For newer MTG players, the idea of block sets will be an alien concept. Every new set today is its own self-contained adventure, whereas in the past they came in groups of three, all set on the same plane. These follow-up sets were smaller in size and allowed WotC to develop the mechanics the first set introduced further.
Despite the latter approach being all but abandoned for years, some long-time players still cling to the hope that they might return. Unfortunately for these players, the data isn’t on their side. According to MTG’s Head Designer, Mark Rosewater, even modern interpretations of blocks suffer from established problems. As he revealed in a recent Blogatog post.
A Solemn Vow
This information was revealed in response to a question from pichujc regarding the duo of Innistrad sets from 2021. These being Innistrad: Midnight Hunt and Innistrad: Crimson Vow. While not block sets in the traditional sense, they’re the closest thing we’ve seen since the Guilds of Ravnica block back in 2019. For that reason, they’re the best place to look to determine how well a return to block sets would do in modern MTG. Turns out probably not very well.
“They followed the pattern of blocks, Crimson Vow did worse than Midnight Hunt.”
Mark Rosewater
The ‘pattern’ Rosewater refers to here is the primary reason why block sets were scrapped. In most cases, sets after the first one in a block do worse than average. This can be attributed to a number of factors: boredom with the recurring plane and mechanics, less interest in opening a smaller set, etc. Whatever the explanation may be, this pattern was pervasive enough that it led to blocks as a whole being scrapped.
This wasn’t an overnight change, of course. There were experiments between 2015 and 2018 with two-set blocks to try and address the issue, but these proved unsuccessful. The Innistrad duo in question was, ultimately, the final attempt at this style of set. Based on this post, and how well the standalone set model has been working since, I think it’s unlikely we’ll ever see a return to block sets in MTG.
Some players are pretty unhappy with this change. Even years later, there are still many who want to return to multi-set blocks, and spend a bit more time with each new plane. It’s impossible to disentangle these desires from the product fatigue that’s been creeping in lately. That said, there are still a number of valid arguments for the old system, just not financial ones.
One And Done
Interestingly, many in the comments under the Blogatog post and on the Reddit thread discussing it didn’t totally buy Rosewater’s arguments. Sure, Crimson Vow did worse than Midnight Hunt, but that’s not necessarily because the two formed a block set. There are plenty of other factors at play here.
“It’s interesting to look back at the State of Design entries for Vow. The negatives include three of the new mechanics all being misses, the limited format being poor, and the Vampires being weak. The positives include the Dracula cards, and a 50/50 split reception on the wedding theme. Doesn’t exactly sound like a winning recipe regardless of whether it came after another Innistrad set.”
Llanowarminotaur
Others cited factors such as a compressed release period and a regressive narrative when compared to Midnight Hunt. Many also pointed out that the set’s Limited format was very feast or famine, which resulted in unbalanced, unfun games. These complaints muddy the waters when it comes to analyzing Crimson Vow’s performance, lending ammunition to those who still support the block set model.
“I wonder how much of this is due to audiences not liking blocks/repeated settings, and how much of it is due to audiences just not liking crimson vow? It wasn’t exactly a well liked set.”
JaceShoes
For players who want to return to block sets, posts like this can be frustrating. It can easily be read as blocks dying for the sins of an underwhelming set, rather than a smart business move. It’s worth bearing in mind, however, that this decision didn’t happen in a vacuum. The fate of block sets wasn’t purely on Crimson Vow’s shoulders, but rather on those of all past block sets. Many of which also did poorly for a range of reasons.
“Sadly at this point I think the average MTG player doesn’t like blocks. Not the average Limited player, but the average player who dabbles in Limited every set and drafts maybe five times.”
WithinTheGiant
Is the poor performance of Crimson Vow the final nail in the coffin for MTG block sets? It honestly could be. Looking at the set in retrospect, it feels like a last-ditch experiment before Magic moved on from blocks for good. Magic as a game is always evolving, however, so I wouldn’t rule out a potential block set in the future, if the story called for it. For now though, whether justified or not, Innistrad: Crimson Vow is likely the last we’ll be seeing of blocks for a while.
The Other Side Of The Coin
Of course, as with all aspects of MTG, it’s worth considering every angle before passing judgment. While we may not be seeing new block sets in the traditional sense of the word, they do still exist in the current game. Dominaria United, The Brothers’ War, Phyrexia: All Will Be One, and March of the Machine, for example, form a strongly connected narrative block. These sets are back-to-back visits to Dominaria and New Phyrexia, while also representing key points in the same storyline. This was another experiment with regards to handling blocks, and many players have been enjoying it so far.
“I prefer the DMU, BRO, ONE and MOM approach. One big story arc that stretches out over 4 sets, lays hints at the next big story arc and takes place across multiple connected planes so you can focus on one theme per set.”
TLKv3
The story arc we’re in right now, the Dragonstorm Arc, is using a similar model. Bloomburrow, Duskmourn, Tennis (Death Race), and Ultimate (Return to Tarkir) all form part of this arc. Clearly, the ‘narrative block’ approach is one that’s working. There is a trade-off, in that we get less time to enjoy the unique flavor and mechanics of each world. On the other hand, there’s more structure to the adventures that we’re having.
It’s also worth bearing in mind that, even though it doesn’t feel like it sometimes, the data analysis WotC carries out for each set is pretty comprehensive. The failings of Crimson Vow as a specific set won’t have escaped its notice, and it’s unlikely that the block set structure was forever banished because of it. As mentioned above, the move away from blocks was already all but complete before Crimson Vow dropped.
The new approach to block sets may not be exactly what long-time players are used to, but it’s clearly effective in its own ways. It’s worth remembering that Magic wouldn’t be where it is today if the game didn’t adapt and evolve over time.
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