Berserker

Teasing Future Creature Types

Your ability to subtly hint at the future sets never stops amazing me. It wasn't too long ago since you've discussed giving a creature the same creature type twice around here, and now you're teasing a "Raccoon Berserker", which might as well be just "Raccoon" written down twice. Well played!

: )

Berserker Creatures Humor Raccoon

Warrior vs. Berserker

What is the difference between a Warrior and a Berserker?

Focus.

Berserker Warrior

Outlaws Mechanic Trivia

Hi Mark,It’s my birthday and me and my friends are going to play some OTJ sealed today. In honor of this, can I get some trivia on Outlaws, my favorite mechanic to come out of the set?

We made a list for Outlaw of any creature type that might make sense:
Assassin
Barbarian
Berserker
Minion
Mercenary
Ninja
Pirate
Rebel
Rogue
Warlock
Assassin and Rogue felt like automatic includes. We added Mercenary because we wanted the “henchperson” token to be a Mercenary. The creative team asked us to add Warlock because we needed to have an outlaw spellcaster to hit all the card concepts. That’s what we handed over to set design.When making a batch, we do between two and five, with three being optimal. Four seemed in a good spot and allowed set design to add something if they had to. They added Pirate because of all the Pirate cards in The Lost Caverns of Ixalan. We did talk through many of the others. We considered bringing Minion back instead of doing Mercenary (we stopped doing it a while ago). We talked a lot about Ninja. In the end though, we felt this collection best served the mechanic.Happy Birthday!

Assassin Barbarian Batches Berserker Birthday Creatures Ixalan Mechanics Mercenary Minion Ninja Ninjas Outlaws of Thunder Junction Pirate Rebel Rogue Sealed Format Set Design The Lost Caverns of Ixalan Tokens Warlock

Set Roster Decisions

Loving things so far but a couple of questions, why weren't Ninjas considered outlaws and was clash considered for this set? The latter seems like it would fit flavor as a standoff with the higher cost being who drew and shot quicker.

Repeated batches, meaning things we use on multiple cards in the same set, are normally restricted between two and five items, with three being the sweet spot. We needed Rogues and Warlocks to hit all the creative executions we wanted. Mercenary was needed because that was our henchperson token. We also knew Assassin’s Creed with its Assassin typal theme was coming. We turned those four in when we handed off from vision, leaving one potential space open so set design could add something if needed. That something was Pirate due to all the ones added by The Lost Caverns of Ixalan. As I show in today’s article, we considered all the following:AssassinBarbarianBerserkerMinionMercenaryNinjaPirateRebelRogueWarlockThere just wasn’t room for all of them. Also, we prioritized what would be in the set. So some things, like Ninja, didn’t make the cut.As for clash, it’s just wasn’t popular enough when we first did it to bring it back.

Assassin Assassin's Creed Barbarian Batches Berserker Clash Flavor Ixalan Kindred / Typal Mercenary Minion Ninja Ninjas Pirate Rebel Rogue Set Design The Lost Caverns of Ixalan Tokens Warlock

Magda's Class

Hi Mark,I just saw the new Magda!!! Thanks it’s great! Just one question, is there a reason she was kept a berserker and not given a class that made her an outlaw?

We didn’t want every creature being an outlaw, so there was a balance needed.

Berserker Creatures

Creature Type Diversity

Just a minor feedback note: I like having soldiers, warriors, berserkers, knights, etc. They all have a different feel to me. Soldiers more uniform, warriors more independent and savage, berserkers a lot more independent and savage, knights very regal and important. All of these are similar but feel really cool

There is enough fighting and magic casting in our game, that we need a number of creature type classes to capture it all.

Berserker Creatures Knight Soldier Warrior

Typal Draft Archetypes

Hi Mark! Next time you talk about typal draft archetypes on your podcast, could you talk about the creatures that dont get the type that matters? The berserkers in KTK that could have been warriors, the soldiers in ELD etc.

If every creature is the relevant type, we might as well just say “creature”. The reason typal is interesting for design is that it makes players evaluate cards differently.

Berserker Creatures Draft Formats Drive to Work Khans of Tarkir Kindred / Typal Soldier Throne of Eldraine Warrior

Rath Connection Misconception

does the plane of rath have any connection to (AE)rathi berserker from legends?

No. Rathi was a typo because the printer had issue with the ae letter.

Berserker Card Printing Legendary Creatures

Viking Type Discussion

Do you think if R&D had/had used the NEO creature type batching, it would have been easier to get a new viking creature type batched with berserker for KHM?

We had long discussions about whether we wanted Viking as a creature type. In the end, we decided no.

