Reconfigure

Balancing Powerful Equipment

I really like the fact that Key to the Vault has a mana pip in its equip cost, much like some of the reconfigure costs from Kamigawa. I'd love to see more design usage of limiter pips in these unique ways

Over time, we’re using colored mana more as a way to balance powerful equipment.

Equip Equipment Mana Reconfigure

Vehicle vs Reconfigure

Hey Mark! I'm curious why Set Design went for the vehicle variation for mount rather than the reconfigure variant suggested by vision design, to me the latter seems to capture the 'creature that combines with a rider' idea really well. Although maybe this goes back to the unicycle equipment/vehicle debate

It was significantly less complex/wordy and more intuitive.

Equipment Mount Reconfigure Set Design Unicycle Vehicles Vision Design

Mechanic Return Likelihood

I believe you’ve said Reconfigure is a 5 on the storm scale, while Living Weapon is a 7, despite being functionally somewhat similar mechanics. Is the disparity mostly due to flavour requirements, or are there mechanical factors that make Living Weapon less likely to return?

I think the 0/0 Germ is the biggest issue. We made For Mirrodin!, as an example.

Flavor For Mirrodin! Germ Living Weapon Mechanics Mirrodin Reconfigure Storm Scale

Keyword Fatigue Feedback

Im just gonna say I know my community is beyond sick of all these new keywords and actions and whatever you wanna call them. Like all excitement for Thunder Junction was sucked out the window when we read the phrase "commit a crime". Because we knew it was gonna grind another dozen games to a halt as we were going to have to look up the exact phrasing, because somebody was going to make some weird play. The same as its been with discover, and historic, and reconfigure. I've even had to stop and explain surveil. Even playing a precon took way longer because I had to essentially keep one card in my hand to make sure I was doing disguise right. And keep explaining it. And while I am it, ward. We had to reiterate all weekend what ward did, so people knew "cant be countered" got around it. And these are tournament players Mr. Rosewater. Some of us have been playing since 93. You cannot get more ingrained than our community. And we are so ingrained we know nothing can change for years. We know how design works. But we are begging you. Soon, please. Stop with the keywords. Just put the text on the card. None of us like having to pull out our phones to add more text to the effects.

The text for all non-evergreen mechanics *is* on the card, with the sole exception of a few high rarity cards where the reminder text doesn’t fit. And that’s been true for decades.

Disguise Historic Keywords Mark Rosewater Mechanics Rarity Rarity Reconfigure Reiterate Surveil Ward Your Hand

Top Mechanics Selection Criteria

For your top 20 (non-evergreen) mechanics I noticed none were from this decade. What would you say is the best new mechanic from this decade so far?

Note that I would pick the mechanic that started a trend. Foretell is an awesome more recent mechanic, but Morph is the first to use face down as a resource, so I chose that for the talk.Amass, while not technically from this decade, is only five years old. Mechanics I really like from this decade include: alliance, backup, collect evidence, connive, corrupted, decayed, enlist, escape, foretell, incubate, learn/lesson, magecraft, mutate (although it has its complexity issues), party, prototype, reconfigure, role tokens, and shield counters.

Alliance Amass Backup Collect Evidence Connive Corrupted Decayed Enlist Escape Foretell Incubate Magecraft Mechanics Morph Morph Mutate Prototype Reconfigure Tokens

Cursed Artifact Mechanics

"Technically, we could have a cursed artifact enchantment." So does a card with the type line "Artifact Enchantment - Aura Curse," that functions the same as a regular Curse, work within the rules? Or would it need a new ability like Reconfigure in order to function properly?

As long as it’s an enchantment, which it has to be to have the subtype curse, it should work all right.

