Golgari (B/G)

Future Golgari Card

serra sphinx is one thing, but when are we getting that golgari 5 mana 4/4 flying vigilance?

I have faith it will eventually happen.

Flying Golgari (B/G) Mana Vigilance Serra Sphinx

Maths on Imbalanced Factions

Does the math on imbalanced factions change if it's just five two color factions with two of them being the same typal/theme. Something like Izzet Weirds, Simic Elementals, Golgari Squrrels, and Mardu (Boros and Orzhov) Vampires?

Five two-color factions isn’t “imbalanced”.

Boros (R/W) Colors Elementals Factions Golgari (B/G) Izzet (U/R) Kindred / Typal Mardu (R/W/B) Orzhov (W/B) Simic (G/U) Two Color Vampires

Animal Appearance in Duos

From what I can gather all the duos, like Bakersbane Duo are in shards: Bakersbane duo is green but fits in a squirrel (bg) or raccoon deck (rg), making it a basically a Jund card. The black cards are an exception: Glivedive duo is in a wedge, Mardu (bat wb and lizard rb). Presumably the other black one will be squirrel (bg) and rat (ub)My question is: why? Is the pattern of shards intentional? Is the deviation to one color having wedges intentional?

The only guideline was each animal appeared in just two duos.

Bats Battle for Zendikar Black Colors Golgari (B/G) Green Gruul (R/G) Jund (B/R/G) Lizards Mardu (R/W/B) Orzhov (W/B) Raccoons Rakdos (B/R) Rats Squirrels Three Color Bakersbane Duo

Al-Ghuls' Color Alignment

My friend and I can't figure out why you think the Al-Ghuls are Black/Green instead of Black/White. Can you elaborate?

They are very much about controlling the natural order of the world. I will say their third color is white.

Black Colors Golgari (B/G) Green White Natural Order

Talia Al-Ghul's Color Identity

What color identity is Talia Al-Ghul (from Batman)? I'm thinking mono black or perhaps black and green.

I think her, and her dad, are black/green.

Black Color Identity Golgari (B/G) Green

Consideration for Raccoon Mechanic

Raccoons eat garbage so was there any consideration for the raccoon mechanic to be something about the graveyard?

We talked about it, but Squirrels being in black/green just made it a better mechanical fit.

Golgari (B/G) Green Mechanics Raccoons Squirrels The Graveyard

Evolution of Squirrels' Color Identity

Do you know how squirrels became BG? Not just for Bloomburrow but over the years

They started green. I made the first black one in Unstable to match the flavor of the card. It evolved from there. Being black/green allows them to interact with the graveyard which has allowed a lot of interesting design space.

Black Bloomburrow Color Identity Design Space Flavor Golgari (B/G) Green Squirrels The Graveyard

Hybrid Card Design Possibilities

Hi Mark! Back again with another question. Regardless of likelihood, do you feel it would ever be possible to design a card that cost {w/u}{b/r} without it being a break? Fiend Artisan, for example, is in pie whether you cast it for BB, BG, or GG. Do you think a card could work in pie that could be cast for WB, WR, UB, or UR?

You just design a card with one ability that’s hybrid w/u and a second ability that’s hybrid b/r. Very doable. The bigger issue is multiple hybrid symbols, especially ones that don’t overlap, confuse a significant amount of players.

Azorius (W/U) Bend / Break Fiend Artisan Golgari (B/G) Hybrid Izzet (U/R) Orzhov (W/B) Rakdos (B/R)

Unreleased Mechanics

can you give us any information on mechanics that were in any set design but didnt make it to the final design? i.e[any mechanic that was tested for golgari for ravnica city of guilds etc]

I occasionally talk about mechanics we tried, but didn’t use, much more than I did say ten years ago.

Golgari (B/G) Mechanics Set Design Two Color

Personal Perspectives on Strixhaven Conflicts

"Since strixhaven is founded on the contradictions between subjects which side do you fall on in each of the 5 conflicts?
White/black -> whiteBlue/red -> redBlack/green -> blackRed/white -> whiteGreen/Blue -> blue"I'm curious if you answered this specifically as regards the strixhaven school conflicts (e.g., "is art emotional or intellectual", "is math natural/discovered or created") or more broadly?

