Eye of Ugin

Batch Preview for New Type

Is it possible to use a batch to preview an upcoming card type, such as "[existing type], [existing type], and [new type] are blahs"? Or are Eye of Ugin style previews basically impossible without blocks?

It’s possible, but needs a compelling reason. It’s not dependent on blocks.

Batches Card Types Eyes Spoilers Eye of Ugin

Understanding Cost Reduction

Hello Mark, rules question…if something costed CCCC and there was something like Eye of Ugin to make it 2 less to cast, would it cost CC or CCCC still?

2 less doesn’t reduce C.

Cost Reduction Eye Eye of Ugin Rules

Ideas for Future Set Cards

Hello Mark, do you think we will see any more cards like Shield of Kaldra or Eye of Ugin that hint about what is to come in future sets?

I do.

Eye Eye of Ugin Shield of Kaldra

Eye of Ugin Discussion

While I agree that lands that don’t make mana should be exceptionally rare, I am surprised you count Eye of Ugin among those. Isn’t cost reduction very much in spirit? It’s effectively: tap to add 2, use only to spend on colourless spells

It’s closer in spirit than other things.

Colorless Cost Reduction Eye Eye of Ugin Lands Mana Rares Spells Spirit Tap / Untap

Frequency of Printing Manaless Lands

How often would you say it's okay to print lands with no mana abilities (talking like Eye of Ugin, not Evolving Wilds)?

Very infrequently. Once every other decade or so.

Card Printing Evolving Wilds Eye Eye of Ugin Lands Mana

Eye of Ugin as Land

Speaking no mana lands, what led to things like eye of ugin being land instead of an artifact? Does that ability just fit better on something you dont need to cast?

Eye of Ugin is a location.

Artifacts Eye Eye of Ugin Lands Mana

Opinion on Eye of Ugin

How do you feel about Eye of Ugin? It doesn't generate mana but does help in casting spells.

It’s an outlier as it was a special card capturing a story point. It was counted as an exception.

Eye Eye of Ugin Mana Spells Story / Lore

Future of Set Blocks

With 2 and 3 set blocks gone, does that mean we won't be able to see cards like Gate to the Afterlife or Eye of Ugin again?

We just had Ravnica over three sets. Two and three sets in a row on the same world are not off the table.

Afterlife Afterlife Eye Eye of Ugin Gate to the Afterlife Gates

Exploring the Un-boxing 3 Reveal

On Un-boxing 3, you mentioned that what you did with Mutate was something new, and yet we've seen things like Time Spiral Jaya Ballard, then Tarmogoyf, Figure of Destiny and Eye of Ugin. So, how is that really new?

You are confusing us making a mechanic out of a popular card with us previewing a known and finished mechanic in an upcoming set before it’s been released.And yes, Tarmogoyf teased future card types.

Card Types Eye Eye of Ugin Figure of Destiny Jaya Ballard Mechanics Mutate Tarmogoyf Time Spiral

Foreshadowing in Card Design

Is there any design concept behind a specific card from one set that links te story to the next set? I mean, is there any 'foreshadowing' card?

We’ve done a bunch. The first one that comes to mind is Eye of Ugin. Eye of Ugin was in Worldwake and referenced Eldrazi spells even though none existed yet.

Eldrazi Eye Eye of Ugin Spells Story / Lore Worldwake

Sarkhan's Temporal Impact

If Sarkhan Vol accidentally erased himself from the timeline, how did that change the events at the Eye of Ugin in the original Zendikar block?

The change only affected the events on Tarkir. Everything Sarkhan did off Tarkir still happened.

Eye Eye of Ugin Sarkhan Vol Zendikar

Future Card Hints

I don't mind hints at future cards, they aren't usually that common. Off the top of my head there is the Kaldera cycle from Mirrodin, the Tarkir Artifact deal, and then these two Bolas related ones. Are they appearing more often than I remember?

You forgot the Eye of Ugin. No, we don’t do them often.

