Well at least thanks to the Ixalan leaks everyone knows that arcane adaptation is coming so this won't spike massivly when it gets spoiled in a few months cause OMG all my creatures are indestructible now.
I liked this story. My only complaint was that the last cycle for the gods cycle will not play out in the story in the same way as Rhonas's last stand did last week. Oh well I guess there wasn't much for Kefnet to steal.
So the Eldrazi's threat level just sunked even more....They were jsut lab rats to "test" Planewalkers.
Wizards really destroyed the Eldrazi's flavour din't they...
But of course. Didn't you know everything about this game is about Planeswalkers? Gods, Eldritch horror deities, even entire planes are just props for the Planeswalker soap opera, where they're the entire focus. With this sort of writing, every Planeswalker is a Mary Sue. The fact we couldn't even get Egypt World off the short list without it being Bolas World with an Egyptian veneer is enough evidence of that. I'm willing to grant Bolas is capable of such a feat though, but in the context of everything - just reprehensible. But the way BFZ and Ulamog/Kozilek were handled, Bolas's motives with Eldrazi, Razaketh etc. have been handled? The setup they gave Kiora against Thassa? The idea that Eldrazi titans are pushovers, but Ob Nixlis and Bolas deliver Gatewatch losses? SOI/EMN may very well be the only damn story actually handled rather well. And even then, Emrakul's entire release was orchestrated for… Planeswalkers.
It's just embarrassing. Just call them Oldwalkers already, then. Retcon the mending out. THe mending SHOULD have been a reason Planeswalkers are interesting - being diverse mages who can roam the planes, learning various magics, working hard to develop and hone their abilities through their travels. Being able to wander, escape, return places. It's disingenuous to say they're mages who happen to travel worlds while writing them like immortal gods who humble Eldrazi titans, actual gods, and are the only real heroes and villains of stories; roles that are handed to them right off the bat with minimal effort. It's absurd to me that just being a Planeswalker is the reason these MORTAL, SIMPLE MAGES WHO HAPPEN TO WALK WORLDS can march right up to heavily guarded monarchs in fortresses, head angels on their own turf and SKY-DWELLING DIVINITIES ruling over the natural order of an entire UNIVERSE like they would to a mailbox within hours or days of arriving on a foreign world they've only just experienced.
With that logic, an immigrant should just walk right up to President Trump's doorstep for dinner moments after landing in our airport from Cambodia with ease. Welcome! You can travel continents, therefore you must be exceptional!
Gone are the days of writing like Scott McGough and heroes like Toshi. Who earned their results and adapted to challenges.
I think you're forgetting that planeswalkers, both Old and Neo, have this attitude because they're keenly aware of the vast expanse of the multiverse. This by itself makes it difficult for a walker to really connect with a world that isn't their own unless they put in the effort or have serious motivation, and it's typically white walkers who do that.
When a planebound being like Rashmi, Drana or Kydele is exposed to the idea that there's something beyond their plane's bounds, they openly show wonder, fascination or awe. By stark contrast, it isn't anything special to walkers that have been around many places like the Gatewatch, Tezzeret and so on. It doesn't help that walkers aren't even supposed to be in worlds other than their own, but a glitch in the MTG Matrix called the spark lets them world-hop. Tamiyo even outright called planeswalkers "disasters with a point of view".
Planeswalkers and people with plane-hopping tech like the Planar Bridge and ye-olde planar portals are inherently a danger to the multiverse.
A lack of awe doesn't explain their power level or how leadership positions, leading star positions, authority or reward all come to them with absolute ease and with minimal consequence, if any at all. Or how they accomplish greater feats within days than the natives of that world themselves, always, for no other reason than being Planeswalkers, which in itself should only mean being able to traverse the planes. Explain how that entitles any of them to march up to or even overpower plane overlords like pushovers or outshine those who have lived in those universes for decades?
This really bothered me with Tezzeret somehow being at the top of the Consulate hierarchyin Kaladesh after having added nothing to that world to justify it. He could have introduced etherium or something and earned renown but nope just there to be an antagonist we know. At least with Bolas in amonkhet Bolas had to actually do something to get to be the God Pharoah.
Anyone remember playing safe haven only to get blown out by stone rain. Good thing land destruction is barely a thing now, and etb triggers are way better.
Another ridiculously overcosted enchantment that must be answered in order to have a chance. With cruel reality and sandwurn convergence from Amonkhet we just need a red and a blue one to make a cycle.
yep all that's missing is an appearance by the gitrog monster and some friends and a sorcery that kills the first creature summoned by each opponent. But wait wasn't there already a set called exodous?
we actually have NOT seen all the invocations yet as we have yet to see the most glorious one yet which will no doubt the God Pharaoh in his true form. May his spoiling come swiftly.
Shame they couldn't do anything with the "Blood Magic" he was showing in story. Pay life and Sac a creature to gain control of one, or something like that.
That only works on Liliana, because of their contract. Doesn't seem like something he can just do willy nilly.
He's also responsible for literally turning the entire Luxa River into blood. Like, Blood Magic is clearly a thing of his. Maybe he can't do it willy nilly, but nothing in story seems to suggest he tutors you.
he did give Liliana exactly what she wanted. Then she repayed him by eating him. The ingrate.
I don't think we'll see Temnet or Hapatra as eternals. To become an eternal one must become worthy and the worthy take 7 and die to Hazoret rather than taking office jobs.
I loved this story but my favorite part is that the fight in many ways reflected the actual cards abilities. Well played I feel like I read the cards duke it out but the scorpion god had like fifteen mana.
I deem the art from your first link worthy.