Carpet of Flowers looks amazing, should be a reprint in some other set than this.
Classic recipe of at least 1 card thats appealing to EDH/Commander people and hope it sells for that reason alone.
What they thought of the old-school template is beyond me ... its such a terrible idea, as somebody WILL play these in a tournament or casually and they are a confusing mess, if somebody wants to read them.
Thats exactly the kind of design you want to AVOID at all cost, as its bad for the game overall.
Umm we have promos that literally have no text to them and a whole subset of cards that are only in Japanese I think they’re fine. If there’s questions a judge or your cellphone will work. Besides I really like the art for them.
I think WotC is gearing up to transition from 4 standard set releases per year to 6. This occurred to me when I was thinking about why they shifted the release dates of the upcoming Innistrad sets. This would result in a new rotation model, and here's how I think it'll work:
1. Standard sets will release every two months rather than every three.
2. As a result, rotation will happen every 8 months rather than every 12. This is to maintain the size of the standard card pool (5-8 sets at all times). This means that rotations would happen in September, then May, then January, then September again, and repeat.
Here are the reasons I believe they're doing this. Note that I'm not saying this is why they SHOULD transition to this model, only why I think they WOULD. This is a prediction, not a wish.
1. More products = More $. WotC is a business, and has demonstrated that they are willing to ignore player frustration if what they're doing makes them more money. Increasing from 4 set releases to 6 would pressure standard players to buy new cards more often.
2. Faster rotations is an answer to player frustration. I know this contradicts my last statement, but hear me out. WotC is undoubtedly aware that players are frustrated with standard stagnating because of sets like Throne of Eldraine. Players want to start playing the next standard last month, not next month. WotC's two options to combat this are to either try to design standard sets more carefully, which they've been trying to do with very mixed results; or to decrease the amount of time sets like this remain in standard. Faster rotation allows them a safety net in case they fail on the first option. Again, WotC has demonstrated that they're willing to ignore this kind of frustration in the past, but as I explained in my first reason above, 6 sets a year can potentially make them more money, so their interests and player interests happen to align.
3. This could succeed where the 2 block paradigm failed. The first change in standard rotation caused a lot of player frustration because their cards were suddenly in standard for 6 fewer months, meaning that they got a lot less out of their investment. Oddly enough, a 6-set year is both a little better and a little worse than that, because a given standard set would remain in standard for up to 16 months rather than 18 (even shorter than with the 2 block paradigm), yet rotations would happen every 8 months rather than every 6 (less frequent than the 2 block paradigm). This means that individual cards would, in fact, rotate out quicker, but the standard format as a whole would be a bit more static. I have no idea whether that would increase or reduce frustration on this point, but it at least accomplishes one of the goals that the 2 block paradigm tried to accomplish in an arguably better way: making standard less stagnant by making the format harder to solve. There are also a number of notable differences between the metagame and the state of MTG as a whole between 2016 and now. SaffronOlive wrote a pretty in-depth article detailing these differences (take a look), but it essentially comes down to the difference in the average cost of a standard deck and how that's affected by Project Booster Fun and the presence of MTG Arena. Tl;dr: Players are in a much better position to be able to accept faster rotations now than in 2016.
There are, of course, potential issues with this model. For example, players are already getting worn out with the increasing number of product releases in a single year, and adding two extra standard sets into the mix would not help on that front unless WotC reduces the number of supplemental product releases to compensate, which I'm skeptical of them doing. Still, even on that front, MTG has a lot of different player bases, and we've already seen frustration with the speed of standard rotation that seems to contradict the product exhaustion. I think it's entirely possible that the standard player base will be much more willing to forgive the increased frequency of set releases in exchange for a more exciting format. I think that the MTG playerbase as a whole is in a sort of transition period between a state where most players can comfortably buy a bit of every product and a state where players' interests are more focused and segregated between the different kinds of products. Basically, I have a feeling that product overload fatigue is eventually going to wear off as players get more used to the increased number of products per year, whereas frustration toward stagnating formats is the kind of thing that only ever gets worse.
There's also the question of how this will effect the development of these sets. Right now, standard sets average between 2 and 3 worlds per year, plus a core set. Upping the number of sets from 4 to 6 complicates that a bit. They can still maintain that average of 2 to 3 worlds per year by staying on more worlds for multiple sets in a row (like Innistrad), and even adding a second core set per year or something like that. Still, this is more about speculating what kind of sets we'll see under this model rather than the pros and cons of the model itself.
I personally would be interested in trying a model like this. What do yall think?
