Welcome to the second Community Corner Creator Spotlight! In this article series, we interview and shine a spotlight on creators within the Magic community. We showcased UberGuitarDude and Cats and Commanders in our inaugural Community Corner Creator Spotlight article.

Today, we are happy to present two more interviews, this time with Guild Pack and KyleGathersMagic, who share their respective stories below. They bring the perspectives of their time within the Magic community in its many forms.

Guild Pack

Guild Pack, a team comprised of its four creators, Bells, Darien, Eric and Mar, whose content spreads across social media outlets. You can find the team's Commander decks of choice via Archidekt, here.

Who/What introduced you to Magic? (What is the first set release you remember playing?)

Bells - Friends brought me into the world of Magic! I had dabbled with other TCGs in the past but fell out of love with them pretty quickly. I had a couple of great friends who banded together to build me a Tasha, the Witch QueenTasha, the Witch Queen deck knowing how much I love Dungeons & Dragons, and convinced me to try Magic. I think my love for the game really took off during the Lord of the Rings set. I had just watched the movies for the first time (I know, wtf), and it made me fall head over heels for MTG. I’ve played every set since. 

Darien - Bells and Eric shanghaied me into this madness a couple of years back. It was right before Duskmourn, I remember being very excited to start playing right when a horror-themed set was coming out; it was right up my alley.

Eric - I got into Magic at a time when I was kind of floating between TCGs. A friend of mine had mentioned Magic, which, up until that point, had always had a negative connotation from my experience in other TCGs. Tried it once and here I am. Literally cannot stop. My first set was The Brothers' War. 

Mar - Belladina introduced me to Magic about a year-and-a-half ago. They were live-streaming a game, and I decided I wanted to know what all of the fuss was about! It was around the time that Bloomburrow was about to come out. I didn't really understand much, but I think the first set release I remember playing for real was Duskmourn. Both she and Eric have really helped guide me on how to learn the game, but also to just have fun with my friends.

The Guild Pack gang at 2025's MagicCon: Chicago. (all photos provided)

What is your favorite card/commander and why?

Bells - Man, what a hard question. There are so many great commanders/cards out there! Lathril, Blade of the ElvesLathril, Blade of the Elves has a special place in my heart. It was the deck that I really learned to play with. It’s always fun to set up a board and surprise people with her ability. Plus, who doesn’t love unstoppable Elf-Ball! 

Darien - Those who know me know I love me some RagostRagost. I don't win games very often with him, but I always have fun playing with him. I love you, metal-eating lobster-man!

Eric - My favorite card/commander is Betor, Ancestor's VoiceBetor, Ancestor's Voice. It’s just the perfect blend of some of my favorite mechanics (Lifegain, Reanimator, and +1/+1 counters).

Mar - My favorite commanders are Terra, Herald of HopeTerra, Herald of Hope and Winter, Cynical OpportunistWinter, Cynical Opportunist. I also really enjoyed Xu-Ifit, OsteoharmonistXu-Ifit, Osteoharmonist from Edge of Eternities. I love a graveyard deck. However, I do like Authority of the ConsulsAuthority of the Consuls in my Angel deck as well (Pay ya taxes!).

Why do you create content for Magic? (What is the goal of your content/channels?)

Bells - I love the way Magic brings people together, and I wanted to work with the team to bring our love of the game into the content space! Some of us were already making content on our parent channel, GirlsPlay, so it felt natural to want to share our favorite hobby with our community. We wanted to create a space to show that MTG is for everyone, unless you’re a jerk. 

Darien - I think we bring a unique perspective as creators who are newer to the game and can share our exploration of the game with the world. When we play games of Magic at home, we always find the funniest, craziest stories unfolding at our table, and we wanted to share that energy and chaos online.

Eric - Filming Magic content for me is all about the community. Ever since coming into this game, the community has really stood out for how welcoming it has been. Even in the content creator space, it’s been nothing but a warm welcome. It drives me to want to be a part of it in whatever way I can.

Mar - Initially, I don’t think I planned on doing content around Magic, but I loved the passion that my friends felt about Magic, and it allowed me to dive in headfirst with them in it. I love creating a friendly vibe for anybody, at any skill level, to watch our content and know that they are welcome.

What sets your content apart from other creators?

Bells - We have a large focus on being a casual and friendly Commander channel. We aren’t always going to make the best plays or make the ideal move. We like to be silly, or helpful, or chaotic. It’s very similar to how we play in our pods outside of content. It’s supposed to feel like playing Commander with your group of friends, but elevated, because sometimes we’re a lot (laughs) 

Eric - I think what makes Guild Pack different is our various experience levels. Some of our players have been in the game for a year or so, as opposed to our more experienced players who have been in the game for over a decade. We really strive to show that everyone has a space at the table, regardless of how long you’ve played, who you are, or what your beliefs are, as long as you’re respectful of that space. 

Mar - I think what sets us apart is our energy, and friendship comes first. We are there to have fun and play a game together in an exciting way. We also have many skill levels at the table. Something that I feel I’ve been able to show is how much a person can learn. I started making content very much as a beginner and have become a better player throughout making content, and that can be seen in our videos.

What about life outside Magic influences your content?

Bells - I think my theater background stands out as an influence on the content I make in and out of the MTG space. I know that I can be a big personality and I bring it to every table I sit at, on or off-camera. Theater also taught me to work with and create with a team, and that happens naturally in the Magic space. I’m always looking for collaborative and group activities. 

Eric - My relationships and bonds with my friends are really what shape my content. Our group of friends, even outside of Magic, fosters a space that I think anyone can feel comfortable being a part of.

