Spire Tracer

Acceptable Bends: Tatsunari Vs Spire

If Tatsunari is an acceptable bend, why is Spire Tracer not?

There’s a big difference between an ability being on a monocolor common and as part of an off-color hybrid activation on a rare.

Bend / Break Hybrid Monocolor Rares Spire Tracer

Return of Offensive Flight

The defensive part of Flying is seen a lot (reach), but we also have the offensive part (like Spire Tracer) that we haven't seen in a while. Is that something that can show up again or is R&D avoiding it for any particular reason?

It isn’t something we want to do in green. In theory, we could do it in blue, but it’s a lot of extra words for minimal impact.

Blue Flying Game Design Green Spire Tracer

Green's Past Mistakes

How come green used to get things like spire tracer and orchard spirit?

It shouldn’t have. It’s why we have the Council of Colors, to keep cards out of color from being printed.

Card Printing Colors Council of colors Green Orchard Spirit Spire Tracer Spirit

Spire Tracer Rules

In regards to the question about Spire Tracer, it seems more like a bend because it isn't able to block creatures with flying, so it isn't completely undermining a weakness of green. Is having "offensive flying" enough to constitute a break?

Green *can* block fliers. It’s the flying thing it can do.

Bend / Break Creatures Flying Green Spire Tracer

Green's Fly-like Traits

Is it a bend/break for green to get cards like Spire Tracer that can only be blocked by creatures with flying or reach, since that is essentially giving the creature flying? Thanks!

I say break. It’s just flying with a different name.

Bend / Break Creatures Flying Green Reach Spire Tracer

Green's Evasion

You recently said "I don’t believe Green is supposed to have what I call pseudo-Flying." Why no Spire Tracer? Now that Banding is long gone, it seems like Green regularly has only Trample for (pseudo-)evasion purposes.

Green’s biggest evasion is its better mana cost to size correlation. You often can’t block Green because it’s creature is just bigger.

Banding Creatures Evasion Flying Green Mana Spire Tracer Trample

Green and Flying

Why is it that green cannot have flying but it can have both reach and the spire tracer ability?

Green has Reach and spells like Plummet because Green is allowed to have answers to Flying. I don’t believe Green is supposed to have what I call pseudo-Flying.

Flying Green Plummet Reach Spells Spire Tracer

Green Faux-Flying Critique

What is the justification for cards like Orchard Spirit and Spire Tracer that are basically flying in green? They seem cheaty.

I agree 100%. I don’t like faux-flying in Green.

Flying Green Orchard Spirit Spire Tracer Spirit

Green Color Pie Thought

Is Spire Tracer (G 1/1 can't be blocked except by flying/reach) an OK card for the colour pie?

I do not like faux flying in Green.

Colors Flying Green Reach Spire Tracer

Madcap Skills Rarity

Why was Madcap Skills a common? That card lost me a lot of games in the three prereleases I played in. And it combos well with Spire Tracer and Alpha Authority.

I agree that the card is in the gray area between common and uncommon but it can go either way and for this set, development felt it was needed at common (I assume for limited purposes).

Alpha Alpha Authority Limited Madcap Skills Prerelease Spire Tracer Uncommons

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