2021 is going to be awesome. [spoilers, of course] (Updated with additional info)

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Post by Krishnath » 3 years ago

Link

Just finished watching the announcement stream, and on the end of it, we got the rundown of what is coming next.

Here's the lowdown:

First, we're finally going to Kaldheim, as a Scandinavian this feels me with unfathomable joy.

Then we are basically getting Harry Potter the MTG set with Strixhaven.

Then the crossover we've all been waiting for in the form of a black border, standard legal D&D based set.

After that, we are getting not one, but two innistrad sets. One with a focus on Werewolves and one on Vampires. Yes, two full sized Innistrad sets in a row.

In addition we are getting two "special" sets. First we are getting a remaster of Time Spiral, in card form, with "timeshifted" old border cards in the first half of the year. Then in the second half we are getting something just as awesome if not more so in the form of Modern Horizons 2, featuring the enemy fetches!

Next year is going to be epic.

---

Edit:

Maro confirms that there will be *No* core set next year, instead the D&D set will take its spot.
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Post by Pouncing Kavu » 3 years ago

There's definitely some exciting stuff here. But I have a few concerns:

1. Time Spiral is my favorite set of all time, so I'm pretty excited. That said, it's really weird to me to see Chalice of the Void in old border, since it was never an old-border card. Now I know, the pool of old-border cards never expands, so I guess that's just how it has to be. But it still feels wrong, I wish they came up with a redesigned old border or something.

2. Not a fan of the D&D set. I'm sure it will be fine, but I'm getting increasingly worried that Magic is becoming just a platform, like Lego has become, that different franchises buy into. I know D&D and Magic have a long history, so I guess in this case it's understandable, but again, it feels wrong. Still not as bad as all the Godzilla stuff, though. And that Walking Dead token, too... not a good sign.

3. Wait, so how does this 2 Innistrad set thing work? We already have the first 3 expansions of 2021, are these like 2 mini sets?

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Post by Krishnath » 3 years ago

Pouncing Kavu wrote:
3 years ago
There's definitely some exciting stuff here. But I have a few concerns:

1. Time Spiral is my favorite set of all time, so I'm pretty excited. That said, it's really weird to me to see Chalice of the Void in old border, since it was never an old-border card. Now I know, the pool of old-border cards never expands, so I guess that's just how it has to be. But it still feels wrong, I wish they came up with a redesigned old border or something.

2. Not a fan of the D&D set. I'm sure it will be fine, but I'm getting increasingly worried that Magic is becoming just a platform, like Lego has become, that different franchises buy into. I know D&D and Magic have a long history, so I guess in this case it's understandable, but again, it feels wrong. Still not as bad as all the Godzilla stuff, though. And that Walking Dead token, too... not a good sign.

3. Wait, so how does this 2 Innistrad set thing work? We already have the first 3 expansions of 2021, are these like 2 mini sets?
1. They specifically said it was "New" cards in the old border, because people had been asking for it.

2. The D&D set is something people have been asking for for over 20 years (pretty much since WotC bought out the floundering TSR), and given the success of the MTG setting books for D&D, I wasn't really surprised. I do wonder if we are getting a new creature type for the aberrations like the Illithid, the Aboleth, and the (inconic) Beholder, or if they will be using the nightmare/horror types. (Also, as an aside, all three of them would be considered eldritch horrors, the Illithid originate from the far future, the Aboleth from a previously existing universe, and the Beholder is from the Far Realm, a place beyond the multiverse where the laws of physics doesn't work, and where up is down, inside and outside simultaneously.)

3. No, they are two full sized sets coming back to back. The exact names were not given, but they are referred to as Innistrad Werewolves and Innistrad Vampires respectively (the names aren't finalized so we were given the working names.) They'll be a return to Innistrad "classic", before the abomination that was Eldritch Moon. Also, the latter of the two will be featuring a Vampire Wedding, so that is going to be interesting. I just hope we finally get a proper tribal werewolf commander, like we have been asking for since literally the first Innistrad set.
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Post by RxPhantom » 3 years ago

I'm a bit ambivalent about all of this. Kaldheim definitely seems cool, but Harry Potter world doesn't exactly inspire hope. D&D set is fine I guess. I don't play D&D so this isn't some dream come true. Lastly, Innistrad. *sigh* If our last trip to Ravnica proves anything, it's that going back to a world a third time (especially in a such a short amount of time) just isn't very exciting. And that sucks because I really loved the original block.
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Post by Melriken » 3 years ago

Everyone keeps calling Strixhaven 'Harry Potter World' and while I expect that to be part of it, Strixhaven is a college not a highschool so it is going to be magicians, The Order, Winterhold, or Scholomance as much or more.

