This may have been brought up before (not totally sure), but thought I'd ask just in case. We seem to be seeing Wizards Creative writing more and more planeswalkers as "homebound" walkers, i.e. they prefer to stay on their home Plane versus exploring the Multiverse. We have Koth as possibly the lone Mirran left fighting off the Phyrexians, Narset and Sarkhan seem fairly comfortable exploring Dragons version of Tarkir and today we have Ral Zarek in the Uncharted Realms story describing the Izzet as the closest thing to a home and a family he's ever experienced, indicating he'd rather not leave Ravnica that long. Though not outright stated, it also seems, from what little we know, that Vraska and Domri feel at home in their guilds (well, when it suits Vraska). Elspeth and Xenagos due to their "deaths," Ashiok due to his fixation on dreams and nyx and Ajani due to his quest for justice/revenge are all but glued to Theros at this point. My point is that it seems every new walker we've encountered these past few blocks seem to be bound to those specific planes. Even Tamiyo on Innistrad due to the moon cycle, now that I think about it. That's not inherently bad, I guess, but to me it feels like we're being forced to focus on the Lorwyn 5 and Gideon and Nissa as the replacements to Ajani and Black Garruk now as the main walkers, despite having a vast array of interesting walkers to choose from. Does anyone else feel that's a bit....limiting?
Don't get me wrong. I feel like a focus on certain walkers could be good, aka if it creates a new Weatherlightish saga where we get to follow these characters across several blocks and how they interact. But it also seems were getting a forced cast that are pretty generic. 2 white guys in Jace and Gideon, 2 white girls in Chandra and Liliana and an elf in Nissa. Maybe it's just me, but I liked Ajani for being non-human. His interactions as a result were different and unique. That's why I think the Weatherlight saga had Mirri, Tahngarth and squee, to add some variety. Now it's as generic a main 5 as we can get. Anyone else feel the same way?
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I agree that there should be less planeswalkers that are "tied" to one plane. The point of being a planesWALKER is that you can WALK the planes right? However, I hope we don't focus on a set of characters for more than two blocks. That would be bad for both the game and the story.
With the exception of Elspeth and Xenagos none of them are bound to their plane. Just because they like to spend a larger portion of their time on one plane doesn't mean that they can't go other places. Jace is just about the closest to literally tied to a plane and yet he still wanders. Not to mention that some of the ones you mention aren't actually tied to anything. It is known that Vraska goes where she pleases when she pleases. We don't really know anything about Domri's walking habits. Tamiyo isn't tied to Innistrad at all. She could bore or even be done with her research at any point. Koth will eventually leave New Phyrexia or he will die. I'm sure we'll find out soon. Right now we are being forced to focus on Gideon, Jace, Lili, Chandra and Nissa because Origins is coming our way and some of them are involved with the Zendikar story.
Point is most of them can go anywhere they want and Wizards is focusing on some of them because they're trying to write a story on an epic scale so they have to focus on something in order to give it meaning. Be patient and the "pendulum" will swing in another direction.
With the exception of Elspeth and Xenagos none of them are bound to their plane. Just because they like to spend a larger portion of their time on one plane doesn't mean that they can't go other places. Jace is just about the closest to literally tied to a plane and yet he still wanders. Not to mention that some of the ones you mention aren't actually tied to anything. It is known that Vraska goes where she pleases when she pleases. We don't really know anything about Domri's walking habits. Tamiyo isn't tied to Innistrad at all. She could bore or even be done with her research at any point. Koth will eventually leave New Phyrexia or he will die. I'm sure we'll find out soon. Right now we are being forced to focus on Gideon, Jace, Lili, Chandra and Nissa because Origins is coming our way and some of them are involved with the Zendikar story.
Point is most of them can go anywhere they want and Wizards is focusing on some of them because they're trying to write a story on an epic scale so they have to focus on something in order to give it meaning. Be patient and the "pendulum" will swing in another direction.
Perhaps my wording is off. I don't mean plane "bound" as in no possibility of leaving the plane. Moreso as in they have no reason currently to or in the forsee able future to leave. As in all of them are tied to their planes by some decision or interest they have (or so creative has written).
