{"id":561,"date":"2026-08-19T13:05:54","date_gmt":"2026-08-19T13:05:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/phelddagrif.quest\/?p=561"},"modified":"2026-08-19T13:05:54","modified_gmt":"2026-08-19T13:05:54","slug":"emergency-blog-post-double-feature-no-phelddagrif-in-the-hobbit-mystery-booster-commander","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/phelddagrif.quest\/?p=561","title":{"rendered":"Emergency Blog Post Double Feature: No Phelddagrif in The Hobbit & Mystery Booster Commander"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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“…a nasty, dirty, wet hole…”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

-J.R.R. Tolkien, The Hobbit<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

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“The Enormous, pungent…lobster”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

-David Foster Wallace, Consider the Lobster<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n

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On August 7, 2026, Magic: the Gathering<\/em> presents The Hobbit<\/em> prereleased at stores across the globe, one week after the full visual spoiler was released by Wizards, and then subsequently uploaded to scryfall so that people can actually view, read, and search the cards. A full seven days, or 168 hours, for the cards to be legible, easily sorted and ready for my intense scrutiny.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Normally, this is where I would mention all the time and effort I spent going through the cards for this set looking desperate for the tracks of Phelddagrif to you, loving and kind reader who has been working so hard and really deserves a vacation. Normally I’d describe the salty sweat on my brow trickling down my cheeks, mixing with my tears, as they slowly drip to my keyboard as I type query after query of variations of “Phelddagrif<\/a>“, “Questing Phelddagrif<\/a>“, “Garfield, Ph.D<\/a>” and, in desperate moments, “Garfield<\/a>\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The longer I look at this the more weird details I see in this card. Why is Odie doing a finger gun? Why does the ability say “Best Buds” deals the damage?<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

I may even include a little detail in setting up a scene, describing the evening sun beams slowly fading, capturing dust motes in their twilight dance. A cup of coffee sits on my desk, prepared earlier in the day to give one energy for an onerous task sits in cold solitude, the cream separated from the mud. This instills a sense of hopelessness, preparing you, careful reader who makes sure not to step on any cracks in the sidewalk, for the disappointment that is to come. I would include some dialogue too, because I think it’s funny when writers attempting to portray “real” events do that to heighten the drama of the scene: “No, it can’t be. It’s not…” I whisper while shaking my head.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Then, and only then, I finally reveal that, despite my hours of looking at every card in The Hobbit<\/em>, Phelddagrif has eluded us once again and is not in the set.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Normally I would write all of that because it\u2019s a big deal that Phelddagrif hasn\u2019t shown up in another Magic<\/em> set.1<\/a><\/sup> But I won’t this time, reader, whose time I respect, so I’ll keep this thing moving. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

I quickly scrolled through the image gallery, didn’t see Phelddagrif, and moved on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What Went Wrong!?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Nothing, this was all according to plan. To Wizards\u2019 plan, at least. This is because The Hobbit<\/em> is a content set. And that has nothing to do with the set delivering a feeling of satisfaction, despite the name. In fact, it is quite the opposite. A content set is one that is meant to create content. The cards and design of The Hobbit <\/em>generate intense feelings quickly and in rapid succession without leaving room for any sense of resolution. From the set’s initial previews immediately revealing plagiarism on the headliner boxtopper card<\/a>, to the rise in cost of Collector Boosters, The Ambassador Program leaking cards early, the “reaction” to the ambassador program and content creators, the $25,000 Smaug card and “bounties” being placed\u2026None of these are about the cards, the theme, the story and setting of the hobbit. Nothing about the limited environment, the excitement of how certain cards will play, how they may alter or change formats.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s hard to avoid the \u201ccontent\u201d of The Hobbit<\/em>, and difficult to take the time to see the artistry in designing and creating a Magic set. It feels difficult, especially when you\u2019re in a tiny Phelddagrif-shaped bubble.2<\/a><\/sup> It feels that this is a set meant to generate a constant stream of reactions, one where you imagine yourself in these scenarios and form opinions on imaginary scenarios of wealth and notoriety. It\u2019s a set that generates questions: What if you opened a Plagiarism One Ring? What if you opened that Smaug<\/a>? Booster packs become not a way to transport oneself to the ludonarrative depicted on the cards, but throw us through a portal to a counterfactual universe, the same spells cast on us when we buy lottery tickets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is no climate for Phelddagrif to thrive. A set that agitates, rattling our brains like a gerbil in a cage, is no place for Phelddagrif. Phelddagrif needs a calmer climate, like a jungle, or maybe a patch of green grass that\u2019s glows at night. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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That grass is awfully bright for a night scene, perhaps Phelddagrif has some bioluminescent properties?<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Or even the controlled chaos of the plane of Bablovia<\/a>, the steampunk un-plane where Phelddagrif was last seen (on the card Hydradoodle<\/a>). And, while this plane was full of in-jokes and was science\/steampunk themed, I think it could have still fit on the classic fantasy setting of The Hobbit<\/em>. I\u2019m sure Tolkien put some jokes in there.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Anyways, that\u2019s why there was no Phelddagrif in The Hobbit<\/em>! Onto the next set!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mystery Booster Commander: Sic Semper Homaridae<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

