Pyrulea: More Detail on The Set

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Mechanics | More Detail on The Set | Skeleton | Color Archetypes | Creative/World Building | Cycles

Breakdown of Conceptual Themes

MYSTERY

Connection to start: Fits into the vision of what makes Pyrulea different from Zendikar, that being it's a stranger and more mysterious world of discovery rather than rugged adventure world.

What it means in flavor: Connection to the notion of Pyrulea as ever changing through the cycles, creating the unknown, and the sense of vastness related to Pyrulea, as seemingly always having somewhere else to go.

What it means in gameplay: We want aspects of the game to have exceptionally high variance of play, as to have a feel of uncertainty. This doesn't want to be variance which is due more to player choice, as with Kaladhesh, but variance that is a little more out of player control. It also should not be variance around make or break moment, as this would play more into suspense and ominousness. One of the good things about the bottom of the library theme is how it has the variance of being hidden for the most part, but is still accessible so it's not too out of control. Cycling also helps create unknown variance moments without creating too much frustrating inconsistency.

IMAGINATION

Connection to start: Elaboration on the two lines of Pyrulea being weirder and more mysterious and the discovery theme.

What it means in flavor: The concepts of 'ever-changing' and the vast abundance of Pyrulea lead to the sense of vast possibilities especially in the sense of new and wondrous things.

What it means in gameplay: In connection to the mystery concept, this also wants variance of play. More in the line of player choice though. In order to combine unknown variance and controlled variance, we'll want decision making aspects that are quite situationally based, so the player stills has that sense of weaving their imagination, but they are sure what they'll end up doing until they get up to the decision. Also, this theme supports having cards that evolve in some way over time or build up together, in that they give a sense of progression toward some possibilities. DFCs are good for filling such a role.

DISCOVERY

Connection to start: One of our starting points

What it means in flavor: With a world steeped in mystery and imagination, much discovery is the inevitable result.

What it means in gameplay: Also in relation to the mystery theme (it's important that these themes can work together), discovery in gameplay is going to be about the moment when unknown variance resolves itself and there's a moment of progression in the flow of the game. The journey from the build up around moments of variance to the way game progresses afterwards. Discovery isn't just about the result but the journey, so it will be important then to make sure that there are a series of moments of variance being resolved in progression, allowing the player to go on a unique little path in each game. The Discovery mechanic is good in this way in that it has variance that isn't particularly player controlled, adding the mystery, which takes place over a series of stages.

Mechanic Color Balance

Discovery: primary {r}{g}, secondary {w}{u}{b}

Unbound: primary {g}{u}, secondary {w}

Cycling: primary {b}{r}, secondary {w}{u}{g}

DFC: primary {w}{b}, secondary {u}{r}{g}

Updated on 21 Dec 2017 by SecretInfiltrator