Word of Command

Complexity's Role

Additional pieces and complexity have always been part of the game, in Alpha ,The Hive made tokens; Clockwork Beast, Cyclopean Tomb, Fungusaur, Gaea's Liege, Living Artifact, Rock Hydra and Scavaging Ghoul used counters of some kind. In the same set Aspect of Wolf, Fireball, Gaea's Liege and Personal Incarnation involve fractions with rounding up and down(many players still have some difficulty using these cards) and then just out right comp lexity, Camouflage, Illusionary Mask, Lich,Raging River and Word of Command. Not to mention Banding, Protection, interrupt batches, tapped artifacts turning off, tapped blockers dealing no damage, in addition to individual card interactions. This game has always been complex and drawn on other components outside of just the cards. All to the enrichment of its players. Do you think without the conceit of this complexity as many early board, minature, rpg, card game players would have been drawn to this azmazing game?

I think complexity is more feature than bug, but it’s still a dangerous force to be used carefully.

Artifacts Aspect of Wolf Banding Batches Beast Camouflage Clockwork Beast Cyclopean Tomb Fireball Fungusaur Gaea's Liege Hydra Illusionary Mask Incarnation Lich Living Artifact Personal Incarnation Protection Raging River Rock Hydra The Hive Tokens Wolf Word of Command

Complex Rules and Card Bans

There's a pretty healthy number of cards that cause general rules complexity for their own sake. Graveyard order matters, Apocalypse Chime, Circling Vultures, Word of Command, Illusionary Mask, etc. Are there any ideas in R&D or WotC to ban or errata these kinds of effects to make the rules and processes of the game that much smoother?

Many of the things you’re talking about, we’ve removed from the game, so in the vast majority of formats, they are no longer a thing. One of the downsides to eternal formats is that things seldom leave.

Apocalypse Apocalypse Apocalypse Chime Bannings Circling Vultures Errata Eternal Game Design Illusionary Mask Rules The Graveyard Wizards of the Coast Word of Command

Origin of Mindslaver Card

Does the phrase "Opponent loses next turn." have anything to do with the card Mindslaver being made?

No, Mindskaver was inspired by Word of Command.

Mindslaver Word of Command

Command Effect Rarity

What are the chances of seeing another "Word of Command" like effect?

They’re tricky. Mindslaver was the workable fix. It’s a powerful effect, so we can’t do it often.

Mindslaver Word of Command

Mindslaver Mechanics

Mindslaver effects are either very loved or absolutely hated. What about Word of Command or False Orders where you take control of only one or two decisions?

The rules can easily handle taking over a turn. Taking partial control and casting just a spell or two is much harder to do because you have to deal with how the other player can respond.

False Orders Mindslaver Rules Word of Command

Darkest Card Printed

Whats the darkest card you think you guys have printed?

Word of Command. : )

Card Printing Word of Command

Word of Command Art

So do you have any trivia about Word of Command's art?

I do. I believe it was time to go to press and Jesper hadn’t gotten the art back yet, so he quickly threw something together.

Art Birthday Word of Command

Rules Manager's Nightmare

What card/mechanic could you reprint that would be most effective at driving the rules manager insane?

For a long time the answer was licids but they were cracked a while back. I do know Word of Command has never quite worked right. Mindslaver was my best fix at that problem.

Card Printing Licid Mechanics Mindslaver Reprints Rules Word of Command

Word of Command Redux

Will cards like Word of Command ever be printed again, perhaps in a simplified form? Or do they cause rules nightmares?

Mindslaver was my attempt to solve Word of Command.

Card Printing Mindslaver Nightmare Rules Word of Command

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