A question about Arlinn came up today on Blogatog, and Maro confirmed that there are no double-faced cards in WAR. I know there was a lot of speculation about there being some (like to represent the anti-Origin-DFC walker-to-creature or something) but this is definitely not the case.
Just thought I'd bring this up as we are less than a week till previews.
It would have been lore-breaking for Arlinn to get a DFC card here anyway since it was established that she can't switch her forms on other planes than Innistrad.
There went the popular theory here that WAR walkers flip to creatures or vice versa.
Good riddance, I say. Transform stuff is often more trouble than it's worth, especially in the case of planeswalkers. The idea that they are losing their power can simply be represented by taking loyalty counters from them, or stuff like The Immortal Sun which doesn't let them use their abilities. There's no need to add extra complexity that doesn't really reward anything.
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She was made of November rain
Pleasure and pain
Scorpion stings
Pretty things
and the flames of Phoenix wings
—Michelle Schaper
It would have been lore-breaking for Arlinn to get a DFC card here anyway since it was established that she can't switch her forms on other planes than Innistrad.
Well, that could easily be a limited perspective and eventually her story moves past this - or just finds another plane where her transformation works. But quite obviously that creative wrinkle was thrown in to allow them to print her as SFC and there is no surprise that WAR is a set where they fully use their prerogative to print her as SFC based on the story element.
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Planar Chaos was not a mistake neither was it random. You might want to look at it again.
[thread=239793][Game] Level Up - Creature[/thread]
I would have loved one more flip Bolas, from a flavor standpoint. Like, if you hit his ultimate, then he regains his full power / oldwalker spark and flips into "Nicol Bolas, Ruler of the Multiverse" or some such, with some stupid over the top effect that automatically wins you the game. Create a race among your opponents to stop him in time.
They're just chipping away at the expectations aren't they?
I guess it sort of makes sense. Most if not all of the planeswalkers in this set already have their sparks so there's no need to show some character igniting theirs at least in this present setting.
'buster
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'buster
HR Analyst. Gamer. Activist | Fearless, and forthright | Aggro-control is a mindset. Elspeth and Jhoira rock my world.
I'm not very surprised honestly and it's better to announce BEFORE previews so they don't get all the irritated players harping on them on social media when they actually do start spoilers.
The set has a lot of story to tell with a huge cast and only so many cards to do it on. While that may seem like a great place to put DFC, I think that it could disjoint the story telling as well. Especially if you have to jump through a bunch of hoops to pull it off. As cool as flip bolas is, how often do you get to see the art on the backside?
DFC also usually play into a sets theme. You have stuff like flicker effects, spell timing, etc that all play into the DFC rules in INN without being parasitic cards. While you could do the same here, there may not be that much mechanical space to support the theme. At that point you're just tacking it on cards.
The set has to handle mechanics for planeswalkers, the enternals, and ravnica. That's three distinct groupings out of the gate that all need an identity mechanically. The planeswaker saturation is already a marketing gimmick for the set, it doesn't need two. The rest of the set has to convey flavor and play well with the existing mechanics. None of the guild mechanics seem all that great with DFC. Think of how much +1/+1 counter support is sprinkled throughout the guilds and it's always relevant even without those mechanics. venerated loxadon or ajani, the riot mechanic, the adapt mechanic, some undergrowth cards like rhiziome lurcher - I expect the mechanics to play well like these where you can bleed into multiple color combos for strong mechanically cohesive wedges.
I would have loved one more flip Bolas, from a flavor standpoint. Like, if you hit his ultimate, then he regains his full power / oldwalker spark and flips into "Nicol Bolas, Ruler of the Multiverse" or some such, with some stupid over the top effect that automatically wins you the game. Create a race among your opponents to stop him in time.
Missed opportunity, I say.
that would fit better into an arch-enemy product, rather than a standard set.
Frankly, I liked the old Kamigawa flips better anyway. More often than not, DFCs just mean I need an extra of the card and if they're expensive or hard to get, that's just annoying.
Well no double faced cards takes away the idea that some of these walkers are creatures that flip/transform in some way. Even more intrigued to see how they'll make sufficient variation between them all if they all actually start as regular walkers.
Frankly, I liked the old Kamigawa flips better anyway. More often than not, DFCs just mean I need an extra of the card and if they're expensive or hard to get, that's just annoying.
That is why WotC prints Check List cards, that allow you to keep the real card off to the side and include the check list card in your deck.
Frankly, I liked the old Kamigawa flips better anyway. More often than not, DFCs just mean I need an extra of the card and if they're expensive or hard to get, that's just annoying.
