On the launch day of a new expansion set you would expect an upstanding publication such as this to thoroughly cover the event.  But the way Magic the Gathering spoilers are trickled down to the public, a new set has already been dissected, card by card, well before it's official release date.  With that in mind, we must hastily proceed onward and upward.  Much information has already been released on Magic 2010 so I would like to take this opportunity to foresee (as we often do) what is to come in the next MTG offering.  The overall tone has certainly been set for M10 but the devil is in the details.  The following are my predictions for Magic the Gathering's newest core set: Magic 2010.  Again, these are not my personal wishes or hopes.  They are projections based on my experience with Magic the Gathering and the nature of Wizards of the Coast itself.  So, yes, I am indeed pulling these out of my ass.

[caption id="attachment_2194" align="alignright" width="200" caption="The Color Pie should be adhered to like a sacred document... expect this in Magic 2010."][/caption]

1. Respect for the Pie - Creating cards that respect the color pie will be achieved two ways.  One, cards will be created that truly taste, feel, and smell like the colors they represent.  Two, cards must not be created "planar-chaos-style" in that they break or bend the rules of the pie.  As of late, these rules may as well not have existed.  The dual colored cards in Shadowmoor/Eventide and the Gold in the Alara Block have pushed the color pie on the sideline for nearly two years.  As with any game (think RPG, RTS or Arcade Fighting),  Magic the Gathering is made great by its sense of balance and the various identities you the player can assume.  If everyone was forced to use Ryu in Street Fighter because he was hands down the best option, the game would neither be fun, nor balanced.  It might as well be called "Ryu Wins."  The same scenario is possible in Magic the Gathering (Red Wins, Faeries Win, Tokens Win, etc).  The key is to create an atmosphere where at least 5 different strategies are viable. Variations on those strategies create an environment with infinite possibilities.   Each of these models should have their own strengths and weaknesses that are countered or enhanced when facing each of the other decks.  Magic 2010 will restore order to the multiverse and usher in a new age of balance and possibility.  The pie will get the respect it deserves.

2. Revival of old mechanics and assigning thereof to various colors - Remember when certain mechanics were more or less indicative of particular colors?  Haste was Red.  Trample was Green.  Sure they strayed once in a while but it was the exception rather than the rule.  Look for mechanics to be more color-centric.  Also, expect older mechanics like Flashback, Split Second and Shadow to make guest appearances.  Some of these abilities fit so perfectly into the color pie and the game as a whole it would be a shame to exclude them.   Normally you wouldn't see such abilities in a core set.   But WotC has recently stated that Magic 2010 will not back away from complex cards (such as planeswalkers) and that M10 will be much like any other "expert" level expansion.  And really, is there anything confusing about "Shadow" or "Flash"?  I would argue that they add depth to the game moreso than even some of the more common abilities they insist on explaining fully on each core set card.   Look for 'oldie-but-goodie' mechanics to be revived while adhering many of them more closely to the color pie.

3. ZERO Multicolored Cards - None. Zilch. Nada.  Its over guys.  The pie is back and Alara has given you all the gold you'll ever need.  What could be more confusing for new players and contrary to the color pie revival than multicolored cards?  And while M10 promises to please even the most advanced players, I don't see a need for unnecessary confusion. The last 2 years have been a rainbowashed blur of multicolor already and even Mark Rosewater has to agree, its time for a break.  I could have said "less".  I could have said "a handful".  But I'm going out on a limb here and saying ZERO multicolored cards will be featured in Magic 2010.

[caption id="attachment_2203" align="alignleft" width="270" caption="WotC is an extremely complicated organization."][/caption]

4. Reprints with new names - Some may shutter when WotC reprints the same card with a different name.  But what is the difference between that and just flat out reprinting the same card with the same name?  Being able to play 8 copies of the same card in legacy?  Please.  Wiz obviously doesn't care about how crazy the legacy scene gets and when they reprint cards with new names its usually not a card most people would play 8 of anyway.  Its typically a creature type change or slight mana cost shift that few notice.  The lead designer himself admits they're not out to innovate.  Their "chief goal" is to sell cards.  What better way to achieve this then to force veteran players to chase a card they already own but now has a new (legal)  name!   The inclusion of new cards in the core sets is a thinly veiled trap for older players, forcing them to buy the core set.  Not that I'm complaining,  new "core" cards definitely appeal to me!  This gives WotC the freedom to create a set exactly the way they want it, without being constrained by what has or hasn't already been printed over the 10 years prior.  Expect some of the cards  in Magic 2010 to be either exactly the same as another card with a new name or the former with a minor tweak.

5. Planeswalkers featured in theme decks -I've complained about this before. There has not been a new planeswalker since September of 2008 (save Nicol).  With the promise of the 5 Lorwyn planeswalkers in 2010, it looks like we wont see a new one until Zendikar (Oct 2009).  Somehow I doubt they'll include a 6th planeswalker, even in a core set, this time around.  The 5 planeswalkers will, however, be featured in 5 different 2010 theme decks.  What could be more exciting to a new player then a Mythic rare and a preconstructed, mono-colored, easily accessible deck with completely new cards.  $12.99 for a Mythic, a normal rare and a decent deck is a fair deal and it might even get a few of us "expert" level wizards to take the plunge and buy one.  Look for planeswalkers to headline the theme decks this time around.

[caption id="attachment_2198" align="alignright" width="225" caption="Mark my words."][/caption]

6. More Rare Downgrades/Upgrades - Some players won't care about this because they buy playsets of what they need online.  But to casual and new players, this means a lot.  For a casual player, the difference between a card being rare/mythic and a card becoming uncommon can mean the difference between playing/enjoying a given card and never even seeing it.  This prediction is a bit janky because Serra Angel has already received a demotion.  But I contend that more adjustments are to come, some big, some small.  WotC is determined to follow through with this "minor reboot" of the game and changing card's rarity, thus tweaking a card's availability is a great way to tip the balance towards casual players.

7. Wrath of God - White needs it.  The game needs it.  Tokens rule the multiverse with thousands of tiny  iron fists.  Need another reason for this card to be included?  Its totally frickin', 'balls-to-the-wall' badass.  Don't sell that $60 playset just yet, Timmy.  You're going to need it for Magic 2010.  (A bold prediction, I know)

(Check out the spoiler page for all of M10's currently known cards and details)

Stay tuned for our continuing coverage of Alara Reborn with deck ideas, combos and it's impact on standard dominating our next few articles.