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This may be a surprise, but Rebecca Guay's art was really controversial during her heyday in Magic. They even made cards joking about it in the second Un-set.
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Magic: The Gathering |OT| Core Set 2020 - Red Head Wins
- Thread starter SigmasonicX
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you have to disconnect a set's popularity from a settings' appeal. Those things got better with for instance Ixalan rating fairly high despite by all accounts being the worst block since BFZ. Lorwyn/Shadowmoor has a bit of a classic appeal nowadays particularly the style of art that's very unique within magic.
This may be a surprise, but Rebecca Guay's art was really controversial during her heyday in Magic. They even made cards joking about it in the second Un-set.
Oh wow, is that what that card is getting at? I've never understood the "joke" with that card, the flavor text especially. Crazy! Her cards are so iconic.
People must just have different tastes these days, Seb McKinnon's cards are similar in many ways, they're immediately recognizable as his art, and have a sort of similar otherworldly feel. He seems to be one of most popular current artists (maybe the most popular? not sure who else would be a contender).
I wonder how many cards you'd hit in Standard by naming Seb McKinnon.This may be a surprise, but Rebecca Guay's art was really controversial during her heyday in Magic. They even made cards joking about it in the second Un-set.
seb does amazing art but he doesn't get many great cards, assassin's trophy, conclave tribunal, bedevil and growth spiral are the cards that see play in standard and only 2 of those see lots of play and none share decks.
God that would be a dream if Rebecca Guay did more than a few cards for this set.
I get it, I'm just bummed I can't live my dream of casting Villainous Wealth tons of times with the help of some value generating sultai walker. And it's just super strange that a planeswalkernhas not been printed in that color identity.
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get hype for when they do tho
I wonder what colour this new walker will be. Hopefully something underrepresented like that
As I was writing my reply I realized that there were more 3 color combinations without planeswalker representation. I know they will get there, and I'm not even sure my playgroup will stay testing out Oathbreaker for very long. In the mean time it looks like I need to just brew a Sultai Storm Commander deck that really just wants to cast Villainous Wealth.
I recently built a super janky Ramos deck that has been fun to toy around with, and the most satisfying victory I've had with it was casting Wealth with X = 18 against a Mizzix deck. That was one of the best feeling turns I've had as of late, and replicating that sounds fun!
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I found something interesting for once in one of these columns, the Q&A from last month where she mentions control finishers are giving them trouble:
So they are aware of the problem, I was starting to worry they were as clueless as this year's standard makes them look. But it hasn't been that long since Approach, maybe I'm just impatient cause control is all I like.
Even I can only loop Teferi so many times. Maybe I should have included this tidbit:
Oh, they think the problem was the finishers weren't strong enough. LMAO.
The Teferi Tuck was because Teferi was so damn powerful that there was no reason to waste deck space on cards whose only purpose was a win condition. Why do that when your win condition is also your primary card advantage engine until you get to the late game? Why run creatures who can get killed or removed (such weakness) when you can just rely on your overpowered planeswalker bullshit to pull double duty.
The Teferi Tuck was because Teferi was so damn powerful that there was no reason to waste deck space on cards whose only purpose was a win condition. Why do that when your win condition is also your primary card advantage engine until you get to the late game? Why run creatures who can get killed or removed (such weakness) when you can just rely on your overpowered planeswalker bullshit to pull double duty.
