Great episode as always. I would love to see some more exploratory design from you, and I'll definitely give Hostile Takeover a try. As a sidenote, I'd love to see you discuss (or at least mention) the RNN machine-made magic cards thread which got quite popular lately
About what it means to be a returning set, the comparison between Scars and RTR I think is quite important. Scars represents a block that lent more towards new ideas rather than old, whereas RTR was the opposite (and it suffered from it).
Innistrad still has werewolves, the wolfir were a select population of werewolves that sought Avacyn's blessing.
I agree with landfall, allies and eldrazi being a thing, and traps, totem armour and level-up being likely excludes. I do think, however, that defenders might be quite good as it fits beautifully into the epic battle theme and helps keep the format slow enough for Eldrazi to be playable.
Interlacing more aggro zendikar vs slow ramp eldrazi is absolutely what I would do as well. The duel deck for this year also confirms that there is a clear eldrazi vs zendikar theme and almost certainty not any other factions. Using faction watermarks would fit as well.
-
I approve of one or two more of these, and definitely many into the future in the same style, exploring a block idea and discussing macro-level design concepts.
These Emrakuls all share the same problem. They try to do cool stuff to differentiate themselves from the original, but that's not what they should do. The original Emrakul doesn't do cool stuff. It kills people. Period. You cast it and you win the game. If you can't figure out a way to say "You win the game" in a way that's sufficiently different from the original Emrakul, and I don't think there is a way, the mana cost should be lower so that it can fill a new role.
I still hold that opinion.
I would be surprised if they print another "you win the game immediately" Emrakul in BFZ. Maybe they can pull it off and I'll eat my words, but it wouldn't surprise me if we see a lower CMC Emrakul that's aimed at a different crowd. Maybe they'll release a story where Emrakul is weakened by Ugin's/Sorin's/Nahiri's magic and thus explaining the drop in power.
I also disagree that the numbers feel weird. Or rather, I agree that they feel weird because that's exactly what they should feel like. Artisan of Kozilek is a 10/9 for 9 because it doesn't care that 9/9 for 9 is more aesthetically pleasing. Emrakul is the only Eldrazi where the mana cost and P/T match up (and I think Emrakul would have been cooler as a 13/13).
But despite that, this Emrakul certainly isn't my best design, and it's currently waiting to get an overhaul. It's definitely a problem that it doesn't feel like it's devouring any worlds, and it's not good enough to appeal to Spikes which it is supposed to. To make it feel more like an Emrakul, the temporal anomalies that it creates should be represented on the card somehow. I believe that's a far better way to improve on the "Emrakul-ness" than increasing its cost to match the original.
Hmm... Might be fun to do a design challenge for listeners to make mechanics for BFZ. After we pick the winner(s), the next challenge could be to make cards for the chosen mechanic... Interesting thoughts.
EDIT - Interesting points Apoq. If Emrakul has indeed been weakened by the story, that could justify a weaker card. However, assuming it was just a new version of the existing creature, I don't think this Emrakul feels like Emrakul and its size is a major factor there. You could argue that Krosan Cloudscraper would be better able to differentiate itself and more playable as a smaller version, but that sort of misses the point of Krosan Cloudscraper.
Hmm... Might be fun to do a design challenge for listeners to make mechanics for BFZ. After we pick the winner(s), the next challenge could be to make cards for the chosen mechanic... Interesting thoughts.
As soon as I read what card the critique a card was about, I thought you were critiquing my own card from a past MCC, and I got pretty scared because I don't think that's a well designed card (and I'm saying it myself). I invented the name there myself for that card, as you can see in the MCC linked thread, so I guess the designer of this card saw mine and took the name from there. So I assume I can take the congratulations for the name.
As for BFZ, I think that if they don't bring back landfall they're crazy. Landfall, Eldrazi, and Allies would be more than enough for the world to feel like Zendikar in my opinion. I think all the rest can go away for new things. I don't see annihilator returning, maybe a similar mechanic for the Eldrazi but I'm far from sure the Eldrazi will have a defining mechanic this time (other than being huge colorless nonartifact creatures).
