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by Da Sarge Magic: Tradition, Creativity, and Popularity Let me start off by saying that I would like to apologize for not answering my mail from you, the reader, sooner. The Army had me doing the Army thing, and I was quite busy. All right, let's get busy..... Last month I ended my column by asking five questions that I thought would stir some interest...boy, did I touch a nerve. Some of you just got downright angry that I would dare suggest that certain cards should be played in Type 2, or that colors should be mixed some more. Well, if I got you mad last month, you're going to really love me this month.... First a history lesson. When Mr. Garfield invented this game and made each color distinct in its own way, it was a brilliant move. When the first sets came out, and introduced Moxes and such, people thought it was great. After a while, as more sets came out, the term "Power Card" was created. Banned/Restricted was also created, because as the players became smarter, certain cards turned a game around in one turn. Different types of environments were created to rotate sets out as new sets came in. At the time, all this was a good idea and made sense. Jump to today. Ladies and gents, let's be honest. Things have changed. New cards come out so fast that a lot of cards become useless after a year. Sets rotate out so fast it's really hard to keep track of what is legal in what type of play. Certain cards are put on the banned/restricted because they are too "powerful". Colors are so locked into what they can and can't do that a lot of sets are just watered down reprints of "power cards" or reprints of earlier cards. Why is this happening? I can say it in three words: TRADITION, CREATIVITY, and POPULARITY. Why do I say this? Tradition has locked the colors into a certain style of play. Creativity is locked into a certain style because tradition has locked the colors. The problem is that the game has become so popular that tradition and creativity have to change, or evolve, for the game to progress to the next level. In order for that to happen, people have to be more open-minded about the game, and what the colors should be allowed to do. Let's look at the playing environments for a moment. We have 4 types, T1, T1.5 (classic), T1.5 (extended), and T2. Each playing environment is based on what set came out when. The idea behind this (especially in T2) was that when sets were rotated out of one area, and into another, the player would have to construct new decks based on what is available. Also, another reason behind this was that new players would be more inclined to play the game with the cards available now. A great idea....with one little drawback. Old players with old cards. Let's take my favorite example...Ali from Cairo. This card is on the no-reprint policy of WOTC. I can only use it in Type 1 or 1.5 Classic. The reason I can't use it in T1.5 extended or T2 is that it is not available to all players, and it would not be fair. Why? What is so powerful about this card? Based on what it can do, and what cards are available in T2, this card is easy to destroy. As for being available to all players? Hey, let's think about that for a moment. How many copies of a card are supposed to be made so it is fair for everyone? Here is an example. In my area there are only about ten people that have a Mox Diamond, yet there are hundreds of people that play. Is this card available to everyone? Not unless you want to pay between 15 and 20 bucks for it. And you still can't buy it in the area, you have to send for it. So is it available? Not really. So what is the difference between the Mox Diamond and Ali from Cairo? I would also venture to say that the Diamond is stronger then Ali. Tradition says I can't play the Ali. Creativity in conjunction with popularity makes the Mox Diamond a new "Power Card." It's not fair to the older player that has been loyal to Magic. He or she buys the cards, plays the game, and is rewarded by not being able to play the cards they bought a few years ago. I think you have to re-work the entire tournament environment. First thing you do is define what a power card is, once and for all. Use a number system, but explain how it works so that everyone understands it, and that there are no questions as to what makes up how the system works. For example, take a Longbow Archer. It has first strike - it gets one (1) power point, can block flyers - gets another power point. It has a total of 2 power points so it is a P2 (Power 2). You could also say that, based on its abilities and that it can come out within three mana, it gets another power point. That makes it a P3. You could also work on the strength/defense of the creature. Then, instead of saying that something is type 1.5 legal, you could break it down into power brackets..for example type 2 becomes P1 through P5. By doing this, all cards can be played at any time. You can still have a banned / restricted list for those really powerful cards, i.e. Moxen. Based on this, Ali from Cairo is pretty low on the power scale. Suddenly, all those old cards can be used more often in what would be considered the type 2 play area. Tradition, creativity and popularity are back in full force, supporting each other again. Let's talk colors for a moment. The fact that each color has a flavor is great. But, at the same time, the colors are so locked into what they can and can't do that there is no room for creativity. Look at each color over the last three years and what do you see? Not much. Each color gets the same thing over and over again. Red gets DD, blue gets counterspells, etc. Tradition says it must be like this, creativity has nowhere to go, popularity will decrease...unless something happens. This is a harder problem. To be honest, the colors are getting dull. It's the same thing over and over again. I asked the question last month about color mixing. I might as well have been asking people to kill someone. A majority of readers are against it, because the colors are there for a reason. I agree with that. At the same time, where do we go from here? It seems that when the guys at R & D create something, they don't follow through on it. Take phasing and flanking. Whatever happened to them? Are they alive or dead? Will more cards come out with these abilities, or is this a passing fad? The hot things now are slivers, licids, and buyback. Will these be short-lived like phasing and flanking? Color mixing might be the answer...but it would be tricky. First off, you can't go all out. It has to come into the game slowly, with much control. Let's say you want to make a black Disenchant. Give it a higher casting cost, say 4 mana (3 black and one colorless, or 2 black and 2 colorless). This might be an answer. A green Lightning Bolt would cost, say, 3 green mana. In a way, white has a Disintegrate. It's called an energy bolt. It offers the DD of red, and the life giving of white. That is a good example of color mixing. I don't hear anyone complaining about that. Maybe when I say color mixing, we are all thinking the wrong way. Instead of a black Disenchant, maybe it should be a black and white Disenchant. Maybe the green Lightning Bolt should be a green and red Lightning Bolt. How about a blue and green Counter? Or, better yet, a green and black Fireball. The thoughts are endless, and everyone would be happy. Tradition is happy, creativity is overjoyed and popularity goes through the roof. Last month I started some hot arguments with some (what I thought were) easy questions. Let's try it again.
Let me know how you feel. P.S.: To Dexter Bustarde, I could not answer you letter. It was returned as address unknown P.S.S: Thanks for all the letters, both those that agree and disagree
Dem'd My Views and I'm.......
All commentaries are the opinions of the author, and do not necessarily reflect those of Beyond Dominia
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