Inspiring Commander

Color Pie Break

I was checking which cards are arena exclusive without being specifically designed for only digital and I noticed a note saying that Inspiring Commander apparently breaks the color pie back when it first released. Does it still break the color pie now that its more acceptable for white to have some card draw? If not, what aspect of its card draw makes it a break?

White only draws one card per turn.

Bend / Break Card Draw Color Pie Commander Inspiring Commander Magic Arena White

Commander Printing

If/When: An "Inspiring Commander" paper printing as a part of something like a commander pre-con. I understand it's a break, but so are lots of old cards that make it into commander products. A card I love for historic brawl I wish I could have in paper.

If. Our rule is we don’t put color pie breaks into formats they don’t exist already.

Bend / Break Brawl Brawl Card Printing Color Pie Commander Historic If/When Inspiring Commander Rules

Arena Set Card Printing

Could it ever be possible to get cards printed from the "Arena Beginner Set", such as "Inspiring Commander"?

Inspiring Commander is a bit off color pie (it wasn’t run through the Council of Colors), so that one’s less likely.

Beginners Card Printing Card Printing Color Pie Colors Commander Council of colors Inspiring Commander Magic Arena

Alchemy Cards on Paper

Heya Mark, long-time reader, first-time.... questioner?Was wondering if there's ever been any interest/discussion in printing any of the Alchemy cards on paper, to make some of them legal for paper formats. I know that some of the Alchemy keywords would probably be pretty hard to reproduce on paper, and some of the Alchemy cards skew a bit stronger than most. I'm mainly thinking of Racketeer Boss and Inspiring Commander, for my own purposes, but any and all others could be cool too, provided there's a space for them.

This question comes up from time to time. I’m skeptical we’d print them in a way that they’re eternal legal, but I could see a possible paper printing for collecting purposes, maybe.

Card Printing Commander Eternal Inspiring Commander Keywords Racketeer Boss

Question on Inspiring Commander Color

Hey Mark, if Inspiring Commander is a break in white, what color should it be in?

Probably white/blue.

Azorius (W/U) Bend / Break Blue Colors Commander Inspiring Commander White

Possibility of Paper Arena-Only Cards

Will we ever get the Arena-only cards in paper? Specifically Hallowed Priest and Inspiring Commander? They would fit so nicely in my flavourful tribal deck. Thanks!

I assume we’ll find a home for Hallowed Priest one day. Inspiring Commander isn’t in white color pie. A version that restricted you to once per turn is a possibility.

Color Pie Commander Flavor Hallowed Priest Inspiring Commander Kindred / Typal Once Per Turn White

Changes to Inspiring Commander

Because small cantrip creatures have moved to white, is Inspiring Commander no longer a break?

White got the ability to have its (small) creatures be cantrip creatures. That’s not the same as drawing cards for other creatures entering the battlefield. In addition, it breaks our restriction of white drawing more than one card per turn.

Bend / Break Card Draw Commander Creatures Inspiring Commander White

Arena Cards Coming to Paper

About arena only cards coming to paper, would inspiring commander get printed as is and be treated as an accident like ravenform, would it be changed or just not printed?

The process wasn’t in place for the early Arena cards and they weren’t run by the Council of Colors. That card isn’t something we’d actually print, so I’m skeptical it’s coming to tabletop.

Card Printing Colors Commander Council of colors Inspiring Commander Magic Arena Ravenform

Arena Exclusive Cards Eligibility

"Inspiring Commander was never run passed the Council of Color and doesn’t fit how we’re doing white card drawing, so there aren’t plans to make a paper version of it."Might be a silly question: What about the other arena exclusive cards?

Any ones that follow color pie are eligible for printing in tabletop.

Card Draw Color Pie Colors Commander Inspiring Commander Magic Arena White

Bringing Arena Cards to Paper

Are there any plans to bring the Arena beginner set cards (ie Inspiring Commander) to paper? They seem really fun and I'd love to have them for my commander decks personally.

Inspiring Commander was never run passed the Council of Color and doesn’t fit how we’re doing white card drawing, so there aren’t plans to make a paper version of it.

