Izzet (U/R)

Otters As Spellslingers

"Otters are spellslingers because they’re the blue/red archetype." But are they only the blue/red archetype because Lutri was the blue/red companion that happened to be an otter?

No.

Companion Izzet (U/R) Otters Red

Fifteen-Type Framework Layout

the Magic Story Podcast mentioned that in early concepting, Bloomburrow had fifteen focus creature types, with one for each monocolor in addition to one for each color pair. do you know what the layout of creature types was in that fifteen-type framework? (they mentioned Otters were originally mono-Blue, so I'm especially curious what the UR creature type was in that model.)

That model didn’t last very long. We talked about Raccoons being blue/red for a hot second.

Bloomburrow Colors Creatures Drive to Work Izzet (U/R) Monocolor Otters Raccoons Red Story / Lore

Origin of Otter as Spellslingers

Given that there's nothing inherently magical about otters (as opposed to some of the other archetypes in Bloomburrw), I got to thinking. Did otters ultimately become UR spellslingers in Bloomburrw because Lutri just happened to be an otter? Meaning if whoever was responsible for deciding Lutri's typeline during Ikoria's design - presumably a mostly arbitrary choice - just happened to decide he was a different animal, you likely never would have gotten to otters as spellslingers?

Otters are spellslingers because they’re the blue/red archetype.

Izzet (U/R) Otters Red

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

Color Coding in UB Cards

How much does in-universe coloring affect design of UB cards? For example, someone like Green Lantern is likely red or white due to their determination and willpower. However, their in-universe theme is very green, for obvious reasons. How do you reconcile these differences?

Green Lantern is a bad example. The character *is* green/white. (Willpower is green, not red, plus the ring chooses you.) Spider-man is a better example. He’s not blue/red. Characters in Universes Beyond don’t have to match the color of their outfit.

Colors Green Izzet (U/R) Red Selesnya (G/W) Universes Beyond White

Appreciation from Non-Player

I have had no idea who you were and why you kept showing up on my tumblr feed… Only to find out you are a head designer for Magic: The Gathering, which explains it LOLWhile I have never personally played Magic: The Gathering, I know my Uncle nd Cousin love it, so thank you for your help w/ making that game!! It’s brought a ton of people joy, and I’m sure it will for a long time!Thats really all I had to say! Just a thanks in gratitude for bringing my family, and so many others, joy. Feel free to leave this in ur inbox if u want, just wanted to drop this here!

Thanks for the kind words. I don’t often get them from non-Magic players.

Appreciation Blogatog / Tumblr Head Designer Izzet (U/R)

Bloomburrow Mechanics Impressions

I wasn't too interested in Bloomburrow, but honestly, the mechanical identity of the set looks stellar so far! I love the gameplay patterns of all ten color pairs, maybe with the exception of Otters being pretty standard for UR, but other than that, I'm officially hooked now! The frogs literally leaping to your hand and back might be my favorites so far!

Glad you like it.

Bloomburrow Colors Frog Game Play Izzet (U/R) Mechanics Otter Standard Your Hand

Art and Humor in Izzet

I want to argue that while creativity and innovation are Izzet, some forms of art (and humor*) are intrinsically Black. Individuality is a core concept of Black, and while a lot of art is expressing feelings, some of it is just “only I can do this, so here it is”, which to me feels more Black than Red or Blue. (Maybe they won’t do it for free). *Humor: Black is primed to understand how absurd the other colors’ beliefs are. You can see that whenever Black speaks in your color articles.

I believe each color has its own form of humor.

Art Black Blue Colors Humor Izzet (U/R) Red

Strixhaven College for Creative Writing Major

Hello Mr. Rosewater!It's my birthday today, and I'm hoping you may answer something for me. Which college of Strixhaven would be the home for a creative writing major?I love being creative, so I feel like Prismari might be the right place for me, especially since I mainly tap into red mana. I actually have a Bachelor of Arts in English though, so Silverquill might be more appropriate.What do you think? Would I be able to flex my creativeness with writing in Prismari, or would everything under that specialty go with Silverquill?Thank you, and I hope you're have a nice and festive weekend!

