Caves

Requesting A Bat Cave

May I ask for a Bat Cave?

You may.

Bat Caves

Basic Land Acorn Card

Could we get an acorn Basic Desert or Basic Cave or Basic Gate?

I’m skeptical we’ll make those, even in acorn/silver-border.

Caves Gates Lands Un-Magic / Silver Border / Acorn Un-sets

Errata for Cavern of Souls

Hello mark, I'm looking at urza's cave, and wondering why wasn't cavern of souls corrected to be a cave?

We chose not to errata old cards.

Cavern of Souls Caves Errata Urza's Cave

Additive Errata Discussion

I just wanted to voice that with design being more eternal focused/aware I think that should actually make Wizards more willing to do additive errata on older cards (like the ask about command tower getting tower and caverns of souls getting cave). Specifically with additive errata, misplaying an old copy of the card rarely matters and it opens up a lot more space for designing one-ofs with old themes

There is a balance. Cards just not saying what they do is not ideal.

Caves Command Tower Errata Eternal

Land Type Updates

Would Wizards ever consider doing a "great land type update" errata for older lands? For example make Command Tower a Land - Tower, Cavern of Souls a Land - Cave or Crystal Quarry a Land - Mine.

We consider lots of things, but the bar for such a thing is high.

Cavern of Souls Caves Command Tower Crystal Quarry Errata Lands

Nonbasic Lands Synergy

I like the increase of usage and synergies with nonbasic land types (Deserts, Cave [new!]). Any plans with Lairs?

Maybe. : ) Bwahahaha!

Caves Humor Lands

Land Type Precedent

Also, how does R&D feel about giving lands that flavorfully represent a cave the Cave subtype in the future, even without a theme based around it in the set? (same goes for, like, Desert and Gate)

We don’t like the precedent. Let’s say the Cave subtype becomes a play design issue, and we can’t have any more. We don’t want to have to ban cave as a flavor for a land.

Bannings Caves Flavor Game Design Gates Lands Play Design Subtype

Ixalan Design Choices

What was the reasoning behind making Caves of Ixalan not be a kindred/typal set again? I thought it was ingrained within Ixalan's identity

The original Ixalan block ranked poorly in market research for mechanics, but high on world building, so when we were looking for a setting for a underground set, we decided to return to the world of Ixalan, but (mostly) not the mechanics.

Caves Ixalan Kindred / Typal Mechanics

Future Cave Appearances

Since cave errata had been so heavily considered, does this mean we are likely to see many more caves across future sets? Even in those without a specific caves-matter theme?

I don’t expect to see the Cave subtype outside of a set that cares about Caves save maybe a one-of in a supplemental set.

Caves Caves Errata Subtype

Cave Errata Considerations

Regarding cave errata: there are 16 lands that have "cave" or "cavern" in their names but aren't the cave type. BUT multiple of these are part of existing cycles where the other members wouldn't be caves (i.e. Forgotten Cave, Bloodfell Caves, Caves of Koilos). 6/16 definitely are and 3 of the remaining are part of looser cycles. Was this a factor in the decision not to make the change?

It was one of a number of issues.

Blood Bloodfell Caves Caves Caves Caves of Koilos Cycles Errata Forgotten Cave Lands

Cave Land Assessment

You’ve gotten a couple asks about making cavern of souls a cave, and have said there were discussions of potentially changing a group of lands to caves. What were some of the other lands you were looking at for possible caveification?

Lands with Cave or Cavern in their name.

Cavern of Souls Caves Caves Lands

Cavern of Lost Souls

Was there any discussion internally to make CAVErn of Lost Souls a cave?

There was discussion to errata old cards that are flavorfully a cave to getting the Cave subtype. We had several lengthy discussions and decided against it.

Caves Errata Subtype

Play Booster Land Slot

Play booster question: in LCI, draft boosters have a chance to contain a cave in the basic land slot. In upcoming sets that use play boosters, will some of those sets use the basic land slot for other lands like LCI, MOM, DGM, and FRF did?

It’s an option available.

Boosters Caves Draft Boosters Dragon's Maze Fate Reforged Lands Play Boosters The Lost Caverns of Ixalan

Cave Theme Trivia

May I request some birthday trivia for the new caves?

In Planar Chaos design, we experienced with having a sixth color, purple. The basic land for purple was City part of the time, and Cave the rest of the time. Ixalan had a land theme on its first visit, so the set design team decided to add a land subtype to the set. With an underground theme, Cave felt like the best choice.Happy Birthday!

6th Color Birthday Caves Colors Ixalan Lands Planar Chaos Set Design Subtype

Descend Mechanic Feedback

Just got back from pre-release and had a lot of fun. I played a black/green deck. A lot of people in this blog seemed to be worried that descend/descended would be confusing, but I didn't have a problem with it. I actually appreciate the shared terminology. The discover caves were a fun way to descend.Probably too small a sample size to matter, but it seemed like almost everyone at the event was running some variant of green. The organizers actually ran out of Forests to give out and had to restock. Didn't stop it from being fun, so maybe it doesn't matter much.

Glad you had a good time. Anyone else feel green was played more at your event?

Blogatog / Tumblr Caves Golgari (B/G) Green Mechanics Restock Sealed Format

Lost Caverns Success Evaluation

Would you consider Lost Caverns to be a success in terms of being the first backdrop set (or is it too early to tell?) It seems like the majority of content created and discussion online still revolves around the typal aspects that were present in original Ixalan rather than newer aspects like Craft or Cave

War of the Spark was the first “backdrop” set in the way we define it. I think the reason we use the world is because fans are fan of the world. The set is still built around the underground theme rather than the faction structure of the initial outing.

Backdrop Set Backdrop Sets Caves Craft Factions Ixalan Kindred / Typal War of the Spark War of the Spark

Spider Presence in Ixalan

Was a larger spider presence planned in Lost Caves of Ixalan? The spider trap art was used to teased the set but did not show up in the set.

Not that I’m aware of, but I wasn’t involved in any of the creative once it became Ixalan.

Art Caves Caves Ixalan Spider

Child Creature Type

Today is my birthday, and my son was born eight days ago. By right of rite of birthday trivia, I ask:
if or when: the "child" creature type appearing in a blackbordered set?
Also, I want to let you know that I am terrifically excited for Lost Caverns of Ixalan. I wasn't terribly enthused for our return to Eldraine, but from caves to exploration to crafting to aesthetics, Ixalan knocks it out of the park for me!

I think Child is an if. Congrats on the birth and I’m glad you’re enjoying The Lost Caverns of Ixalan.

Appreciation Birthday Caves Creatures If/When Ixalan Rat The Lost Caverns of Ixalan

Cavern of Souls Query

Why is Cavern of Souls not a cave? :p

We did talk about it, but decided against errata for old cards.

Cavern of Souls Caves Errata

Cave Land-Type Errata

Will existing lands with cave in their name be errata'd to have the cave land-type? Because I imagine it would be very unintuitive for a number of players if Cosmium Confluence says to search for a cave, but won't let you search for Cave of the Frost Dragon.

There are not current plane to errata old land cards to have the subtype Cave.

Cave of the Frost Dragon Caves Cosmium Confluence Dragon Errata Lands Search Subtype