The Dangerous Worlds Of Magic: The Gathering

[@casketbase7750]

We can theorize all day about potential dangers, but *Amonkhet* has hard numbers: in official lore, a dozen people died for every one that escaped with Hazoret during Hour of Devastation. That’s a 93% fatality rate.

[@TransformersBoss]

Even the Gods have a 62.5% fatality rate

[@fiddlewheelx]

Not only that, but Amonkhet doesn't actively try to kill you, it is just one giant wasteland of endless sands with just sundried zombies walking around. It's just inhospitable and nothing else.

[@Dracinard]

@@TransformersBoss 87.5%, I think. I don't think the Scarab and Locust Gods were truly alive by the time of the Hours.

[@thatepicwizardguy]

Nicol Bolas literally could have made basically any place the most dangerous place. If you want to talk about which place in and of itself is the most dangerous then amonkhet aint it

[@michaelroywright9975]

The big force field (heckma?) Is gone too. Not only did it protect the people from the weather/ sands, it also kept out the monsters of the wastelands some of which were larger than the gods.

[@yiangaruga4928]

"This is Innistrad, where light only exists to cast a shadow" -Liliana

[@jacob4920]

The Batman would be totally at home on Innistrad...

[@lilithhenderson]

God, i remember hearing that line in the trailer for the first time. It was so fucking goooooood.

[@JacobBos1988]

Old Phyrexia was so dangerous even oldwalkers could not stay there for long.

[@atalhlla]

Even Urza sealed himself within a self described walking crypt

[@andycoolguy1]

Yeah, if old Phyrexia was still around it would without a doubt be #1

[@XxRupturexX]

Yeah watching this I kept thinking Phyrexia was gonna be number one. Then it wasnt even mentioned. Garbage list...

[@totallycarbon2106]

@@XxRupturexX well unless you are a planeswalker with a time machine you can't visit it

[@raonair]

@@XxRupturexX it literally was though? There was even the fucking diagram showing all the layers.

[@ZamRosario]

Dominaria the most dangerous plane, now THATS a hot take, its far more possible to eek out a normal existence on Dominaria than it is on Amonkhet or New Phyrexia or Grixis (even though it kinda doesnt count) I think we should consider totality of Antithesis to Letting You Be Alive as the key factor and Dominaria has lots of cataclysms but also plenty of relative normalcy.

[@Dracinard]

I think the issue is we've spent so much time on Dominaria that of course we've seen more crises there than on any other plane.

[@fercanche2279]

It Is much more safer now that that psychopath Urza is no more.

[@TheRedKnightOfPain]

Its probably a bit of a confirmation bias for Dominaria, but of the planes we've seen the most of, we know Zendikar has had 2 major incidents with the Eldrazi and 1 with Nahiri, Innistrad had the trivails and the celestus resetting the moon is more of a regular occurance, and Ravnica had 2 incidents right after the disolution of the original guild pact and the events of War of the Spark. However, one could argue that some these major calamities are the propigating aftershocks of the mending or detonation of the Silex or forced overlay of Rath onto Dominaria

[@iamasalad9080]

3

[@MusicalBoarder]

Idk. Dominaria gave rise to 3 of the worst beings in the multiverse. Urza, yawgmoth, and bolas. Yawg and bolas are obvious, but urza getting all high and mighty and causing the brother's war, messing with time, all that lead to a lot of death that wasnt centered on just that plane. His machinations have spread across the multiverse like a ripple in a pond. And with phyrexia continually trying to go back there, i would rather be on like kaladesh or shandalar.

[@LordofBroccoli]

Can't agree with Dominaria being number 1. It's faaaar likelier to eek out a safe life there than it would be on New Phyrexia, or Innistrad, or Amonkhet, or Grixis.

[@anthonydelfino6171]

to be fair, Grixis isn't a plane, it's part of the larger world of Alara wherein one would have a relatively safe and normal life in another part of the world, such as Bant. Otherwise it would be like saying that Theros would be a hard dangerous to live because of the undead city of Asphodel, or Skophos where Mogis, God of Slaughter is worshiped.

[@timbombadil4046]

Dominaria isn’t more dangerous, it’s just more visited. We just aren’t aware of what has happened on other planes.

