Appreciation

Appreciation for Bloomburrow Set

Hi, Mark!!!Last night I went 3-1-0 in my first ever limited event, the Bloomburrow prerelease, courtesy of a black-red deck built around Valley Rotcaller.Please apply double turbo high-fives to everybody involved in making the set (including yourself); it's awesome and adorable and a ton of fun to play and open!

Will do!

Appreciation Bloomburrow Limited Prerelease Sealed Format Valley Rotcaller

Appreciation for Salvation Swan

Restoration Angel is one of, if not my favorite Magic card, so can you give high fives to the people involved in making Salvation Swan.

Can do.

Angels Appreciation High Fives Restoration Angel Salvation Swan

On 5-color Legendary Angel

Hi Mark! Curious as a huge angel fan: If/When 5-color legendary angel?Also All my thanks and many high-fives to the team for mh3, I've gotten so many friends into magic because of it!

I assume when. We make a lot of Angels. I’m glad you and your friends like it.

Angels Appreciation If/When Modern Horizons 3

Concerns Over Emergency Ban

Mark. Please pass along this feedback to the appropriate people please. Thank you. The decision to not have an emergency ban on nadu in modern is deeply concerning, the best case scenario is that we have a few weeks of terrible magic and then a ban hits this deck and we have to hope it wasn't obscuring any other must ban issues the format. The worst case is you stick to no bans mid season and modern season is entirely unplayable. This deck is immensely powerful and slows down events like eggs

I will pass along the message.

Appreciation Bannings Eggs Modern

Excitement for Bloomburrow

Wazzzaaaaap, Mark da Shark,Just wanted to send kudos and share my excitement about so much of Bloomburrow! It's gonna be my first prerelease in a long while, since M20, I think, as well as there's so many things to love about it. I've been a big fan of Doug Beyer since Kaladesh, glad he was the lead designer on this set. Also super pumped to be getting both a revisit to the Heroic mechanic in Valiant, one of my favorite mechanics from Theros, and the amount of rabbit typal support. My Cadira commander deck is gonna go through a major redesign when the set is properly out. Hope you have a lovely day!

I’m glad you’re so excited. I can’t wait to hear all the prerelease stories.

Appreciation Bloomburrow Commander Decks Core Set 2020 Doug Beyer Head Designer Heroic Kaladesh Kindred / Typal Mechanics Prerelease Rabbits Sealed Format Sharks Theros Valiant

Regulation of Monarch and Initiative

This is hatemail not just about how Monarch and Initiative should never be allowed in two-player, which they shouldn't. (No comment on them in greater-than-2P games; I'm sure they're wonderful there. I have no objection to them existing SO LONG AS they are ruled to just not work in two-player.) This hatemail is SPECIFICALLY about Palace Jailer. Why does it say "until an opponent becomes the Monarch"?! It should not ever be allowed in two-player! Thank you for listening to my hatemail.

Should there exist cards legal in Commander, but not Legacy? Such a designation doesn’t currently exist.

Appreciation Commander Format Legality Legacy Palace Jailer

Potential for Other D&D Planes

Hey Mark first I want to thank you for what you and your team do. Is it possible that we could get other D&D planes as sets. Faerun has a lot of history but there are other planes that could be awesome Inspiration for MTG?

It is possible.

Appreciation Dungeons & Dragons Planes

Absent Hedgehogs in Bloomburrow

Hi Mark, first off thank you and the team for the amazing Bloomburrow set. Just wanted to ask, is there a reason why you did not include any hedgehogs in it despite having tons of other critters not in the main tribes (weasels, foxes, moles, hamsters, etc)?

We included a lot of one-of creatures, and I believe we designed a hedgehog, but it didn’t make it to print. I’m not sure why, but it probably has to do with the individual card design.

Appreciation Bloomburrow Card Printing Creatures Foxes Hamsters Moles

Appreciation for Bloomburrow

Can I just saw I LOVE the planeswalkers guides for bloomburrow, I grew up on Redwall and it’s been super fun to see ,, I especially love how there’s no clear villain type, and each group is shown to have positive and negative attributes. High fives to all involved!

High fives to be applied.

