Frantic Search

Perception of Urza Block Ostracization

In a recent poll in Twitter listing top 4 sets in MTG history, Urza’s Saga and block as a whole received a spot in a lot of them, almost on pair with Invasion, Innistrad or Ravnica. Nonetheless, it seems WOTC still ostracizes the block. So, so many memorable cards that helped define so many decks: Carpet of Flowers, Sneak Attack, Show and Tell, Gaea’s Cradle, Serra’s Sanctum, Gilded Drake, Yawgmoth’s Will, Grim Monolith, Crop Rotation, Frantic Search, Replenish, Academy Rector, Opalescence, Yawgmoth’s Bargain, Powder Keg, Rofellos… and I could go on and on. I love that beautiful, relaxed, cartoony artwork too. Any love for Urzas Block here?

How exactly do we “ostracize” Urza’s block?

Academy Rector Art Bargain Carpet of Flowers Crop Rotation Drake Frantic Search Gaea's Cradle Gilded Drake Grim Monolith Innistrad Invasion Opalescence Ostracize Powder Keg Replenish Rofellos Sagas Search Serra's Sanctum Show and Tell Sneak Attack Urza's Saga Urza's Saga Wizards of the Coast Yawgmoth's Bargain Yawgmoth's Will

Rarity Classification for MLP Card

I had an ur-rules question. For Rarity, the mlp card, do secret lair cards count as rare? Such as the new Frantic Search?

Look at the text at the bottom left of the card (the white lettering on black). It has a letter code for the rarity. For example the Secret Lair Frantic Search has a R for rare.

Black Frantic Search Rares Rarity Rarity Search Secret Lairs The Secret Lair White

Untap Mechanic Balance

Is the untap/free mechanic more "balenced" on spells compared to permanents? Rewind was reprinted a bunch of times a d recently Frantic Search was reprinted. Or is there still too much risk fot abuse?

It proves less dangerous on reactive spells.

Card Printing Frantic Search Mechanics Permanents Reprints Search Spells Tap / Untap

Conflict in Magic Lore

I think the warfare emphasis in MTG is very disingenuous and linear. It cheapens the IP of the game. It should Be a fantasy game foremost. Not all the spells need to convey conflict. They should display magic. Frantic search for example can convey the research aspect of searching tomes for spells. Not every plane needs conflict. We enjoyed the adventure world Zendikar more than the Eldrazi conflict one.

The pre-Eldrazi has just as much conflict. It was a world out to kill its inhabitants.

Eldrazi Frantic Search Linear Search Spells Zendikar

Untapping Mechanics Fate

Is there any chance of the untapping mechanic from Urza block?(Cloud of Faeries, Frantic Search, etc.)

The “free mechanic”? It’s almost as broken as storm. : )

Cloud of Faeries Faerie Frantic Search Keyword Abilities Mechanics Search Urza

Free Mechanic Impact

You always talk about how free is an overpowered mechanic, but is it really the mechanic itself or just Frantic Search and Time Spiral? The rest of the free cards seem fine, but if one-mana card selection is bad enough to get banned in Modern, zero-mana card selection is bound to be even worse.

The only non-degenerate ones were the reactive ones that you can’t just cast whenever you want.

Bannings Cast Format Legality Format Legality Frantic Search Mana Mechanics Modern Search Time Spiral

Banned Cards List

Wich cards that you have designed had been banned?

Banned & restricted cards that I had a hand in designing: Ancient Den
Arcbound Ravager
Bitterblossom
Chrome Mox
Cloudpost
Darksteel Citadel
Dread Return
Earthcraft
Frantic Search
Gifts Ungiven
Golgari Grave-Troll
Great Furnace
Gush
Lion’s Eye Diamond
Lotus Petal
Memory Jar
Rishadan Port
Seat of the Synod
Skullclamp
Survival of the Fittest
Thirst for Knowledge
Time Spiral
Tinker
Tree of Tales
Valakut, the Molten Pinnacle
Vault of Whispers
Voltaic Key
Yawgmoth’s Bargain
Yawgmoth’s Will

Ancient Den Arcbound Ravager Bannings Bargain Bitterblossom Chrome Mox Cloudpost Darksteel Darksteel Citadel Dread Return Earthcraft Eye Format Legality Frantic Search Gifts Ungiven Golgari (B/G) Golgari Grave-Troll Great Furnace Lotus Petal Memory Jar Rishadan Port Search Seat of the Synod Skullclamp Survival of the Fittest Thirst for Knowledge Time Spiral Tree of Tales Troll Valakut, the Molten Pinnacle Vault of Whispers Voltaic Key Your Hand

Ban/Restrict Record

"I currently hold the record for the designer who has the most banned/restricted cards" Got a quick list of what those cards are?

The following are banned or restricted cards that I had a hand in the design: (note in numerous cases multiple people designed the cards in question; also I may have missed one or two) Ancestral Vision Ancient Den Arcbound Ravager Bitterblossom Chrome Mox Cloudpost Darksteel Citadel Dread Return Earthcraft Frantic Search Gifts Ungiven Golgari Grave-Troll Great Furnace Gush Hypergenesis Lion’s Eye Diamond Lotus Petal Memory jar Seat of the Synod Skullclamp Squandered Resources Survival of the Fittest Thirst for Knowledge Time Spiral Tinker Tree of Tales Valakut, the Molten Pinnacle Vault of Whispers Voltaic Key Windfall Yawgmoth’s Bargain Yawgmoth’s Will

Ancestral Vision Ancient Den Arcbound Ravager Bannings Bargain Bitterblossom Chrome Mox Cloudpost Darksteel Darksteel Citadel Dread Return Earthcraft Eye Format Legality Frantic Search Gifts Ungiven Golgari (B/G) Golgari Grave-Troll Great Furnace Hypergenesis Lotus Petal Memory Jar Search Seat of the Synod Skullclamp Squandered Resources Survival of the Fittest Thirst for Knowledge Time Spiral Tree of Tales Troll Valakut, the Molten Pinnacle Vault of Whispers Voltaic Key Windfall Your Hand