Science-themed Set!!!!!!!!!!! --- Concepts

The community helped decide what set theme to go for...

And we ended up with Science-theme!!!

The overall view is:
A group of Scientists do some bad experiments and the story unfolds from there

We have some lore covered, but we're fleshing that out later. Basically, there's this group of scientists, and in their laboratories, there are several studies of different science branches, including:
  • Psychology
  • Geology
  • Ecology
  • Zoology
  • Chemistry/Physics
  • Horology
  • Astronomy
We'll/I'll have dozens of cards for each branch, to strongly enforce that theme. 

Just science may be boring, though. Soooo, when experiments start going wrong, and the scientists go a bit mad, some kind of group/cult/clan steps in to stop the trouble. And chaos unfolds.....

I didn't plan any more than that, since I want the community's approval. 

These are the kinds of races I would like to see in this set: (All kinds of stuff)
  • Merfolk
  • Humans
  • Fish (Yes, Fish {mutants})
  • Orcs
  • Aven-type characters, like the ones we see in Amonkhet
  • Goblins
  • Zombies
  • Elementals
  • Elves
  • Dragon [Elementals?]
  • Elephants!
  • Spirits
  • Eldrazi

Lands


Now, a huge thing that came to mind for this set is lands. Of course, the basics....but what about the others? We could have laboratories, secret project study areas, little places for the science branches.....

Here's some art pieces that we could use for lands:

By Kashuse Nuage
(Alchemy)

By Julian Seifert-Olszewski 
(Physics)
Scholars Tower
BY Jullie Dillon
(Astronomy)

*********************

Feel free to make suggestions and I will be making daily updates and ideas!!!!
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Comments

  • 'Pologies for any mistakes that may occur, I was (and I still am) listening to Moderat music (my feet are aching from tapping them so much) so it wasn't that easy to concentrate.
  • *sad Botany noises*
  • Botany could be part of Geology. I could see something like G/R have a land matters theme, with a small plant-tribal theme on the side.
  • Yes, that sounds like a plan. Each branch will probs have a few 'sections' to them.
  • edited April 2021
    Would horology be more in line with the physics branch or the astronomy branch? At present, I'm tending towards the astronomy branch. I also feel horology/astronomy lands would either scry or be able to get cards from the graveyard.
  • Here are some mechanical ideas that I personally associate with each discipline: 

    Psychology: Effects that interact with the hand. For instance discard effects, tutoring effects, Thoughtseize effects, changing maximum hand size, etc. Gain control of permanents and/or players effects.

    Geology: Land animation and other land synergies

    Ecology (putting Botany in there): Plant tribal, mana dorks, +1/+1 counters, defender tribal

    Zoology: Counting the number of creatures, non-human tribal, creaturefall

    Chemistry: Damage spells

    Physics: Kozilek styles effects that mess up with the rules (your opponents can't cast spells with even mana value, etc.), and modal effects might be a flavour win for quantum physics specifically

    Horology: Bounce spells, skip turns, extra turns, extra steps, doesn't untap during untap step,...

    Astronomy: Either enchantment strategies to riff off the Theros theme, or library manipulation (scry etc.)


    I'm also adding a few more important disciplines in there: 

    Mathematics: Anything Quandrix (+1/+1 counters, doubling, etc.)

    Biology: +1/+1 counters, ability counters, anything Zoology does, graveyard synergies, pump spells


    I would also like to mention that Horology is a weird fit since it's mostly focused on building devices that measure time - the really theoretical time stuff is encompassed in the Physics discipline instead, and Psychology is also a weird fit as the only social science represented. I'd advise either removing it or adding more social sciences such as sociology, economics, or linguistics. 
  • @TheDukeOfPork @ningyounk

    Should Zoology, Biology, Botany and Ecology really all stand apart?
    I'd say smash them together.
  • @HeroKP

    I'd personally put Ecology and Botany together on one side as a Plant/Land theme, and Zoology and Biology together on the other side as a creature-based theme.
  • @ningyounk Tough, but fair.
  • edited April 2021
    @TheDukeOfPork

    As you have established, this project entails your vision, so we'll do things the way you want.

    HOWEVER....

    Are you sure it's necessary to set out these science archetypes so rigidly? Need this be a faction set at all? Why not just have individual cards or groups of cards for every niche science and sub-science you want, forming larger groupings not by manual squishing but simply by establishing colour-coded archetypes?

