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Yungdrotha, the Cosmic Plane - Old Discussion
Note: This is no longer going to be used since it is long and confusing on what is going on. The new discussion is here: https://forums.mtgcardsmith.com/discussion/5629/yungdrotha-the-cosmic-plane-set-design/p1?new=1
Hey guys,
So I have been working on a custom card set for a bit, and after seeing how well Rezatta has been coming along, I decided to reach out to you guys for help with it (especially since this is my first custom card set).
What is Yungdrotha?
Yungdrotha is a space-themed plane that is almost like its own mini-multiverse.
If you're wondering how I came up with the name Yungdrotha, I just randomly typed letters on the keyboard. (It's what I usually do with names.)
The Mechanics
Yungdrotha is a space-themed plane, so a lot of it is an empty void. Most of the set's mechanics have a lot of emphasis on moving through that void, either in exile or while phased out. (These ones are no longer in use.)
1) Cosmic (This enters the battlefield phased out)
Cosmic permanents enter the battlefield phased out. This provides a suspend-like mechanic that allows some spells to be cast for a little less than what they normally should cost. This is not only a creature-based mechanic. Some enchantments will have cosmic, that have effects that you would normally see on instants and sorceries when they phase-in. You may recognize some of the creatures in this set as new versions of old cards, such as Serra angel, but with cosmic and cost 1 less to cast.
2) Opening Wormholes (To open a wormhole, exile the bottom card of your library. Until end of turn, you may pay {1} to add that card to your hand)
As spacetime warps around us, wormholes appear, bringing things we wouldn't expect into existence. Opening wormholes is the card advantage mechanic in this set. While you would think that it would make more sense to exile the top card of your library, the bottom is where the unexpected is waiting to happen. Sometimes, you may be surprised to know what is waiting at the bottom. If you don't have the mana to add a card opened in a wormhole to your hand, don't worry. The next mechanic can take advantage of when this scenario happens.
3) Forgotten ([Cost], Turn this card face-down: [Effect]. Activate this effect only if this card is face up in exile.)
(Note: This mechanic's wording has changed multiple times, so some cards have incorrect wording)
As time is also shifting around us, some cards will give us a final parting gift before we lose them forever. Forgotten effects are those parting gifts. While sometimes cards have forgotten abilities, other cards just turn face up exiled cards face-down as a cost, so it is essential to make sure that you spend your face-up exiled cards wisely.
4) Manaweave
Manaweave doesn't have a specific effect, as it cares about what colors are spent in paying a certain cost. Some cards can even have manaweave effects that are based on if your opponent paid a specific color(s) in a taxation effect. It all just depends on what colors are used.
5) A fifth mechanic?
(Don't worry, Kozilek will be the only Eldrazi)
While there are only four main mechanics, some planes bleed into Yungdrotha for a bit, allowing things to travel to Yungdrotha without planeswalking. This allows characters with abilities from their home plane to bring them into Yungdrotha. As a result, some cards can feature an old mechanic as an "easter egg" in this set. (Note: Each returning mechanic can only be featured on one card to keep an emphasis on Yundrotha's exclusive mechanics.) If you do return an old mechanic, it would be nice to see it somehow blend into one of Yungdrotha's primary mechanics (If possible).
If you want to see the set so far, you can see it here. Note that some cards may be removed as this set comes along if they don't quite fit a theme or any specific archetype.
Hey guys,
So I have been working on a custom card set for a bit, and after seeing how well Rezatta has been coming along, I decided to reach out to you guys for help with it (especially since this is my first custom card set).
What is Yungdrotha?
Yungdrotha is a space-themed plane that is almost like its own mini-multiverse.
- Yungdrotha is a plane of nearly infinite planets, though the set will feature only a handful, to represent each dual-color pair.
- The difference between Yungdrotha and the multiverse is that non-planeswalkers can move between these worlds.
- Since Yungdrotha is so large, it is very unstable, so space and time are warped. This allows other planes to bleed into if for short periods of time.
- Yungdrotha is a very flexible plane, and its mana allows for some spells to be cast easier. However, if the correct mana isn't used, the spell will be cast with a weaker result.
- There isn't just life on these planets. There are also beings that live among the stars, and can sometimes be as large as planets themselves.
If you're wondering how I came up with the name Yungdrotha, I just randomly typed letters on the keyboard. (It's what I usually do with names.)
The Mechanics
Yungdrotha is a space-themed plane, so a lot of it is an empty void. Most of the set's mechanics have a lot of emphasis on moving through that void, either in exile or while phased out. (These ones are no longer in use.)
