Ikoria: Lair of Behemoths

Keyword Combos Request

I've been really enjoying the "keyword mix-and-match" that's been possible in Limited several times recently (examples being mutate in IKO, disturb auras in VOW, and backup in MOM). It's been fun trying to give deathtouch to a first strike creature, or flying to a big creature, and many more. I'm unsure if that's more Vision or Set Design, but could I request more and/or ask you to give a high-five to the appropriate designers? Thanks so much!

Mechanical choice and execution is both team’s responsibility. I’ll try to make more.

Auras Backup Creatures Deathtouch Disturb First Strike Flying Ikoria: Lair of Behemoths Keywords Limited Mutate Set Design

Mutate Limitations

Re: Elephant in BootsDoes that mean Mutate not working on specifically humans is bad, at least outside the context of IKO limited?

Humans are not suffering as a creature type.

Creatures Elephant Human Ikoria: Lair of Behemoths Limited Mutate

Otters in Future Sets

Around IKO time (I think) you said that otters were a 5 on the beeble scale, and yet we have gotten none since IKO other than the Lutri reprint in Multiverse Legends. Have they gone up at all?

I hold to my 5 rating. 5, by the way, means I think it’s more likely it will happen than not, but not necessarily that it will happen soon.

Beeble Scale Card Printing Ikoria: Lair of Behemoths Legendary Creatures Otter Reprints

Ikoria Flavoring Critique

A constructive note on Ikoria: I understand that the mutate mechanic was a MAJOR part of the set but having a set where the flavor was promoted and advertised as "Ikoria: Lair of Behemoths" but having only three creatures in the entire set with a power of 8 or greater was very disappointing and felt like a jarring disconnect and flavor fail. I was expecting to see several big Timmy/Tammy creatures like Gigantosaurus in a set with behemoths in the title.

You have the problem backwards. The mistake was putting “Behemoth” in the name of the set with that design. The design was done long before the name existed.

Creatures Flavor Gigantosaurus Ikoria: Lair of Behemoths Mechanics Mutate Timmy / Tammy

Elf Tribal Theme Selection

It seems a bit weird to me, that Kaldheim had a strong elf-tribal theme when so many of the surrounding sets (THB, IKO, MID, and most likely VOW and Kamigawa) don´t have any elves in them. Can you tell us what led to this situation.

Norse mythology has a strong Elf theme.

Elf Ikoria: Lair of Behemoths Kaldheim Kindred / Typal Theros Beyond Death

Making Alternate Skins Viable

following up to megaquestionsformark asked, could you help us understand the difficulties in doing the reverse of their question?Suppose for example, Torbran doesn't fit in the set. Why not make a completely new dwarf, release it as Gimli, but ALSO give this new card the IKO treatment and have its alternate skin be an Eldraine Dwarf, similar to what you did with Zilortha? then repeat with all UB. I know it's time consuming but if it solves the anger of non-UB fans wouldn't it be worth the time?

Imagine if when we released Strixhaven, we released an identical card set, but with completely different creative. Okay, design has no extra work, but for everyone else, it’s as least as much work as doing the first time and for some people, such as creative, it’s harder because the most obvious direct answer was already used. From a business standpoint, it is nowhere in the ballpark of being a viable option.

Dwarf Ikoria: Lair of Behemoths

Praise for Ikoria Draft

Mark, I love Ikoria draft. I was skeptical but the mutate and companion are slam dunks to me for drafting IKO. Thank you! Please distribute high fives. These last two years of draft have been very, very good.

Virtual l high fives to be delivered.

Appreciation Companion Draft Formats High Fives Ikoria: Lair of Behemoths Mutate

Thoughts on Cross-Promotion Concerns

Wanted to write a more considered piece, but word limits, so: cross-promotion of the Godzilla/IKO sort doesn't belong in Magic. Increasingly sophisticated marketing invades our movies, our music, our books, even - w/ social media - our conversations. Must it also pierce into the planes of our imaginary worlds and steal a piece of what makes Magic *magic*? I hope this perspective is at least considered within the hallowed walls of my favorite coastal sorcerers.

How do others feel?

