Playtest

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Playtest card with cardcode

A playtest is the process by which individual cards, as in card design, or sets of cards, as in decks, are played to test the card or cards for design issues to establish a desired quality.[1][2]

Playtest cards

Playtest cards often have specific card codes, to make them recognisable for the playtesters.[3][4][5] They are highly confidential. In early 2006, Wizards of the Coast filed a lawsuit against Daron Rutter, a moderator from MTG Salvation, for posting playtest cards for upcoming Magic: The Gathering card sets.[6] The lawsuit accused him of engaging in copyright infringement, contributory copyright infringement, trade secret violation, unjust enrichment, and breach of contract.[7] The case was settled out of court, and the terms of the settlement have been sealed.[8]

As a gimmick for Mystery Booster, pretend playtest cards were added to the boosters. They were later also featured in the Unknown Event and as a Secret Lair program.

Deckbuilding

Deck playtesting involves testing a given deck against popular decks in a format's metagame and accordingly modifying the decklist, its main deck and its sideboard, to better deal with those decks.[9]

References

  1. Mark Rosewater (February 11, 2013). "Nuts & Bolts: Initial Playtesting". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast. Archived from the original on May 23, 2022.
  2. Aaron Forsythe (March 19, 2004). "A-Proxy-Mation". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast. Archived from the original on August 13, 2022.
  3. Mark Rosewater (January 12, 2009). "Nuts & Bolts: Card Codes". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast. Archived from the original on March 15, 2023.
  4. Magic Arcana (March 04, 2008). "Braincat". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast. Archived from the original on June 4, 2009.
  5. Sam Stoddard (December 2, 2016). "Playtest Cards". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast. Archived from the original on June 3, 2023.
  6. Wizards Of The Coast Takes Legal Action. Wizards of the Coast, Inc (2006-01-19). Archived from the original on June 26, 2008.
  7. Daron Rutter (2006-02-18). "Wizards of the Coast vs. Daron Rutter: An Update". MTGSalvation.com. Archived from the original on August 25, 2023.
  8. Daron Rutter (2006-04-06). "Wizards vs. rancored_elf: the Resolution". MTGSalvation.com. Archived from the original on August 25, 2023.
  9. Gavin Verhey (June 1, 2017). "The Five Trials of Playtesting". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast. Archived from the original on May 24, 2022.

External links