The new version of Jace Beleren is slowly being revealed on spoilers sites across the web (including ours). There is a buzz regarding his apparent four abilities, and exactly what they are, and cost. Today those are the big issues surrounding WotC newest planeswalker. But that was not always the case. For weeks after the original buzz surrounding a possible evolutionary Jace in an upcoming set the biggest question was this: what color(s) would the casting cost be. Of course players wanted to know the CMC like they would of any card, but the most interesting and controversial debate was about a possible second color required to cast the new Jace. Speculation had arose before Chandra Ablaze as well, and was put to rest with her release. Still, that did not sway many from claiming that Jace would be black/blue in the latest incarnation. There were reasons given. Jace had seemed more manipulative in the web-comics and might finally be embracing his dark side. True as that argument may be the real reason for multi-colored speculation was simply that is what WotC does now. If something lacks interest, just paint it gold.
conflicted yes, but entirely blue
The original Lorwyn planeswalkers are testaments to each color. They represent the five separate but equal parts of MTG, and the characteristics that make the game so special. Jace allows blue wizards someone to identify with. This is not the first time a connection has been drawn between players of a certain color and the planeswalker that coincides with them. For that reason alone it seems ridiculous that a planeswalker would be more than one color. Chandra is out of control? Isn’t that what red is for? No need for a splash of black. Jace is embracing his mind-manipulating powers? That is part of blue’s constant struggle between good and evil. Of course both Jace and Chandra turned out to be mono-colored again, but that is not the issue. The point is that we (the hardcore MTG player) are at a point where multi-colored feels immanent. Even after an entire block based on it. So the question remains, why is WotC so obsessed with mixing the color-pie?
its still important.... still
Above all else these cards are easy to design and produce. It is difficult to surprise the fairly jaded MTG audience with new cards and new ideas. For example, we all know an Unsummon costs one blue mana, and a Giant Growth needs one green mana. They are base costs and effects. Every other card that produces a similar result is judged by mana-cost. Gold cards allow WotC to bend our expectations. Is a 2/2 unblockable for one green and one blue a good deal, or fairly priced? Because we don’t have a base expectation it is harder to figure, therefore making it easier to release within a set. Creating gold cards is also easier because the casting cost can change instead of the card. In the previous example the Jhessian Infiltrator is a Phantom Warrior. Exactly the same card, but with a unique casting cost different from any previous creatures with similar abilities. This is not to say the R&D team at Wizards is lazy. But it must be tempting to include a few gold cards due to their relative ease.
a little more separation please
The other reason gold cards so easily make their way into expansion after expansion? The subtle power-creep allowed by creative casting costs. Power-creep (if it does indeed exist) is something that deserves an entire column to itself, but the effects of multi-colors on creatures especially has been significant. Take for example the cycle of uncommon shard creatures from Alara. Suddenly it was of to print a 5/4 for three, or a 3/4 lifelink for the same. The the notch up in power makes cards like Sprouting Thrinax uber-desirable. There you have it, two reasons for the gold rush in recent MTG expansions. But that doesn’t explain why it is a problem. Not entirely.
A few issues make this influx of multi-color a problem, but one rises above all others. Deck making has turned into a paint by numbers affair. Time was (I realize as I write this what an old codger I sound like) making a deck was challenging. Net-decking has been an issue for a decade, but duelists could still at least pick their own cards. If they wanted to splash a second or third color the decision was based on utility or a needed combo piece. With two or three colored cards in the mix the pieces have been chosen for them like a puzzle. That means good luck throwing a Terminate into your Rafiq of the Many deck. Creativity has been bumped down a notch in exchange of more unique cards.
creativity is a good thing
What does all of this mean for Worldwake and Rize of the Eldrazi? So far not much but consider this. First of all, every new planeswalker is assumed to be multi-color. Every set contains the threat (if that is the right word) of another gold rush. Even if Worldwake is completely bare of multi-colored cards there will always be its two stepsons: second color kicker costs, and land type bonuses like Wild Nacatl. Either way the choices of what decks each card can go in is already limited. Hyper-productive mana producing lands don’t exactly make playing these cards difficult, however it is more expensive. This is a minor slight to the buyer. Also the sense of true freedom on deck building is lost. Most of all to those players who would dare attempt a mono-colored deck.
In the end that is all the matters is that loss of freedom. Magic the Gathering has built a foundation on being a completely open-ended. Unlike video games or movies its an activity that changes with each experience, each game. The biggest part of that? Each card dynamically fit into any deck a duelist chose. Recently however some of that aspect has been taken away. A Jund deck can only fit cards with those three colors unless four or five colors seems like a good plan (this happened with the Jund Specter deck to some mild success so it can’t be entirely ruled out). Builds featuring both Baneslayer Angel with cards like Swerve or Countersquall require an entirely new mana-base. So hopefully WotC will slow the multi-color train down long enough to put out a new planeswalker without golden hued speculation. Keep your fingers crossed.
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(Update) Speaking of Jace…
2nd ZERO Cost ability is: Brainstorm
And also… Worldwake Booster packs released:
Other than Jace no card names, but stay tuned in to the Gathering Magic Worldwake spoiler page for updated info.
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Rather nice article I enjoyed the long read.
