I seem to always find lots and lots of discourse about block sets. Two sides of the same argument every time.
Side 1 says something like:"I hate all these random sets, I miss block sets."
To which, Side 2 says; "Well block sets never sold as well at the end, players attention span's are better suited for one and done blocks."
My problem with this response is that it essentially ignores the initial statement. Rather than clarifying what they mean, they assume and answer.
Personally, I miss block sets, but ONLY from a story perspective.
Basically, do sets exactly the same as you're doing now. Draft is better now than blocks were, standard with Foundations sounds fantastic. The only thing I'd like to see is a set of setup, and a set of payoff.
MKM was a set based on a murder mystery with the big twist ending basically included in the release, as an example. It could've benefitted from a real, but delayed, payoff. Set up the consequences for each suspect, then reveal and give different consequences that were hinted at in other ways. Bam. Improved.
The last time we visited New Phyrexia, it was a block, I remember ubiquitous speculation over how the story would wrap up. There were factions events at local game stores, branded posters and packs for the factions at play, etc. I had a friend get the New Phyrexian emblem tattooed on themselves. The story felt *Important* and so much less divorced from magic than it does today.
Usually, in my experience, when someone asks for blocks, they're asking for the story to matter. There are lots of mechanically interesting card games out there, and mechanics are only part of what makes magic, magic!
All I would ask is that writers get the opportunity to do setups and payoffs with magic's evolving story with multiple sers, and that story related sets have *some* play synergies. They don't need to share mechanical themes just to share story themes, but it would be a nice little florish if they had mechanical synchronisets,
Hell, a REALLY good idea (in my opinion) would be to do these sets in a different order than the old method. Modern fantasy novels swap POV characters and follow different stories. Why not set up multiple stories in a row, then start to alternate resolving an older, established plot line, and then starting a new one or swapping to another established one. This really gives players time to get interested and speculate (and making the story FEEL present will likely also boost novels and comics numbers, etc., if you need a monetary reasoning.)
What do you think Mark?

We already do a lot of what you’re asking. Each Magic “year” does have a larger connected story, often with different POV characters.

When/if: a single set split into two draftable packs. There is some overlap (land cycles, equipment, colorless artifacts, etc) but one pack is Team X (Bolas let's say) which is 3 different archetypes in his colors and the other packs are Team Y (Ugin let's say) which are 3 archetypes in colorless, white, black. All the cards together make a single set, but you would draft Ugin packs with Ugin packs, and then only play against players who drafted Bolas packs.

We did this in Mirrodin Besieged. The set was split in Mirran and Phyrexian, and you chose which side to play when you played in the prerelease.

I'd like to add my support to the voices disappointed by the lack of fallout shown from the Phyrexian invasion... of Dominaria. I just checked the cards in Odyssey block, and there's no ruined buildings, no dead Phyrexians, nothing! Sure, the block's entire story comes about as a result of Karn gaining a spark, but I was looking forward to a year of mourning families and civil construction projects. All I got instead was a cool story about pit fighters wrestling over a mysterious artifact.

: 0

Where was there any "subtle build-up" of the Phyrexian arc in any set between New Phyrexia and Kaldheim, except for a brief mention of the Sylex in Dominaria (2018)?

The planar bridge in the Bolas Arc, Elspeth’s nightmare in Theros Beyond Death, Pretty much every appearance of Karn. It was subtle, it wasn’t non-existent.

Mark, why didn’t early sets use rarity color indicators?For the longest time, I thought that Phyrexian Dreadnought was a common, and it made my brain hurt.

We didn’t think if it.

It appears there are conflicting reports of whether or not a planeswalker can be effected by phyresis or not. That aside, could a Planeswalker Planeswalk with say a Vile of Glistening oil on their person?

To the best of my knowledge, you can’t Phyrexianize a planeswalker. Getting Venser’s spark, for example, was what freed Karn from Phyrexian influence.

The Phyrexian Jumpstart and other Phyrexian things got me and my fellow Compleated friends talking, and we found we had differing info. Can you be a tie-breaker on whether a Planeswalker can be affected by the Glistening Oil?

From what I understand of story, I believe they cannot. Karn, as an example, didn’t get infected until he lost his spark.

I have been out of the Magic story/lore loop for a while now, mostly since the conclusion of the Weatherlight saga (and I'd like to commend you for your great work on that). Is there any chance that we might see the Phyrexians out as the big bads again, especially since Karn is still kicking and Nicol Bolas (from what I have been told) is less of a factor?

Hmm, the Phyrexisns? I can suggest it to the right people.

Why can Karn hold a spark but Phyrexians can't?

Karn isn’t Phyrexian. One of the quirks of the race is it can’t hold a spark.

During the Phyrexian Invasion of Dominaria, Karn realized that pasifism was hurting his ability to protect others. A blow to the head head removed Urzas memory cap. His memories, especially the memory of having to go back in time to save Jhoira, his best friend, gave him the resolve to kill if it meant protecting others.

FYI