Designing Dragon Mechanics

This chapter explores the intricate design challenges of integrating dragons into Magic: The Gathering, focusing on their appeal and the balance needed for gameplay. It introduces the 'buyout clauses' mechanic as a solution to the constraints of traditional high-cost cards, while discussing the evolution of the card Omen from complexity to simplified playability. The speakers highlight the importance of making dragons accessible and the implications of various mechanics, such as Behold and Dragon Storm tokens, on player experience and strategic depth.