Blogatog

Could we get a planeswalker battle?

Sun, 26 Jul 2026 15:44:52 -0400

There’s a frame designer twitching right now and they don’t know why.

This two would be hard to combine. Yes, I get they are both attackable in a similar way, but they use two different things to track it.

If or when: a “Land Battle” – a land that is also a battle, and so can be attacked when you play it as a land?

Sun, 26 Jul 2026 15:26:25 -0400

If. I’m not sure a land players can destroy by attacking it is the best gameplay.

So, Mark… We’re going to Nauctis next year, the long requested underwater set. Magic fans have also long asked for a Bant Merfolk commander. Merfolk are a slam dunk fit for an underwater set. Just saying… nudge, nudge, wink wink ; )

Sun, 26 Jul 2026 15:12:56 -0400

Hmmm…

The Ultimate Masters flavor text of Defy Gravity reads: “On every plane in the Multiverse, there is magic, and someone is using it to fly.” With Nauctis, is this no longer true?

Sun, 26 Jul 2026 15:12:24 -0400

It’s not reflected in the set, but maybe there are people flying above the water we never see.

Good morning Mark, hope all’s well. Just wanted to give a small word of thanks for running this blog as per usual, as well as to say that despite modern Magic shying away from problematic keywords like Storm in frequency, I appreciate the acknowledgement that there are those who do enjoy those kinds of playstyles recently. Gravestorm is my favorite mechanic from a deckbuilding and thematic perspective. It’s clearly dangerous design space, but I’m grateful for the few cards it shows up on!

Sun, 26 Jul 2026 15:11:22 -0400

Dangerous stuff is exciting. : )

I just played a pickup game of marvel jumpstart in the park and I think the flavor of it being helped helped get him interested in playing. Just wanted to share my anecdote on UB getting people into magic.

Sun, 26 Jul 2026 15:10:50 -0400

Thanks for sharing.

Does Wizards have a plan on how they can reprint UB cards to avoid forming a new “proto-Reserved List” now The List is gone?

Sun, 26 Jul 2026 13:40:21 -0400

We have the ability to create functionally identical cards with new names that count as the same card for tournament purposes.

Hi Mark! So, since we have batching technology (historic and outlaws and commit a crime)… When will we have a batch of livestock (birds, oxen, sheep, goats, and horses are livestock)? Hope you have a good day! :)

Sun, 26 Jul 2026 13:39:04 -0400

We would need a set with a farm theme. : )

It feels clear to me that UB is a different beast than any other decision 7% of the player base doesn’t like, based on the amount of continued conversation around it, 5 years in. Why do you think that is? I am among the 7%, so this isn’t me being dismissive of them, I’m genuinely curious.

Sun, 26 Jul 2026 13:37:47 -0400

I get people complaining about many past decisions on an ongoing basis. For example, people still regularly complain about the Reserved List and that was over thirty years ago. The attention of design on Commander is another common one and that’s fifteen years old.

Universes Beyond has been getting more focus recently because I’ve been responding a lot to it.

Do universes beyond sets take place on a plane? Like for Spiderman and TMNT, do they exist on the plane of New York City?

Sun, 26 Jul 2026 13:27:33 -0400

Universes Beyond sets take place on the world of that property. That most often represents many different places in that world.

On a scale of 1 to companion, how likely are we to see mono-green clones? I’m wondering if Springheart Nantuko is an outlier or a portent of the future…

Sun, 26 Jul 2026 13:24:52 -0400

Green gets done amount of copying of its own creatures, but the Council of Color wants it to be more about more copying big things than copying enters effects.

i’m seeing people disappointed that hone counters are what you meant in your teaser. they don’t see how adding additional power to creatures is something that is new for red’s slice of the color pie. could you elaborate on how that is innovative?

Sun, 26 Jul 2026 13:23:05 -0400

It’s evolving equipment, allowing it to improve over time.

While I enjoy the fact that Magic has a story, would it be possible to have an in-universe set that isn’t really beholden to a story? I don’t mean like, a core set or Foundations, just like, a set that takes place in a setting that doesn’t have any real story.

Sun, 26 Jul 2026 13:21:11 -0400

The Vorthoses keep asking for more story, so I think the idea of removing a story from one of the three sets that gets one wouldn’t be a popular choice for the people who the story is made for.

If/when: another set similar to battle for baldurs gate that uses the main mechanic of rolling a dice, I really enjoyed the randomness of card effects that used this mechanic

Sun, 26 Jul 2026 13:17:36 -0400

I hope when. I think die rolling is very fun.

What’s your favorite card name that’s a pun?

Sun, 26 Jul 2026 13:16:50 -0400

Squee’s Toy. Every time I mention it, someone says, “I did not realize that was a pun.” : )

Blink twice if Nauctis is the long-awaited second entry in the cycle of sets with only one basic land type.

Sun, 26 Jul 2026 13:14:44 -0400

We made the controversial move to include all five. : )

Hey Mark! I turn 20 today, so I’d like to invoke some Birthday Trivia! Duel Decks: Nizza vs Ob Nixilis was my first ever magic purchase, so i’d love some trivia on either of those planeswalkers, or failing that trivia on duel decks. Thanks!

Sun, 26 Jul 2026 12:40:28 -0400

For a while, we made two Duel Decks a year. One, was built around deck themes while the other was built around two planeswalkers facing off. The planeswalker decks were usually enemy colors.

We would then try to find a place in the story where those two could actually meet and have a duel.

Happy Birthday!

I’m a newer magic player and I’ve only used pre-made decks. do you have any tips for building your own commander decks?

Sun, 26 Jul 2026 12:37:27 -0400

I would start by picking your Commander. That will tell you your theme and your colors. I would then use a Magic database to search for cards in your theme and color.

As a starting point, I would have your deck be 40% land, 40% creatures, and 20% everything else. In addition to your theme, make sure to include some answers to what other decks are doing.

Remember, you can keep fine tuning after you start playing with the deck. If a card never seems to be good when you draw it, you can replace it. If a card is always good, you can add others like it.

If you have more experienced friends, you can also show them the deck for advice how to improve it.

Hi Mark, I hope you are having a wonderful weekend. Thank you for interacting with us through the blogatog regularly in your free time. As I really liked the battle cards in MOM I just wanted to ask the status in them. There is a certain “battle-themed” coming up that was just announced. Is there a chance that battles will make a return in 2027? Additionally, I am keeping my fingers crossed that rooms will also make a glorious return. Loved that aspect of Duskmourn a lot. Marcel

Sun, 26 Jul 2026 12:10:39 -0400

All I can say is Battles will be returning, but I can’t say when.

If you could permanently delete one card from the game and deleting means that it not anything mechanically similar to it would ever be printed again, what would you delete?

Sun, 26 Jul 2026 12:09:56 -0400

Leeches. : )