Batches Berserker Creatures Game Design Kaldheim Kamigawa: Neon Dynasty

About Various Creature Types

-Er creature types: Nightstalker, Sliver, Shapeshifter, Specter, Soldier, Assembly-Worker, Spider, Artificer, Archer, Rigger, Berserker, Spellshaper, Salamander, Volver, Elder, Beholder, Bringer, Ranger, Badger, Thopter, Flagbearer, Badger, Otter, Oyster, Carrier, and Monger. Silver Border: Gamer, Paratrooper, Waiter, Proper (from Miss Demeanor, whose current typeline is Creature — Lady of Proper Etiquette), Designer, Lobster, and Wrestler.

FYI : )

Archer Artificer Assembly-Worker Assembly-Worker Badger Beholder Berserker Bringer Carrier Creatures Elder Flagbearer Gamer Humor Miss Demeanor Monger Nightstalker Otter Oyster Ranger Rigger Salamander Shapeshifter Shapeshifter Sliver Soldier Specter Spellshaper Spider Thopter Un-Magic / Silver Border / Acorn Un-sets Volver

Considering Errata to Soldiers

I know Samurai have their fans, but did you ever consider an errata to Soldiers so they would have more tribal synergies?

Yes, we could just call Samurai and Warriors and Soldiers and Berserkers and Barbarians (and some more I’m forgetting) all Fighters, but Magic is better not having the creature types too trimmed down. It creates more opportunity for different decks.

Barbarian Berserker Creatures Errata Kindred / Typal Samurais Soldier Warrior

Absence of Rampage Mechanic

Hey Mark! During the "Obsoleted Things" podcast (#862) you did not mention the old Rampage mechanic.Is Rampage still being done, perhaps under a different keyword that I'm not aware of? (Shout out for Gorilla Berserkers and Wolvering Pack!)

It just wasn’t on my list. We don’t do it any more and it was evergreen for a hot second, I guess, so I should have mentioned it.

Appreciation Berserker Drive to Work Evergreen Gorilla Berserkers Keywords Mechanics Rampage

Race-Based Versus Class-Based Tribal

Mar, with the Party mechanic and the tribal affiliations of Kladheim (Angel, Berserker) and Strixhaven (the aforementioned Cleric/Wizards/Warlock/Shaman/Druid) in terms of design, do you think that Race-based Tribal or Class-based tribal is harder that the other or about the same?

Race tribal is trickier to support in surrounding sets than class tribal.

Angel Berserker Cleric Druid Kindred / Typal Mechanics Shaman Warlock

Species of Dragonkin Berserker

Mark, may I ask why Dragonkin Berserker is a Human and not a Dwarf?

Is this a trick question? Because he’s a human and not a dwarf. If the question is why didn’t we choose to creatively make him a dwarf rather than a human, that’s a creative team question. My guess is they were trying to show off an aspect of the world that best fit on this card.

Berserker Dragonkin Berserker Dwarf Human

Praise for Kaldheim Set

Kaldheim looks amazing. Lots of really cool flavors and designs. I love the legendary theme, the gods, the return of poison, snow, and all the mix-and-match creature types like Demon Berserkers. I’ve been playing since 1998 and many of my favorite sets have been within the last 3 years. 6ft virtual high five for them and the return of poison!

I’ll pass along the virtual high fives.

Berserker Creatures Demon God High Fives Kaldheim Poison

Barbarians vs Berserkers

As far as Magic creature types, what's the difference between a Barbarian and a Berserker?

Self-control.

Barbarian Berserker Creatures

Possibility of Martial Classes

Now that we have five dedicated caster classes (cleric, wizard, warlock, shaman, druid), do you think we'll eventually get five dedicated martial classes? Soldier, rogue, and berserker seem like good fits for white, black, and red, but green and blue don't really have dedicated creature types for physical fighters.

You made Warrior cry.

Berserker Black Blue Cleric Creatures Druid Green Red Rogue Shaman Soldier Warlock Warrior White

Cross Tribe Support

Hello Mark,From what I understand, the issue about creating new creature types is to find a balance between flavor and tribal/mechanical support. What do you think about creating more cards with "cross tribe" support in mind? (Especially for niche creature types; I really liked lovisa coldeyes supporting barbarians and berserkers for example)

We do cross creature types where it flavorfully makes sense.

Barbarian Berserker Creatures Flavor Keyword Actions Kindred / Typal Lovisa Coldeyes

Creature Type Consolidation

During the Grand Creature Type Update, was it ever considered to consolidate bigger creature types amongst each other? I'm thinking collapsing Samurai, Knight, Barbarian, Berserker, and/or Soldier into the Warrior creature type.

The goal of creature types is not just maximizing tribal interactions. There’s a lot of flavor dividing up certain categories (such as magic caster or combatant).

Barbarian Berserker Creatures Flavor Kindred / Typal Knight Samurais Soldier The Warrior Warrior

Viking Warrior Labels

On the Viking/Warrior discussion, couldn't you just put both types on the card? Creature — Viking Warrior, Creature — Viking Berserker, Creature — Viking Pirate, ecc...

The issue is we need the race. It’s possible Human Viking Warrior could fit.

Berserker Creatures Human Pirate Warrior