D&D 5E Does the Rabiah Scale matter (for conversion probability from Magic plane to D&D setting)?

[Mercurius]

A few years ago, Magic: the Gathering designer Mark Rosewater created the Rabiah Scale, which ranks Magic planes by likelihood to receive future sets of cards, from 1 (very likely) to 10 (very unlikely). With recent talk about Magic planes as settings, and whether or not WotC will increase the publication of Magic settings to one a year, I thought I'd revisit the question of the Rabiah Scale, and whether or not it has any bearing on which planes they choose to convert to D&D.

The latest rankings are:

1: Dominaria, Innistrad, Ravnica (2018)
2: Zendikar
3: Theros (2020)
4: Kaldheim
5: Alara, Amonkhet, Eldraine, Ikoria, New Phyrexia, Tarkir
6: Ixalan, Kaladesh, Regatha, Vryn
7: Fiora, Kamigawa, Kylem, Lorwyn-Shadowmoor, Shandalar
8: Muraganda, Segovia
9: Gobakhan, Mercadia, Phyrexia, Rath, Serra's Realm, Ulgrotha
10: Balblovia, Portal Three Kingdoms, Rabiah, Tolvada

Those in italics have received a Plane Shift article, while those in bold have already been published as settings.

Now obviously this is all speculative, but one would think that the Rabiah Scale has some bearing on the likelihood of conversion, if only because it implies future attention from WotC, and thus more exposure. And of course the two published so far are two of the five highest ranked, which implies that the Rabiah Scale means something.

My guess is that the next setting or two will be chosen from the 1-5 ratings, and that we can pretty much cross out any of the 8-10s. I know some have claimed that coverage as a Plane Shift makes it less likely, but I'm not so sure.

Meaning:
1-5: Strongest candidates - Dominaria, Innistrad, Zendikar, Kaldheim, Alara, Amonkhet, Eldraine, Ikoria, New Phyrexia, Tarkir.
6-7: Unlikely, but possible - Ixalan, Kaladesh, Regatha, Vryn, Fiora, Kamigawa, Kylem, Lorwyn-Shadowmoor, Shandalar.
8-10: Very unlikely - Muraganda, Segovia, Gobakhan, Mercadia, Phyrexia, Rath, Serra's Realm, Ulgrotha, Balblovia, Portal Three Kingdoms, Rabiah, Tolvada.

Within those categories, I suppose you could make little adjustments based upon other factors - whether it explores new territory, whether something similar has already been published (e.g. Innistrad and Ravenloft), how hard it would be to convert to the D&D rule set, etc.

In that first category, you could categorize them in a few groups:
Strongly influenced by real-world analogues: Kaldheim, Amonkhet, Eldraine, Tarkir
Unique/gonzo/quite different from D&D: Zendikar, Alara, Ikoria, New Phyrexia
Similar to already-existing D&D settings: Dominaria (because it is the most "vanilla"), Innistrad (Ravenloft)

The other groups can be similarly assigned (e.g. Ixalan, Kaladesh, and Kamigawa in the analogue group).

I'm not sure if this brings anything new to the table, but maybe it analyzes the planes in a way that at least we think in terms of those planes that are more or less likely to receive conversion.

Thoughts?

 

[Orius]

I think it's only moderately important if at all.

Anything that gets converted from MtG to D&D is likely to be done on the basis of popularity I think. This scale looks ahead, while a conversion is going to look back a bit and cover stuff that's been done. Popularity might be factor in future MtG blocks too, but I think they don't want to revisit planes too often either. With D&D, it's more about doing it for the first time.

 

[Scott Christian]

Like @Orius stated, popularity is the true test. Sometimes players like sets because of the combinations it allowed them to play. Not necessarily the setting. In general, it is often about what set has the strongest and most sought after cards that determines popularity.

But... there is the flip side.

 

[Parmandur]

A few years ago, Magic: the Gathering designer Mark Rosewater created the Rabiah Scale, which ranks Magic planes by likelihood to receive future sets of cards, from 1 (very likely) to 10 (very unlikely). With recent talk about Magic planes as settings, and whether or not WotC will increase the publication of Magic settings to one a year, I thought I'd revisit the question of the Rabiah Scale, and whether or not it has any bearing on which planes they choose to convert to D&D.

The latest rankings are:

1: Dominaria, Innistrad, Ravnica (2018)
2: Zendikar
3: Theros (2020)
4: Kaldheim
5: Alara, Amonkhet, Eldraine, Ikoria, New Phyrexia, Tarkir
6: Ixalan, Kaladesh, Regatha, Vryn
7: Fiora, Kamigawa, Kylem, Lorwyn-Shadowmoor, Shandalar
8: Muraganda, Segovia
9: Gobakhan, Mercadia, Phyrexia, Rath, Serra's Realm, Ulgrotha
10: Balblovia, Portal Three Kingdoms, Rabiah, Tolvada

Those in italics have received a Plane Shift article, while those in bold have already been published as settings.

Now obviously this is all speculative, but one would think that the Rabiah Scale has some bearing on the likelihood of conversion, if only because it implies future attention from WotC, and thus more exposure. And of course the two published so far are two of the five highest ranked, which implies that the Rabiah Scale means something.

My guess is that the next setting or two will be chosen from the 1-5 ratings, and that we can pretty much cross out any of the 8-10s. I know some have claimed that coverage as a Plane Shift makes it less likely, but I'm not so sure.

