I read the Nahiri story today... the entire time I was thinking "Why isn't Nahiri a red mage? Her repertoire is red?" At least historically - Earth Elemental, Stone Rain, Mountain.
Maybe they are flavorshifting the element of earth/stone to White? I can think of a few reasons:
- Red already has a monopoly over lightning and fire
- White desperately needs a new characteristic race, and flavorshifting earth magic to white would justify dwarves
- Earth magic is shielding/defensive in nature, like white
- White has a connection with equipment, and weapons are derived from metal from within stone
What you think? Maybe Nahiri is the first step to justify earth magic in white.
Earth magic is too connected with mountains to be completely divorced from Red. I can see white borrowing a little more earth power in the future, but I doubt it will completely take it away from Red.
Admittedly some of these are a stretch, but I think I got the idea across. Generally speaking, it is the _form_ or _use_ of the element that determines it's mana color, rather than which element it is.
Direct elemental attacks are usually red, so are often 'raging' forms of elementals.
Things that show off nature's unbound might are usually green.
Taking advantage of the most dangerous aspects of elements (like wind or water's capacity to carry disease, or the poisonous aspects of lead, or using fire to torture) is often black.
Using things for purification and healing is often white, like cleaning waters or waters enchanted for healing, or similar winds, or fires that burn away evil, although sometimes aspects of purification are more red. Things that are sturdy and unyielding are also often white, including hard stone and metal.
Things that shift and change in ways that are deliberate or matching the surroundings or conditions are often blue.
My impression of red earth magic vs. white earth magic is that red uses earth as a weapon like seen with Boulderfall or Spire Barrage while white uses earth more defensively or constructively like Stoneforge Mystic or Stonewise Fortifier. That said, I could easily see Nahiri being RW.
Private Mod Note
():
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
MTGS Wikia Article about "New World Order"
Every time I read a comment about "Well if this card had card draw/trample/haste/indestructible/hexproof/life gain...", I think "You're missing the point." They're armchair developer comments that fail to take into account the card's role in the greater Limited and Standard environment. No, it may not be as good as whatever card you're comparing it to. There's a reason for that. Not every burn spell is Lightning Bolt, nor does it need to be or should be.
PSA to everyone who keeps forgetting about the Reserved List:
You're on a website dedicated to talking about MtG. You're only a few keystrokes away from finding out what cards are on the Reserved List. You're also only a few keystrokes away from finding out why some cards on the Reserved List got foil printings in FtV, as Judge promos, or whatnot, as well as why that won't happen again. Stop doing this.
Well, if you think about the distinguishing features of lands, plains does have an earthy vibe.
Island - mainly focused on the surrounding sea and the winds that come from that
Forest - trees and more trees
Swamp - lots of critters and plants that causes sickness and murky water you might shouldn't drink
Mountain - red kinda focuses more on volcanoes whether the art depicts this or not with the fire and lighting
and then we have plains:
Distinctive features are basically the earth, sun and barely alive grass.
Private Mod Note
():
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
To post a comment, please login or register a new account.
Maybe they are flavorshifting the element of earth/stone to White? I can think of a few reasons:
- Red already has a monopoly over lightning and fire
- White desperately needs a new characteristic race, and flavorshifting earth magic to white would justify dwarves
- Earth magic is shielding/defensive in nature, like white
- White has a connection with equipment, and weapons are derived from metal from within stone
What you think? Maybe Nahiri is the first step to justify earth magic in white.
Air:
Air Elemental
Windstorm
Death Wind
Blessed Wind
Winds of Change
Earth:
Earth Elemental
Stonewise Fortifier
Steel Sabotage
Cavern Lampad
Plow Under
Fire:
Foxfire
Myojin of Cleansing Fire
Tombfire
Fireball
Scaldkin (couldn't find a mono blue one...)
Ghostfire
Water:
Water Servant
Pull Under
Tsunami
Boiling Seas
Healing Salve
Admittedly some of these are a stretch, but I think I got the idea across. Generally speaking, it is the _form_ or _use_ of the element that determines it's mana color, rather than which element it is.
Direct elemental attacks are usually red, so are often 'raging' forms of elementals.
Things that show off nature's unbound might are usually green.
Taking advantage of the most dangerous aspects of elements (like wind or water's capacity to carry disease, or the poisonous aspects of lead, or using fire to torture) is often black.
Using things for purification and healing is often white, like cleaning waters or waters enchanted for healing, or similar winds, or fires that burn away evil, although sometimes aspects of purification are more red. Things that are sturdy and unyielding are also often white, including hard stone and metal.
Things that shift and change in ways that are deliberate or matching the surroundings or conditions are often blue.
Every time I read a comment about "Well if this card had card draw/trample/haste/indestructible/hexproof/life gain...", I think "You're missing the point." They're armchair developer comments that fail to take into account the card's role in the greater Limited and Standard environment. No, it may not be as good as whatever card you're comparing it to. There's a reason for that. Not every burn spell is Lightning Bolt, nor does it need to be or should be.
Island - mainly focused on the surrounding sea and the winds that come from that
Forest - trees and more trees
Swamp - lots of critters and plants that causes sickness and murky water you might shouldn't drink
Mountain - red kinda focuses more on volcanoes whether the art depicts this or not with the fire and lighting
and then we have plains:
Distinctive features are basically the earth, sun and barely alive grass.