With War of the Spark focusing on planeswalkers and their dynamics, I'm wondering if they'll finally make something that interacts with emblems. Emblems, to me at least, are what make Planeswalkers busted because once emblems are out they're hard to deal with.
I'm not sure how this could be done but it would make sense with all the PWs that are going to be introduced to the game all at once.
I don't know how likely it is, Rosewater seems opposed, but it's clear that he doesn't have the kind of pull he likes to think. I would like to see it. it would be really handy and I think with the printing of Teferi it's probably time, that emblem is ridiculous.
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Maybe they just don't have many planeswalkers that make emblems in WAR? Emblem interaction would actually require substantive rules changes regarding how emblems function and even what they are. First of all, they're in the command zone, the for-real-guys-you-can't-mess-with-this zone, the sanctity of which Wizards definitely doesn't want to impinge. Secondly, emblems aren't actually objects within the games; they're supposed to be reminders about permanent rule changes. Look at the ultimate ability of the original Elspeth, Knight-Errant compared to a more recent printing. That is not functional errata.
Perhaps rather than direct emblem interactions, I could see some enchantments that act as a sort of overwhelming splendor for emblems your opponents control. Where the emblems lose all abilities while the enchantment is on the battlefield.
I could also see stuff like solemnity for emblems, where players can’t get emblems as long as it’s on the battlefield.
I think it would depend on how they are doing the 36 walkers and if a lot of them even make emblems.
But if we do see a lot of emblems I think a planeswalker with ability that could get rid of an emblem would be possible. That way it still a planeswlaker thing and IMO not as feel bad since most emblems are hard to get since you normally need to ultimate a walker.
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I hope not. You mostly have to work a bit to the ultimate you just don't start with sure. Sure Teferi is powerful, but others are to and many end the game much better as Chandra or Elspeth etc. I think it is not that trivial to get and it's fine for Control to get a wincon that way. If you just don't like it to take longer, you can always concede.
OG Elspeth originally said: "for the rest of the game" (and then errata-ed into an emblem) so I think it's impossible to do away with that type of implication on the game state. Stigma Lasher and Praetor's Counsel have the same wording, and it hasn't been addressed (probably because they're irrelevant outside of EDH.
I would be surprised if most of the walkers had emblems. I figured the most of the lower rarity walkers would function like modal enchantments. I.e. :
Generic walker
2 loyalty
-2: do a strong thing that is priced at cmc
-1: do a weaker thing that is slightly behind rate for the cmc, but you can do it twice if this stays in play.
They haven't explored two ability walkers really, and this is a good chance to do them with the selling point of them being young and less experimented mages who don't have the spell background of the more powerful enfranchised walkers we know.
It also opens up a bunch much of decision points for when players need to deploy threats to kill walkers or go face. Micro decisions like how to use a walker or interact with one on the other side of the table can lead to good games of magic imho.
Aside from 2 ability walkers you can also expand on cards directly interacting with walkers like settle the score. This is obviously seeded now that we know this sets gimmick and could be quite a potent card. Imagine a player now getting 2-3 uses out of the card above instead of 0-2. This allows wizards a lot of space to play in and dip their toes without throwing things too far out of whack.
Emblems aren't so much my concern as control decks weaving walker > efficient answer/sweeper > walker on subsequent turns where they start generating super strong incremental advantage that is really hard to interact with outside of haste.
Which brings me to my next point that I think riot is going to be strong in WAR standard because you can get the control decks while shields are down.
I think games will be virtually over long before the emblems start coming out simply due to the nature of things like walkers sitting in play uncontested long enough to generate advantage. A teferi sitting in play after a control player stabilizes is more or less game because it gives them SO many resources (extra cards, azcanta activations, mana - al three every turn). The game isn't winnable long before the emblem hits the command zone often times.
I think the higher rarity/mythic walker(s) will be more in line with our design expectations currently and won't change the format much.
OG Elspeth originally said: "for the rest of the game" (and then errata-ed into an emblem) so I think it's impossible to do away with that type of implication on the game state. Stigma Lasher and Praetor's Counsel have the same wording, and it hasn't been addressed (probably because they're irrelevant outside of EDH.
Yeah basically an Emblem is around to remind you and your opponent(s) you have an ability. Its for clarity. I suppose it matters less with Arena since the program can remember for you. Still adding interaction requires a rebalance.
Which is presumably why Karn gets around Emblems cause he restarts the game.
I don't know how likely it is, Rosewater seems opposed, but it's clear that he doesn't have the kind of pull he likes to think. I would like to see it. it would be really handy and I think with the printing of Teferi it's probably time, that emblem is ridiculous.
