Slivers artwork: PR stunt, or something more sinister?
Lore forum
Posted on July 13, 2013, 1:37 a.m. by Goody
Alright so Epochalyptik said we should make a thread about this, so I did
In all seriousness, we've all seen the difference between M14 slivers and ye olden slivers, and some people are annoyed by it, while most are plain pissed off. I don't believe Wizards has officially given any lore-related reasons for the art change, but basically, slivers look much more humanoid.
This could be a way to make the game more friendly to new/young players, as they would identify more with human shapes than snakes. It could also just be to add another artistic dimension to slivers, as after all, snakes are snakes are snakes on a plane. I was wondering, however, if this couldn't have some sort of ulterior cause behind it, something actually story-based, or that at least Wizards will come up with something flavorful to justify the random artwork change.
My theory would be that the slivers, as an evolving, sentient hive mind, have perceived humans as poweful enemies that perhaps have some physical advantages over their rather snakey forms. Sliver evolution being what it is, it didn't take long for slivers to start taking on some of those physical traits, shaping them into more humanoid creatures, adapting to their current enemies.
Epochalyptik says... #3
Credit to Durdling Around and ManaDeprived.
It's all a Simic conspiracy. Remember Experiment One ?
July 13, 2013 1:44 a.m.
Oooohhhh... I get it now...
This was all just a plot to give Epoch an excuse to post that comic
July 13, 2013 2:21 a.m.
Ugggghhh the new sliver artwork hurts my soul. They look like AVP ripoffs now.
The old tempest/legions/time spiral slivers had such a unique look to them. They felt truly alien and hive-mindy.
Wizards' official reasoning for the new artwork is that the design space has been exhausted, so they're exploring other avenues for sliver art. At the same time, they wanted slivers to resonate more with the audience, so they made them humanoid.
But the theory that slivers adapted a human shape because they perceived humanoids as a threat and potential strength to be assimilated is really really cool, and especially fits into the theme of slivers (kind of like the Borg from Star Trek). I would like to see slivers that eventually look so human they're essentially clones that steal abilities from other races for use by the hive.
July 13, 2013 2:22 a.m.
Krayhaft your last comment about humanoid Slivers made me think of the Cylons of Battlestar Galatica! LOL Clones who don't know they are clones, stealing abilities, not able to tell them apart xD Its amazing.
As for my humble opinion why they changed the Slivers from their old insectoid/alien hive-y look to their present form,,,simple it's evolution as Dr. Malcolm famously stated once - "Life finds a way." That or the Simic Combine got ahold of some Sliver DNA and made these things you never know. I really like that their abilities are local this time not global, now the new artwork is painful to the eyes as I loved the old slivers, even so far as to trn my Premium deck into an EDH deck lol
Side Note - What I REALLY don't like is putting that ugly Gaga witch hag's quote on my beloved Darksteel Forge ! I started out in Mirrodin and to see this Phyrexian vermin really irks me to no end. I can't believe that Wizards really wanted to bring the Phyrexians back....
July 13, 2013 2:31 a.m.
+1 to penguin boy. Elesh Norn, Grand Cenobite
is such a well designed character, at least art wise. Her art is both badass and creepy at the same time.
Flawless porcelain skin? Check.
Sassy confidant strut? Check.
Exposed internal organs oozing blood? Check.
Personally I wish wizards had more time to explore the natures of the five praetors. It feels like they were slapped on and left alone after.
OT though, DukeNicky I had thought about the cylons too actually, where they get to the point of being so human that they basically are human, but can't because of their cylon nature. That was such a big plot arc in BSG.
July 13, 2013 2:45 a.m.
Schuesseled says... #11
Calm down Steve, you're not a monster, you're the future.
the ugly future, heheheh
July 13, 2013 6:07 a.m.
Golden_Ladybug says... #12
I think its interesting enough; I can't claim to have been around for the last iteration of Slivers, so I'm much less invested in them, but I like the idea that the Slivers didn't adopt a more humanoid form at all.
I think a much more interesting idea is that these Slivers are "newer" than the Slivers we'd seen previously. They haven't yet reached the forms possessed by their inter-planar brethren, but they're getting there.
July 13, 2013 9:37 a.m.
It's actually unclear where the new slivers came from, but it looks like they were transported to Shandalar by ... something. There's a Uncharted Realms story about it which shows that they arrived, then evolved into their current form. There is also an ancient fossilized old sliver that is bigger than a dragon. (Another Sliver Queen , perhaps?).
Personally, I suspect that their is an ulterior motive to making humanoid slivers: they want a Sliver Planeswalker, and they don't want to make another non-humanoid like Bolas.
But that may just be my wishful thinking :P.
July 13, 2013 2:38 p.m.
Omnix, the Thousand Voices WUBRG
+1: Look at the top five cards of your library. You may reveal any number of sliver cards from among them and put the revealed cards into your hand. Put the rest on the bottom of your library in any order.
-3: Destroy target creature. Put X 1/1 colorless Sliver creature tokens onto the battlefield, where X is that creature's converted mana cost.
-6: You get an emblem that says, "Each sliver you control has "each sliver gets +1/+1 for each sliver creature on the battlefield""
"Unbound by the limits of the planes, the Hive seeks now to spread its progeny across the multiverse"
4
July 13, 2013 5:11 p.m.
Also, let's talk about how slivers:
are naturally born
have shown some form of sentience (a la Sliver Queen and Sliver Legion ).
These fit the two criteria for a being becoming a planeswalker, so it's possible for a sliver to have a spark.
July 13, 2013 5:14 p.m.
They also have magic (a mage sliver shows up in DOtP 2014, and it mentions they have just learned magic).
Jay says... #2
To me they look more... phyrexian
July 13, 2013 1:43 a.m.