Though you raise a good point. Hopefully we eventually swing back to more exploratory planeswalkers, but it seems now that many of the new ones are just here for a one block "hey, look at this new cool character!" moment and then they're shelved for some years. Which is just sad is all; Narset, Koth and Ajani are some of my favorite characters, but they seem shelved indefinitely for these new 5 origins/"main focus of the storyline" characters. Maybe it's just me, but I don't feel many were asking for Nissa and Gideon to replace Garruk and Ajani. Seems forced to me, is all.
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EDH - Yes, Each One is Named After a Song. I love tying music to my decks.
I understood you didn't mean literally stuck to the plane.
Ajani has been exploring for a long time. I like Narset a lot too and I don't think they intend on leaving her alone. Just because she wants to explore Tarkir first doesn't mean she wont go other places as well. For Koth it's like I said, he'll leave or he'll die but we will see him again but it will likely be when we go back to NP where he makes that decision, leave or die.
I just sent an ask to Doug on his tumblr asking whether or not they intend to have all the walkers have their own time in the spotlight or if some are intended to be side or supporting characters. Hopefully I'll get a reply.
If the offset of having decent story writing is focusing a bit more on a certain set of planeswalkers, I'm completely alright with that. I'm also completely alright with these "side" planeswalker stories we've been getting. The Kiora one was fine, and this Ral Zarek one was really nice. Not only that, the planeswalkers we are about to focus on in Magic Origins and beyond haven't mattered in the story much (barring Jace). Gideon only appeared in Zendikar as a prologue to his prominence in BFZ, Nissa hasn't done anything since Zendikar, Chandra literally has zero stories about her, and Liliana never got a real story since the Chain Veil novel for Innistrad got cancelled.
Even still, if the characters get some relevancy in their block, I'm OK if they start to care for their homeplane alone. Sarkhan got a lot of love for Tarkir, so I'm OK that he'll be taking a break for now. Elspeth had gotten more prominence than any other walker besides Sorin, and Xenagos was a major player in Theros (not to mention, both may very well return later). Tibalt, Tamiyo, Domri, Vraska, and Ashiok all have no real set stories about plane preference or planeswalk patterns yet, so they can't be argued about. The only one who feels shelved maybe a bit too early is Narset, but we know for sure that once she's gotten enough info from Tarkir, she'll be going all over the place for knowledge like a human Tamiyo (wait, don't replace my favorite soratami with Narset, please!). And both Koth and Ajani make sense to be a bit planecentered because they're each fighting for a cause that can only be fought on their one plane (Phyrexia for Koth, the Gods for Ajani). Even still, with those few sidelined, we still have Jace, Gideon, Kiora, Karn, Ashiok, Tibalt, Chandra, Nicol Bolas, Ugin, Sorin, Nahiri, Daretti, Tamiyo, Garruk, Liliana, Nissa, Domri, Vraska, Dack, and Tezzeret. That's a large amount of walkers to play with, especially if they keep making new ones as well. And even those planesbound ones like Koth, Ajani, Ral, Sarkhan, and Narset will come out of their homeworlds when their causes are finished or something catches their interest.
I just sent an ask to Doug on his tumblr asking whether or not they intend to have all the walkers have their own time in the spotlight or if some are intended to be side or supporting characters. Hopefully I'll get a reply.
Hopefully we get an answer on that. I'm wondering, having been thinking about this all day (some life, huh?) if after we wrap up the current Zendikar storyline if well see Ajani and Garruk or some new walkers take the place of the main 5. Gideon and Nissa seem shoved in for the Eldrazi connection and their marketability, but I'm just hoping that's not a permanent decision.
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Vorthos-player with way too much time on his hands and a love of thematic decks.
EDH - Yes, Each One is Named After a Song. I love tying music to my decks.
Just a minor peeve; Replace the words Home Plane and homebound with Plane and planebound, and this thread is all but valid points.
I personally say let's just wait and see when these walkers eventually get out of the planes. Aside from Sorin and Ugin who will be departing to Zendikar soon (and depending on whether Narset reaches Ugin or not, she may hitchhike, to her potential detriment if I may say), some of these planeswalkers you mentioned are currently tied to the their current plane due to what amounts to temporary assignments, and thus having better chance of going elsewhere in the (relatively) near future.
