Today's #mtgtrivia question: To portray the war in Mirrodin Besieged, we gave each side a new mechanic. What was the new Phyrexian mechanic, and what was the new Mirran mechanic? Which one was rated higher by players? #WotCStaff
@maro254.bsky.social
Answer to yesterday's #mtgtrivia question: The Phyrexians (51%) just edged out the Mirrans (49%) in a very close battle. Despite rumors, the third set choice was not decided by who won the prerelease. #WotCStaff
@maro254.bsky.social · 2d agoToday's #mtgtrivia question: Mirrodin Besieged's prerelease allowed you to choose which side of the conflict you played on. Which side was played by more people, Mirrodin or Phyrexia? (It was *very* close.) #WotCStaff
For those that haven't seen the Magic segment in Jimmy Fallon's monologue a couple weeks ago. #WotCStaff
jackpaper.bsky.social@jackpaper.bsky.social · 2d ago9:52 — when the Magic starts #MTG @fallontonight.bsky.social @jimmyfallon.bsky.social (If these are the official accounts) m.youtube.com/watch?v=wWQj...
Today's #mtgtrivia question: Mirrodin Besieged's prerelease allowed you to choose which side of the conflict you played on. Which side was played by more people, Mirrodin or Phyrexia? (It was *very* close.) #WotCStaff
Answer to yesterday's #mtgtrivia question: The original card only proliferated -1/-1 and poison counters. We later expanded it to affect all counters to make it more backwards compatible. #WotCStaff
@maro254.bsky.social · 3d agoToday’s #mtgtrivia question: The first card to proliferate was just a single spell. (It would become a vertical cycle, then a mechanic.) What type of counters did it affect? #WotCStaff
Today's #MakingMagic column is a mailbag, part 1 of 2, where I answer big picture questions about the game: magic.wizards.com/en/news/maki... #mtg #WotCStaff
Big-Picture Questions, Part 1
Mark answers questions about the broader systems, decisions, and philosophies that shape Magic.
magic.wizards.com
Today’s #mtgtrivia question: The first card to proliferate was just a single spell. (It would become a vertical cycle, then a mechanic.) What type of counters did it affect? #WotCStaff
Answer to yesterday’s #mtgtrivia question: 10%. It was 50% in Mirrodin Besieged and 90% in New Phyrexia. #WotCStaff
@maro254.bsky.social · 5d agoToday’s #mtgtrivia question: To the nearest 10%, what percentage of Scars of Mirrodin cards had a Phyrexian watermark? #WotCStaff
Today’s #mtgtrivia question: To the nearest 10%, what percentage of Scars of Mirrodin cards had a Phyrexian watermark? #WotCStaff
Answer to yesterday’s #mtgtrivia question: Tempest originally had a large poison theme which was removed during development. #WotCStaff
@maro254.bsky.social · 6d agoToday's #mtgtrivia question: Scars of Mirrodin completed a many years journey to bring back poison to the game (not counting a few cards hinting at the return on the futureshifted sheet in Future Sight). What earlier published set did I lead with poison in the design handoff? #WotCStaff
Today's #mtgtrivia question: Scars of Mirrodin completed a many years journey to bring back poison to the game (not counting a few cards hinting at the return on the futureshifted sheet in Future Sight). What earlier published set did I lead with poison in the design handoff? #WotCStaff
Answer to yesterday's #mtgtrivia question: Metalcraft replaced affinity for artifacts. We were contemplating bringing affinity for artifacts back but decided against it as the mechanic had gone so horribly wrong in original Mirrodin block. #WotCStaff
@maro254.bsky.social · last wk.Today's #mtgtrivia question: In Scars of Mirrodin, what mechanic was removed from the file and replaced by metalcraft? #WotCStaff
My second "Drive to Work" podcast (#1372) is part four in my new "Getting the Banned Together" series where I talk about the design of every card I had a major hand in that got banned or restricted: share.transistor.fm/s/25210d96 audio.transistor.fm/m/shows/2145... #mtgdtw #WotCStaff
#1372: Getting the Banned Together, Part 4 | Magic: The Gathering Drive to Work Podcast | Episode 1372
This is part four of a new series, based on a talk I gave at MagicCon: Amsterdam, where I talk about the design of all the cards I had a major hand in that would later be banned or restricted.
