Ravnica Conspiracy Theory
Spoilers, Rumors, and Speculation forum
Posted on Aug. 10, 2018, 10:02 a.m. by sergiodelrio
So recently, MaRo said THIS.
And there are, imho, not many ways this can pan out. Some have speculated Guild team-ups of some kind, resulting maybe in a 3-color multicolor subtheme.
However, the way he shrouds his answer has somewhat made me turn in another direction. Purple. A new color. Am I crazy? Maybe. Years ago some concept cards had leaked, and the theme of the basic purple land was to be either City or Cave. Let's see, what was the urban plane again?
Another indicator for me is, that we'll stay in Ravnica for 3 sets, but the last one won't be about the Guilds.
This is 100% speculative, but I wanted to get that off my mind and hear what others have to say. Cheers!
sergiodelrio says... #3
Well, they almost pulled it off in Planar Chaos. Cards were designed. Maybe there were hurdles at that time, which they only recently overcame, like with Barry's Land/Wastes. I'm just saying IF they were to do it, that's where they'd do it.
On a side note, in the old concepts, purple was located between and and there's this whole Dimir thing (special status regarding Guildpact) going on, so they maybe could tie these strings together.
But I really also see how that whole theory could be total nonsense xD
August 10, 2018 10:28 a.m.
Neither of these seem likely.
Ravnica's set design is based on exploring the interactions between two colours. That's the entire design purpose behind the plane, and what makes Ravnica a special place. To move into tricolours would be problematic--it would make Ravnica either like Dominaria--a fairly generic plane-or would infringe on the design space of Tarkir and Alara, which are there to explore the tricolor combinations.
While there were plans on making a sixth color, this was back in the Planar Chaos block of Time Spiral--a period in time where R&D was playtesting many new mechanics, not sure which would end up sticking. A couple cards were even designed, but ultimately the addition of a sixth color proved too problematic for game balance and the color pie, so the entire idea was scrapped forever.
Interestingly, Magic did end up adding a sixth "color" with 2010's Rise of the Eldrazi. Instead of inventing a new color, Wizards further explored colorless as its own distinct entity. I think this is the closest we will ever get to a true sixth color.
August 10, 2018 10:40 a.m.
Well, this is worthy to explore in more detail. What does a new color entail in terms of changes:
-
card back has to be changed. Huge deal because suddenly every single magic card prior is invalid.
-
Purple will have 1 set or block of cards. The other colors will have 25 years.
-
Pink has no identity of its own - all color philosophies are taken already.
-
Orange has to have basic lands printed specifically for it in only one set initially, something wastes did not have to overcome.
-
Demand versus supply will be incredibly lopsided for all cards of the new emerald color for years.
-
Turquoise increases the complexity of the game without any benefit. Why do a new color instead making the existing ones do something new?
This is just the top 5.
August 10, 2018 10:48 a.m.
sergiodelrio says... #6
Boza at least some of those issues have been adressed directly by MaRo (off the top of my head):
-
It could totally get away with being in a closed loop within these three sets (WotC only plans for Standard), thus not needing to compromise the overall integrity of the game. A one-shot if you will. How many sets have had Basic Wastes?
-
MaRo said that they would/could change the sheet-math so that a better distribution of the cards in question would be enforced.
-
Color philosophy is a real issue, but they are creative and maybe create circumstances where it would make sense, again, within a closed loop of three sets.
August 10, 2018 10:57 a.m.
I think you are missing the point Boza made regarding Wastes. Wastes are a lot easier to add to the game than a new coloured basic land would be.
Why is that? Generation of colourless mana is a staple of this game. In sealed and draft, if you do not pull any wastes, you were still likely to pull Unknown Shores, Crumbling Vestige, etc. Further, there were not many cards requiring , and most of those were at higher mana costs--at that point, you were likely to have drawn your land. In standard, you always would have access to better lands than Wastes, such as Mirrorpool.
A new colored land would be a nightmare for sealed and casual drafts--after all, you're unlikely to have the right lands at your land station. Unlike with Oath of the Gatewatch, where additional colorless lands were not really needed as no one was drafting a mono-colorless deck, that's not how it would be with a new color.
August 10, 2018 11:20 a.m.
Basic wastes are not a good comparison because a lot of lands already produced colorless - Wastes were the cherry on top.
Sure, the printing of any card is quite possible to be done physically, but it is more of a matter of need, than capability.
Again, why be creative in what a new color could do, instead of being creative about how the existing ones can do more?
If, for example, the existing colors cover 75% of things you could concievably do in Magic, you have two options:
1/ Make a sixth color that can do the other 25%.
2/ Make each of the 5 colors do 5% more.
The second one is so much simpler. Complexity for the sake of complexity is not a good thing.
August 10, 2018 11:27 a.m.
So the other issue I see is use of color identity and design outside of mechanics and philosophy. For example: how would they establish iconic races in a one off use of the color? Colorless mana/color identity already had them in the form of golems/other artifact creatures, but a sixth color would still need some. Or common magic type. The better question: what would it cover that other colors can't and what would be a possible overlap?
August 10, 2018 12:25 p.m.
I'm thinking it's going to have a 4 color theme with the return of the Nephilim being brought back into the story by Bolos leading to Guilds + GW VS. Bolos + Nephilim.
The first set and maybe the secound will be our typical Ravnica Guilds. Set 3 will be the big shake up... though it could happen in set two.
August 10, 2018 9:11 p.m.
Maro said on his Tumblr to expect guild leaders but not nephilim. Sooooo I don't think that's what's gonna happen.
August 10, 2018 11:28 p.m.
landofMordor says... #13
Also, the latest Ravnica Pattern Recognition article said that the Nephilim were killed as some sort of convoluted and mysterious plot.
August 11, 2018 5:12 p.m.
I believe there will be a new guild or faction centered around or Phyrexian mana. Could be from a flavor standpoint guild-less as it’s the neutral mana. However I think that’s unlikely.
On a related topic landofMordor what is the story of the Nephilim.
August 13, 2018 1:30 a.m.
philktoken8998 says... #15
There is a chance that they do somewhat "unbalanced" factions like they did in Ixalan and Rivals. They said they were experimenting with this so it might be something to think about.
I think there's also a good chance that the Bolas vs. Gatewatch feud has two factions ala phyrexia, but with both sides possibly being 5colors.
The allies mechanic would make a lot of sense, given last time we saw it was during BFZ and oath of the gatewatch. That and different guilds coming together and such.
Boza says... #2
I think neither three colors, nor a sixth color is likely, especially the sixth color thing, it is not possible to implement in the game. The third set will probably be Bolas vs Jacetus League so it will unlikely be about the guilds.
August 10, 2018 10:14 a.m.