The pendulum swings, but make no mistake, its resting state is not the center.
Every set needs to introduce new mechanics to entice players, even if it offers a new gameplay experience by remixing existing mechanics; that's [one of] the biggest reason[s] the core sets were so unpopular for so long. But how many new mechanics does a set need? 1? 3? 5+?
Kaladesh's success demonstrates 3 is one ideal.