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Dec 3, 2012 -- 4:49AM, Guest1160225973 wrote:

So, then we can assume that the next block will be Tribal? And, we won't get an original block theme again for a few years since Innistrad was last year? This article really showed me that R&D will only give us something truly new every 3 or 4 years. Kind of unfortunate. I'm already tired of the Tribal/Multicolor/Artifacts block cycle.

Not really.  Either last year or the year before last, MaRo defined the change in Magic design ushered in by the 'Seven Year Plan.'  Essentially, they are now designing around theme rather than mechanics.  Because of that, we won't necessarily have a 'tribal block' or a 'multi-color' block in the traditional sense.  Rather, they will examine the theme they are presenting (horror on Innistrad, return of the guilds in RtR), and see what mechanics are appropriate.  In the case of these two, a minor tribal mechanic was used in Innistrad, while a major multi-color mechanic was used in Ravnica.  However, they have stated they are not afraid to change the usage of particular mechanics if it fits the block theme.  That's the whole point of the new plan.

Also, we will likely never see a block again that has NO recurring mechanic.  As was established during Zendikar, they like having at least one returning mechanic in each set.  It is intended to provide something for returning players to feel nostalgic about, as well as save design space for future sets and expand upon underutilized mechanics of the past.

TLDR: You're probably going to see returning mechanics, but that doesn't necessarily mean they're denying space for the new, it just means they fit into the existing block theme.