An African-flavored block would kick ass. A Meso-American block would really kick ass. Philippine mythology is pretty deep too, and I could easily see a whole set's worth of material coming out of it. It'd definitely be a nice break from the greco-teutonic sector of the multiverse that we've spent so much time in thus far.
... or maybe (bear with me, now) there's MORE THAN ONE PLANE WITH BLACK PEOPLE ON IT!!!! There's definitely more than one plane full of white folks in the multiverse, so I don't see why that couldn't work.
I've had similar thoughts for so long - can it really be that difficult?
There is a spinoff from the card game Legend of the Five Rings called Legend of the Burning Sands - sort of an L5R 2.0 that is set in Egypt/North Africa/India and is so rich in flavor. It incorporated a storyline of an exiled clan from Rokugan ( Japan/China ) in a new world, and although the spinoff game eventually folded, the new world was incorporated back into the L5R mythos - great stuff.
And consider The Love Song of Night and Day - how epic was that?
BtW: can you post some of the mirage-block archetypes you made decks out of? I've really gotten into building block decks for casual constructed, and about all I could find on mirage was pros-bloom stuff.
Having gone to my first PTQ's during that period, I will tell you that the decks to beat so to speak were:
Pros Bloom till Squandered Resources got banned, RB Flanking Beatdown, RW Midrange using stuff like Wildfire Emissary, A grixis graveyard themed deck using Ertai's Familiar that may not even work anymore since his phasing doesn't trigger ETB. Mono Green or Green/R Stompy.
(I just Checked they erata'd Ertai's Familiar to work on phasing out which really ticks me off that they removed the power level erata on Master of Arms in the same dang set. :viking::viking:)
Out of the blackness and stench of the engulfing swamp emerged a shimmering figure. Only the splattered armor and ichor-stained sword hinted at the unfathomable evil the knight had just laid waste.
Mirage would be cool to return to. I do not think Nicol Bolas has been to that plane, so it could be fun to see what would happen when the people of Jamuraa are faced with a super powerful elder dragon... I hope Wizards does this eventually.
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Nicol Bolas is so awesome! And so is Kokusho! Bolas x Kokusho 4eva!!! <3
Read their story here!
I'd like to see a vaguely egyptian-themed block most of all.
Although with any block, wizards has to put their own spin on it.
A mirage-esque african style block would be sweet also. The flavour would be off the charts.
Any return to mirage would be different though. You'd have planeswalkers wandering around, mixing things up. You'd have more magic permeating the world, although it would be pretty primal and tribal themed, i suppose.
I'd dig it. But i'm holding out for egyptian.
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Modern: G Tron, Vannifar, Jund, Druid/Vizier combo, Humans, Eldrazi Stompy (Serum Powder), Amulet, Grishoalbrand, Breach Titan, Turns, Eternal Command, As Foretold Living End, Elves, Cheerios, RUG Scapeshift
I would actually prefer a return to Kamigawa. And this is not a joke. I loved the flavor of that set. And, I did not find it as difficult to play as a lot of people complain about. I got Bushido, I got Ninjitsu, I got Splice into Arcane. Maybe I watched a lot of Kung-fu movies when I was younger so I got an appreciation for Asian culture.
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Currently playing:
Standard: WBRG Aggro-Reanimator Humans GRBW
Modern: UR Twinning RU G Venus Fly Trap G U Artifacts Aggro U
I would actually prefer a return to Kamigawa. And this is not a joke. I loved the flavor of that set. And, I did not find it as difficult to play as a lot of people complain about. I got Bushido, I got Ninjitsu, I got Splice into Arcane. Maybe I watched a lot of Kung-fu movies when I was younger so I got an appreciation for Asian culture.
Honestly my opinion is that Kamigawa was good... it mixes poorly with the rest of MTG but they did this feudal japan with spirits well.
What I would love to see is a more "pan asian" one that is not specifically about China but centers around China and it's surroundings. You know, the stuff of movies from that area and the surroundings... an analogue for the Mongols invaders, monks with mystic martial arts techniques (that other monks try to steal), high flying wuxia, kingdoms at war, mystic creatures (maybe a Monkey King analogue) and some surrounding influences.
Kamigawa had great flavor and concept, it was just full of horrible parasitic mechanics, ugly flip cards, and that stupid Jitte. Sure, it makes me vomit in my mouth a little bit every time I hear the block mentioned, but there's no reason they can't revisit it and do it correctly, just as long as they mercilessly scrap every single mechanical link to the original set.
I would actually prefer a return to Kamigawa. And this is not a joke. I loved the flavor of that set. And, I did not find it as difficult to play as a lot of people complain about. I got Bushido, I got Ninjitsu, I got Splice into Arcane. Maybe I watched a lot of Kung-fu movies when I was younger so I got an appreciation for Asian culture.
Honestly my opinion is that Kamigawa was good... it mixes poorly with the rest of MTG but they did this feudal japan with spirits well.
What I would love to see is a more "pan asian" one that is not specifically about China but centers around China and it's surroundings. You know, the stuff of movies from that area and the surroundings... an analogue for the Mongols invaders, monks with mystic martial arts techniques (that other monks try to steal), high flying wuxia, kingdoms at war, mystic creatures (maybe a Monkey King analogue) and some surrounding influences.
