DESPISED wither, liked persist.
Was meh about about infect.

If -1/-1 is back, we know it won't be as infect. a) Infect was broken, and b) Most of the infect design space was used in Scars block.

Infect could come back, but I don't think it'd flavorfully fit into Bolas' Egyptian set.

There's only a couple of cards that care about +1/+1 counters in Kaladesh, and none in Shadows, so it's possible they do -1/-1 in Amonkhet, but not likely (because +1/+1 are just that much more useful in general).

yeah so both of those statements are incorrect. there were some probably-overpowered infect cards, but the mechanic itself was fine. Scars block had about 60 cards that either had or granted infect. how many of those saw any play, even in standard? blighted agent was a mistake. glistener elf might have been too. but infect? infect was fine.

plus there's plenty of design space left. anything that interacts with counters is design space for infect. anything that interacts with P/T is design space for infect. lots of interesting body sizes are design space for infect. I'm not saying Amonkhet will have infect (I mean, I guess it might, but I doubt it) but, in terms of design and balance, it totally could.

Lost Leonin seemed strong but never saw play. Wonder if a functional reprint would be safe?

It seems plausible. Deadly deserts, dehydration, venomous creatures... -1/-1 counters would fit. At least I've decided on -1/-1 counters for my quasi-Egyptian desert world block for when I return.

Why do people keep saying that infect was/is overpowered? There wasn't a tier 1 standard infect deck, and the modern infect deck isn't imbalanced.

OK, maybe it's not as much overpowered as it is unfun. Everybody hates it because a mirror infect game is to 10 instead of 20.

I'm still betting against infect ever returning, at least not for a very long time. I'd also bet against poison appearing in the block after Kaladesh, though being Egypt-inspired might suggest Snakes.

Perhaps this will be the block that Mummies are split from Zombies.

Given that they tried this experiment with Nagas in Khans and it ended up being a failure, I doubt it.

Having mummies with the Zombie creature type would also help Amonkhet synergize with SOI block.

I feel like you're using a pretty aggressive definition of "everybody". it was a polarizing mechanic, but it had plenty of proponents too.

Don't hope too hard.

I'm not questioning this, but merely saying I'd be interested in seeing that post.
I believe you, but if they gave reasons, I'd like to see them for my own information sake.

There's a few of them: here's one and here's another one. Rosewater certainly says that the Naga ended up not working as Naga. I don't know for sure that the lack of backwards compatibility was the primary reason for the type not catching on (Rosewater cites a lack of resonance), but it certainly contributed and I'm comfortable classifying it as significant.

I think it's going to go Kaladesh, Egypt block, throwback (Lorwyn? DOMINARIA?), Vyrn

East Timor block, imo.

I predict one of the next two blocks (after Kaledesh) will feature -1/-1 counters, and the other will feature hybrid.

Actually *quite* surprised to see vehicles returning in Aether Revolt. I was expecting Energy. Because you can play a random vehicle from pack 3 in a draft deck ... but the uncommon energy cards are going to be unplayable (outside of longtusk cub).

Could they bring back both? Fabricate is obviously right out. (Presumably replaced with some form of kicker or +1/+1 counter shenanigan)

Yeah they can bring back both. Like how born of the gods still had heroic, bestow and devotion

well they spoiled 'ingenuity' or whatever artifact pseudo-convoke is. I bet they don't keep energy, it really only nerfs a half dozen uncommons and sage of shaila's claim.