Maro, would you remind me again why WoTC moved away from Oblivion Ring effects (separate ETB/LTB triggers) in favor of Banishing Light style ones (a single trigger)? I was looking at the WOE card gallery and it struck me that Werefox Bodyguard would have been a neater trick if it had the old templating and since Skyclave Apparition was allowed to have it, I was wondering if the tool was still available or if the Skyclave (?)experiment(?) was badly received.

I assume it’s to avoid interactions where the item never returns.

Is there a growing trend to make cards that scale to multiplayer in the "normal" expansions instead of just in supplements? (IE Grasp of Fate vs Banishing Light)

A growing trend that started seven to eight years ago. : )

In your rarities article today, one of the effects that started at uncommon that surprised me most was cards that "lock away" permanents. I can understand how Banishing Light might be more efficient than you want removal to be at common in most sets, but what about the effect would make, say, Isolation Zone more suited to uncommon than common? Asking for cube-building purposes.

It’s just an ability we do at uncommon (or higher).

I know for Oblivion Ring style abilities you've switched to wordings like Banishing Light's because you could glitch out the way the card worked by sacrificing the O Ring with the enters the battlefield ability on the stack. For a supplementary set designed specifically for more enfranchised players, would you ever consider having cards worded the old way?

I don’t see much value in having the same effect worded differently in two on-sale products.

Black can outright destroy Planeswalkers -- Green can occasionally destroy non-creature permanents. Red can do direct damage that can be redirected to Planeswalkers. White and Blue can’t directly destroy them. -- I thought white had ways to directly deal with them: Oblivion Ring, Banishing Light, etc.

I forgot Oblivion Ring-like effects that exile it while on the battlefield. White can do that.

The only color besides white that can take a banishing light permanently off the board is green. Does it bother you that "white's answers have answers" doesn't apply to 3/5 of the pie?

Not all of white’s answers are enchantments.

Will we see cards like Banishing Light that can target your own permanents? I understand that in my last question you mentioned you lost the targeted draw argument. But there are a few targeted draw cards that come out. So perhaps most cards follow the new template with only targeting opponent's permanents, but every so often one that can target your permanents too.

It will vary on a case by case basis. Note that Banishing Light’s restrictions is probably more about problems that come from being able to targeting your own permanents (especially shenanigans with multiples) than Magic Online misclick issues.

Guys. Banishing Light was opponent's permanent to prevent infinite Constellation triggers that would be possible with Oblivion Ring. Mark's comment about making it easier for Magic Online is probably also true, but I feel like this is the proper answer. FYI.

Both are true.