Fortify

Fortify Mechanic Rarity

Why is the fortify mechanic so unused?

Because it has to go on an enchantment that goes on a land that you want to move. That’s a tiny landing strip for design.

Enchantments Fortify Fortify Lands Mechanics Rarity

Fortifications Power Level

Also super excited that fortifications returned, but was it made intentionally safe? 3 mana and 3 to fortify would have to be very good to be playable and I feel a +1/+1 counter and a junk every turn isn't super compelling and that's best case.

The Fallout cards were made to be relevant in Commander. Power level isn’t my area, so I can’t comment on how strong the card is.

Commander Fortifications Fortify Junk Mana Power Level

Fortify Mechanic Unused

Of all the Future Sight mechanics, why was Fortify never used again? even as a Modern Horizons/Supplementary card? it seems like such a neat design space (though a bit risky)

There just aren’t a lot of enchant land designs, let alone ones that you want to move around.

Design Space Enchant Fortify Fortify Future Sight Lands Mechanics Modern Horizons

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

Anthem Effects Rarity Changes

I could swear that an article about complexity and rarity from a few years ago explained that anthem/lord effects don't get printed at common, apart from special cases like Slivers. However, in the last two sets we've seen Fortifying Provisions (a common enchantment with "creatures you control get +0/+1") followed by Nylea's Forerunner (a common creature with "other creatures you control have trample"). Has the rule about anthems at common been rethought or am I imagining that it ever existed?

They normally don’t. There are rare exceptions like I said in the article. Nothing has fundamentally changed.

Creatures Enchantments Fortifying Provisions Nylea's Forerunner Rares Rarity Rules Slivers Trample

Genju Gameplay Concerns

Would something like the genju cycle be a good candidate for fortify?

Reusable genjus essentially change creature kill spells into land destruction spells. I’m not sure that’s great gameplay.

Creatures Fortify Game Play Lands Spells

Fortify's Storm Scale Rating

Where is fortify on the storm scale?

Probably an 8. We just don’t do a lot of enchant lands, especially ones you might want to move.

Enchant Fortify Keyword Abilities Lands Storm Scale

Fortify Mechanic Consideration

Since colored artifacts are common now, do you consider fortify more, or is it still not worth exploring it ?

Fortify’s biggest obstacle is we don’t do a lot of enchant lands.

Artifacts Enchant Fortify Lands

Land Destruction and Fortify

I'm noticing that there's some more land destruction being printed in recent Standard sets. Does that increase the odds of Fortify coming back?

What you want to see is more enchant lands. The lack of them is the biggest obstacle to Fortify.

Card Printing Enchant Fortify Lands Premier Sets Premier Sets Standard

Fortify Return Likelihood

How are the chances of Fortify returning?

Low. We barely make enchant lands.

Enchant Fortify Lands

Cramped Bunker Rules

About Cramped Bunker, are the opponents allowed to move Cramped Bunker to an open area where they can freely put permanents or can the owner "fortify" it by putting other permanents around Cramped Bunker, so no opponent can put cards touching Cramped Bunker but not other permanents?

Cramped Bunker only cares about cards touching the Cramped Bunker touching each other. In general though, give players space around the Cramped Bunker to interact with it.

Cramped Bunker Fortify Permanents

Fortifications Return Odds

What are the odds of Fortifications/Fortify coming back? the equipments have been a "standard" thing for a while now, why not bring back fortification? or, equipments for something else? (for Planeswalker or for Vehicles)

The problem is there aren’t many things you want to attach to lands. We have explored it. It’s just very limited design space.

Attach Design Space Fortifications Fortify Lands Limited Planeswalkers Standard Vehicles

Keywords as Cards

As for keywords as cards: There are also Flash, Dredge, Absorb, Fortify, Gravestorm and Battle Cry.

FYI

Absorb Battle Cry Battles Dredge Flash Fortify Gravestorm Keywords

Fortify Mechanic Possibility

When vs. If: Fortify?

If.

Fortify

Fortify in Zendikar

Is Fortify ability ever considered in Zendikar? It's land associated ability isn't it? If you considered it, why didn't you make it to the set?

We talked about it. Flavorwise, the plane of Zendikar is not the home to a lot of fortifications.

Fortifications Fortify Lands Zendikar

Battle Cry Favored

Battle Cry or Fortify?

Battle cry.

Battle Cry Battles Fortify

Future Sight Mechanics Return

What are the odds of seeing some of the Future Sight mechanics return in future sets (e.g. fortify, absorb, fateseal, aura swap, etc.)?

Some much better than others.

Absorb Aura Swap Auras Fateseal Fortify Future Sight Mechanics

Fortify Mechanic Discussion

I seem to remember at least one article on the mothership mentioning that Fortify was brought up during Scars block design, but dismissed because the public response to Darksteel Garrison had been tepid and the design space wasn't large.

It came up both during Zendikar (the land set) and Scars of Mirrodin (home of equipment). It didn’t fit either time but it’s something we’d be willing to use if we found the right home for it.

Darksteel Darksteel Garrison Design Space Equipment Fortify Lands Scars of Mirrodin Zendikar

Bringing Back Fortify

Regarding someone's complaint earlier that lands are an dull, I agree with you that they're not. However, for those people, and for the benefit of the game overall, why not bring back Fortify? You mentioned in your Mark Rosewater Rumble article that Equipment was a big success and very popular, and Fortify is just Equipment for lands. It could add an extra dimension to lands for those who want it.

One day we might bring back fortify. It’s definitely one of the Future Sight mechanics on our radar.

Equipment Fortify Future Sight Lands Mark Rosewater Mechanics

Future-set Mechanics

Are there future-shifted ideas from Future Sight that we definitely won't see come back? I was really hoping for Fortifications and Riggers building contraptions when Magic returned to Mirrodin, but now I doubt we'll see them (at least for many years). Was there a particular reason Fortify was not used in Scars block? It seems like it would have been a great tool for the Mirrans side of the war, and the concept itself seems flavorful enough for the war idea.

We talked about fortifications during Scars block design but it didn’t seem to fit in well with the rest of the design.

Contraptions Flavor Fortifications Fortify Future Sight Mirrodin Rigger