Are Planeswalkers no longer special?
Lore forum
Posted on March 28, 2024, 1:19 p.m. by TypicalTimmy
Simple question.
The idea of becoming or being a Planeswalker was rooted in the sense of unbridled freedom and possibility. You could explore the vast multiverse and go anywhere to do anything. While post-mending, Planeswalkers were less akin to literal gods and more akin to just the most powerful mages of all time, now they don't even have that.
Literally anyone can traverse the multiverse, regardless of having a spark or not. Not just a latant spark that hasn't ignites yet, but even beings who literally are unable to possess a spark.
So if the one thing that Planeswalkers had going for them, which was their ability to freely traverse the multiverse and experience life on a much more grand and exciting scale... If now literally anyone can do this, then isn't it no longer special?
TypicalTimmy says... #3
I don't mean special as in of significant importance. I mean special in the sense of, maybe 1 out of tens of millions of people had a spark that actually ignited and now have the ability to uniquely traverse the vast expanse of existence, opening up the ability to view never-before seen worlds and gain a better appreciation of existence and what it means to be "alive".
Now that anybody can traverse the vast expanse of space and time, the idea of being that one unique and special person who's mind, body and soul were just right to cater toward and neuter a spark... Well it's just... meaningless.
March 28, 2024 4:09 p.m.
I thought omen paths would be rare and cause some neat overlap. Once in a while see someone from another place. But they turned it into something generic and everyone seems to be doing it. So, you are probably right, and there is nothing special to them as a character now that there are 0 limits to bad writing.
March 28, 2024 4:17 p.m.
TypicalTimmy says... #5
Now it's like Marvel's "What If...?" series.
- "WHAT IF RAKDOS WAS COWBOY?? :D :D :D :D"
Like, okay, Jace and Vraska being pirates totally made sense in that they were literally trapped in a world of endless ocean dotted by islands. You raid to survive.
It makes sense that Vraska, who is use to ruling over others, would become a captain.
It makes sense that Jace, who manipulated others, would slide into that role.
It, made, sense.
But now? It's just HURR DURR COWBOY HATS FUNY
March 28, 2024 4:28 p.m. Edited.
My one wish, when the Omenpaths were introduced, was that there was a sense of drama and ominousness to them. Big wormholes that could appear at any time, lead anywhere, and could be permanent or short-lived, consistently leading to the same place or unstable. I didn't want them to become plot taxis, moving Important People to Important Places so they could do Important Things at The Right Time. And that's exactly what they feel like to me, now. No drama, no wonder, just "here's your ticket to the next place where something's about to happen. Go save another world, hero."
I guess planeswalkers don't need an Omenpath to get around. They can still go wherever they want, whenever they want. But if regular, reliable, stable Omenpaths start to link all the planes together in one big happy network, then yeah, being a planeswalker is pretty much pointless. It hasn't quite reached that moment yet, and I'm holding out some small hope that it won't.
I actually don't have too much of a problem with the cowboy theming. It's a little awkward that it's so one-to-one with real Earth, but that's a growing problem I've had since, like, Amonkhet/Ixalan. And Rakdos and Tinybones didn't really need a change of clothes, but for everyone else, there's a reason loose cotton and leather clothing and wide-brimmed hats are popular in a desert setting with lots of pointy plants and animals.
March 28, 2024 4:49 p.m.
TypicalTimmy says... #7
Hopefully, and this is a long shot, is that WOTC is purposefully setting up whimsical stories ripe with humor and merriment while they subtly build a cabal in the background who seeks to harness and control the omenpaths for war
That, I would like
March 28, 2024 6:43 p.m.
Maybe a cabal would help, or something like it, because I do think mtg storyline has a big villain problem. The heroes have so much power now, and so many different unique powers between them, that it takes either a big "protection from everything" villain, or it takes something turning good guys bad, to really do much, and I'm not really sure how they could write out of that corner. The planeswalker reset helped maybe, but then it will just happen again with the new group.
March 29, 2024 10:31 p.m.
It's been said elsewhere, but fights with arc villains need to have consequences. Zendikar seems to be rebuilding well from the Eldrazi, the War of the Spark ended in decisive victory with no lasting effects for the heroes, and the Phyrexian Invasion might as well have been a cocktail party that got out of hand, for all the lasting effects it's had.
A cabal directing things from the shadows, preparing to take over the Omenpaths, would be a great storyline.
March 30, 2024 2:24 a.m.
FormOverFunction says... #10
I have said this thing, in one form or another, a bunch of times before so I apologize. I feel like the introduction of PWs swerved MtG heavily towards movie-writing rather than giving Wizard Nerds, who fight each other during study hall or lunch, different new tools to use. Would re-centering the spotlight on the actual PLAYERS help them get out of this Marvel-esque “how to we further expand this MCU?!” panic spiral? That would damage the overall brand of MtG, as far as making movies and tv shows is concerned, they they seem to have already failed massively at that. Maybe cut bait? Get back to basics? Sure each set will have a story, and some characters there, but don’t over do it (again).
RiotRunner789 says... #2
Well, only a few of them where probably ever special. Does anyone think Jace was ever special?
More seriously though, I dunno. Planeswalkers main role just seems to be semi-important recurring characters. Magic's lore seems so watered down at this point, that I do not believe Wizards is to worried with hard lines that are limited to planeswalkers or major beings only.
March 28, 2024 3:09 p.m.