Anyone else notice the extra cards? Normally there are only 249 rather than 269. I speculate that they may be there to allow for them to print both ally and enemy duals meaning no duals in Huie.
Extra lands is good speculation, IMO. That said, I wouldn't be surprised if we saw an even bigger change... Forsythe talked M15 up quite a bit. Who knows, maybe we'll even see a new card type. Either way, I'm already a lot more excited for this next year of magic than I was at this time last year.
DFCs feel like a strange fit for a core set. They're awfully complicated and require a lot of wordiness for a core set mechanic.
The Core Set is an introduction to newer players and they generally avoid overly-complicated mechanics. Somehow I doubt they're going to put DFC and checklist cards in the Core Set as the returning mechanic. That's a step above and beyond mechanics such as Scry, Bloodthirst or Slivers. Also, baseless speculation belongs in baseless speculation - a rendering of Garruk cursed does not trump general Core Set design philosophy.
I hope 5 or less of the 20 extra cards are lands. Also, I'd absolutely love the filterlands instead of taplands. They're basic enough for a core set and will ease the sting of shocks rotating out.
I hope some good stuff from previous M sets comes back. That legend cycle from M13 was actually kind of fun and they introduced the Legendary supertype to new players. Do I wish stuff like Baneslayer, Angelic Destiny, or the titans would be reprinted? Yes, but at the same time I'm more inclined to accept new cards because they create a new metagame and we all have to think for a few weeks.
Obviously they will be the Power 9 + 10 original dual lands + Chimney Imp, to go along with Vintage Masters. New anti-counterfeit technology will be added to protect the value of these cards.
On a serious note, adding extra mana fixing to a core set should never completely remove fixing lands from blocks. Block constructed is a supported format and it is often hungry for good mana. Take a look at the UW Heroic block deck for example. It's explosive enough to be an ok deck overall but the mana is like playing a limited deck with no duals.
That was pretty seriously cryptic on the "new things to the game" in M15...
Seems like the larger set size could be tied to that.
What could be new to the game in a core set? Rules changes tend to happen there (legendaries, damage on the stack)...new card type is something I'd like, but doesn't make sense in a set for new players (hard for them to learn something even the veteran players are confused on).
There's the "clash packs", too. Rares/mythics easier to tell apart...maybe they're changing the number of cards per pack?
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that's not what happened at all. kamahl stabbed phage, akroma, and some old lady and they became korona. then korona got stabbed by her "prophets" and kamahl got drunk with a mutant centaur
I don't see them using DFCs in a core set. There are logistical issues with DFCs and Maro said they would only use them if they really fit the block.
Maybe it has to do with the designer signature thing that is unique to M15. Each pack contains one extra card that was designed by someone outside R&D.
I'm actually pretty surprised by the increase as MaRo said the other day that the current set size was determined by print sheet size.
That's my bet as to what the change is.
All of that new tech being added to the cards is going to require a change in print processes and likely have to be run on new hardware. All of this likely changes the sheet size, and why waste production cycles by printing 20 blanks on each sheet?
I doubt that M15 will have double-faced cards, but the cards now being machine readable makes it a little more likely. Originally, double-faced cards were going to have matching single-faced versions in the pack with them, but because of the printing process, the two would only be packaged together about 90% off the time. So they went with the checklist cards instead. If the cards can be machine-read, this might fix that issue, so if M15 has DFC's (and I still don't think it will), it'd do away with the checklist cards.
I agree with full art land, it makes lots of sense, think about it! Long time ago, and they might need a good selling point for the set. (the new frame clearly isn't)
Considering I finally completed my playsets of Onslaught Fetches in 2013 and also bought playsets of Zendi Fetches a month ago, I can pretty much guarantee that the 20 extra cards means fetchland reprints.
Storm Crow is strictly worse than Seacoast Drake.
DFCs feel like a strange fit for a core set. They're awfully complicated and require a lot of wordiness for a core set mechanic.
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I hope some good stuff from previous M sets comes back. That legend cycle from M13 was actually kind of fun and they introduced the Legendary supertype to new players. Do I wish stuff like Baneslayer, Angelic Destiny, or the titans would be reprinted? Yes, but at the same time I'm more inclined to accept new cards because they create a new metagame and we all have to think for a few weeks.
On a serious note, adding extra mana fixing to a core set should never completely remove fixing lands from blocks. Block constructed is a supported format and it is often hungry for good mana. Take a look at the UW Heroic block deck for example. It's explosive enough to be an ok deck overall but the mana is like playing a limited deck with no duals.
Why not both? Brand new hybrid double faced cards.
Seems like the larger set size could be tied to that.
What could be new to the game in a core set? Rules changes tend to happen there (legendaries, damage on the stack)...new card type is something I'd like, but doesn't make sense in a set for new players (hard for them to learn something even the veteran players are confused on).
There's the "clash packs", too. Rares/mythics easier to tell apart...maybe they're changing the number of cards per pack?
Standard: lol no
Modern: BG/x, UR/x, Burn, Merfolk, Zoo, Storm
Legacy: Shardless BUG, Delver (BUG, RUG, Grixis), Landstill, Depths Combo, Merfolk
Vintage: Dark Times, BUG Fish, Merfolk
EDH: Teysa, Orzhov Scion / Krenko, Mob Boss / Stonebrow, Krosan Hero
Maybe it has to do with the designer signature thing that is unique to M15. Each pack contains one extra card that was designed by someone outside R&D.
Either that, or a bunch of uncommons...
That's my bet as to what the change is.
All of that new tech being added to the cards is going to require a change in print processes and likely have to be run on new hardware. All of this likely changes the sheet size, and why waste production cycles by printing 20 blanks on each sheet?
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RUGLegacy Lands.dec
RUGBLegacy Lands.dec
RGLegacy Lands.dec
WUBRG EDH Lands.dec
UBR EDH Artificer Prodigy
B EDH Relentless Rats
New card stuff (frame, holo-foil on all rares, etc) could have prompted a change in the print sheet, perhaps?
Confirmed? How and where?
Citation needed...
(Don't get me wrong, the numbers can fit @ 5x4, and it would be nice)
I agree with this theory.
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RJaya Ballard, Task Mage Mono Red Control Decklist
WNahiri, the Lithomancer Mono White Control Decklist
RGWUKynaios and Tiro of Meletis Aikido Control Decklist
UBGisa and Geralf Tribal Aggro Decklist
URGRiku of Two Reflections Non-combo coolstuff Decklist
RWUBruse Tarl, Boorish Herder and Kraum, Ludovic's Opus Equipments Decklist
WBAthreos, God of Passage Reanimate/Goodstuff Decklist
Considering I finally completed my playsets of Onslaught Fetches in 2013 and also bought playsets of Zendi Fetches a month ago, I can pretty much guarantee that the 20 extra cards means fetchland reprints.
At uncommon
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Vale: The Shadowlands
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