FNM promo changes

[l33twash0r]

New FNM promos will be double sided foil tokens instead of real cards.

http://magic.wizards.com/en/articles/archive/feature/store-play-evolves-2017-07-16

The second is a move to foil double-sided tokens from the then-current set rather than foil cards from recent Standard-legal sets. We're hoping foil double-sided tokens offer something different and exciting.

Also seems like they are pushing Standard Showdown even more http://wpn.wizards.com/en/article/ideal-event-path

[Darkenslight]

Such a short-sighted decision. I've already sent my feedback (politely - rudeness gets us nowhere), saying that this is arguably the stupidest idea you could do without shoving naked MaRos into every booster box.

[PirateKing]

rudeness gets us nowhere
subtle

Were there any FNM Promos in recent sets that we've even cared about?
Fatal Push is coming out, but reading back through the list, you have to go back to a time of good cards before you find good FNM printings.

[l33twash0r]

subtle

Were there any FNM Promos in recent sets that we've even cared about?
Fatal Push is coming out, but reading back through the list, you have to go back to a time of good cards before you find good FNM printings.

The modern FNM promos celebrating new masters set were kinda cool and hoped we could get a legacy version of that, but with this change not gonna happen.

[Julian23]

I remember getting stuff like this in FNM and Arena League. These cards were a very real incentive to participate:

http://magiccards.info/scans/en/fnmp/94.jpg http://magiccards.info/scans/en/fnmp/12.jpg http://magiccards.info/scans/en/arena/37.jpg

http://magiccards.info/scans/en/fnmp/11.jpg http://magiccards.info/scans/en/arena/17.jpg http://magiccards.info/scans/en/fnmp/23.jpg

http://magiccards.info/scans/en/fnmp/60.jpg http://magiccards.info/scans/en/fnmp/79a.jpg http://magiccards.info/scans/en/fnmp/35.jpg

Those cards weren't just some random, primarily casual-oriented cards. Most of them were heavily played in several constructed formats, and still are to this day. Recent FNM promos like Fatal Push or Serum Visions were some great choices, but they are buried underneath a pile of cards like Fortune's Favors, Servo Exhibitions, Crumbling Vestiges, Rise from the Tides and Frost Walkers.

If those tokens are gonna be really badass tokens, I can see them being popular for a while. But there's only so many to print before WotC starts trying to sell us on their exciting Antelope/Caribou flip token.

[PirateKing]

To your point Julian, those are a selection of good cards, printed at common and uncommon. In this brave New World, what kind of uncommon besides Fatal Push would we hope to see? FNM promos worked in a world where the proportions of your deck weren't so rare and mythic dense.

[Stuart]

Couldn't care less about the tokens, but the Terese Nielsen basics are actually interesting to me. If those were the FNM promos I'd maybe go play on a Friday night.

[rufus]

Couldn't care less about the tokens, but the Terese Nielsen basics are actually interesting to me. If those were the FNM promos I'd maybe go play on a Friday night.

Island is a good card, printed at common, right?

[Darkenslight]

Couldn't care less about the tokens, but the Terese Nielsen basics are actually interesting to me. If those were the FNM promos I'd maybe go play on a Friday night.

They're in the Standard Showdown packs for Ixalan, though. Which adds literally no incentive for me, and for a number of other players at my LGS. We much prefer playing Commander.

[Ephemeron]

I'm fine with this. 95% of the FNM promos they've done recently have been trash. I liked the double-sided foil zombie token they've done in the past, so I'm excited to get some foil thopters.

[apple713]

Conceptually i like double sided cards. Practically i do not. I dont like having to yake my cards out of a sleeve to rotate it or buy special non opaque sleeves.

Id like to see ron spencer and terrse neilson do some collaborative art. Im sure that other artists would be good to collab but those two came to mind as having amazing art. They also happen to be brother and sister which is cool.

