A plane is a self-contained world or universe of any size found within the multiverse of Magic: The Gathering. While planes can be governed by any conceivable set of rules and natural laws, or even indeed inconceivable ones, most planes visited in the storyline are comfortably similar to Earth.[1][2]
Card type
Planechase introduced plane cards that represent specific locations on various planes. Each plane card has a subtype corresponding to the plane the location is found on. Plane cards are the size of two regular magic cards side by side.
From the Comprehensive Rules (April 12, 2024—Outlaws of Thunder Junction)
- 311. Planes
- 311.1. Plane is a card type seen only on nontraditional Magic cards. Only the Planechase casual variant uses plane cards. See rule 901, “Planechase.”
- 311.2. Plane cards remain in the command zone throughout the game, both while they’re part of a planar deck and while they’re face up. They’re not permanents. They can’t be cast. If a plane card would leave the command zone, it remains in the command zone.
- 311.3. Plane subtypes are listed after a long dash, and may be multiple words: “Plane — Serra’s Realm.” All words after the dash are, collectively, a single subtype. Planar subtypes are called planar types. A plane can have only one subtype. See rule 205.3n for the complete list of planar types.
- 311.4. A plane card may have any number of static, triggered, and/or activated abilities. As long as a plane card is face up in the command zone, its static abilities affect the game, its triggered abilities may trigger, and its activated abilities may be activated.
- 311.5. The controller of a face-up plane card is the player designated as the planar controller. Normally, the planar controller is whoever the active player is. However, if the current planar controller would leave the game, instead the next player in turn order that wouldn’t leave the game becomes the planar controller, then the old planar controller leaves the game. The new planar controller retains that designation until they leave the game or a different player becomes the active player, whichever comes first.
- 311.6. A face-up plane card that’s turned face down becomes a new object.
- 311.7. Each plane card has a triggered ability that triggers “Whenever chaos ensues.” These are called chaos abilities. Each one is indicated by a chaos symbol to the left of the ability, though the symbol itself has no special rules meaning. This ability triggers if the chaos symbol is rolled on the planar die (see rule 901.9b), if a resolving spell or ability says that chaos ensues, or if a resolving spell or ability states that chaos ensues for a particular object. In the last case, the chaos ability can trigger even if that plane card is still in the planar deck but revealed. A chaos ability is controlled by the current planar controller.
From the glossary of the Comprehensive Rules (April 12, 2024—Outlaws of Thunder Junction)
- Plane
- A card type seen only on nontraditional Magic cards in the Planechase casual variant. A plane card is not a permanent. See rule 311, “Planes.”
Subtypes
Plane types are the only subtypes where spaces are not considered separators between different types.
From the Comprehensive Rules (April 12, 2024—Outlaws of Thunder Junction)
- 205.3n Planes have their own unique set of subtypes; these subtypes are called planar types. The planar types are The Abyss, Alara, Alfava Metraxis, Amonkhet, Androzani Minor, Antausia, Apalapucia, Arcavios, Arkhos, Azgol, Belenon, Bolas’s Meditation Realm, Capenna, Cridhe, The Dalek Asylum, Darillium, Dominaria, Earth, Echoir, Eldraine, Equilor, Ergamon, Fabacin, Fiora, Gallifrey, Gargantikar, Gobakhan, Horsehead Nebula, Ikoria, Innistrad, Iquatana, Ir, Ixalan, Kaladesh, Kaldheim, Kamigawa, Kandoka, Karsus, Kephalai, Kinshala, Kolbahan, Kylem, Kyneth, The Library, Lorwyn, Luvion, Mars, Mercadia, Mirrodin, Moag, Mongseng, Moon, Muraganda, Necros, New Earth, New Phyrexia, Outside Mutter’s Spiral, Phyrexia, Pyrulea, Rabiah, Rath, Ravnica, Regatha, Segovia, Serra’s Realm, Shadowmoor, Shandalar, Shenmeng, Skaro, Spacecraft, Tarkir, Theros, Time, Trenzalore, Ulgrotha, Unknown Planet, Valla, Vryn, Wildfire, Xerex, Zendikar, and Zhalfir.
Storyline
There are almost infinite planes in the multiverse, separated from each other by the space known as the Blind Eternities, which is filled with chaotic energies, including Æther and mana. The inhabitants of most of these planes have no idea that theirs is not the only universe, or indeed the only world—generally only planeswalkers know that, and are able to travel intentionally between planes.[3][4]
Although Planes are sometimes thought to be a separate world occupying the same universe as other planes, each plane is a separate universe in its own right, with few planes having multiple worlds, possibly with some inhabitable ones.[5] In this case, with the exception of artificial planes, most if not all planes can be considered more akin to alternate realities, with Dominaria, being the center of Multiverse, being the prime reality. However these realities are usually very different from each other, suggesting that planeswalkers cannot planeswalk between planes that are too similar.
Planes are known to "move" in relation to each other. Additionally new planes are constantly created, while others drift out of existence.[6]
Natural planes
Natural planes are naturally occurring worlds that came into existence at some point. Most known planes have one central, populated world, that the entire plane is typically named after. However, it is possible that in vast universes with billions of galaxies and stars, other populated worlds also exist.[7]
Worldsoul
Artificial planes
There are also artificial planes, worlds created usually by planeswalkers by sheer will.[6] The creator of such a world defines all of its rules. These planes are unstable and eventually collapse if there is nothing to sustain their existence (like a constant flow of mana, or technical means such as flowstone). These planes are most likely surrounded by an amount of real space that prevents them from being destroyed by the Blind Eternities. However, this pocket of space eventually wears out, after which the Blind Eternities destroy the plane.
List of Plane cards
See also
- Category:Planes, for a list of known planes
References
- ↑ "Planes of Existence", magicthegathering.com, Wizards of the Coast. (Internet Archive snapshot)
- ↑ "Explore the Many Planes of Existence", magicthegathering.com, Wizards of the Coast.
- ↑ Brady Dommermuth (March 19, 2008). "The Known Mutliverse (sic)". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
- ↑ Doug Beyer (August 12, 2009). "Topic Potpourri". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
- ↑ Doug Beyer (November 25, 2009). "Brooms, Planes, and Valakuts: Tales from the Inbox". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
- ↑ a b Lynn Abbey. (1998). Planeswalker, ISBN-13 978-0786911820, Wizards of the Coast.
- ↑ Brady Dommermuth. (August 16, 2007.) "You Are a Planeswalker", magicthegathering.com, Wizards of the Coast. (Internet Archive snapshot)
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