Waste Not

Monochrome Cruel Ultimatum's Card Function

Re Cruel Ultimatum being mono-black: Are syphon mind, archon of cruelty and waste not breaks? Drawing off of someone else's discard seems to fit in black's color pie best. And invoke despair draws cards with the opponent paying the cost. Skull raid is a straight draw 2 against an empty handed opponent, so the opponent doesn't even need to lose anything.

We’ve done a few opponent discards and you draw as sort of a “drain cards” effect, but it was a mistake. Black needs to pay some cost to draw. The opponent losing cards is not a cost.

Archon Archon of Cruelty Black Color Pie Cruel Ultimatum Discard Invoke Despair Raid Skull Raid Syphon Mind Waste Not

Concerns about Discard Mechanic

I don't understand why Discard - probably the most maligned supported mechanic - is continually buffed every set.Before a player even gets a TURN, a single mana will:

Disrupt the player's mulligan they took to keep a curve
Reveal a deck's colors/game plan
Disrupt the opponent's ability to interact (due to playing around known issues)
Get rid of a deck's key piece to winning.
Achieve card advantage

Discard, far more so than counterspells, is such bad gameplay/feeling, that most people quit on Turn 1 when a Durress/Thoughtseize, etc is played. I do. My opponent's do. Yesterday, you said you guys are careful to not make Discard so powerful, you create Discard decks. Then can you explain Tergrid? Tinybones? Waste Not? Gutmorn? Fell Specter? Sangromancer? If anything, you guys are pushing Discard, and thereby, pushing the most unfun, players-will-walk environment possible.

A few things:1) Discard is not the most maligned, but yes, there is a segment of the audience that dislikes it. There is also a segment of the audience that very much enjoys it and thinks it adds a lot to the game.2) By “discard decks”, I meant decks that do nothing but make the opponent discard and then use a win condition that takes advanatage of the opponent having no cards in hand (things like The Rack). 3) We do want decks (well, black ones at least) to have access to discard as a tool, but in moderation. Those individual cards can be powerful though.

Black Colors Discard Fell Specter Game Plan Game Play Mana Mechanics Sangromancer Specter The Rack Thoughtseize Waste Not Your Hand

Community Reaction to Podcast

WiML was a fantastic idea, but Twitter lacks experience with asking questions. They gotta go for crazier stuff, like "Which is more likely, a triple meld Planeswalker card with Urza, Yawgmoth, and Uncle Istvan or an entire set of community-created cards like Waste Not based exclusively on Kamigawa?"

What did others think of my “Which is More Likely?” Podcast?

Drive to Work Meld Planeswalkers Uncle Istvan Urza Waste Not

Insight on Waste Not

Hi Mark! Blogatog is a part of my morning wake up and always a joy to read so thank you for that! The 20th is my birthday and any trivia or insight on my favorite card Waste Not would be great! Do you think something like Waste Not will come back(The effect or the design challenge)?

One of the challenges in designing cards like Waste Not is trying to find slight variances in the effect that thematically connect to the differences in choices. Creature cards net you a creature, land nets you mana and everything else nets you a card. This is a very special design in that things seldom work out so flavorfully.Happy Birthday!

Appreciation Birthday Creatures Lands Mana Waste Not

Demonic Pact Origin

I thought the fourth you make the card was Waste Not, not demonic pact as your article states?

Demonic Pact was in the top 8 of You Make the Card but it wasn’t the design picked by the audience. We just really liked it, so we made it a card.

Demonic Pact Making Magic Waste Not You Make The Card

You Make the Cards

Was the first you make the card completely player submitted rather than the voting that happened with waste not?

No, all the “You Make the Cards” have been crafted through audience voting.

Waste Not You Make The Card

Autograph Request

If I send you a Waste Not could you get everyone behind its design to sign it? : )

Unlikely. : )

Waste Not

Impressed with Waste Not

I am thrilled with Waste Not! I'm also glad it wasn't priced in the EDH range and might see some play outside that format. We collectively chose the right card, the right art, and the right name, imho. I didn't know people were hating until I read it here, but their opinions are just flat-out wrong. ;-)

For what it’s worth, I’m impressed with the card. Good work everyone.

Art Commander Humor Waste Not