MCC - Winner (6): Oct 2014, Apr Nov 2017, Jan 2018, Apr Jun 2019 || Host (15): Dec 2014, Apr Jul Aug Dec 2015, Mar Jul Aug Oct 2016, Feb Jul 2017, Jun Nov 2018, Feb Jul 2019 (last one here) || Judge (34): every month from Nov 2014 to Nov 2016 except Oct 2015, every month from Feb to Jul 2017 except Apr 2017, then Oct 2017, May Jun Nov 2018, Feb Jul 2019 (last one here) CCL - Winner (3): Jul 2016 (tied with Flatline), May 2017, Jul 2019 (last one here) || Host (5): Feb 2015, Mar Apr May Jun 2016 DCC - Winner (1): Mar 2015 (tied with Piar) || Host (3): May Oct 2015, Jan 2016
• The two public custom sets I've been part a part of the design team for: "Brotherhood of Ormos" - Blog post with all info - set thread - design skeleton / card list || "Extinctia: Homo Evanuit" - Blog post with all info - set thread - card list spreadsheet
• "The Lion's Lair", my article series about MTG and custom card design in particular. Latest article here. Here is the article index.Rather outdated by now, and based on the old MCC rubric, but I'm leaving this here for anybody that might be interested anyway.
• My only public attempt at being a writer: the story of my Leonin custom planeswalker Jeff Lionheart. (I have a very big one that I'm working on right now but that's private for now, and I don't know if I will ever actually publish it, and I also have ideas for multiple future ones, including one where I'm going to reprise Jeff.)
Personally I'm more interested in hearing about development efforts such as the playtesting/editing process of Dreamscape, but exploratory design is also a crucial (and fun) early step towards creating a set/game. Depending on how far the "If remaking magic did BFZ" goes, like you suggest going as far as making cards with chosen mechanics, I'd love to experience that.
I invented the name there myself for that card, as you can see in the MCC linked thread, so I guess the designer of this card saw mine and took the name from there. So I assume I can take the congratulations for the name.
Personally I'm more interested in hearing about development efforts such as the playtesting/editing process of Dreamscape, but exploratory design is also a crucial (and fun) early step towards creating a set/game. Depending on how far the "If remaking magic did BFZ" goes, like you suggest going as far as making cards with chosen mechanics, I'd love to experience that.
I have another playtest tonight so we will definitely be touching on that in future episodes. I also do more detailed changelogs on the Dreamscape main thread.
I invented the name there myself for that card, as you can see in the MCC linked thread, so I guess the designer of this card saw mine and took the name from there. So I assume I can take the congratulations for the name.
That is not the case.
Well, then it's a case of parallel design! No problem anyway!
Private Mod Note
():
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
MCC - Winner (6): Oct 2014, Apr Nov 2017, Jan 2018, Apr Jun 2019 || Host (15): Dec 2014, Apr Jul Aug Dec 2015, Mar Jul Aug Oct 2016, Feb Jul 2017, Jun Nov 2018, Feb Jul 2019 (last one here) || Judge (34): every month from Nov 2014 to Nov 2016 except Oct 2015, every month from Feb to Jul 2017 except Apr 2017, then Oct 2017, May Jun Nov 2018, Feb Jul 2019 (last one here) CCL - Winner (3): Jul 2016 (tied with Flatline), May 2017, Jul 2019 (last one here) || Host (5): Feb 2015, Mar Apr May Jun 2016 DCC - Winner (1): Mar 2015 (tied with Piar) || Host (3): May Oct 2015, Jan 2016
• The two public custom sets I've been part a part of the design team for: "Brotherhood of Ormos" - Blog post with all info - set thread - design skeleton / card list || "Extinctia: Homo Evanuit" - Blog post with all info - set thread - card list spreadsheet
• "The Lion's Lair", my article series about MTG and custom card design in particular. Latest article here. Here is the article index.Rather outdated by now, and based on the old MCC rubric, but I'm leaving this here for anybody that might be interested anyway.
• My only public attempt at being a writer: the story of my Leonin custom planeswalker Jeff Lionheart. (I have a very big one that I'm working on right now but that's private for now, and I don't know if I will ever actually publish it, and I also have ideas for multiple future ones, including one where I'm going to reprise Jeff.)
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In this episode:
Card Renders:
Hostile Takeover Details and Download
Contact details:
Reuben Covington
Twitter: @reubencovington
Email: reubencovington@gmail.com
MTGsalvation Account: Doombringer
Dan Felder
Email: minimallyexceptional@gmail.com
MTGsalvation Account: Stairc
Are you designing commons? Check out my primer on NWO.
Interested in making a custom set? Check out my Set skeleton and archetype primer.
