Unreleased and New Card Discussion

[DirkGently]

Needing ten sheets is pretty obnoxious tbh. Though on the plus side, the inconsistency probably means that they'll be terrible and thus unlikely to be competitively viable.

I'm glad that they *mostly* reference cards you own, to prevent situations where someone playing sticker cards requires other players to have sticker sheets...but Wicker Picker could end up in that situation if an opponent gains control of it somehow. I guess it's probably basically impossible to completely prevent situations where your opponents might be required to have sticker sheets, but it's still pretty annoying.

Conceptually I don't have any issue with them - they are basically just a more complex version of ability counters - but the logistics are pretty bleh. Since they're grouped into sheets when selecting, it seems difficult to find a way to do them outside of actually sticking them onto things as intended, which will presumably give them a fairly limited lifespan. You could have little baggies of non-sticky counters, but then you'd need to figure out which ones belonged to which baggy at the end of the game. Maybe color-coding? That sounds like quite the headache unless you were super dedicated to making it work. Now that I think about it, I wonder how easy it'll be to find the matching sheet even playing them as intended. At least they had the foresight to put the p/t next to the sticker so you can match them up after the game, but the name and ability stickers seem like they could pretty easily end up being the same size as one another. Presumably the name stickers are acorn-only and can be ignored, at least.

[Mookie]

Presumably the name stickers are acorn-only and can be ignored, at least.

Pithing Needle and other choose-a-card-name cards say hi.

[Wallycaine]

Needing ten sheets is pretty obnoxious tbh. Though on the plus side, the inconsistency probably means that they'll be terrible and thus unlikely to be competitively viable.

I'm glad that they *mostly* reference cards you own, to prevent situations where someone playing sticker cards requires other players to have sticker sheets...but Wicker Picker could end up in that situation if an opponent gains control of it somehow. I guess it's probably basically impossible to completely prevent situations where your opponents might be required to have sticker sheets, but it's still pretty annoying.

Conceptually I don't have any issue with them - they are basically just a more complex version of ability counters - but the logistics are pretty bleh. Since they're grouped into sheets when selecting, it seems difficult to find a way to do them outside of actually sticking them onto things as intended, which will presumably give them a fairly limited lifespan. You could have little baggies of non-sticky counters, but then you'd need to figure out which ones belonged to which baggy at the end of the game. Maybe color-coding? That sounds like quite the headache unless you were super dedicated to making it work. Now that I think about it, I wonder how easy it'll be to find the matching sheet even playing them as intended. At least they had the foresight to put the p/t next to the sticker so you can match them up after the game, but the name and ability stickers seem like they could pretty easily end up being the same size as one another. Presumably the name stickers are acorn-only and can be ignored, at least.

Maro mentions in the large post upthread that they will have an online tool to help randomly select 3 sticker sheets, so if you end up taking control of a Wicker Picker you can just use that to spin the wheel without needing a physical set of sheets. Sure, theoretically that's ever so slightly less optimal than curating your own list of 10 sheets, but given you're burning a steal effect on a 3 mana 2/3 you need to pay more mana into, you're probably okay with being slightly sub optimal.

[DirkGently]

@Mookie based on Angelic Harold being silver I was assuming that the name and picture stickers couldn't be used in non-un formats. Has someone said that they can be?

@Wallycaine probably a lot less optimal tbh. I would have preferred there were just 10 sheets in total and there was no customization to be done. Picking ten sheets of which you'll only get three sounds like the kind of obnoxious micro-managing that people worry that wishes will create. I mean functionally they're almost the same as wishes, just dumber.

Now that I say that, I wonder if the RC is going to allow them? or if the rules for outside the game will change? Have people already speculated about this? seems like they must have.

[Mookie]

@Mookie based on Angelic Harold being silver I was assuming that the name and picture stickers couldn't be used in non-un formats. Has someone said that they can be?

Angelic Harold is silver-bordered because it cares about the number of words in the cards' name, which can vary between languages and thus doesn't work in black border, which usually only cares about name equivalency (either a thing is named or it isn't). You can use name / picture stickers in other formats, they just usually don't do anything. This is somewhat relevant because there will apparently be cards that care about applying stickers, and the name / picture stickers don't have ticket costs (and thus are cheaper to apply).

I'll also note that we haven't gotten actual rulings yet, so it's possible that applying a sticker won't let a card dodge Pithing Needle.

