With the recent Archenemy set and now Explorers of Ixalan, I was thinking about ways to incorporate them into Planeschase, with the idea that certain planes had the potential to tell a mini-story when you arrived. These planes will typically not have Chaos effects, but will instead alter gameplay in some fundamental way by adding other game components.
The Throne of the God-Pharoah
Plane - Amonkhet
When you planeswalk to the Throne of the God-Pharoah, you become the Archenemy and all your opponents become teammates until you leave this plane. You gain a Scheme deck from outside the game and set a Scheme in motion.
If a player other than the Archenemy would planeswalk, they and all their cards phase out instead until the Archenemy planeswalks or all the non-Archenemy players are phased out.
When all non-Archenemy players are phased out, the Archenemy immediately planeswalks.
Story: One player has overtaken Amonkhet and amassed great power. His or her foes must band together to defeat him or scatter in hopes of surviving. The wording is a little clunky, but hopefully it communicates the game intention of "fight together or flee and leave your erstwhile companions to die"
Ixalan
Plane - Ixalan
When you planeswalk to Ixalan, set up a map of Explorers of Ixalan map tiles. Players am explore and claim tiles until you leave this plane.
Players may not roll the planar die until Orazca, the Golden City has been revealed.
Story: The players have become trapped on Ixalan and must defeat one another or find the secret to escaping. I haven't found a copy of the Explorers rules online, so I can probably word the effects a little better.
The Throne of the God-Pharoah is...whoa. Calling it silver-border-caliber format-breaking would only scratch the surface of the idea you just created. This thing is so wacky that I can't even begin to describe it.
The Throne of the God-Pharoah is...whoa. Calling it silver-border-caliber format-breaking would only scratch the surface of the idea you just created. This thing is so wacky that I can't even begin to describe it.
Amusingly, I was toying with a Bablovia plane card that gave each player a Contraption deck and let them assemble whenever they cast a spell.
Not if you're serious about players sitting around twiddling their thumbs while waiting for others to get the right result on the planar die, or lose, I guess.
Well, I don't think it would be that long a process. First off, under Archenemy rules, the team mates take a combined turn, so they will have opportunities to roll come quicker. Second, since when the archenemy becomes archenemy is random based on when the plane is drawn, he may not be in a strong position and it will be advantageous for the team to try to overpower the archenemy and force him to run. Lastly, if say two of three players escape, the third would get run over pretty quick (or miraculously win and lord it over the compatriots who turned tail and ran)
Well, I don't think it would be that long a process. First off, under Archenemy rules, the team mates take a combined turn, so they will have opportunities to roll come quicker. Second, since when the archenemy becomes archenemy is random based on when the plane is drawn, he may not be in a strong position and it will be advantageous for the team to try to overpower the archenemy and force him to run. Lastly, if say two of three players escape, the third would get run over pretty quick (or miraculously win and lord it over the compatriots who turned tail and ran)
Hmmm, for some reason I assumed that the whole non-archenemy team loses if one player loses the game.
I'm currently working on a format where players can "unlock" other format modules during gameplay i. e. the game starts as a multiplayer free-for-all with scheme deck, planar deck and Hero's Path game materials unused but at the ready.
To earn the right to declare yourself the archenemy e. g. you have to earn it first by gaining trophies from attacking/meddling with opponents. The Hydra can be straight up summoned with enough mana etc. (in turn your opponents don't necessarily become teammates just because you start scheming since each of the benefits is strong in its own right.)
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I'll add my voice to the doubt that players skipping their turns for a while is going to result in much fun (note also how an archenemy might draw out the time after most of their opponents left to gain more advantages from their schemes to add to the time sitting at the sidelines - and note that if the plane comes up early the lucky player will keep ramp worth multiple turns even if the plane is left (though similar scenarios were an issue with some planes already).
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So... anyway... another idea:
Setessan Hinterlands
Plane - Theros
When you planeswalk, set up the Hydra. (The Hydra starts with a Hydra Head for each player.)
If you would planeswalk away from ~ while the Hydra is not yet defeated, instead unleash the Hydra. (Reveal the top card of its deck and the Hydra casts that card.)
Whenever you roll , put a random Hero card into your command zone.
A benefit here is that the effect here is not assymetric, but changes the play for a while for everyone by adding a new threat.
EDIT:
Maybe this warrants a new card type for the planar deck similar to phenomenon? "Encounter"?
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Planar Chaos was not a mistake neither was it random. You might want to look at it again.
[thread=239793][Game] Level Up - Creature[/thread]
I'd actually thought about the Hydra the other day, and then completely forgot about it when I was typing up my first post. I'd leave the heroes to another card, just because the Hydra is starting while everyone has an established boardstate, so defeating it will already be easier than the basic "Defeat the Hydra"
Maybe a plane where, when you deal combat damage to an opponent or something, you gain a Hero card?
