The Enduring Impact of 'Invasion' on Magic: The Gathering

Twenty-five years ago, the release of the 'Invasion' expansion forever altered the landscape of 'Magic: The Gathering.' As highlighted by Mark Rosewater, the game's head designer, 'Invasion' stands as a monumental block of three sets ('Invasion,' 'Planeshift,' and 'Apocalypse') that pioneered innovative gameplay mechanics and integrated a compelling storyline. This expansion not only revolutionized the use of multicolored cards but also shaped the game's design philosophy for decades to come, leaving an indelible mark on its evolution.

On a lively Saturday evening in Atlanta, numerous 'Magic: The Gathering' enthusiasts congregated in a vast ballroom at the Georgia World Congress Center. They were there to listen to Mark Rosewater, the game's principal designer, elaborate on the 20 most impactful expansions in the game's 33-year history. Rosewater named 2005's 'Ravnica' as his top choice, citing its establishment of balance among the game's five colors. In second place was 'Innistrad,' a 2011 set that transformed the draft format. 'Invasion,' released in October 2000, secured the third spot and marked the dawn of a new era in 'Magic: The Gathering.'

Rosewater, nestled in a quiet corner of MagicCon, a sprawling three-day convention, explained to Polygon that 'Invasion' ushered in the \"third age of Magic design\" and was a resounding success. This block of sets innovatively merged narrative and gameplay, offering a fresh perspective on the card game.

Before 'Invasion,' 'Magic' expansions often followed a simple formula: combine two mechanics, select a fantasy theme, and release a new card block. 'Invasion' revolutionized this by organizing mechanics and locations around a unifying theme, primarily multicolored cards, also known as \"gold\" cards. Although not entirely new, gold cards had become scarce, creating anticipation for 'Invasion's' release.

Rosewater, along with Bill Rose and Mike Elliott, spent a week in Lake Tahoe brainstorming for 'Invasion.' During this retreat, they conceived two pivotal ideas that would define 'Magic' for years: split cards and kicker costs. Split cards, while initially facing internal resistance, perfectly embodied 'Invasion's' theme of combining 'Magic's' five colors. The concept of split cards originated from 'Unglued,' a satirical expansion, where the popular BFM (Big Furry Monster) card demonstrated the appeal of cards split across two halves. Rosewater adapted this idea, developing split cards that allowed two spells on a single card. Despite efforts to suppress the concept, split cards made it into the set, delighting players upon discovery. Rosewater fondly recalls witnessing players' surprise and excitement when opening packs containing split cards, making the development struggles worthwhile.

The kicker mechanic, another innovation of 'Invasion,' subtly complemented the multicolored theme. Building on the existing \"buyback\" mechanic, kicker allowed players to enhance a spell's effects by paying additional mana. Although initially focused on same-color kickers within 'Invasion,' the mechanic laid the groundwork for its future versatility across different colors. Both split cards and kicker costs have since become fundamental elements of 'Magic: The Gathering,' frequently appearing in new cards and solidifying their status as \"deciduous\" mechanics—concepts so intrinsic to the game that they are often taken for granted, much like trample or flying.

'Invasion's' most significant innovation emerged with 'Apocalypse,' the block's conclusion, by redefining the 'Magic' color wheel. The color wheel categorizes the game's five elements—Mountain (red), Forest (green), Plains (white), Island (blue), and Swamp (black)—into a circular arrangement where adjacent colors are allies (e.g., red and green) and non-adjacent colors are enemies (e.g., red and blue). Before 'Apocalypse,' ally color combinations were significantly more prevalent than enemy combinations, with very few multicolored cards existing for enemy pairs. Rosewater noted that enemy colors were often overlooked, making 'Apocalypse's' focus on them a groundbreaking and exciting development.

Originally, Wizards of the Coast intended to include enemy-color gold cards in the initial 'Invasion' block but strategically deferred them to 'Apocalypse.' This decision introduced another innovative aspect: the staggered release of new ideas across a block, rather than overwhelming players with everything at once. It also addressed the challenge of managing ten different color pairs simultaneously. 'Apocalypse's' enemy-color cards were a welcome surprise, whether 'Invasion' was a player's first introduction to 'Magic' or they were seasoned veterans. Mike Turian, a competitive 'Magic' player who later joined Wizards of the Coast, described the set as \"revolutionary\" upon its release, noting that its multicolor focus allowed for five-color decks, a novelty at the time.

'Invasion' also made a significant impact on 'Magic's' narrative development. Mark Rosewater, who previously worked as a TV writer, recognized the game's need for a cohesive storyline. He and his team decided to center the narrative around the crew of the Weatherlight, a flying ship introduced in a 1997 expansion. The Weatherlight crew's adventures across various locations provided 'Magic' with a recurring cast of characters, predating the introduction of Planeswalkers. This multi-year narrative, akin to a television series, connected each new expansion, a groundbreaking approach for the game.

During their expeditions, the Weatherlight crew uncovered plans for a massive assault on Dominaria, 'Magic's' original setting, by the Phyrexians—biomechanical creatures from an artificial world created by the malevolent eugenicist Yawgmoth. This revelation set the stage for 'Invasion.' Rosewater, who favored the Phyrexians as villains, sought to integrate them into a larger narrative. The interdimensional invasion compelled various factions and colors of 'Magic' to unite against a common foe, aligning perfectly with 'Invasion's' multicolored theme. This thematic synergy, though a \"happy accident\" due to less integrated narrative and card design teams at the time, was embraced as the story unfolded. As Rosewater explained, the flavor of the set became clear: Dominaria's inhabitants had to collaborate to repel the Phyrexians, providing a compelling justification for the multicolor focus.

Mark Rosewater considers 'Invasion' to be the third most influential set in 'Magic's' history, but its influence arguably extends even further. Without 'Invasion,' it's debatable whether Rosewater's top pick, 'Ravnica,' which introduced distinct identities to the game's ten two-color pairings, would have existed. Five years after 'Invasion,' when Rosewater began designing 'Ravnica,' he conceptualized it as a direct counterpoint. 'Invasion' emphasized playing as many colors as possible, leading Rosewater to ask, \"What's the opposite of that?\" The answer—playing two colors—gave rise to the guilds of 'Ravnica.' Mike Turian, who transitioned from a 'Magic' pro player to working at Wizards of the Coast just in time for 'Ravnica,' believes 'Invasion's' impact runs even deeper. In the ensuing decades, 'Magic: The Gathering' has increasingly embraced gold cards, particularly with the popularity of the Commander format, which centers on powerful, multicolored creatures. According to Turian, 'Invasion' was the pivotal moment when Wizards recognized the immense appeal and value of gold cards, solidifying their place in the game's ongoing development.