Imp

Boldness in Spell Restrictions

I just listened to your restrictions podcast. But restricted spell casting and even abilities were baked into the game in Alpha, Sirens Call, Camouflage, False Orders could only be played at specific times, Neteling Imp could only be activated at a specific time and Veteran Body Guard only dud his Kevin Cosner impression if untapped. Not to mention the interupt, instant and sorcery timing rules.

There have always been restrictions. We’ve just been more bold in where and how often we can use them.

Camouflage Drive to Work False Orders Imp Instants Rules Siren Sorceries

Complex In-Universe Laws Limitations

If a work of fiction features such complex in universe laws of reality that there is no way to satisfy both Mel and Vorthos at the same time (like perhaps each person has a verb and a noun that are metaphysicaly connected to them and can do anything at all that can be described as [verb]ing the [noun] even metaphorically. Such as the one who steals breath being able to imprison people magically because breath is associated with freedom) does that make it less likely to get a Universes Beyond?

Can you give me an example from an actual property?

Imprison Melvin / Mel Universes Beyond Vorthos

Glimpse the Impossible Devoid Status

Hey Maro!Why doesn't Glimpse the Impossible have devoid? It seems to me like an Eldrazi brain melt would qualify for devoid status. Or, is it because it's an experience by a mortal and not an action by an Eldrazi?

Devoid being on a card is more determined by mechanics (do we want/need to tie this ability to a color?) than flavor.

Colors Devoid Eldrazi Flavor Glimpse the Impossible Mark Rosewater Mechanics

List of Green Cards

In case anyone was curious about how many Lay of the Land cards are in green:Mono-Green: 58
Analyze the Pollen
Attune with Aether
Borderland Ranger
Boseiju Reaching Skyward
Brave the Wilds
Bushwack
Caravan Vigil
Civic Wayfinder
Cultivate
District Guide
Druid of the Emerald Grove
Elfhame Sanctuary
Evolution Charm
Flare of Cultivation
Flourishing Bloom-Kin
Fork in the Road
Gaea's Bounty
Gatecreeper Vine
Greenseeker
Herd Migration
Horizon Seeker
hunting Cheetah
Journey for the Elixir
Journey of Discovery
Kodama's Reach
Krosan Tusker
Kura, the Boundless Sky
Land Grant
Lay of the Land
Many Partings
Nervous Gardener
Nissa's Encouragement
Nissa's Pilgrimage
Nissa's Triumph
Nissa, Vastwood Seer
Nylea's Intervention
Open the Gates
Outcaster Greenblade
Peregrination
Realm Seekers
Realms Uncharted
Reclaim the Wastes
Rites of Spring
Seek the Horizon
Shard Convergence
Spinewoods Armadillo
Spirit of the Aldergard
Sprouting Vines
Sylvan Ranger
Sylvan Scrying
The Huntsman's Redemption
Thirsting Roots
Trail of Mystery
Traverse the Ulvenwald
Verdant Mastery
Vorinclex
Yavimaya Elder
You Happen On a GladeGreen featuring another colour: 7
Dig Up
Flower // Flourish
Huatli, Poet of Unity
Invasion of Ergamon (flipped to Truga Cliffcharger)
Path to the World Tree
Safewright Quest
Yasharn, Implacable EarthUn-cards: 3
Selfie Preservation (Un-card)
Spirit of the Season (Un-card)
Wild Crocodile (Un-card)(everyone feel free to add any that I've missed!)

