New Mana Symbols

[Jacob Orlove]

Rumor has it that Ravnica will feature 10 new mana symbols, with each one allowing you to pay one of two colors of mana to cast the card. For example, a card that cost (1)(W/U)(W/U) could be cast for 1WW, 1WU, or 1UU.

In addition, some cards are rumored to have extra effects if you spend a particular color of mana as part of their generic mana cost--eg, a 3U spell that does something extra if you pay any red mana to cast it.

What kinds of effects do you guys think these mechanics will have on Vintage, especially in light of jp's recent SCG article on mana costs and Type One? (I realize that most of the cards will be terrible, but some won't).

[Hi-Val]

Whiskey. Tango. Foxtrot.

I'd hate to start learning the game now, because it sounds like a headache to learn.

Is it me, or do all these past mechanics seem like kicker? Look at Sunburst, Entwine, now this... Let's just make Kicker a core set rule and be done with it.

[everythingitouchdies]

Its all kicker. Its all going to be kicker. And we like to kicker.

I actually think my favorite mechanic has been affinity. Were I a creature (hey, I am) I would have affinity for asian chicks.

I think this mechanic, if done correctly (as in, put on any useful cards) could be really interesting in type one on the premise of moxen alone. I am lazily excited to see how it comes out.

EITD

[Komatteru]

I actually think my favorite mechanic has been affinity.

That's because Affinity is like cheating.   That and you took 1st in 11 out of 13 FNMs you played Affinity in.

My favorite mechanic was obviously storm, but the free mechanic from Urza's block was fun too.  It had to be errated for power reasons and spawned all sorts of degenerate combos.  Life was good back then.

Learning the game now would be tough.  I still don't understand how trample works.

[Ephraim]

Whiskey. Tango. Foxtrot.

I'd hate to start learning the game now, because it sounds like a headache to learn.

Is it me, or do all these past mechanics seem like kicker? Look at Sunburst, Entwine, now this... Let's just make Kicker a core set rule and be done with it.

Of course it's all kicker. That's because kicker, as a mechanic, basically covers everything. I'm sure R&D is aware that many new mechanics could have been modeled as kicker variants. I'm glad they didn't do it, though. It means they've realized that broad mechanics aren't necessarily as good as narrow ones. What can you say about all kicker spells, for instance? You can pay some additional cost to achieve some additional effect. That's not very useful. What can you say about all entwine spells, though? They're all modal spells with two modes. For a cost, you can use both modes. That's fairly descriptive. Kicker is certainly a deeper mechanic than entwine, which is exciting from a design point of view. From a "marketability" point of view, though, kicker is almost a non-mechanic.

[Smmenen]

My favorite mechanic was obviously storm, but the free mechanic from Urza's block was fun too.  It had to be errated for power reasons and spawned all sorts of degenerate combos.  Life was good back then.

Learning the game now would be tough.  I still don't understand how trample works.

You should be like me.  I only pretend to know the rules. 

[forests failed you]

The new Mechanic Jacob described actually sounds pretty cool.  It should make for a pretty good start to a new block for limited play.  Kamigawa was pretty godawful.

I'd have to say my favorite mechanic is probably Morph.  Onslaught block Limited was a lot of fun with all the morph creatures in the format.  It really rewarded a players familiarity with the cards, especially the commons and uns.

[everythingitouchdies]

The new Mechanic Jacob described actually sounds pretty cool.  It should make for a pretty good start to a new block for limited play.  Kamigawa was pretty godawful.

I'd have to say my favorite mechanic is probably Morph.  Onslaught block Limited was a lot of fun with all the morph creatures in the format.  It really rewarded a players familiarity with the cards, especially the commons and uns.

Yeah I liked morph alot too, and like justin said, it is probably because it felt alot like cheating.

[Matt]

Kicker was the biggest and deepest keyworded mechanic the game has ever produced.   :shock:

[Jacob Orlove]

I'd have to say that my favorite mechanic is "spells", which narrowly beat out "lands", but was well ahead of "creatures".

Okay, okay. It's actually Banding. ;)

[Demonic Attorney]

I'd have to say that my favorite mechanic is "spells", which narrowly beat out "lands", but was well ahead of "creatures".

