Good Gamery

Category: mtg

  • Ah, Shit, I Still Have a Column

    Hello and welcome to a column I completely forgot to write. I have a great preview card, I think, if this is a preview week. This week, I will be checking with my editor to find out if this is a preview week.

    Right now, it is Friday at noon, and I always take a half day on Friday, and I just found out that this isn’t a preview week. Fuck, fuck, fuck. I usually have those fake conversations, right? Do you still like that? Readers always liked those, I think.

    Me: I forgot to write a column.

    Editor: Mark, come on. We talked about this.

    Me: I know, I know, I know. Look, can we just skip this week?

    Editor: It’s started to feel like this happens every week. Look, Mark, I have a job to do too, okay? Just give me something.

    Me: Can I still talk about how I always reference Roseanne?

    Editor: you haven’t made an actual Roseanne reference in nine years.

    Me: and you’re sure this isn’t a preview week.

    Editor: the Weekly Standard never treated me like this.

    Okay. The new set just came out, so I’m just writing columns about that until I start preview cards for the next set. Remember the Ixalan weeks? Oh my god, I thought those would never end.

    Here’s an image of a card.

    Here’s text after a card, which makes the article seem longer.

    A design story: first, I’m going to ask my editor if I already told this design story in my article about the card from the last time we printed it.
    It seems I did tell that story.

    As long-time readers of mine know, a favorite story of mine to tell, is this one, about this card.

    [Rephrasing of previous story TK]

    Many people ask, “Mark, you love the color pie. How is making mana in black and red’s color pie?”

    The answer is that long ago, we decided that black and red could produce mana, if that mana came from a land that produced black and red, and only one at a time, unless it produces more than one at a time.

    Some trivia about the card: it was originally from Dissension.

    Next week, we start preview weeks for the next Ravnica set.

    Until then, Ravnica is a plane of contrasts.

  • In which order should you read the lines of Guild Feud’s rules text?

    In which order should you read the lines of Guild Feud’s rules text?

    gf-full

    Even hardcore fans of Guild Feud know that jumping into the Feud can be intimidating for newcomers. With its richly rendered world and deep mythos, Guild Feud continues to attract new readers years after its initial release; but its style, which has been called “overwrought,” “needlessly convoluted,” and “like a bad Great Designer Search card,” means that many of these readers give up halfway through.

    Here’s how to power through the Feud like a pro—it’s the order I wish I read the lines of Guild Feud‘s rules text in.

    sec-1

    1. “At the beginning of your upkeep, target”

    There’s no getting around it: Guild Feud is an enchantment with an upkeep trigger. While it flouts a lot of the clichés of an upkeep trigger enchantment, it’s still important that you start at the beginning so that you’re introduced to this context and can fully appreciate the Feud’s sly innovations.

    sec-2

    8. “this way, those creature fight each other.”

    Woah, skipping to the end right away? The truth is, Guild Feud saves some of its absolute best action for the very end, and that means that many who attempt to read it in the traditional order never end up experiencing this awesome line. Spoil yourself! Plus, after reading this line you’ll no doubt be wondering, “How the hell did we end up here?”

    sec-3

    4. “among them onto the battlefield, then puts”

    5. “the rest into his or her graveyard. You do the”

    6. “same with the top three cards of your library.”

    Lines four through six form the narrative core of Guild Feud: they are what most people think of when they think of “Guild Feud.” It makes sense to read these three lines (which many consider as constituting a “mini trilogy” in their own right) in consecutive order.

    sec-4

    2. “opponent reveals the top three cards of his”

    3. “or her library, may put a creature card from”

    Lines two and three provide interesting backstory for the main narrative which unfolds in lines four through six, but they can be slow going unless you’re already committed to the Feud.

    sec-5

    7. “If two creatures are put onto the battlefield”

    As mentioned, the final act of Guild Feud features some of its most heart-pounding action. Unfortunately, the buildup to this final action is by any account uninspired. Save the seventh line for last: it’s only requisite reading for completionists.

  • Interview with the Winner of GDS3

    Over the last few weeks, not much information has been released about the Great Designer Search 3 contest, a competition hosted by Wizards of the Coast to find a new intern designer for Magic: The Gathering. In an announcement yesterday, Wizards of the Coast revealed that the search was over and a new designer was selected.

    In a surprising revelation, the winner was not one of the finalists. Instead, while the Great Designer Search finalists were visiting the Renton offices, a masked individual joined the contestants and submitted an entry as well. This individual did not enter with his real name, instead describing himself as the collective will of the Magic public.

    We reached out to Wizards of the Coast and were able to arrange an interview with the head judge of the Great Designer Search, Mark Rosewater, as well as the winner of the contest, who only gave the pseudonym Multani.

    Image
    “Multani,” Great Designer Search 3 Winner.

    Hello, thank you for being taking the time out of what must be busy days to have this interview.

    Mark: Hi.

    Multani: Hi.

    How were you able to compete in the contest, given that the eight finalists were already chosen?

