Tarkir: Dragonstorm Mechanics Primer

The Sultai Shuffle | $150 Teval, the Balanced Scale Deck Tech

<h6 style="text-align: right;"><em>Magic</em> Head Designer Mark Rosewater | Image Credit: Wizards of the Coast</h6>
<p>It's not surprising to many that <em>Tarkir Dragonstorm</em> is selling quite well right now. The sales data that Wizards of the Coast has access to seems to give credence to that idea. However, a few questions happen to spring from this well-received set, one of which we will cover here. In short, <em>Magic</em> Head Designer <strong>Mark Rosewater</strong> is busy on social media answering questions about <em>Magic</em>'s design process and its reception. Very specifically, on <a href="https://www.tumblr.com/markrosewater">Blogatog</a>, Rosewater's work-oriented Tumblr blog, he has been addressing inquiries about exactly why <em>Tarkir Dragonstorm</em> has sold so well.</p>
<div class="tumblr-post" data-href="https://embed.tumblr.com/embed/post/t:DfYWVw3OWM7GYSz0pPuL-Q/781025267501137920/v2" data-did="da39a3ee5e6b4b0d3255bfef95601890afd80709" ><a href="https://www.tumblr.com/markrosewater/781025267501137920/re-ub-has-made-players-want-in-universe-sets-to">https://www.tumblr.com/markrosewater/781025267501137920/re-ub-has-made-players-want-in-universe-sets-to</a></div>
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<p>In his most in-depth reply, posted on Thursday, April 17th, Rosewater addressed a slight inaccuracy within his previous answers. In earlier replies, he mentioned the need for <em>Magic</em> sets to push boundaries. However, upon users such as the one in the embedded Tumblr post above calling Rosewater out on this, Rosewater admitted he misspoke. The crux of his point was that players want <em>Magic</em> to feel like <em>Magic</em>. Pushing bounds is still a valid design choice when designing for the game, and that holds true for "in-Multiverse" <em>Magic</em> sets.</p>
<div class="tumblr-post" data-href="https://embed.tumblr.com/embed/post/t:DfYWVw3OWM7GYSz0pPuL-Q/781082769582358534/v2" data-did="da39a3ee5e6b4b0d3255bfef95601890afd80709" ><a href="https://www.tumblr.com/markrosewater/781082769582358534/just-wanted-to-chime-in-that-im-incredibly">https://www.tumblr.com/markrosewater/781082769582358534/just-wanted-to-chime-in-that-im-incredibly</a></div>
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<p>But this brings us to why this all came together the way it did, from all this discussion of bounds and nostalgia to the roaring success of <em>Tarkir Dragonstorm</em>. During this whole discussion thread, Rosewater mainly tried to say that in-Multiverse <em>Magic: The Gathering</em> sets should, appropriately, feel like <em>Magic</em>.</p>
<p>This is something that <em>Tarkir Dragonstorm</em> has done exceptionally well in many players' eyes. It is entirely plausible that, to use a bit of redundant speech, <em>Magic</em> players want <em>Magic</em> cards. Many of those players are not particularly enthused by the <em>Universes Beyond</em> initiative or its many tie-ins. And to reuse a slight cliche, they often just want <em>Magic</em> the way its creator <strong>Richard Garfield</strong> originally intended.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Breaching Dragonstorm"></div></div>
<h2>Mark Rosewater's Response Is A Good Sign</h2>
<p>Rosewater, addressing these accolades and questions, feels like a good step towards this goal. It at the very least means that the good people at Wizards of the Coast are listening to players' concerns. Does this mean that in the next 2.5 years, we will start getting in-Multiverse sets that definitively feel more like <em>Magic</em> of old? This may be true. At the same time, it could be a shorter span, or even a longer one, until we get that again. Furthermore, some in-Multiverse <em>Magic</em> sets may end up missing the mark on that concept. Such is the way of design-based experimentation. But suffice it to say, we should focus on the here and now and continue to celebrate the critical and commercial successes of <em>Tarkir Dragonstorm</em>.</p>
<p>Let's open the floor to you. How do you feel about the new set? Do you think it "feels" like <em>Magic: The Gathering</em>? Additionally, what is your opinion of <em>Universes Beyond</em>? Sound off below!</p>


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