[@Crunchatize_Me_Senpai]

@@anthonydelfino6171 You could call Grixis its own world, though. Not its own plane, but its own world. At one point, anyways. It had no contact with the other shards, and next to no one in any of the shards knew the others existed, so it was effectively isolated. Jund is also pretty bad. I’m sure no one has ever lived to old age on Jund, either.

[@anthonydelfino6171]

@@Crunchatize_Me_Senpai I'm aware that this part of the world would be incredibly dangerous and that the world was, at one point, sundered. But at this point, you can't just take the shards in isolation of each other as Alara has been made whole.

[@Crunchatize_Me_Senpai]

@@anthonydelfino6171 True, it’s not its own world anymore. Although Grixis and Jund now have the most dominant presence in Alara, so I’d say Alara is currently still a more dangerous plane than Dominaria. Plus Progenitus is roaming around, Esper is probably causing trouble wherever they think they can find Etherium, and Bant, the most significant bastion of hope, is on its last few breaths. If Prof is going by current state of the planes, which he seems to be doing, Dominaria probably shouldn’t be on this list at all, really.

[@MadcookieBG]

I'd go for pre-Conflux Grixis, based solely on a quote from Kess, Dissident Mage: *"Loss has no meaning here. You cannot take from those who have nothing"*

[@otopugpug]

Really missing the inclusion of Grixis. According to the flavor text on Infectious Horror, not once in the history of Grixis has anyone ever died of old age. It's THAT bad.

[@pyroxx462]

Grixis doesn't exist anymore, but if it did it should have been included. Much like old phyrexia and rath.

[@thesilentkiller306]

Freyalise at 14:30 having her card tapped as an Elf Planeswalker makes complete sense to me

[@Billchu13]

Kaladesh has excellent safety features for their vehicles

[@Vile_Vilhelm]

I gotta say, I really love these lore videos. While some channels may cover lore, those channels tend to be monotone in delivery and spouting facts off a check list. It your channel that brings some life to the delivery that help make the story more alive.

[@crazymembrane]

No mention of the Homelands, Ulgrotha, the place where the Apocalypse chime was struck, leaving a dead zone that strips away mana from those that visit it? It is also the former home of Baron Sengir, a honorable mention on the villain list.

[@hyoroemongaming569]

*grandma Sengir 👵 The disrespect

[@AsterDXZ]

While Dominaria has a lot of cataclysmic events, it's also the plane we've been to the most, we know more of the history of what happened as opposed to other planes. We know the most about the people who live there, the people who are from there. The general population in Dominaria live in relative normalcy. It's like saying Metropolis is the most dangerous place in the DC Universe because that's Superman and Lex Luthor's stomping grounds

[@JacobBos1988]

Rath also seems like a honorable mention. You're either a slave for the Evincar or a rebel. The only real city was under the control of the evincar. The rest of the world is Flowstone and forests filled with flesh hungry monsters and slivers. Slivers are also home to this plane. Also the merfolk eat humans snd elves.

[@cooper10182]

I think Rath isn't a plane anymore. Pretty sure it was melded with Dominaria during the invasion and overlay that caused the apocalypse before the rift crisis

[@jacob4920]

Also, Rath gave us the Slivers! I will never forgive that cursed set for these abominations of Magic!! JC is right, though. Rath was merged with Dominaria, and thus no longer exists as a standalone Plane. For that reason, it cannot be on this list at all, without mentioning Dominaria.

[@morior]

Thanks for always fueling my need for Magic the Gathering lore and information right when I need it.

[@DaelinD]

I can see the arguments in naming Dominaria the most dangerous. Certainly, most of MTG's story and thus most of the bad things have happened on Dominaria. I still think there are numerous other planes that are more _scary_ than Dominaria. But it still has nations, places with good leaders, and many heroes. It has a highly diverse population where anyone can find a place to call home. There's life, there are laws. And sure, every once in a while there is a cataclysmic event that threatens to destroy the world. But I personally vote for Amonkhet, post Devastation. Literally nothing but lifeless desert inhabited by zombies and demons and monsters. No bastion of civilization, no true population to work together, no safe place, no hope of recovery. The apocalypse has literally already happened here. Amonkhet is a true hellscape.

