Entwine

Dream-Created Game Mechanic

Has there ever been an “it was all a dream” set, as in a set that only existed in a dream you had and isn’t actually real. And if so, what do you remember about it?

I designed the entwine mechanic in a dream. I’d been trying to make a mechanic that fit Mirrodin and was thinking a lot about it. I went to slept and dreamed it. I then excitedly woke up and wrote it down.

Entwine Mechanics Mirrodin

Modal Spells Characteristics

Riku of Many Paths make reference to "modal spells" which I think is a first. How are modal spells being defined for the game now? Anything where a player makes a choice while casting? Can creatures be modal like adaptive automaton? entwine spells? splilt cards?

Here’s the definition from Matt Tabak:“A modal spell, you might be wondering, is a spell where you choose from among modes (a bulleted list of options) as you cast it. They include spree cards. A permanent with an activated or triggered ability that includes modes is not a modal spell.”

Adaptive Automaton Automaton Creatures Entwine Matt Tabak Riku of Many Paths Spells Spree Triggered Abilities

Split Cards Limitations

So a split card that one half gives your creatures indestructible and the other half destroys all creature would be white, but if it had fuse, it couldn't be white? Or does this change because of split cards vs entwine?

If we wouldn’t do it as entwine, we wouldn’t do it as a split card with fuse.

Creatures Entwine Fuse Indestructible Split Cards White

Entwine's Design Potential

Speaking of Entwine, how much design space do you think it has left and would it be a good candidate to bring back?

I think it has enough design space to return one day.

Design Space Entwine

White Entwine Concept

Could you have a white entwine card with ‘creatures you control gain indestructible’ and ‘destroy all creatures’ but have the entwine cost be black?

Yes.

Black Creatures Destroy Entwine White

Entwine Mechanic Question

Re: white entwine protection+wipeWhat if the entwine cost is black? That way, if the spell is cast mono-white, it’s always in pie; but if it’s a one sided wipe, it has to have black mana put into it?

That would be fine.

Black Entwine Mana Mechanics Protection White

Entwine Card Mechanics

Can white do an Entwine card whose modes are: - creatures you control gain Indestructible until eot and - Destroy all creatures ?

The combination of those effects is black, not white. So, no.

Black Creatures Destroy Entwine Indestructible Mechanics White

Perpetually Mechanic and Far Out

Here’s the first questions for stickers and one acorn cardSticker question: since stickers are gonna be eternal legal you think this could be a step in the right direction to make the “Perpetually” mechanic possible in paper?Acorn question: can we get a explanation to why “far out” is a acorn because I’m having trouble seeing the problem of why it can't be eternal legal. (Only think I can think of is giving every spell with choices “Entwine 0” is too OP)

It’s not strictly perpetual as the sticker leaves the card when it goes to non public zones (hand and library). Far Out’s issues are complex. Part of the problem, but far from all of it, is what constitutes a mode is a bit fuzzy from a technical rules standpoint. Also, there are modes that the game can’t handle you doing multiple of them. I’ll see if I can get Jess to give me a more technical explanation.

Entwine Eternal Far Out Mechanics Rules Stickers The Library Un-Magic / Silver Border / Acorn Un-sets Your Hand

Cards Inspired from Dreams

My birthday was earlier this week. I have kind of a weird question: I had a dream about a card earlier this week. Have any cards in MTG history been inspired by a design that came to a designer in a dream?

The entwine mechanic, from original Mirrodin, came to me in a dream.Happy Belated Birthday!

Birthday Entwine Mechanics Mirrodin

Copying Modal Spell Modes

Re: Copying a Modal Spell for other modes - Copying a spell keeps decisions made for the original including selected modes, so that wouldn't work. The game can handle additional selections on modal spells though (see Entwine and Escalate) so in theory a card could grant spells you cast one of those abilities.

FYI

Entwine Escalate Spells

Monocolor Effects Combination

The Entomb/Reanimate with Entwine thing got me thinking, why would the Entwine cost need to be green? I'd have thought it was ok as a mono black card. The catch with black being that the card you tutor for does go to the graveyard first, so the Reanimate half still gets blocked by static graveyard hate. Grafdigger's Cage/Rest In Peace/Leyline of the Void and so on.

We need to be careful doing two monocolor effects on the same card where the combination isn’t in color.

Black Colors Entomb Entwine Grafdigger's Cage Green Leyline of the Void Monocolor Reanimate Rest in Peace The Graveyard Tutoring

Black Natural Order Modal Spell

Regarding black natural order: What about a black modal spell that either tutors a creature to the grave or reanimates a creature with a green entwine cost?

Cute.

Black Creatures Entwine Green

Monowhite Bouncing Mechanic Prospects

What about a monowhite bounce your board OR destroy all creatures with a black entwine cost?

That’s probably doable.

