Mark Rosewater (born May 25, 1967) is the head designer for ''
Magic: The Gathering
''Magic: The Gathering'' (colloquially known as ''Magic'' or ''MTG'') is a Tabletop game, tabletop and Digital collectible card game, digital Collectible card game, collectable card game created by Richard Garfield. Released in 1993 by Wizards ...
'', a position he has held since 2003.
Biography
Rosewater grew up in
Pepper Pike, Ohio
Pepper Pike is a city in eastern Cuyahoga County, Ohio, United States. The population was 6,796 as of the 2020 census. It is an affluent suburb of the Cleveland metropolitan area.
History
In 1763, sixteen pioneers settled the area along the e ...
. In his youth, he worked as a professional magician.
Rosewater has described his young self as a "social outcast" whose intelligence and small size led to bullying, and he never naturally lost his
baby teeth
Deciduous teeth or primary teeth, also informally known as baby teeth, milk teeth, or temporary teeth,Illustrated Dental Embryology, Histology, and Anatomy, Bath-Balogh and Fehrenbach, Elsevier, 2011, page 255 are the first set of teeth in the ...
, which had to be surgically removed. Despite these difficulties, he became a successful high school student at
Orange High School with numerous scholarship offers. He attended
Boston University
Boston University (BU) is a private research university in Boston, Massachusetts. The university is nonsectarian, but has a historical affiliation with the United Methodist Church. It was founded in 1839 by Methodists with its original campu ...
, where he earned a
Bachelor of Science
A Bachelor of Science (BS, BSc, SB, or ScB; from the Latin ') is a bachelor's degree awarded for programs that generally last three to five years.
The first university to admit a student to the degree of Bachelor of Science was the University of ...
in
Communication
Communication (from la, communicare, meaning "to share" or "to be in relation with") is usually defined as the transmission of information. The term may also refer to the message communicated through such transmissions or the field of inquir ...
.
Career
Television
After graduating, Rosewater started his career in television as a
runner
Running is a method of terrestrial locomotion allowing humans and other animals to move rapidly on foot. Running is a type of gait characterized by an aerial phase in which all feet are above the ground (though there are exceptions). This is ...
. He then found work as a writer. Before 1994 he was on the writing staff of ''
Roseanne
''Roseanne'' is an American sitcom television series created by Matt Williams and Roseanne Barr which aired on ABC from October 18, 1988, to May 20, 1997, and briefly revived from March 27, 2018, to May 22, 2018. The show stars Barr as Roseann ...
''.
[Chalk, T. (2013) ''So Do Your Wear A Cape. The Unofficial Story of Magic: The Gathering''] He is credited for two Roseanne episodes: "Vegas, Vegas" and "Take My Bike, Please", both aired in 1991. He considered his time in
Hollywood a "roller coaster ride."
While working as a freelance writer he took a job at a game store in order to have some social contacts. Working there he first found out about ''Magic: The Gathering'' from a customer.
''Magic: The Gathering''
Since 1995, Rosewater has worked for
Wizards of the Coast
Wizards of the Coast LLC (often referred to as WotC or simply Wizards) is an American publisher of games, primarily based on fantasy and List of science fiction themes, science fiction themes, and formerly an operator of retail stores for ga ...
, the company which makes ''Magic: The Gathering''. He wrote puzzles based on ''Magic'' cards and other articles for ''
The Duelist'', the Wizards of the Coast magazine promoting and covering ''Magic''.
In 1996 ''Magic: The Puzzling'' was published, a collection of 25 puzzles written for ''The Duelist''. Since 1996 Rosewater has worked for Wizards of the Coast as a designer of ''Magic'' cards. Rosewater has designed at least one card for every Magic expansion since ''
Alliances''. While working for Wizards of the Coast, he wrote columns called “Insider Trading” for the magazines ''The Duelist'', ''
Topdeck
Topdeck Travel is a tour operator providing trips for people aged 18 to 39 throughout Europe, North America, Africa, Egypt and the Middle East, Australia, New Zealand, and Asia. Topdeck offers 330 different tours in 65 countries.
History
Early ...
'', and ''
The Sideboard'' which gave an inside look at ''Magic'' design.
Rosewater has been the lead designer for ''
Tempest
Tempest is a synonym for a storm.
'' The Tempest'' is a play by William Shakespeare.
Tempest or The Tempest may also refer to:
Arts and entertainment Films
* ''The Tempest'' (1908 film), a British silent film
* ''The Tempest'' (1911 film), a ...
'', ''
Urza’s Destiny'', ''
Odyssey
The ''Odyssey'' (; grc, Ὀδύσσεια, Odýsseia, ) is one of two major Ancient Greek literature, ancient Greek Epic poetry, epic poems attributed to Homer. It is one of the oldest extant works of literature still widely read by moder ...
