Renton, Washington - More than one year after the card's initial design, Wizards of the Coast flavor text writer Doug Beyer is still congratulating himself for thinking of the quote on the Torment common Deep Analysis, it was learned Thursday.

The card, which features several cephalid scientists examining a Masticore, has received much attention as a strong card in the upcoming Odyssey/Torment sealed qualifying season. While it has been speculated that this is responsible for the resurgent sense of pride felt by Beyer for his handiwork, sources close to Beyer assured reporters that the writer's self-congratulating attitude has prevailed throughout the year since the Torment set was finalized.

"Heh heh heh. I'm so smart," Beyer was heard to say last August, reaching back to pat himself on the back. "Just look at that: 'The specimen appears to be broken.' Looks to me like someone's in line for a raise." Beyer then decided to leave work early to go buy himself a beer in celebration.

While the initial response to the card's flavor text was positive, the Deep Analysis fever appears to have died down in recent weeks. "It was pretty funny the first time I read it," said Alex Shvartsman, who referenced the joke in a recent Week in Review column. "But then this Beyer guy called me up at home and asked me if I wanted to meet him at some sports bar, to 'take a look at the card together.' I was like, dude, get over yourself. What a creep." Beyer was later spotted at the aforementioned O'Riley's Good Tyme Sports and Brew Pub, admiring the card and buying rounds of drinks for the bar's other three patrons.

Shvartsman is not the only pro to take notice of the card. "Deep Analysis is a very important card for sealed deck, with the 4-for-1 providing the potential to break a game wide open," wrote Pro Tour champion Zvi Mowshowitz in the fifth part of his analysis of the blue Torment commons that fall alphabetically between A and F. When asked for comment on the flavor text, Zvi replied, "I don't read flavor texts. It unnecessarily wastes valuable playtesting time, much like bathing."

Beyer's admiration of his own joke has extended to the point where he assumed a false name and wrote to MagicTheGathering.com's Ask Wizards column, simply so he could talk about his creation. "When I read that it was going to be a Masticore on the scientist's table, I couldn't resist poking a little fun," Beyer wrote. "I was happy to find that R&D liked my little joke." After finalizing his response, Beyer re-checked his eBay bid for three foil copies of Deep Analysis, and read another fan email that he had sent to himself earlier that week. He then went home to tape copies of Deep Analysis all over his apartment, where he lives, alone.

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Renton, Washington - More than one year after the card's initial design, Wizards of the Coast flavor text writer Doug Beyer is still congratulating himself for thinking of the quote on the Torment common Deep Analysis, it was learned Thursday.

The card, which features several cephalid scientists examining a Masticore, has received much attention as a strong card in the upcoming Odyssey/Torment sealed qualifying season. While it has been speculated that this is responsible for the resurgent sense of pride felt by Beyer for his handiwork, sources close to Beyer assured reporters that the writer's self-congratulating attitude has prevailed throughout the year since the Torment set was finalized.

"Heh heh heh. I'm so smart," Beyer was heard to say last August, reaching back to pat himself on the back. "Just look at that: 'The specimen appears to be broken.' Looks to me like someone's in line for a raise." Beyer then decided to leave work early to go buy himself a beer in celebration.

While the initial response to the card's flavor text was positive, the Deep Analysis fever appears to have died down in recent weeks. "It was pretty funny the first time I read it," said Alex Shvartsman, who referenced the joke in a recent Week in Review column. "But then this Beyer guy called me up at home and asked me if I wanted to meet him at some sports bar, to 'take a look at the card together.' I was like, dude, get over yourself. What a creep." Beyer was later spotted at the aforementioned O'Riley's Good Tyme Sports and Brew Pub, admiring the card and buying rounds of drinks for the bar's other three patrons.

Shvartsman is not the only pro to take notice of the card. "Deep Analysis is a very important card for sealed deck, with the 4-for-1 providing the potential to break a game wide open," wrote Pro Tour champion Zvi Mowshowitz in the fifth part of his analysis of the blue Torment commons that fall alphabetically between A and F. When asked for comment on the flavor text, Zvi replied, "I don't read flavor texts. It unnecessarily wastes valuable playtesting time, much like bathing."

Beyer's admiration of his own joke has extended to the point where he assumed a false name and wrote to MagicTheGathering.com's Ask Wizards column, simply so he could talk about his creation. "When I read that it was going to be a Masticore on the scientist's table, I couldn't resist poking a little fun," Beyer wrote. "I was happy to find that R&D liked my little joke." After finalizing his response, Beyer re-checked his eBay bid for three foil copies of Deep Analysis, and read another fan email that he had sent to himself earlier that week. He then went home to tape copies of Deep Analysis all over his apartment, where he lives, alone.

Discuss this article in the Magic: the Gathering Forums!