Appreciation Bloomburrow High Fives Planeswalkers

Appreciating the Otters in Magic

Please pass my thanks to whomever decided otters should be a thing in Magic.I've carried an otter plushie around with me to events through my entire Magic playing career, so almost 15 years. Ive had an otter along for the ride from pretty much every FNM to PTQs to traveling everywhere I could drive within 8 hours to play Legacy for several years or even trips to the other side of the US for large events a couple of times.I was screeching and immediately tried building an otter deck when Lutri and Theving Otter came out with Ikoria. I was literally babbling with joy at the otters in Wilds of Eldraine for MONTHS. To say I'm beside myself with excitement for Bloomburrow would almost be an understatement.My favorite thing to build or play in Magic are tribal-based decks. I built an angel one as my second ever deck (Shards of Alara/Zendikar standard) so I could teach my mom to play before she passed. I was known for a knight/Sword of _____ and _____ deck for years. I've even played Merfolk and Tribal Lightning Bolt (burn) decks a time or two. But I can now have my beloved otters as a theme for my deck.Literally the only way that it could be more perfect for me would have been if there was an Otter Knight named Rora for my little tournament companion.So thank you for making my love for Magic even stronger by adding otters.

I like making otter people happy. : )

Angels Appreciation Bloomburrow Companion Humor Kindred / Typal Knights Legacy Merfolk Otters Shards of Alara Standard Wilds of Eldraine Zendikar Lightning Bolt

Appreciation for Planeswalkers Guides to Bloomburrow

I can't give enough high fives to everyone at wizards that made sure there would be THREE Planeswalkers Guides to Bloomburrow. It makes me unbelievably happy to see it not just live up to the worldbuilding and depth I'm used to in a Magic setting, but exceed it. A plane doesn't feel like a plane without it!

We have heard that message loud and clear.

Appreciation Bloomburrow High Fives Planeswalkers

Clarifying Modifier Rules

Hello Mr Rosewater,
Un-rules question for you:Modular Monstrosity has the ability, "Whenever an opponent casts a spell, you have five seconds to choose a keyword you haven't chosen for a card named Modular Monstrosity today that's been printed on a creature card."There is also a ruling that reads, "If the keyword has a modifier, such as a mana cost or a number, you must choose a modifier that’s been printed."
My question is, can you choose a keyword that has been printed on a creature with a modifier that's only been printed on a noncreature card. Cumulative Upkeep has appeared on many creatures so is a valid keyword. Can I name "Cumulative Upkeep-Add {R}" which has only been seen on the noncreature Braids of Fire?
Thank you in advance

You have to choose a mechanic and a modifier that’s appeared on a creature.

Appreciation Creatures Cumulative Upkeep Keywords Mana Mark Rosewater Mechanics Modular Monstrosity Non-creatures Rules Un-sets Modular Monstrosity

Bats in Bloomburrow Lore

I’d like to say thank you for not making the bats in Bloomburrow vampires. Or at least not making vampirism their main thing in the lore. Vampire bats are cool but overdone considering only 3 out of over 1,400 bat species drink blood (and those 3 species of vampire bay are only found in Central America and South America.)

In Bloomburrow, the Bats are the clergy.

Appreciation Bats Battle for Zendikar Blood Bloomburrow Story / Lore United States Vampires Vampire Bats Vampirism

Excitement for Upcoming Sets

Hi Mark! Just wanna give shout out to awesome sets you have planned for the Dragonstorm arc: Bloomburrow for the high fantasy traditionalists and typal lovers, Duskmourn for the modern horror fans and a different take on an Enchantment matters set, The Death Race as a fun exploration of the Omenpaths and finally a set centered around Vehicles (I mean it's not confirmed but…c'mon), and a long-awaited Return to Tarkir set for Magic veterans and those who waited for a wedge faction set! I am absolutely stoked for all of these sets, and I am glad that Magic embraces variety enough to take risks for modern, novel aesthetics while still preserving old, familiar aesthetics!

I’m excited you’re excited.

Appreciation Bloomburrow Enchantments Factions Horrors Kindred / Typal Modern Omenpaths Vehicles Dragonstorm

Sharing Appreciation For Genre Mashup

I feel like a lot of established MtG players underestimate how much the genre mashup and Universes Beyond sets expand to new demographics. A friend and I 100% started playing Magic because of Outlaws of Thunder Junction. We are now SUPER EXCITED for Bloomburrow and Duskmourne too. (I was exposed to Magic in college but that was a decade+ ago.)
It's not an exaggeration to say that without the cowboys set, I would not be playing Magic right now.
Anyway just wanted to share that positive message.

Thanks for the message.

