How would a Cowboy-Steampunk set fare?

General forum

Posted on Oct. 1, 2022, 8 p.m. by TypicalTimmy

I was just thinking about it a few days ago when the cowboy theme cropped up in the custom card forum again.

WOTC has a strong stance on firearm implementation on their cards, however they have relaxed a bit for Strixhaven and, I believe, there were rifles and pistols in Kaladesh. However none of these are blackpowder lead-projectile firearms and are rather Halo-powered and Aether-powered weapons, alike. So more akin to "energy-beam weapons" such as iconic plasma pistols and such seen across sci-fi.

So, showing a gun that eludes toward a Colt .45 or a Winchester is obviously out of the question.

But what if they adapted a more steam-punk style approach? Would that be more appealing and easy? Because if it were not for their stance upon firearms, I'd have thought we would have seen a Cowboy-Western themed set by now. But alas, I believe that is our one and only hiccup, here.

  • Recognizing we have a sort of soft-steampunk in Kaladesh, and cyberpunk with Kamigawa. So the "-punk" theme has now been established in lore.

TypicalTimmy says... #2

Jaramiah, Deadeye Vandal

I could see this as a legitimate card.

October 1, 2022 8:12 p.m.

TypicalTimmy says... #3

A simple story could be that the atomic age came unnaturally early, and each civilization realized how to create the ultimate weapons of war far ahead of their timelines natural progression. Due to the warring and feral nature of "The West", it was not uncommon to see atomic weapons unleashed en mass.

  • So basically Fallout

Where the story changes is that, after the warring subsided and the atomic weapons were ceased, the atmosphere was left torn asunder and the landscape became dry and brittle. Without a protective layer of ozone, the world became one massive arid desert. Illness such as cancer and leprosy bloomed in this unforgiving hostility, leading to mass amputations of limbs and bone. This is why so many people now have mechanical appendages.

Venturing into Mad Max territory, it is now a dog-eat-dog world where the only thing worth fighting for is fresh, clean water. And if you aren't fighting to survive, you're simply dying. In other words, you kill or you are killed.

And so the world has become nothing more than a lawless wasteland of rage, firepower and disease. AKA - Western Steampunk.

October 1, 2022 8:31 p.m.

TypicalTimmy Teyo is from a plane like what you're describing, I think. Diamonds fall from the sky, and water is worth A LOT. Maybe when WOTC visits Teyo's world we'll see something like that :o

October 1, 2022 9:53 p.m.

Back in the day I would have thought there was no way, but today I can definitely see a steam punk-inspired set. I agree with what you said about it not being a 1:1 steam punk world, and more of an aether-punk world. (Although the cynic in me wouldn't be surprised at a Wild Wild West Sected Lair...)

I actually think we've come close before, outside of Kaladesh. A lot of the Izzet cards, at least in their art, feel like steam punk infused Magic to me. They have Steam Vents and Izzet Boilerworks, and in my mind the art of Izzet Guildmage is what a good balance of Magic and steam punk would look like. Maybe a steam punk set could explore their roots more.

October 2, 2022 1:12 p.m.

TypicalTimmy says... #6

We could call the set something like

Ravencross

  • A world so lawless, that the Angels have abandoned it.

  • Like many worlds within the Multiverse, Ravencross began as a fertile plane, rich with mineraled soil, clean skies and clear waters. The world knew a natural peace, brimming with sweet fruits and lush forests. Through no fault of their own, the abundance in resources lead to the culmination of peace and traquility, allowing the vast expanse of arts and sciences to flourish. Well beyond their natural state of discovery, the atomic age was harnessed hundreds of years before the multiversal average. Unbeknownst to them all, this would be their doom. Without preparation, without the knowledge and resources, nuclear power quickly dominated the landscape. This power corrupted and destroyed societies, causing the inevitable collapse into war. Once it was discovered, largely by accident, that these reactors could be harnessed as weapons, an inferno of fireballs engulfed the sky and land. Decimating nearly all life, evaporating almost all water, and ripping holes throughout their skies the world of Ravencross became a desolate wasteland wrought with war, anarchy and turmoil. The only thing worth fighting for anymore is clean, sustainable water. If you aren't killing for this, you're being killed for it. Ravencross became so volatile and bastardized that even the Angels abandoned it. And now, the only thing Ravencross has to offer to anyone, is damnation.

