Ravnica: City of Guilds

Release Schedule Update

I believe Holiday LOTR released November 3rd, so we do get a month+ break from products until Rav Rem!

FYI

Ravnica: City of Guilds

Structure Mechanic Possibility

Will we see something similar to the "Structure" mechanic that was proposed in RAV? SNC seemed like a good fit for that idea to come back up but that came and went.

Planeswalkers borrowed a lot of that design space.

Design Space Mechanics Planeswalkers Ravnica: City of Guilds Streets of New Capenna

Shock Lands Usage Rationale

I remember when Ravnica: City of guilds came out you said you gave the shock lands generic names so they could go anywhere... And yet we have only seen them in Ravnica sets (outside of expedition printings) how come this is?

We did quite realize just how popular Ravnica was going to be.

Colorless Lands Ravnica: City of Guilds Two Color

Ikoria Name Explanation

Is Ikoria’s full name ‘Ikoria: Lair of Behemoths,’ or is that just the tag line?

That’s the full name much like Ravnica: City of Guilds.

Ikoria: Lair of Behemoths Ravnica: City of Guilds Two Color

Ravnica's Importance

Somewhat related to this current discussion on Kamigawa, just how important was Ravnica: City of Guilds to magic? I imagine after Mirrodin (too broken) and Kamigawa (not well liked by the players) magic needed a smash hit like Ravnica at that time.

Ravnica was an uptick in a time of downturns, so it was much needed.

Kamigawa Mirrodin Ravnica: City of Guilds Two Color

Design Origins

Are the planeswalkers with only minuses from War of the Spark or the sagas from Dominaria more like Richard Garfield's idea for buildings in the design of Ravnica: City of Guilds?

Structures were enchantment like effects that had a “toughness” that could be attacked with creatures, so they are very similar to a planeswalker with just a static or triggered ability. Sagas are much closer to our original take on planeswalkers where what they did was pre-programmed.

Creatures Dominaria Enchantments Planeswalkers Ravnica: City of Guilds Richard Garfield Sagas Sagas Triggered Abilities Two Color War of the Spark

Ravnica Naming Confusion

Do you think there will be any confusion between the names “Ravnica: City of Guilds” and “Guilds of Ravnica” in the future?

Almost no one actually calls it “Ravnica: City of Guilds” and just calls it Ravnica.

Guilds of Ravnica Ravnica: City of Guilds Two Color

Set Title Preferences

I prefer B) the longer title with the name worked in. It shares more of the world's story with only a single glance than just a name does. Khans of Tarkir let us know the world of Tarkir had something going on with Khans, which history would tell us were warriors. Ravnica: City of Guilds is another prime example. Just off title alone you know the world of Ravnica is heavily associated with multiple groups working towards or against something, as a guild does. The longer titles help hype a world.

Replies on both sides, with the majority leaning towards B.

Khans of Tarkir Ravnica: City of Guilds Story / Lore Two Color Warrior

Psionic Vampires Mention

FYI: Magic already has some psionic vampires: Moroii and Szadek, lord of secrets from Ravnica: city of guilds; Mirko Vosk from Dragon's maze; Duskmantle seer from Gatecrash; and Jeleva, Nephalia's scourge from Commander 2013. All of them are Dimir colours, except Jeleva, who is in Grixis colours.

FYI

Colors Commander Commander 2013 Dimir (U/B) Dragon Dragon's Maze Duskmantle Seer Gatecrash Gates Grixis Grixis (U/B/R) Moroii Nephalia Ravnica: City of Guilds Scourge Szadek, Lord of Secrets Two Color Vampire

Ravnica Naming Decision

Why is Ravnica: City of Guilds the only "conventional" expansion (compared to something like Conspiracy: Take the Crown) that has a subname?

Because there was honest concern people wouldn’t get the guilds. We normally don’t have subtitles on normal sets.

Conspiracy Ravnica: City of Guilds Two Color

Ravnica Draft

I drafted some original Ravnica with friends yesterday. Oh boy have we come a long way since then. I went 2-1 and we all had a blast. Please high five every member of the design&dev. teams for Ravnica: City of Guilds that you can find at work next week.

I think that means I high five Aaron Forsythe. I believe we are all that remains of the original Ravnica design and development teams.

Aaron Forsythe High Fives Ravnica: City of Guilds Two Color

Enjoy Without History

I feel kinda sad for all these new players that have missed the other top ranking and/or funky sets of Magic history - e.g. Ravnica: City of Guilds, Innistrad, Lorwyn, Mirrodin, Zendikar and even Kamigawa. I guess they can still find and play with older cards, but I feel as if players starting with Theros block have probably missed an almost too large portion (20 years) of the game's history to appreciate what it is we have now and to develop as long term 'hooked' players. Would you disagree?

I completely disagree. One can enjoy something in the present without knowing all of its past.

Beginners Innistrad Kamigawa Lorwyn Mirrodin Ravnica: City of Guilds Theros Two Color Zendikar

Design Age Reflection

How would you say Return to Ravnica fits into the Fifth Age of Design? It seemed to me it was designed exactly like Ravnica: City of Guilds, which was in the Fourth Age of Design.

It doesn’t really. Return to Ravnixa block was more fourth age than fifth age. See my State of Design column about it.

Ravnica: City of Guilds Return to Ravnica Two Color

Ravnica Boosters Discovery

I was digging through the basement because I'm getting ready to move, and I found two Ravnica: City of Guilds boosters unopened! Should I crack them or save them?

Crack them and tell us what you got. : ) It will be vicarious pack cracking.

Boosters Ravnica: City of Guilds Two Color

Richard Garfield's Teams

Since, say, Arabian Nights, of which design teams has Richard Garfield been a part? I know about Ravnica: City of Guilds and Innistrad, but I wonder if you know of any others.

Here are the design teams Richard has been on: Alpha (lead) Arabian Nights (lead) Tempest Odyssey Judgment Ravnica Innistrad

Alpha Arabian Nights Innistrad Odyssey Ravnica: City of Guilds Richard Garfield Tempest Two Color

Ravnica Design Articles

Where can I find the design articles for the Ravnica: City of Guilds block? I can't find them anywhere on dailymtg

Part I: http://www.wizards.com/Magic/Magazine/Article.aspx?x=mtgcom/daily/mr192 Part II: http://www.wizards.com/magic/magazine/article.aspx?x=mtgcom/daily/mr193 Part III: http://www.wizards.com/magic/magazine/article.aspx?x=mtgcom/daily/mr194

Ravnica: City of Guilds Two Color

Ravnica Team Continuity

Hey Mark, I was just curious on how many people from the original Ravnica: City of Guilds block are working on the Return to Ravnica block?

Myself and Brady Dommermuth. Aaron Forsythe was on the Ravnica design team and he also had some involvement in Return to Ravnica although not on any team.

Aaron Forsythe Ravnica: City of Guilds Return to Ravnica Two Color

Pronouncing Ravnica

For those of us new to Magic, how do we pronounce Ravnica?

Life is good. So much so that you are able to hire both a cook and a butler. You’re cook is named Ravi, but you just call her Rav (rhymes with “have”). Your butler is named Nick. When you and your wife want privacy to discuss something, you say “Rav, Nick, a moment please.” Drop off “moment please” and that’s how you pronounce the city plane.

Ravnica: City of Guilds