Huh, that looks familiar!

Beans has to be one of the biggest cases of “dying for the sins of other cards” ever. First was the Modern ban over the Evoke Elementals, and now if it’s possibly getting banned in Standard, it’ll be because of the Overlords.

I think it’s because they used to put more effort into making top down designs feel more Magic-y. Theros is Greek mythology inspired but Heliod (as a Zeus stand-in) has elements that separate him from his inspiration.

Compare that to DSK’s “Friendly Ghost” and people instantly think of Casper.

It’s funny, I’m sure if Innistrad released today, people would have the same nitpicks about on the nose designs like Delver of Secrets.

I think the biggest difference is that these goofy themes and punny names feel more like Un-sets. I’m fine with the odd joke, but I wish things felt more serious.

Duskmourn feels like it’s half completely original and half supernatural movie references. For every neat design that set gave us, there’s an Exorcist or Ghostbusters or Casper reference.

I’m not super familiar with Redwall myself, but Bloomburrow hits on many tropes from that series. They just aren’t so on the nose there.

Couple that with the fact that everyone hates punny names like OTJ’s “Holy Cow”, yet BLB’s “Crumb and Get It” and “Hop to It” get no pushback.

That’s true, some sets in the one-off era have been well received. Even though LCI didn’t feel exactly like OG Ixalan, the commander decks scratched that itch for me. But I think a greater emphasis on world building for new planes is necessary if we’re only going to see them once.

I don’t hate the idea of the gimmick sets, but it seems like that’s most of what we’re getting lately. Tarkir Dragonstorm feels like the first proper Magic set since Lost Caverns of Ixalan, and I’m glad that a plane I’m so nostalgic for is getting the right treatment!

“No one wants this Spider-Man BS, whose lousy idea was this?” they cry as they empty their wallets for Final Fantasy and Lord of the Rings.

UB of an IP I like is cool, but UB of an IP I don’t like/know is cringe. Classic hypocrisy.

I have no doubt that the designers still deeply care about the game, its characters and worlds. It just seems like they rely heavily on tropes now because we have no time to set up new, original worlds. 3 set blocks were clunky, but gave us time to watch each plane grow over time.

Wow, it’s almost like the Magic community overreacted about losing potential money on luxury cardboard…

If you got more out of it than I did, more power to you. I thought that SV was a downgrade from Legends Arceus in a lot of ways, and the performance and visuals didn’t help.

As much as people want it back, Prime Time should stay banned.

Being able to instantly tutor out Thespian Depths, Urborg Coffers and more (not to mention any future nonbasics) is way too broken, even as a “game changer”.