The best-known method for traveling between planes is to be a planeswalker, but, since only a very small number of beings are planeswalkers, some beings have built portals between planes, which were featured heavily in the Weatherlight saga and Urza's war against Phyrexia.
However, I wonder: are there naturally-occurring portals between planes? Since this game is all about powerful magic, I see no reason why there could not be portals between planes that occur naturally; after all, the artificers who built the artificial portals must have derived their inspiration from somewhere? What does everyone else say about this?
An example that comes to mind is the plane of Wildfire (seen on Emberwilde Caliph and Shah of Naar Isle) which has naturally-occurring portals linking it to the planes of Rabiah and Dominaria (specifically on the continent of Jamuraa).
As well, there is the Dwarven Gate linking Ulgrotha to Sursi on Dominaria.
Rabiah actually bears special mention because it is, itself, linked a thousand times over to each iteration.
Though Demon Dragon J, you labor under a false assumption about the nature of artificial planes. They aren't made by artificers. The only one that we're aware of that had any artifice in its creation was Rath. Mirrodin wasn't built, for all the way it looks like a machine. It was pressed together by sheer willpower just like Serra's Realm. What makes Mirrodin different is that it was built in an existing space, unlike Phyrexia, Rath, and Serra's Realm.
Though Demon Dragon J, you labor under a false assumption about the nature of artificial planes. They aren't made by artificers. The only one that we're aware of that had any artifice in its creation was Rath. Mirrodin wasn't built, for all the way it looks like a machine. It was pressed together by sheer willpower just like Serra's Realm. What makes Mirrodin different is that it was built in an existing space, unlike Phyrexia, Rath, and Serra's Realm.
Forgive me; I intended to say "artificial portals" in my above post, and I have edited it to say that.
Also, will artificial portals, such as those portrayed in planar portal, ever again be prominent in the story? Currently, WotC seems to be of the idea that the only way to travel between planes is to be a planeswalker, and I severely dislike how they are so heavily emphasizing planeswalkers and treating them as being so special, so it would be nice for there to be a way for non-planeswalkers to travel between the planes, as well.
Also, will artificial portals, such as those portrayed in planar portal, ever again be prominent in the story? Currently, WotC seems to be of the idea that the only way to travel between planes is to be a planeswalker, and I severely dislike how they are so heavily emphasizing planeswalkers and treating them as being so special, so it would be nice for there to be a way for non-planeswalkers to travel between the planes, as well.
MaRo has said that, no they probably won't. They want to promote planeswalkers as an IP and it undermines them when you have regular beings able to traverse worlds.
Indeed. If non-planeswalker, non-eldrazi beings cross between planes in the current time frame, it would have to be a special case and likely a pretty big plot point.
Indeed. If non-planeswalker, non-eldrazi beings cross between planes in the current time frame, it would have to be a special case and likely a pretty big plot point.
Since New Phyrexia wishes to spread its influence beyond Mirrodin, I imagine that they shall eventually build planar portals, similar to what the original Phyrexia had, to accomplish that goal.
MaRo has said that, no they probably won't. They want to promote planeswalkers as an IP and it undermines them when you have regular beings able to traverse worlds.
In that case, what makes the Eldrazi so special that they can travel between planes without being planeswalkers? If they can, there is no reason that other beings cannot, as well (i.e., the "slippery slope" idea).
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“Those who would trade their freedoms for security will have neither.”-Benjamin Franklin
“When the people fear the government, there is tyranny; when the government fears the people, there is liberty.”-Thomas Jefferson
“A vote is like a rifle; its usefulness depends upon the character of its user.”-Theodore Roosevelt
“Patriotism means to stand by one's country; it does not mean to stand by one's president.”-Theodore Roosevelt
Indeed. If non-planeswalker, non-eldrazi beings cross between planes in the current time frame, it would have to be a special case and likely a pretty big plot point.
Since New Phyrexia wishes to spread its influence beyond Mirrodin, I imagine that they shall eventually build planar portals, similar to what the original Phyrexia had, to accomplish that goal.
I'd say Phyrexia infecting other planes would qualify as a:
MaRo has said that, no they probably won't. They want to promote planeswalkers as an IP and it undermines them when you have regular beings able to traverse worlds.
In that case, what makes the Eldrazi so special that they can travel between planes without being planeswalkers? If they can, there is no reason that other beings cannot, as well (i.e., the "slippery slope" idea).
What's so special about Eldrazi? They are supposed to exist outside the planar boundaries. They are "more powerful" than planeswalkers. I'm sorry, but if that's not a special case then what is?
The point Luminum and the others are trying to make is that not just any random artificer on some plane can make interplanar portals, it would require some very special circumstances, something that the Phyrexians and the Eldrazi qualify for.
In that case, what makes the Eldrazi so special that they can travel between planes without being planeswalkers? If they can, there is no reason that other beings cannot, as well (i.e., the "slippery slope" idea).
Because, as Flisch pointed out, they aren't planar beings.
They don't, in fact, even travel between planes. They exist OUTSIDE of them.
As Ugin put it, the physical manifestations of the Eldrazi are more like shadows being cast on physical space. They exist, primarily, in the Eternities outside worlds.
If WotC seems to be wishing to limit interplanar travel, how, exactly, did Memnarch bring all the living creatures to Mirrodin? Did he somehow summon them there, or open planar portals temporarily?
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“Those who would trade their freedoms for security will have neither.”-Benjamin Franklin
“When the people fear the government, there is tyranny; when the government fears the people, there is liberty.”-Thomas Jefferson
“A vote is like a rifle; its usefulness depends upon the character of its user.”-Theodore Roosevelt
“Patriotism means to stand by one's country; it does not mean to stand by one's president.”-Theodore Roosevelt
If WotC seems to be wishing to limit interplanar travel, how, exactly, did Memnarch bring all the living creatures to Mirrodin? Did he somehow summon them there, or open planar portals temporarily?
You realize that was eleven years ago, right? Mirrodin block is technically closer to Alpha than to Tarkir. That was also pre-Mending.
You can't judge the current policy by citing things done before said policy went into effect.
But, to answer the "how?", he used devices named "soul traps". I may be way off here, but I understand Memnarch based his plan on the probes Karn used to look at other planes (Memnarch himself being originally the Mirari, one such probe that malfunctioned). The soul trap worked abducting people from the other plane, then binding their souls so they'd keep reincarnating on Mirrodin after death. The abduction itself sounds more like summoning than portal, except with the reincarnation part.
You realize that was eleven years ago, right? Mirrodin block is technically closer to Alpha than to Tarkir. That was also pre-Mending.
You can't judge the current policy by citing things done before said policy went into effect.
Wow, has it been that long since the Mirrodin block?! That was the current block when I first started playing this game; now I feel old!
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“Those who would trade their freedoms for security will have neither.”-Benjamin Franklin
“When the people fear the government, there is tyranny; when the government fears the people, there is liberty.”-Thomas Jefferson
“A vote is like a rifle; its usefulness depends upon the character of its user.”-Theodore Roosevelt
“Patriotism means to stand by one's country; it does not mean to stand by one's president.”-Theodore Roosevelt
You realize that was eleven years ago, right? Mirrodin block is technically closer to Alpha than to Tarkir. That was also pre-Mending.
You can't judge the current policy by citing things done before said policy went into effect.
Wow, has it been that long since the Mirrodin block?! That was the current block when I first started playing this game; now I feel old!
LOL, you feeling old with that makes me feel like a mummy. I'm an Ice Age ('95) veteran.
The phyrexians (jin-gitaxias specifically) are searching like crazy for a way to move off new phyrexia. Fortunately they have all of urza's research (which was brought there by karn) and studied by venser. So they're probably pretty close to coming back.
Lol, mirrodin old... Anything with color coded rarity is not old. I remember when the 4 of rule was "going to kill magic."
The phyrexians (jin-gitaxias specifically) are searching like crazy for a way to move off new phyrexia. Fortunately they have all of urza's research (which was brought there by karn) and studied by venser. So they're probably pretty close to coming back.
Lol, mirrodin old... Anything with color coded rarity is not old. I remember when the 4 of rule was "going to kill magic."
Uh, nope, they don't have any of Urza's research, and Venser was studying Phyrexian wreckage in Urborg when he started developing his plane-ship (and when he developed him ambulator).
Also, Per Storyline Subforum rules, please do not post in threads that have been inactive for more than three months. If some new information has come to light, it's better to start a new thread that resurrect an old one.
However, I wonder: are there naturally-occurring portals between planes? Since this game is all about powerful magic, I see no reason why there could not be portals between planes that occur naturally; after all, the artificers who built the artificial portals must have derived their inspiration from somewhere? What does everyone else say about this?
“When the people fear the government, there is tyranny; when the government fears the people, there is liberty.”-Thomas Jefferson
“A vote is like a rifle; its usefulness depends upon the character of its user.”-Theodore Roosevelt
“Patriotism means to stand by one's country; it does not mean to stand by one's president.”-Theodore Roosevelt
R Citizen Cane (Feldon of the Third Path)
Rabiah actually bears special mention because it is, itself, linked a thousand times over to each iteration.
Though Demon Dragon J, you labor under a false assumption about the nature of artificial planes. They aren't made by artificers. The only one that we're aware of that had any artifice in its creation was Rath. Mirrodin wasn't built, for all the way it looks like a machine. It was pressed together by sheer willpower just like Serra's Realm. What makes Mirrodin different is that it was built in an existing space, unlike Phyrexia, Rath, and Serra's Realm.
Forgive me; I intended to say "artificial portals" in my above post, and I have edited it to say that.
Also, will artificial portals, such as those portrayed in planar portal, ever again be prominent in the story? Currently, WotC seems to be of the idea that the only way to travel between planes is to be a planeswalker, and I severely dislike how they are so heavily emphasizing planeswalkers and treating them as being so special, so it would be nice for there to be a way for non-planeswalkers to travel between the planes, as well.
“When the people fear the government, there is tyranny; when the government fears the people, there is liberty.”-Thomas Jefferson
“A vote is like a rifle; its usefulness depends upon the character of its user.”-Theodore Roosevelt
“Patriotism means to stand by one's country; it does not mean to stand by one's president.”-Theodore Roosevelt
MaRo has said that, no they probably won't. They want to promote planeswalkers as an IP and it undermines them when you have regular beings able to traverse worlds.
R Citizen Cane (Feldon of the Third Path)
Since New Phyrexia wishes to spread its influence beyond Mirrodin, I imagine that they shall eventually build planar portals, similar to what the original Phyrexia had, to accomplish that goal.
In that case, what makes the Eldrazi so special that they can travel between planes without being planeswalkers? If they can, there is no reason that other beings cannot, as well (i.e., the "slippery slope" idea).
“When the people fear the government, there is tyranny; when the government fears the people, there is liberty.”-Thomas Jefferson
“A vote is like a rifle; its usefulness depends upon the character of its user.”-Theodore Roosevelt
“Patriotism means to stand by one's country; it does not mean to stand by one's president.”-Theodore Roosevelt
I'd say Phyrexia infecting other planes would qualify as a:
What's so special about Eldrazi? They are supposed to exist outside the planar boundaries. They are "more powerful" than planeswalkers. I'm sorry, but if that's not a special case then what is?
The point Luminum and the others are trying to make is that not just any random artificer on some plane can make interplanar portals, it would require some very special circumstances, something that the Phyrexians and the Eldrazi qualify for.
Because, as Flisch pointed out, they aren't planar beings.
They don't, in fact, even travel between planes. They exist OUTSIDE of them.
As Ugin put it, the physical manifestations of the Eldrazi are more like shadows being cast on physical space. They exist, primarily, in the Eternities outside worlds.
“When the people fear the government, there is tyranny; when the government fears the people, there is liberty.”-Thomas Jefferson
“A vote is like a rifle; its usefulness depends upon the character of its user.”-Theodore Roosevelt
“Patriotism means to stand by one's country; it does not mean to stand by one's president.”-Theodore Roosevelt
You realize that was eleven years ago, right? Mirrodin block is technically closer to Alpha than to Tarkir. That was also pre-Mending.
You can't judge the current policy by citing things done before said policy went into effect.
But, to answer the "how?", he used devices named "soul traps". I may be way off here, but I understand Memnarch based his plan on the probes Karn used to look at other planes (Memnarch himself being originally the Mirari, one such probe that malfunctioned). The soul trap worked abducting people from the other plane, then binding their souls so they'd keep reincarnating on Mirrodin after death. The abduction itself sounds more like summoning than portal, except with the reincarnation part.
Wow, has it been that long since the Mirrodin block?! That was the current block when I first started playing this game; now I feel old!
“When the people fear the government, there is tyranny; when the government fears the people, there is liberty.”-Thomas Jefferson
“A vote is like a rifle; its usefulness depends upon the character of its user.”-Theodore Roosevelt
“Patriotism means to stand by one's country; it does not mean to stand by one's president.”-Theodore Roosevelt
LOL, you feeling old with that makes me feel like a mummy. I'm an Ice Age ('95) veteran.
Lol, mirrodin old... Anything with color coded rarity is not old. I remember when the 4 of rule was "going to kill magic."
Grammar is the difference between knowing your ****, and knowing you're ****.
Also, Per Storyline Subforum rules, please do not post in threads that have been inactive for more than three months. If some new information has come to light, it's better to start a new thread that resurrect an old one.
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Special thanks to Serrot_29 for Catbug'mrakul!