Spell mastery

Spell Mastery's Future

Where is Spell Mastery on the Storm Scale? I'd like to see it return in the future.

I’d call it a 5. I think we’re more likely to see it than not.

Spell mastery Storm Scale

Spell Mastery in Strixhaven

Was spell mastery considered for Strixhaven?

We usually do a pass where we talk about what returning mechanics would be good thematically for a set, and I’m sure it came up there. Other than that, no.

Mechanics Spell mastery

Mechanics Return Potential

I'm surprised Renown hasn't been used again and I loved the design space of creatures becoming more powerful once they connect. Same goes for spell mastery (specially with that Chandra shock that would turn into a bolt and the 3 mana burn spell that got uncounterable). Were those mechanics badly received or there simply hasn't come the time for them?

Both mechanics were received well enough to return one day.

Creatures Design Space Mana Mechanics Renown Spell mastery

Sorceries with Flash Debate

RE: Sorceries with flash; None of the examples given are actually instances of Sorceries with flash. Rather, under the right circumstances (paying extra mana, having Spell Mastery) those sorceries may be cast AS THOUGH they have flash. They never actually have flash.

A lot of people feel strongly that I was right originally. : )

Cast Flash Mana Sorceries Spell mastery

Sorcery Flash Possibility

"sorin-slackov-bored-of-innistrad asked: Is it possible for a Sorcery to have Flash? No." Actually there's a cycle of sorceries in Invasion that can gain Flash if you pay 2 more to cast them (Rout, Twilight's Call, etc.) and there's also Swift Reckoning from Magic Origins that has "Spell Mastery - Gains Flash"

Okay, let me change my answer.Yes.

Cast Cycles Flash Innistrad Magic Origins Rout Sorceries Spell mastery Swift Reckoning Twilight's Call

Evergreen vs. Block Mechanics

Mechanics that all colours get? In recent years: delirium, colourless mana activations, landfall, scry (now evergreen and as part of Theros) spell mastery, megamorph, manifest, morph, convoke, all Theros block mechanics.

That’s why I said “on a regular basis”. Block mechanics will often be used in all five colors but evergreen mechanics do not.

Colorless Colors Convoke Delirium Evergreen Landfall Mana Manifest Mechanics Morph Scry Spell mastery Theros

Spell Mastery Reception

How well was Spell Mastery received?

It went over well enough but not great.

Spell mastery

Graveyard Contexts

Flavor-wise, isn't it a bit odd your graveyard represents different things depending on the context - some of which are contradictory? The most literal use is a place for dead creatures. But two sorceries / instants in it represent experience (Spell Mastery), four different types represent a type of insanity (Delirium), some cards represent strong memories (Flashback), or is just power balancing tool (Deep-Sea Terror). What gives?

The game is better if we can skin different zones in different ways depending on the world/story being presented.

Creatures Deep-Sea Terror Delirium Flashback Flavor Instants Sorceries Spell mastery Story / Lore The Graveyard

Spell Mastery Potential

If/when: Spell Mastery

If.

If/When Spell mastery

Threshold Mechanic Future

Why is threshold so high on the storm scale? Are we more likely to see variants of threshold like spell mastery from origins?

Original threshold had a lot of developmental issues. Threshold-ish mechanics are definitely on the table.

Keyword Abilities Mechanics Spell mastery Storm Scale Threshold

Spell Mastery Critique

I was really disappointed by spell mastery in origins. Wouldn't it have made sense for a spell to level up for each copy in your graveyard, rather than for any old instant or sorcery lying around?

That might be slightly more flavorful but would have played worse and made the mechanic near useless in limited formats.

Flavor Instants Level Up Limited Mechanics Sorceries Spell mastery The Graveyard

Spell Mastery Constraints

With prowess in the mix, any reason spell mastery is limited to instants and sorceries rather than all non-creature spells? Was this a development decision, that it would end up being 'non-creature non-land cards' since spells only exist on the stack thus becoming a bit icky, or something else?

We didn’t want to use permanent types because it complicated things as it caused you to have to think through the board state (for example, could an artifact, enchantment or planeswalker put itself in the graveyard) when figuring out if Spell Mastery would work.

Artifacts Enchantments Instants Lands Limited Non-creatures Planeswalkers Prowess Sorceries Spell mastery Spells The Graveyard The Stack

Creature Spell Mastery

Was there ever a push to put spell mastery on creatures, similar to putting ferocious on noncreature spells?

No, Renown was filling that space on creatures.

Creatures Ferocious Renown Spell mastery Spells

Evergreen Mechanic Potential

Is there any chance that renown or spell mastery could become evergreen?

Not a high one.

Evergreen Renown Spell mastery

Spell Mastery Mechanic

Was there any discussion about spell mastery being used in a block as opposed to orgins? And if there was, may I ask why it was placed in a core set. I love the mechanic, but am slightly saddened that this is the only set well see it

Things that do well and have more design space tend to return.

Design Space Mechanics Spell mastery

Mechanics Color Scheme

So I'm confused on these Mechanics so far theres Renowned(G/R/W), then Menace (B/R/?), prownes (W/R/U), and spell mastery (R/B/U). I assume mance's 3rd color is green is there a reason prownes in wedge colors and the rest in Shards?

Menace and Prowess colors have to do with the needs of larger Magic and not Magic Origins. Note that Prowess is primary Blue, secondary Red and tertiary White (meaning it will happen infrequently).

Blue Boros (R/W) Colors Green Magic Origins Mechanics Menace Primary Prowess Rakdos (B/R) Red Secondary Spell mastery Tertiary Three Color White

Spell Mastery on Creatures

Aside from flavor why couldn't Spell Mastery go on a creature?

If it’s not on an instant or sorcery, it becomes what we call an A/B mechanic where you need A pieces and B pieces to make it work. When spell mastery is on an instant or sorcery, there’s just A pieces as the cards feed of of each other.

Creatures Flavor Instants Mechanics Sorceries Spell mastery

Spell Mastery's Design Space

How much design space is in Spell Mastery? Seems simple enough to be at least deciduous, but if it has a low amount of design space I can see that being an issue.

It has limited design space. It only goes on instants and sorceries that can have an alternate upgrade.

Deciduous Design Space Instants Limited Sorceries Spell mastery

Spell Mastery Status

Will 'Spell Mastery' be evergreen?

No.

Evergreen Spell mastery

Choosing Prowess for Colors

I'm curious why Design chose a creature keyword like Prowess for Red and Blue since they are the least creature-intense colors? I know Prowess cares about spells but it seems like Spell Mastery is more widely applicable in flavor and mechanical space. Were both considered for Evergreen status or was Prowess the only one in contention?

We chose a creature keyword because we needed a creature keyword, one that was combat relevant. Blue and Red may have less creatures than other colors but the still have way more creatures than anything else.

Blue Colors Creatures Evergreen Flavor Keywords Prowess Red Spell mastery Spells