October 2, 2022 1:43 p.m. Edited.

KBK7101 says... #7

A wild west set would be kinda awesome if done right. Steampunk-ish civilization, native american imagery (sort of like how Ixalan used central america as inspiration), desert themes, really cool western folklore/animals/monsters... I think the idea has legs, for sure, but has to be done right.

To be fair, I thought the same thing when they announced New Capenna and ended up hating it, sooooo... lol

October 2, 2022 7:27 p.m.

Icbrgr says... #8

....I think the movie wild wild west ruins this idea for me lol

Idk maybe it could be neat... not my favorite flavorwise but I think there are people that would like it.

October 2, 2022 8:06 p.m.

KBK7101 says... #9

Thinking about it further, I think a wild west set could be very similar to Neon Dynasty's artifact/enchantment and past/present kind of thing. The people and factions that live in the towns could be all about the advancement of steampunk technology (artifacts) while the people and factions that live out in the west would be all about respecting the past (enchantments). Throw in some spooky "no one really knows what's out there..." kind of vibe from Innistrad and maybe some Ixalan style treasure hunt and gang factions (like how they had different pirate factions) and I think the set could have some major potential.

October 3, 2022 12:48 p.m.

Gleeock says... #10

It could be like an old PC favorite of mine: Arcanum: of Steamworks & Magick. We could have SO MANY bounty counters. Sheriffs... Maybe some "silver star" mechanic.... Maybe even "deputized" like a treasure version of monarch. Maybe the "Ghost Dance" actually worked for the Native Americans of this plane.. but had unintended consequences. Devils could really play a larger role here too. Maybe the ghost dance caused a wholesale possession circumstance in a bunch of natives?

I like the idea of magical sandstorms making this plane a dusty more earthbound plane where horsemanship is front & center instead of flying, like flying is a suckass option on this plane unless you are like sandsurfing/sailing right above the plains

This would leave us ripe for some antagonist (railroad baron-type) to try to tame the frontier for progress' sake... seems like a douchy Azorius type of thing to try

October 3, 2022 6:59 p.m.

KBK7101 says... #11

I see we're on the same page with ideas. lol

Spirits/Human tribal with enchantment synergies?

Obligatory steampunk scientists with artifact synergies?

The lawmen? Bounty counters etc

Aforementioned railroad tycoon faction trying to "tame" the west? Lots of taxing effects and treasure tokens?

The monsters of the west? Wurms, wolves, snakes, devils, giant buffalo?

October 3, 2022 7:15 p.m.

TypicalTimmy says... #12

Personally, I'd rather see it as Wedges.

Mardu = Law aligned. Either lawful or anarchist.

Sultai = Corruption, power, tycoons, mogals, etc

Jeskai = Engineers, alchemists, ironworkers, etc

Temur = Untamed monsters, flourishing wildlands, mining campaigns, etc

Abzan = Outskirts, vagabonds, convoys, settlements, etc

October 3, 2022 7:34 p.m.

Gleeock says... #13

What happened with Dovin? He seems like a perfect progress-monopolist.

Might actually be coolest if Angels didn't abandon anyone... but if there were magically advanced sky cities that came crashing down when the hubris of mankind created a permanent toxic cloud up in the stratosphere. Then you'd have story & a great reason for a mostly earthbound plane. I love the idea of somewhere where the Great Plains are so endless that you plainsdwelling creatures take over the same role as your whales... the biggest of the big on the plains & no massive sky creatures to take that niche.

Orcs seem like they could have a great spot here. Dwarves could have isolationist mine-cities & major tensions with your 49er types & tycoons. Shamans, Warlocks, Rogues, Nobles.

Seems like (I hate to admit it), but the presence of would be sorely missing on this kind of plane.

October 3, 2022 9:16 p.m.

KBK7101 says... #14

Dovin was killed off in the War of the Spark aftermath. Forsaken, maybe? The really bad one, whatever it was called. Pretty sure he died in some sort of ridiculously over the top fashion, too. Like, hands cut off, eyes slashed and set on fire or something.

October 3, 2022 9:52 p.m.

Gleeock says... #15

Haha, well too bad for Dovin I guess :)

October 4, 2022 8:34 a.m.

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