Triskaidekaphobia

Appreciating Game Dynamics

Hey Mark; I made the jump from other TCGs to Duels directly to FNM so I guess I skipped over some of this, but recently I started teaching some people to play kitchen table, and seeing them learn about the color pie and mechanics and get excited about brewing around Triskaidekaphobia and such has really given me a new appreciation for the game and the stuff you write about. So I guess I just wanted to tell you you're doing a fantastic job. :)

Thank you. That’s kind of you to say.

Appreciation Appreciation Casual Play Color Pie Colors Mechanics Triskaidekaphobia

Black Enchantment Strategy

I rather like Black's willingness to use dangerous enchantments (Demonic Pact, Triskaidekaphobia) without easy answers if things go wrong.

Any black enchantment removal probably wouldn’t destroy its own enchantments.

Black Demonic Pact Destroy Enchantments Triskaidekaphobia

Tree of Redemption Story

Is Tree of Redemption in A25 because of its tie with Triskodeko and/or vice versa? As a player who genuinely loves both of those cards I feel A25 would have been better served choosing other cards from the best plane of all time (Innistrad!).

The representative card from Innistrad in Masters 25 is Triskaidekaphobia. Once again, Tree of Redemption was a last minute replacement.

Innistrad Masters 25 Tree of Redemption Triskaidekaphobia

Killer Card Combination

I love the two-card killer of triskaidekaphobia and Tree of Perdition. Were those independently designed (because one is a mirror of Tree of Redemption), or was it designed as an almost two-card death knell?

They were independently designed.

Tree of Perdition Tree of Redemption Triskaidekaphobia

Alternate Win Conditions

Is 1 alternate lose/win condition per set going to be the norm going forward, after Demonic pact in Origins, Felidar Sovereign in BFZ, Hedron Alignment in OGW, and Triskaidekaphobia in SOI, or is this just an anomaly?

We tend to do no more than one, unless it’s a mechanic, as a default, but we don’t always have one.

Demonic Pact Felidar Sovereign Hedron Alignment Mechanics Triskaidekaphobia

Favorite SOI Card

What is your favorite card from SOI?

Probably Triskaidekaphobia.

Mark's Favorites Mark's Favorites Triskaidekaphobia

Favorite Innistrad Card

What's your favorite card from Shadows over Innistrad? And if you don't have a specific favorite, which mechanic do you enjoy, from a design standpoint, the most from the set?

I think Triskaidekaphobia. Holistically, it’s the home run design of the set.

Mark's Favorites Mechanics Shadows over Innistrad Triskaidekaphobia

Blaming Latin

Well, technically, you should blame Latin for Triskaidekaphobia not being a 13 letter word as that's where the word originates from.

I do blame Latin. : )

Triskaidekaphobia

Language Shortcomings

Do you feel as if the English language failed you by not making Triskaidekaphobia a 13 letter word?

It did.

English Triskaidekaphobia

Triskaidekaphobia's Upkeep

People don't seem to realize that Triskaidekaphobia's game loss is also at upkeep. In order for it to function identically it would have to say, 'At the beginning of your upkeep, if a player has 13 life, they lose the game. At the beginning of your upkeep, choose one...'. No matter what a phrase is gonna be repeated.

Good point.

Triskaidekaphobia

Triskaidekaphobia Design

How come Triskaidekaphobia repeats the "Each player with exactly 13 life loses the game" in each of the choices? The software developer in me wants this card to read: "At the beginning of your upkeep, each player with exactly 13 life loses the game and then choose one — • Each player gains 1 life. • Each player loses 1 life."

Are you aware with that tempting you get two lines of exactly 13 words each?

Triskaidekaphobia

Praise for Triskaidekaphobia

I have literally never been as excited for a card as I am for Triskaidekaphobia. Literally everything about that card is perfect. Please give a high five to whoever thought about it.

I’ll give thirteen high fives.

High Fives Triskaidekaphobia

Triskaidekaphobia Card Design

As a huge Alt-win fan, and a fan of the 13-theme, Triskaidekaphobia is instantly a favorite of mine. The 13 13s must have taken some real coordination between groups! Who designed it, and could you high-five or at least thank everyone responsible? I'm already constructing a deck around it.

It’s a very cool card.

Triskaidekaphobia

Innistrad's Number 13

Hi Mark, my birthday is in 13 days. Could I get some trivia on the "13" theme in Innistrad? I know triskaidekaphobia was likely the main driver, anything else interesting about it?

It started as a joke on one card and just spread as design continued. It’s tied to the superstitious quality of the number.Happy Birthday in 13 Days!

Birthday Humor Innistrad Triskaidekaphobia