Randy Buehler
Encyclopedia
Randolph E. Buehler, Jr. was the Vice President of Digital Gaming at Wizards of the Coast
, Inc., a subsidiary of Hasbro
, Inc., as well as the commentator for the Magic Pro Tour. He was a former weekly writer for Magicthegathering.com's "Latest Developments" column and former Magic Pro Tour player.
just before the Homelands
set came out. After initially playing Magic with roommates at Carnegie Mellon University
, Buehler gained a fierce interest in tournament level Magic. Many Pro Tour Qualifier and Grand Prix
tournaments provided valuable experience that would lead to Buehler's first Pro Tour win (Pro Tour-Chicago 1997), which was also his first Pro Tour appearance.
While working on his Ph.D. in History and Philosophy of Quantum Mechanics
, Buehler's interest in school began to fade as his financial successes in Magic: the Gathering yielded a satisfactory lifestyle, so he took a two-year leave of absence from school to pursue his passion.
A favorite style of play for him has always been card drawing. His famous decks include CMU Blue and Draw Go. When he won Pro Tour-Chicago '97 he used a Necropotence deck.
He gained the attention of Wizards of the Coast
with his skill on the Magic Pro Tour
and was eventually offered a position at Magic Research and Development as a developer. Before he could return to college from his two year leave, Buehler decided to take the job. As a developer, his responsibilities would include testing out cards before they were printed to adjust and tweak them for power level reasons and fairness.
set was just beginning. Since then, he has been a developer in almost every set. His first assignment as a lead developer was in the Odyssey
set, and in the summer of 2001 Randy Buehler was promoted to the position of lead developer of all Magic.
On January 4, 2002, Randy Buehler published the first Magicthegathering.com "Latest Developments" column, wherein a developer writes about a topic related to Magic development. On January 30, 2004 Buehler announced that he would leave "Latest Developments" and be succeeded by Aaron Forsythe. For several years, Buehler served as a commentator for the Magic Pro Tour webcasts, joined by co-hosts such as Mike Flores
. He also served as the host of the monthly Magic: the Gathering podcast
s, which covered new sets and upcoming tournaments, and as the floor reporter for the Pro Tour podcasts, which feature ongoing coverage of each Pro Tour event.
Randy Buehler was in charge of the Dungeons & Dragons Insider
and Gleemax community sites after the release of 4th edition of Dungeons & Dragons
. He was laid off, like Dave Noonan
and Jonathan Tweet
, among others, on December 2, 2008, for Wizards of the Coast to better focus both the digital team on Magic Online and D&D Insider.
and Skaff Elias is working on Mind Twist,a free-to-play strategy game.
in 2007 at the World Championship in New York City.
Wizards of the Coast
Wizards of the Coast is an American publisher of games, primarily based on fantasy and science fiction themes, and formerly an operator of retail stores for games...
, Inc., a subsidiary of Hasbro
Hasbro
Hasbro is a multinational toy and boardgame company from the United States of America. It is one of the largest toy makers in the world. The corporate headquarters is located in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, United States...
, Inc., as well as the commentator for the Magic Pro Tour. He was a former weekly writer for Magicthegathering.com's "Latest Developments" column and former Magic Pro Tour player.
Before Wizards of the Coast
Buehler started playing Magic: The GatheringMagic: The Gathering
Magic: The Gathering , also known as Magic, is the first collectible trading card game created by mathematics professor Richard Garfield and introduced in 1993 by Wizards of the Coast. Magic continues to thrive, with approximately twelve million players as of 2011...
just before the Homelands
Homelands (Magic: The Gathering)
Homelands was the thirteenth Magic: The Gathering set and seventh expert level set, released in October 1995. It was considered to be part of the Ice Age block until the announcement of Coldsnap in October 2005.- Storyline :...
set came out. After initially playing Magic with roommates at Carnegie Mellon University
Carnegie Mellon University
Carnegie Mellon University is a private research university in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States....
, Buehler gained a fierce interest in tournament level Magic. Many Pro Tour Qualifier and Grand Prix
Grand Prix (Magic: The Gathering)
Grands Prix are professional Magic: The Gathering tournaments, awarding cash prizes, Pro Points and invitations to Pro Tours. They are open to all players and are usually the biggest Magic tournaments. The first Grand Prix was held on 22–23 March 1997 in Amsterdam...
tournaments provided valuable experience that would lead to Buehler's first Pro Tour win (Pro Tour-Chicago 1997), which was also his first Pro Tour appearance.
While working on his Ph.D. in History and Philosophy of Quantum Mechanics
Quantum mechanics
Quantum mechanics, also known as quantum physics or quantum theory, is a branch of physics providing a mathematical description of much of the dual particle-like and wave-like behavior and interactions of energy and matter. It departs from classical mechanics primarily at the atomic and subatomic...
, Buehler's interest in school began to fade as his financial successes in Magic: the Gathering yielded a satisfactory lifestyle, so he took a two-year leave of absence from school to pursue his passion.
A favorite style of play for him has always been card drawing. His famous decks include CMU Blue and Draw Go. When he won Pro Tour-Chicago '97 he used a Necropotence deck.