'', ''
Mirrodin'', ''
Fifth Dawn
Fifth is the ordinal form of the number five.
Fifth or The Fifth may refer to:
* Fifth Amendment to the United States Constitution, as in the expression "pleading the Fifth"
* Fifth column, a political term
* Fifth disease, a contagious rash th ...
'', ''
Ravnica: City of Guilds'', ''
Future Sight
The future is the time after the past and present. Its arrival is considered inevitable due to the existence of time and the laws of physics. Due to the apparent nature of reality and the unavoidability of the future, everything that currently ...
'', ''
Shadowmoor
Shadowmoor is a ''Magic: The Gathering'' block consisting of the expansion sets ''Shadowmoor'' (released May 2, 2008) and ''Eventide'' (released July 25, 2008). The block was originally conceived as a single set that was to be released as the thir ...
'', ''
Eventide
Eventide, an archaic word for evening, may also refer to:
* ''Eventide'' (EP), a 1998 EP by Monique Brumby
* ''Eventide'' (''Magic: The Gathering''), a 2008 trading card expansion set
* '' Eventide: A Scene in the Westminster Union'', an 1878 pa ...
'', ''
Zendikar
The Zendikar block is a '' Magic: The Gathering'' block consisting of the sets ''Zendikar'' (October 2, 2009), ''Worldwake'' (February 5, 2010), ''Rise of the Eldrazi'' (April 23, 2010). The eponymous setting is a vast, untamed wilderness, whose ...
'', ''
Scars of Mirrodin
Scars of Mirrodin is a '' Magic: The Gathering'' block, consisting of the expansion sets ''Scars of Mirrodin'' (October 1, 2010), ''Mirrodin Besieged'' (February 4, 2011) and ''New Phyrexia''. This block marked the return to the plane of Mirrod ...
'', ''
Innistrad
The Innistrad block is a block of the collectible card game ''Magic: The Gathering'', consisting of the expansion sets ''Innistrad'' (September 30, 2011), ''Dark Ascension'' (February 3, 2012) and ''Avacyn Restored'' (May 4, 2012). Innistrad is ...
'', ''
Dark Ascension'', ''
Gatecrash'', ''
Dragon's Maze'', ''
Theros
Theros is a set of three expansions to the ''Magic: The Gathering'' game, consisting of the sets ''Theros'' (September 27, 2013), ''Born of the Gods'' (February 7, 2014) and ''Journey into Nyx'' (May 2, 2014). The setting was later used for ...
'', ''
Khans of Tarkir
''Khans of Tarkir'' is a '' Magic: The Gathering'' block consisting of ''Khans of Tarkir'' (September 26, 2014), ''Fate Reforged'' (January 23, 2015), and ''Dragons of Tarkir'' (March 27, 2015). The block's setting is based on a mix of culture ...
'', ''
Battle for Zendikar
''Battle for Zendikar'' is a ''Magic: The Gathering'' expansion block consisting of the sets ''Battle for Zendikar'' and ''Oath of the Gatewatch''. It sees the return of full-art basic lands, last seen in the ''Zendikar block''. It is also th ...
'', ''
Kaladesh
''Kaladesh'' is a '' Magic: The Gathering'' expansion block consisting of the sets ''Kaladesh'' and ''Aether Revolt''. The block debuted with the release of ''Kaladesh'' on September 30, 2016. The block is set on the plane of Kaladesh, the or ...
'', ''
Amonkhet
''Amonkhet'' is a '' Magic: The Gathering'' expansion block consisting of the sets ''Amonkhet'' and ''Hour of Devastation''. ''Amonkhet'' was released on April 28, 2017, and ''Hour of Devastation'' was released on July 14, 2017. The eponymous ...
'', ''
Ixalan
''Ixalan'' is a '' Magic: The Gathering'' expansion block consisting of the sets ''Ixalan'' and ''Rivals of Ixalan''. The first set of the block was released on September 29, 2017 and Rivals of Ixalan was released on January 19, 2018.
Plot ...
'',
''Unstable'', ''
Dominaria
''Dominaria'' is a '' Magic: The Gathering'' expansion set. It is not part of a block. In celebration of ''Magic: The Gatherings 25th anniversary, the story returned to the plane of Dominaria. The expansion was released on April 27, 2018. Marth ...
,'' ''
Guilds of Ravnica
''Guilds of Ravnica'' is the 79th '' Magic: The Gathering'' expansion; while it is not part of a block, this set is functionally the first part of a Ravnica focused storyline set on the plane of Ravnica. It was released on October 5, 2018.
Set ...