They think there wasn't enough incentive to run a finisher. And after kaladesh rotated and PW removal became more abundant Teferi as the sole wincon wasn't good enough anymore. That's why you saw Kaya in the maindeck.
they thought chromium would be good enough. i played that specifically for the uncounterability in some matches because resolving a 5cmc sorcery (teferi) against a good player wasn't really going to happen, but it was more of a sideboard card than a maindeck finisher. also i could only play one because it costs 7
they're pretty off-base with their format/card evaluation though. standard has so much broken stuff in it now that it makes the kaladesh era's bans look silly. i don't think those bans were wrong for their time, but the focus is misplaced towards deck diversity rather than card balance.
there are so many things more offensive than a 3/2 that draws a card, but they're spread out among different decks so they pat themselves on the back when every deck is miserable to play against and say "mission accomplished"
they're pretty off-base with their format/card evaluation though. standard has so much broken stuff in it now that it makes the kaladesh era's bans look silly. i don't think those bans were wrong for their time, but the focus is misplaced towards deck diversity rather than card balance.
there are so many things more offensive than a 3/2 that draws a card, but they're spread out among different decks so they pat themselves on the back when every deck is miserable to play against and say "mission accomplished"
UW used Approach (the definition of a card whose only purpose is to be a win condition) alongside Teferi just fine, and Gearhulks post board so clearly when the other cards are strong enough there's no need to have Teferi be the finisher, that was more of a plan B or if it stuck for a while you'd say sure I guess just get the emblem.
I've had this conversation here before, this literally happened last year, how do people forget so quickly...
Approach as a plan 1A or 1B alongside Teferi, given the synergy there (draw it faster), doesn't change my belief that planeswalkers shouldn't be designed to even possibly serve as win conditions in control decks. When a planeswalker both serves as a card advantage machine that buries opponents over several turns and the literal win condition, it creates a situation where control decks forgo true win conditions (e.g., cards that are only there to win the game and don't do much otherwise) that have more angles to interact with, and add to their toolbox.
Though this just leads me down the road of an inevitable "planeswalker are dumb" rant.
planeswalkers would be more cool if they were actually special
take WAR bolas as an example. hard to cast. hard to protect. powerful ability
they make a card like that and it's basically not a story because the format is already flooded with planeswalkers and/or better endgames
take WAR bolas as an example. hard to cast. hard to protect. powerful ability
they make a card like that and it's basically not a story because the format is already flooded with planeswalkers and/or better endgames
I don't know if it's this particular standard or this is where planeswalkers were always headed but they need to tone things way down, if they're worried about "unfun" decks they've got much bigger problems than 5cmc Tef tucking himself.
I actually haven't touched the planeswalker whack-a-mole game formerly known as mtg in a while, just waiting for rotation again, maybe once Teferi rotates we can have some actual control tools again. Why is Devout Decree the only one that is a sorcery? Why print like 5 good cards that can't be countered in a set with no good counters, etc.
Anecdotally, the one mtg streamer I followed became an auto chess streamer when they got tired of the meta and didn't lose any viewers so it's nice to know it's not only me that has a problem with this mess of a standard.
I think the deck diversity is great. I'm having fun playing (or I did in War, not played constructed M20 much).
Is there a decent Gruul list? I know someone mentioned it recently. It should be good.
Is there a decent Gruul list? I know someone mentioned it recently. It should be good.
Dinosaur Gruul is what I'm using to great success atm
4x Llanowar
4x Marauding Raptor
4x Ranging Raptor
4x Shifting Ceratops
4x Ripjaw Raptor
4x Charging Monstrosaur
2x Domri, Anarch of Bolas
2x Domri, Chaos Bringer
2x Nissa, Who Shakes the World
4x Savage Stomp
2x Collision/Colossus
2x Flame Sweep
22 Lands
Sideboard
4x Veil of Summer
2x Domris Ambush
2x Fry
2x Flame Sweep
2x Collision/Colossus
3x Bolt Bend
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The Magic animated series will be in its own continuity, but the characters will have their same backstories.
MaRo's saying his SDCC panel tomorrow (at 6:30 PM PT) is going to have "changes".
maximusleopluradon asked: "I believe San Diego Comic-Con doesn't let you stream panels." Again I understand that this decision is/was bigger than you, but as you've stated before, part of good design is managing expectations. And when there is a big panel reveal of a highly anticipated set, I think that many of you player base expects that they would be able to watch it. In fact my fav set reveal is the on stage event for BFZ. If SDCC doesn't allow streaming events, then may it's not the right place? Thoughts?
