Very Cryptic Command

Watermarks and Mana Symbols

Hey Mark, I've got an un-rules question! One of the modes of Very Cryptic Command (e) is "Untap each permanent you control with a watermark." Does something like the large red mana symbol in the text box of a normal modern frame Mountain count as a watermark? It certainly looks like one to me! Thanks!

No, a watermark is a specific technique where the symbol is layered behind the text of the card. The giant colored mana symbol on basic lands is not a watermark.

Card Frames Cryptic Command Giant Lands Mana Modern Red Tap / Untap Un-sets Very Cryptic Command Watermarks

Command Zone and Card Animation

Hi Mark! Two UNF questions.1) Do stickers stay on in the command zone too?2) If Magar animates a Very Cryptic Command, can you choose any of the six VCCs to copy, or does it have to be the same one you animated?

1) Yes, it’s a public zone. 2) Since you’re playing Very Cryptic Command, you’re in acorn territory, so I can answer this. It cares about the specific one you have. Silver-Border/Acorn have a meta-rule that you care about the actual card you’re playing. It’s how we can care about things like watermarks.

Cryptic Command Stickers The Command Zone Un-Magic / Silver Border / Acorn Un-sets Very Cryptic Command Watermarks

Un-cards in Commander Playgroup

Mark, I thought it'd make you happy to know my commander playgroup uses Un- cards freely with black border. One of us has an X deck, where X is the only Un-card in it aside from a Very Cryptic Command. One of us has an Ydris, Maelstrom Wielder deck that uses contraptions as well (and it's very mean, I'll have you know :P). And I use Buzzing Whack-a-doodle in my Pir and Toothy deck as its only Un-card!

Happy to hear that.

Black Border Buzzing Whack-a-Doodle Commander Contraptions Cryptic Command Un-sets Very Cryptic Command

Unique Cards with Same Name

So just to be absolutely clear: the concept of multiple unique cards sharing the same name like Trash Elemental and Very Cryptic Command is 100% acorn?

I don’t expect us to bring that to eternal, but I never say never. Magic evolves in strange ways.

Cryptic Command Elemental Eternal Un-Magic / Silver Border / Acorn Un-sets Very Cryptic Command

Understanding Token Name Changes

With the change to how token's names work, is this a functional change to the Un-cards that care about name length or amount of words, like the Very Cryptic Command that taps down single word named cards?

The Un-cards treat token names as the rule now works.

Cryptic Command Rules Tokens Un-sets Very Cryptic Command

Casting Cryptic Command

Hey Maro, a quick unquestion. If I use Richard Garfield Ph.D to cast my normal cryptic command as a very cryptic command do I choose which version is cast? Also are the seperate versions different cards for the sake of Richard? Can I cast very cryptic command(a) as very cryptic command(e)?

You must choose which version and you can only cast a single Very Cryptic Command using Richard’s ability.

Cryptic Command Mark Rosewater Richard Garfield Un-questions Very Cryptic Command

Mixed Duplex Card Inquiry

What happens if I turn over an MDFC with Very Cryptic Command (d)? What happens if the other side is permanent? What happens if it's sorcery or instant?

If the other side is a permanent, it becomes that permanent. If the other side is an instant or sorcery, it goes to the graveyard as they can’t remain on the battlefield.

Cryptic Command Instants Modal Dual Faced Cards Sorceries The Graveyard Very Cryptic Command

Very Cryptic Command Effects

hey Mark! if i manage to mill my opponent to zero cards in library, and then cast Very Cryptic Command to draw a card from the opponent's library, what happens? do i lose? do they lose? do i just not draw a card?

I believe the rules say if you are unable to draw a card from your own library, so trying to draw a card from an empty opponent’s library wouldn’t kill you. You just don’t get a card,

Card Draw Cryptic Command Mill Rules The Library Very Cryptic Command

Doubts on Split Card

"Q: I know The Dark already did both Ashes to Ashes & Dust to Dust, but would silver border be able to do aftermath cards titled Ashes//Ashes or Dust//Dust with different effects on each half? A: Each half would have to do the same thing as it has the same name." but very cryptic command has multiple versions with the same name and different effects. why could a split card not take advantage of this?

