Infernal Grasp

Black Removal Power

In recent years (especially now with the printing of Cyber Conversion) I've been thinking black has really been falling behind in its creature removal powers. I keep finding myself rather running things like Resculpt or Reality Shift than Doomblade, Go for the Throat, Infernal Grasp and other black removal. Do you think black needs to to experience a similar power creep in removal or do you think it should stay about at this level?

Are black decks splashing other colors for creature removal?

Black Card Printing Colors Creatures Cyber Conversion Go for the Throat Infernal Grasp Power Level Reality Shift Resculpt

Midnight Hunt Set Boosters Feedback

I have loved Set Boosters, but I must say that Midnight Hunt were the most disappointing so far. There were simply too many slots given to the double-sided cards, leading to doubles within the same pack, and making collecting the single-sided cards very difficult. Getting 9 Tireless Haulers but just 1 Consider, or 4 Baneblade Scoundrel but zero Infernal Grasp in a box is definitely not "booster fun".

Thanks for that feedback. I know the team responsible for set booster contents is always looking for feedback on how to improve them.

Boosters Infernal Grasp Set Boosters

White's Efficiency in Removals

Black is obviously first in efficient single-target removal spells since Terror, but white has had access to this space for just as long. Recently, however, it seems like R&D is unwilling to lean into this direction for white. What would need to happen for white to get a new constructed-playable monocolored spot removal spell, on the power level of something like Eliminate, Heartless Act, or Infernal Grasp?

White has constructed level creature removal spells. It’s not supposed to be quite as good as black’s. White’s strength is the variety of answers it has. It’s the color that can deal with the most different things.

Black Colors Constructed Creatures Game Design Heartless Act Infernal Grasp Power Level Spells White

Power Creep and Color Pie

What is Wizards doing to combat that the fact that power creep (RE: Infernal Grasp) is invalidating a major part in Blue's color pie: tempo? Why would someone want to bounce something when you could just destroy/exile it? I feel like mechanics need to be redistributed, since Blue (in Standard) is hardly ever more than a support color.

Blue bounces things, because that’s the tool it has access to. Black has always been better at permanently dealing with creatures than blue. Black is #1 at it and blue is #5.

Black Blue Color Pie Colors Creatures Destroy Infernal Grasp Mechanics Power Level Standard The Exile Zone

Concern over Red's Removal

Hi Mark! Black has been getting more and stronger removal at lower CMC (first Heartless Act and now Infernal Grasp, neither of which have the risk of being dead cards that things like Cast Down did). I have concerns that Red's removal is struggling to keep up, since it's no longer noticeably more efficient at removing small creatures while still being unable to remove larger creatures without using lots of mana and multiple cards. Is this a concern shared by WotC?

Black is supposed to be better at creature removal than red.

Black Cast Down Creatures Heartless Act Infernal Grasp Mana Mana Value Red Wizards of the Coast

Concerns About Text Line Breaks

Whenever I see cards with line breaks in the text like on the new Infernal Grasp that reads "Destroy target creature. You lose 2 // life." I die a little inside. Would you consider asking the person who does the templating about it? Compare the Double Masters printing of Thoughtseize to the older versions and you'll see how much better things can be. The orphans need your help!

We print in eleven languages, so we can’t always micromanage line breaks within one language.

Card Printing Creatures Destroy Double Masters Infernal Grasp Templating Thoughtseize

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