There are many factors that determine the time window when an announcement can be made (a lot of behind-the-scenes stuff like when products have to be listed for distributor/stores to purchase it). San Diego Comic-Con was the only major convention in the time window and I'd already set up a Magic panel, so it seemed like the fortuitous choice.
I realized that I was conveying a lot of information, so I specifically wrote an article that could be released with it (technically shortly after), so that everyone can be walked through the changes in even more detail than the panel could handle.
I know it's easy to want the ideal, but a lot of making things work is finding the best answer given all the constraints you're working with. So in short, streaming it simply wasn't an option.
July 19, 2019
cairnwanderer asked: Changes? There are changes? Unknown changes? ... Is now the appropriate to panic?
Good changes. I did write a whole article. : )
July 19, 2019
sadmi666 asked: "so that everyone can be walked through the changes in even more detail than the panel could handle". So in addition to the release of the set there's going to be changes so big that people is going to need to be walked through them. Was that a hidden hint or a slip of the tongue?
My teaser in my Monday column said, "Join me next week (in the evening on Saturday, July 20, after our San Diego Comic-Con panel) for one of those articles I do that gets everyone talking."
This shouldn't be new information. : )
July 19, 2019
falingard asked: "so that everyone can be walked through the changes" ...Changes? What changes? I thought your SDCC panel was about the fall set?
It is about the fall set. Did you think what Eldraine is sbout was all I was talking about?
July 19, 2019
What would be a big change that:
1. MaRo would care about
2. MaRo would be excited to announce
3. Would be worth announcing at SDCC, to an audience that may not be that invested in Magic even if they are players
4. Is complex enough that it needs to be walked through
?
Well, we know Core Set 2021 is coming, so this isn't a reversion to the two-set block model. A rules change seems to break condition 3, and probably 2 and 4 too. Something related to Arena seems possible, but would Maro care that much about it? Historic coming to paper would violate 4, given the Arena announcement didn't need all this.
I don't know.
20 hours left for wild baseless conjecture
gogogo
i predict it will be something not part of the set but in its booster packs
gogogo
i predict it will be something not part of the set but in its booster packs
Lol, it will not be simething that big.
Probably some changes to the card design philisophy, something like the colored Artifacts.
Probably some changes to the card design philisophy, something like the colored Artifacts.
Honestly I'm not convinced this is enough for a new world. They'll need to impress.
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One suggestion brought up in the chat was "remastered" sets that ex: take all of the Invasion block and condense the highlights into one set, and release booster packs for it.
They teased those for MTGA. I think it doesn't work in paper unless they do them in old borders, which they say they can't do anymore.
We could theoretically go back really soon, right? I don't really follow the story but it looks like three characters are chasing down three other characters, maybe that story culminates back on Eldraine? Even if that isn't the exact setup I assume they won't feel obligated to wait as long as they traditionally have to return to a plane since they don't have to commit as long once they've chosen one.
Throne of Eldraine art
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Bunch of art
More in spoiler block
Leaving this one out
And we have a partial preview card
MaRo's change announcement was regarding alternate frame cards now appearing in booster packs. It's a bit confusing, so I'll just wait for the official article to go up.
More in spoiler block
Leaving this one out
And we have a partial preview card
MaRo's change announcement was regarding alternate frame cards now appearing in booster packs. It's a bit confusing, so I'll just wait for the official article to go up.
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Article with all the booster pack information
They're bringing 1v1 Brawl to Arena later this year too, and releasing Brawl precons in paper for this new set
Woah, I love all the art.
I can't wait to see what's going on with the card with the new frame. I figured new printing tech was the reason the set had been ten years coming, but it's hard to tell how that template allows for any new design the way something like double-faced cards did.