On August 2nd, 2026, the Dearest Magic players<\/a> (and not you) were invited to join a special event held by designer Gavin Verhey. This group of Dearest Magic Players3<\/a><\/sup> went on to draft the newly announced convention product: Mystery Booster Commander Edition. This product, like other Mystery Booster products, has a staggering cardpool of thousands of cards with some sought after reprints and special editions of cards in a future sight border.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On August 3rd, the full card image gallery for Mystery Booster Commander Edition was uploaded, 60 new legendary commanders included in this set, none of them were Phelddagrif.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mystery Booster Commander is filled with nostalgic callbacks to characters in Magic that had not received cards before, like Nivea<\/a>, Zagorka<\/a>, and Worzel<\/a>, as well as updates to previous legends such as Joven and Chandler<\/a>, Selenia<\/a>, and Greensleeves<\/a>. Even the Lord of Tresserhorn<\/a> (who is part of the original tri-color rare cycle from Alliances, read my Phelddagrif 30th birthday article <\/a>to learn more!) got a new card so that you can play it at the table and hang with the rest of contemporary commanders.4<\/a><\/sup><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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I’ll save you clicking the footnote, they made it a card draw engine<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

With Joven and Chandler being spoiled, I thought that there might be a good chance that Phelddagrif would appear in this set. Joven and Chandler’s art already pillages from Amy Weber’s past work, putting both Joven’s Ferrets<\/a> and Ebony Rhino<\/a> on the card. I’m not sure the status of the rights for the art of these cards, but if Wizards was willing to push the boundary here, they might print a new Phelddagrif without the original artist having a say. Worzel makes Scryb Sprites<\/a> tokens, another card with only Amy Weber art.5<\/a><\/sup><\/p>\n\n\n\n

But we got Feroz<\/a> as the Bant legendary instead. Great for Feroz for finally getting a card. It looks terrible just like Feroz’s Ban<\/a>. And I’m happy Phelddagrif did not show up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What Went Right?!<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

You read correctly, keen-eyed and well-coiffed reader! I\u2019m happy Phelddagrif did not appear in Mystery Booster Commander. Mystery Booster Commander sets a dismal precedent for creature types going forward.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Rikala, while a Homarid, is typed as a “Lobster Noble”, officially retiring the Homarid type. Presumably, this was done ahead of next year\u2019s underwater set Nauctus<\/em><\/a> <\/em>while bringing Homarid\u2019s in line with the current templating for creature-folk typing conventions (Cephalids and Viashino becoming octopus and lizards were the last victims of this new templating). It wasn\u2019t to help out the homarid\/lobster typal decks, as this new change to type only added two new creatures to the “homarid” family: Ragost<\/a>, who is well outside Homarid colors in red and white; and Rock Lobster<\/a> which is silver bordered, but basically a vanilla creature and I doubt would warrant being brought up in a rule 0 conversation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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I mean, I wouldn\u2019t let you rule 0 this because it hoses my scissor-lizard-phelddagrif deck<\/a>.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Prior to this change, there were no cards before that cared about the Homarid typing, not even the new Homarid King. The only card that cares about the lobster v. homarid typing is Homer the Hermit<\/a>, also a new card from the Commander Mystery Booster, which adds a new \u201cbatch\u201d of creature types (Crabs, Lobsters, Nautiluses, Starfish, and Trilobites). Ironically, the only card that cares about homarids is Old Fogey<\/a>: Another silver-bordered card.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Maybe there\u2019s no use crying over spilled milk, the type change is going to happen and Homarid\u2019s will be dead in all but name.6<\/a><\/sup> But I do think something is lost with this change. Come, reader, and follow the following flight of fancy. You’ve already read so far:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Imagine a player looking at a homarid card, a newer one like Deepmuck Desperado<\/a> or Homarid Explorer<\/a>, and see that creature type is \u201cHomarid\u201d. While this may create some friction in the player\u2019s mind-they thought it was a lobster but it doesn\u2019t say \u201clobster\u201d anywhere on the card- they thought one think but it was actually something else, it might also intrigue that player to learn more about Homarids. Maybe these cards resonate with the player, and they begin to collect them, and look at cards like Shore Up<\/a> and wonder if there are more homarids out there for their collection.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And say this player is going through the bulk at a store or looking through trade binder, and finds the card Homarid Spawning Bed<\/a>, or even Homarid<\/a> itself? They learn this isn\u2019t a new creature type, that this is something that has history behind it. The vista of possibility opens up for this player, there\u2019s an ocean full of Homarids for this player to explore. Wouldn\u2019t this be exciting for this player? Wouldn\u2019t this be a bit more exciting than, if the type is changed to lobster, and seeing the old cards as unplayable, since they will still read not only \u201cHomarid\u201d but \u201cSummon Homarid\u201d? Without that clear hook to the typeline, will players bother looking for that Homarid history? Will they blow over it without caring?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sure, this is a made up scenario, but Magic<\/em> is a growing game, with new players joining every set release, and most of these players aren\u2019t enfranchised and have access or know how to use tools like Scryfall, so I don\u2019t think this is entirely unrealistic. I recognize that this is hard to measure, so it\u2019s unlikely that the \u201cthrill of discovery\u201d would matter. And I suppose we\u2019ll still see the word \u201chomarid\u201d, maybe in the name of the card instead of the type-line (although this isn\u2019t a guarantee with none of the Capenna Cephalids having \u201ccephalid\u201d in their name<\/a>). The only benefit I can see is that this typeline change makes the game easier for universes beyond. Other properties have lobsters, but only Magic<\/em> had Homarids.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That was a fine screed, but what does this have to do with Phelddagrif?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Oh, yeah. If they\u2019re fixing to get rid of unique Magic types even when there\u2019s zero typal support already present in the game, it seems very likely that \u201cPhelddagrif\u201d would be changed to support Magic\u2019s vast bestiary of hippo cards<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

I\u2019m fine with waiting on Phelddagrif for a little longer. I can hold off until Reality Fracture<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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