Has R&D ever considered keywording the Bloomburrow "Season of" cycle type of modal mechanic like Spree? If not, is there an official name or r&d slang for these spells?

We don’t really have a name for that style of mechanic and didn’t try to keyword it to the best of my knowledge.

Mark what’s the likelihood that you being back a new mechanic before feedback for its debut is out?E.g spree or backup showing up before 2-3 years of their debut

It’s happened, but not often.

hey mark, i just wanted to say that Plot is an absolute slam dunk 10/10 A+ mechanic for me, personally, and one i definitely hope to see again in future. setting up huge blow-out turns, synergizing with play-from-exile or cast-multiple-things type effects, it's all so much fun. it seems, from my perspective, like such a versatile little mechanic and i hope it has more in stock. please give out high-fives to everyone involved in plotting such a wicked mechanic!

High fived myself, and will the rest of the vision design team that made it. It is my favorite mechanic of the set (with spree a close second).

Hey Mark! Spree is probably one of my favorite mechanics ever, but I feel it was a bit unexploited.Can we expect to see variations on spree, such as a permanent with spree, a spree cost of a different color than the original spell, a spree cost that's not mana at all, or a spree spell with flashback or kicker?

I am optimistic we will make more spree cards.

Is there a smoothing mechanic in OTJ? Thanks!

Not specifically, but both plot and spree help with using your mana more efficiently.

Was an early iteration of spree a modified version of rebound where you do an effect now and at the start of the next turn.

No, It was also a modal spell where you pay for each mode.

Hey Mark, I've read your Nuts and Bolts series and it's been very useful in trying to design my own set. I did notice though that the new Spree mechanic with OTJ isn't present at common, even though I recall there being a thing within design where "if your design doesn't work at common, it doesn't work period". Has design changed their stance on this with the new Play Boosters coming in, or is it something else?

The actual quote is “if your theme’s not at common, it’s not your theme”. The two main themes of Outlaws of Thunder Junction are villainy and the western genre. Those are both plenty present at common. Every mechanic doesn’t need to be. If a mechanic is complex it can be at higher rarities.

Mark, I don't understand how OTJ is a villain set outside of showcasing a bunch of them. I thought every set gave you ways to be a villain, commit crimes, and be rewarded for both. Can you say a little more to help me understand better, please?

Many mechanics in the set (commit crime, plot, spree, outlaws, mercenary tokens, etc.) are all themed around acting like a villain. Yes, you can always choose cards to make a villain themed deck, but this set structurally builds around that, much like you can always build a graveyard-themed deck, but not every set is themed around the graveyard.

So OTJ feels like a very top down western plane to me, and the Villain aspect barely pings in my radar. This isn't a complaint, the western setting is much more interesting to me than the Villain theme. But aside from having a bunch of named characters, most of whomever have no lore to tell us if they are Villains or not, what aspects of the set are you guys seeing as Villainous? Mechanics wise, spree, deserts, outlaws, mercenary tokens, and mounts all feel westerm inspired, where plot is certainly named like its a villain mechanic, but doesn't particularly feel villanous. Leaving crime as the only thing that feels like a Villain mechanic, and even then, most westerns have the heros doing a crime. I think it might a case where the setting and theme weirdly had too much overlap.

Committing crimes, the outlaw batch, plotting, spree, the mercenary token - all villain themed. Only saddle/mount and “desert matters” is western themed (without a tie to villains).

Hey Mark, as a newer player (Started in New Capenna), and I wanted to express that I don't mind leaving between each set, but what I really crave is the set mechanics lasting longer than one set. Prototype, Unearth, Blitz, Backup, and now seemingly Spree and Crime cards are all mechanics that I crave more of and feel both that I will have to wait years to see them again. What are the chances that we will see mechanics across consecutive standard set releases?

It’s not off the table.