Tolarian Community College

Maintaining Release Pace

New 04 Jan 2024 Asked by emrachemicalromance 143 Comments

May I request to NOT reduce the pace of new products? My favorite thing in the game is that you have new cards every couple of months and that I have a huge variety of themes to pick up.

Also, if you reduce the amount of releases, what are you removing? I understand that trimming down may be needed (as you did with Jumpstart set packs) but right now there are no new releases that are outright bad and should not exist.

When people ask for less products they forget that you may cancel the products they like most could be the one canceled.


The Professor did a video a while back where he went through the year intent on pointing out what products shouldn’t have been made. For each product though, he talked about who the audience was and how they enjoyed it, and came to the decision that it should stay. By the end of the video, he didn’t pick any product to stop making. That’s the issue that’s tricky. Every product has fans that that’s their favorite thing we do. Everyone can pick the thing that they’d be fine we didn’t make, but that product is the thing that someone else loves most.

Podcast feat. the Professor

New 17 May 2022 Asked by nik-murphy 39 Comments

Hey Mark! If/When, having the Professor on your podcast?


Been there, done that: https://media.wizards.com/2020/podcasts/magic/drivetowork739_theprofessor_Low73bdi.mp3

Every Mechanic is Kicker?

New 31 Oct 2021 Asked by mitchelltrt 61 Comments

On October 30th, Tolarian Community College posted a short explaining how every mechanic is either Kicker, or Horsemanship. What are your thoughts on the accuracy of that statement?


I think a lot of mechanics are kicker (and) or split cards (or). I’ve been saying this for years.

Mechanics as Kicker Comparison

New 30 Oct 2021 Asked by exclusionmage 50 Comments

The professor just made a short, funny video about how "every mechanic is just kicker"!


I watched it. Some are split cards. : )

Photo with the Professor

New 21 Jul 2021 Asked by lookingupanddown 51 Comments

How did that last photo between you and the Professor happen?


I was in Portland celebrating my dad’s 80th birthday with my family and my sister’s family. I was invited to the grand opening of Mox Boarding House where I ran into The Professor.

Appreciation for Inspirational Interview

New 29 Apr 2020 Asked by todoesgraciosocuandolohacehitler 35 Comments

Hey, Mark! Just wanted to say that your interview with the Professor was great. You really lifted me up. Thanks!


Happy to hear that. It was the reason I asked the Professor if we could do the interview.

Celebrate: 40th Birthday

New 29 Apr 2020 Asked by wooolan 50 Comments

Greetings from Poland Today/Yesterday (timezones) Is/was my 40th birthday. Nice to see You in a chat in Tolarian Community College as a gift. Any trivia about You turning 40 ? :) BTW I still fell like 18 years old.


My forties was a great decade for me. I look back with a lot of fondness both in the home and work side of things. I think my fortieth birthday party was my cake where the bakery followed my wife’s illustration a little too directly and it just said “Happy Mark”. But I was. : )Happy Birthday!

Recognition of Interview Insights

New 29 Apr 2020 Asked by spaismanspif 44 Comments

I really appreciated your interview on Tolarian Community College! Thanks for speaking out about and clarifying your and WotC's values and plans during and after the pandemic.


I was happy to do it. The response has been good.

War of the Spark Hype

New 11 Feb 2019 Asked by grixis776 61 Comments

Gavin verhey, on tolarian community college I believe said that “War of the Spark is going to be a set unlike any other” can you confirm? Unless I’m remembering wrong that is :/


Gavin’s quote is quite correct.

Product Design Review Praise

New 06 Feb 2019 Asked by thegreatmill 52 Comments

State of Product Design is a great idea, and I'm so happy it's not only you that do so public reviews of recent stuff. Please high five Gavin (maybe two times with the Tolarian Community College video)


I’ll high five him tomorrow.

#Parkrosewater Explanation

New 04 Feb 2019 Asked by manarampmatoran-blog 41 Comments

Hi Mark, I watched the Daily MTG with the professor, and I want to know, how do you feel about you having your own parking space? #Parkrosewater


The hashtag has made me smile, but I don’t actually need my own parking space. No one at Wizards has one.

Domri's Beast Tokens

New 09 Jan 2019 Asked by armadagon 55 Comments

Mark, with all the mentions of "Ilharog the Raze-Boar" in Gruul flavor texts, why does the new Domri make Beast tokens instead of Boar tokens? Was he changed to make beasts to give him compatibility with Beast Tribal decks?


My guess is synergy with Beast “matters cards”. Also, less Boar-ing. You can thank The Professor for that joke.

Pauper Format Interest

New 18 Jun 2018 Asked by daniel-j-reed-blog 40 Comments

After finding out you asked the Professor about pauper my heart leaped with joy. Thanks for the interest in the format.


My job is to figure out how all of you want to play Magic and help you do that.

WotC and Professor Awareness

New 26 May 2018 Asked by spiritkhan 92 Comments

How many people at WotC know about the Professor and watch his videos on Torlarian Community College?


We’re well aware of the Professor. He and I are friends.

Counterspell Confusion

New 15 Apr 2018 Asked by fyrwulf 63 Comments

The Professor did a video about the five most powerful cards in Dominaria and number 5 was Wizard's Retort. He said it's basically Counterspell in any Modern control deck, which in his opinion is broken, and then claimed that you said that if R&D ever prints Counterspell, the current team has been hit by a bus. A subscriber said that quote was about Mana Drain. Clarification, please?


The bus quote is about Mana Drain. I was asked many years ago if we would ever reprint Mana Drain. At the time, the only way to reprint something was to put it into a Standard-legal set, so I said R&D would be hit by a bus before that happens.

Interview Fun

New 10 Sep 2016 Asked by brettcrow 42 Comments

Any comment on the interview you did with the Professor from Tolarian Community College?


If I was any good with images, I’d have posted me shaking my head at the last question.
I had fun doing it. 

Natured Rivalry

New 02 Sep 2016 Asked by smurfyscott 44 Comments

Woah, savage. Not a fan of the Professor or good natured rivalry?


That *was* good natured rivalry. The photo was the Professor’s idea. : )

WOTC Tours

New 20 Aug 2016 Asked by eachdayaholiday 27 Comments

In your latest podcast you said that you've shown magic celebrities around wotc. If a magic youtuber (such as the professor) wanted a tour, would they be able to get one?


Tours exist only when they are specially arranged. If The Professor visited (with advanced notice), I’m sure we could put together a tour for him.

Set Release Nerves

New 17 May 2016 Asked by discoviolenza 21 Comments

On CSL aaron Forsythe admited to The Professor that he was incredibly nervous about the return to Innistrad, do you get as nervous when a new set is released?


It depends on the set, but usually no.

Engaging Community Content

New 11 May 2016 Asked by alqahir 27 Comments

Do you pay attention to groups such as Tolarian Community College or MTGGoldfish? I feel they have good insights on the state of Magic. Covering things like reprints, esport coverage, value of pre-packaged Magic products, etc.


I try hard to read/watch stuff from a wide variety of people. I have read/watched both Tolarian Community College and MTGGoldfish.


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