[@Dracinard]

Hell, whenever you go to Amonkhet you're not going to have a good time, at least after Nicol Bolas has had his way. Initially you've got a brainwashed populace dedicating every day to fighting, where the strong die young and the weak die younger. Then if you turn up for the actual Hours, you have the pleasure of trying to survive against a rampaging army of the plane's strongest fighters, 3 nigh unkillable Gods and Nicol motherfucking Bolas. Then it's just an endless desert full of zombies, sandworms and zombie sandworms. I'm not sure it's *worse* than New Phyrexia, excluding the Hours, but it's damn close.

[@Greg501-]

Innistrad won't even be a candidate "soon" because Emrakul will have annihilated it

[@jacob4920]

@@Greg501- In "Eldrazi Years," though, "soon" could also mean a thousand years from now. Emrakul VOLUNTARILY imprisoned herself in the Silver Moon, because she explicitly told Jace that "Innistrad was not ready" to be devoured. It takes entire millennia for planes to erode to the point that the Eldrazi are required to devour it, and turn it to dust. The only reason they even attacked Zendikar, originally, was because Nahiri, Sorin, and Ugin "summoned" them there, to imprison them.

[@opinionofmine3238]

I may be misremembering, but didn't Hazoret take the last survivors with her? I imagine they have some degree of protection even if its not a great life.

[@jacob4920]

@@opinionofmine3238 That is correct. Hazoret did take survivors. She is the only living God on Amonkhet, and she is guiding the last living souls of that Plane. They're not in the original city anymore, they're trying to rebuild another city out in the desert. So it's rough going for at least a few more years.

[@johndoriansmith]

Seeing Tarkir on this list makes me hope that we return there someday. Maybe the dragonstorms that populated the plane with terrors of the sky stops as a result of Ugin no longer being present, allowing the non-dragons of the plane to fight against their draconian draconic oppressors and take back the plane for themselves. I'd just love to see the clans of Tarkir again, it was the one true time we saw Wedge-colored factions fully realized, as even though wedge-color themes were explored in Ikoria and Apocolypse, neither gave us as rich of 3-color factions as Khans of Tarkir did.

[@nathanl8622]

It's a popular plane so it'll probably happen eventually. I think it'd be cool if the clans came back and shifted their focus onto their newly-regained enemy colors. I love the clans but it's always bugged me that they're all centered on the wrong colors.

[@johndoriansmith]

@@nathanl8622 Agreed, it'd be neat to see the abzan as defined by their black color identity, for instance

[@ryanbarham8464]

I'm surprised that Alara isn't on this list. A Conflux that mashed five planes together is doubtless a dangerous situation to be in, not to mention that now said planes are locked in a perpetual war even more ruinous than the one on Tarkir.

[@yoav.kats6328]

I love those lore list video. can you do one on the most powerful non-planeswalkers beings in the multiverse?

[@weggles]

You should check out Magic Arcanum, they does great lore videos too :)

[@StameTheLegend]

You are amazing! I’m just getting back into magic and I’ve been focusing on the older magic cards! Thanks for posting amazing videos! When I was 18 I used to watch your videos and go play with friends at my lgs but sadly it had closed down not to long after opening. Now I’m 26 and coming back. So thank you for still being here!

[@poketech7192]

I'm super excited for new phyrexia to appear in the new story ark!

[@treyconover4107]

I really enjoy your videos like these. They're a lot of fun and different from most mtg content, but the way your history with the game relative to newer channels shows and stands out, it adds an extra layer to them.

[@danielbretado7660]

The plane of Wildfire might as well be a sun. Expansion wise, Grixis (Alara) or any plane with a phyrexian presence.

[@jacob4920]

An increasing number of planes are experiencing a "new" phyrexian presence lately...

[@davidgill9463]

Anyone who’s played Planechase knows Wildfire is the most dangerous plane.

[@aleqi200]

What a twist to see Dominaria as the most dangerous place but it clearly makes sense. Great list Professor.

[@shad0wtemplar]

I'd say Grixis (pre-conflux). Hell multiplied by a hundred

[@burnsmtg7473]

The lore behind the planes in Magic is INSANE, loved this video!

