Underworld Breach

Ban Consistency Explained

And will you guys be consistent with bans. If underworld breach is unfun for legacy what makes you guys think we want to see it in modern.

Card power can vary greatly between formats. Something warping in one format might not even be good in another format. Much of card power has to do with the environment it exists in.

Bannings Legacy Modern Power Level Underworld Breach

FIRE Design Changes

I think a great subject for a podcast episode would be the ways that FIRE design has changed. Its very interesting comparing cards like Oko and Underworld Breach try to make a splash in older formats through sheer power vs modern FIRE design focusing more on doing so through backwards compatibility, modality, and niche strength.

I’ve already recorded a podcast on F.I.R.E. design.

Drive to Work Modern Underworld Breach

Comparing Yawgmoth's Will and Underworld Breach

On the topic of Yawgmoth's Will, Green vs. Black, my playgroup had a interesting question. Underworld Breach plays almost the same, if not better than Yawgmoth's Will, but it doesn't feel Red. Is it a break?

It’s more bend than break. Red can cast instants and sorceries from the graveyard and return nonland permanents to the battlefield temporarily (they only stay for the turn).

Bend / Break Black Green Instants Permanents Red Sorceries The Graveyard Underworld Breach Yawgmoth's Will

Distribution of Graveyard Abilities

Where is the effect of cards like underworld breach and Yawgmoth’s Will in the modern color pie? It feels more like a black effect so was breach just a bend for theros beyond death?

Blue, black and red all have some ability to cast cards out of graveyards.

Bend / Break Black Blue Color Pie Modern Red The Graveyard Theros Beyond Death Underworld Breach Yawgmoth's Will

Underworld Breach for Mutate

Was a card like Underworld Breach (the card that gives everything in your graveyard escape) considered for Mutate in Ikoria? Something along the lines of, I don't know, pay the card's mana cost + 1 or 2 as its mutate cost. There's a ton of effects I would love to be able to stack onto each other.

Are you trying to make Eli’s eyes twitch?

Escape Eye Mana Mutate The Graveyard Underworld Breach

Underworld Breach vs Sword of X/Y

Isn't printing Underworld Breach the same as printing a new Sword of X/Y into standard? Its a categorically similar card to one of the most broken cards in Magic history, and even of a similar, conditionally higher, power level. Breach is on its face stronger, and potentially way more dangerous than the swords have been in any format.

I believe in the formats where it’s seeing competitive play, there are cards of an equal power level.

Competitive Play Power Level Standard Underworld Breach

Underworld Breach Mechanics

It's not just "enchantments matter"--Underworld Breach has to be an enchantment to function because it grants the ability Escape rather than just allowing you to cast cards from your graveyard. If it were a sorcery, only cards in your graveyard when it resolved would have Escape, and not ones that got there later that turn. As an enchantment, its static ability can continue to give Escape to all cards in your graveyard regardless of when they ended up there.

Good point.

Cast Enchantments Escape Sorceries The Graveyard Underworld Breach

Underworld Breach Design

Why was Underworld Breach designed as an Enchantment that has to be sacrificed at the end step instead of a Sorcery with the clause "until end of turn"?

Because it’s in an “enchantment matters” set.

Enchantments Sorceries Underworld Breach

Underworld Breach Praise

Hey Mark, hands down Underworld Breach got me so happy when I saw the preview. Please give all the high 5's and escape in one piece. ;)

Will do!

Escape High Fives Humor Spoilers Underworld Breach

Escape Mechanic Design

Why wasn't escape given a number parameter to denote the number of cards exiled? It would have made it a little cleaner to read (and made Underworld Breach cleaner).

Having two numbers was confusing.

Escape The Exile Zone Underworld Breach

Underworld Breach Question

Isn't it a color pie break for Underworld Breach to allow red to get reanimation? I thought only BGW could recur permanents

Red has creatures that can reanimate themselves and it gets temporary reanimation. This is a bend.

Bend / Break Color Pie Colors Creatures Permanents Reanimate Red Underworld Breach

Red Mana Recursion

Underworld Breach is the first card that, with only red mana, can reanimate another creature in your graveyard (i.e. that isn't a self recurring thing like a phoenix). Given that creature recursion (and other permanent recursion) are generally in the purview of black and white, why is this card red? Or alternatively, why is it not restricted to instants/sorceries?

We tend to give bends in sets that push towards the theme. Red does have creatures that can reanimate themselves.

Black Creatures Instants Mana Phoenix Reanimate Red Sorceries The Graveyard Underworld Breach White

White's Power Evaluation

I hate to continue on this discussion of white vs the colors, but Underworld Breach seems like a fine card for white to get that would be very powerful.

White couldn’t get the instants and sorceries.

Colors Instants Sorceries Underworld Breach White