Meaning:
1-5: Strongest candidates - Dominaria, Innistrad, Zendikar, Kaldheim, Alara, Amonkhet, Eldraine, Ikoria, New Phyrexia, Tarkir.
6-7: Unlikely, but possible - Ixalan, Kaladesh, Regatha, Vryn, Fiora, Kamigawa, Kylem, Lorwyn-Shadowmoor, Shandalar.
8-10: Very unlikely - Muraganda, Segovia, Gobakhan, Mercadia, Phyrexia, Rath, Serra's Realm, Ulgrotha, Balblovia, Portal Three Kingdoms, Rabiah, Tolvada.

Within those categories, I suppose you could make little adjustments based upon other factors - whether it explores new territory, whether something similar has already been published (e.g. Innistrad and Ravenloft), how hard it would be to convert to the D&D rule set, etc.

In that first category, you could categorize them in a few groups:
Strongly influenced by real-world analogues: Kaldheim, Amonkhet, Eldraine, Tarkir
Unique/gonzo/quite different from D&D: Zendikar, Alara, Ikoria, New Phyrexia
Similar to already-existing D&D settings: Dominaria (because it is the most "vanilla"), Innistrad (Ravenloft)

The other groups can be similarly assigned (e.g. Ixalan, Kaladesh, and Kamigawa in the analogue group).

I'm not sure if this brings anything new to the table, but maybe it analyzes the planes in a way that at least we think in terms of those planes that are more or less likely to receive conversion.

Thoughts?

I'd say the amount the Rabiah Scale matters is tied to whether any D&D coverage of a Magic Setting has to tie in to a card game product: so far, all Planeshift articles (booklets, really) and Setting books have coincided with a card Set release (though the Theros book was delayed by several months, so Theros was no longer the current Set in the card game when we got it, the design intention was to be out at the same time).

In terms of the Settings which got Planeshift documents but not full D&D books...the Planeshifts are still free to download on the DMs Guild, and WotC still has the Art of Magic the Gathering books they are companions also in print and being sold by WotC (those books are super cool, anybody who likes fantasy art and world building should check them out). Just as Ravnica and Theros didn't get Art of Magic the Gathering books, so too I think James Wyatt might be right that Dominaria or Innistrad already have everything they need to run 5E: the Art books were conceived and written as system neutral Campaign Setting books, and the Planeshifts give them 5E rules.

The Rabiah scale isn't quite absolute with regards to Magic Sets, though it reflects Rosewater's best judgement and he heads up the team that makes those decisions. For instance, Kamigawa is low on this totem pole, but the hip word is that WotC has applied for trademarks for something called "Kamigawa: Neon Dynasty" along with other hints at a magitech cyberpunk overhaul to the Setting.

 

[Parmandur]

For anyone curious about the MTG rumor Rabbitfolk, which the current word somewhat overturns the idea of the Rabiah scale entirely:

MTG Rumors! Kamigawa: Neon Dynasty – Very Cool Card Games

www.goodlookgamer.com

 

[Minigiant]

The scale for creating new MTG card set and the one for creating not MTG are different.

The main aspects for the creating for the latter seem to be 1) Popularity and 2) New aspects not in current D&D.

Ravnica and Theros are popular and very different from what D&D offered at the time. Innistad is popular but one Ravenloft comes out, a book on it would be redundant.

 

[Rikka66]

The scale for creating new MTG card set and the one for creating not MTG are different.

The main aspects for the creating for the latter seem to be 1) Popularity and 2) New aspects not in current D&D.

Ravnica and Theros are popular and very different from what D&D offered at the time. Innistad is popular but one Ravenloft comes out, a book on it would be redundant.

Not to imply that two makes a pattern, but so far #1 seems to really be "cross-promotion with new card set coming out".

 

[Minigiant]

Not to imply that two makes a pattern, but so far #1 seems to really be "cross-promotion with new card set coming out".

Well I figured that part was obvious.

 

[Urriak Uruk]

For anyone curious about the MTG rumor Rabbitfolk, which the current word somewhat overturns the idea of the Rabiah scale entirely:

MTG Rumors! Kamigawa: Neon Dynasty – Very Cool Card Games

www.goodlookgamer.com

Interesting leak... I'm a little doubtful how accurate it is, as it seems to be heavily weighted towards revisiting old planes, instead of the current pattern of alternating between entirely new ones, and revisiting old. The amount of revisiting planes here makes me feel this is more conjecture.

That said, the Kamigawa one is the most likely to be legit. Several domains were registered with Kamigawa in the name, and there was a public survey that even showed off some Japanese-themed concept art.

Possible New Magic Set Name Uncovered

Domain name for Kamigawa: Neon Dynasty created on Monday.

articles.starcitygames.com

Anyway, a Kamigawa setting for D&D could actually be in the cards there. I still find the Rabiah scale useful, as it at least gives insight to Mark Rosewater's thought process, but he doesn't represent the entirety of MtG development.

 

[LuisCarlos17f]

A cyberpunk Kamigawa? That is a serious surprise, but also we are talking about civilitation what could create new "genecodes" or lineages. Also a it would allow a crossover with other franchises set in the modern age, for example transformers, but also the characters from Little Pet Shops as "holographic avatars" of AIs.

WotC knows what worlds are more popular with the cards have been sold, or resold for collectors.

My bet is for Innistrad because Ravenloft is going to be published soon, and maybe it is the best moment. Dominaria could offer a future event about a "multiverse crisis" allowing potential crossovers with other franchises, someone of them only little easter eggs.

I would like Ixalan but only if there are a group of no-vampire good guys wearing morrions. I don't like the idea of only coolest bad boys can wear morrions.