Even if it is Harry Potter World... it would be Magic's take on Harry Potter which would be better... in the same way that Ikoria is Magic's take on Pokemon (despite the promotion, Ikoria is much more Pokemon then Godzilla... it really isn't Godzilla at all).

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Post by CommanderMaster999 » 3 years ago

Melriken wrote:
3 years ago
Everyone keeps calling Strixhaven 'Harry Potter World' and while I expect that to be part of it, Strixhaven is a college not a highschool so it is going to be magicians, The Order, Winterhold, or Scholomance as much or more.

Even if it is Harry Potter World... it would be Magic's take on Harry Potter which would be better... in the same way that Ikoria is Magic's take on Pokemon (despite the promotion, Ikoria is much more Pokemon then Godzilla... it really isn't Godzilla at all).
yep i agree with that and maro did kindof admits that he kindof gave the wrong impression of what type of world ikoria was he was aware due to the name it was mistaken as eldrazi sized creatures

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Post by 5colorsrainbow » 3 years ago

Thinking stuff through:

I do think we might see minor tribal stuff related to party in future sets. As i will talk about below I think party might be more important in regard to standard

Kaldheim
Not a huge Norse buff (nor Egyptian) so don't know much but eager to learn. For themes, snow seems clear though I do wonder if it being put in modern horizons was a hint to this set or showing it can't be done in standard legal set. I also think due to party we are gonna see vikings in the form of warrior tribal that will get some set up support with party.

Also congrats on Kaldeim being the second plane chase set be canonized and the first to make through the marketing process to be featured for a standard set.

Flavor: Fantasy races I'm guess with will be Dwarfs, Giants and/or Trolls, Elves, zombies (Draugr) and gods (as Norse is in the big three of western known mythologies with Greek and Egyptian, it the last top down world I think gods would be more excepted than not). We had an Ixalan story with Angrath showing Huatli a preview of the the plane so not sure if that was just a hint at it (as they would have known by then we would be coming here and could have worked into the story for that reads) or also a hint at Angrath and/or Huatli showing up on the plane. Garruk could also fit very well here too and maybe its his home plane (which might mean the core set was a preview to this).

Strixhaven
While I do think the magical school sub-genre is more than just Harry Potter I do think this set will use similar tropes as thats what people are familiar with. I don't the trope and flavor of magic school is also enough to be the sole basis for the set and think it will be bottom up mechanical focused set like Kaldesh. Again I think party will do some set up with us seeing a lot of wizards in the set so a minor tribal theme.

Flavor: I will bet money this is Kasmina home plane (or if she was Jace her Ravnica) as she is a "mentor/teacher to wizards". If the school knows and studies the multiverse I would also explain how Kasmina came to the War of the Spark ready and knowing she would have a fight. Tamiyo also seems like the one who would likely show up here.

DND set
Mixed here I think its a neat idea but not sure if it should be a standard legal set. That said as it is a core set and a lot of DnD magic tropes are/have become generic fantasty seems like it would fit.

I think we will still see cycle of 5 planeswalkers, just won't have them visiting DnD worlds.

Innistrad
A Innistrad set? Yassss. A Innistrad set with a focus on my favorite tribal werewolves YASSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS. I'm over the moon ;) about this set and I will likely need to buy more shelves XD. Guessing wolf mom Arlinn will show up and long with mr grumpy Sorin.
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Post by Krishnath » 3 years ago

Strixhaven will without a doubt have Kasmina as a returning planeswalker. There are five schools of magic in the college, so we'll have to see if they are monofocused, dual color, or tricolor.

As for the innistrad sets, I would be surprised if Arlinn (a.k.a. the Wolfmother) wouldn't show up in the "werewolf" set, and Sorin in the "Vampire" set.
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Post by Mapccu » 3 years ago

The Harry Potter franchise is obviously the gorilla in the room for Strixhaven to reference but there are plenty of other examples. The college of winterhold from Skyrim could be another place they could build off of for resonance. There are a ton of college/boarding school tropes that can folded in. Clubs (enchantments or tribal), exams, tuition (using gold tokens for example), rivalries (removal or interaction spells), etc. I think the source material is deeper than we expect as this setting in the real world has become a significant part of our life cycle.

While I would have loved a more expansive tolarian flesh out for a deeper Dominaria lore, making it a separate plane makes sense.

Wizard tribal is probably going to be in full force though. I'd look to any wizard specific rares from zen to be major monetary gains next year.

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Post by Guardman » 3 years ago

So I have it at 50/50 that for Strixhaven they will give the set Harry Potter cards in the same way Ikoria got Godzilla.