The only thing I can think of off the bat is that cards like this will have activated abilities that work like a Saga and take multiple turns to play out. That wouldn't necessitate a new template, though this design would make it easier to keep track of what parts of it have been happened so far.
Edit: Just read through Maro's post about the new booster pack/ card design stuff. It seems a little odd that they're putting so much focus on physical card design when Arena seems to be exploding. I guess they're hoping to get people to play both but personally I just don't have time to spend a whole evening once per week or more at a card store, and anecdotally I have a few friends in the same situation. We play Arena because it is far, far more convenient, not because the physical cards aren't flashy enough.
It's interesting bundles will come with the Draft Boosters. What are you supposed to do with ten of them? It seems like it would be far more useful to include a theme booster of each color so new players can start brewing, or to allow people to easily get a few copies of some of the sets commons and uncommons.
I wonder how the Collector boosters will affect card prices. Usually chase/ lottery cards make the game more affordable since collector's will open packs to get the fancy cards, but if they're solely buying these collector boosters their behavior won't reign in prices of regular cards like it has in the past. It will definitely be interesting to see how people react.
Overall I'm disappointed by the reveal. I thought since Arena has exploded they would use a combination of Arena being digital and new printing tech to do something really innovative, but it looks like all of this is purely aesthetics.
I can't wait to see what's going on with the card with the new frame. I figured new printing tech was the reason the set had been ten years coming, but it's hard to tell how that template allows for any new design the way something like double-faced cards did.
The only thing I can think of off the bat is that cards like this will have activated abilities that work like a Saga and take multiple turns to play out. That wouldn't necessitate a new template, though this design would make it easier to keep track of what parts of it have been happened so far.
Edit: Just read through Maro's post about the new booster pack/ card design stuff. It seems a little odd that they're putting so much focus on physical card design when Arena seems to be exploding. I guess they're hoping to get people to play both but personally I just don't have time to spend a whole evening once per week or more at a card store, and anecdotally I have a few friends in the same situation. We play Arena because it is far, far more convenient, not because the physical cards aren't flashy enough.
It's interesting bundles will come with the Draft Boosters. What are you supposed to do with ten of them? It seems like it would be far more useful to include a theme booster of each color so new players can start brewing, or to allow people to easily get a few copies of some of the sets commons and uncommons.
I wonder how the Collector boosters will affect card prices. Usually chase/ lottery cards make the game more affordable since collector's will open packs to get the fancy cards, but if they're solely buying these collector boosters their behavior won't reign in prices of regular cards like it has in the past. It will definitely be interesting to see how people react.
Overall I'm disappointed by the reveal. I thought since Arena has exploded they would use a combination of Arena being digital and new printing tech to do something really innovative, but it looks like all of this is purely aesthetics.
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The booster pack thing sounds awful. Obviously, I don't need to buy them, but at $25 a piece those promos are going to be pretty rare because who's buying that?
Haha, I was shocked when I saw the price as well. And then I was shocked again when I saw the contents, I thought for sure if they were charging that much it would be a pack full of rares and mythics, but no, more or less a regular pack except everything is foil and potentially has alternate art (which is admittedly cool even if it's not remotely worth the price). It's pretty outrageous you can buy a Challenger deck for just $5-10 more.
As someone that has no interest in premium products (unless, like the SDCC promos they've done, I can grab the ones I like and flip the rest for profit), I think the new fancy boosters are stupid as hell. But as someone that has no interest in premium products, I'm pretty clearly not the target audience.
I guess they've sort of figured that people playing Magic to play Magic don't really give a shit about buying boosters, and quickly learn that you'd have to be an idiot to get your cards from boosters. So they're going all-in on the "I will spend hundreds for a chance to get a fancy looking land" types.
I guess they've sort of figured that people playing Magic to play Magic don't really give a shit about buying boosters, and quickly learn that you'd have to be an idiot to get your cards from boosters. So they're going all-in on the "I will spend hundreds for a chance to get a fancy looking land" types.
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