Bombard

Raid Bombardment Reprint

Amateur set designer here: Thoughts on the design of Raid Bombardment? It hasn't been reprinted in a premier set since Rise of the Eldrazi, despite being reprinted in a bonus sheet. I infer that the play pattern isn't toxic but there might be some other part of the card that is, but I'd prefer to hear it from someone more experienced than I. Is there any element of the design that makes it hard to include, or is it just a case of "there's only so many slots"?

It’s the latter. Reprints really have to serve the set, and that design sits in an odd place for synergy.

Bombardment Bonus Sheets Card Printing Eldrazi Premier Sets Raid Raid Bombardment Reprints Rise of the Eldrazi Rise of the Eldrazi Toxic

Concern for Keywording Effects

Hey Mark! :) What keeps any card that has an effect that is identical to an existing keyword (i.e. surveil), being erratad to have that keyword? Once mill was keyworded, every card that did that added it to its text. While I understand why you don't want to bombard new players with non-evergreen keywords, is adding the word "surveil" where the effect is already spelled out problematic? In AFR, one use keywords were implemented and new players seemed to have no issues there. Thanks for your time!

Flavor words are a different animal than keywords in text. You can skip the flavor word and the card has everything you need to understand it. Keywords require adding reminder text for that to be true and start creating assumptions about what’s in the set and what’s mechanically important.With surveil, in particular, we have been having conversations about what effects we do often enough should become deciduous and surveil has been in that discussion.

Adventures in the Forgotten Realms Beginners Bombard Deciduous Flavor Words Keywords Mill Surveil

Haphazard Bombardment Text

Why does Haphazard Bombardment say "you don't control"? It seems like a lot of text to add to an already wordy card to prevent the rare case that occurs when you're casting a 6 mana enchantment but your opponent has less than 4 total (nonenchantment) permanents, including lands.

I assume it’s to prevent misclicking in digital.

Enchantments Haphazard Bombardment Lands Mana Permanents Rares

Red Enchantments Rarity

Why are the "weird and wordy red enchantments" like Warp World, Sun Bird's Invocation, Form of the Dinosaur, Guild Feud and Haphazard Bombardment rare instead of Mythic? Thanks for answering our questions sir.

Cards that are complex and/or very niche oriented are put at rare rather than mythic rare which tends to get the more splashy effects.

Bird Dinosaur Enchantments Form of the Dinosaur Guild Feud Haphazard Bombardment Rares Red Two Color Warp World

Modern Card Decisions

Why was makeshift munitions printed in Ixalan, when goblin bombardment would have fit perfectly creatively and gotten the card into modern?

I’ll guess because we didn’t want Goblin Bombardment in Modern. Remember, just a guess.

Card Printing Goblin Goblin Bombardment Ixalan Makeshift Munitions Modern

Strength in Standard

When you say something is too strong for standard, do you mean the current standard environment or all future standards?

Goblin Bombardment is too strong for any Standard.

Goblin Goblin Bombardment Power Level Standard

Reprinting Goblin Bombardment

Can you reprint Goblin Bombardment in a modern legal set?

Not a developer, but no. Too powerful for Standard.

Card Printing Goblin Goblin Bombardment Modern Not a developer Reprints Standard

Delver Inquiry Justification

Maro, we bombard you with Delver questions because you were a developer at one point, and so you have a better understanding of power level than Matt, Doug, or that Gabe guy people keep talking about.

Was it a developmental mistake? Sure. Was it a color pie issue? No.

Bombard Color Pie Colors Mark Rosewater Power Level

Free Sacrifice Outlets

Is Development currently opposed to free sacrifice outlets on permanents? I don't recall seeing one in some time. Are cards like Goblin Bombardment going to remain a relic of the past?

They have a lot of potential to be dangerous.

Goblin Goblin Bombardment Permanents Sacrifice

Goblin Bombardment's Power

Is Goblin Bombardment too strong for Standard/Modern? Is Barrage of Expendables the most development is willing to push an effect like that now?

Not a developer, but yes, Goblin Bombardment is too good for Standard.

Barrage of Expendables Expend Goblin Goblin Bombardment Modern Not a developer Power Level Standard

Squirrel Card Requests

Do you think if we bombard the WOTC mail with requests for more squirrel representation in Magic cards, will they get the message?

Not everything is about volume of the message.

Bombard Squirrel Wizards of the Coast

Pre-Design Insights

So if Huey is starting in a fortnight then now is the time to bombard you with our own pet ideas (Mirage 2 / top down African?) to push youse in the 'right' direction? I jest. As an aside I recall in quite an early column you said that Huey, Duey and Luey were coming up soon. They are at least 5 or 6 years late!

I’ve been doing pre-design for Huey for a year so I have a pretty good idea where it’s headed.

Bombard Mirage Top Down