Out of Bounds

Future of Universes Beyond Franchise

Hey Mark, I've been wondering: Looking at the success of Universes Beyond, how likely are returns to the same franchises? Warhammer 40k only featured a subset of factions, for instance, so there's potential for more cards. I'm curious if this is something that's been explicitly considered by market research and how heavily recurring IP collaborations are weighed vs new IP collaborations?

Basically, looking back, how do you decide if the well has run dry when UB seems to set sales records every time?

Going back to popular properties is not out of bounds. We did a second D&D set, for example.

Factions Universes Beyond Out of Bounds

Mono-White Counterspell

Hello, Mr. Rosewater. Could a counterspell like "Lofty Denial" be mono-white? Where there's a small tax no matter what, and a prohibitively expensive tax as long as you fulfill some condition. Or is "prohibitively expensive" out of bounds for white no matter what?

It could do that effect most likely. I’m not sure at that cost.

Lofty Denial Mark Rosewater Out of Bounds White

Alice Wonderland Query

I know that Alice in wonderland is neither fairy tale nor Camelot, but if any plane were to have cards that were top down themed from that it would eldraine, right?

We specifically talked about that and ruled they were out of bounds as it was a different source material.

Out of Bounds Top Down

Ravnica Return Concept

Someone pitches a two-set return to Ravnica where there's a set on a different plane in between them. What are your thoughts?

There needs to be an important reason there’s a set in between, but the idea is not out of bounds. We would communicate to the players that the second set was two later.

Out of Bounds Return to Ravnica

Classification of Uktabi Kong

Uktabi Kong is a great example of an Un-card that would be Eternal if it were printed now, but still feels very much like silver border - correct? The name, the art, the flavor text, and one of the abilities are referential jokes. However, nothing is mechanically outside the realm of black-border MTG, not even the "joke" ability.

Here’s a different way to think about this. What if we took every card with a silly card concept/name/art/flavor text in all of Magic and made them acorn. Would that make the game better? Would having cards that you could play in a tournament, but out of bounds simply because it has humorous flavor be upside for Magic? I believe it would not. And yes, Uktabi Kong would be eternal if it was in Unfinity.

Art Eternal Flavor Flavor Text Humor Out of Bounds Uktabi Kong Un-Magic / Silver Border / Acorn Un-sets

Monster Color Assignments

So about the Innistrad document... why did all the monsters feel at home in black? I think red/green works amazingly for animalistic monsters like werewolves, more so than black would have. I don't see why black werewolves would be an option.

The first three Werewolves could have been made in any color and all three were made in black, so clearly black is not out of bounds.

Black Colors Green Gruul (R/G) Innistrad Out of Bounds

Color-based Decision Options

Red seems to be able to do things outside of its color so long as there's an alternative option for a player to take damage. Risk Factor and Combustible Gearhulk offer card draw, Vexing Devil provides a creature way out of bounds for its cost, and even Enchanters' Bane allows for red enchantment removal which is normally a notable break for the color. But they all work because they offer the option of damage as an alternative. Could other colors receive something similar for their own effects?

Red has the right combination of a theme of chaos and the #1 color for direct damage. I don’t think there are clean answers for the other colors that will feel in color.

Card Draw Colors Combustible Gearhulk Creatures Devil Enchantments Out of Bounds Red Risk Factor Vexing Devil

GDS III Discussion

to confirm, after 11:59 pacific time on sunday we'll be able to talk about our answers to the GDS III's essay questions, correct? Myself and a few other contestants are looking at writing an article about the first round but don't want to step out of bounds for the contest

Once the deadline is over and the trials are all turned in, people are free to talk about it. The issue is we don’t want the trials tainted by people talking while it could influence other people’s trials.

Out of Bounds

Un-sets' Limitations

What IS off limits in UN-sets? Or perhaps, what would be the line that is the limit?

The big off limits is doing things black border can do. Other things out of bounds:- ante- destroying cards you don’t own- things that would break the law - things where players could get hurt- things affecting other non-Un games

Black Black Border Out of Bounds Un-Magic / Silver Border / Acorn Un-sets

Non-Zendikar Adventure

Is "adventure world not on Zendikar" a possibility?