I think creative writing is based in Silverquill with some classes in Prismari.

Appreciation Birthday English Izzet (U/R) Mana Mark Rosewater Orzhov (W/B) Red Tap / Untap

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)

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

Compliments for Modern Horizons 3

I would like some compliments/high fives sent to everyone who worked on the mdfc lands in Modern Horizons 3. I love the flavor text showing little bits of lore across the planes. ALSO THEY LOOK SO PRETTY.Two of my favorites are the izzet and simic taplands. The cards look so good!

High fives shall be applied.

Flavor Text High Fives Izzet (U/R) Lands Modal Dual Faced Cards Modern Horizons 3 Planes Simic (G/U) Story / Lore

Eliminating Color from Game

Hey Mark! Was thinking about the color pie and wanted to know what you thought - if you had to remove 1 color from the pie (folding its mechanics and flavor into the remaining 4), which would it be?

The easiest color to remove (and this should never actually happen, but I’m game for hypotheticals) is green. Its effects could get rolled up into the other colors, mostly white and red, the easiest. Also, white/black and blue/red are the two most resonant conflicts, so it would leave those.

Black Color Pie Colors Flavor Green Izzet (U/R) Mechanics Orzhov (W/B) Red White

UR Combat Keyword Progress

Any progress on the UR combat keyword? Is this an actual agenda item or just something in the back of the mind?

It’s not something we’re actively trying to solve. We’ve spent years on it, so there’s no simple answer.

Izzet (U/R) Keywords

Angel Themed Commander Precon

Will we ever get an Angel themed commander precon? I have gotten my hopes up every year since the Ur Dragon Precon released.

I assume one day.

Angel Commander Dragon Izzet (U/R)

Color Shift Explanation

So last week, iirc, you mentioned that today's making magic article explains why energy moved from temur into jeskai. But the article makes no mention of the color shift. Can you explain why it had to move colors?

I believe I said my podcast with Erik Lauer on the topic talks about it. That goes up this Friday. But maybe I misspoke and said my article.I’ll give you the short version. The set had to divvy up the core themes and Eldrazi worked better in green/blue/red as it wanted to have more ramping elements and wanted green more. Energy went into blue/red/white because it had more of an aggro component and played better in those colors.

Boros (R/W) Colors Drive to Work Eldrazi Erik Lauer Green Izzet (U/R) Jeskai (U/R/W) Making Magic Red Simic (G/U) Temur (R/U/G) White

Mono Blue Coin Flips

Are we likely to ever get more mono blue coin flip cards? Recently they've all been mono red or Izzet, which makes building a coin flip deck 90% red. Rolling dice is available to all colors, it seems odd to keep coins locked primarily in red anymore

The Un-sets are much more casual and thus are allowed access to randomness in a way most Magic sets aren’t. Even D&D sets which used the d20, had to be very careful how random the cards were. Mostly coin flips have been used to show randomness in red. Coin flips are a bit harder than die rolls to keep the variance low, so it’s not something we use too often. I’m not even sure die rolling exists outside of an Un or D&D set.

Blue Casual Play Colors Die Rolling Flip Cards Izzet (U/R) Red Un-sets

MDFC Lands Archetype Focus

I really like the cycle of 2 colour MDFC lands. It was a bit disappointing that the UR and UW ones only get maximally used in energy decks. Do you know why 2/10 of a cycle of generically useful type (dual colour land) were focused in on one very specific archetype?

I believe all the lands leaned towards their draft archetype.

Colors Cycles Draft Formats Izzet (U/R) Lands Modal Dual Faced Cards Two Color

Izzet vs Grixis Pirates

What separates an Izzet Pirate from a Grixis Pirate?

Black mana. : )

Black Grixis Grixis (U/B/R) Humor Izzet (U/R) Mana Pirate