#1221: Top 20 Most Influential Designs, Part 2

Akroma, Angel of Wrath's Design Legacy

Akroma, Angel of Wrath emerged from a narrative where a character with the ability to create from memory fashioned her within the Onslaught story. The card reflects a collaboration between designers aiming to encapsulate her essence through a diverse array of abilities, such as flying, vigilance, protection from red and black, and trample. Despite initial reservations about fitting her narrative with the card's abilities, it became apparent that an exciting design was crucial for her impact. Akroma's popularity led to her reappearance in various sets, consistently captivating players and demonstrating the importance of appealing and splashy character designs in gameplay.

The Birth of Shocklands

Shocklands, introduced in the original Ravnica set, offered players the choice between entering the battlefield tapped or paying life to enter untapped. This design sought to improve mana support for multi-color decks, evolving from earlier models like Pain lands and Tap lands that were less effective for gameplay. The ultimate acceptance of Shocklands by the development team illustrated the iterative process of refining design ideas through testing and feedback. Their introduction laid a new foundation for future dual lands, creating a standard that emphasized player choices and strategic land use.

Panharmonicon: A Groundbreaking Artifact

Panharmonicon was crafted with the intention to enhance gameplay through the copying of enter-the-battlefield effects, reflecting a desire to push creative boundaries within the artifact category. Built on the foundation of previous copying mechanics, it introduced an engaging dynamic that resonated with players seeking innovative interactions during their matches. The design's success spurred the development of similar mechanics in future sets, further establishing the concept of amplifying game effects through artifacts. Panharmonicon serves as a prime example of how powerful and unexpected gameplay mechanics can evolve from a core design philosophy.

Doran the Siege Tower's Impact on Game Mechanics

Doran the Siege Tower revolutionized gameplay by shifting the focus from power to toughness, allowing players to deal damage based on the higher toughness of their creatures. This design creatively addressed the challenge of making toughness a viable offensive attribute, enhancing the effectiveness of the Treefolk tribe. By equipping Doran with the ability to transform toughness into combat power, players were able to thrive in a system that rewarded tactical deck building with higher toughness creatures. This concept of utilizing toughness as an aggressive metric has influenced numerous card designs since, showcasing its lasting impact on gameplay strategies.

Magic: The Gathering Drive to Work Podcast

#1221: Top 20 Most Influential Designs, Part 2

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Quick takeaways

Deep dives

Akroma, Angel of Wrath's Design Legacy

The Birth of Shocklands

Panharmonicon: A Groundbreaking Artifact

Doran the Siege Tower's Impact on Game Mechanics

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