The Throne just plain doesn't work well from both a rules perspective and a balance perspective. Becoming the archenemy is essentially random; the player who becomes the archenemy is in no way guaranteed to be able to hold their own for even a single turn against 3 other players, especially if it is late in the game with developed boards. The scheme deck doesn't really change that unless you planeswalk there super early.
Rules-wise, players can't phase out (nor can cards in hand or in your library). You would need the wording from Teferi's Protection
As for the schemes, it doesn't say you lose the scheme deck when you planeswalk away, only that you are no longer the archenemy. Do you keep flipping schemes then? What about ongoing schemes? That all needs to be explicitly spelled out, and the result will be a wordy mess.
A better alternative might be to just make the player who planeswalks to Fiora the monarch or something similar. You can include some sort of emblem like 'the monarch' which is specific to a given plane.
The Throne of the God-Pharoah
Plane - Amonkhet
When you planeswalk to the Throne of the God-Pharoah, you become the Archenemy and all your opponents become teammates until you leave this plane. You gain a Scheme deck from outside the game and set a Scheme in motion.
If a player other than the Archenemy would planeswalk, they and all their cards phase out instead until the Archenemy planeswalks or all the non-Archenemy players are phased out.
When all non-Archenemy players are phased out, the Archenemy immediately planeswalks.
Story: One player has overtaken Amonkhet and amassed great power. His or her foes must band together to defeat him or scatter in hopes of surviving. The wording is a little clunky, but hopefully it communicates the game intention of "fight together or flee and leave your erstwhile companions to die"
Ixalan
Plane - Ixalan
When you planeswalk to Ixalan, set up a map of Explorers of Ixalan map tiles. Players am explore and claim tiles until you leave this plane.
Players may not roll the planar die until Orazca, the Golden City has been revealed.
Story: The players have become trapped on Ixalan and must defeat one another or find the secret to escaping. I haven't found a copy of the Explorers rules online, so I can probably word the effects a little better.
Amusingly, I was toying with a Bablovia plane card that gave each player a Contraption deck and let them assemble whenever they cast a spell.
I hope wacky is in a good way
Not if you're serious about players sitting around twiddling their thumbs while waiting for others to get the right result on the planar die, or lose, I guess.
Hmmm, for some reason I assumed that the whole non-archenemy team loses if one player loses the game.
No, they are each individual players, not an X-headed giant. They just share a turn and can block for one another.
To earn the right to declare yourself the archenemy e. g. you have to earn it first by gaining trophies from attacking/meddling with opponents. The Hydra can be straight up summoned with enough mana etc. (in turn your opponents don't necessarily become teammates just because you start scheming since each of the benefits is strong in its own right.)
---
I'll add my voice to the doubt that players skipping their turns for a while is going to result in much fun (note also how an archenemy might draw out the time after most of their opponents left to gain more advantages from their schemes to add to the time sitting at the sidelines - and note that if the plane comes up early the lucky player will keep ramp worth multiple turns even if the plane is left (though similar scenarios were an issue with some planes already).
---
So... anyway... another idea:
Setessan Hinterlands
Plane - Theros
When you planeswalk, set up the Hydra. (The Hydra starts with a Hydra Head for each player.)
If you would planeswalk away from ~ while the Hydra is not yet defeated, instead unleash the Hydra. (Reveal the top card of its deck and the Hydra casts that card.)
Whenever you roll , put a random Hero card into your command zone.
A benefit here is that the effect here is not assymetric, but changes the play for a while for everyone by adding a new threat.
EDIT:
Maybe this warrants a new card type for the planar deck similar to phenomenon? "Encounter"?
Finally a good white villain quote: "So, do I ever re-evaluate my life choices? Never, because I know what I'm doing is a righteous cause."
Factions: Sleeping
Remnants: Valheim
Legendary Journey: Heroes & Planeswalkers
Saga: Shards of Rabiah
Legends: The Elder Dragons
Read up on Red Flags & NWO
Maybe a plane where, when you deal combat damage to an opponent or something, you gain a Hero card?
Rules-wise, players can't phase out (nor can cards in hand or in your library). You would need the wording from Teferi's Protection
As for the schemes, it doesn't say you lose the scheme deck when you planeswalk away, only that you are no longer the archenemy. Do you keep flipping schemes then? What about ongoing schemes? That all needs to be explicitly spelled out, and the result will be a wordy mess.
A better alternative might be to just make the player who planeswalks to Fiora the monarch or something similar. You can include some sort of emblem like 'the monarch' which is specific to a given plane.
- Rabid Wombat