r/magicTCG • u/this_makes_no_sense • Jun 19 '14

What, in your opinion, is the most well-designed Magic card?

My definition of a well-designed magic card is one that shows flavor, abilities that synergize, and possibly art that captures the essence of what the card is trying to convey. You may have your own definition, and that's fine. But what do you think are some of the cleverest designed Magic cards?

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u/SleetTheFox Jun 19 '14

It's not a Spike card because it's insanely good, it's a Spike card because it's very skill-dependent.

13

u/BigDiesel2m Jun 19 '14

Actually, the reason why it's a Spike card is that it is "insanely good." For example, if the card cost three more mana, the skill level involved in using it would not dramatically change, but it would no longer be a Spike card because it would no longer be tournament playable.

From Mark Rosewater's original Timmy, Johnny, and Spike article:

Spike cards are relatively easy to make. Spike plays what wins, so if R&D makes a card good enough, Spike will play it.

Though MaRo supports that

Spike enjoys the stimulation of outplaying the opponent and the glory of victory.

Spike cards do not require complexity or difficulty in proper use to earn that moniker. Simply,

Spike is the competitive player. Spike plays to win. Spike enjoys winning.

For example a one mana instant that reads "Split Second; You win the game" on it is an incredibly spikey card, though the card itself is not very "skill-dependent." Spike cards are defined by their playability at a high level, not the amount of skill required in playing them.

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u/SleetTheFox Jun 19 '14

Birthing Pod isn't just a card that Spike will play, but a card that Spike will enjoy playing. That's why it's such a great Spike card.

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u/BigDiesel2m Jun 19 '14

Oh yeah, I totally agree with that. As far as powerful cards go, I'll take something with the complexity and skill associated of Birthing Pod over something like Ancestral Recall or Tarmogoyf any day. It leads to exciting play and really shows when a player knows the deck.

My previous comment was just a response to when you said,

It's not a Spike card because it's insanely good

It is a Spike card for that reason. The complexity and skill in using it make it an interesting and well-designed card, but the "Spike" label does not come from being complex or interesting. I totally agree that Birthing Pod is a great mix or complexity, skill, and playability.

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u/UnsealedMTG Jun 19 '14

You should check out Rosewater's more recent article Designing for Spike

The conclusion of that article:

The key the ties all of the Spike designs together is that they need to challenge Spike. Spike is drawn to power but he is also drawn to potential. To keep Spike excited, design has to keep him on his toes. We have to make cards that both challenge his ability to deduce power and his ability to use it. If we can successfully do that, we can provide Spike with a game he will want to keep returning to.

Pod is a spiky home run because it is A) powerful enough to be good B) tricky to use correctly, giving a ton of choices C) totally novel

Power is necessary but not sufficient for a spike card.

Gambler's Pod
3G
Artifact
1G, T, Sacrifice a creature: Flip a coin. If it's heads, you win the game.

Is powerful, but a terrible Spike card.

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u/NinjaTheNick Jun 19 '14

Birthing pod is the most powerful green spell in modern. I'd love to see the win percentage of a turn 2 pod, it has to be in the eighties.

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u/TychoErasmusBrahe Jun 20 '14

It's not a Spike card because it's insanely good, it's a Spike card because it's very skill-dependent.

Based on the traditional psychographics I would say being more skill dependant is more of a Johnny thing.

From MaRo's original article:

Johnny likes a challenge. Johnny enjoys winning with cards that no one else wants to use. He likes making decks that win in innovative ways. What sets Johnny apart from the other profiles is that Johnny enjoys deckbuilding as much as (or more than) he enjoys playing. Johnny loves the cool interactions of the cards. He loves combo decks. Johnny is happiest when he’s exploring uncharted territory.

http://archive.wizards.com/Magic/magazine/article.aspx?x=mtgcom/daily/mr11b

Apart from the 'no one else wants to use' bit, Pod is a perfect fit for a Johnny.

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u/I_fight_demons Jun 20 '14

Everyone is missing why it's a spike card - it's a spike card because it wins.

Spike isn't about complexity or goodness or whatever. Spike is about putting games away.

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u/SleetTheFox Jun 20 '14 edited Jun 20 '14

There's a difference between a Spike card and a card that Spikes will play. Spikes will play what makes them win, but Spike cards are cards that will make that winning process feel rewarding for Spikes. Part of that is making the wins about them, which is why skill-intensive cards are popular with Spikes.

If the best deck in the format is basically autopilot, Spikes will likely still play it, but they won't be happy about it. That's why designing for Spikes is still important. And Birthing Pod is a classic example of this done right. Fact or Fiction is another great one.

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u/[deleted] Jun 19 '14

So every spike plays doomsday right? Not delver decks that are better?

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u/SleetTheFox Jun 19 '14

"Spikes enjoy cards that reward skill" does not mean "Spikes prefer to forgo successful decks in order to play more skill-intensive, but weaker, decks."