FYI

Analyze the Pollen Armadillo Attune with Aether Borderland Ranger Brave the Wilds Caravan Vigil Civic Wayfinder Colors Crocodile Cultivate Dig Up District Guide Druid Druid of the Emerald Grove Elder Elfhame Sanctuary Evolution Charm Flare Flare of Cultivation Flourishing Bloom-Kin Flower // Flourish Fork in the Road Gaea's Bounty Gatecreeper Vine Gates Green Greenseeker Herd Migration Horizon Seeker Hunting Cheetah Invasion Journey for the Elixir Journey of Discovery Kodama's Reach Krosan Tusker Kura, the Boundless Sky Land Grant Lands Lay of the Land Many Partings Nervous Gardener Nissa's Encouragement Nissa's Pilgrimage Nissa's Triumph Nylea's Intervention Open the Gates Outcaster Greenblade Path to the World Tree Peregrination Ranger Realm Seekers Realms Uncharted Reclaim the Wastes Rites of Spring Safewright Quest Seek the Horizon Seeker Selfie Preservation Shard Convergence Spinewoods Armadillo Spirit Spirit of the Aldergard Spirit of the Season Sprouting Vines Sylvan Ranger Sylvan Scrying The Huntsman's Redemption The Wilds The World Tree Thirsting Roots Trail of Mystery Traverse the Ulvenwald Un-sets Verdant Mastery Wild Crocodile Yasharn, Implacable Earth Yavimaya Elder You Happen On a Glade

Mono Black Counterspell Violation

so are all mono black counterspells breaks like withering boon, stormgald cabal,dash hopes and imp's mischief all breaks?

Yes.

Black Dash Dash Hopes Imp's Mischief Withering Boon

Ugin's Labyrinth Design Query

What's going on with Ugin's Labyrinth? The name and art look like a Maze of Ith-type card (like Labyrinth of Skophos and two other Mazes), but the card design is Imprint x Ugin land. Did wires get crossed somewhere?

All arts with mazes don’t have to have that effect.

Art Imprint Labyrinth of Skophos Lands Ugin's Labyrinth

Imprint Storm Scale

Where do you think Imprint is on the storm scale? Or maybe an improved version of the mechanic? I know Isochron and Extraplanar goes crazy sometimes, but I also like the more 'mild' effects like Sembelance Anvil

Imprint is like a 5. I think we’ll see it again.

Card Printing Imprint Mechanics Storm Scale

Creature Type Harmony

Will we ever see a consolidation of creature types? We have a few examples that encompass the same theme (devil/tiefling/imp for example) that seem to only hinder players trying to keep to a certain tribe.

It’s the age old conflict of Vorthos vs. Mel. Vorthos likes lots of variety, and Mel wants everything consolidated.

Creatures Devil Imp Melvin / Mel Tiefling Vorthos

Cycle Conclusion Strategy

if/when the conclusion of somo cycles, like, the guide cycles and the imperial recruiter cycle

When on many cycles.

Cycles If/When Imperial Recruiter

Swapping Land Types

Assuming mana cost would be different, and the word "Forest" was replaced with "Swamp", could "Glimpse the Core" be printed as a monoblack sorcery?

I’m skeptical. We’ve only ever specifically returned a land to your hand with a monoblack card on one card (that I’m aware of). It’s not a core part of black’s part of the color pie.

Black Card Printing Color Pie Glimpse the Core Lands Mana Sorceries Swamp Your Hand

Acorn Mechanic Puzzle

Hey Mark!Acorn question: If I control a Necro-Impotence and an Ashiok, Wicked Manipulator, what am I meant to do if I only wish to pay 1/2 life to the Necro?

You can only exile a whole card, so exiling half a card doesn’t do anything.

Ashiok, Wicked Manipulator Mechanics Necro-Impotence The Exile Zone Un-Magic / Silver Border / Acorn Un-sets

Faerie Schemes Feedback

I just wanted to leave a note on Faerie Schemes. I’m a primarily cEDH player, but bought it because I wanted a casual deck with a fun theme. It’s by far the best experience I’ve had with a Magic product in the past five years. The typal synergies were nice, but what was really cool was figuring out all the subtle interactions with Hullbreaker Horror and Malleable Impostor. When y’all are making precons, please don’t stop putting in layers of discovery. It makes the experience so much more enjoyable than just playing the obvious strategy (and it makes the decks more powerful too).

Glad you enjoyed it. I’ll pass along the kind words to the team that designed it.

Casual Play cEDH Faerie Horror Hullbreaker Horror Kindred / Typal Malleable Impostor Schemes

Chandra's Goggles

RE: GOGGLES. chandra is depicted wearing her goggles (over her eyes) on at least 5 cards: act on impulse, chandra pyromaster, chandra's fury, chandra's revolution, and fiery confluence. there are also multiple cards where she is facing away from the viewer or depicted too small to tell if she is wearing them. young pyromancer, who is dressed to look like chandra, also has the goggles on.