More broadly.

Art Black Blue Boros (R/W) Golgari (B/G) Green Izzet (U/R) Orzhov (W/B) Red Simic (G/U) White

Strixhaven Foundational Conflict Choices

Since strixhaven is founded on the contradictions between subjects which side do you fall on in each of the 5 conflicts?

White/black -> whiteBlue/red -> redBlack/green -> blackRed/white -> whiteGreen/Blue -> blue

Black Blue Boros (R/W) Golgari (B/G) Green Izzet (U/R) Orzhov (W/B) Red Simic (G/U) White

BR Card's Permanent Destruction

Can a BR card have “destroy target permanent”? I know BG and BW can do it but I’m unsure what holds back BR. Per the 2021 color pie articleCreature - B primary W secondaryEnchantment - W/G primary B secondary Artifact - R/G Primary W secondary Planeswalker - B primary G tertiaryLand - R primary B/G tertiaryBattle - unknownUsing the above BR is the only color combo that doesn’t use a tertiary ability

We like to focus effects in a small number of colors, so just because two colors can destroy any permanent doesn’t necessarily mean we want to make cards in that color combination that do so.

Artifacts Battles Color Pie Colors Creatures Destroy Enchantments Golgari (B/G) Gruul (R/G) Lands Planeswalkers Primary Secondary Tertiary

Possibility of Krosan Variants

Could we ever see variants of Krosan verge in simic, gruul, and golgari?

It’s possible.

Golgari (B/G) Gruul (R/G) Krosan Verge Simic (G/U)

Golgari Guild Trivia

Today is my birthday, and I would like to request some trivia on the guild of my first deck, The Golgari. Thank you!

We made more mechanics for the Golgari than the three other guilds combined in original Ravnica. It was the last guild we found a mechanic for. Happy Birthday!

Appreciation Birthday Golgari (B/G) Mechanics Two Color

Teferi Emblem Mechanics

You’ve said before that “destroy target permanent” should only be printed on WB and BG cards. Teferi, Hero of Dominaria gives you an emblem with “Whenever you draw a card, exile target permanent an opponent controls.” despite being a WU card. Is this a break, or a bend?

It’s a bend. White can pinpoint destroy any permanent type except land, and by the time you jump through the hoop, it’s late enough in the game that destroying a land is just going to be a very low option.

Azorius (W/U) Bend / Break Card Draw Card Printing Destroy Dominaria Emblems Golgari (B/G) Lands Mechanics Orzhov (W/B) Teferi, Hero of Dominaria The Exile Zone White

Herbology Instructor Mechanics

Do you have any insight as to why Herbology Instructor used -0/-X rather than dealing damage?

To feel more black/green I assume.

Golgari (B/G) Green Mechanics

Black/Green Exile vs White

You said Black/Green could exile target permanent but would White not be able to get it at a high enough mana value?

White doesn’t do pinpoint land destruction which the question required.

Golgari (B/G) Green Lands Mana Value The Exile Zone White

Exiling Permanent Color Combination

What combination of colors could get an unrestricted "exile target permanent" effect (i.e., including lands)? I assume this is not in any single color's share of the pie.(If you've seen this question before, my apologies: I think I've sent it three times.)

My gut is black/green.

Colors Golgari (B/G) Green Lands The Exile Zone

Green's Compatibility with Black

Council of colors question. Black/Green cards sometimes show a subversion of nature. For example, Dark Heart of the Woods and Squandered Resources both deal with the abuse of natural resources, and Grim Feast seems to imply cannibalism. Philosophically, why is Green OK with partnering with Black to produce such effects?

It’s less that green chooses to partner with black, and more that that philosophy requires a combination of black and green philosophies.

Black Colors Council of colors Golgari (B/G) Green Grim Feast Partner Squandered Resources Subversion

OTJ Draft Praise

Hi Mark I just wanted to say how fun the OTJ draft is. It’s so great to see golgari reanimator supported so much in draft.

Glad you’re enjoying it.

Draft Formats Golgari (B/G) Outlaws of Thunder Junction