Flavor Fails

Legend
Aethernaut
Posts: 1639
Joined: 4 years ago
Pronoun: he / him
Location: Eternity

Post by Legend » 3 years ago

I've had a hard time sleeping ever since I noticed Sure-Footed Infiltrator is a MeRfoLK!? If I could relive my life, instead of going back and making every right decision, I'd just stop the Magic flavor department from making this card a MeRfoLK.

What Magic flavor fails keep you up at night wishing you'd lived a different life?
“Comboing in Commander is like dunking on a seven foot hoop.” – Dana Roach

“Making a deck that other people want to play against – that’s Commander.” – Gavin Duggan

"I want my brain to win games, not my cards." – Sheldon Menery

User avatar
The Fluff
Le fou, c'est moi
Posts: 2398
Joined: 4 years ago
Pronoun: Unlisted
Location: Gradius Home World
Contact:

Post by The Fluff » 3 years ago

I wonder.. at some point the design team wanted to have merfolk with legs.. was this trend started in Ixalan or much earlier?

__________

as for the thread question. Not sure if it counts as a flavor fail.. but mine would be versions of llanowar elves cards, that only has a single elf in the art.. for example, M10. There should be plenty of elves, because of the card name.
Image
AnimEVO 2020 - EFZ Tournament (english commentary) // Clearing 4 domain with Qiqi
want to play a uw control deck in modern, but don't have Jace or snapcaster? please come visit us at the Emeria thread

User avatar
Ginuqu
Posts: 327
Joined: 3 years ago
Pronoun: they / them

Post by Ginuqu » 3 years ago

the powers that be bringing in a new "Peasant" creature type for Eldraine, knowing that the word is chiefly applied as an insult, and then making Edgewall Innkeeper, a property owner, one of them. There's only five peasants in the game and two of them confuse the heck out of me, especially when I remember how they nixed Townsfolk for no real reason, replaced it with Citizen and then only used it for tokens
sorta mad at magic right now

User avatar
motleyslayer
Posts: 1127
Joined: 4 years ago
Pronoun: he / him
Contact:

Post by motleyslayer » 3 years ago

I always found it funny that creatures without any way of holding equipment such as Birds of Paradise could hold equipment

User avatar
5colorsrainbow
Posts: 576
Joined: 4 years ago
Answers: 1
Pronoun: he / him

Post by 5colorsrainbow » 3 years ago

The Fluff wrote:
3 years ago
I wonder.. at some point the design team wanted to have merfolk with legs.. was this trend started in Ixalan or much earlier?
Zendikar 1. They made the choice since more traditional merfolk are limited in the art and stories you can tell since they are bound to being in water. The legged merfolk lets them interact more with other beings. This also why for a time there (mirrodin 1 to Alara) they didn't appear and got replaced with vedalken and moonfolk as the main blue race (except for being "brought back" for lorwyn).
“There are no weak Jews. I am descended from those who wrestle angels and kill giants. We were chosen by God. You were chosen by a pathetic little man who can't seem to grow a full mustache"

Legend
Aethernaut
Posts: 1639
Joined: 4 years ago
Pronoun: he / him
Location: Eternity

Post by Legend » 3 years ago

Ginuqu wrote:
3 years ago
the powers that be bringing in a new "Peasant" creature type for Eldraine, knowing that the word is chiefly applied as an insult, and then making Edgewall Innkeeper, a property owner, one of them. There's only five peasants in the game and two of them confuse the heck out of me, especially when I remember how they nixed Townsfolk for no real reason, replaced it with Citizen and then only used it for tokens
Correct me if I'm wrong, but "peasant" seems to me to have long lost its negative connotations. If I'm also an American that thinks of "gypsy" as a neutral descriptor or even a compliment, not a slur. That being said, it's definitely a flavor fail for a property owner, especially that of an inn, to be a "peasant".
“Comboing in Commander is like dunking on a seven foot hoop.” – Dana Roach

“Making a deck that other people want to play against – that’s Commander.” – Gavin Duggan

"I want my brain to win games, not my cards." – Sheldon Menery

User avatar
Krishnath
Mechanical Dragon
Posts: 3565
Joined: 4 years ago
Pronoun: he / him
Location: A cave somewhere in Scandinavia

Post by Krishnath » 3 years ago

The Fluff wrote:
3 years ago
I wonder.. at some point the design team wanted to have merfolk with legs.. was this trend started in Ixalan or much earlier?

