MTG Cardsmith Community Forums
Prehistory Set - Introduction and Vision Design
This discussion has been closed.
Howdy, Stranger!
It looks like you're new here. If you want to get involved, click one of these buttons!
It looks like you're new here. If you want to get involved, click one of these buttons!
Comments
This adaptation mechanic strongly reminds me of the trap mechanic, and I like the idea that adaptations help you against specific threats. I think it could be interesting to make it an enchantment subtype, word it more closely to traps, and then put it in a cycle or two at uncommon. I'll probably put it into the play test file for now to later see if it could be fun.
@The-DM
I see your point that evolution takes millions of years, and I think the best thing I can say against that is that this is a fantasy tabletop card game; however, that feels like a pretty terrible response. Perhaps there might be some kind of lore answer to why evolution happens so quickly on this plane.
@KorandAngels
Okay, I understand a little better, and I thank you for clarifying more. I definitely want to demonstrate a theme of the "the most evolved survive and dominate;" however, I don't want to make the set have a major focus on conflicts between humanoid races. I do think that we can involve more evolved humanoids triumphing over the less advanced (think the introduction to 2001: A Space Odyssey), but I don't think that should be pushed into the limelight of the set.
Evolution Deep Dive
From general brainstorming, I think the two approaches to evolution are "adapt or fall behind" or "evolve your creatures to better suit your game plan." Here's a brief overview on how I think each theme could function.Adapt or Fall Behind
I feel like this would lead to much more aggressive designs, where the goal of the players would be to build large creatures and quickly as possible and then stomp face. I feel like the best example of this would be Theros block, where players would suit up their creatures in auras and try to get the biggest creature the quickest. This set would feel very primal and brutal. I also feel like this set would desire to play a lot more straight up big creatures, and fewer creatures that would be built.Evolve Your Creatures to Better Suit Your Game Plan
I feel like this theme would emphasise choice and decision making from the players. Instead of brutally struggling for survival, players would build up their creatures and evolve them. Cards would allow players to adapt to different situations. In this set, players would build up their creatures over just playing straight up massive monsters.I feel that both of these themes are very interesting to explore, and, although it is usually best to stick to one path, I believe that the overall set will end up in a better place if each theme is scouted out a little.
Returning Mechanics That Involve Evolution
Each of the mechanics below involves increasing the power of certain creatures, and building them up. This is just a short list from brainstorming, and if there are any I missed, or you have any ideas of your own, please speak up.Evolve (Whenever a creature enters the battlefield under your control, if that creature has greater power or toughness than this creature, put a +1/+1 counter on this creature.)
Evolve, originally created for Ethan Fleischer's prehistoric set, is a mechanic that grows your smaller creatures when you play bigger ones. This mechanic almost perfectly matches with "adapt or fall behind" and, should we explore that direction, this will definitely be one of the mechanics we consider.
Adapt X/Monstrosity X (If this creature has no +1/+1 counters on it, put X +1/+1 counters on it.)/(If this creature isn’t monstrous, put X +1/+1 counters on it and it becomes monstrous.)
I like the idea of paying mana to increase the size of a creature, and these are flavorfully on point; however, they have been used a lot, and I think this will more likely be used as a mana sink that as the actual core mechanic of the set.
Keyword Counters
Keyword counters are definitely a space I would like to explore, and I feel like they perfectly capture the feel of evolution.
Random Mechanics I Thought Up
Unlocking MutationsThis is a strange idea I had, and I think it would be best to demonstrate with a few example commons:
Marauding Mammoth 3G
Creature - Elephant
1G: Unlock a mutation on this creature.
_______________________________
| Trample | Vigilance |
| | |
_______________________________
4/3
Pteranodon Scavenger 2U
Creature - Dinosaur (shhh science doesn't matter)
Flying
2U: Unlock a mutation on this creature.
_______________________________
| Put a +1/+1 | Draw a |
| counter on this | card |
| creature | |
_______________________________
2/2
This is a rather interesting variant on adapt/monstrosity that I believe would give players a lot of choice in how they evolve their creatures. Problematically, this could cause a lot of memory issues.
Transform Split Cards
Once again, this is probably better shown than describe. Here is a common.
Marsh Toad 2G
Creature - Frog
5GG: Transform Marsh Toad on either its top or bottom evolution.
2/3
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
___________________________
| Titanic Anurid |
| Creature - Frog Beast |
| Trample |
| 5/3 |
____________________________
| Canopy Menace |
| Creature - Frog |
| Reach |
| 3/5 |
____________________________
I am very good at lore. Perhaps I can create it, with some help of course?
Forgive me, but I do not quite understand what you mean by that comment. If you are referring to the evolve mechanic from the Pokemon TCG, then I can elaborate a little. I personally feel that the evolve mechanic from the Pokemon TCG is very, very parasitic and would be difficult to work into a Magic set; however, I have only played a few games of Pokemon in my life, so this could be a very wrong assumption. From what I know about the game, though, mutate is about as close as Magic has and should ever get to the Pokemon TCG.
I haven't given all that much thought to creative, and I would certainly be happy for anyone to think about it and spread their ideas.
@The-DM
Would you mind if I help? Stories are what I live for, and this is a set where I have the chance to do wonders...
(We can storyboard on our chat.)
I love you guys discussing ideas for lore and story; however, I would appreciate it if you guys held those discussions publicly in the forums. Not only do I want to see it, but it also allows others from the community to chime in.
But, because they haven't refined it as much as planes like Theros and Amohket, the gods will be abstract figures.
In my opinion, the gods should be quad color (If they come out).
Actually, that would make a good cycle.
I suggest there are five, one of each color. They would be similar to the Avatars on Ixalan, except they wouldn't strictly be dinosaurs (Mammoths, Sabre-teeth, etc.). Each would probably represent a primal aspect in accordance to the colors, and we could maybe stretch concepts as well, as to make them not too similar to the actual Avatars of Ixalan. Also, we starting with the creation of the Plane itself. This is probably where the super-evolution comes in... Something to do with the planes internal energy...?
A cycle of very powerful godlike animals would be interesting. I did a little research, and I did find that many early paleolithic cultures did worship deities that were depicted as looking similar to animals.
Since there seems to be a lot of lore talk circulating about, here's my idea for a brief outline of a story: Some paleolithic humanoid gains the ability to planeswalk and discovers the miracles of the multiverse. Determined to advance their tribe, they begin to share knowledge and materials from other planes with their tribe. This angers some green aligned planewalker, who saw this plane as one of the last vestiges of complete primal wilderness in the multiverse.
That's just a random thought I had now. It could be interesting to see a white-blue vs. green conflict, for it is a rare one.
While I think quad-colour legendaries are certainly interesting for Commander, we need to keep other formats in mind. After C16, I believe that four colour legends are in less of a demand, and I think that we should build legends to best fit themes of the set than what the needs of Commander are.
On (Insert name here) there is an energy, which I will be referring to as the Amolga. The Amolga is an energy, and will go into any biological creature, and give them an "evolution" boost. This means that a species could go from start to end in less than an hour. The Amolga is all colors, as it has no specific belief, but at the same time, all beliefs.
I call it, dream logic!
The amolga would reside in certain spaces, where biological power would be more prominent. Since this plane is the most primal of all the planes(Known of), it is where the Amolga resides.
@Tigersol
@The-DM
@KorandAngels