Pacifism

Flavor Flexibility Comedy

I see a lot of people claiming that certain things being able to commit crimes creates questionable flavor. I think there’s great comedic potential in things like Pacifism counting as a crime! Not a question, just wanted to comment :3

It’s what we in R&D call the “elephant in boots” problem. There’s no way for all flavor to work with every card, so you focus on the main flavor and allow Elephants to wear boots clearly made for humans. It adds some charm.

Elephant Flavor Human Humor Pacifism

Pacifism Art Update

NEW ART FOR: PACIFISM

: )

Art Blogatog / Tumblr Humor Pacifism

Artists Suggesting Names

I thought the "the name is final" note from the Pacifism art description was interesting. Have there been suggestions from artists to change the name of a card they were drawing, based on what visuals they came up with?

Often times the design name is not the final name, so when the name is locked, the art director will point that out.

Art Card Names Pacifism

Lorwyn in M20?

Hy Mark, I am building a Lorwyn/Shadowmoor-Cube. I have to ask: Is Pacifism from M20 set on Lorwyn?

Here’s the art description for it:Color: White spell
Location: Any peaceful location of your choice
Action: Show a peaceful scene where a burly ex-warrior giant has repurposed two blunted human swords as knitting needles to knit something cute or flowery. It should be clear that the swords are still swords, maybe the hilts are still on them.
Focus: The act of knitting being done by the giant
Mood: “I’ve always wanted to pick up a new hobby.”
Note: This is a reprint of an existing card. The name is final.It’s not officially specified, but if you want to say it’s Lorwyn, the art description doesn’t contradict that. Use it. I won’t tell anyone.

Art Card Printing Colors Core Set 2020 Giant Human Lorwyn Pacifism Reprints White

On Defender Counters

Were defender counters debated to appear on Ikoria as a twist on Pacifism with the set mechanic?

It got brought up once as a joke, and never discussed again.

Defender Humor Mechanics Pacifism

Pacifism Reward Proposal Evaluation

My question about rewarding pacifism meant rewarding a player for not attacking or dealing damage on their turn or similar. Sorry for the lack of clarity.

We have to be careful about rewarding inactivity as it keeps the game from ending.

Attacking Pacifism

Feasibility of Pacifism Reward Mechanic

Do you think it would be feasible to make a mechanic that rewards pacifism?

Pacifism isn’t good enough by itself?

Mechanics Pacifism

Pacifism Ownership Details

If I cast a Pacifism on an opponents creature, who is in control of the Pacifism?

You are.

Creatures Pacifism

Spirits with Disturb Concept

Was there ever a Spirit with Disturb that had a Pacifism effect as its back face at any point that VOW was being worked on?

No, because the effect of the aura matches the ability of the Spirit.

Auras Disturb Pacifism Spirit

White vs Black Creature Kill

How much worse is white supposed to be at open-ended creature killing than black? Would a colorshifted Murder need to be at four mana? Five? Higher?

White’s creature kill is usually more conditional or can be answered (with things like Pacifism or Oblivion Ring). Completely open-ended, can kill any creature, should be pretty expensive.

Black Creatures Mana Oblivion Ring Pacifism White

Authoring Favorite Flavor Texts

I was listening to your Mirage podcast for the first time, and just found out that you wrote the flavor text for Pacifism. That's my favorite flavor text in the whole game and it still makes me laugh. The other flavor text you refer to, about the utility of the undead - is that the flavor text for Drudge Skeletons? (That's my other favorite!)

Yes, that’s Drudge Skeletons. Glad you like my flavor text.

Drive to Work Drudge Skeletons Flavor Flavor Text Mirage Pacifism Skeleton

Feasibility of Sleep Paralysis

Would a Pacificsm-like effect work in black, flavored as sleep paralysis? Or is that a break and not a bend?

Sleep flavored magic is usually blue. Black also isn’t a Pacifism using color. It prefers to just kill creatures.

Bend / Break Black Blue Colors Creatures Pacifism Sleep Paralysis

Card Slot Marking

If design makes 2 cards that fill a similar slot for a set, say, 2 pacifism variants, how do you mark thar in the set file?

You put them in the same card slot in the file. That means “one of these”.

Pacifism

White's Unique Removal Tactics

Since there's a lot of White chatter, I have a question. Every color has its its own unique form of removal on both the large and small scale. Blue bounces, black kills, red damages, and green fogs. White, on the other hand, exiles on the small scale and kills on the large scale. Isn't that just a bit weird? Shouldn't white mass exile for large scale removal?

White’s removal “thing” is more Pacifism/Arrest than exiling.

Black Blue Colors Green Pacifism Red The Exile Zone White Your Hand

Green, White and Mind Magic

"why doesnt green or white have much magic that affects the mind? Blue and black called dibs first" What about Swords to Plowshares/Pacifism. That seems like a pretty clear case of white altering the mind.

The flavor is you’ve convinced someone of the value of pacifism, not that you’ve brain washed them.

Black Blue Flavor Green Pacifism Swords to Plowshares White

Birthday Trivia Request

It's finally my birthday! Can I request triva on Stone-Cold Basilisk, Pacifism, or Fog?

Fog is one of only a handful of spells to have its rules text and converted mana cost appear on two other color of cards. For Fog, that’s Darkness (black) and Holy Day (white).Happy Birthday!

Basilisk Birthday Black Colors Holy Day Mana Pacifism Rules Spells Stone-Cold Basilisk White

White's Falter Effects

Can white get falter effects ("creatures can't block this turn")? It can already get that per creature as half of pacifism effects. If it can't get a mass version, can it get Stun? What about Blow Your House Down?

That is not specifically a white effect. Yes, white can pacify/detain and individual creature thus making it not able to block.

Blow Your House Down Creatures Detain Pacifism White

Test vs Silver Cards

So, if I understand right, the Test cards are cards that work within the rules but are weird of complicated ("Create a token copy of Pacifism"), whereas silver bordered are cards that push the boundaries of the rules.

I wouldn’t say all the playtest cards squarely work within the rules. : )

Pacifism Playtesting Rules Tokens Un-Magic / Silver Border / Acorn

White's Strengths

Hey Mark! Can you give us a few examples of things White does over other colors? Obviously has answers to nearly everything, but I mean like how blue has draw that its the best at, and green has ramp.

Things white is best at: (off the top of my head)- small creatures - Banisher Priest/Oblivion Ring- Pacifism/Arrest- life gain- reanimating/regrowing small creatures- mass creature removal- damage prevention/damage redirection - enchantment destruction- granting first strike/double strike - Flicker effects- rule setting enchantments- proactive answers - granting protection- regrowing/reanimating enchantments- taxing - token creation (specializing in small creatures)- granting vigilance

Banisher Priest Blue Colors Creatures Double Strike Enchantments First Strike Green Lifegain Oblivion Ring Pacifism Protection Rules Tokens Vigilance White

White's Mind Control

Could white, reasonably, get a "Mind Control" effect of it was tacked onto a 'flicker' or ohh a Pacifism?

No. Creature stealing is primary blue, secondary red, tertiary black. We don’t want any more colors doing it.

Black Blue Colors Creatures Mind Control Pacifism Primary Red Secondary Tertiary White