Auras

In Command card Mechanism

If my library is a creature and I play your in command on it. What happens?

It becomes your commander, but if it ever dies and tries to leave the battlefield, it loses the aura and stops being a creature, so it’s not super useful.

Auras Commander Creatures The Library

Cyber Conversion Mechanics

Is Cyber Conversion a break, a bend, or in pie? Flickering the creature removes the effect, as does turning it face-up if it has morph or disguise, but it's otherwise a much more permanent effect than an aura.

It’s a bend, but I could see is doing it in a set with morph/disguise.

Auras Bend / Break Creatures Disguise Mechanics Morph Cyber Conversion

Understanding Enchantment Aura Mechanics

Hi Mark - please settle a question. My opponent has a 1/3 with an enchantment aura giving it 2/2 and flying for a 3/5 flier. On a later turn I make it a 1/1 frog losing all abilities. Is it now a 1/1 without flying or a 3/3 without flying. Thanks for your help, we couldn't find a good internet amswer!

It depends on how the card is making it a 1/1. If it’s changing the base stats, the aura boost would still apply.

Auras Enchantments Flying Frogs Mechanics

Complexity of Tracking Tokens

Would "+1/+0" and "+0/+1" aura tokens be an alternative to such counters in a set, or would they be too similar to counters?

They just make tracking and math more complicated.

Auras Tokens

Blue's Permanent Effect on Creatures

would it be in pie for blue to permanently remove a creatures abilities with an instant/sorcery? or is that too close to removing and replacing it?

Unlikely. If an instant or sorcery, it would be temporary. For a permanent effect, we’d use an aura.

Auras Blue Creatures Instants Sorceries

Concept of Aura Tokens

We’ve seen aura tokens in the past in small numbers, but I want to know: do you think aura tokens (probably a predefined one) would do well as a core mechanic to a set? This question is both in terms of potential design space and potential complexity issues of having lots of auras attached to permanents

You should check out Wilds of Eldraine from last year. : )

Auras Design Space Humor Mechanics Permanents Tokens Wilds of Eldraine

Aura properties variations

In response to another ask, there already are Auras that have different properties based on what kind of permanent they enchant, the Rune cycle from Kaldheim. Not exactly what the asker was talking about, but pretty close.

FYI

Auras Enchant Kaldheim Question Marks

About Enchantments With Different Abilities

If/when enchantments that have different abilities depending ong what they enchant? ex. Enchant a creature gives buff, enchant nonland non creature gives something, enchant land add additional mana

If. We’ve made auras that change based on who controls the creature.

Auras Creatures Enchant Enchantments If/When Lands Mana Non-creatures

Justifications for Auras Restrictions

Why was modified not just if something has a counter on it or a permanent attached to it. Why specifically care about who the auras are controlled by? Also since you name equipments and auras, it prevents other attaching card types possibly down the road from working.

Most times, clarity beats open-ended wording for unknown future applications. The reason we specify your auras is it felt bad for your negative auras to enhance my creature.

Auras Card Types Creatures

Devotion for Artifacts

Now that we have affinity for enchantments, well auras, when can we see devotion for artifacts

Devotion specifically cares about mana symbols (in mana costs), so it’s an odd fit.

Affinity Artifacts Auras Enchantments Mana

Lhurgoyfs in Modern Horizons III

Plus, Modern Horizons III does have a green Lhurgoyf and a Green Lhurgoyf aura that makes Tarmogoyf tokens, so it’s not as if green missed out on all the Lhurgoyf goodness.

I thought those cards were in the Commander subsets, not MH3 proper?

You are correct. I was just looking at Lhurgoyfs as a whole in the database.

Auras Commander Green Lhurgoyf Lhurgoyf Modern Horizons Modern Horizons 3 Tarmogoyf Tokens

Nethergoyf's Color Query

Why is "Nethergoyf" black? "Tarmogoyf" is one of the few iconic green creatures that has supported green for many years, and its successor should have been in green. I don't think it should have been given to black just because it is also possible in black.

