Chained to the Rocks

Land Type Mechanics

Can a card that requires having a land of a speficic land type use the color pie part that land represents? Like could chained to the rocks have also had a red effect?

Yes, it can as long as it requires you to have it.

Chained to the Rocks Color Pie Colors Lands Red

Chained to the Rocks

In your latest DTW you mention Chained to the Rocks as an example of cards that can be used with or against a particular strategy (in this case playing Mountains), but wasn't CttR changed to only target your own Mountains because it was too powerful against red decks?

Sounds correct. That was after my time on the set. : )

Chained to the Rocks Drive to Work Red

Overlooked Design Element

I guess everyone on the panel forgot about Chained to the Rocks when judging Jay Treat's design test, eh? : )

Yeah. Interestingly, I helped design it.

Chained to the Rocks

Unique Card Creation

In your DTW on Development, you said sometimes you have to fight to save a card because the current set is the only opportunity you'll have to make it. Can you give some examples?

Chained to the Rocks and Rescue from the Underworld are both cards that could only have been made in Theros block.

Chained to the Rocks Drive to Work Fight / Bite Rescue from the Underworld Theros

Rules Clarification

"Chained to the Rocks, by the way, very much affects the creature it enchants." You've probably got tons of mail about this, but Chained to the Rocks enchants a mountain. Its ability targets a creature.

Good point. I do think the flavor of the card conveys pretty strongly what is going on.

Chained to the Rocks Creatures Flavor

Card Type Identity

You dislike lands which don't produce mana because producing mana is a key part of lands' identity. Do you similarly dislike creatures which don't attack/block (such as Vigean Hydropon)? What about Auras which don't do anything to the enchanted permanent (Chime of Night, Chained to the Rocks)?

I believe cards that actively go against the essence of the card type should be done very infrequently. Not never, mind you, very infrequently. Chained to the Rocks, by the way, very much affects the creature it enchants.

Auras Card Types Chained to the Rocks Chime of Night Creatures Lands Mana Vigean Hydropon

Theros Torture Theme

Were there any cards designed for Theros block the hinted at eating of livers? i know chained to the rocks does, but I want a more consistent torture themed card

Did we not print the card with “At end of turn, target bird eats CARDNAME’s liver.”? : )

Bird Card Printing Chained to the Rocks Theros

Limited Play Philosophy

NWO refers to the design philosophy that keeps complexity out of common. Is there a name for the design / development philosophy that keeps premium removal at rare? (EG, Chained to the Rocks, D-Sphere, Domestication, Hero's Downfall, Gild, etc.)

It doesn’t official have a name. I’ll call it Good Limited Play.

Chained to the Rocks Domestication Gild Hero's Downfall Limited Rares

Greek Myth Cards

Does Journey Into Nyx have any more really flavorful cards like Chained to the Rocks or Impetuous Sunchaser?

It has cards based on Greek myth.

Chained to the Rocks Flavor Impetuous Sunchaser Journey into Nyx Nyx

Naming Cards

Have you made a card by starting with just the name and then building the rest of fit that name?

Absolutely. Many cards in Innistrad and Theros were done that way. For example, Evil Twin and Chained to the Rocks.

Chained to the Rocks Evil Twin Innistrad Theros

Chained to the Rocks

For color pie purposes, does Chained to the Rocks count as mono-white, even if it is literally unplayable without also playing Mountains?

The mountain restriction does technically allow us to treat the card as if it had a little red in it. It so happens that card completely fits white’s color pie but it could have bled into red a little if it needed to.

Chained to the Rocks Color Pie Colors Red White

Color Philosophies

Could Chained to the Rocks have been black? Flavor-wise it's kind of a gruesome fate. At least it was for Prometheus.

Mechanically it’s white. How you perceive the action in Greek mythology has a lot to do with what color philosophy you feel it has.

Black Chained to the Rocks Colors Flavor Gruesome Fate White

Favorite Theros Cards

What is your favorite card you dedigned in theros?

My two favorite cards are Rescue from the Underworld and Chained to the Rocks. I had a hand in the creation of both cards. They were both designed in the same design meeting.

Chained to the Rocks Mark's Favorites Mark's Favorites Rescue from the Underworld Theros Your Hand

Favorite Theros Cards

Theros sealed was a lovely format and I congratulate the team on it's success! I hope you enjoyed making it as much as I had fun playing it! By the way, what's your favorite Theros card, if you can pick one? : )

My two favorite Theros cards are Rescue from the Underworld and Chained to the Rocks.

Chained to the Rocks Limited Mark's Favorites Rescue from the Underworld Success! Theros

Flavor Victory

At my prerelease, I sat next to a guy who targeted a Titan of Eternal Flame with a Chained to the Rocks. He lost two turns later. Should we update the rules with a clause for flavor wins?

That’s definitely a flavor win.

Chained to the Rocks Eternal Eternal Flame Flavor Limited Prerelease Rules

Chained to Rocks Rarity

Why is Chained to the Rocks a rare? You guys basically took a common card (Journey to Nowhere), cut the mana cost by 1 and added a drawback!

For a long time it was uncommon, but it was warping limited so development moved it to rare. Being a white card that requires you also playing red in a set not about two-color combinations, it’s not a common card.

Chained to the Rocks Colors Journey to Nowhere Limited Mana Rares Red Uncommons White

Design Choices Explained

You said Chained to the Rocks is one of your favorite designs of the set, but I feel like it should have tapped a creature and prevented it from untapping rather than exiling. It might be a little less powerful in some instances, but it just makes more sense to me that way. Care to justify the O-Ring style removal?

It’s white so it does it how white does it and not how blue does it. Also, can you really show devotion to the gods chained to the rocks?

Blue Chained to the Rocks Creatures God White

Favorite Cards Revealed

2Part question has your favourite flavour card and favourite mechanic card been spoiled yet? and if yes which are they?

Yes. My two favorite cards of the set are Rescue from the Underworld and Chained to the Rocks. Both these cards were made early in design and they were the template for my team of the kinds of flavor designs I wanted to see.

Chained to the Rocks Flavor Mechanics Rescue from the Underworld Templating