Tempest

Trivia about Vizzerdrix

Hi Mark!
Yesterday is my birthday. May I get trivia among one of my favorite cards - Worldfire, Wurmcoil Engine, Radiant Performer, Sundial of the Infinite, or Vizzerdrix? Or a random card from MH3 not covered by your previous Making Magic articles?

Vizzerdrix got created as a card for a product called Starter. The reason we made it is we had a series of TV commercials, one of which featured Kezzerdrix from Tempest (it involved mixing a wrestler, a chainsaw, and a bunny in a machine). A different ad in the same campaign used an Orgg. So to tie to those, we made a simpler Orgg and Vizzerdrix, as the original cards were too complicated for a beginner product.Happy Belated Birthday!

Beginners Birthday Kezzerdrix Making Magic Modern Horizons 3 Orgg Orgg Performer Pop Culture Radiant Performer Sundial of the Infinite Tempest Vizzerdrix Worldfire Wurmcoil Engine

Other Races from Rath

Mark, the new article got me rereading the OG Trivial Pursuit, so I'd figured I'd ask:
If/When: The other races from Rath in Tempest?

If, but I’m personally all for it.

If/When Tempest

Ownership Change in Gameplay

While most ante cards are "built around ante", Bronze Tablet and Tempest Efreet don't mention ante outside of the restriction text. They simply swap ownership of themselves with an opponent's card. Given the low power level of these two cards and the clause which allows the opponent to pay life to prevent the ownership change, they aren't really unreasonable for casual play.

They *are* unreasonable. Players strongly dislike change of ownership. These cards have the potential to change ownership. Having an expensive buyout doesn’t lessen the feel bad. For example, sometimes you have the choice of losing the game or permanently losing ownership of your card. That’s not a fun decision to make.

Bronze Tablet Casual Play Efreets Game Play Power Level Tempest Tempest Efreet

Ownership Mechanic's Future

The recent pauper 'pre-ban' of Cranial Ram got me thinking about some of the older pre-bans because of Ante that happened in the 90's (RIP Rebirth, Tempest Efreet, and Timmerian Fiends. You will not be missed). Has there ever been any serious discussion about making a newer mechanic that manipulated card 'Ownership'? Where would that sort of effect be on the Storm Scale? (I assume a 12, if it went that high)

I think we’re out of the business of changing ownership. It was the most disliked thing mechanically we’ve ever done.

Cranial Ram Efreets Mechanics Pauper Rebirth Storm Scale Tempest Tempest Efreet Timmerian Fiends

Gravedigger's Zombie Typing

Since you were designing for Tempest, maybe you know. Why is Gravedigger a Zombie?

I like Zombies and thought it would be good in a Zombie deck.

Gravedigger Tempest Zombie

Remembering a Loved One

Mark, wonderful podcast tribute to your dad. I’ve been playing since 1997 and have heard so many of your stories about him and have even shared your Tempest design story when brining friends into the game because it’s so passionate. So sorry for your loss.

Thanks. I’m glad you liked it.

Drive to Work Story / Lore Tempest Tribute

Zero-Cost Abilities Query

Are there really that many zero-cost targeting activated abilities? I know there are some Kor in Tempest block that had such abilities. I’m sure there must be a few others, but I can’t think of any.

Someone on Reddit made a list which was in the seventies.

Kor Tempest

Design Misjudgments

So if the most notorious "mistakes" are cards which were significantly more powerful than design anticipated (such as oko), what are some of your most memorable examples of the opposite? Meaning cards you or the design/balancing team were worried was going to potentially be too powerful, but turned out to actually be underpowered in competitive play?

In Tempest, I made a card called Duplicity that I was so proud of. And nobody played it.

Blogatog / Tumblr Competitive Play Duplicity Power Level Tempest

Request for Thalakos

Can I ask for more Thalakos? :)

From Tempest?

Tempest Thalakos

Richard Garfield Collaboration

What was your favorite set to work with Richard Garfield on and any chance he'll be on a new set anytime soon?

