Jiang Yanggu

Planeswalkers Color Imbalance

Can i just say I'm not super happy with the extreme color imbalance of planeswalkers in recent sets. I miss when all 5 colors were represented equally, even if split between only 2-3 planeswalkers. My only complaint for NEO was too much blue and no red planeswalkers, Capenna with its lack of blue, and Strixhaven's lack of white (I don't really count the non-PW side of Lukka, as it isn't a planeswalker and Lukka hasn't really kept any one specific bond thus far like Jiang Yanggu has). I get that the demands of the story often cause this, but demands of the story also prevented us from getting one last Dack Fayden.

We color balance for Standard, but it’s very hard to color balance every set, especially when certain characters are key to the story. Also, Dack Fayden wasn’t in War of the Spark because he didn’t play a role in the story until after the set design was finished. (The novel was written later in the process.)

Blue Colors Dack Fayden Jiang Yanggu Kamigawa: Neon Dynasty Planeswalkers Red Set Design Standard Story / Lore War of the Spark War of the Spark White

Existing Leopard-Spotted Jiao

FYI, the 1R 3/1 vanilla creature already exists: Leopard-Spotted Jiao, from Global Series Jiang Yanggu & Mu Yanling

FYI

Creatures Jiang Yanggu Leopard-Spotted Jiao Mu Yanling Vanilla

Jiang Yanggu's Future Appearance

Can I get a maybe on seeing Jiang Yanggu (and Mowu!) again sometime soon?

Maybe. : )

Humor Jiang Yanggu

Planewalker and Myr Question

Could a Planeswalker turn off a myr and bring it with him through the blind eternities to another plane then turn it back on? Same question for a construct and a golem?

There is a limit to how much stuff a planeswalker can carry with them, but Mowu shrinks and turns to stone and can travel with Jiang Yanggu, so it’s possible.

Construct Golem Jiang Yanggu Myr Planeswalkers

Possibility of Yanling and Yanggu Returns

Will we ever see anymore of Mu Yanling and/or Jiang Yanggu? How about their homeplane, the Plane of Mountains and Seas?

I think there’s a better chance of seeing the planeswalkers than their home plane, but both are possibilities.

Jiang Yanggu Mu Yanling Planeswalkers

Future of Global Series

It's been two years since Jiang Yanggu and Mu Yanling debuted. Can you say whether Global Series will be a series?

It was created to do an introductory product for the Chinese market. If we have the need for another introductory product in a new country, I assume we’d consider it.

China Jiang Yanggu Mu Yanling

Request for Jiang Yanggu

May I request more Jiang Yanggu?

You may.

Jiang Yanggu

Plane Naming Confirmation

Does Plane of Mountains and Seas (homeworld of Jiang Yanggu and Mu Yanling) have an actual, albeit uknown to us name?

I believe that is the name.

Jiang Yanggu Mu Yanling

Planeswalkers' Origin Planes

Are Mu Yanling and Jiang Yanggu from the same plane that Portal second and third age take place on?

I do not believe so.

Jiang Yanggu Mu Yanling Portal

Planeswalkers' Travel Capabilities

About Jiang Yanggu, back in January 2016 you said "I don’t believe Planeswalkers, at least as a default, can travel with passengers." To me this wording was very clearly allowing for the possibility of exceptions. As a reader I find the complaints you get about Yanggu frustrating, as to me it seemed clear you expected there to be an exception eventually.

The idea of planeswalkers planeswalking differently is not a new thing. It goes back a long ways. The issue is in sets we don’t focus much on planeswalking as we’re on a plane and don’t focus on coming or leaving it. It’s stories in other mediums where it comes up more.

Jiang Yanggu Planeswalkers

Correct Pronunciation Mowu

Hey Mark, I was listening to your podcast and heard you say Jiang Yanggu dog's name as "maahwoo" are you sure that's the way you pronounce it? I thought it was more of an "O" sound

It’s Mowu not Mawu.

Dog Drive to Work Jiang Yanggu

Wrenn's Companionship

Is Wrenn able to bring her treefolk with her when she planeswalks? If so, is it because of something special with her spark a la Jiang Yanggu, or is it more how everyone can (or at least I assume can) bring symbiotic microorganisms inside them when they planeswalk?

Wrenn bonds with her Treefolk and they planeswalk together. It is a unique thing like Yanggu and Mowu.

Jiang Yanggu Treefolk

Mu Yangling and Jiang

what is the relation between mu yangling and jiang yanggu other than the fact that they are from the same plane and know each other?

As we know so far, that’s it.

Jiang Yanggu

Set Confirmation Status

Can you confirm that the next set ISN'T "the Plane of Mountains and Seas" that Jiang Yanggu and Mu Yanling are from?

I can confirm nothing. Well, other than it’s a new plane because I already confirmed that.

Jiang Yanggu Mu Yanling

Jiang Yanggu's Dog

My birthday was today! So for my birthday trivia I want to know about my new favorite Planeswalker and his adorable pooch! What breed is Mowu and is there any other information you can give about Jiang Yanggu?

I don’t know what kind of dog he is. Anyone else know?Nonetheless, Happy Birthday!

Birthday Dog Jiang Yanggu Planeswalkers

Yanggu & Mowu's Spark

Hey Maro, I've been thinking about the whole Jiang Yanggu/Mowu situation. The one thing I would like to know is whether or not Yanggu can planeswalk withOUT Mowu?

So far we’ve never seen him planeswalk without him.

Jiang Yanggu Mark Rosewater

Yanggu's Exceptional Ability

My understanding is that post mending planeswalkers couldn't take other living beings with them. If I'm right, how is Jiang Yanggu bring Mawu along?

Planeswalkers by default can’t pkaneswalk with living things. Yanggu has a special ability which only applies to Mowu.

Jiang Yanggu Planeswalkers The Mending

Planeswalking Rules

Players don't draw the lines, creative does. We were given the rules for planeswalking and Jiang Yanggu broke those rules without explanation. Nothing in MtG canon said telepathy, time magic, and transformations couldn't happen. Just some perspective.

Normally a person can’t turn into a dragon, but magic allows one particular planeswalker to break that rule. Every rule we give in universe is “as a default, this is the rule”. Behind the scenes, we are careful when we break the rules to make sure we’re not undermining the reason for the rule existing in the first place. So where does the “only planeswalkers can planeswalk” rule come from? It’s built as a means to make our core characters special. If anyone could planeswalk then it lessens the uniqueness of planeswalkers. Early Magic had this problem and it’s one of the reasons we changed things with The Mending to shut down things like portals.Does Yanggu having his dog planeswalk with him undercut the speciality of planeswalking or does it help give him a defining trait that makes him unique? We felt the latter so we allowed him having a power that breaks the default rule.

Behind the Scenes Dog Dragon Jiang Yanggu Planeswalkers Rules The Mending

Bringing Back Planeswalkers

Since jiang yanggu has made a debut in standard (and probably mu yanling will also show up in the future) are there any plans also for Aminatou or Estrid? I would really like to see them play a part within Magic history (even a minor role would be fine

We’re always looking to bring back known planeswalkers where we can. Note that monocolor planeswalkers are easier to work in than three-color.

Colors Jiang Yanggu Monocolor Mu Yanling Planeswalkers Standard

Name Order Correction

Reminder that Jiang Yanggu's family name is Jiang, while his personal name is Yanggu (The order is reversed in China.) So if you're going to refer to him with one name, it should be Yanggu.

That’s for pointing that out.

China Jiang Yanggu