__________

as for the thread question. Not sure if it counts as a flavor fail.. but mine would be versions of llanowar elves cards, that only has a single elf in the art.. for example, M10. There should be plenty of elves, because of the card name.
It was started by the previous person in charge of MTG flavor way back when. He was the same guy that decided that there should be no real animals in MTG thus exiling the perfectly serviceable Grizzly Bears in favor of the exact same card but with a different name Runeclaw Bear. He also gave us the hump-backed Tundra Wolves. He didn't like that merfolk in MTG had fish tails, so he exiled them together with the Grizzlies, leading to WotC struggling for years with finding a replacement for them (first with Cephalids, and then with Vedalken. Vedalken stuck around, Cephalids not so much), completely ignoring the fact that they had already solved the merfolk/fishtail issue much earlier with the Sapprazzans of Mercadia, who are merfolk that can change their tails to legs. Eventually Merfolk made their triumphant return in Time Spiral and then Lorwyn/Shadowmoor.

Now we have both types though, depending on the world. Dominaria, Lorwyn/Shadowmoor, and Eldraine all have the fishtails, Zendikar and Ravnica have the legged versions. Mercadia has both. I like both when the legged versions at least look aquatic with fins and whatnot. But I agree that Sure-Footed Infiltrator doesn't look particularly merfolky. It looks like a blue elf.
Numquam evolutioni obstes. Solum conculceris.

Pascite draconem, evolvite aut morimini.

The Commander Legacy Project, Come say hello and give your thoughts.

Like to read? Love books and want to recommend one to your fellow forum users? Go here.

User avatar
5colorsrainbow
Posts: 576
Joined: 4 years ago
Answers: 1
Pronoun: he / him

Post by 5colorsrainbow » 3 years ago

Krishnath wrote:
3 years ago
The Fluff wrote:
3 years ago
I wonder.. at some point the design team wanted to have merfolk with legs.. was this trend started in Ixalan or much earlier?

__________

as for the thread question. Not sure if it counts as a flavor fail.. but mine would be versions of llanowar elves cards, that only has a single elf in the art.. for example, M10. There should be plenty of elves, because of the card name.
It was started by the previous person in charge of MTG flavor way back when. He was the same guy that decided that there should be no real animals in MTG thus exiling the perfectly serviceable Grizzly Bears in favor of the exact same card but with a different name Runeclaw Bear. He also gave us the hump-backed Tundra Wolves. He didn't like that merfolk in MTG had fish tails, so he exiled them together with the Grizzlies, leading to WotC struggling for years with finding a replacement for them (first with Cephalids, and then with Vedalken. Vedalken stuck around, Cephalids not so much), completely ignoring the fact that they had already solved the merfolk/fishtail issue much earlier with the Sapprazzans of Mercadia, who are merfolk that can change their tails to legs. Eventually Merfolk made their triumphant return in Time Spiral and then Lorwyn/Shadowmoor.

Now we have both types though, depending on the world. Dominaria, Lorwyn/Shadowmoor, and Eldraine all have the fishtails, Zendikar and Ravnica have the legged versions. Mercadia has both. I like both when the legged versions at least look aquatic with fins and whatnot. But I agree that Sure-Footed Infiltrator doesn't look particularly merfolky. It looks like a blue elf.
Eldraines has legs. You can see them on Moonlit Scavengers and in this concept art;
“There are no weak Jews. I am descended from those who wrestle angels and kill giants. We were chosen by God. You were chosen by a pathetic little man who can't seem to grow a full mustache"

User avatar
Krishnath
Mechanical Dragon
Posts: 3565
Joined: 4 years ago
Pronoun: he / him
Location: A cave somewhere in Scandinavia

Post by Krishnath » 3 years ago

5colorsrainbow wrote:
3 years ago
Eldraines has legs. You can see them on Moonlit Scavengers and in this concept art;
I honestly didn't notice, and I completely forgot about Moonlit Scavengers to be honest.
Numquam evolutioni obstes. Solum conculceris.