I enjoy all the sets I get to work with Richard on. If I had to pick one, it was probably Tempest as it was the first set we worked on together and I was so excited to have him on my design team.

Richard Garfield Tempest

Weatherlight Saga Trivia

It's my birthday today! Could you please share some trivia about either Weatherlight or Fifth Edition, the two sets that I bought cards from when I first started playing?

When Michael and I first pitched the Weatherlight Saga, our story started with Tempest, but the brand manager of Magic, at the time. was so eager to start, he made us write a precursor story to explain how the crew got together.Happy Birthday!

Birthday Crew Sagas Story / Lore Tempest Weatherlight Weatherlight

Tempest Naming Reason

Why is Tempest called Tempest?

Rath is a stormy plane. And metaphorically, the story has a stormy start.

Story / Lore Tempest

Evolution of Set Names

something I noticed sorting my bulk: sets were originally called named after words like "Tempest" and "Onslaught", and now they're called verbose things like "Strixhaven: School of Mages" and "The Lost Caverns of Ixalan". do you ever see Magic having another one-word set name (that isn't the name of a new plane)?

Our current philosophy is that the theme is clearly communicated through the name, which makes one-word names harder to use.

Ixalan Onslaught Onslaught Strixhaven: School of Mages Tempest The Lost Caverns of Ixalan

Origins of Slivers

Hi Mark,I have a dim memory of hearing Slivers were inspired by a fan made set and refined by wotc, but in an interview with Richard for your podcast, I think you said something like you originally designed them for Tempest. It's early in the morning, so how confused am I about Slivers' origins, how true are both these stories, and do they link together? Thanks Mark !

Slivers were originally designed by Mike Elliott for a homemade set he made called Astral Ways. When Mike was hired by Wizards, they also bought his homemade set. I then put him on the Tempest design team, and he brought many designs from Astral Ways to Tempest. Slivers were one of those things. Echo was another, but that would get removed from Tempest design and ended up in Urza’s Saga (which Mike led the design for).

Drive to Work Echo Sagas Sliver Tempest Urza Wizards of the Coast

Time Warp Flavor Text

Twenty-six years after it was printed in Tempest, I just stumbled upon the original flavor text for Time Warp. Mark...I am in awe. Was that one of yours?

It was. : )

Card Printing Flavor Text Humor Tempest Time Warp

Colorless Medallion Perils

Of the Medallions from Tempest, could a colorless version(discounts colorless spells) exist for a colorless themed set? Does any particular format have a greater chance?

As affinity for artifacts taught us, reducing colorless costs gets extra dangerous on generic cost cards.

Affinity Artifacts Colorless Spells Tempest

Nemesis as Return Set

Does Nemesis count as a "return" set since it takes place on the same plane as Tempest block?

Sure. What counts as a “return” in the early days gets fuzzy. Not all of Nenesis even takes place on Rath.

Nemesis Tempest

Tempest Block Tribute

I know I can't share it with you but I am currently working on a project that's a love letter to Tempest block and the aesthetic of Magic at that time. As Tempest's lead designer, what do you feel are some core aspects of the block that a tribute shouldn't leave out?

I would try to capture the mechanics, including the unnamed ones, and the story.

Head Designer Mechanics Story / Lore Tempest Tribute

Delayed Card Releases

Can you tell us any examples of cards you’ve designed, that the rules manager has signed off on, but it took a long time to find the right set to finally be put in?

Mindslaver is the one that jumps to mind. I designed it for Tempest, but it didn’t see print until Mirrodin.

Card Printing Mindslaver Mirrodin Rules Manager Tempest

Shadow Mechanic Trivia

Hello Mark! I'd like to request some birthday trivia about my favorite mechanic as a child, Shadow. Thank you so much!

Shadow was in the file before Michael Ryan and I created the story for Tempest, so we added in the Soltari, Thalakos, and Dauthi to the story to justify the existence of the mechanic.Happy Birthday!

Appreciation Birthday Dauthi Mechanics Shadow Soltari Story / Lore Tempest Thalakos