Monsters of Chikyu

Monsters of Chikyu is the 12th expansion in the Cajuniverse. It was released on June 1, 2020. It is the first set of the Chikyu block (with Chikyu: Chaos Rains).

Monsters of Chikyu is a Pokemon fanset but is not a Universes Beyond or similar "noncanon" set. Rather, it reimagines the universe of Pokemon to fit into the Magic Multiverse, much the same way that a set like Theros reimagines Greek mythology.

Set Details
Monsters of Chikyu contains 251 cards (97 commons, 84 uncommons, 70 rares).

Monsters of Chikyu introduced the following mechanics:

Harness (You may tap a creature you control as you cast this spell. If you do, reduce this spell’s mana cost by that creature’s power.)

Vanguard — Whenever a creature you control attacks alone, [effect].

Monsters of Chikyu also returned the following mechanics:

Experience (Whenever this creature attacks, if it has fewer than three +1/+1 counters on it, put a +1/+1 counter on it.)

phases out (Treat it and anything attached to it as though they don’t exist until its controller’s next turn.)

Set Introduction
"Hello there, young planeswalker, and welcome to the world of Chikyu. My name is Maple, or Professor Maple if you're feeling formal. This world is overrun with creatures, monsters, whatever you want to call them. Some of them are rather nice, you'll find the ones between the villages to be rather curious and eager to meet you, if a bit competitive, and the ones you'll be seeing in this lab are practically tame. Unfortunately, they are the exception."

"Don't stray any further from the villages than the crows do. Beyond that, in the Wilderness, live the true monsters. Very powerful, and very territorial. People train for years to have the skills necessary to survive out there, and sometimes, even that is not enough."

"While going out to make contact with other villages out there is a noble goal, it is by no means a mandatory one. No one will think any less of you if you do not wish to endanger yourself and your loyal monsters."

"But ultimately, someone has to do it."

Storyline
The 7CI Division of Exploration has recently made first contact with the world of Chikyu, a plane full of magical monsters that drive the human population into scattered and isolated populations across the plane. Despite the ferocity that many of them exhibit, the people of Chikyu are able to bond and work together with some of these monsters, and together they try to create a safe haven among the chaos.

DivEx Trainee Karina Oblay is brought to the plane as part of her general survival training and to get secondhand experience on an active first contact event for the 7CI. She is further tasked by the local Professor Maple to experience the world of Chikyu not as the suits and adults of the 7CI do, but as a native child her age would, being entrusted with a tamed monster to begin her journey.

While Karina is shown the softer side of Chikyu, its harsher side is still in motion. Ema, a traveler from the across the sea, arrives in Tohjo, looking to make her own first contact between civilizations of Chikyu. Her efforts are interrupted by the Rocket Gang, who attempt to abduct her and her foreign monsters to control any knowledge and movement of this unheard of civilization. She and her team of monsters fight back, but are woefully outnumbered. When Ema attempts to surrender before the fight turns bloody, Sanaito ignores the order and sparks, flinging her into the Multiverse and allowing the rest to be captured. In time, she finds her way back to Chikyu, and begins to search for where Ema has been taken.

The 7CI's involvement has also caught the attention of Lucien Manji, who thrives in both the challenge the monsters of Chikyu provide, and the endless array of new and powerful creatures to make a meal of. Lucien makes a name for himself by competing in Chikyu's highly maligned death-match league, fighting the monsters on his own rather than with another monster. After the Rocket Gang attempts to get revenge for the number of their monsters he has killed, he finally relents and brings out his "monster," letting Bessie loose on the Rocket compound.

Marketing


Monsters of Chikyu Advert card and Booster Pack (Images by Lord-Phillock and Kori Arredondo).

Promos

 * Monster Mashup, a Secret Lair by Cajun of Monsters of Chikyu cards flavored in the theme of other planes.
 * I Choose You, a Secret Lair by Queen Emily of Monsters of Chikyu cards using original Pokemon TCG art.

Themes and mechanics
Monsters of Chikyu sought to capture the feeling of Pokemon mechanics while staying within the framework of normal Magic mechanics.
 * Sending in one creature at a time was encourage with the Vanguard mechanic.
 * Spells were flavored as being cast by your creatures as much as yourself with the Harness mechanic.
 * Leveling up was represented by the Experience mechanic.
 * Evolving was represented by transforming double faced cards, often using Experience as their transform condition.
 * "Switching out" was represented by phasing, allowing creatures to remain transformed unlike flicker.
 * Creature tokens are extremely rare, with the only commonly produced one being a 1/1 Insect.

Limited Archetypes

 * Vanguard control
 * Graveyard value
 * All-in aggro
 * Flash/haste tribal
 * Experience
 * Life synergy
 * Harness
 * Insect tribal
 * Vanguard aggro
 * Self-bounce

Notable Cards

 * Skill Link, the and final card of the Spilling Secrets megacycle started in Ophorio (set).
 * Brutality, a entry into the Villainy megacycle started in Storytime.