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''Unstable'' is set on a [[wikipedia:steampunk|steampunk]] 'mad scientist world' with 5 factions:<ref>{{TumblrRef|author=[[Mark Rosewater]]|URL=http://markrosewater.tumblr.com/post/163328509733/if-innistrad-is-gothic-horror-world-kaladesh-is|title=What is Unstable, gadget world?|tumblr-title=Blogatog|date=July 23, 2017}}</ref><ref name="Saga 1"/>
 
''Unstable'' is set on a [[wikipedia:steampunk|steampunk]] 'mad scientist world' with 5 factions:<ref>{{TumblrRef|author=[[Mark Rosewater]]|URL=http://markrosewater.tumblr.com/post/163328509733/if-innistrad-is-gothic-horror-world-kaladesh-is|title=What is Unstable, gadget world?|tumblr-title=Blogatog|date=July 23, 2017}}</ref><ref name="Saga 1"/>
 
* The '''[[Order of the Widget]]''' faction ({{W/U}}) are [[cyborg]]s that use technology to constantly improve themselves.<ref>{{TumblrRef|author=[[Mark Rosewater]]|URL=http://markrosewater.tumblr.com/post/163762868073/the-first-faction-is-the-order-of-the-widget-its|title=Order of the Widget.|tumblr-title=Blogatog|date=August 03, 2017}}</ref> They have no self control.
 
* The '''[[Order of the Widget]]''' faction ({{W/U}}) are [[cyborg]]s that use technology to constantly improve themselves.<ref>{{TumblrRef|author=[[Mark Rosewater]]|URL=http://markrosewater.tumblr.com/post/163762868073/the-first-faction-is-the-order-of-the-widget-its|title=Order of the Widget.|tumblr-title=Blogatog|date=August 03, 2017}}</ref> They have no self control.
* The '''[[Agents of S.N.E.A.K.]]''' faction ({{B/U}}) are really bad [[spy|spies]] with cool toys.<ref>{{TumblrRef|author=[[Mark Rosewater]]|URL=http://markrosewater.tumblr.com/post/163762919038/the-second-faction-is-the-agents-of-sneak|title=Agents of S.N.E.A.K.|tumblr-title=Blogatog|date=August 03, 2017}}</ref>
+
* The '''[[Agents of S.N.E.A.K.]]''' faction ({{U/B}}) are really bad [[spy|spies]] with cool toys.<ref>{{TumblrRef|author=[[Mark Rosewater]]|URL=http://markrosewater.tumblr.com/post/163762919038/the-second-faction-is-the-agents-of-sneak|title=Agents of S.N.E.A.K.|tumblr-title=Blogatog|date=August 03, 2017}}</ref>
 
* The '''[[League of Dastardly Doom]]''' faction ({{B/R}}) are super villains scheming to take over the world.<ref>{{TumblrRef|author=[[Mark Rosewater]]|URL=http://markrosewater.tumblr.com/post/163763014363/the-third-faction-is-the-league-of-dastardly-doom|title=League of Dastardly Doom.|tumblr-title=Blogatog|date=August 03, 2017}}</ref> They're constantly at odds with each other.
 
* The '''[[League of Dastardly Doom]]''' faction ({{B/R}}) are super villains scheming to take over the world.<ref>{{TumblrRef|author=[[Mark Rosewater]]|URL=http://markrosewater.tumblr.com/post/163763014363/the-third-faction-is-the-league-of-dastardly-doom|title=League of Dastardly Doom.|tumblr-title=Blogatog|date=August 03, 2017}}</ref> They're constantly at odds with each other.
 
* The '''[[Goblin Explosioneers]]''' faction ({{R/G}}) are [[steamflogger]]s and tinkerers that experiment with lots of crazy ideas, many of which explode.<ref>{{TumblrRef|author=[[Mark Rosewater]]|URL=http://markrosewater.tumblr.com/post/163763070238/the-fourth-faction-is-the-goblin-explosioneers|title=Goblin Explosioneers.|tumblr-title=Blogatog|date=August 03, 2017}}</ref> They breed fast enough to not wipe out their race.
 