[Wallycaine]

@Mookie based on Angelic Harold being silver I was assuming that the name and picture stickers couldn't be used in non-un formats. Has someone said that they can be?

Angelic Harold is silver-bordered because it cares about the number of words in the cards' name, which can vary between languages and thus doesn't work in black border, which usually only cares about name equivalency (either a thing is named or it isn't). You can use name / picture stickers in other formats, they just usually don't do anything. This is somewhat relevant because there will apparently be cards that care about applying stickers, and the name / picture stickers don't have ticket costs (and thus are cheaper to apply).

I'll also note that we haven't gotten actual rulings yet, so it's possible that applying a sticker won't let a card dodge Pithing Needle.

Matt Tabak has indicated on twitter that, consistent with previous rulings on the subject, a permanent that changes its name to something not named by Pithing Needle is no longer affected by it. There are already ways that exist to change a permanent's name, so name stickers aren't actually carving out any new space with that.

[MAGUSZANIN]

The bigger issue in my opinion is what happens once the name changes or the higher power ability stickers get into the wider card pool. We have repeatedly seen that wizards does not consider even obvious combos with standard sets, so there is no way that one sticker or another will not combine in some way with the wider card pool to create a problem.

Remember that the entire cause of eldrazi winter in modern was them printing a bunch of low-cost eldrazi and not even considering the idea of playing Eye of Ugin with them. Or Zirda in Legacy, where the idea of a self tutoring combo piece did not seem to strike them as a problem. So no matter how much they say that they balanced things properly, we have seen that even obvious things have repeatedly slipped by them.

SaheliCat was the same thing and that was even in the same draft environment, which they have publicly stated is their most tested format!

[kirkusjones]

The bigger issue in my opinion is what happens once the name changes or the higher power ability stickers get into the wider card pool. We have repeatedly seen that wizards does not consider even obvious combos with standard sets, so there is no way that one sticker or another will not combine in some way with the wider card pool to create a problem.

Remember that the entire cause of eldrazi winter in modern was them printing a bunch of low-cost eldrazi and not even considering the idea of playing Eye of Ugin with them. Or Zirda in Legacy, where the idea of a self tutoring combo piece did not seem to strike them as a problem. So no matter how much they say that they balanced things properly, we have seen that even obvious things have repeatedly slipped by them.

SaheliCat was the same thing and that was even in the same draft environment, which they have publicly stated is their most tested format!

I think Lurrus of the Dream-Den was the issue in legacy more than Zirda.

[MAGUSZANIN]

Lurrus is not directly a combo piece so I figured using Zirda was a better example, but yes you are correct.

Zirda's design was a known combo piece, after all.

[kirkusjones]

Lurrus is not directly a combo piece so I figured using Zirda was a better example, but yes you are correct.

Zirda's design was a known combo piece, after all.

Lurrus allowed recasts of Lion's Eye Diamond (and basically anything the use of the diamond dumped into the yard) for Storm and essentially the entire Delver shell was compatible with Lurrus, doubling the filtering and removal. Even more fun, Underworld Breach was also legacy legal at the time. You're correct though, Zirda was a known quantity with stuff like Grim Monolith. Lurrus pushed existing archetypes (Delver, Storm, etc.) over the top, while Zirda revitalized bomberman decks. Either way, you're 100% right that wizards' blind eye for eternal formats when it comes to design leads to bad outcomes.

[Hermes_]

Maro's Dominaria United Teaser

Maro's Dominaria United Teaser
Before previews for Dominaria United officially begin, I thought it would be fun to do another of my Duelist-style teasers where I give tiny hints of things to come. Note that I'm only giving you partial information.

First up, here are some things you can expect:

• a new evergreen counter

• a popular planeswalker card gets a reprint

• a blue card with "destroy all creatures"

• a five mana value creature that can be a 10/10

• three original Weatherlight crew members are in the set

• an ability word that didn't start as an ability word returns

• rare cycle of +1/+1 granting lords

• a card that grants poison

• a new artifact with Lotus in the name

• a character players have been requesting get a card for years finally gets one

Next, here are some rules text that will be showing up on cards:

• "As long as enchanted creature is legendary"

• "You may exile an instant or sorcery with mana value X or less from among them."

• "exile each nonland permanent with mana value 2 or less"

• "Enchantment creatures you control have"

• "if X is 3 or less"

• "For each opponent who doesn't, that player loses 2 life and you draw a card."