'', ''
Ravnica Allegiance'', ''
War of the Spark
''War of the Spark'' is the 81st ''Magic: The Gathering
''Magic: The Gathering'' (colloquially known as ''Magic'' or ''MTG'') is a Tabletop game, tabletop and Digital collectible card game, digital Collectible card game, collectable card ...
'', ''
Throne of Eldraine
''Throne of Eldraine'' is a ''Magic: The Gathering'' expansion set. It is not part of a block. It was released on October 4, 2019. The sets development codename is "Archery", and its expansion code is ELD. '' MTG Arena'' also officially launch ...
'', ''
Unsanctioned'', ''
Ikoria: Lair of Behemoths'', and ''
Zendikar Rising''. He was also the sole designer of ''
Unglued
''Unglued'' is a Magic: The Gathering expansion set, the first satirical, non-tournament-legal List of Magic: The Gathering sets#Expansion sets, expansion set released. It came out in August 1998. Its symbol is a cracked egg (biology), egg. Amon ...
''; in it he combined his career as a magic card designer with his previous career as a comedy writer. Picking up on the comic note of the "un"-sets, he judged the ''Unglued'' pre-release wearing a chicken suit and the ''
Unhinged'' pre-release wearing a donkey suit. He also wrote flavor text in various sets including
Mirage
A mirage is a naturally-occurring optical phenomenon in which light rays bend via refraction to produce a displaced image of distant objects or the sky. The word comes to English via the French ''(se) mirer'', from the Latin ''mirari'', meanin ...
and Tempest.
Rosewater advocated for Pro Tournament (organized, competitive Magic play with significant cash prizes) for years, including the important idea of having feature matches at professional events. Feature matches are chosen at Pro Tournaments to be highlighted for spectators and web coverage because the players or the decks involved are well known or thought to be of greater interest. He is notable for his quick ascent to the head of Magic the Gathering as well as his personable demeanor.
Since 2002, Rosewater has a weekly column called "Making Magic" on magicthegathering.com, the official site of Wizards of the Coast. In these columns, much like in his previous "Insider Trader"-columns he gives an inside look on how Magic cards are created.
He has written on many controversial subjects, such as why Wizards of the Coast makes "bad rares".
Other key subjects of his columns include Wizards of the Coast's "psychographic" profiles of players called "Timmy/Tammy", "Johnny/Jenny", "Vorthos", and "Spike"
and the color wheel. He often writes his articles in off-the-wall or unusual styles. For instance in one column he took the perspective of the Magic card "", in another he wrote from the perspective of the mechanic "splice". One article, which even had the subject "Mark Rosewater Admits He’s %#@$ Insane!" was written like a
bulletin board
A bulletin board (pinboard, pin board, noticeboard, or notice board in British English) is a surface intended for the posting of public messages, for example, to advertise items wanted or for sale, announce events, or provide information. B ...
on one of his columns. Many articles also touch upon his personal life.
Rosewater claims he reads every email sent to him and has written several mailbag columns in which he responds to praise and criticism alike.
In December 2003 he became Magic's lead designer, later called head designer.
Before that he was senior head designer. As head designer Rosewater has written a "State of Design" column every year. In it he reviews the ''Magic'' design of the previous year and given plans for future ''Magic'' designs. His most important contribution as a head designer is the institution of block design.
Rosewater's nickname is Maro. This came about because the old email system of Wizards of the Coast had a feature that could complete names based on the letters typed, and Bill Rose realized that maro was the shortest unique combination of letters needed to compose a message. In the ''
Mirage
A mirage is a naturally-occurring optical phenomenon in which light rays bend via refraction to produce a displaced image of distant objects or the sky. The word comes to English via the French ''(se) mirer'', from the Latin ''mirari'', meanin ...
'' expansion of the card game, a creature card named "" named after him was included; Rosewater claims that it is his favorite Magic card. is his second favorite card. He made the art of this card himself, for which he was paid a $1.00 check, which he never cashed. He is also known for his podcast, Drive to Work, where he talks in depth about various disjointed subjects, mostly himself.
Rosewater considers his personality to align with that ascribed to blue-red in the game itself, and the player profile of "Johnny".
Personal life
Rosewater is married to Lora Rosewater. They have three children: a daughter Rachel (born 2000) and twins Adam and Sarah (born 2004). As a hobby Rosewater likes "stereotypically geeky things", such as comics, television, games and writing. For instance he owns a collection of action figures of comic book characters.
He was once trapped inside
Fred Astaire's estate.
References
External links
All Mark Rosewater articles on magicthegathering.com*
Blogatog, Mark Rosewater's blog on Tumblr
{{DEFAULTSORT:Rosewater, Mark
20th-century American Jews
Boston University College of Communication alumni
Magic: The Gathering
Living people
1967 births
American television writers
American male television writers
21st-century American Jews