This isn’t a legitimate argument any more and hasn’t been for a while. Card sleeves have been plentiful and cheap for years. DFC’s are better than flip cards by light years. The fact that you need something else to block out the non-active side of a flip is a terrible design flaw. Even if you don’t use sleeves for DFC’s they work just fine. No amount of transfroming DFC’s will ever lead to a confusing board state. Turing a flip card side ways doesn’t at all inform you of what state it’s in, while turning a DFC side way doesn’t confuse anyone on what state it’s in.
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WOut of the ground,I rise to grace...W BAfter the lights go out on you, after your worthless life is through. I will remember how you scream...B
They're just chipping away at the expectations aren't they?
I guess it sort of makes sense. Most if not all of the planeswalkers in this set already have their sparks so there's no need to show some character igniting theirs at least in this present setting.
'buster
Possibly the reverse?
Bolas: So engrossed have I been in reveling in my newfound might that I have been remiss in fulfilling the obligation accepted during my past life. *snap*
*transform all planeswalkers to their creature side*
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Card advantage is not the same thing as card draw. Something for 2B cannot be strictly worse than something for BBB or 3BB. If you're taking out Swords to Plowshares for Plummet, you're a fool. Stop doing these things!
Just thought I'd bring this up as we are less than a week till previews.
http://markrosewater.tumblr.com/post/183711281103/last-year-i-asked-if-we-could-see-werewolves-on-a
Good riddance, I say. Transform stuff is often more trouble than it's worth, especially in the case of planeswalkers. The idea that they are losing their power can simply be represented by taking loyalty counters from them, or stuff like The Immortal Sun which doesn't let them use their abilities. There's no need to add extra complexity that doesn't really reward anything.
Pleasure and pain
Scorpion stings
Pretty things
and the flames of Phoenix wings
—Michelle Schaper
Well, that could easily be a limited perspective and eventually her story moves past this - or just finds another plane where her transformation works. But quite obviously that creative wrinkle was thrown in to allow them to print her as SFC and there is no surprise that WAR is a set where they fully use their prerogative to print her as SFC based on the story element.
Finally a good white villain quote: "So, do I ever re-evaluate my life choices? Never, because I know what I'm doing is a righteous cause."
Factions: Sleeping
Remnants: Valheim
Legendary Journey: Heroes & Planeswalkers
Saga: Shards of Rabiah
Legends: The Elder Dragons
Read up on Red Flags & NWO
Missed opportunity, I say.
I guess it sort of makes sense. Most if not all of the planeswalkers in this set already have their sparks so there's no need to show some character igniting theirs at least in this present setting.
'buster
HR Analyst. Gamer. Activist | Fearless, and forthright | Aggro-control is a mindset.
Elspeth and Jhoira rock my world.
The set has a lot of story to tell with a huge cast and only so many cards to do it on. While that may seem like a great place to put DFC, I think that it could disjoint the story telling as well. Especially if you have to jump through a bunch of hoops to pull it off. As cool as flip bolas is, how often do you get to see the art on the backside?
DFC also usually play into a sets theme. You have stuff like flicker effects, spell timing, etc that all play into the DFC rules in INN without being parasitic cards. While you could do the same here, there may not be that much mechanical space to support the theme. At that point you're just tacking it on cards.
The set has to handle mechanics for planeswalkers, the enternals, and ravnica. That's three distinct groupings out of the gate that all need an identity mechanically. The planeswaker saturation is already a marketing gimmick for the set, it doesn't need two. The rest of the set has to convey flavor and play well with the existing mechanics. None of the guild mechanics seem all that great with DFC. Think of how much +1/+1 counter support is sprinkled throughout the guilds and it's always relevant even without those mechanics. venerated loxadon or ajani, the riot mechanic, the adapt mechanic, some undergrowth cards like rhiziome lurcher - I expect the mechanics to play well like these where you can bleed into multiple color combos for strong mechanically cohesive wedges.
Aww see now that would've been a cool idea
'buster
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That is why WotC prints Check List cards, that allow you to keep the real card off to the side and include the check list card in your deck.
This isn’t a legitimate argument any more and hasn’t been for a while. Card sleeves have been plentiful and cheap for years. DFC’s are better than flip cards by light years. The fact that you need something else to block out the non-active side of a flip is a terrible design flaw. Even if you don’t use sleeves for DFC’s they work just fine. No amount of transfroming DFC’s will ever lead to a confusing board state. Turing a flip card side ways doesn’t at all inform you of what state it’s in, while turning a DFC side way doesn’t confuse anyone on what state it’s in.
BAfter the lights go out on you, after your worthless life is through. I will remember how you scream...B
Possibly the reverse?
Bolas: So engrossed have I been in reveling in my newfound might that I have been remiss in fulfilling the obligation accepted during my past life. *snap*
*transform all planeswalkers to their creature side*
On phasing: