Over the past few years, there’s no denying that MTG cards have been getting stronger and stronger almost across the board. Of course, that isn’t to say that modern MTG doesn’t have its old, busted cards like
Black Lotus
Black Lotus
{T}, Sacrifice this artifact: Add three mana of any one color.
. However, on average, cards have been getting exceptionally more efficient and versatile. Iconic powerhouses like
Tarmogoyf
Tarmogoyf
Tarmogoyf's power is equal to the number of card types among cards in all graveyards and its toughness is equal to that number plus 1.
and
Jace, the Mind Sculptor
Jace, the Mind Sculptor
+2: Look at the top card of target player's library. You may put that card on the bottom of that player's library.
0: Draw three cards, then put two cards from your hand on top of your library in any order.
−1: Return target creature to its owner's hand.
−12: Exile all cards from target player's library, then that player shuffles their hand into their library.
that were once upon a time some of the most feared cards in Modern now barely see much play at all.
This is, in part, because there are simply bigger and better cards to cast at each point in the curve. Why cast Jace when you can cast
The One Ring
The One Ring
Indestructible
When The One Ring enters, if you cast it, you gain protection from everything until your next turn.
At the beginning of your upkeep, you lose 1 life for each burden counter on The One Ring.
{T}: Put a burden counter on The One Ring, then draw a card for each burden counter on The One Ring.
and pull much farther ahead over the course of the game? If anything, modern card design has showcased just how much power creep plays a role.
Well, Murders at Karlov Manor is on the horizon, and this set has a ton of blatant examples of power creep. Many cards and mechanics appear to be direct throwbacks to previous designs, only this time around, they are strictly better. Let’s take a closer look at these examples and what they mean for card designs moving forward.
Interactive Callbacks
Murders at Karlov Manor is home to some extremely powerful common and uncommon pieces of interaction. Many of these cards are direct upgrades to similar cards from MTG’s past. For instance, No More Lies does exactly what
Mana Leak
Mana Leak
Counter target spell unless its controller pays {3}.
does but has the added bonus of exiling the card you counter. While this isn’t always relevant, there are plenty of matchups where this ability is important. Getting to counter
Amalia Benavides Aguirre
Amalia Benavides Aguirre
Ward—Pay 3 life.
Whenever you gain life, Amalia Benavides Aguirre explores. Then destroy all other creatures if its power is exactly 20. (To have this creature explore, reveal the top card of your library. Put that card into your hand if it's a land. Otherwise, put a +1/+1 counter on this creature, then put the card back or put it into your graveyard.)
and exile it so your opponent can’t return it later with
Return to the Ranks
Return to the Ranks
Convoke (Your creatures can help cast this spell. Each creature you tap while casting this spell pays for {1} or one mana of that creature's color.)
Return X target creature cards with mana value 2 or less from your graveyard to the battlefield.
can be quite important, for example.
No More Lies is an excellent card that is almost certainly going to become a multi-format staple. After all, Azorius decks in Standard and sometimes Pioneer have been making use of
Make Disappear
Make Disappear
Casualty 1 (As you cast this spell, you may sacrifice a creature with power 1 or greater. When you do, copy this spell and you may choose a new target for the copy.)
Counter target spell unless its controller pays {2}.
, which is significantly worse. Obviously, though, No More Lies does require white mana to cast, so it isn’t strictly better than Mana Leak.
That being said, there are quite a few examples of cards that are strictly better than similar counterparts from the past.
Long Goodbye
Long Goodbye
This spell can't be countered. (This includes by the ward ability.)
Destroy target creature or planeswalker with mana value 3 or less.
showcases this perfectly.
Eliminate
Eliminate
Destroy target creature or planeswalker with mana value 3 or less.
has already been printed back in Core Set 2021, and Long Goodbye does the exact same thing at the exact same rarity, except it has the added bonus that it can’t be countered.
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Added Versatility
Sometimes, the improvements to newer cards add some extra flexibility either in their casting cost or in the effects they have on the game.
Demand Answers
Demand Answers
As an additional cost to cast this spell, sacrifice an artifact or discard a card.
Draw two cards.
is a perfect example of a card that is quite similar to a previous design, only with some added versatility in how it can be cast. Demand Answers is functionally identical to
Thrill of Possibility
Thrill of Possibility
As an additional cost to cast this spell, discard a card.
Draw two cards.
if you want it to be. However, you also have the option of sacrificing an Artifact instead of discarding a card to cast it.
What’s funny is that Thrill of Possibility was already a strict upgrade over
Tormenting Voice
Tormenting Voice
As an additional cost to cast this spell, discard a card.
Draw two cards.
since it could be cast at Instant speed. This isn’t to say that Demand Answers is going to be a Constructed all-star, but more that modern card design showcases basic power creep in a multitude of ways.
Beyond adding flexibility to a card’s casting cost, there are also plentiful ways in this set in which older designs have been given additional versatility to make them stronger. From a Constructed standpoint, a card like
Pick Your Poison
Pick Your Poison
Choose one —
• Each opponent sacrifices an artifact of their choice.
• Each opponent sacrifices an enchantment of their choice.
• Each opponent sacrifices a creature with flying of their choice.
is a perfect example. We’ve already seen decks in Modern and Legacy run cards like
Run Afoul
Run Afoul
Target opponent sacrifices a creature of their choice with flying.
in the sideboard to help beat
Murktide Regent
Murktide Regent
Delve (Each card you exile from your graveyard while casting this spell pays for {1}.)
Flying
This creature enters with a +1/+1 counter on it for each instant and sorcery card exiled with it.
Whenever an instant or sorcery card leaves your graveyard, put a +1/+1 counter on this creature.
. While not an Instant, Pick Your Poison can play a similar role, but can also help answer Artifacts and Enchantments like
Urza’s Saga
Urza’s Saga
(As this Saga enters and after your draw step, add a lore counter. Sacrifice after III.)
I — This Saga gains "{T}: Add {C}."
II — This Saga gains "{2}, {T}: Create a 0/0 colorless Construct artifact creature token with 'This token gets +1/+1 for each artifact you control.'"
III — Search your library for an artifact card with mana cost {0} or {1}, put it onto the battlefield, then shuffle.
or
Amulet of Vigor
Amulet of Vigor
Whenever a permanent you control enters tapped, untap it.
, perhaps giving it a better chance of seeing Constructed play.
Maybe the most blatant example in the set of modern card design adjusting to Constructed power creep is shown with the new cycle of rare Lands. These Lands, such as
Thundering Falls
Thundering Falls
({T}: Add {U} or {R}.)
This land enters tapped.
When this land enters, surveil 1. (Look at the top card of your library. You may put it into your graveyard.)
, enter the battlefield tapped and let you Scry 1 when they enter. This makes them almost identical to the Temples from Theros block. However, these Lands also have basic Land types. This means they work well with Fetchlands and other cards that care about basic Land types, such as
Leyline Binding
Leyline Binding
Flash
Domain — This spell costs {1} less to cast for each basic land type among lands you control.
When this enchantment enters, exile target nonland permanent an opponent controls until this enchantment leaves the battlefield.
. If this doesn’t showcase power creep on the most basic level, I don’t know what does.
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Impact on Limited
This trend also has had major implications for Limited over time. The added versatility to cards has helped make sure there are less and less duds in draft. As such, it’s much easier nowadays to find enough “playables” for your draft deck, even if there is still a disparity in power level between the top cards and more mediocre options.
Get a Leg Up
Get a Leg Up
Until end of turn, target creature gets +1/+1 for each creature you control and gains reach.
fits this mold, as it functions the same way as
Might of the Masses
Might of the Masses
Target creature gets +1/+1 until end of turn for each creature you control.
but has the added benefit of giving the Creature you target Reach. This adds versatility in the ways the card can be used, especially in a Limited environment. In addition to being used as a combat trick to help block bigger Creatures, it can also be used as a cheap way to ambush Fliers that would otherwise be tough to deal with.
As individual cards have been getting stronger and more efficient, especially removal, Wizards of the Coast has also been forced to readjust previously made mechanics to fit a more modern environment. This is exemplified by the new Disguise mechanic. This mechanic is a direct throwback to Morph. The problem with Morph by today’s standards, though, is that a three-mana 2/2 is simply too mediocre statistically and too vulnerable to removal nowadays, even in Limited.
The whole objective with Morph when it was used in Khans of Tarkir, for instance, was to add elements of versatility when it came to casting your cards and surprise when it came to combat. Late in the game, you could simply cast your cards face-up. Early in the game, though, you could just play your Morph cards face-down and either trade off with other Morph cards or work towards turning them face-up.
Disguise took things to the next level, adding built-in protection to your face-down Creatures. Otherwise, basic cards like
Shock
Shock
Shock deals 2 damage to any target.
could efficiently answer your face-down cards and make it now worth developing your board in such a way. These mechanical changes and adaptations to individual cards highlight just how much power creep has played a role in the development of Murders at Karlov Manor, and it wouldn’t surprise me if this trend continues even further with future sets.
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