Elkin Bottle

Impulsive Draw Slang

What’s “bottle” in the early Jaya in today’s article? Is it internal slang for impulsive draw?

“Bottle” is another slang word for impulsive draw. It comes from the card Elkin Bottle which was an early card to have a similar effect.

Elkin Bottle

White Card Draw Parameters

Congrats & thank you on completing the epic color pie write-up. Was wondering if there's more to White card draw parameters? I understand "one card per turn" but beside that we've seen a lot of different ways: rule-breaking, life gain, whenever you attack, Mila Crafty Comp, etc. Does White have any defined reasons for drawing the way Black and Green are tied to lifeloss or creatures (or Red/Elkin bottle)? Also technically Mila could draw you more than one in a turn, is it obsolete already :) ?

We’re slowly crafting the feel for white card draw. Also, you don’t control the draws from Mila. The restriction is you can only draw a card per turn under your control.

Appreciation Appreciation Black Card Draw Color Pie Creatures Elkin Bottle Epic Green Lifegain Rat Red White

Impulsive Draw Origin

You call it impulsive draw, but its actually an old ability from Ice Age. The artifact Elkin Bottle was the first use ofvthat ability. So shouldn't it be called Elkin draw?

Not everything is named after the first Magic card to do it.

Artifacts Elkin Bottle Ice Age

Elkin Mystery

What is an elkin? (Cf. Elkin Bottle, Elkin Lair)

I’m not sure. It’s an anagram of Klein as in Klein bottle.

Elkin Bottle Elkin Lair

Elkin Bottle Today

So the Elkin Bottle ability is basically Red only these days, right?

Yep. Blue can do it a little, but it’s mostly red.

Blue Elkin Bottle Red

Red's Exile Concern

Red cares about exile when it draws cards using its Elkin bottle mode.

Fair enough.Impulsive draw does use the exile zone.

Elkin Bottle Red The Exile Zone

RoboRosewater Card Potential

You've told us when a Blogatog-inspired card (Elkin bottle mechanic in red) first made it into a set. Will you also tell us when you print the first RoboRosewater-inspired card? Some of the ones produced by the well-trained AI are pretty interesting.

As I can’t look at them, that will be difficult for me to do.

Card Printing Elkin Bottle Mechanics Red

Red Card Draw Development

On red temporary card draw in BFZ block: No, there weren't any Elkin Bottle effects, regardless of color (or devoid). I assume your surprise at that question means there were cards with that effect in development?

There were in design. I assume they got squeezed out by other stuff.

Card Draw Colors Devoid Elkin Bottle Red

Suggesting Existing Mechanics

Can we suggest mechanics you've already printed as the U/B overlap mechanic, similar to how Elkin Bottle's mechanic was put into red?

You can name an existing card but don’t extrapolate.

Card Printing Dimir (U/B) Elkin Bottle Mechanics Red

Elkin Bottle Rarity

Can red's Elkin Bottle ability appear at common?

It’s a little complex for common so as a default, no.

Elkin Bottle Red

Elkin Bottle Red Addition

Wasn't adding the Elkin Bottle effect to Red a concession to Blogatog?

We had talked a bit on Blogatog about extra things red can do and that discussion led to the Elkin effect returning, what I now call impulsive drawing.

Elkin Bottle Red

Elkin Lair Confusion

He said Elkin Lair, not Elkin Bottle. The difference is Elkin Lair applies the Elkin ability to cards from players hands, acting as a sort of "play it now or discard it"

Oops. I meant Elkin Bottle.

Discard Elkin Bottle Elkin Lair

Elkin Bottle Rarity

I'm very happy to see more Elkin Bottle effects, since they totally fit the gameplay style of the red mage. That said, we've only seen it at mythic so far. Any plans to make it a bigger part of red's color pie?

The ability is going to start showing up in lower rarities than mythic rare.

Color Pie Colors Elkin Bottle Game Play Mythic Rares Red

Fan Suggestions Impact

"That idea spurred me to suggest the “Elkin Bottle" ability to the Magic 2014 development team for the middle ability on Chandra." Thank you so much for this.

The are numerous reasons for this blog but one is a conduit to get good ideas from the fans to the me to help improve the game (within the confines of what I’m allowed to hear). As they happen, I will continue to point them out. So thank you to all of you for helping make Magic better. : )

Appreciation Blogatog / Tumblr Elkin Bottle Magic 2014

Chandra Ability Creation

How did Blogatog affect Chandra’s middle ability?

About eighteen months ago, we had a chat about new abilities for red and there was a lot of talk about letting red have more abilities but things that had to be used immediately. That idea spurred me to suggest the “Elkin Bottle” ability to the Magic 2014 development team for the middle ability on Chandra.

Elkin Bottle Red

Mathematical References

The other day in one of my classes, I learned about "Markov" chains in mathematics... I immediately linked this to Sorin and the Markov vampire clan from Innistrad. Also, Phyrexians have the greek symbol for "phi" as their insignia... and I know Richard Garfield is a mathematician. I'm not sure how well you'd be able to answer this, but how many references to things in mathematics do you know of that are there in Magic?

There are quite a number of them. My favorite are Elkin Bottle and Bosium Strip.

Elkin Bottle Innistrad Phyrexian Richard Garfield Vampire