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Title: Cycle-less, "One-Off", sets.
Date Posted: Sun Jul/29/12 at 6:37pm

scottymandingo
Posts: 845
Joined: 13-Jul-09

So, I while I was working I was thinking about some of the older sets like The Dark, Fallen Empires, Legends, etc. and I was thinking about how Wizards hasn't made a "one-off" set since... I guess the last one was Homelands

I guess it would screw up the block thing that they are doing now, but I think it would be cool to make a one-off set like The Dark and stuff like that. I actually don't think it would really screw up the blocks they have going on now if they were to release a set in between a block.

Anyway, if there was to be a "one-off" set, what would you want it to be about?
Date Posted: Mon Jul/30/12 at 6:23am

spiderman1100
Posts: 354
Joined: 19-Apr-12

The fall of Oona! Freedom in Lowryn!
Date Posted: Mon Jul/30/12 at 7:07am

Boyachi
Posts: 1553
Joined: 02-Nov-11

Doesn't ColdSnap technically fall under this category (since Ice Age happened in 1995)? What about Future Sight?
Date Posted: Mon Jul/30/12 at 8:37am

scottymandingo
Posts: 845
Joined: 13-Jul-09

Even though they came out later, they are still technically part of a set.
Date Posted: Mon Jul/30/12 at 9:40am

SirZapdos
Posts: 329
Joined: 21-Jun-11

I would say that Rise of the Eldrazi almost counts. After all, it is drafted by itself, and mechanically is VERY different from Zendikar and Worldwake. The story and setting are somewhat related, but the "theme" is still different. Zendikar and Worldwake were about exploration and quests, and how the land itself was growing ever more hostile. Rise of the Eldrazi is about huge monsters destroying everyone.

A quote from the MTG Salvation board sums it up quite nicely: Last time it went large-small-large, it went "happy adventure land",
"mana filled happy adventure land", "DEAD MANA ELDRAZI OVERRUN SAD
DEFENSE LAND."

So, since I believe that Rise of the Eldrazi is one of the best sets Wizards has ever produced,  I do believe that one-off sets are possible and can be successful. However I don't see them abandoning the block format to do it. The closest is if they use another large set in a block to do another thematic departure like Rise.

Some would argue that Avacyn Restored is similar, as we go from gothic horror to angels vs demons, but I think that AVR has enough of a connection to INN and DKA (mechanically and thematically) that it wouldn't be considered fully separate.

The last point I'll make is that with so many big sets appearing later in blocks (AVR and Gatecrash), WOTC is producing a large number of new cards at a rate not seen since the sets were bigger way back in the day. I don't think that that can continue forever, so I wouldn't be surprised if the next few blocks after RTR are big-small-small like we're used to. Which would mean that it may be a while before we see another "one-off" set.
Date Posted: Mon Jul/30/12 at 1:55pm

theotherguy
Posts: 346
Joined: 04-Feb-11

There are a. LOT of unconnected Future Sight cards and Planechase plane cards lying around. I predict that at least one such card, probably a plane, will be in a one-off. How would WotC set it up- release three one-offs in a year?
Date Posted: Mon Jul/30/12 at 6:22pm

krowbar28
Posts: 434
Joined: 18-Oct-10

Rise of Eldarazi was a one of and Avacyn was a one of
Date Posted: Mon Jul/30/12 at 6:41pm

gericault5
Posts: 2788
Joined: 13-Oct-09

@otherguy -if you think about it they are already set to do a one of. When you dont included the casual and collecters sets (planechase, commander, duel decks) they release 4 standard sets a year. For the past few years those sets have consisted of a block and core. Do what they did in the past and just do a core every other year and and the other years summer release can be a stand alone

@zapdos/boychi/krowbar -coldsnap, futuresight, rise, restored are not even close to being one off's. While they fundemental appear differant they all tie in with the overall theme established by the previous block sets.
Coldsnap addressed what happened after the world spell was cast in alliances. Basiclly Ice Age block has a build up(ice age) climax (alliance) and conclusion(coldsnap)
time spiral was the past, chaos is the present, future sight is what could be. It would naturally play differant from the others because it hasnt happen yet still falls in the time disorted theme of the block
Rise is the climax of what was building. Yes people were adventuring and exploring because the world around them kept changing as the eldrazi stirred more.
For Restored the whole block was the battle between light and dark. the gothic horror was simply a subtheme to convey that message.
Rise and restored do have a massive change from the other sets but not because they are stand alone or not on the established theme, but because, like lorwyn/shadowmoor, the story had a massive world changing event. So to stay on theme and with the story, they need to change because the world did.


[Edited by gericault5 on 30/Jul/12 at 6:51PM]
Date Posted: Mon Jul/30/12 at 6:46pm

gericault5
Posts: 2788
Joined: 13-Oct-09

Ohh and to answer scottys question. If they were to do a one of i would want a old west theme. Guns as equipment, blacksmith to search for equipment, horse with an aura type ability. Maybe a clash like ability to get mana like gambling, whore house that gives you additional mana each turn

[Edited by gericault5 on 30/Jul/12 at 6:48PM]
Date Posted: Mon Jul/30/12 at 8:52pm

Narcinek War-Rider
Posts: 1283
Joined: 16-Jun-11

I think we need a theme of a tyrannical overlord or a tyrannical ruling race oppressing the people.
Date Posted: Tue Jul/31/12 at 7:54am

hedsak
Posts: 44
Joined: 12-Jun-12

We need another Unglued/Unhinged type set.