It’s not out of bounds, but I’d prefer it be Zendikar.

Out of Bounds Zendikar

Squirrels and Un-sets

"The creative team is currently not interested in having Squirrels in black border." I think that means Un3 should have squirrels on every card (like the lost Unglued 2s vegetables)

I don’t believe Squirrels are out of bounds for silver border. Oh, the reasons to do the third Un-set just keep piling up.

Black Black Border Out of Bounds Squirrel Unglued Un-Magic / Silver Border / Acorn Un-Magic / Silver Border / Acorn Un-sets

Consistency in Color Pie

“Here are two cards you constantly state are out of bounds for the color they’re in. Now use them as examples to prove something you have also stated you disagree with in a different color.” I think its more that people want consistency. Broken things for all colors, or not broken things for all colors. Don't worry I know that that way lies madness.

It’s kind of like the desire for the broken Red two-drop as if it’s a cycle we planned but haven’t finished yet. : )

Colors Cycles Madness Out of Bounds Red

White's Strong Removal

So if white gets Artifact and enchantment removal and efficiently costed fliers and creature exile for 1 Mana why can't Red have some of that. Don't say path and swords are a mistake as a reason to disregard their existence.

“Here are two cards you constantly state are out of bounds for the color they’re in. Now use them as examples to prove something you have also stated you disagree with in a different color.” : )

Artifacts Colors Creatures Enchantments Mana Out of Bounds Red The Exile Zone White

Tech Fantasy Setting

I'm curious about something. I know that Magic is a fantasy game and thus has limits on what sorts of settings can be found on its planes. But I do wonder if a high-tech fantasy setting is completely out of bounds. After all, "sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic", right? So is it possible, however remotely, that we could maybe see a "future-tech fantasy" plane someday?

We try hard to stay fantasy and not become science fiction. Mirrodin is probably about as science fiction-y as we’ll get.

Mirrodin Out of Bounds Planes

Perception of Risk

I get a general sense that you like to keep things status quo when it comes to magic. From the answers you've given over the past few months I notice you're afraid of stepping out of bounds, and when you have the general fanbase did not like it (ie- time spiral, kamigawa). I wish the r&d team would be more open to risk.

More open to risk? We just printed a set with double-sided cards. Which was shortly after the set with a mechanic that let you play cards off color for free. Right after we set up a prerelease tournament where we made players pick sides in a conflict not knowing if everyone would choose the same side and we’d run out of cards. Following the set we brought back poison after it was dubbed unusable fourteen years earlier. I’m curious what kind of risks you’re looking for?

Brought Back Card Printing Colors Game Design Kamigawa Limited Mechanics Out of Bounds Poison Prerelease The General Time Spiral

White's Removal Philosophy

Why is Swords to Plowshares no longer in white's part of the color pie? Is Path to Exile out of bounds too?

I misspoke a little. White is allowed to make exchanges. That’s what Path to Exile is all about. I can take something from you but I have to give you something of value in exchange. On the surface, that seems to fit Swords of Plowshares just fine, but when you get to the mechanics it doesn’t play out that way. White isn’t supposed to easily be able to get rid of any creature. It comes at a cost for white for these kinds of cards. Swords to Plowshares was so powerful that the life payment seldom mattered. It allowed white to just have an easy, cheap universal answer which isn’t how white is supposed to work. We could create a card like Swords to Plowshares where the trade-off meant something but it would have to be tweaked from its current version. Zac Hill talked in his column last week about how design and development issues can blur. Normally power level is a development thing but when it changes the essence of how something works, it can also become a design thing.

Color Pie Colors Creatures Exchange Mechanics Out of Bounds Path to Exile Power Level Swords to Plowshares The Exile Zone White

Reprinting Swords to Plowshares

Would you guys ever consider reprinting Swords to Plowshares?

Both powerwise and colorpiewise (hey I made a word) it’s out of bounds.

Card Printing Out of Bounds Reprints Swords to Plowshares