Metalcraft

Choosing the Name Metalcraft

Do you remember if any alternative names were considered when designing metalcraft? I realized today that it’s kind of funny that I’m trying to achieve metalcraft with e.g. a Gingerbrute, a blood token, and a Portable Hole. Almost none of my artifacts are actual metal!

The name made a lot of sense on Mirroidin.

Artifacts Blood Gingerbrute Humor Metalcraft Portable Hole Tokens

Similarity Between Magecraft and Metalcraft

Were there any concerns about how similar the words Magecraft and Metalcraft are?

No. Mage and metal are two different words.

Magecraft Metalcraft

Metalcraft or Constellation Versions

What’s more likely, an enchantment version of Metalcraft or an artifact version of Constellation?

The former. Note that historic is kind of the latter, at times.

Artifacts Constellation Enchantments Historic Metalcraft

Enchantments in Metalcraft Variant

Could we see a version of metalcraft but for enchantments?

You tend to have less enchantments on the battlefield, but sure.

Enchantments Metalcraft

Color Balance Challenge

"Sets need color balance, making structures like this difficult." If you split the shared color evenly and weight the other four colors towards one of the two factions, it can even out. A lot of two-faction sets effectively work that way; see Mirrodin Besieged, which was basically RWU (Metalcraft, Battle Cry) vs. BGU (Infect, Proliferate) with some leeway.

I said difficult, not impossible.

Battle Cry Battles Colors Factions Factions Infect Metalcraft Mirrodin Proliferate Sultai (B/G/U)

About Ability Words

"Ability words aren’t keywords. They can’t be mechanically referenced"- This interests me. Do you know why this is the case- is it a rules reason? Because this seems to imply you couldn't print a card that (for example) tutored for a card with Metalcraft or Undergrowth, and that seems kind of odd. What makes that any different from tutoring for a card with Flying?

Ability words are basically reminder text. Note that they are printed in italics just as reminder text is.

Ability Words Card Printing Flying Keywords Metalcraft Rules Tutoring Tutoring Undergrowth

Commander Set Design Praise

Please pass along thanks to the C18 design team! One of the reasons why Commander sets are always the some of my favorite spoiler seasons is the ability to bring back old mechanics. New takes on stuff like Metalcraft, Retrace, Evoke, Miracle, Improvise... it's all been really great to see!

They’re also fun cards to design.

Commander Evoke Improvise Mechanics Metalcraft Miracle Retrace Spoilers

Mechanical References

When you say you can't mechanically refer to it, does that mean you couldn't say "Destroy target creature with Metalcraft" but you could say "Destroy target creature with prowess"?

Correct.

Creatures Destroy Metalcraft Prowess

Keyword Use Strategy

Hi Mark. How come you guys spell out mechanics you've keyworded in the past, like how inventor's Fair is just Metalcraft. Seems like a waste of perfectly good design space and card frame real estate. You could always use an online glossary for new players to reference if that's what you're worried about. I think it's a big mistake on R&D's part, and a poor use of resources not to utilize the work it puts into keywording.

As we design more and more sets, we start keywordjng more and more concepts. This means if we’re obligated to use a keyword any time that particular text shows up, we start having sets where every card uses a keyword and it becomes a vocabulary nightmare for less enfranchised players who don’t know all the old keywords. This very issue was exactly why Time Spiral was so problematic for all but the most enfranchised players.

Beginners Card Frames Design Space Experienced / Enfranchised Players Game Design Gates Keywords Mechanics Metalcraft Nightmare Time Spiral

Consistent Ability Wording

Sometimes, I've noticed that cards in certain blocks will have an ability given an ability word, but when the same mechanic shows up outside of that block, it no longer has the ability word attached. A prime example of this is Metalcraft: Several cards in Kaladesh Block have "Metalcraft," but the ability word is not included. I understand this may be done for flavor reasons, but are there any other reason why cards aren't templated using a new ability word after it's introduced?

The goal is not to constantly add more required vocabulary to Magic.