I don’t think we’d have a card have different versions on the same card.

Aftermath Ashes to Ashes Cryptic Command Dust to Dust Split Cards Un-Magic / Silver Border / Acorn Un-sets Very Cryptic Command

Very Cryptic Command Sketch

How was the version of Very Cryptic Command to get Wayne England's sketch chosen?

We made that one mechanically care about Wayne England.

Very Cryptic Command

Drawing from Empty Library

If I draw the last card from an opponent's library using (one of the) very cryptic command, what happens? Do I lose? Do they lose? Does nothing special happen?

If you are supposed to draw a card from a library, any library and can’t because it’s empty, you lose. It doesn’t matter if it’s not your library.

Card Draw The Library Very Cryptic Command

Textless Cryptic Command

Did you consider doing a full art/text-less version of Very Cryptic Command?

It’s hard to do a textless version of a card with six different versions of the text.

Art Very Cryptic Command

Un-cards Rule Exception

So, the rule that cards with the same name can't be different doesn't apply to Un-cards? ie Very Cryptic Command?

Un-cards thumb their noses at black-bordered rules.

Black Rules Un-sets Very Cryptic Command

Multiple Arts Per Card

"magicalgamingtheatreland asked: Will we ever see multiple arts for a single card (besides basic lands) in a set again for instance the tron lands each had 3 separate arts." "Unstable did multiple arts." And those multiple arts were all tied to different effects, which sounded cool but ended up being a headache in practice. Could we ever see cards with multiple arts that are ENTIRELY THE SAME CARD like the Urza lands? Or is that off the table now?

The alternate arts were (almost) all on cards where the rules functionality didn’t change (with Secret Base being the one exception). The alternate mechanics cards all had the same art (with the exception of the one sketch variant of Very Cryptic Command).

Art Lands Mechanics Rules Secret Base Unstable Urza Very Cryptic Command

Unstable Variant Cards

How popular were the Unstable cards with multiple versions ie. Very Cryptic Command, And do you think there is any chance that we'd see something like that again? Thanks in advance.

Let’s turn this to all of you. Of those that played Unstable, what did you think of the variant cards?

Unstable Very Cryptic Command

Very Cryptic Command

Is there something about Very Cryptic Command I'm missing? I see people asking about using it to turn things over, but the versions I see online don't show that. The only choices they show are "Untap two permanents, Tap each permanent target player controls with exactly one word in the name, discard your hand then draw that many cards, or return target instant or sorcery card from your gy to your hand." Where is the flipping coming from?

There are six different versions of Very Cryptic Command; it’s one of thirteen variant cards in Unstable (six with rules variants).

Discard Instants Permanents Rules Sorceries Tap / Untap Unstable Very Cryptic Command Your Hand

Meld Pair Mechanics

What happens when you "turn over" one half of a meld pair with Very Cryptic Command? Would the result be something like a typeless permanent (i.e. not a creature) named "Brisela,Voice of Nighmares" without expansion symbol, textbox, artist, and collector number?

Half of a Meld creature would be put into the graveyard.

Art Creatures Meld Set Symbols The Graveyard Very Cryptic Command

Richard Garfield Gameplay

Can Richard Garfield Ph.D play each variant of Very Cryptic Command or just one until the end of the game? My group assumes it's one and done just wanted to check.

Just one.

Richard Garfield Very Cryptic Command

Animated Library Chaos

What happens if I use Very Cryptic Command to turn over an animated library?

It’s now upside down with all the cards face up and you draw from the face up side.

The Library Very Cryptic Command

Very Cryptic Command Effect

If you "turn over" a creature with your Very Cryptic Command, does that turn it into the 2/2 Morph creature? What happens if you turn over a host/augment pair - is it now two creatures or just one very wide 2/2?

If you turn over a creature with a Magic back, it becomes a 2/2 creature. An augmented host becomes a very wide 2/2.

Creatures Morph Very Cryptic Command