Appreciation Bloomburrow Outlaws of Thunder Junction Universes Beyond

Request for Card Errata

Hello, Mark, quick request: I'd like you errata the Outlaw batch to include Wizards effective immediately, and I'd also like you premptively errata all Lizard Warlocks in Bloomburrow into Lizard Wizards.This might have some unforseen play balance concerns and it would be tremendously confusing to have so many new cards not do what they say, but look at the upside: "Lizard Wizard" rhymes.Please and thank you.

If only creature types rhyming was a higher priority for R&D. : )

Appreciation Batches Bloomburrow Creatures Errata Game Balance Humor Lizards Warlocks

Appreciating Artistic Touches

Shout out to the art team for the woodland showcase frame. The different foliage based on colour is a nice touch.

I’ll let them know.

Appreciation Art Card Frames Colors

Bloomburrow Appreciation

Less a question and more just feedback. Bloomburrow has been -amazing- so far. It's by far my favorite set in years, and definitely my favorite plane. I'm one of those big Lorwyn fans, and honestly it Bloomburrow feels a lot like Lorwyn with a lot of its issues weeded out. Kudos to the whole team, from flavor to mechanical design. I'm hoping it's a 1 on the Rabiah scale and that the return to Lorwyn can tide me over until a hopeful return to Bloomburrow.

Glad you’re enjoying it.

Appreciation Appreciation Bloomburrow Flavor Lorwyn Rabiah Scale

Critique of Flavor Words

Hey, Mark, I'm not to make another UB-related request. This isn't coming from an anti-UB place, and it's just one Goose's opinion, but I'm sure there are others who feel this way.Can we get rid of flavor words, please? I haven't seen a single upside to them presented, just downsides:

For decades, one of MtG's biggest strengths was capturing the ludonarrative. Having to spell it out makes it seem like you all have lost confidence in your ability to make card design that makes sense with the captured flavor.
If a design is intended to be funny (the Street Fighter cards come to mind), it feels like you're pointing at the "joke" and saying "See? Please laugh." As a person who has a comedy background, I'm sure you understand why killing the frog is bad.
Death of the epithet: The most minor of the criticisms, but I really think "Ian Chester, Science Teacher" reads better than "Ian Chester" and then calling his ability "science teacher." (I may be mixing up the WHO teachers, but this applies to both, luckily.) Epithets also make it easier to depict multiple "moments" of a character without giving a card up as the "definitive" version of that character.
It feels like you don't trust players to get why the card text is what it is. Telling your audience you don't expect them to be smart (or rather, literate) enough to "get" it doesn't really help. I've seen people say they add flavor to the cards, but the flavor isn't diminished by removing the flavor words (flavor is when things are fleshed out and living, not when things are spelled out). If it's for fans of the IP, then they already get it (Oh, the activated ability that grants flying is referencing this character's rocket propulsion). Non-fans of the IP aren't benefited either, as they will sus out said character has rocket propulsion or be left completely in the dark (see Cult of Skaro: These words do nothing to tell me about the ability. If you were to leave them out, I'd still be able to sus out that each ability corresponds to one of the four Daleks depicted).
Lastly, they make cards harder to read. When trying to grok a card, there should be as few words as possible I'm supposed to ignore.

I understand some people will go "I recognize the thing" and a bulb in their brain will light up, but something being easy like this doesn't mean it's better or that we actually like it more.I guess there's the potential upside that you could slot in numerals to power up my Baron von Count deck, but I don't see any real tangible upside to them. Obviously I'm missing something. Can you say what it is?
(Also, even if you don't answer it,thank you for taking the time to answer this book of an ask. These are feelings I've been sitting on since AFR and keeping an open mind on in case I changed how I felt from my initial reaction.)

Flavor words can do some things that we can’t replicate elsewhere. I agree they can be overused, and are not always used optimally, but I don’t think we want to throw out the baby with the bathwater.

Adventures in the Forgotten Realms Appreciation Baron Von Count Cult of Skaro Daleks Epithets Epithets Flavor Flavor Words Flying Frogs Humor Replicate

Non-player Appreciation

saw the other nice ask from a non magic player and wanted to join! my friends LOVE magic and spend so much time creating and learning and playing! I'm slowly picking up a few things, as I don't play TGCs often. it makes me so happy to see them passionate about something and I love hearing them talk about it! thank you for the second hand joy of seeing my friends get excited about new releases and pulling cards!

Thanks for responding. I don’t often get to hear from non-Magic players.

Appreciation Your Hand