* The '''[[Goblin Explosioneers]]''' faction ({{R/G}}) are [[steamflogger]]s and tinkerers that experiment with lots of crazy ideas, many of which explode.<ref>{{TumblrRef|author=[[Mark Rosewater]]|URL=http://markrosewater.tumblr.com/post/163763070238/the-fourth-faction-is-the-goblin-explosioneers|title=Goblin Explosioneers.|tumblr-title=Blogatog|date=August 03, 2017}}</ref> They breed fast enough to not wipe out their race.
* The '''[[Crossbreed Labs]]''' faction ({{G/W}}) are creature [[hybrid]]s that have used their inventions to create a perfect society where everyone is their true self.<ref>{{TumblrRef|author=[[Mark Rosewater]]|URL=http://markrosewater.tumblr.com/post/163430385998/the-gw-faction-in-unstable-seems-a-lot-like-simic|title=The G/W faction in Unstable seems a lot like Simic from Ravnica.|tumblr-title=Blogatog|date=July 25, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{TumblrRef|author=[[Mark Rosewater]]|URL=http://markrosewater.tumblr.com/post/163763123963/the-fifth-faction-is-the-crossbreed-labs-theyre|title=Crossbreed Labs.|tumblr-title=Blogatog|date=August 03, 2017}}</ref>
+
* The '''[[Crossbreed Labs]]''' faction ({{G/W}}) are creature [[hybrid]]s that have used their inventions to create a perfect society where everyone is their true self.<ref>{{TumblrRef|author=[[Mark Rosewater]]|URL=http://markrosewater.tumblr.com/post/163430385998/the-gw-faction-in-unstable-seems-a-lot-like-simic|title=The G/W faction in Unstable seems a lot like Simic from Ravnica.|tumblr-title=Blogatog|date=July 25, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{TumblrRef|author=[[Mark Rosewater]]|URL=http://markrosewater.tumblr.com/post/163763123963/the-fifth-faction-is-the-crossbreed-labs-theyre|title=Crossbreed Labs.|tumblr-title=Blogatog|date=August 03, 2017}}</ref>
   
 
==Themes and mechanics==
 
==Themes and mechanics==

Revision as of 03:11, 16 November 2017


Unstable
Set Information
Set symbol
Themes and mechanics Contraptions
Watermark matters, Flavor text matters, Die rolls
Keywords/​ability words Assemble, Crank, Squirrellink, Just a second, Combine, Switch
Set size 216-ish
Expansion code UST[2]
File:Order of the Widget.jpg

Order of the Widget

File:Agents of S.N.E.A.K.jpg

Agents of S.N.E.A.K.

File:League of Dasterdly Doom.jpg

League of Dasterdly Doom

File:Goblin Explosioneers.jpg

Goblin Explosioneers

File:Crossbreed Labs.jpg

Crossbreed Labs

Unstable is a booster-based card set for Magic: The Gathering that can not be used in legal Magic tournaments. It will be released on December 8, 2017 as a standalone set.[3][4] This is the third of the silver bordered Un-sets and is designed to be drafted.

Set details

Unstable contains "216-ish" cards (5 basic land, TBA common, TBA uncommon, TBA rare, and TBA mythic rare) and 20 foil tokens, and includes randomly inserted premium versions of all cards.[5] The set explores new areas of Magic game design and continues the tradition of bending the conventional rules of the game in a fun and whimsical way. Unstable was designed to both be drafted alone and be mixed with other sets: according to Mark Rosewater, however, the best experience is probably when it's drafted alone.[6] The expansion symbol is a wrench with an acorn-shaped hole.

The set features 'modern design sensibilities' and a is built around a 'cohesive creative vision'.[3] It includes fun legendary creatures that can be utilized in the Commander format and some cards designed for Cube.[7][8][9] Like its predecessors, Unstable features 5 full-art basic lands[10], but borderless instead of black-bordered.[11][12] Every pack contains one of the five lands unless it is replaced by a Steamflogger Boss, which replaces 1 in every 121 basic lands. The set also features foil tokens, both for tokens produced by cards in the set and for popular tribes outside the set.

History

Mark Rosewater had to wait 13 years after Unhinged before Unstable could be printed, as Unhinged had been considered a commercial failure. However, Rosewater and senior brand director Mark Purvis argue this wasn't because of poor sales, but because of overprinting. At the time, Wizards of the Coast didn't regularly create supplemental sets, so Unhinged was treated as a small expansion. Actual work on the set took six years.[13][14] When design started, one of the goals, as proposed by director of product design Mark Globus, was to explore what new printing technology might allow: however, none of these proposed ideas were feasible at the time the set was printed.[4]

Marketing

Unstable is sold in 16-card boosters (one card being a marketing card) and Draft Packs. The first details of Unstable were revealed by Rosewater at San Diego Comic-Con 2017,[14] who also heavily promoted the set on Blogatog.

Tokens

Unstable features 20 foil tokens, one per pack.

The following tokens notably are for non-Unstable cards, and have full borderless art of the token on the back faces instead of advertisements.

  • {W} 4/4 Angel creature with flying
  • {W} 1/1 Spirit creature with flying
  • {U} 1/1 Thopter artifact creature with flying
  • {B} 2/2 Zombie
  • {R} 1/1 Elemental creature
  • {G} 3/3 Beast creature
  • {G} 1/1 Saproling creature
  • {G/W} */* Elemental creature with "This creature's power and toughness are each equal to the number of creatures you control."
  • {C} Clue artifact

Flavor

Unstable is set on a steampunk 'mad scientist world' with 5 factions:[16][4]

Themes and mechanics

  • Contraptions — The flagship mechanic of the set, there are 45 different Contraptions (nine with each faction's watermark), or roughly one-fifth of the set. Contraptions are artifacts that start the game shuffled into a separate "contraption deck." When an effect assembles a Contraption, that player takes the top card of their contraption deck into the first, second or third sprocket slot. During each of your upkeeps, if you control a Contraption, you move the CRANK! counter onto the next sequential sprocket of your Contraption deck (sprocket 3 looping back to 1), then crank all Contraptions in that sprocket. Each Contraption has a different ability that triggers upon being cranked.
    • All creatures that can assemble a Contraption are Riggers.[14]
    • Each pack of Unstable contains two Contraption cards.[23]
  • Last strike and triple strike — Creatures with last strike deal damage after creatures without last strike. Creatures with triple strike deal both first-strike, regular and last-strike combat damage.
  • Just a second — A riff on split second,[24] spells with just a second prevent players from moving cards on the battlefield while they're on the stack.
  • Squirrellink — A riff on lifelink, creatures with squirrellink create that many Squirrel creature tokens whenever they deal damage. The set also has a minor squirrel tribal theme.[25]
  • Combine — A subset of cards (ex. Do-it-Yourself Seraph and Grusilda, Monster Masher) can combine the text boxes of cards.
  • Switch — To switch two cards means to exchange their respective game states. Cards that switch do not trigger other abilities, as they do not transition between states.[26]
  • "Watermark matters" — To emphasize the individual factions, there are a number of cards (ex. Hammerfest Boomtacular) that care about the watermark printed on a card.
  • Existing un-mechanics that return include "flavor text matters," "art matters," and subgames.
  • Existing non-evergreen mechanics that return include storm and Phyrexian mana.

Creature types

Cycles

Trivia

General

  • Mark Rosewater joked that his toaster did most of the design.[28]
  • Originally, there were supposed to be 50 Contraptions (10 for each faction), but Dawn Murin, the art director for Unstable, decided to connect all the Contraptions for each faction, leading there to be 9 Contraptions for each faction, with each piece of artwork on each Contraption card making up a single section of a 3x3 grid.[23]

Cards

White

  • Rules Lawyer holds the record for the longest reminder text on a given single card, and is also the first card to refer to a specific Magic rule (in this case, rule 704) anywhere in its text.

Blue

  • Crow Storm and its token are a play on the meme that Storm Crow is the best card ever printed. The reason that the joke exists is because storm crow was first printed in Alliances, the same set as Force of Will. At the time, FOW was the best card in Magic and blue the best color. By proxy, any blue card was also the best card in Magic because it could be used to pay the alternate cost.

Green

Artifacts

Gallery

References

  1. Error on call to {{WebRef}}: Parameters url and title must be specifiedMark Rosewater (August 04, 2017). "". Tumblr.
  2. [1]
  3. a b Template:NewRef
  4. a b c Template:NewRef
  5. Error on call to {{WebRef}}: Parameters url and title must be specifiedMark Rosewater (September 10, 2017). "". Tumblr.
  6. Error on call to {{WebRef}}: Parameters url and title must be specifiedMark Rosewater (June 15, 2017). "". Tumblr.
  7. Error on call to {{WebRef}}: Parameters url and title must be specifiedMark Rosewater (June 23, 2017). "". Tumblr.
  8. Error on call to {{WebRef}}: Parameters url and title must be specifiedMark Rosewater (June 27, 2017). "". Tumblr.
  9. Error on call to {{WebRef}}: Parameters url and title must be specifiedMark Rosewater (July 28, 2017). "". Tumblr.
  10. Error on call to {{WebRef}}: Parameters url and title must be specifiedMark Rosewater (July 23, 2017). "". Tumblr.
  11. Magic Twitter
  12. Error on call to {{WebRef}}: Parameters url and title must be specifiedMark Rosewater (September 09, 2017). "". Tumblr.
  13. Error on call to {{WebRef}}: Parameters url and title must be specifiedMark Rosewater (July 15, 2017). "". Tumblr.
  14. a b c Error on call to {{WebRef}}: Parameters url and title must be specifiedMark Rosewater (July 23, 2017). "". Tumblr.
  15. .Error on call to {{WebRef}}: Parameters url and title must be specifiedMark Rosewater (September 20, 2017). "". Tumblr.
  16. Error on call to {{WebRef}}: Parameters url and title must be specifiedMark Rosewater (July 23, 2017). "". Tumblr.
  17. Error on call to {{WebRef}}: Parameters url and title must be specifiedMark Rosewater (August 03, 2017). "". Tumblr.
  18. Error on call to {{WebRef}}: Parameters url and title must be specifiedMark Rosewater (August 03, 2017). "". Tumblr.
  19. Error on call to {{WebRef}}: Parameters url and title must be specifiedMark Rosewater (August 03, 2017). "". Tumblr.
  20. Error on call to {{WebRef}}: Parameters url and title must be specifiedMark Rosewater (August 03, 2017). "". Tumblr.
  21. Error on call to {{WebRef}}: Parameters url and title must be specifiedMark Rosewater (July 25, 2017). "". Tumblr.
  22. Error on call to {{WebRef}}: Parameters url and title must be specifiedMark Rosewater (August 03, 2017). "". Tumblr.
  23. a b Template:NewRef
  24. Error on call to {{WebRef}}: Parameters url and title must be specifiedMark Rosewater (November 14, 2017). "". Tumblr.
  25. Error on call to {{WebRef}}: Parameters url and title must be specifiedMark Rosewater (August 03, 2017). "". Tumblr.
  26. Template:NewRef
  27. Template:NewRef
  28. Error on call to {{WebRef}}: Parameters url and title must be specifiedMark Rosewater (August 30, 2017). "". Tumblr.
  29. Error on call to {{WebRef}}: Parameters url and title must be specifiedMark Rosewater (July 21, 2017). "". Tumblr.

External links