    Again, I understand the need to have distinct factions to root for, and if you want that, don't let anyone stop you. But if you are willing to look at an alternate interpretation, I think this would be more efficient.
  • @ningyounk

    Those seem pretty fair archetypes. I'm going to decide some debatable colour combos for the science branches. I'm currently deciding. (Such as Psychology [in my opinion] should be U/B) About Horology, I actually think it has two meanings. I was looking for the study of 'time' in general. (Making clocks and similar would be lame) I can definitely remove it if everyone thinks it's best, but for now, when I'm just settling in, I'll keep it that way. (Keep in mind, [you probably know a lot about set development yourslef] most ideas will be ditched. The only thing we're certain on is that this set is themed on science.)

    @HeroKP

    I'm not....quite sure what you mean....?

    @KorandAngels
    Yes! Loxodon-type experimenters!
  • The artwork by Julie Dillon could also be used as an artifact.
  • Maybe there could be a cycle of laboratory-eque artifacts that support each branch of science. They could support the draft archetypes or something.
  • Mathematics could also be a "numbers matters" theme. Things like cards that care about
    • odd and even cmc spells
    • spells with a specific cmc (for example: Whenever you cast a spell with converted mana cost 4)
    • Whenever you draw/cast/discard/exile/gain life for the second/third/fourth time each turn
    • How many times you've cast a spell a game (like approach of the second sun or omnath but more basic)
    Just a thought. Cheers!
  • Here's a topic I would like to discuss:

    Scientist Archetypes.

    Determining on how the scientists are potrayed are based on their archetypes.

    Now, I had a few ideas. 

    Concept No.1:
    Library Synergy. Effects that work with your library, e.g. Look at the top N cards; Shuffle your library (simply shuffle your library); 

    Concept No.2: 
    Activated Abiltiy Triggers. Triggers that count on activated abilities being, well, activated. 

    @SpellPiper2213
    What do you mean?

    @RohanDragoon
    Yes, but is mathematics a sciene study?


  • Mathematics is 100% a science study! =D
  • @TheDukeOfPork, maybe like the guild signets or lockets?
  • @TheDukeOfPork I was thinking something with like a "tap for mana" ability and then a "tap for something that this specific branch of science does". For example, the ecology/botany lab would have "2, Tap: Create a 1/1 green Plant creature token" or something of the sort.
  • You could actually make up your own type of science. Hearthstone had its own science-themed set called "Boomsday", where each class had its own field of study (Druids were Botany, Mages were Astrology, etc). Warlocks were Demonology, which I don't think is a real-life field of study, but the point is that you don't need to stick to exclusively real-world science fields.
  • Just my opinion, but my favorite techno/science-themed stories often have a group who is outright violently opposed to science, technology, and progress (like the actual "Luddites" of European history), or there's a similar (maybe less aggressive) cautionary group who is also trying to hold back the tide.  You may find some success with this sub-theme in your green cards if you're struggling to make that color work. 
  • @TerryTags

    Personally, I get enough of that on Twitter
  • edited April 2021
    Cryptozoology is an actually officially recognized sect of science. In the exact same way that Sealand is totaly a real country.
  • @AboveAndAbout @SpellPiper2213

    You mean, like 'Psychology Locket' or whatever? Cool, cool. It's possible, but are we having this too side-by-side with Ravncia in terms of flavour?

    @feralitator ;
    Eh, I doubt I'll do that. That'll probably make the popularity lower. But it very much is a possibility, but not a likely one. I'm probably not making any sense right now.

    @TerryTags
    Green is definitely a sorted colour in Ecology/Geology.
  • I think it's a good idea to have those kinds of mana rocks if you plan on doing two-color combinations.
  • @TheDukeOfPork
    A few things I'd recommend here:
    Ff you're doing color combinations, I'd highly suggest choosing enemy/ally for a main theme, and the other set as sub themes (similar to Ikoria). Having too many draft combinations is not a good thing to have, so it's normally set around 5 themes, and subthemes are included as well, which all tie to corresponding main themes.
    Also, before actually deciding on anything, I'd get a general storyline set up, so you can tie themes to parts of the story.
  • Not sure if this is helpful, but the last time I tried to make a set, I did some analysis of the color pair archetypes from some recent sets.  Feel free to ignore, dispute, or use ... at your discretion :smile:

  • you can check out my Earth based block, or futuristic plane block when I get to work on that.   Account for first is TGBC_Earth and the other account will be TGBC_Corrinella
  • edited April 2021
    I just wanna say that(And I think @HeroKP was mentioning something like this earlier), factions might not make a lot of sense in a set like this. Very rarely do scientists work together as a story idea, and when it does happen it's from different fields of science. Having individuals might work better for a smaller set like this, as we can tell multiple character's stories of science, and science factions are overall a little awkward.
    (Also, the invent mechanic that was conceptualized in Kaladesh could work)

    Edit:
    It seems Hero did say something similar to this earlier. It would certainly be easier to connect to more distinctive branches of science if we strayed from a faction set, and also could make for some interesting flavor.
This discussion has been closed.