I also write articles about getting started with custom card creation.
Go and PLAYTEST your designs, you will learn more in a single playtests than a dozen discussions.
My custom sets:
Dreamscape
Coins of Mercalis [COMPLETE]
Exodus of Zendikar - ON HOLD
You can find them HERE
Are you designing commons? Check out my primer on NWO.
Interested in making a custom set? Check out my Set skeleton and archetype primer.
I also write articles about getting started with custom card creation.
Go and PLAYTEST your designs, you will learn more in a single playtests than a dozen discussions.
My custom sets:
Dreamscape
Coins of Mercalis [COMPLETE]
Exodus of Zendikar - ON HOLD
About what it means to be a returning set, the comparison between Scars and RTR I think is quite important. Scars represents a block that lent more towards new ideas rather than old, whereas RTR was the opposite (and it suffered from it).
Innistrad still has werewolves, the wolfir were a select population of werewolves that sought Avacyn's blessing.
I agree with landfall, allies and eldrazi being a thing, and traps, totem armour and level-up being likely excludes. I do think, however, that defenders might be quite good as it fits beautifully into the epic battle theme and helps keep the format slow enough for Eldrazi to be playable.
Interlacing more aggro zendikar vs slow ramp eldrazi is absolutely what I would do as well. The duel deck for this year also confirms that there is a clear eldrazi vs zendikar theme and almost certainty not any other factions. Using faction watermarks would fit as well.
-
I approve of one or two more of these, and definitely many into the future in the same style, exploring a block idea and discussing macro-level design concepts.
RUNIN: Norse mythology set (awaiting further playtesting)
FATE of ALARA: Multicolour factions (currently on hiatus)
Contibutor to the Pyrulea community set
I'm here to tell you that all your set mechanics are bad
#Defundthepolice
Reuben, a long while back I commented on your Emrakul designs and I said:
I still hold that opinion.
I would be surprised if they print another "you win the game immediately" Emrakul in BFZ. Maybe they can pull it off and I'll eat my words, but it wouldn't surprise me if we see a lower CMC Emrakul that's aimed at a different crowd. Maybe they'll release a story where Emrakul is weakened by Ugin's/Sorin's/Nahiri's magic and thus explaining the drop in power.
I also disagree that the numbers feel weird. Or rather, I agree that they feel weird because that's exactly what they should feel like. Artisan of Kozilek is a 10/9 for 9 because it doesn't care that 9/9 for 9 is more aesthetically pleasing. Emrakul is the only Eldrazi where the mana cost and P/T match up (and I think Emrakul would have been cooler as a 13/13).
But despite that, this Emrakul certainly isn't my best design, and it's currently waiting to get an overhaul. It's definitely a problem that it doesn't feel like it's devouring any worlds, and it's not good enough to appeal to Spikes which it is supposed to. To make it feel more like an Emrakul, the temporal anomalies that it creates should be represented on the card somehow. I believe that's a far better way to improve on the "Emrakul-ness" than increasing its cost to match the original.
Completed sets:
Iamur — The Underwater Set
Overworld — Pirates vs. Octopuses
Esparand — The Sands of Time
Unfinished Sets:
Siege of Ravnica — Eldrazi in Ravnica
Shandalar — The Mana Set
Iamur Reimagined — Iamur v2
You can find more creative projects on my page Antaresdesigns!
Hmm... Might be fun to do a design challenge for listeners to make mechanics for BFZ. After we pick the winner(s), the next challenge could be to make cards for the chosen mechanic... Interesting thoughts.
EDIT - Interesting points Apoq. If Emrakul has indeed been weakened by the story, that could justify a weaker card. However, assuming it was just a new version of the existing creature, I don't think this Emrakul feels like Emrakul and its size is a major factor there. You could argue that Krosan Cloudscraper would be better able to differentiate itself and more playable as a smaller version, but that sort of misses the point of Krosan Cloudscraper.
Remaking Magic - A Podcast for those that love MTG and Game Design
The Dungeon Master's Guide - A Podcast for those that love RPGs and Game Design
Sig-Heroes of the Plane
YES.
DO.
IT.
NOW.