1) Cosmic (This enters the battlefield phased out)
Cosmic permanents enter the battlefield phased out. This provides a suspend-like mechanic that allows some spells to be cast for a little less than what they normally should cost. This is not only a creature-based mechanic. Some enchantments will have cosmic, that have effects that you would normally see on instants and sorceries when they phase-in. You may recognize some of the creatures in this set as new versions of old cards, such as Serra angel, but with cosmic and cost 1 less to cast.
2) Opening Wormholes (To open a wormhole, exile the bottom card of your library. Until end of turn, you may pay {1} to add that card to your hand)
As spacetime warps around us, wormholes appear, bringing things we wouldn't expect into existence. Opening wormholes is the card advantage mechanic in this set. While you would think that it would make more sense to exile the top card of your library, the bottom is where the unexpected is waiting to happen. Sometimes, you may be surprised to know what is waiting at the bottom. If you don't have the mana to add a card opened in a wormhole to your hand, don't worry. The next mechanic can take advantage of when this scenario happens.
3) Forgotten ([Cost], Turn this card face-down: [Effect]. Activate this effect only if this card is face up in exile.)
(Note: This mechanic's wording has changed multiple times, so some cards have incorrect wording)As time is also shifting around us, some cards will give us a final parting gift before we lose them forever. Forgotten effects are those parting gifts. While sometimes cards have forgotten abilities, other cards just turn face up exiled cards face-down as a cost, so it is essential to make sure that you spend your face-up exiled cards wisely.
4) Manaweave
Manaweave doesn't have a specific effect, as it cares about what colors are spent in paying a certain cost. Some cards can even have manaweave effects that are based on if your opponent paid a specific color(s) in a taxation effect. It all just depends on what colors are used.
5) A fifth mechanic?
(Don't worry, Kozilek will be the only Eldrazi)While there are only four main mechanics, some planes bleed into Yungdrotha for a bit, allowing things to travel to Yungdrotha without planeswalking. This allows characters with abilities from their home plane to bring them into Yungdrotha. As a result, some cards can feature an old mechanic as an "easter egg" in this set. (Note: Each returning mechanic can only be featured on one card to keep an emphasis on Yundrotha's exclusive mechanics.) If you do return an old mechanic, it would be nice to see it somehow blend into one of Yungdrotha's primary mechanics (If possible).
If you want to see the set so far, you can see it here. Note that some cards may be removed as this set comes along if they don't quite fit a theme or any specific archetype.
Comments
Not all of the archetypes and specific worlds are final (Some of them are though), as I am still thinking about them. I'll bold the parts that are finalized, and things still being considered will be in italics. Those that are finalized, I have described the archetype a little more.
WU - Phasing out opponent's creatures. WU's planet is Tarluria, a peaceful planet where people go for peace and quiet.
WB - Zombie vs. Non-zombie tribal. WB's planet is Xantria, a planet of plagues and apocalypse. Humans are trying to fight back and survive against the festering horde.
- Some white and black cards will be zombies and horrors that deal with giving temporary -x/-x to your opponent's creatures. Others are fighting against the festering horde, giving temporary buffs to your creatures. Death is a large part of this archetype.
WR - Vehicle and artifacts. WR's planet is Polina, a planet where an ancient race has gone extinct, leaving only their high-tech robotics, which is now called the Rust-Ruin mechs.WG - Number of cards in exile. WG's planet is Wintrea, a planet of dreams.
UB - Cosmic. UB's planet is Bellania, a planet of evil and mystery.
- This color combo cares if you have a phased-out creature. Unfortunately, since this archetype is based around the cosmic mechanic, Bellania will be referenced only on the few UB cards that aren't related to the cosmic mechanic in any way.
UR - If you have 3 or more other cards in hand & Wormholes. UR's planet is Gornixia, a planet of storms.- Do you have 3 other cards in your hand? Congratulations! You get extra bonuses. If UR is changed to Opening wormholes, then Gornixia will have the same treatment as Bellania.
UG - Manaweave. UG's planet is lumoria, a planet covered in oceans, and filled with beautiful underwater lights.- This archetype cares if you pay both green and/or blue when casting spells.
BR - Turning face-up exiled cards face down as fuel for rituals and such (Without the forgotten mechanic). BR's planet is Yartok, a plane that's atmosphere gives everyone the feeling of wanting to hit something. People on Yartok also perform rituals to summon demons or to gain more power- Instead of using the forgotten mechanic, this archetype has powerful effects for cheap costs, as long as you can turn enough face-up exiled cards face down.
