Well, maybe not theGuildmages, but some mechanical equivalent - just look at that art:
A black Grixis spellcaster with red and blue spells and a probably blue Esper wizardress wielding black and white magic - looks like they belong to a cycle!
And what better way to show the structure of a Shard than having a main color creature with activated abilities from both secondary colors?
Or maybe a single ability that uses both colors, though the chances of that aren't that high. Hybrid would be cool, but there are no hints for it, so new Guildmage seem likely - they were an elegant design and would work both for Alara's color scheme and for interblock-synergy (two-colored decks).
No, I haven't read any of the art-batch threads; feel free to tell me, if this isn't new speculation.
greetings
Z
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Although ninjas are experts of camouflage and concealment, they are actually horrible liars. This means that no matter where you are, you can shout out, “Are there any ninjas here?” and if there’s a ninja within earshot, he’ll be compelled to respond.
As much as I'd love a return of the guildmages, I'm gonna have to say I agree with the sentiments that the Grixis looking guy is probably using red and black magic, as opposed to red and blue; especially with Doug Beyer having recently brought up with that letter how alot of artists use purple to make black glowy.
I'm totally hoping to be proven wrong, though. Maybe there are guildmages, but we only have the Esper one, and the other's just some random Grixis guy.
Well, maybe not theGuildmages, but some mechanical equivalent - just look at that art:
A black Grixis spellcaster with red and blue spells and a probably blue Esper wizardress wielding black and white magic - looks like they belong to a cycle!
And what better way to show the structure of a Shard than having a main color creature with activated abilities from both secondary colors?
Or maybe a single ability that uses both colors, though the chances of that aren't that high. Hybrid would be cool, but there are no hints for it, so new Guildmage seem likely - they were an elegant design and would work both for Alara's color scheme and for interblock-synergy (two-colored decks).
No, I haven't read any of the art-batch threads; feel free to tell me, if this isn't new speculation.
I am going with ZasZ234 on this one. I think its a RU guy and a WB guy from there respective planes.
The first one looked like me MIGHT be a B guy casting U and R magic, but the second one definitely looks like a W/ guy casting W and B magic. But its hard to speculate color just looking at art.
It might be like eveningtide's theme.
They do look very reminiscent of the guild mages.
The Esper mage actually appears to be casting a black and white spell, as that bottom orb looks more like white magic than blue magic. Could just be a light color blue, however. Either way, the art on that card is amazing and my favorite art thus far on any magic card.
No, I think the Grixis mage looks like he's casting a BLACK and red spell, not a blue one. Remember, just because he's from the Grixis shard doesn't mean he has to symbolize each color of Grixis, it could only be 2 of them. His left hand looks like it's making dark magic, and as Doug Beyer said in his column the other day, it's hard to make black magic "glow", so sometimes the artists make it purple. See: Fist of Suns. And his hand looks more purple than blue to me.
I have to agree with the original poster. The Grixis dude is definitely casting Red and Blue Spells, hell it looks almost like a reprint of Nightscape Master. The Esper lady is also holding/suspending a black orb and white orb. Each of them look like they are cast black a blue spells because of the auras surrounding the spells, plus you have to look at it from a flavor standpoint. Blue mana, true pure blue mana may not exist in Grixis, so its "tainted" black by the weilder. Same for the Esper chick; pure white mana may be laced with blue mana because of its dominance in the Shard.
Would be interesting, as long as they keep the flavor of the shard without making them too much like the guildmages. Hopefully they can find a healthy medium in which to make them fun and playable.
maybe they will cost a mix of colors, like the grixis guy could be
2BB
BUU (tap)return target permanant to its controlers hand. that player discards a card
BRR(tap)~deals 2 damage to target creature, its controler loses 2 life.
so you get the idea, yes they are casting a color of magic, but it is tainted by the dominant color.
2/2
Sorry, but it doesn't work. If a spell is blue it's depicted with blue color. If a spell is black it's depicted with purple color because it's the darkest non blue, no green, non red color in the spectrum. There is nothing remotely blue about that guy, and there is no reason why an artist would paint a blue spell purple. Even if he messed up, WotC would either send the piece back for correction or color correct the thing by themselves.
Looks like i was correct. The Grixis dude and Esper chick are almost certainly part of the Battlemage cycle (check out here for the arts) and the Battlemages cast spells with the alternate mana of their Shard. You shouldn't always predetermine a card by the art alone, often times we mix up cards based on what we believe is right, like the case we had with the Duergar Cave-guard and Duergar Assailant. They were so sure that the art of Assailant was the Cave-guard's that they flamed anyone who disaggred.
And why would they color-correct this beuatiful art? Just to satisfy nit-pickers?
Well, because they do it all the times. In fact they're boasting their consistency in the matter. That's why we don't get red dragons with white scales or white soldiers with green cloths. As I said on another thread, if that guy is really casting a red and blue ability, someone messed up, either the art commission dep or the post development corrections.
There are also cards that are just BR in the set, so it's entirely possible that this is not the art for the Grixis Battlemage.
And yet 95% of times the art is in color with the card it depicts. The exceptions don't make a rule. If I see a mage with red and purple flames I assume it's BR, because I'm going with how the majority of card arts work.
There is strong evidence that the illustration in question is a Battlemage casting blue and red abilities, I'm not objecting that. But the fact is, that if an illustration has no traces of blue in it and it has a blue ability, it's a major screw up on Art Depts behalf.