Okay, okay. It's actually Banding.

Rampage is king of the discontinued mechanics. 

[Matt]

Never! Enchant Worlds (now World Enchantments) are still the best!

[SpencerForHire]

I always enjoyed interrupts... Whatever happened to them..

I seriously hope they don't try that new mana combination thing.  This game is going to stop being called magic, and start being called: "2,000 rules the Gathering"

[rvs]

The new Mechanic Jacob described actually sounds pretty cool.  It should make for a pretty good start to a new block for limited play.  Kamigawa was pretty godawful.

I'd have to say my favorite mechanic is probably Morph.  Onslaught block Limited was a lot of fun with all the morph creatures in the format.  It really rewarded a players familiarity with the cards, especially the commons and uns.

Actually, I don't get you here. OLS was all about who can out-open somebody else, the rest hardly mattered. CBS is actually quite balanced, and a really good limited format, since it rewards skill moreso than the previous blocks with regard to limited. At least, I think it does.

[mrieff]

There are already some known Ravicna cards with that mechanic.
Just as was happening with Apocalypse, their very awkward mana cost (enemy colors) allows for some very undercosted cards if you can meet the color requirement. I'm really looking forward to this expansion!

With regard to mechanics, I really love madness. Overall, I think Odyssey block introduced some of the most interesting cards/mechanics for constructed Magic in the modern age.

[CrazyCarl]

The new Mechanic Jacob described actually sounds pretty cool.  It should make for a pretty good start to a new block for limited play.  Kamigawa was pretty godawful.

I'd have to say my favorite mechanic is probably Morph.  Onslaught block Limited was a lot of fun with all the morph creatures in the format.  It really rewarded a players familiarity with the cards, especially the commons and uns.

Actually, I don't get you here. OLS was all about who can out-open somebody else, the rest hardly mattered. CBS is actually quite balanced, and a really good limited format, since it rewards skill moreso than the previous blocks with regard to limited. At least, I think it does.

Amen.  Morph was terrible.  OLS -was- the worst draft format in quite a while.  Just have someone flip Cutthroat or Skirk Commando on you a few times then you'll know how it was.  For chrissakes Shock was like the best card in the format!

I've liked CBS.  It's very deep and there are a lot of different strategies you can impliment when playing or drafting it.  Triple Scourge draft is fun though (As kl0wn will attest to).  I also enjoyed OTJ.  I loved Phantom Centaur like it was no one's business.  Er, wait, IPA was the best format.  Ever.

[kl0wn]

Oh man...triple Scourge still rocks. It's like OLS, minus the insane focus on tempo and ridiculous bombs; it's actually acceptable to play creatures that cost more than 3 to get into play. Most of the first picks are commons too, so you get a really high power level but almost everyone gets an overpowered deck.

I wish they would stop rehashing Kicker.

[Mykeatog]

I don't understand hwo this is a rehash of kicker. (Entwine was).

This feels like - an ability missing from invasion, but it isn't kicker. It is "If you play this card as though it were a gold card, you get a bonus effect". Is every card that ever has a bonus on it going to be compared straight up with kicker?

AND....

isn't kicker awesome?

[Matt]

Kicker was the biggest and deepest keyworded mechanic the game has ever produced.   :shock:

Everything is kicker because anything you do on a spell, you can do with kicker. About the only limitation is the space available in the text box.  :shock:

[forests failed you]

Rip on Morph and Onslaught limited all you want;  I thought it was a freaking blast, and also a format that really rewarded ones knowledge of the cards.  Although I admit trying to figure out whether they had Commando or Craghorn could give one fits, the format was less based on having a one drop, two drop, and three drop.  I like blocks where one can draft for quality of cards rather than curve. 

And by the way: Shock was not the best card in that block by far.  It was all about either Beasts and Amplify, or Clerics, Battlefield Medic and a giant stall wall.

Anyways, I think the new mechanic seems like it should lend itself to a fairly interesting and diverse limited format.

[Matt]

Let me kick(er) this back on track: When these come out, I'm going to want new mana smilies!