Ixalan Blog Posts *Updated (2/8/18)

span_argoman

bken1234 said:

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span_argoman said:

Personally, I'd say reducing the cost of Across Ixalan to 20 Crystals down from Trial of the Planes at 60 Crystals is a move that benefits players of all tiers as the baseline is now that you get a discounted 20-Crystal XLN 5-card pack for a single win in the event since rewards are the same.

But with the reduction of the entry fee by 40 Crystals, I think Platinum doesn't need that 30 Crystal rebate any more. If it still should be there as a tier, maybe 10 Crystals to make it 50% of the entry fee like it was for TotP instead of a 50% profit on entry fee.

Platinum will already get more Jewels than the rest of the tiers. Heck, maybe just change the last tier for Platinum to a set number of Mana Orbs like 50.

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I'd also like to thank Oktagon for their efforts in trying to make Ixalan feel more unique compared to how the previous developers have done the events and cards for this game. Granted, I have my doubts on certain proposed ideas like some have voiced out here, but I think overall it's a positive direction and I am optimistic that we will see tweaks along the way in the right direction.

May the MtGPQ community have sufficient good graces to give construction feedback to Oktagon instead of vomiting snarky comments and self-entitled demands like was done with the previous bunch.

MADAFAKA said:

@Brigby please answer the previous question. is the new totp legacy or standard?

I hope it stays legacy.
lack of pve is a bummer. I hope we get more coalition events
.

The header for the Across Ixalan Event description in the blog post states:

Across Ixalan – PvP – Standard

I have a few thoughts on this--

1. The entry fee and the rewards should be the same and always should have been the same. Anything that cash based currency (crystals are cash-based) is used for should be the same value no matter what level of play you are at. 

2. Standard  
  --The thing is I love Standard for coalition PvP, but for a daily event that I pay for??? -- I've put so much time and money into my legacy collection and now they're basically devaluing it more???

I can see why they decided to reduce the entry fee to 20 Crystals. Positive thinking would suggest that it was their quick and dirty method to make TotP-style events accessible to all tiers.

As I mentioned, the baseline now is one win to be having a 66% discount on an Ixalan 5-card booster pack. This makes it playable for lower tiers, even if they may not bother to play till full Progression.

I guess the difference between tiers was to encourage players to move up in Colour Mastery tier. If rewards are the same across tiers, there comes an incentive to sandbag in a lower tier to have easier matches. And this was what happened when we had guaranteed Mythics for the top 5 individual placings in Events across all tiers.

Mainloop25

Drewster said:

@Mainloop25 Odric, Lunarch Marshal

Ah. Everyone I know just refers to that card as Clooney. 

EldrosKandar

To play devil's advocate, I can see why they didn't do any balance yet. Not only it is their first release since they took over, but they also added a lot of new variables with the new cards and the new events structure which might changes how cards are prioritized.

Also, for all those complaining about the costs and power of the cards, it is good that you give feedback on those, as Oktagon will need that but remember this quote from the first blog post:

Keep in mind that numbers (mana costs, power/toughness, etc…) of spoiler cards in this and other Ixalan blog posts might change prior to release.

khurram

EldrosKandar said:

To play devil's advocate, I can see why they didn't do any balance yet. Not only it is their first release since they took over, but they also added a lot of new variables with the new cards and the new events structure which might changes how cards are prioritized.

Also, for all those complaining about the costs and power of the cards, it is good that you give feedback on those, as Oktagon will need that but remember this quote from the first blog post:

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Keep in mind that numbers (mana costs, power/toughness, etc…) of spoiler cards in this and other Ixalan blog posts might change prior to release.

I was keeping that in mind. But then I have to keep this in mind too from the last blog post:

Let’s get the one bad news out of the way, so we can get to the good stuff: there will be no balance changes for Ixalan. There we go. Band-Aid ripped. 

The bit about "the cost may change etc" is a standard line, which has accompanied every update since the start. I doubt they'll change much of what we have seen. And the "no balance changes for Ixalan" indicates that they intend to stick to their card design without much willingness to change even if players feel the cards are not strong enough.

Unless by "for Ixalan" they just meant that they won't be doing any card balance with the update for Ixalan? In that case maybe Brigby could ask them and clarify.

Volrak

khurram said:

Unless by "for Ixalan" they just meant that they won't be doing any card balance with the update for Ixalan? In that case maybe Brigby could ask them and clarify.

That's what I assumed it meant - no rebalancing of existing cards as part of the Ixalan update.  But yes, several interpretations seem to be possible.

EldrosKandar

Volrak said:

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khurram said:

Unless by "for Ixalan" they just meant that they won't be doing any card balance with the update for Ixalan? In that case maybe Brigby could ask them and clarify.

That's what I assumed it meant - no rebalancing of existing cards as part of the Ixalan update.  But yes, several interpretations seem to be possible.

That's also my take on it.

Krishna

EldrosKandar said:

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Volrak said:

khurram said:

Unless by "for Ixalan" they just meant that they won't be doing any card balance with the update for Ixalan? In that case maybe Brigby could ask them and clarify.

That's what I assumed it meant - no rebalancing of existing cards as part of the Ixalan update.  But yes, several interpretations seem to be possible.

That's also my take on it.

thats the common sense take on it, but we're on the outside looking in without all the info that devs have. I feel confident that we will be Beta testing this thing to some degree, so I strongly assumed that the "subject to change" clause was just them covering their rear and/ or positioning to re-tool an Ixalan card or PW.
 It was AMAZING when Brigby found about "The New TotP" for us. maybe it could happen again? Personally, I feel like its so close to the release that the devs are like "Non-existent Developer, we gave them 4 blogs worth of information! 30 PAGES, Non-existent Developer! Why cant they just let us create!?!"
Then Non-existent Developer is like, "I know, right? We released our January Q and A in FEBRUARY. Thats how much work we put into it. And now, we turn to our noble craft. But NOOOOO. The Elite MTGPQ players want mooooooore info. Oh sure, let me take time away from the actual release to tell you some random minute detail!!!"

Kinesia

One thing to remember is that both the companies involved have multiple people with multiple roles.
The game designers are not the coders are not the techical writers are not the management are not the support staff.
The coders were still working on the set in the background while other people did the blog post, they are not using the same resources.

gillkonam

You guys have done a great job so far, and thank you Brigby. One question regarding standard: will there be a shifting of standard sets with this current release?

bk1234

gillkonam said:

You guys have done a great job so far, and thank you Brigby. One question regarding standard: will there be a shifting of standard sets with this current release?

Standard will stay as is to align more closely with paper. This was announced several months ago

Krishna

bken1234 said:

show previous quotes

gillkonam said:

You guys have done a great job so far, and thank you Brigby. One question regarding standard: will there be a shifting of standard sets with this current release?

Standard will stay as is to align more closely with paper. This was announced several months ago

I recall some language about how KLD would stay in standard with the release of Ixalan, but that was it. Control+V if youve got it lol