Epic

Article Request

Hi Mark! After MH3 comes out, I would LOVE to see an article about some of Erik's one-design-for-every-mechanic-ever cards that didn't see print. I'm especially interested in some of the "bad" mechanics - banding, sweep, epic. Any chance we could get an article like that?

A few show up in my card-by-card design articles.

Banding Card Printing Epic Mechanics Modern Horizons 3 Sweep

Fun vs Optimal Deck Design

Hey Mark, I started off as a modern player and later converted to commander. I REALLY like building decks. I find myself starting to build MANY decks but never finishing them. I used to try and optimize every deck until I realized that doing it that way was actually less fun. I have now discovered that it is MORE DIFFICULT to design a deck to be fun that it is to simply optimize it. Based on your podcasts, I know fun has a lot to do with variance, epic comebacks, and other stuff as well. I would like to learn more on how to design a deck that is more fun!

It might be best to get a guest to do this topic in a podcast. My heavy Johnny deck building days are a bit behind me.

Commander Drive to Work Epic Guest Johnny / Jenny Modern

Fortifications Praise

Hi Mark,Please give an epic high-five to the absolutely mad-lad who managed to bring back Fortifications for the Fallout set. Been waiting SO long for another one!

Will do.

Epic Fortifications

Scene Cards Potential

LOTR set had scene cards which meld into a big art. Can it appear on non-UB sets to feature epic moments of Magic story?

First, the cards combine to make a larger piece of art representing a scene, but in no way is connected to the meld mechanic. Can we make a scene with in-universe Magic cards? Absolutely. Can we convert one from another property swapping over all the cards? I won’t say it’s impossible, but it would be very difficult. We tend to design the cards to match the art.

Art Epic Mechanics Meld Story / Lore

Mechanics Evaluation Recap

FYI you actually did your worst 10 mechanics once before in Drive to Work #693 and this was your list at the time:10. Haunt - Guildpact9. Radiance - Ravnica8. Ripple - Coldsnap7. Processors - Battle for Zendikar6. Annihilator - Rise of the Eldrazi5. Epic - Saviors of Kamigawa4. Rebel Mercenary - Mercadian Masques3. Gotcha - Unhinged2. Rhystic - Prophecy1. Bands with Others - Legends

FYI

Annihilator Battle for Zendikar Coldsnap Drive to Work Eldrazi Epic Guildpact Haunt Legendary Creatures Mechanics Mercadian Masques Mercenary Processor Prophecy Prophecy Radiance Rebel Ripple Rise of the Eldrazi Rise of the Eldrazi Saviors of Kamigawa Zendikar

Emblems in Gameplay

RE: emblems; if they aren't a card type, I don't think they can be exiled either. I don't think anything can interact with them since they aren't cards. From a gameplay perspective, they're more like player reminder text than anything.

Which actually got me thinking: If or When: Using emblems on cards outside of planeswalkers? For example, if the Epic mechanic was made today, would you potentially be made with emblem technology?

We’ve currently chosen to (mostly) keep them connected to planeswalkers. The Ring Corrupts you us the only exception I believe we’ve made.

Card Types Emblems Epic Game Play If/When Mechanics Planeswalkers The Exile Zone

Squirrels in Magic

Is Bloomburrow the epic conclusion of your quest to bring back Squirrels in all their glory to the game?

: )

Bloomburrow Epic Humor Squirrel

Blocks in Storytelling

For my birthday, I'd like to ask... it seems like with the recent long form storytelling that an occasional return to blocks might have made the Phyrexia story arc feel more epic, so... a return to " blocks" if or when?

We will have back-to-back sets on the same world when appropriate (as we’ve recently done with Innistrad and Dominaria), but there is no plans for blocks to return.

Birthday Dominaria Epic If/When Innistrad Story / Lore

Story Integration Feedback

I really really enjoy the way that these March of the Machine stories have been going on for twice as long as most other sets. Sets like WAR and MOM are very unique in the way that they integrate the stories and the cards together (extra length stories, preview cards being shown in story order or integrated into the story article itself, etc). I'd argue that they're essential to the reception of the set itself!
You've mentioned before on the blog that it's hard to request more from the creative team because any additional resources focused there need to come from somewhere else. My question is: does the success and reputation of sets where the story is deeply integrated like this fall under "success breeds repetition"? Is there a way the audience can communicate a desire for more intertwined relationships between story and set, even outside of big epic crossover sets?

We do market research on this kind of thing, so players loving it helps.

Blogatog / Tumblr Epic Into the Story March of the Machine Spoilers Story / Lore

Legendary Enchantments Discussion

Big fan of ONE. I had asked last year about more legendary enchantments. Why wasn't All Will Be One a legendary enchantment instead of just a regualr enchanctment? It showing a pretty epic moment and is a really awesome card.

We want people to be able to have multiples in play.

Enchantments Epic

Conflict Scale in Sets

When I brought up AFR earlier, i didn't mean i wanted no combat or conflict. I meant i liked the way it represented smaller, self contained adventures in the setting, instead of interlocking huge battles.Eldraine did something similar, with the fairy tale themes. More "slice of life" conflicts rather then epic movie plots are nice, you can see the plane and setting more.

