Timbermare

Trivia Request: Primal Forcemage and Timbermare

Mark - first off, I wanted to thank you for all you do for the game and its players. I’ve been playing Magic since Revised, and while I keep drifting in and out, you’ve been the anchor that keeps me involved with the game.Second - I request birthday trivia. Specifically, do you have any interesting trivia on the centerpieces of my first FNM deck, Primal Forcemage or Timbermare?

Timbermare was a nod to “Mare”, the wife of a Magic writer named Jamie Wakefield, who died of cancer. Happy Birthday!

Appreciation Birthday Primal Forcemage Timbermare

Mare Cycle Consideration

If Thundermare, Timbermare, and Nightmare were to be a cycle, would you consider Crested Sunmare as part of it?

I don’t. The adjective in front of the name is a clue it wasn’t intended to match them.

Crested Sunmare Cycles Nightmare Thundermare Timbermare

Completing Perceived Cycles

If enough players begin to see Nightmare, Timbermare, and Thundermare as a cycle, will you have the desire to complete it?

If enough players feel something is a cycle, it increases us “finishing it off”.

Cycles Nightmare Thundermare Timbermare

Crested Sunmare Name

Why is it "Crested Sunmare" instead of just "Sunmare" to continue the cycle of Nightmare, Thundermare and Timbermare?

It’s not a cycle.

Crested Sunmare Cycles Nightmare Thundermare Timbermare

Terminology Differences

Would it be fairer to say that Timbermare is a tribute card (not Tribute card!) rather than a vanity card? I know there's some grey area here, but I also see very specific differences between the two...

That’s fine terminology.

Timbermare Tribute Vanity Cards

Timbermare's Vanity Status

Is Timbermare considered a vanity card?

It’s in a grey area.

Timbermare Vanity Cards

Timbermare Card Nature

Is Timbermare considered to be a vanity/tribute card?

It was yes.

Timbermare Tribute

Tribute Cards Future

Are tribute cards like Timbermare from Planar Chaos okay for R&D to make these days? I know vanity cards are off the table, but what about the more subtle nods like this?

We do them very infrequently so unclear.

Game Design Planar Chaos Timbermare Tribute Vanity Cards Vanity Cards

-mare Cycle Requests

Hi Maro! Regarding the cycles fans ask you for in your article, so, you don't get requests to complete the -mare cycle? Like Nightmare, Thundermare and Timbermare? I am now... When?

I get requests for it just less frequently.

Cycles Making Magic Mark Rosewater Nightmare Thundermare Timbermare

Timbermare Tribute

Hi Maro! It's my birthday! Can i ask for sone trivia on Timbermare? I think it is awesome! I have a mono green haste deck i kept since the time spiral block. Thanks!

Timbermare was made as a tribute to the wife of longtime Magic writer Jamie Wakefield who had sadly passed away from cancer. Jamie always referred to her as his “lovely Mare”. Happy Birthday!

Birthday Green Haste Mark Rosewater Timbermare Time Spiral Tribute

Timbermare Reference

Whats the reference Timbermare makes?

Read this: http://www.starcitygames.com/magic/misc/13483_Official_Planar_Chaos_Preview_Timbermare.html?mobile_site_continue=1

Spoilers Timbermare

Timbermare Vanity Status

Does Timbermare count as a vanity card?

Yes.

Timbermare Vanity Cards

Subtle Design Touches

Hey Mark, I just wanted to let you know I had to hold back tears after reading about Timbermare. Are there any other incredible subtle things you've done that isn't widely known?

There is but much of it isn’t public.

Timbermare

Understanding Vanity Cards

I read earleir that Timbermare was a "vanity" card with a lovely story (which it indeed had). But whats a "vanity" card?

A vanity card is a card with a nod, most often subtle, to a real world person. Magic used to have a lot if them but a number of years back, R&D chose to stop doing them.

Story / Lore Timbermare Vanity Cards Vanity Cards

Timbermare's Backstory

Just learned that Timbermare is a vanity card with a lovely story. Well done R&D!

I was very happy I was able to make that happen. If you have no idea what I’m talking about, you can read the preview article about it at the link below. http://www.starcitygames.com/magic/misc/13483_Official_Planar_Chaos_Preview_Timbermare.html

Game Design Spoilers Story / Lore Timbermare Vanity Cards Well Done

Cards Named After People

You forgot to mention Timbermare as a card named after someone. I thought that was a really nice move by you guys at WotC and worth sharing. (SCG has an article about it)

There are actually a bunch of cards named after people. The question was about cards named after R&D folk I believe. I forgot Mons, by the way, of Mons’s Goblin Raiders fame. Mons is an old friend of Richard Garfield.

Goblin Richard Garfield Star City Games Timbermare Wizards of the Coast

Timbermare’s Flavor Text

Did Jamie Wakefield specifically ask you to write Timbermare's flavor text? Was it deliberately your last ever in a "come out of flavor text retirement" way? Or did both of those just happen that way?

For those that don’t know, Timbermare was a tribute to Jamie’s late wife, Mare, who died very young of cancer. I was the one who wanted it to happen so I wrote the flavor text getting the word “lovely” into it. (Jamie always called her the “lovely mare”.) It took about forty takes before I got one that the creative team was happy with.

Flavor Timbermare Tribute

Writing Flavor Text

Do you write the flavor text? Who wrote the one for RTR's Inspiration?

I did once upon a time but haven’t for years. The last card I wrote any flavor text for was Timbermare in Planar Chaos.

Flavor Once Upon a Time Planar Chaos Timbermare

Card Confusion

Wasn't Timbermare Mare Wakefield's card? Thundermare was the one in Weatherlight. (I thought the card was really lovely, by the way, apologies for the rampant pedantry )

Yes, Timbermare was Mare’s card. Sorry for the confusion.

Thundermare Timbermare Weatherlight