[Fox]

To your point Julian, those are a selection of good cards, printed at common and uncommon. In this brave New World, what kind of uncommon besides Fatal Push would we hope to see? FNM promos worked in a world where the proportions of your deck weren't so rare and mythic dense.
I would qualify both Liliana's Defeat and Abrade as being more than good enough to make the cut in legacy. Fairly common legacy cards include Glint-Nest Crane, Renegade Rallier, By Force, and to a lesser extent Cryptic Serpent. Claim // Fame and Blossoming Defense are also going to have value due to modern. Ceremonious Rejection and Foundry Inspector for Vintage. I'm pretty sure Narnam Renegade also see some play.

[PirateKing]

I would qualify both Liliana's Defeat and Abrade as being more than good enough to make the cut in legacy. Fairly common legacy cards include Glint-Nest Crane, Renegade Rallier, By Force, and to a lesser extent Cryptic Serpent. Claim // Fame and Blossoming Defense are also going to have value due to modern. Ceremonious Rejection and Foundry Inspector for Vintage. I'm pretty sure Narnam Renegade also see some play.

I like Abrade a lot. I think Liniana's Defeat is too narrow, but okay.

Even if it is as you say, the age of Sword to Plowshares or Cabal Therapy getting to see the light of day in everyday play is over. Back when the best card from Champions of Kamigawa was an uncommon.

Besides, they killed the player rewards program, so this isn't much of a shock considering the history of their decision making.

[T-101]

@Ephemeron

Yup. Most of the FNM cards have been bad, and even the rare good one can't escape the ugly FNM treatment. For years this has been a pattern; get 1 or 2 cards per year worth thinking about, the rest go straight into the binder (but nobody wants them, so then they go in the bulk box).

Foil double sided tokens could easily be better. Thopters, Elementals, Monks, Marit Lages, Germs, Goblins, Spirits, Zombies, Faeries... there's a bunch of hits out there. I don't expect greatness out of this, but it's totally possible.

@apple713

I doubt many decks will be using both sides of the tokens they print, meaning you'll probably only need one side for an event, and won't need to swap until you build something else. I can't think of any decks that use more than 1 type, unless you've got a brew going on.

Lingering Souls + Batterskull seems like the most playable combination, and this only becomes an issue if they happen to print the Germ/Spirit, and you only own 4 instead of 5.

[Megadeus]

I think with the types of shit cards they've been printing as FnM promos that any change is a plus. Also this doesn't really affect legacy players anyway either. Also I would definitely enjoy a Lingering Soul/Germ token. I actually should just make my own

[Fox]

Meh, I've been waiting for that Stangg Twin token for like 23 years.

[supremePINEAPPLE]

The modern border, photoshop-3d art, Stanng token is gonna look great next to the original lol.

[Barook]

Didn't WotC claim that double-sided cards is a big logistic challenge (aka expensive to produce)? And now we're getting them as promos? Am I missing something here? :eyebrow:

[T-101]

Didn't WotC claim that double-sided cards is a big logistic challenge (aka expensive to produce)? And now we're getting them as promos? Am I missing something here? :eyebrow:

Yeah that is a bit weird. They have specifically cited the expense as a reason for not doing double sided cards.

Two possibilities leap to mind:

1.) They made an arrangement with the printers to bring the cost down. High volume, consistent orders can make manufacturing cheaper, and the cost to WotC goes down too. If all FNM cards going forward will be double sided, they might just have a set of printers dedicated to double sided cards.

2.) Nobody's talking to anybody else, and this decision was made hastily by someone who didn't know of the significant cost increase. This kinda crap happens all the time.

[Darkenslight]

Yeah that is a bit weird. They have specifically cited the expense as a reason for not doing double sided cards.

Two possibilities leap to mind:

1.) They made an arrangement with the printers to bring the cost down. High volume, consistent orders can make manufacturing cheaper, and the cost to WotC goes down too. If all FNM cards going forward will be double sided, they might just have a set of printers dedicated to double sided cards.

2.) Nobody's talking to anybody else, and this decision was made hastily by someone who didn't know of the significant cost increase. This kinda crap happens all the time.

You forgot 3.) It's all about the Benjamins.

Honestly, most of these changes look designed to obfuscate and reduce costs. On the whole, I'd be really worried about the places Magic is going.