I think we do a mix of types of conflict. Things get smaller like Throne of Eldraine up to perils of the multiverse like Time Spiral.

Adventures in the Forgotten Realms Battles Epic Pop Culture Throne of Eldraine Time Spiral

Concept of Legendary Sagas

For Legendary Sagas what if they went much slower but told a much more epic story with stronger abilities and would exile when finished?

Legendary means there’s just a singular one of it, not that it’s bigger and more epic.

Epic Sagas Sagas Story / Lore The Exile Zone

Epic on Storm Scale

Where is epic on the storm scale and do you think it will ever show up again?

It’s a 9. It was both unpopular (can’t cast any more spells for the game is a big drawback) and is narrow design space.

Design Space Epic Spells Storm Scale

Future of Epic or Pacts

Please tell me we are getting more Epic or Pacts in the future.... it's been far too long.

They both have numerous issues. Epic spells have design space limitations and were very unpopular. Pacts have play design and logistical concerns.

Design Space Epic Play Design Spells

White Card Draw Parameters

Congrats & thank you on completing the epic color pie write-up. Was wondering if there's more to White card draw parameters? I understand "one card per turn" but beside that we've seen a lot of different ways: rule-breaking, life gain, whenever you attack, Mila Crafty Comp, etc. Does White have any defined reasons for drawing the way Black and Green are tied to lifeloss or creatures (or Red/Elkin bottle)? Also technically Mila could draw you more than one in a turn, is it obsolete already :) ?

We’re slowly crafting the feel for white card draw. Also, you don’t control the draws from Mila. The restriction is you can only draw a card per turn under your control.

Appreciation Appreciation Black Card Draw Color Pie Creatures Elkin Bottle Epic Green Lifegain Rat Red White

Kamigawa's Future Keyword Mechanics

Now that Kamigawa: Neon Dynasty has been announced, where would you put all the original block's keyword mechanics on the Storm Scale for this set? Those mechanics being: Bushido, Soulshift, Splice, Ninjutsu (My Favorite), Offering, Channel, Sweep, and Epic.

I’m not saying nothing is returning, but be aware that the greatest weakness of original Kamigawa was it’s mechanical components. As I’ve talked about on this blog many times (reinforced from feedback from many of you), a return is not leaning heavily on the named keywords/ability words of the original visit.

Ability Words Blogatog / Tumblr Bushido Epic Kamigawa: Neon Dynasty Keywords Mechanics Ninjutsu Offering Soulshift Splice Storm Scale Sweep

Changing Primary Role of Exile

With standard currently containing Baleful Mastery, Eat to Extinction, Epic Downfall, Extinction Event, Feed the Serpent, Final Death, Necrotic Fumes and Shadow's Verdict that all exile creatures including 2 exile boardwipes.Post rotation there will be 6 black cards that exile creatures and 5 white cards that exile creatures, one that gives them a 3/2 and one that allows them to put a permanent card onto the battlefield. Has black now taken the primary role of creature exile from white?

White and black are the two colors primary in it. There will be ebb and flow.

Baleful Mastery Black Colors Creatures Eat to Extinction Epic Epic Downfall Extinction Extinction Event Feed the Serpent Final Death Necrotic Fumes Primary Serpent Standard The Exile Zone White

Possibility of Epic Mechanic

With Modern Horizons plucking mechanics from all over, is there a decent possibility we might see Epic again, or is that not in the cards anymore now that non-permanent legendary spells finally got figured out?

I could imagine a Modern Horizons having a single epic card.

Epic Mechanics Modern Horizons Non-permanents Spells

More Lighthearted Magic Sets

Hello Mark, in you latest article you said you're quite happy to see MTG becoming more lighthearted. I started playing during Masques block and fell in love with the epic high fantasy story that continued into Invasion block, and I just can't warm up to sets like Strixhaven. It feels like we're going from epic fantasy to a children's cartoon. I just wished we could get back to more epic, serious and immersive lore again. Not really a question, just a my 2 cents of feedback.

Different players want different things. That’s one of the reasons sets have different moods and tones. You will still get epic fantasy in some sets while others get sets with a more light-hearted tone which is something they prefer.

Epic Invasion Story / Lore

Praise for Recent Sets

Hey Mark! Dominaria and Commander Legends were filled with nostalgia, War of the Spark had an epic trailer and emotional resonance, Eldraine was great fantasy with a playful twist of dark fun, Ikoria’s world building was engaging as a plane filled with mutating monsters, and Kaldheim wasn’t kidding when it promised “more everything”. I don’t know how you keep making great sets, but these are all exceptionally well made and why I love Magic. I can’t believe we have had so many amazing products over the last several years. I want immediate returns to all of them within 3 years! Please give virtual high-fives to the creative team, art team, visual design, play design, and everyone for so many home run sets!

Will do!And wait until you see what we have this year. : )

Art Colors Commander Legends Dominaria Epic Humor Kaldheim Legendary Creatures Play Design War of the Spark War of the Spark