share.transistor.fm
This week's first "Drive to Work" podcast (#1371) is all about my trip to this year's San Diego Comic Con: share.transistor.fm/s/ae02e931 audio.transistor.fm/m/shows/2145... #mtgdtw #WotCStaff
#1371: San Diego Comic-Con 2026 | Magic: The Gathering Drive to Work Podcast | Episode 1371
In this episode, I talk about my trip to the latest San Diego Comic-Con.
share.transistor.fm
Today's #mtgtrivia question: In Scars of Mirrodin, what mechanic was removed from the file and replaced by metalcraft? #WotCStaff
Answer to yesterday's #mtgtrivia question: Scars of Mirrodin, that slot, was originally supposed to be New Phyrexia. At the end of the block, we were going to learn it was Mirrodin all along. I convinced Bill Rose that we should be telling the story of the fall of Mirrodin to Phyrexia. #WotCStaff
@maro254.bsky.social · last wk.Today's #mtgtrivia question: Scars of Mirrodin made a huge change mid-design. What was that change? #WotCStaff
Always happy to hear about people playing #MoodSwingsTCG. : ) Glad you had a good time.
James Hatheway@james-hatheway.bsky.social · last wk.Playing Mood Swings at Parkside Brewery in Port Moody, BC. Great game @maro254.bsky.social !!
Today's update to the Banned & Restricted List features changes to Standard, Legacy, and Vintage. Read about the changes and formats on DailyMTG: magic.wizards.com/en/news/anno...
Banned and Restricted Announcement – August 10, 2026
See statements regarding Standard, Legacy, and Vintage. Changes will be effective August 10, 2026.
magic.wizards.com
Today's #mtgtrivia question: Scars of Mirrodin made a huge change mid-design. What was that change? #WotCStaff
Answer to previous #mtgtrivia question: Colorless cards have a different art ratio (because the art is the full length of the card, as you see it through the colorless frame), so once you commit to a card being colorless in art, you can't change it. #WotCStaff
@maro254.bsky.social · 2w agoToday’s #mtgtrivia question: What element of Rise of the Eldrazi was unchangeable once art was commissioned? #WotCStaff
Today’s #mtgtrivia question: What element of Rise of the Eldrazi was unchangeable once art was commissioned? #WotCStaff
Answer to yesterday’s #mtgtrivia question: We couldn’t get our playtesters to attack with their giant Eldrazi. It’s why we put “must attack” on Ulamog’s Crusher, the common, to help teach people how good attacking was. #WotCStaff
@maro254.bsky.social · 2w agoToday’s #mtgtrivia question: In Rise of the Eldrazi, what was the biggest problem we had when playtesting with people outside of R&D? #WotCStaff
Today’s #mtgtrivia question: In Rise of the Eldrazi, what was the biggest problem we had when playtesting with people outside of R&D? #WotCStaff
Answer to yesterday’s #mtgtrivia question: Figure of Destiny inspired the level-up mechanic. #WotCStaff
@maro254.bsky.social · 2w agoToday’s #mtgtrivia question: What element of Rise of the Eldrazi was inspired by a card from Eventide? #WotCStaff
Today’s #mtgtrivia question: What element of Rise of the Eldrazi was inspired by a card from Eventide? #WotCStaff
Answer to yesterday’s #mtgtrivia question: Wall of Omens was a white version of Wall of Blossoms. #WotCStaff
@maro254.bsky.social · 2w agoToday’s #mtgtrivia question: What nongreen Rise of the Eldrazi card was a color-swapped version of a previously printed green card? #WotCStaff
Today’s #mtgtrivia question: What nongreen Rise of the Eldrazi card was a color-swapped version of a previously printed green card? #WotCStaff
Answer to yesterday’s #mtgtrivia question: Hedrons. Mark Tedin drew them during the mutual world building as a cool detail to the world. The creative team came up with the idea that they were part of the prison holding in the Eldrazi. #WotCStaff
@maro254.bsky.social · 2w agoToday’s #mtgtrivia question: The third set of the original Zendikar block was going to be an original world, but the creative team didn’t have the resources to make two worlds. What part of Zendikar world building was the inspiration for the Eldrazi being trapped in the world? #WotCStaff
Today’s #mtgtrivia question: The third set of the original Zendikar block was going to be an original world, but the creative team didn’t have the resources to make two worlds. What part of Zendikar world building was the inspiration for the Eldrazi being trapped in the world? #WotCStaff