Black Creatures Destroy Entwine Mechanics

Birthday Mirrodin Trivia Request

Hi Mark,I enjoy Blogatog very much, thank you!May I please invoke birthday trivia since today is my 30th?I'd like some trivia on my favorite plane of Mirrodin please 😁

Mirrodin holds the record for the most number of mechanic design names to make it to print 4 (affinity, entwine, equipment and imprint)Happy Birthday!

Affinity Appreciation Birthday Card Printing Entwine Equipment Imprint Mechanics Mirrodin

Multi-Color Mechanic Request

About mono color cards doing 2 in color things to lead to an out of color net effect, Twisted Reflection using entwine with a second color is a nifty loophole. Is this something still acceptable in the current color pie? Can I request more of this?

That is acceptable. Perhaps when we use entwine again.

Color Pie Colors Entwine Mechanics Monocolor Reflection Twisted Reflection

Blue Card and Milling Proposal

"Could Blue theoretically get a card that puts a creature on top of a library, then also mills that player?" This would be a good off color entwine effect like Twisted Reflection wouldn't it?

It could be a blue spell with a black entwine cost. : )

Black Blue Colors Creatures Entwine Humor Mill Reflection The Library Twisted Reflection

Kicker Versus Other Abilities

Buyback, Replicate, Entwine, Fuse, Exploit, Awaken and Escalate are all really just versions of Kicker. Why not just use Kicker so that these abilities could be backward and forward compatable?

1) We value flavor and excitement of individual sets over keyword continuity. There isn’t that many cards, for example, that care about kicker. As I’ve said many times, one of the big drawbacks of kicker is it’s too broad a mechanic. 2) Not having to keyword it as kicker gives us more flexibility on how individual mechanics work. Not every mechanic you named, for instance, is exactly kicker.

Awaken Buyback Entwine Escalate Exploit Flavor Fuse Keywords Kicker Mechanics Replicate

Unsatisfying Cycle Creation

"Set design designed a full cycle. They didn’t like the red and white ones and couldn’t make satisfying versions. " Do you have more details on this? The Inscriptions basically have entwine, which has worked in these colours in the past, and there were very powerful modal escalate cards in Elderitch Moon which are basically identical to inscriptions except that you pay for both additional modes with a single cost.

I wasn’t saying they couldn’t make a complete cycle in a vacuum. Cards have to be made within contexts of the set they’re being designed in. Often, there are effects that are needed on other cards that player a bigger role overall in the set structure making those abilities off limits to a cycle.

Colors Cycles Entwine Escalate Red Set Design White

Favorite Mechanics or Cards

I feel like a lot of people who say you’ve only done bad for the game don’t realize you’re probably behind some of their favorite mechanics or cards too. For a change of pace, can you list some beloved mechanics or cards you’re responsible for?

Here are the Magic mechanics I’ve had a hand in creating: Absorb, Addendum, Affinity, Aftermath, Aura Swap, Battle Cry, Bolster, Champion, Changeling, Cipher, Companion, Contraptions, Crew (Vehicles), Dash, Deathtouch, Delve, Dredge, Embalm, Energy, Entwine, Evoke, Exert, Exploit, Fabricate, Fateful Hour, Fateseal, Ferocious, Flashback, Flip, Forecast, Fortify, Frenzy, Gotcha, Graft, Gravestorm, Heroic, Hexproof, Host/Augment, Hybrid Mana, Imprint, Infect, Intimidate, Kicker, Landfall, Lifelink, Living Weapon, Madness, Manifest, Mentor, Modular, Monstrosity, Morbid, Morph, Multikicker, Mutate, Ninjitsu, Phyrexian Mana, Poisonous, Populate, Proliferate, Prowl, Raid, Rally, Reach, Recover, Reinforce, Retrace, Ripple, Shroud, Soulbond, Splice, Split Cards, Split Second, Suspend, Transfigure, Transform, Typecycling, Undying, Unearth, Vanishing and Wither.

Absorb Absorb Addendum Affinity Aftermath Aura Swap Battle Cry Battle Cry Bolster Champion Changeling Cipher Companion Contraptions Crew Dash Deathtouch Delve Dredge Dredge Embalm Entwine Evoke Exert Exploit Fabricate Fabricate Fateful hour Fateseal Ferocious Flashback Forecast Fortify Fortify Frenzy Graft Gravestorm Gravestorm Heroic Hexproof Hybrid Imprint Infect Intimidate Kicker Landfall Lifelink Lifelink Living Weapon Madness Mana Manifest Mechanics Mentor Modular Monstrosity Morbid Morph Morph Mutate Ninjitsu Phyrexian Poisonous Populate Proliferate Prowl Raid Rally Rally Recover Reinforce Retrace Ripple Shroud Soulbond Splice Split Cards Split Second Suspend Suspend Transfigure Transform Undying Unearth Unearth Vanishing Vanishing Vehicles Wither Your Hand

Entwine's Storm Scale Position

Where is Entwine on the storm scale?

I assume a 6.

Entwine Storm Scale