Why is it that so many sets have a colorless creature that can put cards from graveyards on the bottom of libraries? These cards almost never make the cut in my limited decks and it’s an effect that almost never becomes relevant in games. Is there a purpose I’m missing?

It’s usually an answer to graveyard strategies the opponent is using.

As someone else disappointed by the lack of Orpheus in an Underworld set, did you consider reprinting Rescue from the Underworld? I like seeing rarely-reprinted cards in new draft and Standard contexts, and it seems Theros has remarkably few reprints despite good opportunities to reprint Theros-themed cards (e.g. Fanatic of Mogis to complete the almost-cycle of uncommon devotion ETB creatures) and non-Theros cards that synergise with the set mechanics and flavour (e.g. Sinister Concoction).

I’m pretty sure Rescue from the Undereworld was in the set when we handed off vision design. I don’t know why it got cut in set design. Probably because escape was hitting this flavor.

You've mentioned previously that the second best option to five-color magic would be three- or seven-color magic. Which three colors do you think would make the cut in that imagined scenario?

When we did it in the ARC system many years ago, we chose blue, red and green.

hmm your TFTP made me realize I've never gotten a paper cut in all my years playing magic, am I lucky or do you use anti-paper cut technology

We use non-cutting edge technology. : )

Why was Lost Soul's flavour text cut in half from its Legends version in all its subsequent printings? I really like the full poem and cringe a bit when I look at the other four versions.

My assumption was we didn’t want the text too small. It has to get translated into other languages some of which run significantly longer than English. (I’m looking at you German.)

I'm not sure it's that safe to say Urza's Destiny design was okay and only the development was bad. Someone still had to design Yawgmoth's Bargain, Pattern of Rebirth, Rofellos, Llanowar Emissary, Gamekeeper. Even if it wasn't their jobs to adjust their power level, those card have certainly influenced what kind of cards and costs get that kind of effects.

I keep saying this but as people don’t seem to get it, I’ll keep repeating it. Power level is not design’s concern. Urza’s Destiny was a boon for deck building. It was chock full of cards that you could build decks around. It had innovative mechanics and did some neat twists on mechanics in the block. The design was good. Yes, it was overpowered (although interestingly it was the least overpowered set in the block), but numbers could have been changed or cards cut in development and those problems would have gone away. Yawgmoth’s Bargain, by the way, was turned in from design as BBB, “Pay 2 life: Draw a card.” Still broken, but much less broken than the printed card.