Just giving this specific topic a bump since I'm LOVING Khans of Tarkir, another non European set and for sure a lot of Asian mythology and flavor condensed into what is only the first set so far.
I like what they did with Khans flavor, and I would agree I think a return to Africa would be sick. They could do flavor from Mirage, Arabian nights, and Mercadian Masques. I think there could be a lot of cards reprinted from those sets that would fit the flavor without breaking formats, and a lot of cool stuff they could do to continue the art and flavor explosion of Khans. They could do something similar to buried treasure in zendikar, but with power cards from that era magic, perhaps now power 9, but stuff like bazar, library, stuff like that, but not be standard / limited legal. It would be a cool way to mix in some legacy / vintage cards.
I am glad someone necroed this thread. I recently did like the OP, only online. It is fun to go back to one of the old blocks. I would be happy with an African themed block, even more so if it had some Egyptian sub-theme, or even better if it was all Egyptian themed. That would be sooo cool.
I'm also kind of glad that this got necroed. I remember thinking up a GW deck inspired by the Mirage storyline that I called Jamuraan Heroes. It would have had legendary creatures like Asmira, Holy Avenger, Rashida Scalebane, Captain Sisay, Jolrael, Empress of Beasts, and Mangara of Corondor. I even remembered MaRo saying that he was thinking of making a Sidar Kondo card for Time Spiral. He was Gerrard's foster father and if iirc, he worked well with other legendary creatures. He would have been a perfect addition to this deck, and if we ever return to Mirage, he'd better be in it.
As long as phasing is not an option, then, as Maro says, "Maybe : )"
Also,
we're getting a Teferi planeswalker card.
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Card advantage is not the same thing as card draw. Something for 2B cannot be strictly worse than something for BBB or 3BB. If you're taking out Swords to Plowshares for Plummet, you're a fool. Stop doing these things!
I've had similar thoughts for so long - can it really be that difficult?
There is a spinoff from the card game Legend of the Five Rings called Legend of the Burning Sands - sort of an L5R 2.0 that is set in Egypt/North Africa/India and is so rich in flavor. It incorporated a storyline of an exiled clan from Rokugan ( Japan/China ) in a new world, and although the spinoff game eventually folded, the new world was incorporated back into the L5R mythos - great stuff.
And consider The Love Song of Night and Day - how epic was that?
Having gone to my first PTQ's during that period, I will tell you that the decks to beat so to speak were:
Pros Bloom till Squandered Resources got banned, RB Flanking Beatdown, RW Midrange using stuff like Wildfire Emissary, A grixis graveyard themed deck using Ertai's Familiar that may not even work anymore since his phasing doesn't trigger ETB. Mono Green or Green/R Stompy.
(I just Checked they erata'd Ertai's Familiar to work on phasing out which really ticks me off that they removed the power level erata on Master of Arms in the same dang set. :viking::viking:)
Nicol Bolas is so awesome! And so is Kokusho!
Bolas x Kokusho 4eva!!! <3
Read their story here!
BMy Little KokushoB
RBRakdos UNLEASHED!!!RB
My Standard Decks:
UGRakdos, Bolas, and Ludevic Go To A PartyUG
Although with any block, wizards has to put their own spin on it.
A mirage-esque african style block would be sweet also. The flavour would be off the charts.
Any return to mirage would be different though. You'd have planeswalkers wandering around, mixing things up. You'd have more magic permeating the world, although it would be pretty primal and tribal themed, i suppose.
I'd dig it. But i'm holding out for egyptian.
They should make it the "no planeswalkers or mythic rares" block! I would buy a whole case!
Standard:
WBRG Aggro-Reanimator Humans GRBW
Modern:
UR Twinning RU
G Venus Fly Trap G
U Artifacts Aggro U
Legacy:
B Reanimator B
WU Stoneblade UW
EDH
WBGGhave, Guru of SporesGBW
URGRiku of the Two ReflectionsGRU
WUBRGScion of the Ur-DragonGRBUW
Casual
Far too many to list
Honestly my opinion is that Kamigawa was good... it mixes poorly with the rest of MTG but they did this feudal japan with spirits well.
What I would love to see is a more "pan asian" one that is not specifically about China but centers around China and it's surroundings. You know, the stuff of movies from that area and the surroundings... an analogue for the Mongols invaders, monks with mystic martial arts techniques (that other monks try to steal), high flying wuxia, kingdoms at war, mystic creatures (maybe a Monkey King analogue) and some surrounding influences.
www.theconnoisseurs.com
http://cubetutor.com/viewcube/2211
Just giving this specific topic a bump since I'm LOVING Khans of Tarkir, another non European set and for sure a lot of Asian mythology and flavor condensed into what is only the first set so far.
www.theconnoisseurs.com
I get to relive my youth (sort of)
http://mtgadventures.blogspot.com/
Please check out my youtube channel at:
http://www.youtube.com/user/rubiera22/videos?flow=grid&view=0
Also,
On phasing: