Release Notes 4.2 *UPDATE (05/12/2020)

Magic:PQ Support Team
Magic:PQ Support Team ADMINISTRATORS Posts: 3,444 Chairperson of the Boards
edited May 2020 in MtGPQ General Discussion

New Content

The new collection Ikoria: Lair of Behemoths (IKO) is coming soon. Take a look at the Card Gallery HERE.

New Planeswalker

Vivien, Monsters’ Advocate

“Arriving in Ikoria to research its population of unique and incredible monsters, Vivien met with a new "bonder" named Lukka, and taught him how to commune with nature. However, after realizing that Lukka only wanted to use the monsters as weapons to overcome the city of Drannith, Vivien gathered a group of "bonders" to assist the city, and to stop Lukka.”

Max Level Stats
(See Planeswalker Abilities Progression HERE)

Lukka, Coppercoat Outcast

"Lukka was once a member of the Coppercoats, a military force sworn to protect the city of Drannith from Ikoria’s monsters, Committing the crime of bonding his soul with a winged tiger, Lukka was marked to die, by General Kudro. The former soldier then decided to weaponize the monsters to take control over Drannith, by controlling the creatures with the power of the crystal known as the Ozolith."

Max Level Stats

(See Planeswalker Abilities Progression HERE)

Narset of the Ancient Way

"Seeking to find enlightenment, Narset planeswalked to Ikoria to commune with the ancient and wild power of that land."

Max Level Stats


Greater Ancient Way
(White/Blue/Red) Support Mythic Card (4) Token
"When you cast or Cycle a noncreature card: Deal 4 damage to any opposing target. This effect can trigger up to 4 time(s) per turn. 
When you draw a card without Cycling: That card gains Cycling 4."
(See Planeswalker Abilities Progression HERE)

New Mechanics:

Companion

  • Companion is a keyword for cards that have a special ability only if the player’s deck follows a specific restriction.

  • The Companion Ability Hint reads: “This card's Companion ability is active if: <Restriction>.”

  • Example of a restriction: “Your starting deck contains 4 or more creatures with one or more of the following subtypes: Beast, Cat, Dinosaur, Elemental, or Nightmare.”

Mutate

  • The Mutate ability hint reads: “When you cast this card from your hand, if you control a non-Token non-Mutated creature, you may choose it to enter the battlefield as a Mutation. If entered as a Mutation, reinforce target non-Token non-Mutated creature you control. That creature gains this card’s Mutation effect.”

  • This new mechanic brings two icons: Mutate, which is present in cards that have Mutate; and Mutation, that is given to creatures affected by Mutate.

             Mutate                Mutation

New Abilities Category

Basic Evergreen

  • In order to simplify the interactions of cards that grant evergreen abilities from a given list, IKO brings a new ability category, named as Basic Evergreen abilities, to group the ones that were introduced in ORI and are present in every set since then.This way, instead of listing each of the available abilities in a card’s text, it will simply bring the keyword Basic Evergreen ability, which hint contains the list of all pertinent abilities.

  • The Basic Evergreen abilities in Magic: PQ are Berserker, First Strike, Double Strike, Deathtouch, Defender, Hexproof, Lifelink, Menace, Reach, Trample, Flying and Vigilance.

Changes

VIP Booster Packs Changes

Once received, VIP Packs will only provide cards of that set. VIP packs acquired during a current set will only contain cards from that given set. For example: if you receive a VIP pack while Theros Beyond Death is the newest set in Standard, that pack will only (and always) contain cards from THB. That pack content will not be updated with cards from the next set when this is released. Instead, each set will have its own VIP packs.

Standard Packs Changes

Standard Packs will have the cards defined once given, and won't update when new collections are released. Standard packs will only contain cards from the Standard configuration of when they were received. For example: if you receive a Standard pack while GRN, RNA, WAR, M20, ELD, and THB are the only sets in Standard, that pack will keep having cards only from those sets, even after the release of other collections, such as the upcoming Ikoria: Lair of Behemoths (IKO) collection.

Booster Crafting

  • Cards from the newest set will become available for crafting only after the release of the next set. In the upcoming 4.2 release (Ikoria: Lair of Behemoths (IKO) the cards from the collection Theros: Beyond Death (THB) will become craftable right away.

  • The IKO collection will then become available only when the new set after IKO will be released.

  • All Standard Sets will have the same price (except ORI).

  • Booster Crafting price for Standard Mythic cards: 5,000 (Origins: 3,000)

Other Changes

  • Added the phrase: “This ability counts as an Activate effect.” to the Ability Hints of the following abilities: 

    • Adapt

    • Aftermath

    • Embalm

    • Eternalize

    • Exert

    • Trap

  • Cycling Mechanic Ability Hint and Tutorial (AKH) text has been updated and rephrased to better reflect the current implementation: 

    • Tutorial Text has changed from:

“To Cycle a card with this ability, drag it to the trash while it is in your hand while the total mana of the cards in your hand is equal or higher than the number listed next to the Cycle keyword.”

to

“You can Cycle a card by dragging it from your hand to the exile, if you have a total amount of mana in the cards in your hand that is equal or greater than that card's Cycling value, which is the number next to the Cycling keyword.”

  • The Cycling Ability Hint has changed from: 

“To Cycle a card, drag it to the trash while it is in your hand and you have at least X mana accumulated in your cards, where X is the amount listed in the keyword.”

to

“Whenever you exile a card with Cycling from your hand, if you have a total amount of mana in the cards in your hand that is equal or greater than that card's Cycling value, you drain that amount of mana and draw a card.”

  • Event Planechasing Fblthp: Booster Reward has been updated to THB Booster.

  • Event Trial of the Planes: Booster Reward has been updated to IKO Booster.

  • The text description of the Masterpiece Card Godsend (THB) has been rephrased for better understanding from: 

“While on the board: Your first creature gets +6/+6. When your first creature blocks or becomes blocked: Exile the opposing attacking or blocking creature. At the beginning of your opponent's turn: Disable the first creature card in your opponent's hand until end of turn.”

to

“While on the board: Your first creature gets +6/+6. When your first creature deals combat damage to an opposing creature: Exile that creature. At the beginning of your opponent's turn: Disable the first creature card in your opponent's hand until end of turn.”

  • Uncommon Card Stonecoil Serpent (ELD) has its Stored Mana value changed from 2 to 5.

  • Mythic Card Hixus, Prison Warden (ORI) has changed from:

“Whenever you take combat damage from an opponent's creature, that creature becomes Disabled. When this support is destroyed, Enable all of your opponent's creatures.”

to

“When an opposing creature deals combat damage to your Planeswalker: That creature is Disabled as long as this card is in play. When this support is exiled or destroyed: Enable all opposing creatures.”

  • Rare Spell Card Camaraderie (WAR) has changed from:

“You draw X cards and gain X times 3 life, where x is the number of creatures and creature reinforcements you control up to 6. Your creatures get +1/+1 until end of turn.”

to 

“You draw X cards and gain X times 3 life, where x is the number of creatures and creature reinforcements you control up to 6. Your creatures get +X/+X until end of turn.”

  • Updated Training Background Images (WAR, M20, ELD, THB).

Bug Fixes

  • Fixed some minor text issues.

  • Fixed an issue with the cards Elspeth, Sun's Champion (THB) and Elspeth, Sun's Nemesis (THB). Both cards are now creating Human Soldier tokens. 

  • Fixed an issue with inverted art for the Soldier token and Human Soldier token.

  • Fixed an issue where Urza, Lord High Artificer would crash the game when in interaction with Castle Vantress.

  • Fixed an issue with the interaction from Folio of Fancies' and Walking Archive's effects.

  • Fixed an issue where the game would soft lock when killing tokens.

  • Fixed an issue where the game would freeze when casting Urza, Lord High Artificer and Yarok, the Desecrated.

  • Fixed an issue where Repeated Reverberation would crash the game.

  • Fixed an issue where Finale of... cards would crash the game.

  • Event The Great Tournament: Fixed an issue where the support card Being Inhuman was converting gems to both Planeswalkers' colors.

  • Fixed an issue where Teferi, Time Raveler's +1 ability was not triggering when the spell on the opponent's hand was not on the first slot.

  • Fixed an issue where Cry of Carnarium's -2/-2 effect was not being triggered.

New Event

  • The Colossal Tussle

    • PvP

    • Standard

    • Restricted Subtype: Human

    • 3 Nodes (No Color Restriction)

    • Entry Fee: 30 Mana Crystals

    • Recharge Time: 23.5hs;*

      • *3 Charges per Recharge (per node);

    • Duration: 46h;

    • Initial Charges (per node): 3;

    • Max Charges (per node): 6.

  • Hunter X Bonder

    • PvP

    • Standard

    • Coalition

    • 2 Nodes (No Color Restriction)

    • Recharge Time: 8hs (1 Charge);

    • Duration: 46h;

    • Initial Charges (per node): 2;

    • Max Charges (per node): 6.

