Scalding Tarn

Scalding Tarn vs Fabled Passage

"Why is Scalding Tarn more problematic for Standard than Fabled Passage? Because it’s part of a cycle making the as-fan five times higher than Fabled Passage" but scalding tarn will show up just as often as fabled passage, despite only being relevant to decks in its colors, while roughly 5x more decks want fabled passage. doesn't as-fan work against fabled passage here?

It’s Fabled Passage vs. the entire five card cycle of enemy fetches.

As-fan Colors Cycles Fabled Passage Scalding Tarn Standard

Scalding Tarn versus Fabled Passage

Why is Scalding Tarn more problematic for Standard than Fabled Passage?

Because it’s part of a cycle making the as-fan five times higher than Fabled Passage.

As-fan Cycles Fabled Passage Scalding Tarn Standard

Standard Fetch Lands

Mark, you've suggested in the past that fetchlands (and search features in general) are not ideal for standard. Does the printing of Fabled Passage suggest a change to this? Could you see "fetch lands" like Windswept Heath or Scalding Tarn in standard?

Most years have one “search for a basic land” land. That’s about our threshold.

Card Printing Fabled Passage Lands Scalding Tarn Search Standard Threshold Windswept Heath

Reprint Priorities Discussion

I think that the confusion comes from the first question you answered. The concern was that when the game explodes in popularity but the number of Scalding Tarns remains the same, card acquisition gets harder and new players face a barrier of entry. Your response seemed to say that this isn't a real issue because new players don't care about Scalding Tarn. Can you tell us anything reassuring about how you guys connect large influxes of players with reprint priorities?

We’re aware of the desire for reprints. The issue for us is figuring out how to strike a balance between providing more access for the players that don’t have the cards while respecting the effort that went into acquiring the cards for the players that do have them. As is often the case, there are many different players who want different things and we’re trying to keep everyone happy. I can say that reprints are something we plan for as we put together each year’s worth of product and there are more reprints coming.

Beginners Card Printing Reprints Scalding Tarn

Island Fish Query

I think the previous question mark was trying to ask whether Island Fish Jasconius would tap for U (and be fetchable with Scalding Tarn) with R&D's Secret Lair on the Battlefield.

I guess it would.

Fish Game Design Island Fish Jasconius R&D's Secret Lair Scalding Tarn Secret Lairs Tap / Untap

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