Brian Kibler facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Brian Kibler |
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Kibler being interviewed at the 2018 Hearthstone Fall Invitational tournament
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| Nicknames | The Dragonmaster |
| Born | Idaho, U.S |
| Residence | Carmel Valley, California, U.S. |
| Nationality | American |
| Pro Tour debut | Pro Tour New York 1996 (junior) Pro Tour Chicago 1997 (senior) |
| Winnings | $279,747 |
| Pro Tour wins (Top 8) | 2 (5) |
| Grand Prix wins (Top 8) | 3 (13) |
| Median Pro Tour Finish | 85 |
| Lifetime Pro Points | 377 |
| Planeswalker Level | 50 (Archmage) |
Brian McCormick Kibler is an American collectible card game player, game designer, and streamer. He is known for designing games like Ascension: Chronicle of the Godslayer and for his work on the World of Warcraft Trading Card Game.
Kibler is also a very successful professional card player. He has done very well in Magic: The Gathering, reaching the Top 8 in five major tournaments called Pro Tours. He won Pro Tour Austin in 2009 and Pro Tour Honolulu in 2012. He also reached the Top 8 in 13 Grand Prix events, winning three of them. In 2004, he won the first-ever VS System Pro Circuit event. Because he took a break from playing, he was finally added to the Magic: The Gathering Hall of Fame in 2010.
Playing Card Games
Brian Kibler started playing Magic: The Gathering professionally when he was fifteen. He placed 30th in the Junior Division of the very first Pro Tour in New York in 1996. He later qualified for the main Pro Tour by winning Grand Prix Toronto in 1997.
Kibler made it to the Top 8 of a Pro Tour for the first time at Pro Tour Chicago in 2000. This was also where he earned his famous nickname, The Dragonmaster. He got this name after winning key matches using a powerful combination of cards: Rith, the Awakener and Armadillo Cloak. He finished third in that tournament. After this, Kibler took a break from playing Magic in 2004.
After several years away, Kibler returned to Magic in 2009. He said a big reason for his return was his goal to be inducted into the Magic: The Gathering Hall of Fame. Soon after coming back, he reached the Top 8 at Pro Tour Honolulu. Then, he won his first Pro Tour title at Pro Tour Austin, beating Tsuyoshi Ikeda in the finals. His strong performance helped him get into the Hall of Fame in 2010. He was inducted alongside other great players, Gabriel Nassif and Bram Snepvangers.
In 2012, Kibler reached his fifth Pro Tour Top 8 at Pro Tour Dark Ascension in Honolulu. He played against another Hall of Famer, Jon Finkel, in the semi-finals, in what many called one of the best matches in Magic history. Kibler won that match and then defeated his teammate Paulo Vitor Damo da Rosa in the finals to win his second Pro Tour title. By winning, Kibler also earned a spot in the first Magic Players Championship.
By 2017, Kibler had earned over $279,747 from tournaments throughout his career. This placed him among the top earners in Magic history.
Hearthstone Gaming
Kibler also plays Hearthstone, which is a popular digital card game. He won the ChallengeStone tournaments in May 2015 and November 2016. He also placed second in another tournament in July 2015. Kibler has also worked as a commentator for Hearthstone tournaments, including big events like BlizzCon.
He often streams his Hearthstone gameplay on Twitch. People in the gaming community see him as a calm and fair player who rarely gets angry. He prefers playing in the "Constructed" format over "Arena" in Hearthstone.
In October 2019, Kibler announced that he would no longer be a commentator for Blizzard's events. This decision came after Blizzard made a controversial choice to penalize a player named Ng Wai Chung. Kibler felt the penalty was too harsh, even though he agreed some action was needed. Because of this disagreement, he decided he could not work with Hearthstone events again. However, he still frequently streams the game.
About Brian Kibler
Brian Kibler grew up in Hampstead, New Hampshire. He attended boarding school at Phillips Academy in Andover, Massachusetts. Later, he went to Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia, where he studied Philosophy and Religion.
On October 12, 2014, Kibler married Natalie Warren. On December 21, 2019, he announced that he and his wife were separating.