Before Modern Horizons III, there were four green Lhurgoyfs and two black ones (plus two red ones, a white one, and a blue one). Green didn’t have the monopoly on Lhurgoyfs. Plus, Modern Horizons III does have a green Lhurgoyf and a Green Lhurgoyf aura that makes Tarmogoyf tokens, so it’s not as if green missed out on all the Lhurgoyf goodness.

Auras Black Blue Colors Creatures Green Lhurgoyf Lhurgoyf Modern Horizons Nethergoyf Red Tarmogoyf Tokens White

Aura Thief Card Explanation

I think the Aura Thief asker was asking why the card didn't move Auras when it was printed, not whether the card would get errata'd.

The reminder text was just clarifying what would happen when you gain control of Auras. The intent of the card was solely changing control.

Aura Thief Auras Card Printing Question Marks

Aura Thief Name Relevance

Aura Thief is less of an appropriate name now than when it was made. Why was it decided to not move "local enchantments" at that time? Was it a power issue, a complexity issue, or something else?

There are numerous old names that don’t line up with newer vocabulary. It is our policy to leave them be.

Aura Thief Auras Enchantments

Aura vs Enchantment

Why is Shadow of the Second Sun an aura and not just a normal enchantment?

Because you can choose which player this effects which makes enchant player more relevant.

Auras Enchant Enchantments Shadow Shadow of the Second Sun

Neon Dynasty Design Origins

So you've said before that Neon Dynasty started, correct me if im wrong, without Ninjitsu or Samurai and more of a focus on Auras and Sagas vs Vehicles and Equipment, with Ninja and Samurai being the commander decks. How far along did those come? I've heard people say Isshin and Satoru were the precon face commanders and were put into the set instead? Is that true? :)

Ninjutsu wasn’t in the vision design handoff with plans of it being a focus of a Ninja Commander deck, but that’s the only thing you stated that I actually said.

Auras Commander Decks Equipment Ninja Ninjas Ninjitsu Ninjutsu Sagas Samurais Vehicles Vision Design

Equipment vs Auras Mechanics

[Regarding Equipment on opponent's creatures] "Equipment already does most things better than Auras. Let Auras have their place to shine." Speaking of that, why doesn't Equipment fall off when it's attached to a creature you don't control? It's super awkward that if your creature gets Mind Controlled they keep the Equipment, and that you can easily move it unless you happen to not have the mana or another creature. It's niche, but I think having the attachment rules align with the Equip ability is more intuitive and leads to better gameplay.

It’s just not how Equipment was written. It’s such a narrow use case, it wasn’t worth the extra words.

Auras Creatures Equip Equipment Game Play Mana Mechanics Rules

Opponent Equipment Design

Inspired by some recent Custom Magic posts (that I won't share with you for obvious reasons) - what do you think is the design space for Equipment that could attach to an opponent's creatures, and an associated keyword action for it?

Equipment already does most things better than Auras. Let Auras have their place to shine.

Attach Auras Creatures Design Space Equipment Keyword Actions

Suitability of 'Eriette, the Beguiler'

so I drafted "Eriette, the Beguiler" and then discovered that there are 3 auras in the set, 1 red, 1 green (she is esper colored) and the final aura which is blue, disables the target completely which conflicts with her ability's goal. Was this a mistake of having too many things trying to be fit into the set? or was she never designed to be drafted?

Rares and mythic rares are more focused on constructed formats. It’s nice when they can work for limited, but it’s not a requirement.

Auras Blue Constructed Eriette, the Beguiler Esper (W/U/B) Green Limited Mythic Rares Rares Red

Auras Equip Cost

Could Auras have "equip" costs?

No. They can have an activation to move them to another permanent (of a legal target - enchant creature has to move to another creature).

Auras Creatures Enchant Equip