Pascite draconem, evolvite aut morimini.

The Commander Legacy Project, Come say hello and give your thoughts.

Like to read? Love books and want to recommend one to your fellow forum users? Go here.

User avatar
5colorsrainbow
Posts: 576
Joined: 4 years ago
Answers: 1
Pronoun: he / him

Post by 5colorsrainbow » 3 years ago

Krishnath wrote:
3 years ago
5colorsrainbow wrote:
3 years ago
Eldraines has legs. You can see them on Moonlit Scavengers and in this concept art;
I honestly didn't notice, and I completely forgot about Moonlit Scavengers to be honest.
It can be hard to miss lol
“There are no weak Jews. I am descended from those who wrestle angels and kill giants. We were chosen by God. You were chosen by a pathetic little man who can't seem to grow a full mustache"

User avatar
Krishnath
Mechanical Dragon
Posts: 3565
Joined: 4 years ago
Pronoun: he / him
Location: A cave somewhere in Scandinavia

Post by Krishnath » 3 years ago

5colorsrainbow wrote:
3 years ago
Krishnath wrote:
3 years ago
5colorsrainbow wrote:
3 years ago
Eldraines has legs. You can see them on Moonlit Scavengers and in this concept art;
I honestly didn't notice, and I completely forgot about Moonlit Scavengers to be honest.
It can be hard to miss lol
Still, I do like the legged merfolk, as long as they look aquatic. Like the ones from Ravnica and of course Kiora. But I also like the legless ones like the ones from Dominaria. And as I mentioned earlier, it's not like WotC didn't have a solution already if they'd just remembered it at the time, but then again, Mercadian Masques was pretty forgettable.
Numquam evolutioni obstes. Solum conculceris.

Pascite draconem, evolvite aut morimini.

The Commander Legacy Project, Come say hello and give your thoughts.

Like to read? Love books and want to recommend one to your fellow forum users? Go here.

Legend
Aethernaut
Posts: 1639
Joined: 4 years ago
Pronoun: he / him
Location: Eternity

Post by Legend » 3 years ago

Extremely Slow Zombie (Summer) has flavor text " Brrrrrrrrrr . . . " but Extremely Slow Zombie (Winter) has flavor text " . . . iiiiiiinnnn . . . ". I don't see how they could've missed this. I mean COME ON! How am I supposed to sleep ever again knowing this!?
“Comboing in Commander is like dunking on a seven foot hoop.” – Dana Roach

“Making a deck that other people want to play against – that’s Commander.” – Gavin Duggan

"I want my brain to win games, not my cards." – Sheldon Menery

User avatar
Krishnath
Mechanical Dragon
Posts: 3565
Joined: 4 years ago
Pronoun: he / him
Location: A cave somewhere in Scandinavia

Post by Krishnath » 3 years ago

Legend wrote:
3 years ago
Extremely Slow Zombie (Summer) has flavor text " Brrrrrrrrrr . . . " but Extremely Slow Zombie (Winter) has flavor text " . . . iiiiiiinnnn . . . ". I don't see how they could've missed this. I mean COME ON! How am I supposed to sleep ever again knowing this!?
You know, the more I think about it, the more clever I think it is and I now believe it was entirely intentional to do it that way. Basically, the Zombie is so slow, it takes two seasons for it to register that it is cold and respond to it.
Numquam evolutioni obstes. Solum conculceris.

Pascite draconem, evolvite aut morimini.

