What Does WotS Mean for Planeswalkers in the Future?
General forum
Posted on May 11, 2019, 1:17 a.m. by DemonDragonJ
War of the Spark explored new territory that had never been explored, especially with regard to planeswalkers, so I am wondering what this shall mean for planeswalkers in the future.
I personally hope that WotS was a rare, one-time event, and that, in future sets, planeswalkers shall return to being few in number and having exactly three loyalty abilities (and no other abilities).
Even further, I actually would really like it if planeswalkers appeared only in every other set, instead of every set, since I personally feel that they have become a combination of a “plot tumor” and “creator’s pet” in this game. I know that they are popular, but having too many of them makes them feel less special and unique; having them be fewer in number would increase anticipation for them and make them feel more special.
What does everyone else say about this? What does War of the Spark mean for planeswalkers in the future?
DemonDragonJ says... #3
I would like to specify that I do hope to see some of the new planeswalkers introduced in this set (i.e., Teyo, Davriel, Kasmina, and the Wanderer) in future sets, ideally with "normal" planeswalker cards.
May 11, 2019 9:19 a.m.
mymanpotsandpans says... #4
I like the design space offered by this inclusion from war of the spark. It creates a greater range of diversified walkers. We just lost Gideon for the foreseeable future for being a more combat oriented planeswalker/creature hybrid. I wouldn’t want to limit wizards in terms of creative design space by saying “three abilities mandatory, no extra ones either”.
Compared to the previous group of walker design space that have nearly been pushed to Ad Nauseam . I personally don’t want more of the same thing as the basic: Five mana casting cost, +1 card advantage, -3 kill something, -8 ult and win, flavored to whatever color they are in walkers. Ob Nixilis Reignited , Ral, Izzet Viceroy , Teferi, Hero of Dominaria , Vivien Reid etc. This design space has been filled, do something new.
May 11, 2019 4:50 p.m.
multimedia says... #5
I actually like the design format of the rare Planeswalkers in WAR. I think it's one of the best things about the set and one of the best overall new concepts since Sagas. It takes the power level of Planeswalkers down a notch which I think is good for Standard. The rare Planeswalkers are all good cards, but they aren't busted and won't warp Standard like the mythic rare Planeswalkers have potential to do.
A static ability and two loyalty abilities is good for Planeswalkers, it brings new and interesting gameplay with them. I also like that minus loyalty ability doesn't have to be an ultimate. I hope this design format is what Wizards uses for future Planeswalkers. Uncommon Planeswalkers are a gimmick and I don't expect we will see them again.
I don't like the design format of the mythic rare Walkers in WAR. I think giving a Planeswalker a static ability and three other loyalty abilities which includes an ultimate is too much. Too powerful, too much possibility for the card to warp Standard and that's what I don't like about Planeswalkers.
May 12, 2019 12:43 a.m.
DemonDragonJ says... #6
As a side note, I feel that it was unnecessary to create a new plane specifically to serve as Teyo's home plane; given that his homeworld is a harsh desert plane, he could easily have been from the Abzan/Dromoka clan of Tarkir, and there would have been little difference in his character.
May 12, 2019 11:09 p.m.
On Blogatog , MaRo said that static abilities on Planeswalkers are available for use going forward. He has also said that the volume of Planeswalkers in WAR was an exception, not the new normal.
May 13, 2019 2:10 a.m.
DwaginFodder says... #8
DemonDragonJ, the reason that Teyo was from a new plane was so that the novel could have a character that was entirely new to the world(s) and species and characters. Making him from a backwater, relatively tame world like Gobakhan allowed the author to draw in readers who might not be used to Magic and its worlds. Making him from Tarkir, as by your example, would have made him aware of efreet, nagas, dragons, etc, and thus ruined him as what they call a "point-of-view" character.
However, I feel that, by using that system in the first place, they made the novel a lot more flat and disinteresting for those already into the story.
saj0219 says... #2
I don’t think we’ll be seeing 37 walkers in every set, just like we don’t see gothic horror in every set, or Greek mythos in every set... the walkers were kind of the defining characteristic of WAR. With that said, I wouldn’t be shocked to see static abilities on walkers more often...
May 11, 2019 9:15 a.m.