Kobold

Kobold Name Pun

I think a Kobold version of you would be called Bark Rosewater.

Wouldn’t that be either a Dog or Treefolk version of me?

Dog Humor Kobold Mark Rosewater Treefolk

Token Strategy Trends

I know that, especially in recent years, tokens that muck up the board are being used less and less. Is it more like that goats (and 0/1 creature tokens in general, like kobolds) are eliminated as an option for future sets, or that they get a statline change, or something else entirely.I'd love some more cards that create both/either, personally. I have a kobold deck and a goat deck!

We’re not never doing them, but we are doing them less. 0/1 is less problematic than 1/1 for what it’s worth.

Creatures Goat Kobold Tokens

Future for Kobolds

Now that there’s a competent kobold tribal card in the new Rohgahh, could we see some more kobolds being printed soon?

I assume we’ll make more Kobolds one day.

Card Printing Kindred / Typal Kobold

Creatures Costing 0

Could we perhaps see Kobolds that have a normal cost but cost 0 under certain conditions? Could be a good way to both honor their early Magic origins and open up more opportunity to make more.

Sometimes costing 0 is not treated much different than always costing 0 from a play design vantage. In competitive play, players would only use them if they essentially cost 0 the vast majority of the time.

Competitive Play Creatures Kobold Magic Origins Play Design

Limited Appearance of Kobolds

Hey Mark, is there any specific reason why we don't see more of Kobolds, at least in terms of Kobolds supporting themselves as a tribe

Their early association with 0 mana has created weird expectations that are hard to design to. I hope we put them in a world where we dispense with that, so we can make more.

Kobold Limited Mana

Facts about Rograkh, Son of Rohgahh

Can i get some birthday trivia on my favorite commander, Rograkh, Son of Rohgahh?

Rograkh started, I believe, because one of the designers thought it would be fun to have a Rohgahh callback. That meant he had to be a Kobold, ideally with a mana cost of 0. Then they got the idea of the 0/1 with a lot of abilities requiring you to combo it with something else and giving it partner.Happy Birthday!

Birthday Commander Kobold Mana Partner Rograkh, Son of Rohgahh

Requested Tribal Batches

With the absolute home run of ninja/rogue, samurai/warrior, and even cards like "Runo stromkirk/ Krothuss, lord of the deep", may I request the following batch tribals:Naga,snake, serpentOx, minotaur, goatSquirrel, rat, raccoon Horse, unicorn, pegasus Goblin, kobold, gremlinFrog, turtle, lizard

Any other creature type batching suggestions?

Batches Creatures Frog Goat Goblin Gremlin Horse Kindred / Typal Kobold Lizard Minotaur Naga Ninja Ninjas Oxen Pegasus Raccoon Rat Rogue Samurais Serpent Snake Squirrel Turtle Unicorn Warrior

Rating Kobolds on Beeble Scale

Hey Mark was curious, but where do Kobolds sit on the beeble scale

I’d call them a 7.

Beeble Scale Kobold

Watermark-Related Errata Problems

Why can't you make watermark-matters work in black border by simply errataing all versions of the card to have the watermark the way you errataed cards like Crimson Kobolds to have a color indicator?

Many issues. A few:1) What if a card has different watermarks between printings? 2) Making it something you can errata makes watermarks now have to be spelled out as an element on every card that has a watermark in Oracle.3) How do we deal with memory issues. What clue does a card have that another printing has a watermark?

Black Border Colors Crimson Kobolds Errata Kobold Watermarks

Kobolds and Costless Creatures

My birthday was the 1st and I was offline for the long weekend, but as is tradition here I wish to ask for birthday trivia. Can you place some more light on my favorite bit of creatures, the kobolds, and why we have so few of them?

0-cost creatures are hard to design and the early Kobolds pushed in that space. I do think we’ll find a world one day where Kobolds make sense creatively. Odds are they won’t all be 0-drops though.

Birthday Creatures Kobold

Request for More Kobolds

May I request for more Kobolds?

You may.

Kobold

Hope for More Kobolds

I'm really hoping for more kobolds. I don't even care if they cost more than zero! Any chance I'll get my wish?? :D

There’s always a chance.

Kobold

Designing Zero Cost Creatures

How much design space is there for Zero cost creatures like ornithopter, and kobolds? Are they problematic?

It’s limited. There’s not a lot of options without repeating yourself. There’s also play design concerns if you have too many in any one environment.

Creatures Design Space Kobold Limited Ornithopter Play Design

Rograhk's Redness

What is the reason Rograhk does not have rules text that makes it red? It seems to me that as it has no red mana symbols in its casting cost it would need that to count as being red. Is this a Kobold thing?

See that red dot 🔴 to the left of “Legendary Creature”. That indicates that the card is a red card. It keeps us from having to write the text “CARDNAME is a red card.”

Casting Cost Creatures Kobold Mana Red Rules

Balancing Zero-Cost Cards

Are cards that cost 0 very hard to balance? The kobold in commander legends feels balanced.

They are hard to balance.

Commander Legends Kobold Legendary Creatures

Kobold Planeswalker Possibility

If or when, kobold planeswalker?

If.

If/When Kobold Planeswalkers

More Kobolds Future Possibility

Can I get a "maybe" for more kobolds in Adventures in the Forgotten Realms?

Maybe. : )

Adventures in the Forgotten Realms Humor Kobold

Possibility of New Kobolds

Hey Mark, Happy Birthday! I loved Ikoria and the Mutate mechanic! I was wondering if any new kobolds will appear in a new Magic set anytime soon? :)

Maybe. : )

Birthday Humor Kobold Mechanics Mutate

Pygmy Giant Usage

Un-rules question: can Pygmy Giant throw Crookshank Kobolds to deal 24 million damage, or does the giant need it to be written out with numerals?

Written out numbers work just fine.

Crookshank Kobolds Giant Kobold Pygmy Giant Un-sets

Future Kobolds Content

Could we do more Kobolds in Magic?

Perhaps one day. We need a world with an interesting take on them.

Kobold