Lymph Sliver

Insights on Absorb Mechanic Designs

Hello, I heard something interesting about MH3 where you retried EVERY mechanic to see what would work with a new context or be interesting. You (WoTC) revisited many of my favorite mechanics like grandeur but didn't for probably my favorite. That mechanic is absorb, and while it has only been keyworded on one card "Lymph Sliver" it did see a continuation on my favorite card of all "Valkmira, Protector's Shield" alongside what would only a few sets later become ward. I wanted to know if you could share any insights on the designs taken with absorb or any other of your favorite mechanics? Thank you very much for your time.

I designed Lymph Sliver and absorb. If I remember correctly, I was riffing off of a shield mechanic from the Star Wars TCG. (It was a trading card game design lead by Richard Garfield that I was on the initial design team for.)

Absorb Absorb Appreciation Game Design Grandeur Lymph Sliver Mechanics Modern Horizons 3 Richard Garfield Sliver Ward Wizards of the Coast

Keyword Volume Concerns

Looking back at some Lymph Sliver, I noticed that Shield of the Realm basically says: Equipped creature gets Absorb 2. Looking back, since the keyword was introduced, a few other cards could have made use of it including Shield of the Avatar, Hedron-Field Purists, and Djeru, With Eyes Open. I know you said previously its a hard ability to design around, yet the ability itself has shown up from time to time. So why not the keyword?

It’s not something we ever want to do in volume, so it doesn’t make sense to keyword.

Absorb Avatar Creatures Djeru, With Eyes Open Eye Hedron-Field Purists Keywords Lymph Sliver Shield of the Avatar Shield of the Realm Sliver

Monstrosity Keyword Parameters

Does Modular Monstrosity count granted keywords on creature cards? Like Absorb 1 from Lymph Sliver?

Yes. It just has to be a keyword printed on a creature.

Absorb Card Printing Creatures Keywords Lymph Sliver Modular Modular Monstrosity Monstrosity Sliver

Absorb Mechanic

If Frenzy Sliver's a no-go, what about Lymph Sliver and absorb?

Absorb proved to be much more powerful than we first thought making absorb hard to use.

Absorb Frenzy Frenzy Sliver Lymph Sliver Sliver

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