Saviors of Kamigawa

Potential of Hand Size Theme

Does hand size have sufficient design space for a bottom-up set theme?

Saviors of Kamigawa tried it, and it didn’t go well.

Bottom Up Design Space Saviors of Kamigawa Your Hand

Mechanics Evaluation Recap

FYI you actually did your worst 10 mechanics once before in Drive to Work #693 and this was your list at the time:10. Haunt - Guildpact9. Radiance - Ravnica8. Ripple - Coldsnap7. Processors - Battle for Zendikar6. Annihilator - Rise of the Eldrazi5. Epic - Saviors of Kamigawa4. Rebel Mercenary - Mercadian Masques3. Gotcha - Unhinged2. Rhystic - Prophecy1. Bands with Others - Legends

FYI

Annihilator Battle for Zendikar Coldsnap Drive to Work Eldrazi Epic Guildpact Haunt Legendary Creatures Mechanics Mercadian Masques Mercenary Processor Prophecy Prophecy Radiance Rebel Ripple Rise of the Eldrazi Rise of the Eldrazi Saviors of Kamigawa Zendikar

Enchantment Flip Cards

Has having flip cards that are an enchantment on one half considered since they don't tap?

We did them in Saviors of Kamigawa.

Enchantments Flip Cards Saviors of Kamigawa Tap / Untap

Maros in Saviors of Kamigawa

Are the black and white Maros from Saviors of Kamigawa now considered breaks? Or is it one of those things that's ok in a 5-color cycle, at rare, in a set where the mechanic is a heavy theme, but you'd never just put Kiyomaro alone in a random set?

We occasionally do things in cycles. That doesn’t mean that ability is normally in all five colors.

Black Colors Cycles Mechanics Rares Saviors of Kamigawa White

Possibility of Hand-Matters Set

If or when: Another hand-matters set, like Saviors of Kamigawa or Dissension. Not necessarily caring about number of cards in hand, but with an increased focus on what cards you have in your hand or activations from the hand

It’s a tricky theme to do. We have a lot of Magic to make though, so odds are we’ll do something in that vein again.

Dissension If/When Saviors of Kamigawa Your Hand

Converted Mana Cost Matter Planes

If/When a Converted Mana Cost matters Plane?

Saviors of Kamigawa had that theme.It didn’t play all that great, so I’m skeptical of a return to it as a major theme.

If/When Mana Mana Value Planes Saviors of Kamigawa

Moonfolk Mechanics

Mark, you said an eventual return of Moonfolk wouldn't necessarily be tied to the "return a land to your hand" mechanic. But would them be tied to the "have many cards in hand" theme from Saviors of Kamigawa?

Probably not.

Lands Mechanics Moonfolk Saviors of Kamigawa Your Hand

Cards in Hand Theme

Would it be possible, or likely, to have a set where "cards in hand matter" is one of the core themes? I know that the game is inherently dependent on those cards, but I want to know if I have a chance of seeing a set based around mechanics like Forecast, or the Lorwyn tribal lands, or the abilities on Bulwark or Cinder Seer.

Saviors of Kamigawa had a “hand size matters” theme.

Bulwark Cinder Seer Forecast Kindred / Typal Lands Lorwyn Mechanics Saviors of Kamigawa Your Hand

Functional Oracled Changes

You've said in the past that you don't do functional oracling of cards. Yet, when you first introduced the Color Indicator, you functionally oracled Evermind from Saviors of Kamigawa into not having the text "~ is blue." This is a functional Oracle change because it has Splice onto Arcane, and before this change it would cause any spell it was spliced onto to become a mono-Blue spell instead of its prior colors, and it no longer does that with the removal of the color text. Thoughts?

Trying to limit functional changes doesn’t mean they never happen.

Blue Colors Evermind Saviors of Kamigawa Splice

Magic Design Ages

Can you give an overview of the Ages of magic according to r&d?

