So the next Magic the Gathering expansion is on the horizon. It will bring with it 5 mechanics. Some of these mechanics are making a return, like Flashback and Fight (which is a new keyword). While others are just knew. But before you go any further I suggest you read Wizards of The Coast article on Innitsrad mechanics here. Because this article is going to talk about rules in significant detail.
Transform
Of the the mechanics being introduced in Innistrad this has to be the most complicated one.
- It will have a tournament legal proxy.
- There is no Magic back on the card.
- The face up side is marked with a sun.
- The transformations are triggers.
- Both faces are the same card. That means counters, tokens etc stay on the card if it transforms.
- Transforming is different from flipping.
- Always enters the battlefield face up.
- Copy effects only copy the current “face” of the card.
What does all of that mean for a player and for the judge?
Judge Perspective
While double faced cards are going to bring to the game a potential for new levels of card quality it is going to be a messy mechanic at first. I suspect that early on players are going to miss the transform triggers left and right. I can just see it know some random player draft 10 double faced cards and put 7 in his deck. Can you imagine having 4 of them in play at the same time? You might have different faces face up. In other words the players might have four different triggers to remember on top of normal game play. The good news is that this is most likely to happen at the casual level of play for some time – practice. In the end I think it will force both players and judges to improve their game.
Player Perspective
As a player I am looking forward to the card quality that thes might bring us. And I do believe there will be enough good double faced cards that a handful of them will see play. Otherwise, WotC is waisting their time with this mechanic.
Morbid
Judge Perspective
There is not a thing that is so unique about this mechanic that we have anything to worry about.
Player Perspective
The trigger is going to be easy enough to pull off that you will definitely see it played. I kind of like Skirsdag High Priest. I used this spoiler for information. I kind of like putting 5/5 flying demons in play.
Flashback
Judge Perspective
There is nothing new here (at least not publicly known yet).
Player Perspective
I have missed flashback. Will it have a huge impact on the environment? I am uncertain on how it will effect the game. But if history repeats itself it will help a deck or two if not more.
Curses
Judge Perspective
They are enchantments.
Player perspective
I like the preview used in Wizards article I linked earlier. If that is an example of where they are going they will be fun in most casual games, and have potential in standard.
Fight
Judges perspective
This is a pretty cut and dry ability. At this point there no interactions that make this seem like it will be a headache (other than good use).
Player perspective
It is not really a new ability. It will see play in limited. It might see some play in Standard but I wouldn’t count on it unless they make a couple that are really good. i would like to see an equipment that give the ability fight or a new land. that way creatures with infect can fight.
Come back soon as I start picking my favorite leaked Innistrad cards.
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