Magic: The Gathering changes to be implemented October 3, 2008
Wizards of the Coast, the company that is currently backing Magic: The Gathering, recently announced changes that are going to be implemented by October 3, 2008. Some of these changes are fairly standard, based on feedback from both new and veteran players of the game.
New changes include an added rarity level, a reduction in set size, new theme decks, booster pack re-composition and additions to the Fat Packs.
Magic: The Gathering has seen many changes over the 15 years since its birth. It has been made into videogames and adapted into novels as well. Even new mechanics have made gameplay more interesting like Wither, a mechanic that weaken or automatically kills an opponent’s blocking creature, or the Untap ability that opens up blocking options for you and may close attacking options for an opponent.
As for the most recent changes, one is that the set sizes are being reduced. In a GamingReport article Mark Rosewater, the head designer for Magic, admitted that they were printing too many cards per set. From the mindset of someone who has played for years, and even took a few years off because of unwieldy set sizes, this is a good idea.
Also, rarity levels will be made more accurate. WotC is adding the Mythic Rare level to the current Common, Uncommon and Rare levels. These Rares will be much more rare than the standard rares, usually amounting to 10-15 cards per set.
Booster pack composition is also changing. Before, to be able to build a good dual color or mono-color deck, you needed at least two or three tournament packs to get the desired lands. Now, you will be getting one basic land per booster pack. It’s helpful, especially if you get one of the non-basic lands in the set in the same booster pack.
Theme decks will be use as “intro” packs for incoming players to learn how the game is played, and for veterans to learn the new mechanics of a set. These will come with a 41 card pre-constructed deck with one foil rare and one regular rare. A booster pack, an insert on the new mechanics and an introductory beginner’s insert on deck-building strategies, information on the deck and the basic storyline for the current set will also be included. There will by five of these packs per set.
Fat Packs will be enlarged and will feature excerpts of one of the three most recent publications depending on the season. Currently they hold only six packs and the current block novel. That will be increased to eight packs, which will make it a bit more worthwhile for purchase since it seems they are removing the novel from the pack. The three possible excerpts that will be in there will either be the most recent Planeswalker Guide, Planeswalker Novel or the current block novel, and that will be dependant on the season in which it is purchased.
These changes are great ideas that might help to expand the MTG fanbase.
Read [GamingReport.com] Also Read [The Year of Living Changerously] Also Read [Changes as of Shards of Alara] Also Read [Planeswalkers and the Written Page]
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*Yawn* Not my cup of tea. What exactly cause people to like that game in the first place? What’s the appeal?
on June 7, 2008 at 08:14 AM - LINKIt’s a strategy game, an rpg and a card game all mixed in to one. The reason people like it is because of the fact that it makes you think about everything. It makes you consider what you can do with the resources at your disposal. It makes you consider everything your opponent might be able to do with theirs. It makes you consider the abilities of your creatures, artifacts and enchantments in play and the abilities of creatures, artifacts and enchantments that your opponent has in play.
Little bro, I know your biggest exposure to Magic is the game Battlegrounds, which is a sub-standard game in comparison to the early computer games, the dreamcast game and the card game. Your other exposure is book III of the Kamigawa cycle of books based on the game as well. It doesn’t really give much of the story of a game that is currently in roughly 68 sets, soon to be 69. Look for more of the books and for the early computer games and you’ll understand a bit more on why the franchise has the pull that it does.
on June 7, 2008 at 06:54 PM - LINK