There are many elements of Magic: The Gathering one could hold up as the secret to its success, but few hold a candle to the game’s wide range of formats. These ensure that, no matter what kind of experience you’re looking for, you can find it within the cardboard confines of Magic. Whether you want a serious competitive game, a casual goof-off with friends, or an immersive role-play experience, there’s something here for you.
Of course, not all Magic formats are created or maintained equally. While the likes of Standard and Commander have gone from strength to strength, other formats have, for the most part, languished in obscurity. Planechase is one such format, and this week, MTG players are calling on Wizards to bring it back into the mix after a considerable hiatus.
The MTG Community Wants More Planechase!
For those who have never had the pleasure of playing it, Planechase is a supplemental MTG format introduced back in 2009. Intended to be ‘bolted on’ to existing formats, it adds a deck of Plane cards: locations that exert passive effects on gameplay. Players can move between these Planes by rolling the Planar die. This can also lead to Phenomena or “Chaos ensuing,” both of which have immediate impacts. As it’s not a sanctioned tournament format, Planechase sees the bulk of its use at kitchen tables and in Commander pods.
The fresh discussion around Planechase began a couple of days ago, when Mark Rosewater put out a poll via Blogatog. In it, he asked whether players preferred Planechase or Archenemy. This came in response to an ask from Decaffeinatedparadisemaker, regarding which would be more likely to make a comeback. The result was a devastating landslide: across 610 total votes, 65.4% went for Planechase.
Blogatog polls aren’t the be-all and end-all evidence, of course, but they are good indicators of trends, and this one indicates that the appetite for Planechase is alive and well. The comments below bear this out, too, with players like Hedgeiii expressing their love for the format, while Llanowarminotaur notes its unique ability to showcase the full scope of the Multiverse.
A new suite of Planechase product would be more than welcome at this point. The format has, for a few years now, been confined solely to the exclusive realm of convention halls. Unless you’re taking part in side events at MagicCons, you simply won’t get to experience the latest that Planechase has to offer.
More Worlds To Conquer
Based on the results of this week’s poll, however, this may not be the case for long. The desire for a new range of official Planechase products is clear. Based on another recent Blogatog post from Rosewater, it’s also likely to be fulfilled at some point in the future.
Since the poll, Rosewater has already begun fielding questions on just how such a return might come about. While he has noted that we’re unlikely to see it as part of mainline Magic, owing to its status as an opt-in add-on, there are other possibilities here. The obvious one is a new set of Planes in a new range of Commander decks. We’ve seen this before with March of the Machine and Doctor Who, and we could certainly see it again. The upcoming Marvel Super Heroes precons seem like a particularly fitting home for the concept.
Alternatively, Wizards may start experimenting with alternative distribution methods. In another recent post, Mangofisher74 raised the possibility of releasing new Planes through the Secret Lair system. This makes a ton of sense for what is, ultimately, a niche product. Wizards may not be able to commit the resources to a full Planechase release, but a Secret Lair is much more manageable.
However things work out, the future of Planechase is looking bright for now. Given that it’s one of Magic’s most successful mechanical add-ons, this is fantastic news in our eyes.
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