Acorn: Difference between revisions

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[[File:UNH Carnivorous Death Parrot.png|thumb|right|Silver-bordered card from ''[[Unhinged]]'']]
[[File:UNH Carnivorous Death Parrot.png|thumb|right|Silver-bordered card from ''[[Unhinged]]'']]
'''Acorn cards''' (formerly '''silver-bordered cards''') are not [[tournament]]-legal and are not covered by the [[comprehensive rules]]. Usually silver-bordered cards are printed in the so-called Un-sets. Certain [[promo]]s like the [[Holiday card]]s, the  [[HASCON#Hascon promos|2017 HASCON promos]], and ''[[Ponies: The Galloping]]'' also use a silver border.  
'''Acorn cards''' (formerly '''silver-bordered cards''') are ''[[Magic: The Gathering]]'' cards that are not [[tournament]]-legal and are not covered by the [[comprehensive rules]].
{{TOCright}}
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==History==
Silver-bordered cards were introduced in [[1998]] for ''[[Unglued]]'', the first ''Magic'' [[supplemental set]] and the first "joke set" and became tradition for the following so-called [[#Un-sets|Un-sets]]. Certain [[promo]]s like the [[Holiday card]]s, the  [[HASCON#Hascon promos|2017 HASCON promos]], and ''[[Ponies: The Galloping]]'' also used a silver border.
According to [[Mark Rosewater]], the audience reaction to the silver border was somewhat of a problem for [[R&D]]. It most often didn’t get treated as “this is a different subset of ''[[Magic]]''”, but rather as “this isn’t a real ''Magic'' card”.<ref>{{EzTumblr|https://markrosewater.tumblr.com/post/644222129547706369/tournaments-for-universes-beyond-could-have-been|title=Why did yall feel it was necessary to pollute the identity of the core game rather than just spin off a "Universes Beyond" format that was Legacy + UB cards?|February 27, 2021}}</ref>
Rosewater later explained that when silver border was originally dubbed "not for tournament play," that meant not for [[Vintage]], [[Legacy]], or [[Standard]], but for every other format, especially the [[casual]] ones. Over the years, silver border slowly shifted to end up meaning "not for any official format, casual or not," which contradicted what it was originally intended to do. Rosewater realized that many cards in the set would be perfectly fine to be played in black border [[Eternal (format)|Eternal sets]]. [[R&D]] then looked another  way to express "silver border-ness" that didn't require a silver border and turned to [[holofoil stamp|holofoil security stamps]].
Starting with the black-bordered ''[[Unfinity]]'' set in [[2022]] an acorn security stamp means exactly what a silver border used to. This is a card not meant for tournament play and should only be used in casual formats where all the players agree to its inclusion. These have been dubbed these '''"acorn" cards'''. If a card has an oval security stamp (or no security stamp at lower rarities), it's legal in eternal formats (which includes [[Commander (format)|Commander]], Legacy, and Vintage). These have been dubbed these '''"eternal" cards'''. This security stamp technology allow R&D to let the two different types of cards commingle in the same set.<ref name="And Beyond"/>
==Un-sets==
==Un-sets==
'''Un-sets''' are named after their common naming pattern.
'''Un-sets''' are named after their common naming pattern.
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*''[[Unstable]]''  
*''[[Unstable]]''  
*''[[Unsanctioned]]''  
*''[[Unsanctioned]]''  
===Acorn-stamped===
===Acorn-stamped===
[[File:Acorn holofoil stamp.png|thumb|right|Acorn-shaped [[holofoil stamp]]]]
[[File:Acorn holofoil stamp.png|thumb|right|Acorn-shaped [[holofoil stamp]]]]
* ''[[Unfinity]]'' is the latest Un-set. It uses black borders, and as a result, there will be a fraction of the set which is legal in Eternal formats as the cards are mechanically acceptable but flavorfully more bizarre. In place of the silver borders, an acorn [[holofoil stamp]] is used instead for those that are mechanically incompatible with normal Magic.<ref name="And Beyond">{{DailyRef|making-magic/unfinity-and-beyond-2021-11-29|To Unfinity and Beyond|[[Mark Rosewater]]|November 29, 2021}}</ref> According to [[Mark Rosewater]], the audience reaction to the silver border was somewhat of a problem for [[R&D]]. It most often didn’t get treated as “this is a different subset of ''[[Magic]]''”, but rather as “this isn’t a real ''Magic'' card”.<ref>{{EzTumblr|https://markrosewater.tumblr.com/post/644222129547706369/tournaments-for-universes-beyond-could-have-been|title=Why did yall feel it was necessary to pollute the identity of the core game rather than just spin off a "Universes Beyond" format that was Legacy + UB cards?|February 27, 2021}}</ref>
* ''[[Unfinity]]''  
** Uses black borders, a fraction of the set is legal in Eternal formats as the cards are mechanically acceptable but flavorfully more bizarre.  


