How do you navigate the tension between uniqueness value (this beloved mechanic shows up once every ten years, so its appearance is an exciting event!) versus giving players what they like (cycling and kicker falling in popularity as they become mundane). With something like Mistform Ultimus --> Changelings, the answer is obvious: It ceases to be unique when a set comes along that needs it. With the decision to make landfall (and now convoke) deciduous, it seems a lot less clear. How do you weigh the demand for popular mechanics against them inevitably becoming less popular?

Mechanics have a splash value and a practical value. The splash value starts high and declines with time. The practical value grows as we better understand its uses from a design perspective. We try to milk the splash value as best we can, but once that is mostly used up, we focus on practical value.Long-term, the practical value is more important than the splash value as it’s what we be impactful for the larger portion of the mechanic’s life.

Hi Mark! In your two-part article Looking Back (and I think on a recent podcast too) you mentioned Mistform Ultimus as the inspiration for Changeling, but it's not a legendary creatures from Champions of Kamigawa, it's from Legions (I noticed because I started playing MTG on the Onslaught block).

It was a mistake.

Re: "Is every creature type" - It's worth noting that for three of the five cards they *grant* a creature "is every creature type" - because of the way Layers work, by the time you add an ability (Changeling), it's too late to modify creature types from that ability. The other two cards (Julius/Mistform Ultimus) weren't in sets with Changeling.

FYI

I’m really disappointed nameless race isn’t the only creature without a creature type anymore. With the advent of “phyrexian” as a creature type, and with cards like the reality chip or the new shrines being so cramped, I hope a new look is being taken to the type-line on ways to make more room for more wordy type-lines, allowing for fewer cards to invade my special space

With 20,000+ cards, exclusivity of effect/quality really isn’t a luxury we have. I remember when we made Changeling, I got a bunch of messages from players about how we were making Mistform Ultimus less special. Your particular case is an odder case, as we did it out of necessity.We are looking into the issue of crowded creature type lines.

Hi Mark, what’s your favorite Eldrazi?

Mistform Ultimus. : )

Do you ever feel bad for Mistform Ultimus?

They know what they did.

The loneliest creature types (which have only one representative creature card not counting Changelings, tokens and Mistform Ultimus) are Brushwagg, Dreadnought, Ferret, Lamia, Mole, Oyster, Pest, Reflection, Sable, Spawn and Wombat. Where does each rank on the Beeble scale?

They are all 8 and 9’s. I can say one of them shows up on a new card in Unsanctioned. : )

Army is meant to be unique to the Amass creature token type (and Changelings). And Mistform Ultimus. Don't forget him.

Mistform Ultimus is an honorary Changeling.

When people say that Saprolings are a "token only" tribe, does that make Mistform Ultimus cry?

It does, but she keeps it to herself.

"I wouldn’t get your hopes too high though." I mean, we already have one legendary Brushwagg.

I think you mean two. Did you forget Dr. Julius Jumblemorph? : ) Okay, maybe you remembered him and forgot Mistform Ultimus.