What you’re reading started out as another Universes Beyond takedown.
Maybe not a takedown, but definitely something fueled by fatigue.
After Magic: The GatheringIt is The Secret of Strixhaven together I was riding high. The original visit of Arcavios — Strixhaven: School of Mages – was the very first MtG pack I ever opened, and I immediately fell in love with the world and the art (the lovely Mystical Archive cards certainly helped too). Last year I even ran a short Dungeons and Dragons campaign set in Strixhaven. That’s how much I loved the cards.
This return, now as a veteran of over five years, has been delicious. Thanks to Wizards of the Coast, I had been sent several packs to open and experience the expansion a little early, and I also attended a few preview events, and just like the original expansion, the world felt so alive. The glowing Elder Dragon cards really feel like ancient masters of magic – my friend’s Prismari deck proved that with a turn 4 win the other night, and Lorehold was a serious upgrade to my Quintorious Commander deck – and the paradigmatic mechanic really captures the feeling of freedom and immense joy when your final project is complete.
Prepared was also a major success, both for limited play and for several of my constructed decks.
Then I turned my attention to what came next and chickened out. Fracture of reality is our last in-universe expansion of the year, surrounded by three external IPs: The Hobbit (which, after Lord of the Rings, actually, I’m very excited), Star Trek (I’m not a Trekkie, and this doesn’t seem quite the right solution for Magicfantastic worlds) and, on June 26, Marvel superheroes.
Urgh.
Analysis/subtitle section
As a comic book reader and for a long time MCU fan (I think I’m one of the few people left who still watches everything Marvel releases), this MTG The Marvel collaboration should be a slam dunk. However, after MagicThe Spider-Man set was a flop (another set that should have easily won me over but was troubled by development problems that I don’t have time to explain), my desire to return to Earth-616 was non-existent.
Then I heard Mark Rosewater talking about maps.
A little baseball: Before a major set is released, members of the press and influencers get a sneak peek of the set. We tune into a stream hosted by the set leads – which for Marvel included Magic: The Gathering Head Designer — to see some cards that showcase the set’s mechanics, art treatments, and general feel of what’s to come. This is how articles and videos are published a few seconds after the first feed goes live.
I’ve been to several now, and I’ve yet to hear anyone speak with as much palpable enthusiasm as Rosewater had for Marvel. It was contagious.
Rosewater explained that for Marvel, he was the SME, or subject matter expert. The person at WotC who deeply understands the external IP they are working with and who will ensure that the cards reflect the characters, moments, and worlds they represent. And Rosewater is clearly a Marvel expert.
With each card presented, he couldn’t help but explain why each one had the effect it did – of course, Tony Stark can improvise – or why the precise wording of the new abilities was the way it was – like Worthy’s definition written to allow Thor and Captain America to lift Mjolnir, but not Kingpin – and how he helped change effects that didn’t really work – the Hulk’s original Enrage effect didn’t make him any stronger, despite the anger fueling his la ferocity in comics.
This exuberance was a joy to see, and I realized shortly after the presentation that it had rubbed off on me. I was excited about Marvel. In fact, I was excited about everything that was happening MTG pipeline.
There are now some unresolved issues with the game’s set pacing. For starters, Standard is a nightmare to master. I love playing it on Arena (The magic digital client), but it is incredibly expensive on paper, and with such a wealth of cards at our disposal, the format is heavier than it should be.
Second, six or seven Standard series a year leave no room for others. I love alternative draft formats like Battle Link‘s face off against Two-Headed Giant, or any Commander project. I want them back, but there doesn’t seem to be any room for them amid the noise.
Likewise, seeing the joy of Rosewater, I feel the appeal of introducing so many external worlds into this game so that newcomers and longtime fans of both franchises can play with and as characters they know and love.
Of course, it’s not always for me, but the excitement I felt for Strixhaven is clearly matched by others with a love for Marvel superheroes, The HobbitAnd Star Trek (and whatever happens next).
Ahead of its June 26 debut, there will be plenty of preview events happening in the weeks leading up to it, including a new Avengers Academy to get new players up to speed. I’ve already signed up for my local Sealed preview, and I plan to soak up the atmosphere, focus on having fun, and maybe whip up a Daredevil, Man Without Fear deck (Born Again Season 3 I can’t come soon enough).
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