Mar - I make a lot of other content outside of Magic. Board games, video games, again all centered around being with my friends and having a ridiculously fun time. We’re a team. We work together, and we collaborate. I think that’s what I’ve always loved about doing stuff like this. I grew up, and then I went to school with a theater background. Making art and telling a story is such a big part of my life, and I’ve been able to continue that with this.

Are you attending any upcoming events where players could meet you?

Bells - At the very least, a couple of us will be attending MagicCon: Vegas next week! We had such a good time attending cons and meeting people last year, we’re excited to do it again! 

Eric - We are attending MagicCon: Vegas! We are super excited to meet fans and other content creators in the space. 

What is one thing you would change about Magic?

Bells - I want to see continual change in the biases we see in MTG and other male-dominated spaces. Magic is, and always will be, for everyone. I will always fight for safe spaces in communities for Fems, LGBTQ+, POCs, etc. In my years within nerd spaces, I’ve seen huge improvement, but I still see the bad eggs, especially online as a creator. Let’s all enjoy the game together. 

Eric - If I could change anything in Magic, it would be some of the negativity about set releases or Universes Beyond. I think sometimes people forget that at the end of the day, this is about playing a game with our friends and other people who share our love for this game.

Mar - I think this is something that is constantly evolving and changing, but I think sometimes the community gets really focused on mistakes in the game, especially in content. As a new player, it was a little discouraging at first to watch people pick apart my gameplay, sometimes not in a friendly, constructive way. There has to be room to be able to mess up in a healthy and friendly way. I think that’s why I continued playing because I was allowed that space to learn. If we want to watch new people get into Magic, we have to be able to open the space for them as well. That includes Universes Beyond. New people are going to gravitate towards things they know. The community should be open to allowing that to happen as well.

Darien - Make a Ragost 2!

Guild Pack can be found on YouTube and has its own Discord server. You can find these links via this one.

KyleGathersMagic - Kyle Simmons

Bastille keyboardist Kyle Simmons, also known as KyleGathersMagic, creates Magic: the Gathering content during the band's downtime. Apart from having possibly the coolest job out there, Kyle also maintains a YouTube channel, a TikTok account, an Instagram page, and a Facebook. An archive of his favorite deck lists can be found here, on Archidekt.

Who/What introduced you to Magic? (What is the first set release you remember playing?)

I'd always heard about this ‘Magic’ as it was sort of adjacent to Dungeons & Dragons, which I was playing a lot of at the time, but I’d never taken the leap to getting into it. Around 2019, during lockdown, my girlfriend and I were playing a lot of card games. I found that the games would be over quite quickly, and they didn’t feel eventful or satisfying enough. There wasn’t enough meat on them. That’s when I remembered Magic, and so I ordered a couple of starter decks to see what all the fuss was about. That was game over for me. I was hooked. The starter decks were M21, but the current sets were Zendikar Rising or Kaldheim.

What is your favorite card/commander and why?

I have a janky Bracket 3 deck with Urtet, Remnant of MemnarchUrtet, Remnant of Memnarch as the commander. I absolutely love this silly little robot. He makes Myrs, he untaps Myrs and makes Myrs bigger. I love a commander that is more versatile than finely tuned. The deck can take multiple different routes, some games I'll be making 30 Myr tokens; some games I'll have half my deck in my hand; some games, I'll have 3 Myrs with 20 +1/+1 counters. And sometimes I'll have a completely empty board, too.

Why do you create content for Magic? (What is the goal of your content/channels?)

Ultimately, it brings me joy.

It really hit me the other day, I was filming a new episode of Unswung Heroes and I just thought to myself, "if four people watch this and all of them hate it I wouldn't care, because I am having so much fun talking to like-minded people, with a huge passion for Magic, about their funny little commander that no one knows about."

I have such a massive love for this game and its community, and I hope that people watching my content also feel the same way. I also hope to unite my two passions: Magic and music! I've got a few ideas of how to do that...

What sets your content apart from other creators?

I would like to think my personality helps set me apart. While my MTG content is fairly new, I've been doing content for music for 15+ years. Hopefully that comes through. I don't take myself too seriously; I like to keep things fun and silly. Honestly, though, I think I'm still trying to work out what sets me apart. I haven't been in the game long. I'm consuming a lot of MTG content from everywhere. As I mentioned earlier, I'm currently making plans to make content fusing music and Magic. (shoutout Fellbrink on a similar vibe, love you x) 

What about life outside Magic influences your content?

My fiance is a huge influence, and I wouldn't be doing any of the things I'm doing now if it weren't for her. Not only her support, but she has also been making content for her career for many years, and she basically taught me everything I know. Our house is just full of cameras, lights, and microphones everywhere.

Music is a huge part of my life and has been since I was born. There's nothing I do that hasn't, in some way, been influenced by music. It is a constant inspiration. I'm also on tour a lot, meaning I get to film in loads of different places, including on stage, which is fun.

Are you attending any upcoming events where players could meet you?

Yes! I will be at MagicCon: Vegas and Amsterdam. Also at Spotlight Series: London.

What is one thing you would change about Magic?

I would eliminate turn order and watch chaos ensue. I joke. I really struggled with this question. I honestly believe Magic is the best game in the world, and I can't think of any changes I would make to the game itself.

I would, however, change the rate at which new sets are released. I find there's barely enough time to get stuck into a new set before the next is spoiled, then released. I think a lot of players, myself included, find it hard to keep up with the ever-changing MTG card environment. My main format is Commander, and that's hard enough, but what about the poor Standard players!?!

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