The Commander Legacy Project, Come say hello and give your thoughts.

Like to read? Love books and want to recommend one to your fellow forum users? Go here.

User avatar
The Fluff
Le fou, c'est moi
Posts: 2398
Joined: 4 years ago
Pronoun: Unlisted
Location: Gradius Home World
Contact:

Post by The Fluff » 3 years ago

@Krishnath

agreed on that. it took him that long to respond to the cold.

although I think a zombie feeling cold is actually the flavor fail.. he's dead, so should not be able to feel anything.
Image
AnimEVO 2020 - EFZ Tournament (english commentary) // Clearing 4 domain with Qiqi
want to play a uw control deck in modern, but don't have Jace or snapcaster? please come visit us at the Emeria thread

Legend
Aethernaut
Posts: 1639
Joined: 4 years ago
Pronoun: he / him
Location: Eternity

Post by Legend » 3 years ago

The Fluff wrote:
3 years ago
@Krishnath

agreed on that. it took him that long to respond to the cold.

although I think a zombie feeling cold is actually the flavor fail.. he's dead, so should not be able to feel anything.
Thanks for working this out y'all. I'll be off to bed now.
“Comboing in Commander is like dunking on a seven foot hoop.” – Dana Roach

“Making a deck that other people want to play against – that’s Commander.” – Gavin Duggan

"I want my brain to win games, not my cards." – Sheldon Menery

User avatar
Krishnath
Mechanical Dragon
Posts: 3565
Joined: 4 years ago
Pronoun: he / him
Location: A cave somewhere in Scandinavia

Post by Krishnath » 3 years ago

The Fluff wrote:
3 years ago
@Krishnath

agreed on that. it took him that long to respond to the cold.

although I think a zombie feeling cold is actually the flavor fail.. he's dead, so should not be able to feel anything.
Ah, but what if it is a virus zombie and not a necromantic one? Virus zombies are still technically alive.
Numquam evolutioni obstes. Solum conculceris.

Pascite draconem, evolvite aut morimini.

The Commander Legacy Project, Come say hello and give your thoughts.

Like to read? Love books and want to recommend one to your fellow forum users? Go here.

Legend
Aethernaut
Posts: 1639
Joined: 4 years ago
Pronoun: he / him
Location: Eternity

Post by Legend » 3 years ago

Krishnath wrote:
3 years ago
The Fluff wrote:
3 years ago
@Krishnath

agreed on that. it took him that long to respond to the cold.

although I think a zombie feeling cold is actually the flavor fail.. he's dead, so should not be able to feel anything.
Ah, but what if it is a virus zombie and not a necromantic one? Virus zombies are still technically alive.
Does Magic have zombies that aren't of a necromantic / magical origin?
“Comboing in Commander is like dunking on a seven foot hoop.” – Dana Roach

“Making a deck that other people want to play against – that’s Commander.” – Gavin Duggan

"I want my brain to win games, not my cards." – Sheldon Menery

User avatar
Krishnath
Mechanical Dragon
Posts: 3565
Joined: 4 years ago
Pronoun: he / him
Location: A cave somewhere in Scandinavia

Post by Krishnath » 3 years ago

Legend wrote:
3 years ago
Krishnath wrote:
3 years ago
The Fluff wrote:
3 years ago
@Krishnath

agreed on that. it took him that long to respond to the cold.

although I think a zombie feeling cold is actually the flavor fail.. he's dead, so should not be able to feel anything.
Ah, but what if it is a virus zombie and not a necromantic one? Virus zombies are still technically alive.
Does Magic have zombies that aren't of a necromantic / magical origin?
Well, we have Science zombies on Innistrad, and many planes have zombies that are animated by living plants/fungus. So, yes?

And besides, if MTG can have living vampires (Innistradi vampires, technically Crovax, and possibly the Zendikari vampires), then there is really no reason why technically living zombies shouldn't be possible.
Numquam evolutioni obstes. Solum conculceris.

Pascite draconem, evolvite aut morimini.

