Unearth

Extending Set Mechanics

Hey Mark, as a newer player (Started in New Capenna), and I wanted to express that I don't mind leaving between each set, but what I really crave is the set mechanics lasting longer than one set. Prototype, Unearth, Blitz, Backup, and now seemingly Spree and Crime cards are all mechanics that I crave more of and feel both that I will have to wait years to see them again. What are the chances that we will see mechanics across consecutive standard set releases?

It’s not off the table.

Backup Blitz Mechanics Premier Sets Prototype Spree Standard Unearth

Keyword Templating Discussion

Embalm and escape are no different than unearth or flashback. What flavorful word you drop in for a particular alternate casting cost or activated ability doesn't change the structure of how the ability is written. Commit a crime and collect evidence are uniquely templated and warp the text box around them. They stick out like a sore thumb compared to every other keyword

But they aren’t uniquely templated. Collect evidence, as an example, is templated like any other mechanic that uses the graveyard as a resource.

Casting Cost Collect Evidence Embalm Escape Flashback Flavor Keywords Mechanics Templating The Graveyard Unearth Unearth

Set Mechanic Inquiry

I was surprised to learn that LCI has only 3 fewer artifacts than BRO. With Craft being a key set mechanic I suppose it makes sense, but the story and theme really don’t tie to Crafting as being important.To me it almost feels like Craft was first intended for BRO from a thematic standpoint, and Unearth was destined for LCI. Were these two switched at some point?

They were not. The Brothers’ War story involves the brothers digging up old Thran technology.

Artifacts Craft Mechanics Story / Lore The Brothers' War The Brothers' War The Lost Caverns of Ixalan Unearth Unearth

Color-Specific Haste Creatures

Can every color have a creature with haste if the creature goes away after one turn (like ball lightning), or is that an effect you try to keep to certain colors? Obviously the unearth mechanic exists in every color, but I don’t know if that’s treated differently from say, a mono-white or mono-blue ball lightning.

White doesn’t get haste creatures (with the one Uber-rare exception of Akroma). Blue can have haste on 0-powered creatures with tap abilities, but it’s also something we do super infrequently.

Ball Lightning Blue Colors Creatures Haste Mechanics Tap / Untap Unearth Unearth White

Uncovering Purple Mechanics

Hi Mark, thanks for answering my last ask, now I get the vantage point from which you answered the original ask.But that got me thinking...In his article, Paul mentions that there were 2 mechanics that were created for Purple: [new mechanic A] and [new mechanic B]. For instance in the file there were:CP3 - 2P - 2/2 [new mechanic B]UP 3- 3PP - 3/3 Flying, [new mechanic A]RP1 - 1PP - 3/2 First Strike, [new mechanic A]He mentions that they playtested these mechanics and that they were quite powerful.As was the policy at the time, R&D didn't disclose information about unused mechanics, so they were edited out of the document. Now that the policy of sharing such information has changed, would it be possible for you to ask around or look into your email archives to let us know what they were?His last email where these were discussed (at least from those he shared with us) is dated July 18th 2005 at 1:34 PM and was sent to Bill Rose, Matt Place and yourself if that helps unearth this mystery.

I won’t have access to my work computer until the office opens back up which won’t be for a few months. I won’t have old emails, but I could have old card files. Remind me when I start having “Drive to Work” podcasts that are actual drives to work.

Bill Rose Drive to Work First Strike Flying Game Design Mechanics Unearth

Alara Appreciation

Hello, this is just an Alara appreciation reminder: A world with one of the coolest and very iconic mechanics (Cascade, Unearth, Exalted, Devour), very clear destinction between the shards (though now there might be some exciting mixing of mana), very magical, very well written story. As someone who loves to explore a world, the story of the inhabitants and dive deep in the fantasy, Alara is one of THE most enjoyable planes.

A return to Alara is a possibility.

Appreciation Cascade Devour Exalted Mana Mechanics Planes Story / Lore Three Color Unearth Unearth

Praise for The Brothers' War

After getting the chance to play with the cards, I have to say, The Brothers' War feels fantastic so far. I love love love the combination of Prototype, Powerstones, and Unearth together in the same environment. I also really like the cycle of common mill-three-keep-one creatures, and seeing Giant Growth in limited again made me happy. Hats off to the team!

High fives shall be applied.

Creatures Cycles Giant Giant Growth High Fives Limited Prototype The Brothers' War The Brothers' War Unearth Unearth

Keyword Abilities Format

Hi Mark! Just wondering why we still write activated keyword abilities as [Ability Name] [Cost] (Reminder text that includes cost) like Unearth, instead of [Cost]: [Ability Name] (Reminder text that doesn't include cost) like Monstrosity?

