Master of the Pearl Trident

Goblin vs. Merfolk Lords

Mark, what would be reasoning behind Merfolk having 2cmc tribal lords granting +1/+1 while Goblins wouldn't? It's a bit bizarre that the most aggressive colour falls behind a tribe in the most reactive colour, isn't it?

Those exist because of a card from Alpha - Lord of Atlantis. Early Magic was more individual card based and Richard made it as a top down. It was of a high power level mostly by accident as mana costs, especially on creatures, wasn’t well understood early on.
Master of the Pearl Trident was basically a reprint with a different name because we didn’t want to reference real world mythology with “Atlantis” as Earth isn’t part of the multiverse.

Alpha Card Printing Colors Creatures Goblin Kindred / Typal Lord of Atlantis Mana Master of the Pearl Trident Merfolk Power Level Reprints Top Down

2CMC Lords Clarification

Will other tribes get 2CMC lords? "Alpha is not the best set for precedent when it comes to mana costs" Master of the Pearl Trident was in M13, you didn't really answer the question.

Master of the Pearl Trident was just a cleaned up Lord of Atlantis. If the latter didn’t exist, the former would not have. It’s the case of something getting grandfathered in from early Magic that is not something we plan on necessarily doing more of. Aka I *did* answer the question.

Alpha Lord of Atlantis Mana Master of the Pearl Trident

Duplicate Merfolk Cards

Was just searching cards for a merfolk deck and wondered why you'd make Master of the Pearl Trident when Lord of Atlantis already exists? Flavor/setting?

In early Magic we made reference to real world mythological places such as Atlantis. We don’t do that any more. Our story has our own places.

Flavor Lord of Atlantis Master of the Pearl Trident Merfolk Story / Lore

Tribal Rares Issue

On tribal rares- I do have a bone to pick w/ the core set design philosophy. If a new player opens up, say, Master of the Pearl Trident, in a core set draft, I believe they should have a rational expectation that they'll be able to draft a decent amount of Merfolk. But in the last few sets, there have been cases where there were only 2 minions for a lord to interact with. It feels like in those lords turn into trap cards for new players, which doesn't seem like a good idea in a core set.

One of the reasons we have the rare and mythic rare rarities is because not every card is made for limited and that is where we put the majority of those cards. Master of the Pearl Trident, as an example, has many players who adore it and we have to be able to print it in a set without having to have enough merfolk for limited to work.

Beginners Card Printing Kindred / Typal Limited Master of the Pearl Trident Merfolk Minion Rares

Merfolk Anatomy Humor

With all the new Merfolk with legs (including Master of the Pearl Trident), how come Merfolk of the Pearl Trident from M13 didn't get a new art with legs?

I’d try to make an argument, but I’m not sure I have a leg to stand on. : )

Art Master of the Pearl Trident Merfolk Merfolk of the Pearl Trident

Merfolk in Sets

I feel like Master of the Pearl Trident is out of place...if I were a new player, I'd be really disappointed when I found out that there are only 4 Merfolk in the set. Was this strictly printed for older formats? I'm just really curious, being a Fish fan, if this is y'all catering to Legacy or planting a seed for the future.

Alpha had just one merfolk for its Lord of Atlantis.

Alpha Beginners Card Printing Fish Legacy Lord of Atlantis Master of the Pearl Trident Merfolk

Merfolk Balance

You keep getting messages stating that Blue CC lords make merfolk too good. Personally, I think it makes more sense to say that they do a fantastic job of evening the playing field. Being blue, merfolk aren't exactly the most hardy of creatures. Master of the Pearl Trident is a way to make them seem more viable. They should also take the Phantasmal creatures from M12 into consideration. They're great, semi-cheap cards, but without Lord of the Unreal, they're sitting ducks. Would you agree?

I do agree.

Blue Creatures Lord of the Unreal Master of the Pearl Trident Merfolk

Merfolk Confirmation

Did you just accidentally confirm Merfolk of the Pearl Trident for M13?

I like to think Master of the Pearl Trident did that.

Master of the Pearl Trident Merfolk Merfolk of the Pearl Trident

Merfolk Lords Explanation

"Merfolk lords tend to cost two because it’s ramping with Merfolk of the Pearl Trident which by the way is not blue excelling at creatures." - I completely don't understand this answer. Can you also ignore every other goblin printed and pretend that Mons's Goblin Raiders is your baseline for that tribe?

There are a lot more goblins than merfolk. Master of the Pearl Trident in Magic 2013 is, much like in Alpha, trying to combo with the Merfolk of the Pearl Trident (the connection of name might give this away). It is designed to be the two-drop following the turn one Merfolk of the Pearl Trident.

Alpha Blue Card Printing Creatures Goblin Master of the Pearl Trident Merfolk Merfolk of the Pearl Trident Mons's Goblin Raiders

Defining Weak Lords

If Master of the Pearl Trident is one of the weakest lords according to development, dare I ask what a "good" lord looks like? Also, from what I understand, most people who are upset with MotPT are upset with how efficient it is, not about its actual power level - since most other lords cost 3 CMC.

Merfolk lords tend to cost two because it’s ramping with Merfolk of the Pearl Trident which by the way is not blue excelling at creatures.

Blue Creatures Mana Value Master of the Pearl Trident Merfolk Merfolk of the Pearl Trident Power Level

Powerful Blue Lords

"Costing CC doesn’t mean you have the most powerful lords." I feel like this answer completely missed the point of the question. The fact is that blue does have the most powerful lords. Despite being the weakest creature color, why does blue get a very powerful lord in MotPT? Isn't Lord of Atlantis too powerful to reprint already?

You’re missing what I’m saying. I’ve talked with development - the people whose job it is to understand power levels. They are saying that Master of the Pearl Trident is not the most powerful lord. In fact, they believe it is one of the weaker ones in Magic 2013.

Blue Card Printing Colors Creatures Lord of Atlantis Master of the Pearl Trident Reprints

Merfolk Card Strategy

Why make Master of the Pearl Trident instead of just reprinting Lord of Atlantis proper? Is it an attempt to make the Merfolk deck more powerful in Legacy by giving them 8 copies?

In modern design, the lords only affect your creatures of the specific creature type not all creatures of that type.

Card Printing Creatures Legacy Lord of Atlantis Master of the Pearl Trident Merfolk Modern Reprints

Merfolk Card Differences

Do you consider Master of the Pearl Trident to be a functional repeat of Lord of Atlantis, or do they have to be exactly the same to qualify?

It’s not a functional reprint as it’s not functionally identical. Lord of Atlantis affected all merfolk while Master of the Pearl Trident only affects your merfolk.

Card Printing Lord of Atlantis Master of the Pearl Trident Merfolk Reprints

Nostalgic Merfolk Lover

As a guy who started playing with revised, whose first deck was blue, and who used merfolk of the pearl trident for eons, can i thank you and thank the team for creating Master of the Pearl Trident? There's a lot of hate for that card right now because of lack of viable merfolk, but it hit my nostalgia so hard i got tears in my eyes, and brought me right back to 1994 with my first packs, dreaming of a lord of atlantis deck. Thank you.

You’re welcome. As a fellow merfolk lover (yeah, you heard me Internet “merfolk lover”), I share your joy.

Appreciation Blue Eye Lord of Atlantis Master of the Pearl Trident Merfolk Merfolk of the Pearl Trident