i wonder if we will also get the Scarab, Scorpion and Locust gods
Scorpion god is dead
Could be revived like the others
I don't think so. They killed the scorpion god by spearing it on an obelisk, and Hazoret used her spear to fry it from inside out. Otherwise it would have just reformed afterward, like the other times it died. In terms of game mechanics, it was exiled.
I for one am excited for the prospect of a new spider legend. My Ishkanah deck has been in limbo for over a year waiting for more usable cards. But I think its still too early to speculate, as we only have a picture. Its obviously jund, but the art doesn't speak legendary, if you now what I mean.
From the planeswalker survey (which are shown not be the most canon so pinch of salt) Skalla had conflict between the natural and technology.
I'm leaning towards non canon, at least partly. It was stated that Bolas destroyed her world, but I was given to understand the survey said civilization and technology caused the destruction. That said, I imagine that conflict was a defining trait of the world before it got wrecked, or maybe Bolas even engineered it.
I think the cape can be explained. Its probably another case of the art depicting the character as we know them now, in order to make them more recognizable. Urza's Ruinous Blast is another example, even though Urza wouldn't have had those items or appearance during the event the card depicts. Or its possible the artist was just told to have Ajani in the art and put in the cape without understanding that was a later event.
I like how their starting to make Huatli question her way of life, at least to extent. There's finally some character growth. Also, I predict she'll planeswalk away at the end of the story in search of the "golden city(kaladesh)" she actually saw in her vision.
Edit: Would she make a good fit for Tamiyo's story circle?
I want to see more of Mavren Fein in this set. Perhaps he and whatever group of soldiers he brought along would run into Vona. I really want to see how his more pious persona clashes with Vona's bloodthirst and likely blasphemy.
The booklets don't typically include much more info then what you can find on the site, at least in the decks I've bought. I heard that most commanders are intentionally left vague so writers don't have to restrict themselves when making new planes or integrating the commanders into later stories.
Nonetheless, it enrages me when I don't know what plane a commander hails from.
I don't really see the need for this. I was probably going to make a un-commander deck anyway, as was most of my playgroup. I just assumed we would only play in situations weere we agree to do so, and use our actual serious decks elsewhere. I imagine most of the community is the same way. But hey, its still cool that they are officially legal, if only for a little while.
Do you guys think it could be possible that it was Bolas who left the sun one the plane instead of Ugin? The anti-planeswalking spell could just be a way to ensure it doesn't get moved without his approval.
Lorwyn was also described as a backwater plane, which explains why it has been visited by so few planeswalkers.
Zendikar actually does have a reputation among planeswalkers enough that several natives are familiar with them, so it might be more of a "remote and dangerous" backwater rather than "obscure" backwater.
Does Amonkhet still count as backwater now that Bolas has turned it into a launching pad for his zombie army?
I imagine it being backwater is beneficial to Bolas. If it's out of the way, its less likely for planeswalkers to show up and interfere, whether on purpose or accidentally.
You can also make up the most 'bestest' backstory for ninjas in a norse block. Still doesn't mean they will not stand out like a sore thumb.
I don't think this is a fair comparison. If this is your complaint, it should be dinosaurs you have a problem with, not pirates. Based on the setting, they pirates are way more appropriate than the dinos.
My gripe isn't that pirates don't mesh with the setting. My gripe is that (in my opinion) dinosaurs and pirates don't mesh well together in this world.
As others have said, mesoamericans and feathered dinosaurs are actually a really cool combination.
Mesoamericans and pirates/conquistadors would also work well enough.
Heck, dinosaurs and pirates might work as some sort of king-kong-esque setting. (Though conquistadors wouldn't fit here well.)
But all these things together? To me it's just a big smudge of incoherence.
But I think the worst to me is something on a meta-level: Ixalan has massively reduced the chances of a future dinosaur setting or marine/pirate setting. Both of which I think would work well enough as full fledged settings on their own. :/
I don't think it reduces the chances of seeing dinosaurs again at all. As long as they fit flavorfully with world we are on, its fine. Also, I doubt they would be able to make an entire world based on dinosaurs. They could be an aspect of the plane, like they are on Ixalan, but since they are just another type of creature, it would be hard to make any sort of good story conflict. It would be like Battle for Zendikar again; characters fighting a mindless force of nature, which doesn't really equate to an interesting villian. That was partly why BFZ kind of sucked. Thus in Ixalan, they have multiple faction fighting each other with the backdrop of a dino world.
So still no guns in Magic? Even on a pirate world? What a wasted opportunity... Were there any guns in Magic except Portal Second Age?
To answer your question, some Phyrexians had gun-like weapons during the invasion of Dominaria, but other than that and the laser-like ray cannons that Phyrexian skyships and the Weatherlight had, not really, no.
Cannon were also used on Kaladesh. The COnsulate's flagship actually did utilize them(though not necessarily firing) in the story at one point after the Gatewatch appeared.
I don't think so. They killed the scorpion god by spearing it on an obelisk, and Hazoret used her spear to fry it from inside out. Otherwise it would have just reformed afterward, like the other times it died. In terms of game mechanics, it was exiled.
I'm leaning towards non canon, at least partly. It was stated that Bolas destroyed her world, but I was given to understand the survey said civilization and technology caused the destruction. That said, I imagine that conflict was a defining trait of the world before it got wrecked, or maybe Bolas even engineered it.
Edit: Would she make a good fit for Tamiyo's story circle?
Nonetheless, it enrages me when I don't know what plane a commander hails from.
I imagine it being backwater is beneficial to Bolas. If it's out of the way, its less likely for planeswalkers to show up and interfere, whether on purpose or accidentally.
I don't think it reduces the chances of seeing dinosaurs again at all. As long as they fit flavorfully with world we are on, its fine. Also, I doubt they would be able to make an entire world based on dinosaurs. They could be an aspect of the plane, like they are on Ixalan, but since they are just another type of creature, it would be hard to make any sort of good story conflict. It would be like Battle for Zendikar again; characters fighting a mindless force of nature, which doesn't really equate to an interesting villian. That was partly why BFZ kind of sucked. Thus in Ixalan, they have multiple faction fighting each other with the backdrop of a dino world.
Cannon were also used on Kaladesh. The COnsulate's flagship actually did utilize them(though not necessarily firing) in the story at one point after the Gatewatch appeared.