I think that the two Innistrad sets together is a special thing. It might sound silly but the fact that they’re doing two horror sets during the Halloween season makes me very happy. I think the problem with quicker rotation is you are basing it off of your gut reaction to eldraine. Not every set is going to be as strong. I love saffron olive but I think his viewpoint is skewed in the fact that he’s a content creator. I won’t have a problem if this does happen because I mostly play commander in paper and janky historic decks on arena, but from what I’ve seen standard is in a fragile place right now. It could also create more power swing issues. Hypothetically let’s say standard is not firing as well as they’d like in order to drive sells they would need to print cards that are powerful in eternal formats to compensate which to an extent they already are. When they tried quicker rotation during khans block fans were very unhappy. I think the real solution is they just have to find a balance in power. Too much power and people will want the sets to be gone like poor eldraine, too little power and people will focus more on older formats.
I don’t know I have a feeling human tribal is going to be less militant than it has been in past sets. Between the leaked commander and join the dance they seem to be more celebratory more tribally lol if that makes sense. I have a theory that gravestorm is going to be introduced in this set and I think it’ll be focused in blue black. Plumb the forbidden in strixhaven was basically a gravestorm card not 100% but still pretty close. I think it would be a way of marrying magecraft and the sacrifice shenanigans from witherbloom. It could be dangerous but I think it would be a fun space to explore.
I do agree that there will be a shift in the way humans behave, but I also think they have to tie in the old humans of innistrad with the new ones, meaning there will likely be some holdouts of humans that are still militant and strong against the other forces of darkness.
I can see it especially in the commander precon as only like six are new cards if I remember right.
I don’t know I have a feeling human tribal is going to be less militant than it has been in past sets. Between the leaked commander and join the dance they seem to be more celebratory more tribally lol if that makes sense. I have a theory that gravestorm is going to be introduced in this set and I think it’ll be focused in blue black. Plumb the forbidden in strixhaven was basically a gravestorm card not 100% but still pretty close. I think it would be a way of marrying magecraft and the sacrifice shenanigans from witherbloom. It could be dangerous but I think it would be a fun space to explore.
I might be late to the party but I think the return of quests from og zendikar and experience counters would be awesome. I don’t know how it’d work but I think a mechanic that works a little bit like mutate but is class specific would be cool like instead of the non human restriction it would be only able to attach to a creature of the same class. I can see it be a tribal theme but it would be like building your character if that makes sense.
I'm gonna guess Will and Rowan will be a MDFC which is nifty since each of their cards so far will show the "twin planeswalkers" flavor in a different way.
Thatd be pretty cool. I have a suspicion though that as far as colleges go they’re going to be in separate ones. I see Rowan being more Lorehold and will more Quandrix.
I like the choices of color combinations you’ve chosen creedmor. I think it would allow a diverse azorius and izzet could have wizards. Rakdos and golgari could have warlocks. And golgari and selesnya could be shaman.
I don’t know my only thing is it seems really like a giant miss to have a werewolf themed set and not have Arlin. Both wrenn and Arlin share the same color identity so it just seems weird that they wouldn’t feature her.
Why would Konami - the makers of Yugioh - partner with Wizards of the Coast?
Partner with them? Do you understand how IP licensing works?
If you owned an IP and a competitor asked you about using it you do realize the ball is in your control right?
Konami gets to set the price they have to pay, what the can use and how long they can use it for. Sure WotC can haggle but they don’t have leverage to get a deal that favors them.
Seriously WotC had to pay Toho to use Godzilla and could only use them for Ikoria since Toho gave them a time frame they were allowed to use them for.
Toho didn’t lose any money from Ikoria. WotC sure lost sales because Ikoria released during the lock down of the Corona Pandemic.
Konami would lose nothing and only gain profits. Profits from a top competitor in the TCG/CCG market.
Just a small quibble but while Ikoria came out during the worse part of the pandemic I think it sold fine. The targets in my area were constantly sold out and my lgs from what I can tell is still running strong (they sell comics and other fun stuff as well).
So on topic I’m more suspicious of these just for the simple fact that I don’t think Innistrad needs a gimmick to sell it. They could have easily reskinned Zendikar with D&D but instead they are giving both sets there own time to shine. Also from my limited experience with castlevania I remember some werewolves but the main event is the vampires. Innistrad from the sounds of it is going to be two sets with werewolves and vampires being the face of them. If all of the awesome cards are attached to vampires it would diminish the popularity and sales of the opposite set.
Time will tell how effective these modular cards will be. Like mentioned above, if they go too far with them, they could break formats like companion did, so I appreciate the caution.
Is it possible we have a mirror of what happened post-mirrodin? After the power level of Eldraine, Theros 2.0 and some other sets last year, is Wizard's dialing it back to Kamigawa levels of card power?
I appreciate the ebb and flow of the game. I just hope MDFC's don't become a regular feature and turn the game into something else like pokemon. I have always hated DFC's and still don't play with any. I hope I can keep it that way.
