Plague Rats

Defining Real Magic

I disagree with the notion that there isn't a clear definition of "real magic". It's so concrete it's even been recorded: Twenty Black Lotuses and twenty Plague Rats.

: )

Black Humor Plague Rats Rat Rat

Slivers Trivia Birthday

MaRo! It's my birthday, I'd like to cash in my trivia regarding my favorite creature type, slivers. What've you got for me?

Slivers came from a fan-made set (Astral Ways) Mike Elliott designed before coming to work for Wizards. Still called Slivers they represented pieces of the hero after he got sliced trying to close an astral door. The mechanic was inspired by Plague Rats from Alpha. Happy Birthday!

Birthday Creatures Mark Rosewater Mechanics Plague Rats Rat Rat Sliver

Reflections on 'It's all Magic'

I enjoyed the podcast "It's all Magic," but I have it on very good authority that real Magic is "Twenty Black Lotuses and twenty Plague Rats." Any response to Magic's oldest dinosaur?

Ah, the classics. : )

Black Dinosaur Drive to Work Humor Plague Rats Rat Rat Reflection

Early Birthday Trivia on Slivers

Hi Mark! Tomorrow's my 33 birthday and I am not sure if I will have internet connection. Can I have a birthday trivia on one of my favorite races, slivers. And is it an if or when to get them back on standard?

Slivers started in a set, called Astral Ways, Mike Elliott made before he came to Wizards. Originally Slivers were pieces of a creature that fell from heaven. The mechanic was inspired by Plague Rats. Happy Birthday!

Birthday Creatures If/When Mechanics Plague Rats Rat Rat Sliver Standard

Slivers Origin Story

Hi mark! Today is my birthday and it’s tome for my bday question. May I request is a set of some sort exploring the origins of the slivers race?

Slivers first appeared in Mike Elliott’s self-made set Astral Ways. They were mechanically inspired by Plague Rats. When Mike was hired by Wizards, they bought his set. Mike then turned them in during Tempest design.In Astral Ways, the represented pieces of a being that fell from the Astral Ways. In Tempest, Michael Ryan and I turned them into shape shifting creatures with a hive mind. Happy Birthday!

Birthday Creatures Hive Mind Plague Rats Rat Rat Sliver Tempest

Color's Third Rats Card

"purplebackpack89 asked: I was really surprised that Red was the second color to get a Plague Rats/Relentless Rats-type card." Technically it was the third, since Blue got one in Ravnica Allegiance with Persistent Petitioners.

Good point.

Blue Colors Persistent Petitioners Plague Rats Rat Rat Ravnica Allegiance Red Relentless Rats

Color-Specific Cards Query

I was really surprised that Red was the second color to get a Plague Rats/Relentless Rats-type card. When is green ever going to get one? I would have pegged the effect as secondary in green.

The ability is available to every color.

Colors Green Plague Rats Rat Rat Red Relentless Rats Secondary

Naming a Mechanic Origin

Is there an internal R&D term for the Shadowborn Apostle any number ability? And do you remember who came up with the idea originally to have any number of certain cards make up your deck?

We tend to call it “Relentless” after Relentless Rats. I give credit to Richard Garfield for the mechanic as Plague Rats inspired the mechanic although it didn’t technically have it.

Game Design Mechanics Plague Rats Rat Rat Relentless Rats Richard Garfield Shadowborn Apostle

Deck Construction Uniqueness

Why is black the only color so far with "a deck can have any number of cards named". Both rats and shadowborn apostle are black, is that in the color pie of black or what?

Any color can do it, but we do it infrequently and because of Plague Rats we often do it on Rats which are black.

Black Color Pie Colors Plague Rats Rat Rat Shadowborn Apostle

Rats Trivia

today is my birthday and i was wondering if you have any trivia on my favourite creature type rats

The card Plague Rats inspired both Slivers and the Kindle mechanic. Happy Birthday!

Birthday Creatures Kindle Mechanics Plague Rats Rat Rat Sliver

Plague Rats Power Level

Not a developer, but are Plague Rats too strong for standard? :D

Plague Rats? No. They are far from overpowered.

Not a developer Plague Rats Power Level Rat Rat Standard

Sliver Origins

It's my birthday today! Can I get some trivia on my favorite creature type, the Sliver?

Slivers were originally designed by designer Mike Elliott for a homemade set before he was employed by Wizards of the Coast. The Sliver design was inspired by the card Plague Rats from Alpha. Happy Birthday!

Alpha Birthday Creatures Plague Rats Rat Rat Sliver Wizards of the Coast

Slivers Origin Trivia

Hi MaRo! So, my birthday was yesterday, and I'd like you to give me some trivia about one of the most interesting tribes in Magic, the Slivers. Thanks!

The inspiration for the Slivers was the card Plague Rats in Alpha. Future Magic designer Mike Elliott was making his own home-brewed set and decided to make a race of Plague Rats.Happy Birthday!

Alpha Birthday Mark Rosewater Plague Rats Rat Rat Sliver

Alpha Cards Modern Potential

Following cards from alpha are not modern legal and have no reserve list, color pie, complexity or power level concerns, think you could see if any can get fit into a set?: Dwarven Warriors, Hurloon Minotaur, Copper Tablet, Conservator, Burrowing, Celestial Prism, Castle, Animate Artifact, Ironclaw Orcs, Ironroot Treefolk, Lance, Living Wall, Obsianus Golem, Orcish Oriflamme, Pearled Unicorn, Plague Rats, Phantom Monster, Phantasmal Forces, Scavenging Ghoul

Interestingly, most of those cards we’ve made better versions of them.

Alpha Animate Artifact Artifacts Burrowing Caves Celestial Prism Color Pie Colors Conservator Copper Tablet Dwarven Warriors Golem Hurloon Minotaur Ironclaw Orcs Ironroot Treefolk Living Wall Minotaur Modern Obsianus Golem Orc Orcish Oriflamme Pearled Unicorn Phantasmal Forces Phantom Monster Plague Rats Power Level Prism Rat Rat Scavenging Ghoul Treefolk Unicorn Wall Warrior