Beginners Card Draw Colors Commander Commander Decks Inspiring Commander Magic Arena White

Inspiring Commander in Paper?

If or when: Inspiring Commander getting a paper card? You described it as a break that wasn't run by the council of colors, but I would rather see arena and paper match as closely as possible and get the card printed somewhere.

If. There is no current plans to print Inspiring Commander in paper.

Bend / Break Card Printing Colors Commander Council of colors If/When Inspiring Commander Magic Arena

Inspiring Commander vs Mentor of Meek

If Mentor of the Meek is still a break, why make Inspiring Commander on Arena? They're practically the same card, just commander costs 6, but doesn't require you to pay 1 each time.

Inspiring Commander wasn’t made by the R&D team and it wasn’t run by the Council of Colors. If it had been, it wouldn’t exist.

Bend / Break Colors Commander Council of colors Inspiring Commander Magic Arena Mentor Mentor of the Meek

Opinion on Inspiring Commander

You've said that your position on white card draw has changed somewhat (Mangara the Diplomat is okay, etc.). Has your opinion of Inspiring Commander changed?

No.

Card Draw Commander Inspiring Commander White

Inspiring Commander Controversy

Is Inspiring Commander still considered a break for white or has it moved to just strong bend?

The discussions on white card draw are ongoing.

Bend / Break Card Draw Commander Controversies Inspiring Commander White

Inspiring Commander Issue

If mentor of the meek is a break, why make the arena exclusive inspiring commander? It also draws cards off of a creature with power two or less entering the battlefield.

We didn’t make the Arena card. It was made by the Arena team and they were unaware it had to be run by the Council of Colors. We would have shot it down had we seen it. That’s why it’s not coming to paper.

Bend / Break Colors Commander Council of colors Creatures Inspiring Commander Magic Arena Mentor Mentor of the Meek

White Card Draw

To support drawing cards, could white get more creatures such as Squadron Hawk, Battalion Footsoldier, and Inspiring Commander? Builds the feel of having an army of little dudes and helps with white's drawing problem.

It’s in color pie. There are shuffling and play design issues to deal with.

Army Battalion Card Draw Color Pie Colors Commander Creatures Inspiring Commander Keyword Actions Play Design Squadron Hawk White

White Card Effect Query

Inspiring Commander is a card that can only be found in Arena but seems to me like it is an effect that White greatly needs. Is that, or something like it, something we could see in paper?

I don’t believe the card fits in white color pie. Due to a misunderstanding, the card wasn’t run through the Council of Colors. Had it been. I don’t think it wouldn’t have been made.

Color Pie Colors Commander Council of colors Inspiring Commander Magic Arena White

Inspiring Commander Origins

Hey Mark, what's up with Inspiring Commander being an Arena only card? It's a powerful but niche card that would be sweet in both paper standard and Commander.

It wasn’t created or run through the normal card making process (as it was made for a non-for-sale digital product) and thus was never seen by the Council of Colors. Mentor of the Meek is not precedent.

Colors Commander Council of colors Inspiring Commander Magic Arena Mentor Mentor of the Meek Standard

Inspiring Commander Break

How is inspiring commander a break? It's a new card and you guys are pretty good about not printing breaks. And it's identical to mentor of the meek. I thought it was precedent that white could draw off small creatures. Also, bygone bishop

There are many who believe Mentor of the Meek is a break. The fact that it can allow you to draw more than a single card of the casting of one spell because of tokens makes it even more problematic. Inspiring Commander doesn’t even have mana as a safety valve.

Bend / Break Bygone Bishop Card Printing Commander Creatures Inspiring Commander Mana Mentor Mentor of the Meek Tokens White

Commander Precon Reprints

You've said in the past that Chaos Warp is an accepted reprint in Commander precons because it already exists. By this logic, even if it's considered a colour pie break, could Inspiring Commander be printed in a Commander precon?

I said we allow Chaos Warp reprints into Commander because it’s already in the format. Inspiring Commander isn’t in the format. “Reprinting” it is adding it to Commander, so that is the exact opposite of the Chaos Warp issue.

Card Printing Chaos Warp Colors Commander Inspiring Commander Reprints