If it sounds like hooves, think Horses rather than Zebras, it happens. We try to gauge what cards do from the art but lately we can't. Wizards hasn't been following all the base rules we are used to for card art. I mean, look at the Traitor King's art. He is definitely from the Grixis shard but he is wearing a green belt, which many thought he should have a green ability because of that alone, even though its not possible to have a green ability. We can still make some assumptions with certain things like if there are flames you can think of burn or if there is a vast amount of blue it should be a blue cards art, but there are times where we can't make distinctions.
Well now that we know they have Battlemage's that are part of the main color for the group they are a sect for that cast spells for the minor colors. Maybe that's what there doing?
A black Grixis spellcaster with red and blue spells and a probably blue Esper wizardress wielding black and white magic - looks like they belong to a cycle!
And what better way to show the structure of a Shard than having a main color creature with activated abilities from both secondary colors?
Or maybe a single ability that uses both colors, though the chances of that aren't that high. Hybrid would be cool, but there are no hints for it, so new Guildmage seem likely - they were an elegant design and would work both for Alara's color scheme and for interblock-synergy (two-colored decks).
No, I haven't read any of the art-batch threads; feel free to tell me, if this isn't new speculation.
greetings
Z
Although ninjas are experts of camouflage and concealment, they are actually horrible liars. This means that no matter where you are, you can shout out, “Are there any ninjas here?” and if there’s a ninja within earshot, he’ll be compelled to respond.
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I think the guy turning into a tree is liking it a bit to much
Sunscape Master
EDIT: I bet he's saying: It so hard and long now... My fingers, yeah that's it... Yeah my fingers...
It would also be an easy way to include 3 color cards without making too many gold cards.
There's no proof she's being chased
by ninja squirrels either. - Dr. Wilson
Master of the Infinite 2UU
WW: Target enchantment becomes a white 2/2 creature that's still an enchantment until end of turn.
UU: Target artifact becomes a blue 1/2 creature with flying that's still an artifact until end of turn.
UB: Return target artifact or enchanment from your graveyard to your hand.
The most powerful Esper mages have grown beyond fighting for themselves.
0/4
and maybe something like this for the Grixis guy.
Master of Torment 2BB
UU: Return target creature you control to it's owners hand.
RR: Deal 2 damage to target creature.
BB: Search your library for a noncreature spell and put it in your hand.
Clearing the battlefield of everything...
EVERYTHING
3/1.
Just my thoughts given the themes.
I'm totally hoping to be proven wrong, though. Maybe there are guildmages, but we only have the Esper one, and the other's just some random Grixis guy.
The grixis one and nightscape are (duh) doing pretty much the same thing.
The esper one and the stormscape are both doing ring-like (circle) magic.
You win, sir.
The girl is pretty hot. I want foil playsets.
The first one looked like me MIGHT be a B guy casting U and R magic, but the second one definitely looks like a W/ guy casting W and B magic. But its hard to speculate color just looking at art.
It might be like eveningtide's theme.
They do look very reminiscent of the guild mages.
Thanks to Zaphod at High~Light Studios for the sig!
Akuma will wreck you.
[/center]
Grixis Mage
RR Cardname deals 3 damage to target player and 2 damage to you.
UU Counter target spell, its controller draws one card
BB destroy target creature, lose 3 life
"This world has no hope of life whatsoever... I think it should stay that way."
3/2
Esper Mage
WW destroy target enchantment, its controller gains 3 life.
UU counter target spell, its controller draws a card.
BB destroy target creature, lose 3 life.
1/3
Obviously nothing special, but not entirely unplayable.
There was once [The Pack], but no more.
Thanks to Zaphod at High~Light Studios for the sig!
2BB
BUU (tap)return target permanant to its controlers hand. that player discards a card
BRR(tap)~deals 2 damage to target creature, its controler loses 2 life.
so you get the idea, yes they are casting a color of magic, but it is tainted by the dominant color.
2/2
thats all i have to say....
Thanks for spiderboy4 of High~Light_Studios for the kick ass avatar.
Thanks for DarkNightCavalier of HotPS for the exceptional signature.
Looks like i was correct. The Grixis dude and Esper chick are almost certainly part of the Battlemage cycle (check out here for the arts) and the Battlemages cast spells with the alternate mana of their Shard. You shouldn't always predetermine a card by the art alone, often times we mix up cards based on what we believe is right, like the case we had with the Duergar Cave-guard and Duergar Assailant. They were so sure that the art of Assailant was the Cave-guard's that they flamed anyone who disaggred.
And why would they color-correct this beuatiful art? Just to satisfy nit-pickers?
[/center]
There are also cards that are just BR in the set, so it's entirely possible that this is not the art for the Grixis Battlemage.
Also, Red dragon, White scales.
R Citizen Cane (Feldon of the Third Path)
Also a white soldier with green clothes.
Card art does not dictate what the cards do, only depict it.
[/center]
Does card art only begin when Development has "finalized" the set? Or earlier?
If it sounds like hooves, think Horses rather than Zebras, it happens. We try to gauge what cards do from the art but lately we can't. Wizards hasn't been following all the base rules we are used to for card art. I mean, look at the Traitor King's art. He is definitely from the Grixis shard but he is wearing a green belt, which many thought he should have a green ability because of that alone, even though its not possible to have a green ability. We can still make some assumptions with certain things like if there are flames you can think of burn or if there is a vast amount of blue it should be a blue cards art, but there are times where we can't make distinctions.
[/center]
There was once [The Pack], but no more.