[@grungington]

Elevator pitch for a future story: A group of Planeswalkers who want to completely destroy Dominara because they see it as a source of evil in the multiverse and it's existence as a threat to everything else.

[@compleated1]

Great video. I was literally doing this concept for a school project, so I guess I have more of an idea what planes to use now.

[@Ominous39061]

As a newer Magic player I really enjoy and appreciate these lore/history videos. Please keep making them!

[@ChiefLibrarianAhriman]

Yeah I mean Dominaria was the only one where your one hope for survival from the phyrexian horrors was a deeply amoral and crazed eugenicist who had no problem with blowing up entire continents. However, (pushes up glasses) prof is actually incorrect to state that dominaria was never conquered by elder dragons, as there was an era where the elder dragons (Nicol Bolas' siblings) did rule over the plane.

[@robear4399]

Really enjoy these more lore focused videos, I started playing in the first Theros set and so much had already happened in the lore by then that it was really difficult to get my bearings. Its so cool to realize that some of these cards ive been putting in decks for 9+ years are actually some really major events and objects from the stories of the game

[@KokomoJoe7777]

Love this video. The introduction was great. It made me feel like an actual planeswalker learning where to travel.

[@nickpflug9429]

These videos make my Vorthos heart pleased. Gameplay + Lore + Product reviews? Damn, Prof doing it all now.

[@ncuco]

These story telling moments are, for me, the best videos the professor makes [BUT we aren't all new players]

[@impishrunt]

Fantastic narration. This sort of video feels unlike any other mtg content and it is by far my favourite.

[@a.v.1955]

As a newer player I really enjoy these videos of lore and history. It really helps to understand the story which is one of the main reasons I enjoy playing MTG vs other TCG.

[@ShardNetwork]

Grixis isn't a full plane of its own, but I figured it would deserve a mention at least. Dominaria has potential danger, but it's not the most dangerous. It's a powderkeg, not actively reaching for your throat every day.

[@LordDuddy77]

im gonna say Amonkeht or New Phyrexia...cant imagine a much more dangerous plane

[@username4835]

Yup. I agree with you (in that order). Prof’s claim of Dominaria as the most dangerous is hard to agree with. Sure it’s had the most calamities, but it doesn’t have an event where

[@lulzimi]

OG Phyrexia > New Phyrexia though

[@xeros1613]

yeah but og phyrexia doesn't exist anymore

[@godofzombi]

Not once in the history of Grixis has anyone died of old age.- Infectious Horror

[@aftonlagrandeur5777]

Your videos prof are the only exposure I’ve had to mtg lore and it has been very interesting. Thank you and keep doing what you’re doing ❤️

[@MattConstante]

the planes of mtg are so interesting, it's funny to start reading a wiki about a character out of curiosity and end up in hours of research about the details of the places these characters are inserted in

[@pytawidmo]

I'd love to see a Immersturm/Valla mention here, even though officially it was merged into Kaldheim, it still is likely one of the least pleasant places in the multiverse, at least for humans.

[@laurencebrown3822]

Solid choices all. If I was to suggest an addition, it would be Zendikar. An ever changing landscape, devastated by the wrath of Eldrazi hordes, where even ancient places of power can still house potent and lethal traps to slay the unwary. (Also, props to the Prof for not only living on the most dangerous plane, but working as a teacher there, one of the most dangerous jobs there is.)

[@lordrumble7028]

Thanks for a great lore video Prof! I've recently returned to the world of MTG and I didn't realize how thirsty I was for videos such as this

[@ILSquirtles23]

You keep knocking it out of the park with these lore vids, Prof!

[@MrJustintreat]

Great vid. I always enjoy the lore episodes, and the way you presented it, as if to a new Planeswalker, brilliant

[@aerynmusick4548]

I love this kind of content. Give me epic, sweeping lore overviews!

[@redemption101caleb]

Man. This must have been so much work. You have my respect, sir.

[@dawnscar7400]

Wow...shivers! Though in my opinion new Phyrexia is the most dangerous Plane to be on, since the Power of Good has been wiped out compleatedly :). In Dominaria, there is still a balance between the two sides.