FYI

Act on Impulse Chandra's Fury Chandra's Revolution Eye Fiery Confluence Fury Young Pyromancer

Improvise/Convoke for Lands

If/When a version of Improvise/Convoke but for lands?

Isn’t that all spells? : )

Convoke Humor If/When Improvise Lands Spells

Compleated Chimney Imp

If Phyrexia had somehow managed to compleat Chimney Imp, would they have won?

It’s good the multiverse never found out.

Chimney Imp Compleated Imp

Identical Card Logic

March of the Machine gave us two mechanically identical cards with “Wren’s Resolve”/“Reckless Impulse” and “You are already dead”/“Mirrodan Avenged”. What’s the thought process behind printing cards that are mechanically identical to other cards recently printed?

Usually it’s to give a card different creative.

Card Printing March of the Machine Reckless Impulse You Are Already Dead

Alternate Timeline Set

Has there ever been discussion of a set for alternate story timelines, like Planar Chaos but for the story instead of the mechanics? Like what if Gix had corrupted Urza instead of Mishra, what if Ugin didn't help imprison the Eldrazi and Sorin and Nahiri tried to kill them instead, what if the Blackblade actually was able to kill Bolas during War of the Spark, etc.?

It’s a frequent ask on Blogatog. What “what if” scenario would you most like to see on a card?

Corrupted Eldrazi Gix Imprison Mechanics Mishra Planar Chaos Story / Lore Urza War of the Spark War of the Spark

Unstoppable Duo Joke

May I get a maybe about the most dangerous team up in the multiverse? Storm Crow and Chimney imp? How could the phyrexians deal with that?

They couldn’t.

Chimney Imp Humor Imp Phyrexian Storm Crow

Robot Subtype Consideration

Towashi Guide-Bot and Impounding Lot-Bot have similar names and art designs. Any chance some artifact creatures could be errated to add the Robot subtype?

I don’t think we’re going to errata any old cards to being Robots, but it is a creature type future sets can use if appropriate.

Art Artifacts Creatures Errata Impounding Lot-Bot Robot Subtype Towashi Guide-Bot

Design Contributions Highlighted

Hi Mark,I've been seeing some pockets of the online community being rather focused on making snide remarks about you, in particular, about what people see as design mistakes. Honestly, I think a lot of it, even if the criticisms have valid points, are just needlessly mean spirited and not trying to come from a place of good faith criticism. I think part of that is people focusing on the more obvious mistakes but not knowing the things you've spearheaded that have been perceived widely as great changes for the game. What would you say are some of the biggest changes for the game that have been as close to universally accepted as good that you played a significant part in having made happen? Because I think people would be surprised about what they love that you helped make happen.

Some of the things which are popular that I had a major hand in:Bonus SheetsChangelingColored ArtifactsConstellationCreature Types as a Set ThemeCursesDevotionDouble-Faced CardsEnchantment CreaturesEnergyEquipmentFaction SetsFlashFlashbackFocus on Top-Down DesignHybrid ManaImprintKeywording of Deathtouch, Lifelink, Reach, and “dies”LandfallMorphMuch of R&D Lingo (”French Vanilla”, “Lenticular”, etc.)Planeswalkers (the card type)Player Psychographics (Timmy/Tammy, Johnny/Jenny, Spike)Poison ReturningPopulateProliferateProwessRace/Class RaidReusing of Named Nonevergreen Keyword MechanicsSagasSplit CardsSquirrelsVehiclesThe Weatherlight Saga

Artifacts Bonus Sheets Card Printing Card Types Changeling Competitive Play Constellation Creatures Deathtouch Enchantments Equipment Factions Flash Flashback France French Vanilla Hybrid Imprint Johnny / Jenny Keywords Landfall Lenticular Lifelink Lifelink Mana Mechanics Morph Morph Planeswalkers Poison Populate Proliferate Prowess Psychographic Raid Sagas Spike Split Cards Squirrel Timmy / Tammy Top Down Vanilla Vehicles Weatherlight Weatherlight Your Hand