Snap

Third Mirage Expansion?

Hi, Mark.
Is it possible that something like a third expansion will be added to the Mirage block, just like Cold Snap was added to the Ice Age block over time? (since Weatherlight is like episode zero of the Rath cycle) (although I have a feeling Prophecy is the third)

Weatherlight was still the third block of the Mirage block. It does have flanking and phasing cards in it.

Cold Snap Flanking Mirage Phasing Prophecy Prophecy Snap Weatherlight Weatherlight

Character Artwork Gender

Please print Snapcaster mage and scion of oona with female artwork. Thank you!

Due to card titles in certain foreign languages, nowadays we tend to keep the gender the same on reprints.

Appreciation Art Card Printing Reprints Scion Scion of Oona Snapcaster Mage

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

Artwork Gender Issues

Please reprint Snapcaster mage and scion of oona with female artwork. Thank you so much.

There’s a foreign language issue we have to deal with. Certain languages have gendered elements which differ depending on whether the art portrays a male or female creature. This keeps us (mostly) having new art match the same gender as the original art.

Appreciation Art Card Printing Creatures Reprints Scion Scion of Oona Snapcaster Mage

Snow Supertype Origins

Hey Mark- I wish to invoke the ancient rite of Birthday Trivia! Given the season, I was wondering if you had any trivia about the Snow supertype? Thank you for sharing your wisdom!

The Snow supertype came about because we were looking for Ice Age block things to mechanically expand upon in the design of Coldsnap, and didn’t have a lot to work with. They had either become evergreen or weren’t things we particularly wanted to do more of. Happy Birthday!

Appreciation Birthday Coldsnap Evergreen Supertype

Art Trigger Conditions

Do nonland cards with arts like Dark Depths (Coldsnap) trigger Ignacio on "water". The "water" is implied to be under the ice, but I'm friends with a pedant who argues there is no water in the art from the perspective of the art. Help :(

There has to be actual water seen in the art, not implied to be behind or under something in the art.

Art Coldsnap Dark Depths

Battle Counter Tracking

Hey Mark, another battle question. Can battles design wise tack who removed a counters from them? Even if the player used Aether Snap or Render Inert?

I don’t believe so.

Aether Snap Battles Render Inert Snap

Turtle Trivia

Hi Mark. My birthday was in August, but due to Tumblr shenanigans I wasn't able to send you a question. Now that I can, could I please get some trivia on turtles or tortoises in Magic?

Calcite Snapper’s playtest name was Convertible Turtle. We tried to make that the printed name, but were unsuccessful.Happy Belated Birthday!

Birthday Blogatog / Tumblr Calcite Snapper Card Printing Playtesting Shenanigans Turtle

Color-Specific Snow Mana

Listening to Drive to Work #1052: Coldsnap, section on Snow, brings up an interesting question: Would you be willing to do color-specific Snow mana symbols? Like the Phyrexian mana symbols, but a snowflake instead of a Greek letter.

Phyrexian mana has a built in way to make it castable. A colored snow mana makes something harder to cast.

Coldsnap Drive to Work Mana Phyrexian

Pitch Mechanics Future

the printing of the pitch elementals in modern horizons 2 (fury, solitude, etc.) and the new forces (negation, vigor, etc) indicate that this alternate cost is not something relegated to magic's past. but while we've seen the specific restrictions change (X cost for shoals, 2 cards in coldsnap, etc.) the cards exiled always need to share a color. could we see pitch cards that need a card of a second color to be exiled? or a specific card type? or multicolored cards that can pitch either color?

The challenge is not breaking the color pie. If a card does a blue effect, for example, you have to have a payment that ensures you’re playing blue.

Blue Card Printing Card Types Coldsnap Color Pie Colors Elemental Fury Mechanics Modern Horizons 2 Solitude The Exile Zone Vigor

Positive Costs Challenge

"Positives are hard to do as a cost."
Afaik, you can have an opponent gain life as a cost. I guess you can instruct them to draw too?(a cumulative upkeep on a white uncommon from coldsnap)

Just because we once printed a card doing something doesn’t mean it necessarily works cleanly in the rules.

Card Printing Coldsnap Cumulative Upkeep Lifegain Rules Uncommons White

Coldsnap and The Dark

It's oft been said that Coldsnap was set 3 to the ice age block. What does that make The Dark which, according to the novels was set 1 of the block (somehow)?

The Dark is not considered part of the Ice Age block (anymore, assuming it ever was).

Coldsnap

Snow Mechanics Fact

Birthday trivia request: Do you have any fun facts about Snow cards? It’s one of my favorite mechanics.

Snow-covered basic lands were in Ice Age and Alliances. When we were designing Coldsnap, the “lost third Ice Age block set”, we decided to change Snow to a supertype to get more function out if it. Happy Birthday!

Birthday Coldsnap Lands Mechanics Supertype

More Aurochs Possibility

My first ever precon deck was Aurochs Stampede from Coldsnap, and my heart longs for more beefy boys. Will we ever see more Aurochs, or are they as extinct in magic as they are in real life?

More Aurochs aren’t off limits.

Aurochs Coldsnap Stampede

Snow Supertype Origin

If you could Time Walk back to Ice Age block and prevent the Snow supertype from seeing print, would you?

That’s not where the supertype started. (Ice Age had snow-covered basic lands, but it didn’t use a supertype.) It was started in Coldsnap design and I *was* there.

Card Printing Coldsnap Lands Supertype Time Walk

Snapcaster Mage for Standard Query

Not a developer, but do you think Snapcaster Mage is too powerful for Standard?

Yes.

Not a developer Snapcaster Mage Standard

Printing Cards without Reminder Text

May I request that (frequently) reprinted cards with reminder text may be reprinted from time to time without reminder text if feasible (e.g. in product aimed at more enfranchised players)?For example, Deceiver Exarch has been reprinted multiple times and Flash (an evergreen mechanic) had reminder text every time. Or Snapcaster Mage has been reprinted in 2 masters sets with reminder text for a well known mechanic (box topper version aside). IMO cards without reminder text are more aesthetic, I’d personally love to see them more often in masters-style products

How do others feel about reminder text? Would you like versions without it?

Deceiver Exarch Evergreen Experienced / Enfranchised Players Flash Mechanics Reprints Snapcaster Mage

Dealing with Troublesome Planes

I think a lot of the questioning about other trouble planes stems from what I'm guessing is a false assumption that the powers that be smack down good ideas just for being associated with bad planes. It can be hard to remember that good execution and bad execution are almost entirely objective, and starting with bad roots is just bad. Even if NEO sells a million boxes we are probably still not going to see a "Redeemers of Kamigawa" 4th set in the past timeline block. See: Coldsnap ...

The real issue with troublesome planes isn’t that The Powers That Be won’t allow them. It’s that they start at a deficit and are harder to make to the quality level that we can get buyoff from The Powers That Be.

Coldsnap Kamigawa: Neon Dynasty Planes

Defining Snapcaster Mage

Do you consider Snapcaster Mage a bend?

No.

Bend / Break Snapcaster Mage

Snow's Success in Modern Horizons

Why do you think snow was successful in Modern Horizons and much less so in Coldsnap?

I assume execution.

Coldsnap Modern Horizons