It depends whether the mechanic in question is an ability word (where it comes first) or a keyword (where it comes after).

Ability Words Keyword Abilities Keywords Mechanics Monstrosity Unearth

Mythic Artifacts Cycle

What was the reasoning for having a broken cycle of mythic "colored" artifacts in BRO?? Every color but white has a mythic artifact creature with prototype, only white has a mythic artifact creature with Unearth. Feels like a Griselbrand situation all over again.

It’s a cycle of mythic rare artifacts with a colored activation.

Artifacts Colors Creatures Cycles Griselbrand Mythic Rares Prototype Rares The Brothers' War Unearth Unearth White

Green Unearth Logic

I'm really happy to see unearth in all colors with this set. Green makes a TON of sense for the ability since it is one of the two colors that care most about the graveyard and white has been getting more reanimation effects so unearth doesn't really seem all that out of place.

Another design maxim: lean towards your theme.

Colors Green The Graveyard Unearth White

Unearth Mechanic Flexibility

So every color could have unearth now or this set is special?

We often allow all colors access to the set mechanic. That doesn’t mean it’s now a core ability in every color. We bend towards a set’s theme.

Bend / Break Colors Mechanics Unearth

Mishra's Dragon Meld

I noticed Mishra's dragon engine has unearth on it, and unearth makes you exile it instead of putting anywhere else. How does that interact with Meld? Do you still get the melded creature or does it just go away when you try to meld them?

It works with meld.

Creatures Dragon Dragon Engine Meld The Exile Zone Unearth Unearth

Artifacts Design Compliment

You balanced the artifacts not with colored mana in the mana costs but with prototype and colored unearth costs. Im impressed by this design.

: )

Artifacts Humor Mana Prototype Unearth Unearth

Unearth Reminder Text

With Unearth returning, I'm once again reminded that the reminder text is a bit inaccurate (if the permanent is exiled through other means, the unearth exile doesn't overwrite that). This allows flicker effects to bring the permanent back, when the reminder text implies they don't.Why the discrepancy?

Reminder text has different standards than normal rules text. It’s more vernacular and less technical.

Rules The Exile Zone Unearth Unearth

Unearth Mechanic Coincidence

Was there some tension in design putting Unearth on artifact monstrosities (based on the one card so far) in Brother's War so close to the Warhammer 40K Necron deck featuring Unearth on artifact monstrosities?

Each set was doing its own thing. Warhammer 40,000 was also originally a little farther away from Brothers’ War than currently in the schedule.

Artifacts Mechanics Necron Unearth Unearth

Unearth Mechanic Return

So unearth is a mechanic in brothers war?

It is. It was in the set from the earliest version of it, went away for a while, and then came back.

Mechanics Unearth

Thoughts on 'Disturbed' Mechanic

My thoughts on Disturbed: it's an interesting mechanic in a vacuum, but it's hampered by the fact that this is like the fourth or fifth time we've gotten "Flashback... But for Creatures!" (Unearth, Embalm, Eternalize, kind of Escape) and it shows up alongside actual Flashback, which saps a lot of the excitement because it feels like a rehash. Add that to it eating up DFC space that feels like it could have been spent on resonant tropes and it seems lackluster in my opinion.

Why is people dying and coming back as ghosts not resonant?

Creatures Dual Faced Cards Embalm Escape Eternalize Flashback Mechanics Unearth Unearth

Choosing Disturb Over Unearth

Disturb is a very cool variation on Unearth, like Aftermath was a cool variation on Flashback. Why not just use Unearth?

We wanted something more permanent, so the Spirits stuck around.

Aftermath Disturb Flashback Spirit Unearth Unearth

Mechanic Repetition by Accident

Have you or anyone you know ever accidentally pitched an already existing mechanic? Like someone saying "What if flashback but for creatures" and as they explain it it becomes clear they are talking about Unearth.

I do it all the time.

Creatures Flashback Mechanics Unearth Unearth

Geyadrone Dihada and Grixis Trivia

Salutations Mark! It's my birthday and I was wondering if I could get some trivia on Geyadrone Dihada or the Grixis color combination in general?

The original Grixis mechanic in Shards of Alara was a mechanic that triggered whenever a creature died. That mechanic got de-keyworded and moved to Jund. It appeared on a handful of cards. It was replaced by Unearth, a mechanic I called Flashdance of the Dead when I created it.Happy Birthday!

Birthday Colors Creatures Geyadrone Dihada Grixis Grixis (U/B/R) Jund (B/R/G) Mechanics Shards of Alara Unearth Unearth