Transform

Transforming Card Colors

Can a blue battle with U in it's mana cost transform into a card that's not U color identity and do an effect not in blue?

Not something that’s a break in blue. If the back is another color, we treat it like a hybrid design.

Battles Bend / Break Blue Color Identity Colors Hybrid Mana Transform

MDFC Design Logic

Why is one side is a MDFC arbitrarily considered the “Front”? unlike with transform cards that doesn’t seem necessary. But I may just be missing something.

The rules have to have a designated front and back. It has to specifically be something in each zone. For example, if it’s in your library, and it’s a creature on front and a land on back, you can’t tutor for the land, but you can tutor for the creature.

Creatures Lands Modal Dual Faced Cards Rules The Library Transform Cards Tutoring

Ugin Transform Planeswalker

With new set of origins style transform planeswalkers in Modern Horizons 3 and emphasis on colorless symbol with the Eldrazi in it, could we also get a colorless origins style transform planeswalker for Ugin as well?

Not in Modern Horizons III.

Colorless Eldrazi Modern Horizons Modern Horizons 3 Planeswalkers Transform

Transform Rule Limitations

Can the rules support Different Front, Same Back, and be able to play the card Transformed while keeping the facedown ‘Front’ hidden information?

No.

Rules Transform

Green Control Chances

How possible is tangle and kenrith's transformation effects becoming genuine parts of green's color pie? I've always dreamed of a green control theme

Neither is super likely.

Color Pie Green Kenrith's Transformation Tangle

Blue Sacrifice Logic

What is the reason for "Sacrificing artifacts" no longer being in pie for blue? This confuses me on a few levels.Firstly is that its a cost, which normally arent color pie restricted from my understanding. Flavorfully restricted sure, but effects like tinker (iterating on an invention) are extremely blue in flavor so this doesnt apply hereAlso I just dont really see a reason for it? This doesnt have the justification like black not saccing enchantments (and even that has been dropped)id be interested to hear what the thought process behind this decision was?

Transformation is treated differently than straight sacrifice. Blue can transform one artifact into another, even if the technical rules text uses a sacrifice, all it likes. Any color can sacrifice an artifact, so blue can, but it is the color least likely to do that.

Artifacts Black Blue Color Pie Colors Enchantments Flavor Rules Sacrifice Tinker Transform

Ral's Transformation

Do people transform into animals in Bloomburrow, or is Ral wearing a disguise of some sort?

Ral becomes an Otter.

Bloomburrow Disguise Otter Transform

Set Mechanics Dream

If or When : a set with only Kicker, Cycling, Transform, Landfall and Flashback? 😇

If. We tend to like to do new things, especially in premier sets, but it would be easy to execute on.

Cycling Flashback If/When Kicker Landfall Mechanics Premier Sets Premier Sets Transform

Sieges Defined

And with Battle defined, what makes a particular Battle a Siege?

It goes to your opponent’s side and you attack it. All existing Sieges also transform into something when you deal enough damage to it, but I’m not sure if that is inherently built into Sieges.

Battles Sieges Transform

Morph Cards Terminology

DFCs have a single, small verb to talk about changing their state: "I transform my DFC". Flip cards have "flip". But morph cards have to say "turn face up" or "turn face down" ("I turn my morph face up"), ("I use Backslide to turn your creature face down"). --- Is there a small verb that can replace both "turn face up" and "turn face down"? It unnerves me a little that people are using the word "flip" to mean this.

There’s no official term. R&D often uses “morph” (put face down) and “unmorph” (turn face up) as a shorthand.

Backslide Creatures Dual Faced Cards Flip Cards Morph Morph Transform

Killer Cosplay Limitation

If I attach Killer Cosplay to a token creature, can I name Asmoranomardicadaistinaculdacar and have the token transform into her?

No. It has to match the mana cost. No mana cost isn’t a mana cost, and thus you can’t match it.

Asmoranomardicadaistinaculdacar Attach Creatures Killer Cosplay Mana Tokens Transform

Ojer Axonil Clarification

Hey Mark, Ojer Axonil’s backside is a little confusing. Do I have to deal 4 damage with a sorcery or at sorcery speed to flip him back over?

The activated ability to transform him back can only be used as a sorcery. The red sources that have to do 4 or more damage can be whatever, including instants.

Instants Red Sorceries Transform

Transform Design Choice

Mechanically, The Irencrag is very similar to a DFC. But instead of flipping when it transforms from mana rock to equipment, the change has no visual indication. Why did you choose to put this design in a set with no DFC sheet?

We do two-state designs all the time. Many of them aren’t DFCs.

Dual Faced Cards Equipment Mana The Irencrag Transform

Battle Transformation Skepticism

Is there design space for a Battle subtype that makes them transform into a detrimental permanent for the opponent that defeated it?

Then they just won’t attack it. I don’t get the play motivation.

Battles Design Space Subtype Transform

Planeswalker Transformation Request

If or when: more Creatures that transform into Planeswalkers, like the Gatewatch in Origin

I assume when. It’s a common request.

Creatures If/When Planeswalkers Transform

Draft Archetype Balance

Hi Mark, I want to register my disappointment that it seems like whenever there's an unusual/unique draft archetype in recent sets, it's almost always severely underpowered. UW tap in WOE, UG scry in LTR, and UG transform in MOM are the three most recent sets and all follow this pattern. Moving back a little further, the RW Lorehold graveyard theme in STX and RG werewolves in MID are also good examples. Can you pass along that limited players would like to see weird themes pushed a little more?

When you’re working with something you’re unfamilar with, it’s a lot riskier to push power levels, because you have no idea exactly what power level you’re at. With themes we’re familiar with we have a better ability to pinpoint where we think they’ll end up. As we repeat themes, it becomes easier to push them appropriately.

Boros (R/W) Draft Formats Gruul (R/G) Limited Power Level Scry Strixhaven: School of Mages Tap / Untap The Graveyard The Lord of the Rings: Tales of Middle-earth Transform Wilds of Eldraine

Negative Transform Drawback

What’s the likelihood of a Transforming card who transforms into a negative effect for the controlling player? Essentially the threat of Transformation is the drawback.

Drawback mechanics are not generally popular.

Mechanics Transform

Transforming MDFC Concept

I know MDFCs don’t transform, but could a card ever exist that you can choose which side to cast it as and it also has a transform ability? Or do you think that would be too confusing?

The Transformer cards essentially do this, although they are a little clunky based on how TDFC’s interact with MDFC’s.

Modal Dual Faced Cards Transform

Mechanical Expectations Episode

"Could you do a DTW on mechanical expectations on planes? Like transform on Innistrad, Multi color on Ravnica, enchantments on Theros, etc" Episode 695, Core of Planes, one I happened to listen to yesterday! Great episode, if slightly out of date now. you made it through Eldraine.

Good memory. I forgot about that one.

Colors Drive to Work Enchantments Innistrad Planes Theros Transform

Planes Mechanic Suggestions

Could you do a DTW on mechanical expectations on planes? Like transform on Innistrad, Multi color on Ravnica, enchantments on Theros, etc

I’ll add it to the “short list”.

Colors Drive to Work Enchantments Innistrad Mechanics Planes Theros Transform