    Multani: It was surprisingly simple. I already lived near Renton, so when I found out the finalists were coming to visit I went down to Wizards of the Coast’s offices. I brought a few of my old designs that never saw print with me, and while I wasn’t able to meet with Mark Rosewater, I was able to show the rest of the judges and they seemed interested.

    Mark: I heard about a ruggedly-handsome designer of mystery showing up when I was on break, and wasted no time in evaluating his card submissions. Without a doubt, I knew that they were what Magic needed and told the other judges that he would be entered into the finals. The designs resembled previous playtest cards that weren’t able to see the light of day, which told us that this designer had a lot of potential ahead. He also offered to make all the art for his cards, which was a plus.

    What did you do for the previous stages of the GDS? Were you required to go through those stages?

    Multani: When I arrived at Wizards of the Coast I was told that I wasn’t going to be able to join the contest, but Mark was able to convince the other judges that I should be given a chance to earn a spot. I was scheduled to take the multiple choice test after lunch with the other contestants, so I shared some stories with them and they talked about some of their ideas that could probably fit in Milk.

    Mark: The multiple choice test that most people took was not the first one I wrote. I had previously written an entire separate test, but the other judges said it was too difficult, so I had to redo the test from the beginning. Since there was already another test ready to go, Multani took that one instead.

    What was the hardest question in this version of the multiple choice test?

    Multani: Not many people know this, but to become a writer for Roseanne there is also a multiple choice test. I did well on that when I had the opportunity to take it in the past, so I figured I would be able to do well on this test also. Turns out I was right, none of the questions seemed hard, though I could imagine some others getting tripped up on the question about what Mark Rosewater had in his pocket, but I just guessed based on what mine had.

    Mark: I don’t think any of these questions ended up that difficult, and Multani was able to achieve a perfect score.

    And the essay portion?

    Multani: Why would I need to waste my time with the essays? Besides, I’ve written for years on Magic design, so it would be pointless to copy those answers over.

    Multani: It’s not like any of us bothered reading the other essays anyways.

    Do you have any concerns that letting someone who was never part of the contest win could damage faith in the way that the Great Designer Search was run?

    Mark: I just pulled into the office, so I think I’ll need to end this interview.

    Multani: Join me next week for stories about my first day.

    Until then, may you always find what you search for.

  • Signature Spellbook: Blood Moon


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    Outplay your opponent with this handsome collection of iconic cards.




    Call on the power of the moon and control the game with this collection of essential Mountains, now with a stunning new look.

    Each Signature Spellbook: Blood Moon will contain nine cards: eight cards and a foil version of one of those eight cards at random.

  • The Great Designer Search

  • The Zen of Flores

    Flores presents his student with a d20. “I want you to use this in your next game of Magic,” Flores says.

    The student asks, “What is it for?”

    Flores replies, “This is a misplay die. Every time you make a misplay, you must increase the number on the die.”

    The student asks, “Why does the misplay die start at 1?”

    Flores replies, “Because using this die is your first misplay.”

    A monk asks Mike Flores, “Does Jund have a beatdown nature?”

    Flores replies, “No.”

    The monk says, “Many decks with Goblin Guide, Lightning Bolt, and Thoughtseize are beatdown. Why not Jund?”

    Flores replies, “Jund does not run One with Nothing.”

    Flores, a deck master during the Dojo era (1995-2001), received a university professor who came to inquire about Card Advantage.

    Flores was drawing cards. He drew cards until his hand was full, and then kept on drawing.

    The professor watched the overflow until he no longer could restrain himself. “It is overfull. No more will go in!”

    “Like this hand,” Flores said, “you are full of your own opinions and speculations. How can I show you Card Advantage unless you first empty your hand?”

    A student asks Flores, “How can I learn to cast spells as well as you?”

    Flores responds, “Let us play a game of Magic, so that you may begin to learn.”

    The student selects a simple burn deck to play against his master. Every turn the student cast a direct damage spell against Flores. Meanwhile, every turn Flores draws a card, thinks for several moments, and then plays an Island and passes the turn.

    As the game goes on, the student becomes increasingly convinced that Flores will end the game with some miraculous flurry of spells. But on the last turn of the game, the student casts a Lightning Bolt for Flores’s final three points of life and, after thinking for a moment, Flores says that he has no response.

    The student is incensed. “What am I supposed to learn from a game where you did nothing but play Islands every turn,” he exclaims.

    Flores responds calmly, “Before you can learn to cast spells, you must learn to play lands.”

    One day Chapin came to Flores and asked, “What is true innovation?”

    “True innovation”, replied Flores, “is finding 74 cards and adding Gnarled Mass.”

    If you want to make your spells work for you, first you must work for your spells.

    Before you can win the game against your opponent, you have to win the game against yourself.

    “Know your opponent and yourself, and you will not be defeated in one hundred matches, except when you are mana screwed.” -Mike Flores

    “If I had more time, I would have written a shorter decklist.” -Mike Flores

    The student once asked Flores, “Why do we set our clocks forward in the spring only to set them back again in autumn?”