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Post by Krishnath » 3 years ago

Guardman wrote:
3 years ago
So I have it at 50/50 that for Strixhaven they will give the set Harry Potter cards in the same way Ikoria got Godzilla.
Considering the recent statements by the author over the last couple of months, doubtful. Not impossible, just doubtful.
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Post by Guardman » 3 years ago

Krishnath wrote:
3 years ago
Guardman wrote:
3 years ago
So I have it at 50/50 that for Strixhaven they will give the set Harry Potter cards in the same way Ikoria got Godzilla.
Considering the recent statements by the author over the last couple of months, doubtful. Not impossible, just doubtful.
True, but Harry Potter is sort of weird. I have a ton of family members and friends (and my sister's friends) that are all die hard Harry Potter fans, and they have all separated JK from Harry Potter. And from what I tell from what I see online a lot have sort of done the same thing. I'm not saying that every one has, but it seems like most have. Given that I wouldn't be surprised if they ignore her and focus solely on the property, but the fact she did say stuff is why I am only giving it a 50% chance rather than 75%+.

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Post by Krishnath » 3 years ago

Guardman wrote:
3 years ago
Krishnath wrote:
3 years ago
Guardman wrote:
3 years ago
So I have it at 50/50 that for Strixhaven they will give the set Harry Potter cards in the same way Ikoria got Godzilla.
Considering the recent statements by the author over the last couple of months, doubtful. Not impossible, just doubtful.
True, but Harry Potter is sort of weird. I have a ton of family members and friends (and my sister's friends) that are all die hard Harry Potter fans, and they have all separated JK from Harry Potter. And from what I tell from what I see online a lot have sort of done the same thing. I'm not saying that every one has, but it seems like most have. Given that I wouldn't be surprised if they ignore her and focus solely on the property, but the fact she did say stuff is why I am only giving it a 50% chance rather than 75%+.
I've always said it is a good idea to separate the work from the author, and the Harry Potter books are quite well written, but WotC are trying to put forth an image of inclusion and equality, and are taking steps to distance themselves from those artists and writers who support the opposite of that, which, unfortunately, includes the author of Harry Potter. She is also notoriously stringy when it comes to who or what are allowed to use her works, and those that do, often end up having to pay through the nose for it. Remember all those Harry Potter Lego sets several years back? Yeah, Lego took a loss on every set sold because she wanted so much in return for the license. I doubt WotC would be willing to pay what she is asking. It's a lot more likely they'd use another property, with an author not mired in controversy and that is a lot cheaper to license.
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Post by Guardman » 3 years ago

Krishnath wrote:
3 years ago
Guardman wrote:
3 years ago
Krishnath wrote:
3 years ago


Considering the recent statements by the author over the last couple of months, doubtful. Not impossible, just doubtful.
True, but Harry Potter is sort of weird. I have a ton of family members and friends (and my sister's friends) that are all die hard Harry Potter fans, and they have all separated JK from Harry Potter. And from what I tell from what I see online a lot have sort of done the same thing. I'm not saying that every one has, but it seems like most have. Given that I wouldn't be surprised if they ignore her and focus solely on the property, but the fact she did say stuff is why I am only giving it a 50% chance rather than 75%+.
I've always said it is a good idea to separate the work from the author, and the Harry Potter books are quite well written, but WotC are trying to put forth an image of inclusion and equality, and are taking steps to distance themselves from those artists and writers who support the opposite of that, which, unfortunately, includes the author of Harry Potter. She is also notoriously stringy when it comes to who or what are allowed to use her works, and those that do, often end up having to pay through the nose for it. Remember all those Harry Potter Lego sets several years back? Yeah, Lego took a loss on every set sold because she wanted so much in return for the license. I doubt WotC would be willing to pay what she is asking. It's a lot more likely they'd use another property, with an author not mired in controversy and that is a lot cheaper to license.
Ah good point about the licensing fee. I forgot how unreasonable she is on the licensing fee. It's a shame really, because it would be a great way to get new people into the game. I know my sister and her friends (and more than a few of my cousins) would probably at least look into trying out magic if there were Harry Potter cards.