Also I dont mind off color influence cards like dif color kicker cost but a 3 for a 5/4 is a lil insessive.
Do you mean “excessive”, saying that the power of the card is in excess of what it should be? Or do you mean “incessant”, saying that the flow of gold-related power creep does not cease?
hmm both, ever since I saw that elf movie ive been fuzing words without relizing it
On one hand, I feel that Wizards has the right idea with several of the cards mentioned. Woolly Thoctar can be a game changing 3-drop. But what percentage of the time are stuck holding him, waiting for that third color mana? If there’s a problem, it lies with making the kind of mana base that allows a card like this to be consistent. These days, land is easily the most expensive part of a deck build. 2 and 3 color cards should challenge you take advantage of their power. Being able to consistently produce every color of mana makes that challenge trivial.
I agree such a card wouldnt be so bad if their so called challenging mana cost wasnt so easy to do. I honestly havnt seen a single person not play non-basic lands in a long time besides myself but Even I fall prey t such card usage as Terramorphic expanse or even a jungle shrine
I think this is a good point. Gold is okay as long as it’s paid for by shakier mana. I would point out, however, that it’s gotten more reasonable since Lorwyn rotated out; after all, 5CC doesn’t work anymore. At last, we’ve stopped playing Yugioh.
I like the idea behind this article, but I think you could have done better in the execution. The writing was a bit choppy and hard to follow. Some of your subpoints weren’t clearly stated, and I was left reading your arguments and feeling like I had to infer what claim it was you were supporting.
Not quite on par with your Maury article, Leaf. But then, what is?
You are probably right. I wanted to go so many directions with this that it may have gotten a little jumbled.
The main point, gold (or gold equivalent) cards have been so prevalent lately we’ve grown to expect them. And that is a bad thing because they change MTG for the worse.
Agreed. I, for one, would have appreciated Alara block a lot more if it had come after three years of monocolored blocks.
My only problem with Gold color at the moment is that there is ZERO, I repeat ZERO drawback to playing 3 or even 4 colors in a deck. When was the last time you were caught hunting for mana colors with 12 fetch lands and 4 tri-lands and 8 Duals? in your deck? It should have a drawback and right now it doesnt. I understand not wanting to undermine ALL of Alara right now but the fact remains.. its silly to even consider monocolor at the moment when there are such great Gold cards available and there is zero drawback in terms of mana fixing.
Though I agree with your overall sentiment, I would point out that RDW won a major SCG tourney just recently. When was the last time THAT happened in Standard?
Yeah and green has won recently too. Its not 100% multicolored but it might as well be
Gold should be the exception rather than the rule as far as Im concerned.
I don’t see any problem with gold decks being the standard, but I agree that right now it is WAY too easy to make them.
The new Jace is looking really interesting by the way, the first ability goes really well with Cathartic Adept or something.
A point I didn’t hit hard enough. Mana-bases are too easy. Making a three color deck is barely more difficult than a mono-colored deck.
I think the issue is neither the mana base nor the strength of the cards, but rather both at the same time. OTOH, if they continue to make cards like Leatherback Baloth, then it will be fine. If both extremely mono cards and exteremely multi cards are on similar power levels, then this whole debate is effectively over.
I agree, but if LB becomes the standard, then what next? A 5/4 w/ abilities for 3 colored? A 5/5 for 3 colored? I’m not concerned about LB as it is, but this is about the limit that I think it should go before it gets out of hand.
I think they might be pushing the envelope with monocolored cards due to player reaction (the same type of thing as this article) to gold. I think Leatherback is far from a new standard, but rather pushing against the golden pendulum swing. Just my guess.
Could be, I hope that’s the way it ends up working out…
I have to agree with this article in whole, especially with “Also the sense of true freedom on deck building is lost. Most of all to those players who would dare attempt a mono-colored deck.”
Iona, Shield of Emeria is a neat card but its almost an entire win condition all on its own versus mono colored decks. It feels like a lot of the game right now is almost slanted to punish anyone who enjoys mono colored decks.
Hey, mono-red can beat Iona. Just run Quest for Pure Flame and 4x Rod of Ruin. Problem solved.
WTF? those new worldwake boosters loke pretty damn god OMG
I don’t know why anyone would be worried about iona. that card has such a prohibitively high cost, i am curious why anyone would play with it. true, you may be able to drop it turn 5 or 6 with a well designed ramp deck, but in a well designed mono deck, you should be FAR faster than that. the ultrafast landfall stuff, especially in terms of green rampy decks has me pretty excited. unfortunately, the rampy seems to still be naya flavored because the two cheapest landfall pumpers are red and white!
So far I’ve only seen Iona in a white weenie deck, and when it was a white weenie vs white weenie duel its pretty horrible to see that thing end yourself. Certainly not the worst card ever but just another good reason why playing mono can be rough that’s all.
I enjoyed the Alara block… but I also dislike the fact that all my friends are now either 5CC or some ally dual. This one guy plays an old school cleric deck, which is simply frustrating at times, but its W/B so its DIFFERENT!
Why did they throw Alara block sandwiched between two blocks of mana ramp/control? Kills the challenge…
Great, now I’m gonna be messing with enemy colors for the rest of the week… partial to G/U myself…