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@markrosewater

Hi Mark!

On the topic of Showcase Sets, I would love to see more in the future. To be honest, I think the showcase was the only part of the Thunder Junction lore that worked.

The only thing?

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@markrosewater

Hi Mark!

On the topic of Showcase Sets, I would love to see more in the future. To be honest, I think the showcase was the only part of the Thunder Junction lore that worked.

The only thing?

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With the tumblr's new functionality allowing me to comment from side blogs this blog will be seeing more use, tho probably mostly just as comments. It seems we still can't ask questions from side blogs so I'll still be asking from @spaismanspif. Here are some more asks that I've had answered:

For anyone who stumbles into this blog: it is currently on indefinite hiatus. My main blog is @lucidragon and i comment and ask Maro from @spaismanspif .

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I know they're a couple weeks old at this point, but I want to give some praise to the articles 2023 Rotation State of the Game by Chris Kiritz and State of Formats in MTG Arena by Jay Parker. I appreciate the move towards increasing communication and transparency w/ respect to the Arena team(s).

I’ll pass along the kind words.

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Why does Elusive Otter have prowess while Frolicking Familiar only triggers off instants and sorceries?

That’s Otter people’s problems. : )

Just variance.

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For anyone who stumbles into this blog: it is currently on indefinite hiatus. My main blog is @lucidragon and i comment and ask Maro from @spaismanspif .

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the Professor talks about the Walking Dead Secret Lair and it's implications

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I have to agree with the asker and most of the comments here. If the intent is to make 'Magic versions' of these cards, Ikoria technology should have been used.

I just want to express my opinion that this secret lair is a very very dangerous slope to go down. Have you guys not learned from Nalthni Dragon/Nexus of fate? Also these are essentially being printed directly to the reserved list since WOTC won’t own the licensing forever, which is something stated wouldn’t happen.

While the Secret Lair is the one chance to get the Walking Dead versions of these cards, we have the ability to print the Magic versions of these cards in future products. So, let’s say Negan becomes a popular Commander, we can print the Magic version (same card mechanically, but with a Magic name and art) in any number of future products. This is not a case of us being unable to make more of a popularly played card.

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very excited about this! just read the first article and it was ok, looking forward to what's to come.

Are we finally returning to online story articles?? That would be a major win for us vorthoses!!!

We are!

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I'm expecting great things from you concerning Blink of an eye!

Almost missed it

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Some Thoughts I’d Like To Share

This post is coming from me personally and not in my role as a spokesperson for Wizards of the Coast. There’s just a few things I‘d like to say. First up, I strongly believe black lives matter. I believe there is systemic racism towards black people in this country. I think it’s an important issue that needs light shed upon it, because we as a country (and really, as a world) need to change and be better. I’m stating this firmly and bluntly, because I don’t want anyone doubting where I stand or what I believe.

Second, I feel my fellow co-workers at Wizards of the Coast share my desire to be a part of this change. I’ve heard their passion about it in meetings, in online communication, and just when talking face-to-face around the building. I’ve watched as we’ve worked hard to incorporate diversity and representation, both in the game and at the company. That said, I’ll be the first to say we have room for improvement. We have a lot of work to do to get to the place we’d like to be, especially in employment. I believe we’re moving in the right direction, but we need to figure out how to move faster.

Third, I think we need to be better at communicating with all of you. I go to meetings where so much work is being done to improve things and then I turn to social media where I get yelled at for Wizards not doing anything. I would like us to be better at telling all of you what we’re up to. We have a good vision. It should be shared.

Fourth and finally, this has been a time of self-reflection. There’s three truths about myself I must come to terms with. One, I’m a white man that grew up in America in the 70’s and 80’s. I need to recognize that a lot of things I’ve internalized as normal and “just part of life” have ugly aspects tied to them. I need to self-educate to understand these biases so that I can remove them. Two, I sometimes miss larger context to the things I say or do. It’s on me to use whatever resources necessary to avoid doing this in the future. Three, I need to learn how to be a better advocate for black people (as well as other people of color and women). It’s not enough to just do no wrong. I need to listen and learn the things I can do to actively make things better. Not solving the problem is being part of the problem.

Thank you for reading this, and I hope I might inspire others to do some self-reflection.

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i want to second the asker here mark. what you said is correct but is not a recognition of the main thrust of the comment. we need reprint products that are not bogged down by collector prizes and the prices that accompany them.

I think the big issue for a lot of players is how wotc has merged the collectors product - where people are cool with higher prices for neat frames/foils/art - with the reprint products - where people want to get their hands on basic versions cards they need to just play the game for a reasonable price. If this is the reprint set but priced as a collectors product then it doesn't help people get cards they need to play formats they want to play. Battlebond was a great reprint set. This isn't.

Battlebond was the innovation product. This year that is Commander Legends and it is coming out later in the year.

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I am in agreement with this perspective. I don’t mind a little bit, but I don’t want it to become a pattern. (I’m also fine with it in supplemental sets, I suppose, but I’d prefer no branding in Magic).

Wanted to write a more considered piece, but word limits, so: cross-promotion of the Godzilla/IKO sort doesn't belong in Magic. Increasingly sophisticated marketing invades our movies, our music, our books, even - w/ social media - our conversations. Must it also pierce into the planes of our imaginary worlds and steal a piece of what makes Magic *magic*? I hope this perspective is at least considered within the hallowed walls of my favorite coastal sorcerers.

How do others feel?

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I think innovation is more important than absolute balance, but I don't think innovation should undermine one of the core parts of Magic (color pie, TCG, etc). I think Companions decrease variance to a degree and in such a way that damages the game. I don't have a problem with the creation of Companion, I just think it should be used carefully, and mistakes should be recognized when they're made.

Even though I heavily dislike companions (not enough to hate them, but still) I am glad you weren't afraid to go for it when designing the mechanic.

On Twitter I did a poll about what players preferred when innovation and balance clashed. Would you rather we push into new spaces but have balance issues more often, or stick to more well known areas and have the game be more balanced at all times.

Thoughts?

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if i had to choose, i'd say yes, but really i think only the super powerful ones (lurrus for sure, yorion, keruga, maybe obosh and gyruda) should be banned from the formats they dominate. i think this because they make games feel samey, within matches and match to match. as others have said, it also feels like you should be playing them: that you should find a way to twist your deck to fit one, or just play 20 more cards and call it a day.

i love playing commander and brawl, but that's opt-in, and singleton. companion feels like commanders have been forced upon standard, historic, and pioneer (if not modern etc), and guess what, there are only five to ten commanders to play with and/or play against.

Never stop innovating! I love Companion as a concept. I think its power level wound up too high (mostly be companion restrictions being looser than they appear) but I think as a mechanic it's a good one. More like Kaheera and Umori and less like Lurrus and Obosh could be good in the future. They just need more playtesting.

This leads to an interesting question - would you erase companions from existence? Yes or no, and please say why.