BG - Returning creatures to the top & bottom of the deck from your graveyard. BG's planet is Grimloch, a rotting planet of death and decay.RG - Creatures surviving damage. RG's planet is Vanira, a planet where everything is on fire, and even touching something can light it on fire.
WR: Not sure how much travel between the worlds you’re doing, but I’m addition to wormholes you could use vehicles, which would be very WR. Whether they’re sci fi space ships or steampunk or magically powered designs. Maybe the WR planet had a race of ancients that left that technology behind. Alternately, wormholes matter, with benefits for the revealed card being an artifact? If the revealed card is an artifact, put it directly into your hand an wormhole a new card, or something like that.
BG - I immediately think about making this inspired by Halo’s Flood. Maybe their spin could be returning things from the graveyard to the bottom of the library, like raise dead and restock effects but with the intention of setting up your wormholes. Alternatively, cards that fuel up by exiling cards from your graveyard like how scavenge operates, then those exiled cards having forgotten. The rot feeds off the ruins of ancient civilisations that have become long forgotten.
WU - The peaceful aspect makes me think a meditative mechanic could be cool, a kind of scry but for the bottom of your library, as they attempt to peer into what a wormhole might bring. Alternatively, having instants and sorceries they control having the option to go onto the bottom of the library when resolved, so they can be wormholed out again. Like rebound but for your existing mechanics. You said you might take it in a tapping opponents creatures direction, but I think phasing out targets would be much more in theme and work similarly. You could also have Fiend Hunter style effects, that creature cannot phase back in while X is in effect. They’d be the police of the plane, phasing out villains and cosmic horrors that threaten their planet.
What does the 'phased out' part of Cosmic actually mean? Like, it says it enters phased out, but how long is it phased out, and what does being phased out do?
To explain it as simply as possibly, something phased out and everything attached to it are treated as though they doesn't exist for as long as they're phased out. Only stuff that specifically refers to phased-out stuff will impact phased-out stuff. Phased out things phase in during their controller's untap step before the player untaps.
I like those suggestions!
I especially like the suggestion for WR and an ancient race leaving old technology. I think that we already have a base of this civilization in the form of Rust-Ruin Golem. While no, this card may not tie into whatever Archetype WR ends up being, it still can reference this civilization.
I think that a vehicle or artifact theme could be quite nice, and I think that maybe focusing on steampunk-like mechs might work. I did say earlier that some cards may come and go, and since it seems like WR is starting to lean in the non-equipment direction, I think that I will replace their legendary for one that cares about vehicles.
For WU, I think that phasing out opponent's creatures may work well. I guess if blue had too much tapping and phasing out shenanigans, it would be way too op. So sticking phasing may make more sense. I also like the idea of keeping permanents phased out until X. It would probably look something like this:
I think that BG can easily have some form of payoff when a creature card is put on the bottom of the library. Though I think that since most green and black cards that return cards from your graveyard to the library put cards on the top, it would probably be something like "if you have put a creature card on the top or bottom of your library this turn, [effect]."
From what I'm reading of your suggestions of WG, I'm thinking of those scenes from Doctor Strange where his spirit leaves his body. Is this your suggestion there? If so, I'm all for it. I just couldn't tell if the idea was either that or people uploading their consciousness into a computer. (which I don't think the second idea would really be green)
Also, for traveling between worlds, I'm thinking of a card similar to the planar bridge, but for exile. Something like this:
I think that this would make a much more interesting card for WR.
so, if BG is trying to destroy WG's dream forest, maybe they form big monsters out of rot or something, and these monster things try to destroy the forest and spread their rot. I'm thinking these monsters will have mechanics that involve destroying lands or something. just a suggestion though, idk.
https://mtgcardsmith.com/view/bane-of-the-dream-forest
@WarriorCatInAhat The card is nice, but I don't think that I want to make BG about land destruction. I think that it would fit a bit better into BG if it was something like this:
like this:
https://mtgcardsmith.com/view/arkus-wormhole-mage
https://mtgcardsmith.com/view/arkus-wormhole-mage-2
Daerith is the god of the universe and has power over everything, even any other god and could reset the universe at any time. However, Daerith is being corrupted, and is threatening the universe.
The Eye of the Universe is the center of Yungdrotha, and is the force that keeps it as stable as it is. If Daerith becomes fully corrupted, then the eye of the universe will tear apart, becoming a black hole that will consume all of Yungdrotha.
I think that I have decided on archetypes for each color combo as well, so I think that this phase is complete. I just need to update each of the color combos.