I can see Tamiyo leaving Innistrad eventually (there's only so much to study in a plane), Narset will leave Tarkir someday (for a similar reason; really, she's something of a Tamiyo v2.0), Tibalt is unlikely to be Innistrad-bound too long, Liliana being who-knows-where (soon explained in Origins, I guess), Chandra same thing and so on. Let's just wait and see.
Well Doug just posted a sunset about a question asking if Domri was forgotten like Tibalt, so I doubt we're getting an answer for the one guy's question about the role of certain walkers. It's too private to talk about potential plans in the story.
Though you raise a good point. Hopefully we eventually swing back to more exploratory planeswalkers, but it seems now that many of the new ones are just here for a one block "hey, look at this new cool character!" moment and then they're shelved for some years. Which is just sad is all; Narset, Koth and Ajani are some of my favorite characters, but they seem shelved indefinitely for these new 5 origins/"main focus of the storyline" characters. Maybe it's just me, but I don't feel many were asking for Nissa and Gideon to replace Garruk and Ajani. Seems forced to me, is all.
I don't know when you started magic but the Shards of Alara block was bascally Ajanis origins story, so it makes sence that they replace him with Gideon since Ajanis origins story was already told and the fact he was very WR at the time means it would be odd for them to make him the white orignas walker.
To give my answer to the main question of the thread I think its just a simple case of keeping characters organized. Their are 30+ wakers now and its a lot easier to some have them to be staying on one plane (waiting for a bus) for a while, then having every single one having ongoing plotlines that creative have to keep track of.
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Don't get me wrong. I feel like a focus on certain walkers could be good, aka if it creates a new Weatherlightish saga where we get to follow these characters across several blocks and how they interact. But it also seems were getting a forced cast that are pretty generic. 2 white guys in Jace and Gideon, 2 white girls in Chandra and Liliana and an elf in Nissa. Maybe it's just me, but I liked Ajani for being non-human. His interactions as a result were different and unique. That's why I think the Weatherlight saga had Mirri, Tahngarth and squee, to add some variety. Now it's as generic a main 5 as we can get. Anyone else feel the same way?
EDH - Yes, Each One is Named After a Song. I love tying music to my decks.
B Drana, Kalastria Bloodchief B - Fear of the Dark
WG Sigarda, Heron's Grace WG - Strength in Numbers
RG Xenagos, God of Revels RG - Fullmoon (It's werewolves)
RW Archangel Avacyn // Avacyn, the Purifier RW - The End is Nigh
60 Card Kitchen Table Decks
WUB Avacyn, Spirit Ferrier
RG Arlinn Kord's Howlpack
Point is most of them can go anywhere they want and Wizards is focusing on some of them because they're trying to write a story on an epic scale so they have to focus on something in order to give it meaning. Be patient and the "pendulum" will swing in another direction.
Perhaps my wording is off. I don't mean plane "bound" as in no possibility of leaving the plane. Moreso as in they have no reason currently to or in the forsee able future to leave. As in all of them are tied to their planes by some decision or interest they have (or so creative has written).
Though you raise a good point. Hopefully we eventually swing back to more exploratory planeswalkers, but it seems now that many of the new ones are just here for a one block "hey, look at this new cool character!" moment and then they're shelved for some years. Which is just sad is all; Narset, Koth and Ajani are some of my favorite characters, but they seem shelved indefinitely for these new 5 origins/"main focus of the storyline" characters. Maybe it's just me, but I don't feel many were asking for Nissa and Gideon to replace Garruk and Ajani. Seems forced to me, is all.
EDH - Yes, Each One is Named After a Song. I love tying music to my decks.