I kind of agree. I'm of the opinion that Rosewater needs to step aside on any pull whatsoever, assuming he has any pull at all. See his position on poison counters and the only direct counter for it. Magic is, in part, about having answers and figuring out if it's worth choosing those answers in your 75 cards.
It can be argued that directing damage to a Planeswalker is a viable answer, which it is. So is straight up removal and the like. But my beef with PW's isn't getting rid of them, it's getting rid of or neutralizing emblems when they hit. I find it absolutely bizarre that WotC pushes less, "feel bad," moments then they subvert that with one of the more difficult scenarios for some new players to deal with.
Printing a narrow direct answer to Emblems isn't going to kill Magic or mess the rules up too far. Everyone knows how willing WotC is to errata hundreds of direct damage spells for the sake of Planeswalkers when the original wording was correct the entire time.
Im not so sure lack of emblem interaction is the problem. I think the bigger issue is the power lvl of emblems in general. More often than not they just read "you win the game".
That said, I highly doubt we'll see anything that does interact with them. Its far too narrow of an answer in terms of card design. An increase in cards that can interact with planeswalkers should be sufficient. We have Spyglass. A wrath for walkers, Needle, a new Hexmage, or any number of "in color" answers would go a long way
I'm not sure how this could be done but it would make sense with all the PWs that are going to be introduced to the game all at once.
Thoughts?
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I could also see stuff like solemnity for emblems, where players can’t get emblems as long as it’s on the battlefield.
But if we do see a lot of emblems I think a planeswalker with ability that could get rid of an emblem would be possible. That way it still a planeswlaker thing and IMO not as feel bad since most emblems are hard to get since you normally need to ultimate a walker.
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Generic walker
2 loyalty
-2: do a strong thing that is priced at cmc
-1: do a weaker thing that is slightly behind rate for the cmc, but you can do it twice if this stays in play.
They haven't explored two ability walkers really, and this is a good chance to do them with the selling point of them being young and less experimented mages who don't have the spell background of the more powerful enfranchised walkers we know.
It also opens up a bunch much of decision points for when players need to deploy threats to kill walkers or go face. Micro decisions like how to use a walker or interact with one on the other side of the table can lead to good games of magic imho.
Aside from 2 ability walkers you can also expand on cards directly interacting with walkers like settle the score. This is obviously seeded now that we know this sets gimmick and could be quite a potent card. Imagine a player now getting 2-3 uses out of the card above instead of 0-2. This allows wizards a lot of space to play in and dip their toes without throwing things too far out of whack.
Emblems aren't so much my concern as control decks weaving walker > efficient answer/sweeper > walker on subsequent turns where they start generating super strong incremental advantage that is really hard to interact with outside of haste.
Which brings me to my next point that I think riot is going to be strong in WAR standard because you can get the control decks while shields are down.
I think games will be virtually over long before the emblems start coming out simply due to the nature of things like walkers sitting in play uncontested long enough to generate advantage. A teferi sitting in play after a control player stabilizes is more or less game because it gives them SO many resources (extra cards, azcanta activations, mana - al three every turn). The game isn't winnable long before the emblem hits the command zone often times.
I think the higher rarity/mythic walker(s) will be more in line with our design expectations currently and won't change the format much.
Yeah basically an Emblem is around to remind you and your opponent(s) you have an ability. Its for clarity. I suppose it matters less with Arena since the program can remember for you. Still adding interaction requires a rebalance.
Which is presumably why Karn gets around Emblems cause he restarts the game.
I kind of agree. I'm of the opinion that Rosewater needs to step aside on any pull whatsoever, assuming he has any pull at all. See his position on poison counters and the only direct counter for it. Magic is, in part, about having answers and figuring out if it's worth choosing those answers in your 75 cards.
It can be argued that directing damage to a Planeswalker is a viable answer, which it is. So is straight up removal and the like. But my beef with PW's isn't getting rid of them, it's getting rid of or neutralizing emblems when they hit. I find it absolutely bizarre that WotC pushes less, "feel bad," moments then they subvert that with one of the more difficult scenarios for some new players to deal with.
Printing a narrow direct answer to Emblems isn't going to kill Magic or mess the rules up too far. Everyone knows how willing WotC is to errata hundreds of direct damage spells for the sake of Planeswalkers when the original wording was correct the entire time.
That said, I highly doubt we'll see anything that does interact with them. Its far too narrow of an answer in terms of card design. An increase in cards that can interact with planeswalkers should be sufficient. We have Spyglass. A wrath for walkers, Needle, a new Hexmage, or any number of "in color" answers would go a long way
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