    Flores responded, “Daylight Saving Time is a virtual Time Walk.”

  • Brain//Storm

  • Flavor Text Quiz: Real or Fake? #1

    Magic’s flavor text is one of the most important parts of what makes a Magic card what it is. Besides helping to flesh out the fictional worlds of the Multiverse, flavor text can also bring characters to life in memorable ways, or allow the designers of the game to sneak in some humor and whimsy into their grimdark fantasy realms. Is your inner Vorthos ready to take a dip in the sweet sweet waters of Lake Flavor Text? Prepare yourself for the ultimate flavor text challenge: Are the flavor texts below real or fake? Scroll down to begin!

    ______________________________

    #1. Basic senses like sight and taste are reserved for those in power.

    #2. There’s more than one way to crack a skull.

    #3. “I’m in charge now!”

    #4. “I could promise you a quick death. But it would be a lie.”

    #5. “Once more into Devil’s Breach, soldiers. I want another devil tail for my collection.”

    #6. With Tezzeret judging, the Inventors’ Fair is anything but.

    #7. Go big and go home.

    #8. “Your creations are effective, Sheoldred, but we must unite the flesh, not merely flay it.”
    — Elesh Norn, Grand Cenobite

    #9. It has two paws and one maw.

    #10. “Show them. Show them how hot your fire can burn.”
    — Liliana Vess, to Chandra Nalaar

    #11. “Smarter than death? Let’s see you outsmart my mace, necromancer!”

    #12. There are two punishments in en-Kor culture, to be burned, or to be spurned. Every en-Kor has chosen to be burned without hesitation.

    #13. She’ll make you a deal you can’t refuse. And if you do refuse it, she’ll make you another deal. One you’ll wish you could refuse.

    #14. “You keep talking, but the only words I’m hearing are ‘go’ and ‘fast’.”

    #15. Bores ruin a party. Boars are party to ruin.

    #16. “I will join you so that you will not yet join me.”

    #17. It is the thing that goes bump in the night.

    #18. “When the world is running down, you make the best of what’s still around.”

    #19. Their language may be a cacophonous agglomeration of chittering snorts and mad barking, but the message they send is all too clear.

    #20. “Try this on for size!”

    ______________________________

    Answer key:

    #1. This one is REAL. It’s on Phyrexian Revoker, from the set New Phyrexia.
    #2. This one is FAKE.
    #3. This one is FAKE.
    #4. This one is FAKE.
    #5. This one is REAL. It’s on Thraben Valiant, from Avacyn Restored.
    #6. This one is FAKE.
    #7. This one is FAKE.
    #8. This one is REAL. It’s on Skinrender, from Scars of Mirrodin.
    #9. This one is FAKE.
    #10. This one is REAL. It’s on Diabolic Tutor, from Kaladesh.
    #11. This one is REAL. It’s on Ash Zealot, from Return to Ravnica.
    #12. This one is FAKE.
    #13. This one is FAKE.
    #14. This one is FAKE.
    #15. This one is REAL. It’s on Crashing Boars, from Exodus.
    #16. This one is REAL. It’s on Drogskol Shieldmate, from Eldritch Moon.
    #17. This one is REAL. It’s on Mindslicer, from Odyssey and Ninth Edition.
    #18. This one is FAKE.
    #19. This one is REAL. It’s on Heckling Fiends, from Dark Ascension and Conspiracy.
    #20. This one is FAKE.

    If you scored…

    16-20: You are the living embodiment of Vorthos! Or you work in the flavor text department. If you’re in the second group, hello!

    10-15: Your coin flipping worked to your benefit! I can think of one goblin it ain’t so lucky for.

    5-9: Your coin flipping worked out poorly! Are you the kind of goblin who’d lose their thumb in a wager, then come right back with “double or nothing”?

    0-4: You are fuel for the Magmaw! That’s not related to your performance on the quiz, it’s just a general fact.

  • Dominaria Doom Fest 2018

  • Announcing From the Vault: Obvobvobv

    Play Magic the Way it’s Meant to Be Played

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    Contents and Details

    • 16 Premium foil cards, including 0 with new art.
    • An exclusive Spindown™ life counter.
    • A collector’s guide, redeemable online at magiccards.info or scryfall.com.
    • Each card has been printed using a foil process unique to the From the Vault series. They have not been treated for warping.
    • From the Vault: Obvobvobv will be available world-wide in English only, and will have a nonexistent print run.
    • All cards are black bordered and tournament legal. This means that these cards are legal for use in any tournaments where the original printings are still legal. This should not be construed as advice, legal or otherwise, to actually play these cards in tournaments, or to play the game at all.

    Please use the hashtag #MTGV18 for discussing this product on Twitter!

    Credits

    Product Concept and Development: A couple of nameless interns that have already been fired
    Release Date: April 1, 2018
    Magic Online Release Date: April 20, 2018
    MSRP: $34.99 *Applies to U.S. Only