==Mechanics==
==Mechanics==

Revision as of 06:20, 30 November 2021

Silver-bordered card from Unhinged

Acorn cards (formerly silver-bordered cards) are Magic: The Gathering cards that are not tournament-legal and are not covered by the comprehensive rules.

History

Silver-bordered cards were introduced in 1998 for Unglued, the first Magic supplemental set and the first "joke set" and became tradition for the following so-called Un-sets. Certain promos like the Holiday cards, the 2017 HASCON promos, and Ponies: The Galloping also used a silver border.

According to Mark Rosewater, the audience reaction to the silver border was somewhat of a problem for R&D. It most often didn’t get treated as “this is a different subset of Magic”, but rather as “this isn’t a real Magic card”.[1]

Rosewater later explained that when silver border was originally dubbed "not for tournament play," that meant not for Vintage, Legacy, or Standard, but for every other format, especially the casual ones. Over the years, silver border slowly shifted to end up meaning "not for any official format, casual or not," which contradicted what it was originally intended to do. Rosewater realized that many cards in the set would be perfectly fine to be played in black border Eternal sets. R&D then looked another way to express "silver border-ness" that didn't require a silver border and turned to holofoil security stamps.

Starting with the black-bordered Unfinity set in 2022 an acorn security stamp means exactly what a silver border used to. This is a card not meant for tournament play and should only be used in casual formats where all the players agree to its inclusion. These have been dubbed these "acorn" cards. If a card has an oval security stamp (or no security stamp at lower rarities), it's legal in eternal formats (which includes Commander, Legacy, and Vintage). These have been dubbed these "eternal" cards. This security stamp technology allow R&D to let the two different types of cards commingle in the same set.[2]

Un-sets

Un-sets are named after their common naming pattern.

Silver-bordered

Acorn-stamped

Acorn-shaped holofoil stamp
  • Unfinity
    • Uses black borders, a fraction of the set is legal in Eternal formats as the cards are mechanically acceptable but flavorfully more bizarre.

Mechanics

They feature mechanics that would be impossible to print in a normal expansion.[3]

Rules

From the glossary of the Comprehensive Rules (June 7, 2024—Modern Horizons 3)

Silver-Bordered
Cards in certain sets and certain promotional cards are printed with a silver border. Silver-bordered cards are intended for casual play and may have features and text that aren’t covered by these rules.

Tokens

Tokens created by silver-bordered and acorn cards.

Token Name Color Type Line P/T Text Box Source Printings
Ape Green Creature — Ape 1/1
Green Creature — Ape 3/3
Beeble Blue Creature — Beeble 1/1
Contortionist Blue Creature — Octopus Performer 4/4 At the beginning of your upkeep, you may fold this token in half. (It becomes 2/2, then 1/1, ½ / ½, and so on.)
Brainiac Red Creature — Brainiac 1/1
Chicken Red Creature — Chicken 4/4
Construct Colorless Artifact Creature — Construct X/X
Die Green Creature — Die X/X
Dragon Gold Creature — Dragon 4/4 Flying
Expansion-Symbol Colorless Creature — Expansion-Symbol 1/1
Faerie Spy Blue Creature — Faerie Spy 1/1 Flying, haste
Whenever this creature deals combat damage to a player, draw a card.
Giant Teddy Bear Pink Creature — Giant Teddy Bear 5/5
Teddy Bear Pink Creature — Teddy Bear 2/2
Gnome Colorless Artifact Creature — Gnome 1/1
Goat White Creature — Goat 0/1
Goblin Red Creature — Goblin 1/1
Homunculus Colorless Creature — Homunculus 2/2
Rogue Black Creature — Rogue 2/2 Menace
Sheep Green Creature — Sheep 2/2
Sketch Colorless Creature — Sketch 4/4 This creature has flying if it has wings in its art. The same is true for first strike and a sword, vigilance and a shield, menace and mean eyes, trample and horns, deathtouch and claws, lifelink and fangs, and haste and footwear.
Squirrel Green Creature — Squirrel 1/1
Zombie Employee Black Creature — Zombie Employee 2/2
A Colorless Artifact
E Colorless Artifact
I Colorless Artifact
O Colorless Artifact
U Colorless Artifact

References

  1. Mark Rosewater (February 27, 2021). "Why did yall feel it was necessary to pollute the identity of the core game rather than just spin off a "Universes Beyond" format that was Legacy + UB cards?". Blogatog. Tumblr.
  2. Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named And Beyond
  3. Mark Rosewater (July 20, 2009). "The Silver Lining". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.