Ability Words Flavor Kaladesh Mechanics Metalcraft

Keyword Usage Policy

What's up with not using keywords on cards that have rules text of keyword abilities? Ex. Metalcraft on inventor's fair, or morbid on life goes on.

We don’t use keywords outside of a set that uses them. The ongoing nature of the game means we have to keep isolating elements for themes. We name them within that world, but we need the ability to touch upon things without having to always label them. Landfall, for example, shouldn’t mean triggering off of lands being played shouldn’t happen outside of Zendikar.

Keyword Abilities Keywords Landfall Lands Life Goes On Metalcraft Morbid Rules Zendikar

Constellation Mechanics

I don't understand Constellation and enchantment matters can't work together when blocks like Scars of Mirrodin and Kaladesh with strong artifact matters themes have had both strong individual artifact cards and artifact matters mechanics like metalcraft and improvise without it being much of an issue. Strong enchantment matters + Constellation would be no riskier than those blocks, if anything it would be safer because enchantments don't have generic mana costs like artifacts do.

Neither of the sets you mentioned had artifactfall (all being artifacts to follow Constellation’s lead). “Enchantments matter” can work as a theme but we have to be careful how powerful the components are synergistically with one another.

Artifacts Colorless Constellation Enchantments Improvise Kaladesh Mana Mechanics Metalcraft Scars of Mirrodin

Storm Scale Clarified

Does the storm scale take into account if the mechanic returns as not that mechanic? For example, does the storm scale number for Metalcraft represent something like Inventor's Fair being printed?

No. it refers to the named keyword returning.

Card Printing Keyword Abilities Keywords Mechanics Metalcraft Storm Scale

Complexity in Thresholds

When there is a threshold mechanic, like threshold, delirium, metalcraft, etc, why aren't they modular? For example, the standard design for delirium could be 'delirium - 4' at (un)common but make cards stronger (and weaker) by making them 'delirium - 3' or 'delirium - 6'. Since stuff like delirium and landfall aren't actual rules text, emraCOOL could just have 'delirium' and count the cards in your grave.

Having various thresholds is mega-complicated and makes tracking states near impossible when the battlefield gets full.

Delirium Landfall Mechanics Metalcraft Modular Rules Standard Threshold

Foils and Keywords

Would be possible to make foils versions of the cards with unkeyworded mechanics have the word added (E.g. Inventor's Fair with Metalcraft.)

We don’t change elements between premium and non-premium.

Foils Mechanics Metalcraft

Unmarked Mechanic Uses

Kaladesh has off-brand versions of landfall, affinity, proliferate, and metalcraft. Are one-off, unmarked uses of old mechanics something we'll be seeing more of?

Yes, as we label more things, we’re more likely to do one-of unmarked versions.

Affinity Kaladesh Landfall Mechanics Metalcraft Proliferate

Modified Metalcraft Concept

Ever thought of a version of metalcraft that is metalcraft X, where the number of artifacts you need to control is different on different cards?

Threshold cards (meaning cards that “turn on” if a condition is met) are mind melting if the condition isn’t consistent.

Artifacts Metalcraft Threshold

Mox Opal Keywords

Why does Mox Opal Masterpiece use Metalcraft, but inventor's Fair does not? If Ability Words have no meaning, why are they in oracle text?

We have different rules about where and how we use keywords. Masterpiece cards show up at a low enough frequency that we aren’t concerned with vocabulary issues for newer players.

Ability Words Keywords Metalcraft Mox Opal Rules

Why Not Metalcraft

Why didn't the "if you have 3 or more artifacts" cards just use "Metalcraft -" instead?

We don’t use keywords/ability words if they only appear on a small handful of cards.

Ability Words Artifacts Keywords Metalcraft

Metalcraft's Absence Explained

In your eventual article, do you explain why Metalcraft didn't fit? Or would that work better for a podcast?

I talk more about why we included what we did use than why we didn’t use things. The two biggest strikes against Metalcraft was 1) we are trying to differentiate Kaladesh from Mirrodin and 2) it didn’t help the variance of play issue we wanted to help you “feel like an inventor”.

Drive to Work Kaladesh Metalcraft Mirrodin