Card Gallery

Available on Facebook:

Ikoria: Lair of Behemoths (IKO)

(You can access it even if you don’t have a Facebook account.)

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Comments

  • Zethish
    Zethish Posts: 44 Just Dropped In
    Finally another 3 color PW, and it's Jeskai at that. Super hyped!
  • Julie71
    Julie71 MTGPQ Mod Posts: 707 Critical Contributor
    I'm more excited about the bug fixes, then new PW or cards.  It's so easy to make me happy thanks for listening to us about our bug experience and for being so fast at fixing them. @Oktagon_Support
  • Bil
    Bil Posts: 831 Critical Contributor

    New Event

    • The Colossal Tussle

      • PvP

      • Standard

      • Restricted Subtype: Human

      • 3 Nodes (No Color Restriction)

      • Entry Fee: 30 Mana Crystals

      • Recharge Time: 23.5hs;*

        • *3 Charges per Recharge (per node);

      • Duration: 46h;

      • Initial Charges (per node): 3;

      • Max Charges (per node): 6.




    Wow ... IS it really happening?
  • Asylamb
    Asylamb Posts: 170 Tile Toppler
    Mutation ability is too different from its paper version, and not in a good way. Paper version specifically says that you can mutate token creatures as well and specifically says that you can mutate only non-Human creatures. This version seems to enable Human mutants which is not supposed to be a thing on Ikoria and the way it's worded implies you can only mutate a creature once unlike paper version, because once you cast a mutation for the first time, target creature becomes mutated and non eligible for further mutations.
  • andrewvanmarle
    andrewvanmarle Posts: 978 Critical Contributor
    I dont think I understand how mutate works:

    other than the disappointment over not being able to stack mutations, the wording seems illogical.

    Example:

    If I play archipelagore on another creature, that other creature is reinforced and then what? the disable effect hits one time?  if that is the case then 20 mana is very very steep.

    i'd need a 14 mana creature on board for this to be mildy interesting  (14 for the reinforce and 6 for the disable)   and that must be a 14 creature without an ETB because it wont trigger but you will pay for it.


    Am I getting this wrong?


    The Mutate ability hint reads: “When you cast this card from your hand, if you control a non-Token non-Mutated creature, you may choose it to enter the battlefield as a Mutation. If entered as a Mutation, reinforce target non-Token non-Mutated creature you control. That creature gains this card’s Mutation effect.”

  • Heartstone
    Heartstone Posts: 233 Tile Toppler
    you're right that 20 is a steep price, but let's compare this with one of my favorite cards: quasiduplicate. For 11 mana, that card gives you a reinforced creature with an ETB effect if that creature has one.
    For Archipelagore's 20 mana, you get the reinforcement  without the ETB effect, but with the mutation effect, whatever the copied creature was.
    Depending on the creature you can copy, that doesn't sound so interesting.
    But wait! When you don't have a creature in play quasiduplicate is useless. While your 20 mana Archipelagore gives you a 7/7, which is not bad by itself.
    So yes, this is more expensive but you never have a useless card in your hand, and versatility always has a price in Magic.
    And let's not forget that our new friend archipelagore is an uncommon: he's not meant to be spectacularly cheap. I haven't checked the other creatures yet (the facebook layout is horrible on my phone), but I would bet that the rare and mythic mutate cards will be much more splashy.

  • Zethish
    Zethish Posts: 44 Just Dropped In
    The push towards Flash-cards continue, but that mechanic could really do with some changes. Are there any plans to change Flash?
  • jtwood
    jtwood Posts: 1,285 Chairperson of the Boards
    Heartstone said:
     I would bet that the rare and mythic mutate cards will be much more splashy.

    But Archipelagore is literally in the ocean
    How do you get more splashy???

  • Heartstone
    Heartstone Posts: 233 Tile Toppler
    jtwood said:
    Heartstone said:
     I would bet that the rare and mythic mutate cards will be much more splashy.

    But Archipelagore is literally in the ocean
    How do you get more splashy???

    :D
  • andrewvanmarle
    andrewvanmarle Posts: 978 Critical Contributor
    so... let me try to get this right.