• "instant or sorcery card with mana value 1 or 2"

• "Pay any amount of mana."

• "Vehicles you control have crew 1."

• "where X is the number of legendary creatures you control."

Finally, here are some creature type lines in the set:

• Creature – Dryad Warrior

• Creature – Phyrexian Horse

• Creature – Elf Archer (in red)

• Creature – Lhurgoyf

• Creature – Human Kor Soldier

• Legendary Creature – Elemental Demon

• Legendary Creature – Frog Beast

• Legendary Creature – Elf Artificer

• Legendary Creature – Viashino Warlock

• Legendary Creature – Phyrexian Merfolk Wizard

August 18th will be an exciting day for Magic fans. Tune in on the official Magic YouTube channel or twitch.tv/Magic at 9AM to watch Wizards Presents where you'll learn about the exciting releases and announcements both Magic and D&D have in store for fans in 2023, followed by Dominaria's debut day and preview stream!

[Sporegorger_Dragon]

a character players have been requesting get a card for years finally gets one

Legendary Creature – Frog Beast

Wait, Turg?!

three original Weatherlight crew members are in the set

Well, one's Karn, one is probably Squee, so who's left?

[duducrash]

Well, one's Karn, one is probably Squee, so who's left?

Didn't they find Karn after forming?

[Hawk]

a character players have been requesting get a card for years finally gets one

Legendary Creature – Frog Beast

Wait, Turg?!

three original Weatherlight crew members are in the set

Well, one's Karn, one is probably Squee, so who's left?

Multani, Maro-Sorcerer is technically part of the crew although he wasn't on their adventures in Rath, so that's my vote. Tahngarth, First Mate also never got a confirmed time of death. He'd be decrepitly ancient for a Minotaur but had some Phyrexian modifications/torture so...

[Hermes_]

I'm honestly worried about the • a five mana value creature that can be a 10/10

Does that mean or just something that adds up to 5 cmc?

[Guardman]

I'm honestly worried about the • a five mana value creature that can be a 10/10

Does that mean or just something that adds up to 5 cmc?

I'm half expecting it to be a reprint of Glinting Creeper.

Also I have a feeling that the planeswalker reprint is going to be Karn, Scion of Urza.

[DirkGently]

I mean, Etched Monstrosity fits that definition. Anyone worried about him?

[Dunharrow]

Gigantosaurus
There have been a few 5 mana 10/10s.

[DirkGently]

I wouldn't call Gigantosaurus a "value creature" though. Nor Glinting Creeper.

[Myllior]

Neither would Maro; he'd mean "five mana-value creature" rather than "five mana value-creature".

Regardless, it'll probably be something relatively Stompy and not concerning.

[DirkGently]

Neither would Maro; he'd mean "five mana-value creature" rather than "five mana value-creature".

Lol, yeah you're probably right. That's what I get for reading quickly I suppose.

But yeah probably not anything too impactful in commander.

[Serenade]

So domain and Gix?

Mostly hoping we get another beater frog for Tatsunari, Toad Rider.

[benjameenbear]

Jhoira, Karn, and Squee are my votes for the 3 crew members. I hope Gix is the creature getting the print (even if he's canonically dead).

But fingers crossed for the rebirth of the Dark Lord Yawgmoth in his God form (and Dominaria DOES have Gods present within its canon, so why not?). What else would the Phyrexian praetors be doing plane-hopping like they are if not to find stuff to bring back our Dark Lord? The invincibility potion from Kaldheim. Soul-stealing from Kamigawa. A piece of Yawgmoth's essence from Dominaria (where he was eradicated).

Then after that, they'll somehow bring Nicol Bolas back for a "the enemy of my enemy is my friend" kind of deal so they have another plot device after they butcher this Phyrexia storyline. Calling it now...

[kirkusjones]

It'd be way more interesting if the Aveng-I mean Gatewatch figured out how to transport the moon from Innistrad in order to release Emrakul for a "you just activated my trap card" moment.

Nothing says "welcome back" like a pissed off flying spaghetti monster.

[Sporegorger_Dragon]

It'd be way more interesting if the Aveng-I mean Gatewatch figured out how to transport the moon from Innistrad in order to release Emrakul for a "you just activated my trap card" moment.

Nothing says "welcome back" like a pissed off flying spaghetti monster.

Please don't give them ideas.