Ikoria: Lair of Behemoths Planes Pop Culture Wall

Enjoying Ikoria Booster Box

Hi Mark! Got a box if IKO today and I have to say I LOVED the alt arts mixed into the packs. We even cracked a couple more just for fun because it was so exciting to see all the cards! Big fan of the increased rate and the art style

You are not alone. And I’ve seen the future and the team making them are not slowing down doing amazing things.

Art Booster Box Ikoria: Lair of Behemoths

Comparing WAR and IKO Sets

Which set would you say was more ambitious: WAR with its narrative scope and million planeswalkers, or IKO with its high level of complexity?

They were each ambitious in their own way.

Ikoria: Lair of Behemoths Planeswalkers

Cycling Mechanic Change

Hi Mark, do you know why "Cycles or discards a card" was dropped for the return of the Cycling mechanic in IKO after such a big deal was made about the addition in AKH?

It was the reaction to it in Amonkhet that made us change. The majority of you didn’t like it.

Amonkhet Cycles Cycling Ikoria: Lair of Behemoths Mechanics

Narset Card in Iko Explanation

Why did Narset get a a card in IKO despite her inexistent role on the story?

The story isn’t the determiner of how many planeswalkers are in the set. Gameplay is. We make as many Planeswalkers as Standard can comfortably hold.

Game Play Ikoria: Lair of Behemoths Planeswalkers Standard Story / Lore

Wanderer's Planeswalker Card

Was the Wanderer ever meant to get a Planeswalker card for IKO?

No. She just had a cameo.

Ikoria: Lair of Behemoths Planeswalkers The Wanderer

Absence of Mythic Rare Cards

Why isn't there any mythic rare card of mono blue or black in IKO?

Space.

Black Blue Ikoria: Lair of Behemoths Mythic Rares Rares

Defining Ikoria Set's Theme

You said that IKO isn't exactly a wedge set, but can it be considered a multicolored set? It seems to have more gold cards than the average set, and definitely more at uncommon.

We’ve been saying it’s a monster set with a wedge theme and not a wedge set with a monster theme.

Ikoria: Lair of Behemoths Uncommons

Same Card, Different Sets

Are the cards in C20 that also appear in IKO printed with the IKO expansion symbol in both products?

There are definitely cards that appear in both the main Ikoria set and the Commander decks. I’m not sure how the expansion symbol is handled.

Commander 2020 Commander Decks Ikoria: Lair of Behemoths Set Symbols

IKO Removal Offset by Mutate

Is the removal in IKO going to be toned down to make up for mutate being card disadvantage and to encourage people to play their giant expensive creatures in Limited?

The mutate triggers are designed to offset the card disadvantage.

Creatures Giant Ikoria: Lair of Behemoths Limited Mutate Triggered Abilities

Ikoria Set Composition Feedback

I'm sorry, dinosaurs and the kaiju overlay _really_ feel shoehorned into IKO imo. I strongly feel Creative could have solved this in a more compelling fashion. As is, it feels like Mtg just took a bunch of good bullet points (mutate mechanic, kaiju, "monsters that are also dinosaurs because ... reasons?", HUMANS cuz why not, plane of Nightmares) and put them in a blender without really determining how or why they should intersect. IKO, to me, is the epitome of R&D designing "because you can"

Godzilla, the epitome of the trope we’re playing with, *is* a dinosaur. How do dinosaurs not fit here?

Dinosaur Game Design Human Ikoria: Lair of Behemoths Mechanics Mutate Nightmare Solved

ELD and Next Sets Connection

Hi Mark! No question here, just admiring how both aspects from ELD are heavily supoorted by the next sets, THB (monocolor) and IKO (human vs non-human). High fives for the team!

Virtual high fives to be applied!

High Fives Human Ikoria: Lair of Behemoths Monocolor Theros Beyond Death Throne of Eldraine

Different Types of Cards Acquisition

Hi mark! Really enjoying the new cards, especially the comic book style versions. I just wondering if you could clarify where we can get: normal, borderless, comic book, and godzilla versions of cards. And Where they can be foil?

Read this: https://magic.wizards.com/en/articles/archive/card-preview/collecting-ikoria-2020-04-02
Collecting Ikoria

Card Frames Foils Ikoria: Lair of Behemoths Pop Culture Redirect