Artifacts Eye Eye of Ugin Mirrodin

Standard vs Modern Testing

Testing for standard is not sufficient for modern as it stands because they represent entirely different contexts. It seems disingenuous to tell us baleful strix is too high risk but it's ok to release TKS into a format with Eye of Ugin

It’s better than zero testing. The harsh reality is we have a small group of playtesters to test what is one of the most complex games on the market. And that’s just for two formats (Standard and draft) of many.I consider development to have the harder job and I have to take blank pieces of paper and turn them into brand new play environments.Yes, it’s not perfect, but we have limited resources and gave to allocate them the best we can.

Baleful Strix Eye Eye of Ugin Limited Modern Standard

Ghostfire Flavour Text

So if you could do it over again, Ghostfire's flavour text would be "Only those gifted with the eye of Ugin, the spirit dragon, can see her fiery breath."?

Locked in by flavor text that introduced the character. No one knew how influential that one card would be in setting up the future.

Dragon Eye Eye of Ugin Flavor Ghostfire Spirit Ugin, the Spirit Dragon

Modern Reprints Issue

Do you have any responses to Saffron Olive's recent article regarding your statements on modern reprints?

I think I was a little more hyperbolic than I intended. There are many problems with reprinting cards in Standard legal sets, the impact on Standard being probably the biggest factor. We don’t want to use a reprint if we feel it will have a negative impact on Standard. In addition, we have the problem of preferring that Standard is focused on new cards that players have to figure out rather than a returning card that everyone already understands the power level of. In addition, it’s important that cards make sense in the set that they appear on, so printing reprints that are safe only because they are completely off theme is not something we’re fond of doing. Finally, creative continuity is very important, so we don’t to reprint something that is flavorfully out of place. For instance, Saffron talked about Eye of Ugin being on Theros. The Eye of Ugin is a specific location on Zendikar. It doesn’t make any sense existing on another plane. I know some players don’t care about that, but we very much do.This isn’t to say that we never want to do sought after reprints in Standard-legal sets. It’s just important to understand that we have a lot of priorities to juggle and it’s harder than many players might realize. It is an issue we are aware of and we’re working to find solutions.

Card Printing Eye Eye of Ugin Modern Power Level Reprints SaffronOlive Standard Theros Zendikar

Eldrazi Lands Rules Evolution

Why did The Eldrazi lands get printed, when in a 2003 article of yours, you laid out the rules of lands and they both break the rules? Eye of Ugin breaks rules 2&3. Eldrazi temple breaks rule 3.

It’s almost as if rules of design evolve over time. : )

Card Printing Eldrazi Eldrazi Temple Evolve Eye Eye of Ugin Lands Rules

R&D Room Names

I always here about the Pit and Helvault, R&D sounds like a magical place. What other names do you guys have for rooms?

The R&D meeting rooms: - Ivory Tower
- Mishra’s Workshop
- Eye of Ugin
- The Helvault
- Danger Room (the only nonMagic reference - it’s the X-Men, based on the “office” that Richard got that he let people use to play games)

Eye Eye of Ugin Game Design Helvault Ivory Tower Mishra The Pit

Eye of Ugin Utility

Is it a rule that lands must help you cast your spells, then? Or was that aspect of Eye of Ugin just a coincidence?

I think the fact that it aided with spell casting helped it get made.

Cast Eye Eye of Ugin Lands Rules Spells

Modern Land Design

Would a land that does something like Eye of Ugin that doesn't directly give you mana or access to things that make mana, but still helps you cast your spells, be acceptable under modern land design (outside of that once a decade clause)?

Eye of Ugin was the one out of a decade exception I was thinking of.

Cast Eye Eye of Ugin Lands Mana Modern Spells

Helvault Trivia

Hi there MaRo. My birthday just recently passed. With the season being all about the goings on of Innistrad, I was hoping you could provide some trivia or insight on the Helvault.

There is a meeting room in R&D called Helvault and also one called Eye of Ugin. I ask why we keep naming our conference rooms after places where people or things were trapped. : ) Happy Birthday!

Birthday Eye Eye of Ugin Helvault Innistrad Mark Rosewater