B Drana, Kalastria Bloodchief B - Fear of the Dark
WG Sigarda, Heron's Grace WG - Strength in Numbers
RG Xenagos, God of Revels RG - Fullmoon (It's werewolves)
RW Archangel Avacyn // Avacyn, the Purifier RW - The End is Nigh
60 Card Kitchen Table Decks
WUB Avacyn, Spirit Ferrier
RG Arlinn Kord's Howlpack
Ajani has been exploring for a long time. I like Narset a lot too and I don't think they intend on leaving her alone. Just because she wants to explore Tarkir first doesn't mean she wont go other places as well. For Koth it's like I said, he'll leave or he'll die but we will see him again but it will likely be when we go back to NP where he makes that decision, leave or die.
I just sent an ask to Doug on his tumblr asking whether or not they intend to have all the walkers have their own time in the spotlight or if some are intended to be side or supporting characters. Hopefully I'll get a reply.
Even still, if the characters get some relevancy in their block, I'm OK if they start to care for their homeplane alone. Sarkhan got a lot of love for Tarkir, so I'm OK that he'll be taking a break for now. Elspeth had gotten more prominence than any other walker besides Sorin, and Xenagos was a major player in Theros (not to mention, both may very well return later). Tibalt, Tamiyo, Domri, Vraska, and Ashiok all have no real set stories about plane preference or planeswalk patterns yet, so they can't be argued about. The only one who feels shelved maybe a bit too early is Narset, but we know for sure that once she's gotten enough info from Tarkir, she'll be going all over the place for knowledge like a human Tamiyo (wait, don't replace my favorite soratami with Narset, please!). And both Koth and Ajani make sense to be a bit planecentered because they're each fighting for a cause that can only be fought on their one plane (Phyrexia for Koth, the Gods for Ajani). Even still, with those few sidelined, we still have Jace, Gideon, Kiora, Karn, Ashiok, Tibalt, Chandra, Nicol Bolas, Ugin, Sorin, Nahiri, Daretti, Tamiyo, Garruk, Liliana, Nissa, Domri, Vraska, Dack, and Tezzeret. That's a large amount of walkers to play with, especially if they keep making new ones as well. And even those planesbound ones like Koth, Ajani, Ral, Sarkhan, and Narset will come out of their homeworlds when their causes are finished or something catches their interest.
Hopefully we get an answer on that. I'm wondering, having been thinking about this all day (some life, huh?) if after we wrap up the current Zendikar storyline if well see Ajani and Garruk or some new walkers take the place of the main 5. Gideon and Nissa seem shoved in for the Eldrazi connection and their marketability, but I'm just hoping that's not a permanent decision.
EDH - Yes, Each One is Named After a Song. I love tying music to my decks.
B Drana, Kalastria Bloodchief B - Fear of the Dark
WG Sigarda, Heron's Grace WG - Strength in Numbers
RG Xenagos, God of Revels RG - Fullmoon (It's werewolves)
RW Archangel Avacyn // Avacyn, the Purifier RW - The End is Nigh
60 Card Kitchen Table Decks
WUB Avacyn, Spirit Ferrier
RG Arlinn Kord's Howlpack
I personally say let's just wait and see when these walkers eventually get out of the planes. Aside from Sorin and Ugin who will be departing to Zendikar soon (and depending on whether Narset reaches Ugin or not, she may hitchhike, to her potential detriment if I may say), some of these planeswalkers you mentioned are currently tied to the their current plane due to what amounts to temporary assignments, and thus having better chance of going elsewhere in the (relatively) near future.
I can see Tamiyo leaving Innistrad eventually (there's only so much to study in a plane), Narset will leave Tarkir someday (for a similar reason; really, she's something of a Tamiyo v2.0), Tibalt is unlikely to be Innistrad-bound too long, Liliana being who-knows-where (soon explained in Origins, I guess), Chandra same thing and so on. Let's just wait and see.
I don't know when you started magic but the Shards of Alara block was bascally Ajanis origins story, so it makes sence that they replace him with Gideon since Ajanis origins story was already told and the fact he was very WR at the time means it would be odd for them to make him the white orignas walker.
To give my answer to the main question of the thread I think its just a simple case of keeping characters organized. Their are 30+ wakers now and its a lot easier to some have them to be staying on one plane (waiting for a bus) for a while, then having every single one having ongoing plotlines that creative have to keep track of.
"You can tell how dumb someone is by how they use Mary Sue"