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Magic: The Gathering Designer Responds To Legality Change Of Walking Dead Cards

Critics of Magic: The Gathering's controversial crossover with The Walking Dead last year have swiftly had their hopes of a U-turn dashed by one of the card game's lead designers. For those in need of some context: fans over on the Magic subreddit discovered earlier this week on the official Gatherer database that every card included in the Secret Lair drop had undergone a legality change. Instead of being considered eligible to play in Commander format, the list of exclusions noted that each of the five cards - Glenn, Rick, Negan, Michonne and Daryl - were no longer usable in any rule set.

Negan-The-Walking-Dead
AMC

Critics of Magic: The Gathering‘s controversial crossover announcement with The Walking Dead have swiftly had their hopes of a U-turn dashed by one of the card game’s lead designers. For those in need of some context: fans over on the Magic subreddit discovered earlier this week on the official Gatherer database that every card included in the Secret Lair drop had undergone a legality change. Instead of being considered eligible to play in Commander format, the list of exclusions noted that each of the five cards – Glenn, Rick, Negan, Michonne and Daryl – were no longer usable in any rule set.

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Naturally, this led to much rejoicing among folks not happy with Wizards of the Coast’s decision to print tournament-legal cards in such limited quantities, but it appears the applause was ultimately misplaced. According to a statement provided by Mark Rosewater over on his personal blog, the adjustment was nothing more than a clerical error waiting to be fixed.

Indeed, a cursory glance over the database entry for Rick, Steadfast Leader now correctly lists Legacy, Vintage and the aforementioned Commander as legal-to-use formats for the post-apocalyptic survivor and his comrades. Not the outcome many were hoping for, then, though it’s worth noting that reprints are still a possibility. Wizards is unlikely to ever reissue the same cards as found in the upcoming Secret Lair drop, but it could, for example, reuse similar abilities for different creatures in the future. We’ll just have to wait and see on that front.

In the meantime, Magic: The Gathering‘s first Standard expansion of 2021, Kaldheim, is in the midst of preview season. See here for all the latest reveals ahead of the set’s launch next month.