RUNIN: Norse mythology set (awaiting further playtesting)
FATE of ALARA: Multicolour factions (currently on hiatus)
Contibutor to the Pyrulea community set
I'm here to tell you that all your set mechanics are bad
#Defundthepolice
As for BFZ, I think that if they don't bring back landfall they're crazy. Landfall, Eldrazi, and Allies would be more than enough for the world to feel like Zendikar in my opinion. I think all the rest can go away for new things. I don't see annihilator returning, maybe a similar mechanic for the Eldrazi but I'm far from sure the Eldrazi will have a defining mechanic this time (other than being huge colorless nonartifact creatures).
MCC - Winner (6): Oct 2014, Apr Nov 2017, Jan 2018, Apr Jun 2019 || Host (15): Dec 2014, Apr Jul Aug Dec 2015, Mar Jul Aug Oct 2016, Feb Jul 2017, Jun Nov 2018, Feb Jul 2019 (last one here) || Judge (34): every month from Nov 2014 to Nov 2016 except Oct 2015, every month from Feb to Jul 2017 except Apr 2017, then Oct 2017, May Jun Nov 2018, Feb Jul 2019 (last one here)
CCL - Winner (3): Jul 2016 (tied with Flatline), May 2017, Jul 2019 (last one here) || Host (5): Feb 2015, Mar Apr May Jun 2016
DCC - Winner (1): Mar 2015 (tied with Piar) || Host (3): May Oct 2015, Jan 2016
• The two public custom sets I've been part a part of the design team for:
"Brotherhood of Ormos" - Blog post with all info - set thread - design skeleton / card list || "Extinctia: Homo Evanuit" - Blog post with all info - set thread - card list spreadsheet
• "The Lion's Lair", my article series about MTG and custom card design in particular. Latest article here. Here is the article index. Rather outdated by now, and based on the old MCC rubric, but I'm leaving this here for anybody that might be interested anyway.
• My only public attempt at being a writer: the story of my Leonin custom planeswalker Jeff Lionheart. (I have a very big one that I'm working on right now but that's private for now, and I don't know if I will ever actually publish it, and I also have ideas for multiple future ones, including one where I'm going to reprise Jeff.)
That is not the case.
Completed sets:
Iamur — The Underwater Set
Overworld — Pirates vs. Octopuses
Esparand — The Sands of Time
Unfinished Sets:
Siege of Ravnica — Eldrazi in Ravnica
Shandalar — The Mana Set
Iamur Reimagined — Iamur v2
You can find more creative projects on my page Antaresdesigns!
I have another playtest tonight so we will definitely be touching on that in future episodes. I also do more detailed changelogs on the Dreamscape main thread.
Are you designing commons? Check out my primer on NWO.
Interested in making a custom set? Check out my Set skeleton and archetype primer.
I also write articles about getting started with custom card creation.
Go and PLAYTEST your designs, you will learn more in a single playtests than a dozen discussions.
My custom sets:
Dreamscape
Coins of Mercalis [COMPLETE]
Exodus of Zendikar - ON HOLD
Well, then it's a case of parallel design! No problem anyway!
MCC - Winner (6): Oct 2014, Apr Nov 2017, Jan 2018, Apr Jun 2019 || Host (15): Dec 2014, Apr Jul Aug Dec 2015, Mar Jul Aug Oct 2016, Feb Jul 2017, Jun Nov 2018, Feb Jul 2019 (last one here) || Judge (34): every month from Nov 2014 to Nov 2016 except Oct 2015, every month from Feb to Jul 2017 except Apr 2017, then Oct 2017, May Jun Nov 2018, Feb Jul 2019 (last one here)
CCL - Winner (3): Jul 2016 (tied with Flatline), May 2017, Jul 2019 (last one here) || Host (5): Feb 2015, Mar Apr May Jun 2016
DCC - Winner (1): Mar 2015 (tied with Piar) || Host (3): May Oct 2015, Jan 2016
• The two public custom sets I've been part a part of the design team for:
"Brotherhood of Ormos" - Blog post with all info - set thread - design skeleton / card list || "Extinctia: Homo Evanuit" - Blog post with all info - set thread - card list spreadsheet
• "The Lion's Lair", my article series about MTG and custom card design in particular. Latest article here. Here is the article index. Rather outdated by now, and based on the old MCC rubric, but I'm leaving this here for anybody that might be interested anyway.
• My only public attempt at being a writer: the story of my Leonin custom planeswalker Jeff Lionheart. (I have a very big one that I'm working on right now but that's private for now, and I don't know if I will ever actually publish it, and I also have ideas for multiple future ones, including one where I'm going to reprise Jeff.)