!Julian
More episodes of the podcast Everyday Eternal Podcast
Guam Tried To Scam Us | EP.198
11/09/2025
Phage Against the Machine | EP.194
24/07/2025
No Bans, No Plan, No Problem? | EP.193
12/07/2025
ZARZA We are Zarza, the prestigious firm behind major projects in information technology.