Artifacts Auras Enchantments Mechanics Reconfigure Rules Subtype

Tribal Type Justification

The reason the Tribal card type was needed was so creature types can go on different card types. Why can't creature types just go on different card types? I know that it matters mechanically which types technically count as creature types (for things like changeling), but do the rules break if subtypes are marked in the rules as "creature types" or "artifact types" but can still go on any card? I know you wouldn't like to do that anyway for the same reason you don't use Tribal anymore, but the thought occurred to me. Is there ever conversation during design about mixing different types of card types in mechanics like Reconfigure or the NEO Shrine creatures about potential confusion?

The way subtypes work is they are hard-coded to a specific card type (with the exception that instants and sorceries share subtypes). We have supertype which can exist on multiple card types. As that provides most the functionality when we want to overlap card types, as with Snow, that there isn’t a great impetus to totally redo the subtype rules.

Artifacts Card Types Card Types Changeling Creatures Instants Kamigawa: Neon Dynasty Kindred / Typal Mechanics Reconfigure Rules Sorceries Subtype Supertype

Future of Licids

If/When: More Licids. They play around in such fun design space but we haven't gotten any in so long.

Actually Licids? If. Licid-esque? When. Reconfigure, from Neon Dynasty, is us playing in this mechanical space.

Design Space If/When Licid Reconfigure

Equipment Creatures Concept

Can we have equipment creatures

That’s what reconfigure was in Neon Dynasty.

Creatures Equipment Reconfigure

Kamigawa Mechanic Choice

Was living weapon ever considered for Kamigawa Neon Dynasty instead of reconfigure?

Not really as the Germ token didn’t match the flavor.

Flavor Germ Living Weapon Mechanics Reconfigure Tokens

Licids Coming Back?

Could we ever see Licids again? What conditions would they need to make a resurgence if so?

I think reconfigure was kind of a modern day licid.

Licid Modern Reconfigure

Reconfigure vs Normal Equipment

Hey Mark,Why do cards with reconfigure give the option of unequipping, while normal equipment cards don’t?

There’s more upside, because you get a creature, that it was felt to justify the extra words.

Creatures Equipment Reconfigure

Reconfigure in Storm Scale

Being my favorite mechanic from NEO, where is reconfigure on the storm scale?

I’d call it a 5.

Kamigawa: Neon Dynasty Mechanics Reconfigure Storm Scale

Replacing Equip with Reconfigure

Going forward, is reconfigure going to replace equip?

No. Reconfigure is not evergreen.

Equip Evergreen Reconfigure

Reconfigure and Living Weapon Interaction

Hi Mark! Does the existence of Reconfigure now affect the likelihood of seeing Living Weapon again?

No.

Living Weapon Reconfigure

Equip Mechanics and Reconfigure

Do effects that affect the Equip mechanic also affect Reconfigure? I am expecting they don't, but either way, how was this decision made?

They do not. This decision was made because it would be difficult to have something that is not that thing count as the thing.

Equip Mechanics Reconfigure

Reconfigure Creatures and Grimlock

Hi Mark, With the release of reconfigure creatures would they be considered Transformers for Grimlock’s effect?

No, there are two things that are Transformers creatures.1) Things that are flavorfully Transformers from the Transformers IP.2) Creatures that transform (aka use the transform mechanic).

Creatures Mechanics Reconfigure Transform

Reconfigure as Equip Ability

For cards like Bruenor, Nahiri, Storm of Stone and Fighter Class, does reconfigure count as an "equip ability"?

They turn into equipment, so I assume so.

Equip Equipment Fighter Class Nahiri, Storm of Stone Reconfigure

Appreciation for Neon Dynasty

I just wanted to say I've been absolutely loving Neon Dynasty! The story is great, and the mechanics have been a home run, especially Reconfigure and Compleated. Virtual high fives to everyone involved!

High fives to be applied.

Appreciation Compleated High Fives Mechanics Reconfigure Story / Lore

Reconfigure Naming Consideration

Hi Mark! Loving Kamigawa spoiler season so far. Question...was "Splice onto creature" ever considered as the name for Reconfigure?

No, as that isn’t what it does.

Creatures Reconfigure Splice Spoilers