The Commander Legacy Project, Come say hello and give your thoughts.

Like to read? Love books and want to recommend one to your fellow forum users? Go here.

Legend
Aethernaut
Posts: 1639
Joined: 4 years ago
Pronoun: he / him
Location: Eternity

Post by Legend » 3 years ago

Krishnath wrote:
3 years ago
Well, we have Science zombies on Innistrad, and many planes have zombies that are animated by living plants/fungus.
Makes me wonder how many causes / sources / types of zombies there are in the known Magic multiverse.

TYPES OF ZOMBIES Did I miss any types? Did I miscategorize any?
Last edited by Legend 3 years ago, edited 2 times in total.
“Comboing in Commander is like dunking on a seven foot hoop.” – Dana Roach

“Making a deck that other people want to play against – that’s Commander.” – Gavin Duggan

"I want my brain to win games, not my cards." – Sheldon Menery

User avatar
Krishnath
Mechanical Dragon
Posts: 3565
Joined: 4 years ago
Pronoun: he / him
Location: A cave somewhere in Scandinavia

Post by Krishnath » 3 years ago

Legend wrote:
3 years ago
Did I miss any types? Did I miscategorize any?
The only type you've missed is the virus zombie, but I don't think MTG has any of those yet. I also don't think there are any Alchemical zombies in MTG, yet.
Numquam evolutioni obstes. Solum conculceris.

Pascite draconem, evolvite aut morimini.

The Commander Legacy Project, Come say hello and give your thoughts.

Like to read? Love books and want to recommend one to your fellow forum users? Go here.

User avatar
EonAon
Posts: 274
Joined: 3 years ago
Pronoun: he / him

Post by EonAon » 3 years ago

Generous Gift of all the flavor fails this is the worst, its not the functional reprint, its not the creature type, its a small thing that it should have been a WHITE elephant token. Its a old saying but the White Elephant Sale is basically what this card was referring to which can be applied to gifts that you dont want but cant get rid of.

Here is the first line of text from Wikipedia "A white elephant is a possession which its owner cannot dispose of and whose cost, particularly that of maintenance, is out of proportion to its usefulness. In modern usage, it is an object, building project, scheme, business venture, facility, etc., considered expensive but without use or value"

I mean they hit it for 98% of the flavor but that one little omission irks me.

NGW
Legacy/Commander
Posts: 33
Joined: 3 years ago
Pronoun: he / him
Location: SoCal

Post by NGW » 3 years ago

Sarulf, Realm Eater

Does not actually eat realms (destroy lands).

Legend
Aethernaut
Posts: 1639
Joined: 4 years ago
Pronoun: he / him
Location: Eternity

Post by Legend » 2 years ago

What is the biggest flavor fail from each set?
I think for Alpha/Beta/Unlimited, it has to be Dingus Egg. I mean, as far as I can tell, there's nothing about it that makes any sense. It's like they had a card design and a painting of an egg, put them together under duress, and called it a day.
“Comboing in Commander is like dunking on a seven foot hoop.” – Dana Roach

“Making a deck that other people want to play against – that’s Commander.” – Gavin Duggan

"I want my brain to win games, not my cards." – Sheldon Menery

Legend
Aethernaut
Posts: 1639
Joined: 4 years ago
Pronoun: he / him
Location: Eternity

Post by Legend » 2 years ago

“Comboing in Commander is like dunking on a seven foot hoop.” – Dana Roach

“Making a deck that other people want to play against – that’s Commander.” – Gavin Duggan

"I want my brain to win games, not my cards." – Sheldon Menery

User avatar
motleyslayer
Posts: 1127
Joined: 4 years ago
Pronoun: he / him
Contact:

Post by motleyslayer » 2 years ago

NGW wrote:
3 years ago
Sarulf, Realm Eater

Does not actually eat realms (destroy lands).
I've looked at that card several times and thought the exact same thing

Post Reply Previous topicNext topic

Return to “General Discussion”