He gained the attention of Wizards of the Coast
Wizards of the Coast
Wizards of the Coast is an American publisher of games, primarily based on fantasy and science fiction themes, and formerly an operator of retail stores for games...
with his skill on the Magic Pro Tour
Pro Tour (Magic: The Gathering)
The Pro Tour is the highest form of competitive play for the Magic: The Gathering collectible card game. It consists of a series of payout tournaments held throughout the world, each requiring an invitation to participate. Every PT awards a total of $230,000 in cash prizes, with $40,000 going to...
and was eventually offered a position at Magic Research and Development as a developer. Before he could return to college from his two year leave, Buehler decided to take the job. As a developer, his responsibilities would include testing out cards before they were printed to adjust and tweak them for power level reasons and fairness.
At Wizards of the Coast
When Buehler arrived at Magic R&D, development for the InvasionInvasion (Magic: The Gathering)
Invasion is the 21st expert level set, and the first set in the Invasion block of cards of Magic: The Gathering. The rest of the block is Planeshift and Apocalypse. It contains 350 cards.-Set History:...
set was just beginning. Since then, he has been a developer in almost every set. His first assignment as a lead developer was in the Odyssey
Odyssey
The Odyssey is one of two major ancient Greek epic poems attributed to Homer. It is, in part, a sequel to the Iliad, the other work ascribed to Homer. The poem is fundamental to the modern Western canon, and is the second—the Iliad being the first—extant work of Western literature...
set, and in the summer of 2001 Randy Buehler was promoted to the position of lead developer of all Magic.
On January 4, 2002, Randy Buehler published the first Magicthegathering.com "Latest Developments" column, wherein a developer writes about a topic related to Magic development. On January 30, 2004 Buehler announced that he would leave "Latest Developments" and be succeeded by Aaron Forsythe. For several years, Buehler served as a commentator for the Magic Pro Tour webcasts, joined by co-hosts such as Mike Flores
Mike Flores
Michael J. Flores is an American author on the topic of games, Magic: The Gathering, deck construction and game theory.-Career:The Philippines-born Flores has published articles for The Duelist, The Sideboard, Usenet, The Magic Dojo, The Psylum Dojo, Neutral Ground, Brainburst and other major...
. He also served as the host of the monthly Magic: the Gathering podcast
Podcast
A podcast is a series of digital media files that are released episodically and often downloaded through web syndication...
s, which covered new sets and upcoming tournaments, and as the floor reporter for the Pro Tour podcasts, which feature ongoing coverage of each Pro Tour event.
Randy Buehler was in charge of the Dungeons & Dragons Insider
D&D Insider
Dungeons & Dragons Insider is Wizards of the Coast's method of digitally delivering periodic content and information about Dungeons & Dragons to the game's players....
and Gleemax community sites after the release of 4th edition of Dungeons & Dragons
Dungeons & Dragons
Dungeons & Dragons is a fantasy role-playing game originally designed by Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson, and first published in 1974 by Tactical Studies Rules, Inc. . The game has been published by Wizards of the Coast since 1997...
. He was laid off, like Dave Noonan
David Noonan (game designer)
David Noonan is an author of several products and articles for the Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game from Wizards of the Coast.-Role-playing games:...
and Jonathan Tweet
Jonathan Tweet
Jonathan Tweet is a game designer who has been involved in the development of the role-playing games Ars Magica, Everway, Over the Edge, Talislanta and the third edition of Dungeons & Dragons, as well as the Collectible Miniatures Game Dreamblade.-Early life:Jonathan Tweet started playing D&D in...
, among others, on December 2, 2008, for Wizards of the Coast to better focus both the digital team on Magic Online and D&D Insider.
At Mind Control Software
Randy Buehler is Vice President of Business Strategy at Mind Control Software, which along Richard GarfieldRichard Garfield
Richard Channing Garfield is a mathematics professor and game designer who created the card games Magic: The Gathering, Netrunner, BattleTech CCG, Vampire: The Eternal Struggle , The Great Dalmuti, Star Wars Trading Card Game, and the board game RoboRally...
and Skaff Elias is working on Mind Twist,a free-to-play strategy game.
Pro Tour Hall of Fame
Randy Buehler was inducted into the Magic Pro Tour Hall of FameMagic: The Gathering Hall of Fame
The Magic: The Gathering Pro Tour Hall of Fame was started in 2005 to honor the most successful Magic: The Gathering Pro Tour players. The first inductions came on the tenth anniversary of the first Pro Tour event, and new Hall of Famers will be determined annually...
in 2007 at the World Championship in New York City.
Personal life
Buehler is married to fellow Wizards employee and Magic player Del Laugel, who is the Magic Lead Editor. The couple have a daughter, Kira Elizabeth Buehler.Accomplishments
Other accomplishments:- Rookie of the Year 1997–98
- Hall of FameMagic: The Gathering Hall of FameThe Magic: The Gathering Pro Tour Hall of Fame was started in 2005 to honor the most successful Magic: The Gathering Pro Tour players. The first inductions came on the tenth anniversary of the first Pro Tour event, and new Hall of Famers will be determined annually...
class of 2007