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Post by Krishnath » 3 years ago

Guardman wrote:
3 years ago
Krishnath wrote:
3 years ago
Guardman wrote:
3 years ago


True, but Harry Potter is sort of weird. I have a ton of family members and friends (and my sister's friends) that are all die hard Harry Potter fans, and they have all separated JK from Harry Potter. And from what I tell from what I see online a lot have sort of done the same thing. I'm not saying that every one has, but it seems like most have. Given that I wouldn't be surprised if they ignore her and focus solely on the property, but the fact she did say stuff is why I am only giving it a 50% chance rather than 75%+.
I've always said it is a good idea to separate the work from the author, and the Harry Potter books are quite well written, but WotC are trying to put forth an image of inclusion and equality, and are taking steps to distance themselves from those artists and writers who support the opposite of that, which, unfortunately, includes the author of Harry Potter. She is also notoriously stringy when it comes to who or what are allowed to use her works, and those that do, often end up having to pay through the nose for it. Remember all those Harry Potter Lego sets several years back? Yeah, Lego took a loss on every set sold because she wanted so much in return for the license. I doubt WotC would be willing to pay what she is asking. It's a lot more likely they'd use another property, with an author not mired in controversy and that is a lot cheaper to license.
Ah good point about the licensing fee. I forgot how unreasonable she is on the licensing fee. It's a shame really, because it would be a great way to get new people into the game. I know my sister and her friends (and more than a few of my cousins) would probably at least look into trying out magic if there were Harry Potter cards.
It's all about finding the right angle, you have no idea how many girls/women got into MTG during the release and run of the original Innistrad because of the vampires. Some of them were so new to the game that they were actually learning the game during the prerelease (and we were all to happy to help, only one guy out of the fifty males at the prerelease was a creep, and he got permabanned from the store.) Many of them stuck around in the game afterwards because once you pass that first hurdle with the game, the flavor is usually enough to keep people interested long term. Basically, they came for the art, stayed for the flavor and engaging gameplay.
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Post by ilovesaprolings » 3 years ago

Does Hasbro has a license about Harry Potter? Maybe they already did.

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Post by RxPhantom » 3 years ago

We can debate all day about whether or not it's a Harry Potter set, but there is no other IP in existence that has those tropes and that much global pull and resonance. If I were to hear the name 'Strixhaven: School of Mages' without any context, I'd immediately think "Harry Potter ripoff" and promptly forget about it.

Maybe in 2022 they can conjure up a world in which young warriors compete deadly duels in order to increase the rations of vital resources given to their native region. They could examine class warfare, wealth redistribution, civil unrest, and the elevation of bloodsport to beloved pastime. They could call it...The Starvation Trials.
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Post by Krishnath » 3 years ago

RxPhantom wrote:
3 years ago
We can debate all day about whether or not it's a Harry Potter set, but there is no other IP in existence that has those tropes and that much global pull and resonance. If I were to hear the name 'Strixhaven: School of Mages' without any context, I'd immediately think "Harry Potter ripoff" and promptly forget about it.
While I have no doubt that Strixhaven will have some cards inspired by Harry Potter, it was neither the first, nor arguably the best, example of the "magic school" genre. Just the most successful. There is plenty of source material for it to draw inspiration from, and WotC will without a doubt pull from a lot of it. It won't be Harry Potter with the serial numbers filed off.
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Post by SecretInfiltrator » 3 years ago

Strixhaven is just Magic's take on Tolaria... -.-

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Post by Guardman » 3 years ago

It appears that Kaldheim and Strixhaven will both have Modal Double-Face cards. And if we include a double-helping of Innistrad later in the year, it appears that 2021 will be the year of Double-Face Cards.

Source: https://mashable.com/article/magic-the- ... tterskull/
Fitting with Zendikar Rising's land theme, Magic: The Gathering head designer Mark Rosewater told Mashable that all of the set's modular double-faced cards have a land on at least one side of them.

"Zendikar Rising has MDFCs that are also a creature, another land, an instant, or a sorcery," said Rosewater via email. Further card type combinations will be revealed in the next two premier sets, Kaldheim and Strixhaven, which will include modular double-faced cards as well.

"We designed modal double-faced cards way back in [2011's] original Innistrad when we first created the transforming double-faced cards and I've been waiting for the right place to finally make use of them," said Rosewater. "I'm really excited that MDFCs finally have their day and I can't wait to see the players' reactions to it."
Will almost assuredly see the remaining four choice lands in Kaldheim or Strrixhaven.

I have to say I am pretty meh on double-face cards on a whole. One or two isn't that bad, but anymore in a deck and it becomes a hassle. Though this mostly applies to paper. On the other hand, I am pretty much all digital now thanks to Covid, so... *shrugs*

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Post by Krishnath » 3 years ago

Well, that is certainly interesting news.

Edit: And Maro confirms the article is indeed 100% correct.

minoke5618 asked:

So, there's an article around on Mashable that quotes you saying that Modal DFCs are also going to be in Kaldheim and Strixhaven. Just want to confirm that this is accurate information?

Maro Answers:

That quote is one hundred percent accurate. Note that each set will execute on MDFCs in a way that best fits the theme of that set.
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