Originally posted on Cohost, archived in October 2024.
I'm using this page to document the process of creating a full unofficial set of Magic: the Gathering cards (about 250) in an original setting. To help build out that setting, I'm going to use systems from tabletop RPG systems for worldbuilding and likely for specific characters as needed. More info below the cut.
Design Goals
As a MtG set, I'm building for "limited" play (draft and sealed) almost exclusively. Anyone is welcome to pick up these cards for other forms of casual play, but It's not front of mind from a design perspective. My hopes for the set are:
- Evocative card designs, gesturing to a shared setting without fully inscribing it
- Dynamic gameplay and mechanics (this is my #1 value in MtG personally), and
- Approachable total design, targeting a complexity level a little above a core set, but lower than the trickiest official Magic sets
Why RPG Systems?
I've spent a lot of time thinking about, playing, and prepping for tabletop RPG sessions, and hands-down the part I find most exciting is procedural generation systems. I really enjoy the process of narrativizing incongruous dice rolls together and the texture of the results you get. As much as I enjoy Magic, to some extent the project is also an excuse to play around with RPG systems towards a final product without running a whole RPG.
Card Art
At this point, art for this project is an open question. Art is very important for MtG cards, but I'm not much of a visual artist, especially for the number of cards in a set. I'm not willing to use "AI" generated art for this project, but might lean on creative commons sources etc. If you're an artist and you want to contribute, feel free to reach out and we can discuss some options.