[@tipulsar85]

Video: "Don't go to Dominaria, it's likely to fall apart soon." My Planeswalkers: "No, we're more concerned with the Praetors' plans. Thank you. At least we might have a way around the maddening effects of Glistening Oil that causes Phyresis soon."

[@wargrund9473]

Love this type of content. I don't know much about the history or story behind MTG and this is a great way to dig into it a bit!

[@ThedarklordSauron96]

It's very nice to see Urza talking about the multiverse

[@waaaaaaah5135]

Please do more lore videos! I really enjoy your narrations!

[@TheGrifcannon22]

I love these videos that delve into the lore of MtG.

[@mungofett5764]

I wasn't planning on watching the whole video as I wanted to fire up a game of Stellaris. However, your writing hooked me and I enjoyed every second of it. Amazing vid, hope to see more

[@angelojohnson9441]

John Avon’s Aura Flux is my long time favorite card art. Thank you for showing it off to others. You made such a good argument for Amonkhet when I hadn’t considered it that I sort of think it should have been higher on the list.

[@TheEdosama]

Great video. I would love to see more MTG lore videos in your channel !!

[@macmusial3644]

Assuming that this is from the perspective of someone giving a new Planeswalker advice, the fact that Dominaria has a rough history and is likely going to be in the Phyrexian crosshair soon still doesn't make it a worse place to visit than actual New Phyrexia. I think I would rather visit Dominaria than any other plane on the list if safety is the only concern, there's no way that you're going to be safer taking a week to visit Innistrad or Muraganda than you are going to Dominaria, unless you're already a vampire or dinosaur knight or something.

[@kyuuketsuke86]

Fantastic storytelling, Prof!

[@meta4thoughts]

I don't comment as much as I should, but there's a dirth of videos like this, and this was both enjoyable as a player and inspirational as a writer.

[@robertmcsantos7647]

Great video. Would love to see a follow up with the safest planes in the multiverse. Arcavios, Kylem, and Kaladesh would probably be among them? Maybe Lorwyn too, as the Elves seem to be the only aggressively malicious people there?

[@nathanl8622]

Lorwyn on its own maybe, but Shadowmoor drags it down. I'd say Arcavios, Kylem, Kaladesh, and modern Kamigawa. Maybe Ravnica? The original block portrayed it as an urban nightmare but it's gotten a lot less grim in subsequent visits.

[@Greenhorn.]

The old lore is a big part of what got me into magic

[@joelowdon1615]

Surely the most dangerous plane in Magic is our own plane in the 41st Millennium.

[@timoglevie2426]

This was one of my favorite story driven posts!

[@EmperorsTeeth]

First plane that comes to mind when this topic comes up, is Wildfire. I mean, it's all lava and on fire! Better hope you 'walk onto one of the rock islands! ...might be a safe place to hide from Phyrexia, though. They tend not to do well with fire.

[@anactualanimal]

omg i love it when the professor does lore videos

[@connormohs6046]

I can’t wait to have a Muraganda set. Huge Dino fan, gonna get some great support!

[@redbirdriot]

I love these lore videos so much. And as to the Dominaria debate, if you're traveling the multiverse, which would you rather go to - a plane where you know exactly what to expect, even if it's terrible (ala Innistrad), or a plane where you have no idea if you'll be entering in a time of relative peace or in the middle of a cataclysm?

[@coreysierchio4650]

I only noticed the "story" in Never//Return from this video. *Thanks for the Content* !

[@kurtofan]

Before watching the video, id go with new phyrexia or grixis (pre-mending), nasty places.

[@AutumnReel4444]

This

[@MrShawnshall]

Thanks prof. For the class , can't wait for your next "prof's class" episode

[@ALEXUCHIHA1993]

Sooooooooooooooo good! Thanks for your dedication and hard work, Prof!

[@matteorebeschi6824]

Gotta love the Professor's lore videos!

[@theinvisiblegentleman1142]

Before watching this, my gut answer is innistrad or ahmonket. Innistrad is literally crawling with werewolves and vampires. And even without taking the creatures and people of Ahmonket into account, it's a giant hostile dessert. Edit: I forgot phyrexia is an actual plane.

[@Crunchatize_Me_Senpai]

“Hostile dessert” 😂

[@ulifernando]

Hey Professor, amazing video! Why Freyalise's card was shown sideways?