So I'm really perplexed at what you mean by turning the game into pokemon. There are no double-faced cards in pokemon... And there are not very many comparisons mechanically between the two games as they have a very different engine from each other. Your statement comes off like football players worrying that the game is going to turn into basketball. The only benefit of a doubt I can glean from this is that most competitive pokemon decks I've seen use very little energy cards and utilize filtering effects to attach their energy which to an effect these modal lands cards I guess do something similar.
I was pretty sure that partner had to be involved I don’t know how else they could have even had a commander draft set without it. I’m happy for it’s return as well. I know some people may think the baron is a little janky but I think the life gain Part can have some interesting applications. If you have Vito out you could possibly create some interesting situations where you can take out the table pretty quickly. I also think you can team him up with Reihan for some aristocratic goodness.
Starting with a formatting note, you'll want the activated ability and the commander rule together so they'll be in the same "slot" of the planeswalker like how Rowan Kenrith is formatted. That's the only example of a planeswalker with 3 loyalty abilities and 2 non-loyalty texts.
You should switch the +1 and -1 abilities. Having the fight generate food means you are constantly able to feed his sacrifice ability for extra activations, which is about the strongest thing a planeswalker can do, so adding loyalty as well will quickly get out of hand.
The second ability just needs to be rephrased: Target creature and Oko and His Dog each become a 3/3 green Elk Creatures until the beginning of your next turn.
The third ability is very weak except in a dedicated Food deck where its ridiculously strong. If they don't have a planeswalker, its kind of a dud, so I'd make it grab any permanent.
Lastly, for commanders they try to design them so you cannot easily kill and recast the planeswalker by ultimating it after plussing a bunch. If you make the plus ability a +2 and the minus a -2, and start his loyalty at 2 or 4, you'll solve this.
I agree with your suggestions I'm just not sure where the can be your commander should be placed. Every can be your commander has it at the bottom, but all of the planeswalkers since War of the Spark that have a non loyalty ability have it at the top. Do you think the extra mode with the ultimate would make it fun to go ham with food in commander?
Umm we have promos that literally have no text to them and a whole subset of cards that are only in Japanese I think they’re fine. If there’s questions a judge or your cellphone will work. Besides I really like the art for them.
I think that the two Innistrad sets together is a special thing. It might sound silly but the fact that they’re doing two horror sets during the Halloween season makes me very happy. I think the problem with quicker rotation is you are basing it off of your gut reaction to eldraine. Not every set is going to be as strong. I love saffron olive but I think his viewpoint is skewed in the fact that he’s a content creator. I won’t have a problem if this does happen because I mostly play commander in paper and janky historic decks on arena, but from what I’ve seen standard is in a fragile place right now. It could also create more power swing issues. Hypothetically let’s say standard is not firing as well as they’d like in order to drive sells they would need to print cards that are powerful in eternal formats to compensate which to an extent they already are. When they tried quicker rotation during khans block fans were very unhappy. I think the real solution is they just have to find a balance in power. Too much power and people will want the sets to be gone like poor eldraine, too little power and people will focus more on older formats.
I can see it especially in the commander precon as only like six are new cards if I remember right.
Thatd be pretty cool. I have a suspicion though that as far as colleges go they’re going to be in separate ones. I see Rowan being more Lorehold and will more Quandrix.
edit: I guess they are all enemy based lol
Just a small quibble but while Ikoria came out during the worse part of the pandemic I think it sold fine. The targets in my area were constantly sold out and my lgs from what I can tell is still running strong (they sell comics and other fun stuff as well).
So on topic I’m more suspicious of these just for the simple fact that I don’t think Innistrad needs a gimmick to sell it. They could have easily reskinned Zendikar with D&D but instead they are giving both sets there own time to shine. Also from my limited experience with castlevania I remember some werewolves but the main event is the vampires. Innistrad from the sounds of it is going to be two sets with werewolves and vampires being the face of them. If all of the awesome cards are attached to vampires it would diminish the popularity and sales of the opposite set.
So I'm really perplexed at what you mean by turning the game into pokemon. There are no double-faced cards in pokemon... And there are not very many comparisons mechanically between the two games as they have a very different engine from each other. Your statement comes off like football players worrying that the game is going to turn into basketball. The only benefit of a doubt I can glean from this is that most competitive pokemon decks I've seen use very little energy cards and utilize filtering effects to attach their energy which to an effect these modal lands cards I guess do something similar.
I agree with your suggestions I'm just not sure where the can be your commander should be placed. Every can be your commander has it at the bottom, but all of the planeswalkers since War of the Spark that have a non loyalty ability have it at the top. Do you think the extra mode with the ultimate would make it fun to go ham with food in commander?