    I play Archipelagore, then play another card with mutate on it, archpelagore reinforces and disables a creature till end of turn.

    so, example: I play aupicious starrix on archipelagore, I have a 14/14 for 30 mana  with the bonus of disabeling a creature once and  cheating a 2 mana creature into play (starrix counts reinforcements)


    It seems so clunky
  • Bubbles_CS
    Bubbles_CS Posts: 332 Mover and Shaker
    mrixl2520 said:
    Oktagon_Support said:

    New Abilities Category

    Basic Evergreen

    • In order to simplify the interactions of cards that grant evergreen abilities from a given list, IKO brings a new ability category, named as Basic Evergreen abilities, to group the ones that were introduced in ORI and are present in every set since then.This way, instead of listing each of the available abilities in a card’s text, it will simply bring the keyword Basic Evergreen ability, which hint contains the list of all pertinent abilities.

    • The Basic Evergreen abilities in Magic: PQ are Berserker, First Strike, Double Strike, Deathtouch, Defender, Hexproof, Lifelink, Menace, Reach, Trample and Vigilance.

    Shouldn't flying be a basic evergreen?
    Also, Haste. Legendary, introduced later but found on Origins cards, also has an icon but might not be considered “basic”.
  • Nyarlathotep
    Nyarlathotep Posts: 92 Match Maker
    edited May 2020
    There are also unblockable and flash, but both are a bit more rare on cards to be found, so they might not be so basic. 
    But definite info about which evergreens still exist and will keep on existing but are not 'basic' would be nice. 

    flying and haste are good calls for sure, though. 

    So if i may propose a simple solution: 
    Give us a second list. One that shows all the evergreens that are not considered to be basic. 
  • Bubbles_CS
    Bubbles_CS Posts: 332 Mover and Shaker
    Oktagon_Support said:

    • In order to simplify the interactions of cards that grant evergreen abilities from a given list, IKO brings a new ability category, named as Basic Evergreen abilities, to group the ones that were introduced in ORI and are present in every set since then.This way, instead of listing each of the available abilities in a card’s text, it will simply bring the keyword Basic Evergreen ability, which hint contains the list of all pertinent abilities.

    • The Basic Evergreen abilities in Magic: PQ are Berserker, First Strike, Double Strike, Deathtouch, Defender, Hexproof, Lifelink, Menace, Reach, Trample and Vigilance.

    After digging in a bit further:

    "Unblockable" exists in all "normal" sets (excluding "special", "Versus" and Odyssey sets) in some form except for THB. Many sets, including Origins, only have cards that assign or activate unblockability without having any cards with a "natural" unblockable ability using the icon. I agree that this feels like an evergreen, but it doesn't strictly meet the definition.

    Flash isn't in Origins and definitely doesn't appear in all sets, although I feel that the regular use of flash on cards across sets does make it feel evergreen.

    Legendary does appear in all normal sets, but might not be included because it is more like a characteristic than an "ability". Also, strictly speaking, it was added to the game later and therefore wasn't "introduced in ORI".

    Flying appears in all normal sets and also all special sets, except ZVE. Menace is on the list but doesn't appear in any special set, though, so it seems unlikely that ZVE is holding up flying from being a basic evergreen.

    Haste, like flying, appears in all normal sets. It doesn't appear in the "special" (shooting star) set and exists only in an activateable form in ZVE. This also compares to Menace.

    @Oktagon_Support I definitely appreciate the communication of both the list of Basic Evergreen abilities and the definition used to create that list, however I feel that these five keywords deserve clarification for why they are not a part of the set of Basic Evergreen abilities (or correction of the list of they do in fact belong there).
  • Asylamb
    Asylamb Posts: 170 Tile Toppler
    If we compare the list of keyword counters from paper IKO and PQ list of Basic Evergreens, we have:
    • both versions: Deathtouch, First Strike, Hexproof, Lifelink, Menace, Reach, Trample, Vigilance and Double Strike
    • PQ only: Berserker (not a thing in paper) and Defender (a different thing in paper)
    • Paper only: Flying, Indestructible (read: Prevent Damage)
    • none: Haste
    I agree with commenters above that Flying and Haste are as Basic as Evergreen can get, while questioning if Prevent Damage belongs to the list as well.
  • Gideon
    Gideon Posts: 356 Mover and Shaker
    edited May 2020
    Release date of 4.2 would be nice as well. Then I know what day I can expect to be disappointed for anywhere between 4 hours to an entire day that it hasn’t come out on IOS yet. I just like to plan my disappointments. 
  • jtwood
    jtwood Posts: 1,285 Chairperson of the Boards
    Thanks for the quick and informative update!
  • Ampersand
    Ampersand Posts: 209 Tile Toppler
    @Oktagon_Support thank you so much for this Q&A!!! It’s very informative and I appreciate learning the reasoning behind design and mechanics decisions. 

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