Processor

Possible A+B Exile Mechanic

could we see an A+B mechanic designed around A exiling cards and B getting cards exiled with mechanic A back? Kinda like an inverted version of the processor setup from BFZ where you do it for your own benefit?

We need to be careful that a mechanic can’t get back cards that were exiled by a card where the intent was it wasn’t to return.

Battle for Zendikar Mechanics Processor The Exile Zone

Processors and Scarab God Interaction

Hey Mark, I just wanted to let you know about my support for processors. I use them in my scarab God commander deck to be able to put creatures I exiled with scarab god's ability back into the graveyard so I can exile them again to get extra copies of a creature.

Processors only allow you to return opponent’s cards in exile to their owner’s graveyard.

Commander Decks Creatures God Processor The Exile Zone The Graveyard

Impact of Negative Player Feedback

Hi Mark! When you track the metrics of how well, or poorly, something is received, does the nature of the metric affect its likelihood of returning? e.g. with the Processors from BFZ, would "players didn't think they had a strong enough pay off" be more likely to risk another try compared to "players found ability confusing" or "players found there wasn't enough exiling in sealed/standard"?

We do take into account why we think players didn’t like something, but player disapproval of something in its first outing does lessen the chance of a second outing.

Battle for Zendikar Processor Sealed Format Standard

Consensus on Eldrazi Processors

Hi mark I saw you respond to a request for future eldrazi sets so i wanted to make one too, if possible please bring back eldrazi processors they were awesome! we so rarely see cards that interact with exile and as more cast from exile etc mechanics get created id just love to see a viable effect like that again. Shout out to wasteland strangler in particular!

Processors weren’t super popular. What did you all think of them (from Battle for Zendikar).

Appreciation Battle for Zendikar Eldrazi Mechanics Processor The Exile Zone Wasteland Strangler Zendikar

Mechanics Evaluation Recap

FYI you actually did your worst 10 mechanics once before in Drive to Work #693 and this was your list at the time:10. Haunt - Guildpact9. Radiance - Ravnica8. Ripple - Coldsnap7. Processors - Battle for Zendikar6. Annihilator - Rise of the Eldrazi5. Epic - Saviors of Kamigawa4. Rebel Mercenary - Mercadian Masques3. Gotcha - Unhinged2. Rhystic - Prophecy1. Bands with Others - Legends

FYI

Annihilator Battle for Zendikar Coldsnap Drive to Work Eldrazi Epic Guildpact Haunt Legendary Creatures Mechanics Mercadian Masques Mercenary Processor Prophecy Prophecy Radiance Rebel Ripple Rise of the Eldrazi Rise of the Eldrazi Saviors of Kamigawa Zendikar

Eldrazi Processor Mechanic

For a previous asker: The Eldrazi had the "processor mechanic" in BFZ. They can put cards from exile into the graveyard to gain something.

A good point.

Battle for Zendikar Eldrazi Mechanics Processor Question Marks The Exile Zone The Graveyard

Requests for Artifact Creatures

Hi, Mark! Could I request an Artifact Creature - Blood Dog (Blood Hound), an Artifact Creature - Food Processor, and an Artifact Land - Treasure Island? : )

Any other such requests?

Artifacts Blood Blood Hound Creatures Dog Food Humor Lands Processor Treasure

Favorite Urza's Saga Card

What's your favorite Urza's Saga card today?

Phyrexian Processor.

Mark's Favorites Phyrexian Phyrexian Processor Processor Sagas Urza's Saga Urza's Saga

Discourse on Exile Returns

When Battle for Zendikar came out, you said you were ok with the processors because they returned one's opponent's cards from exile (rather than one's own cards). Have you changed your mind about that?

It’s better than returning your own exiled cards. I’d probably be happiest if cards didn’t return cards from exile that they didn’t put there.

Battle for Zendikar Processor The Exile Zone Zendikar

Processors Mechanic Complexity

I always wondered why processors didn't turn their "food" face down in exile instead of returning them to the graveyard. Was it considered?

It was just wordier and more complex to grok.

Food Processor The Exile Zone The Graveyard

Exile Mechanic View

"Processors never let you return your own cards in exile." I understand why the exile zone should't be a second graveyard and agree with you that it should stay that way but... Do you think the mechanic would have played better if you could target your own cards?

I do not.

Mechanics Processor The Exile Zone The Graveyard

Eldrazi Processors Concept

You mentioned previously you are fighting to keep exile from becoming a 2nd graveyard. How did you feel about Eldrazi processors?

Processors never let you return your own cards in exile. That mattered a lot to me.

Eldrazi Processor The Exile Zone The Graveyard

Exile Matters Theme

Will we have an "Exile Matters" set/cards one day? Thanks.

Processors (in Battle for Zendikar) were exile matters.

Battle for Zendikar Battles Processor The Exile Zone

Fun Card Request

Can I request an Artifact Creature with the subtype "Food Processor" in a silver bordered set?

: )

Artifacts Creatures Food Processor Subtype Un-Magic / Silver Border / Acorn

Exile Mechanics

Re: exile mechanics, do you think processors were a mistake then or are they fine because they interact with the opponents exile?

Opponent’s exile as resource is a different thing. You’re not getting access to cards you’re not supposed to.

Mechanics Processor The Exile Zone

Processors Mechanic Feedback

Hi Mark, don’t know if this has been asked yet but in your recent podcast you talked about processors being a bad mechanic and one of the reasons was messing with the exile zone. From your perspective is there any way to mess with it like the god eternals plus ilhaarg or is it always just a bad idea? PS: Thank you for all your hard work and the new set is is hilarious and lore filled at the same time can’t wait to draft it.

Preventing exile is different than bringing things back from exile just as indestructible is very different than reanimation.

Appreciation Drive to Work God Indestructible Limited Mechanics Processor Story / Lore The Exile Zone

Eldrazi Processors Reevaluation

'No. The exile zone should be a place we can send things so they don’t come back.'-- Does that mean that you consider Eldrazi Processors to be a mistake?

In retrospect, I wish we’d found a different mechanical answer for the Eldrazi.

Eldrazi Processor The Exile Zone

Exile Zone Usage

"No. The exile zone should be a place we can send things so they don’t come back." What about the processors from Battle for Zendikar? Is that considered more acceptable since they only take opponent's cards from exile?

They never allowed you to get your own stuff back.

Battle for Zendikar Battles Processor The Exile Zone

Exile Theme and Rarity

If a block cares enough about exile (your own, not processors), could white get an oblivion ring effect at common?

We often scoot down things in rarities when they are strongly on theme.

Oblivion Ring Processor The Exile Zone White

Combining Zendikar Keywords

About Battle for Zendikar block... You couldn't even remember Ingest as part of the Processors theme (not complaining, just to show how little resonant it was). Devoid has gotten a negative feedback because it doesn't do anything by itself. WHAT IF they had been the same keyword? (kiiiiind of like the process of how Infect came to be, fusing Wither with Poison.) I understand it would've been an entirely different concept for the block, but still.

I have no idea how to combine those two elements into a cohesive singular thing. Also, you would be taking a major simple theme and making it significantly more complicated. The actual solution to devoid was writing it out and not keywording it because it was the expectations of a keyword that caused the problem. Players reported that they liked how it played.

Battle for Zendikar Battles Devoid Infect Ingest Keywords Poison Processor Wither