I just recorded a whole podcast on the (currently) six ages of Magic design. Short version:First age: Alpha through AlliancesSecond age: Mirage through ProphecyThird age: Invasion through Saviors of KamigawaFourth Age: Ravnica through Rise of the EldraziFifth age: Scars of Mirrodin through Journey into NyxSixth age: Khans of Tarkir to present

Alliances Alpha Drive to Work Eldrazi Game Design Journey into Nyx Khans of Tarkir Mirage Nyx Prophecy Rise of the Eldrazi Saviors of Kamigawa Scars of Mirrodin

Kamigawa Names Tribute

Did Kiyomaro, Soramaro, Kagemaro, Adamaro, and Masumaro from Saviors of Kamigawa have "maro" in their names as a nod to the card Maro? The "First to _____" cycle is about P/T = cards in hand, so it seems like a cool nod to the original...

It was a purposeful nod.

_____ Mark Rosewater Saviors of Kamigawa Your Hand

Exile-Matters Set

We've had a hand-matters set (Saviors of Kamigawa), graveyard sets (Several occasions), and most sets have an importance on the battlefield for obvious reasons. Do you think we'll ever get an exile-matters set?

Battle for Zendikar is right there. It can hear you.

Battle for Zendikar Battles Saviors of Kamigawa The Exile Zone The Graveyard Your Hand

CMC Matters Theme

What do you think of "CMC matters" as a set/block theme?

We tried it in Saviors of Kamigawa and it didn’t go over all that well. Scornful Egotist did confuse a lot of players though. : )

Mana Value Saviors of Kamigawa Scornful Egotist

First Head Designer Set

Which set did you start to work on as Head Designer?

Betrayers of Kamgawa and Saviors of Kamigawa were in design when I took over. The first set where I was Head Designer from start to finish was Ravnica.

Head Designer Saviors of Kamigawa

Hand Size Matters Feedback

Is there enough design space for a "number of cards in hand" matters block?

We already had a “hand size matters” set (Saviors of Kamigawa) and if that is any indication, no, we don’t.

Design Space Saviors of Kamigawa Your Hand

Magic Design Eras

How would you divide up the different eras of Magic design?

From “State of Design 2011”: http://www.wizards.com/Magic/magazine/Article.aspx?x=mtg/daily/mm/157 First Stage (Alpha through Alliances): This stage was about the focus on individual card design. Design decisions tended to be made on a card-by-card basis. Second Stage (Mirage through Prophecy): This stage was the introduction of the block and the focus of design in thinking of Magic in terms of a year. Third Stage (Invasion through Saviors of Kamigawa): This stage was the introduction of block themes. Blocks were no longer just a collection of mechanics, but contained specific things chosen to highlight the block’s theme. Fourth Stage (Ravnica through Rise of the Eldrazi): This stage was the introduction of block planning. Instead of picking a theme and continuing it through the block, design now planned out how exactly the block was going to evolve. This planning allowed for themes to be better set up and paid off. Fifth Stage (Scars of Mirrodin through ???): Now we get to last year. What I believe Scars of Mirrodin block has done that shifts design into the next age is to radically change how mechanical themes are looked at and used. For the last two stages, themes have been used as the foundation to build the block on. Starting with Scars of Mirrodin, mechanical themes are now thought of as tools used to put a block together. Metaphorically, themes are no longer the canvas, but the paint.

Alliances Alpha Eldrazi Evolve Mechanics Mirage Prophecy Rise of the Eldrazi Saviors of Kamigawa Scars of Mirrodin

Namesake Cards

Orim, Samite Healer. Also, I thought Soramaro also got named after you.

The maro cycle in Saviors of Kamigawa was named after Maro which was named after me, so by the power of association, I guess they were named after me.

Mark Rosewater Orim Samite Healer Saviors of Kamigawa

Homelands vs Saviors

Time for a little game called "Either/Or". Homelands or Saviors of Kamigawa?

Saviors of Kamigawa. I don’t think it was successful, but at least it was trying to do something different mechanically.

Homelands Saviors of Kamigawa

MaRo's Personal Title

Speaking of the Saviors of Kamigawa maro cycle, if you were part of that cycle, what would your title be? (MaRo, First to ______)

Maro, First to Pun. :)

_____ Humor Mark Rosewater Saviors of Kamigawa

Easter Egg Cycle

I noticed there is a rare cycle in Saviors of Kamigawa that all have power/toughness relating to the number of cards in your hand, and each with "maro" somewhere in their name. Coincidence, or cool easter egg?

Cool Easter egg.

Egg Mark Rosewater Rares Saviors of Kamigawa Your Hand