I could see Ravnica/Return to Ravnica working as a TV series. Intrigue, warring factions, deception, espionage, murder, monsters and maniacs make for great television.
Am I the only person who doesn't have a really strong opinion about which style of border is better?
Nope. I like the old cards just fine, but they look outdated now and the only appeal for me is nostalgia, to which I'm no slave like some people*. The new borders are cleaner and look nicer to the uninitiated.
*my brother still *****es and moans about the modern borders when I get him to play
The point isn't what's "weird." The point is what's relatable in the fantasy repertoire while still triggering some dopamine from newness. Kithkin are essentially hobbits; Vedalken are essentially blue aliens; Moggs are essentially goblins/orcs, etc. WotC staff have publicly stated that in their view only a fraction of potential American MTG players have enough exposure to the Japanese fantasy/mythology repertoire to get the right balance.
What fraction of American MtG players had exposure to blue alien sorcerers?
Kamigawa was reaaaaally heavy on Japanese culture. Lots of players didn't understand any of it. Yes, almost anybody could explain to you what a shuriken is, but I don't think someone could explain the words "Kodama", "Bunrei", or "Goryo" without looking in a book or the internet.
I don't buy that as a reason for the block being poorly received. Kithkin, Moggs, Vedalkens, etc are all weird. If MtG didn't have weird, unusual flavor it wouldn't be MtG.
Kamigawa was poorly received because it played badly. I don't think most people had an issue with the setting itself.
Very much this. Had the block focused more on playability and less on gimmicks it would have been more well received. But they were also gunshy on power level after Mirrodin, so it would almost be impossible for a new Kamigawa block to be as bad as the first.
If you're going to do something that's not common, have a reason better than "I felt like it". Gilt-Leaf Seer made sense in context, none of your cards care about the top of your library, so it feels random (in addition to being out of color)
Like I said, do whatever you want, just don't pretend I'm being unreasonable for critiquing these cards based on normal standards.
The same card makes use of that ability.
Some/one of your elves die/s, they get shuffled into your library.
Look at the top 3 cards of your library, put the elf you want on top.
Lorwyn and Kamigawa were poorly recieved blocks according to WotC market research as per MaRo
Polls on MTGS won't change that: people on here represent a very, very small minority of players.
From what I remember MaRo said Lorwyn wasn't considered "badass" enough while Kamigawa was too foreign for people alongside the "everything is legendary" annoyance.
You'll have to provide a source for that. Lorwyn/Shadowmoor booster boxes, complete sets and fat packs go for a higher premium than almost every other modern block.
The names were made with high fantasy in mind. Characters like The Mountain and Dog in A Song of Ice and Fire aren't actually those things. Matriarch's Canopy is not an actual canopy. It protects the elves from flying creatures. Get it? The Matriarch's Hand is called that because he performs physical tasks/violent acts at her will, sort of like "The Right Hand of God." Dedicated Scout is called that because of the combo of being a scout and having exalted. And so on and so forth.
I made the G mana such a focal point to emphasize mono-green.
No, I simply quickly realized that talking to you would be like talking to a wall. A wall that doesn't want to be commented on or criticized, but rather likely just wanted pats on the back.
And, look at that, I was right.
I already changed one of the cards based on feedback. Just because I don't value your feedback doesn't mean I don't want feedback. I'm looking at all of the cards with SecretInfiltrator's feedback in mind.
Full art lands ALWAYS work for me. Zendikar's lands, especially the forests, blew me away.
Yawgmoth is dead. When you die your spark goes too. And I would hate if they started bringing back dead characters.
Why do the new foils always start to curl like that?
Nope. I like the old cards just fine, but they look outdated now and the only appeal for me is nostalgia, to which I'm no slave like some people*. The new borders are cleaner and look nicer to the uninitiated.
*my brother still *****es and moans about the modern borders when I get him to play
What fraction of American MtG players had exposure to blue alien sorcerers?
I don't buy that as a reason for the block being poorly received. Kithkin, Moggs, Vedalkens, etc are all weird. If MtG didn't have weird, unusual flavor it wouldn't be MtG.
Very much this. Had the block focused more on playability and less on gimmicks it would have been more well received. But they were also gunshy on power level after Mirrodin, so it would almost be impossible for a new Kamigawa block to be as bad as the first.
The same card makes use of that ability.
Some/one of your elves die/s, they get shuffled into your library.
Look at the top 3 cards of your library, put the elf you want on top.
You'll have to provide a source for that. Lorwyn/Shadowmoor booster boxes, complete sets and fat packs go for a higher premium than almost every other modern block.
I made the G mana such a focal point to emphasize mono-green.
Oh Christ, seriously? It's not common for green so it must never be done*?
*except for those times when it has been done
I already changed one of the cards based on feedback. Just because I don't value your feedback doesn't mean I don't want feedback. I'm looking at all of the cards with SecretInfiltrator's feedback in mind.
MaRo has said, flat out, that it is a plane that's never been touched upon. It was never "confirmed" that Ravnica wasn't being revisited.
Lorwyn/Shadowmoor was poorly received? Since when?