[@badatmagic5042]

With plainswalkers lifespan and the rate their awakening I’m surprised there’s not a plainswalker hub made up of mostly plainswalkers

[@TransformersBoss]

Now that you’ve said that, MaRo has come up with a terrible set idea: on the plane of Planeswalkeria, the Capitol city, called Planeswalker City, has problems! And the Gatewatch has to help! All the nonland permanent cards are Planeswalkers except for Sheoldred, the Corruptor.

[@kriptonite981]

Isnt Ravnica starting to become that?

[@alexandredesbiens-brassard9109]

I have a tabletop rpg campaign set in a version of MtG setting set 200 years from current events (so that I'm free to do what I want and use the canon only when needed) and that's what I've done with the Gatewatch - gave them a demiplane with their HQ on there, similar to the JLA satellite.

[@eduardoschultz6807]

What a great teaching Professor 👏🏼

[@CyberBuster93]

I love videos like these!!!! Keep up the great work Prof!

[@criscofields7242]

Beautifully put.

[@jellysandjamz250]

That opening made me so happy.

[@joncheek2413]

I like content where he's not complaining the whole time, so much better

[@hemlockbrews]

I forgot about Karona the False God so my head snapped up from mini painting when Prof went " and the birth of Karona" thinking he was talking about Corona

[@danielmurta5652]

Well, by your own standards of living in normalcy, having Dominaria as the first one really doesn't stick to me. I would still very much rather live in Dominaria than most of the other planes you've mentioned here. Great video and fun list, nonetheless!

[@nathanl8622]

Dominaria's weird because there's so much variance to it. Nowadays it's probably one of the best places to live, but back in the ice age or time crisis it'd be one of the worst. I'd still take it over New Phyrexia regardless of what apocalypse it's currently embroiled in, though.

[@TokenBG]

Love these kinds of vids. I have always been a huge fan of MTG's lore. It's why I'm even here in the first place.

[@darkmystic7764]

Amonketh isnt completly dead, theres the great caravan led by Basri Ket and Hazoreth.

[@D2RCR]

That’s true, but since Bolas destroyed Naktamun, there is no organized civilization left on Amonkhet.

[@jaawa31]

What an awesome video, one of your best yet Prof! I absolutely loved it

[@shiXlongXlang]

REALLY feel like Alara deserved a spot on this list. Post-Conflux Alara is said to be a war-torn wasteland that very nearly was completely destroyed, with bolts of wild magic crashing across the old planar boundaries. Not to mention the roaring maelstrom at the center of the plane

[@wesleycaones9621]

Great series Prof. keep it up

[@IzzRei]

I dunno about dominaira being the most dangerous place for a walker. Sure it’s a super important place and things have happened there in the past, but it seems like a chill place otherwise.

[@TopsideCrisis346]

Alright, how about a list of the most exciting planes!? I'm sure Shandalar would be on there somewhere. 😎

[@Hot_Dice]

Chef’s kiss prof! Love it!

[@jakethewolfie119]

I would suspect any plane with eldrazi on them would be highly dangerous

[@garethNP]

'The birth of Karona' gives much alternate context in this day and age

[@JohnnyYeTaecanUktena]

Those poor Slivers though at least it gave Rise to Sliver Overlord the End of Evolution

[@LeggyLegends]

bolas's mediation plane was pretty chill tho

[@martinfitzsimons5884]

This was hypnotic. Thank you 🙏

[@hectormorales4090]

Bravo Professor. Delightful.

[@3lg3r4ld6]

No. 1 could also be the original plane of Phyrexia with his 9 spheres and all. If that isn't hell, i don't know what it is?

[@dillongordon7873]

Love the lore videos. Thanks Prof.

[@ZakanaHachihaCBC]

Dominaria hasn’t been the nexus of the multiverse since The Great amending occurred. And honestly I’d rank Amonkhet as a more dangerous world to live in.

[@TheNinjaCrab]

I think we all know the most dangerous plane in the multiverse. It's one they've never had a set for, but we know of it's existence thanks to a planeswalker named El Minster. Legend says he meets regularly in a friend's home on a plane called... Earth.

[@RisottoNero-z1w]

Amazing video as always