Really enjoyed the story this week. Hope it stays like that until the end. I'm excited to see what the scarab god has in store for Naktamun. Also curious to see what Bontu does about the three gods, and her interactions with the others in general.
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I doubt the other gods will go out in similar fashion. Not even sure if they all will die, at that.
Well, we do know that at least Oketra is going to die and judging by the <God's Last Act> cycle, and the flavour texts saying that "the gods die", I'm fairly sure all the uncorrupted gods are going to kick the bucket.
The gods probably should've attacked the Scorpion then, but they were too shocked to hear Rhonas cursing Bolas.
Point is they probably still believed it was 'just' a test. I think the thing that really shook the gods wasn't so much Rhonas dying (though deep down they probably still sense that something isn't right with that) but that Rhonas openly cursed the God-Pharaoh.
Funny how an indestructible god can be defeated by one without indestructible. I guess, The Scorpion God put -1/-1 counters on Rhonas until he died.
We now know that Bolas can to Amonkhet 60 years ago so right after the mending? Before fighting Ajani in Alara?
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Funny how an indestructible god can be defeated by one without indestructible. I guess, The Scorpion God put -1/-1 counters on Rhonas until he died.
We now know that Bolas can to Amonkhet 60 years ago so right after the mending? Before fighting Ajani in Alara?
Yep. The fight actually lines up mechanically with the God cards. Rhonas probably kills the Scorpion God before he turns around to address the crowd, and possibly kills him again with his snake staff, but both times the Scorpion God comes back, reflecting how the creature can die but it just returns to your hand to get recast. Meanwhile, the Scorpion God kills Rhonas despite Rhonas having indestructible because he just pumps him full of -1/-1 counter poison. Rhonas' poison staff reflecting his deathtouch is a cool touch, as his invigorating magic reflecting his activated ability (though he cannot target himself).
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The Meaning of Life: "M-hmm. Well, it's nothing very special. Uh, try and be nice to people, avoid eating fat, read a good book every now and then, get some walking in, and try and live together in peace and harmony with people of all creeds and nations"
Onering's 4 simple steps that let you solve any problem with Magic's gameplay
Whether its blue players countering your spells, red players burning you out, or combo, if you have a problem with an aspect of Magic's gameplay, you can fix it!
Step 1: Identify the problem. What aspect of Magic don't you like? Step 2: Find out how others deal with the problem. How do players deal with this aspect of the game when they run into it? Step 3: Do what those players do. Step 4: No more problem. Bonus: You are now better at Magic. Enjoy those extra wins!
Extremely well-written story today, looking forward to crying more when Hazoret and Oketra die. Throughout all of this, though, I keep thinking: why is Bolas doing this? What's the point? He has his army of Eternals, what does he gain from destroying the city in the most agonizing, traumatic way possible? He could easily swoop in, collect his zombies, and swoop back out without killing anyone. I really hope it's not just "because he's evil". In one of the recent former stories he muses to himself that destruction is wasteful and that he prefers to manipulate when he can. He's supposed to be a long-term chessmaster, there's no reason to throw away pieces just because you don't need them anymore. They could still be useful in the future some day.
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Xantcha, Phyrexian Reject
Jodah, Archmage Eternal
Tovolar, Howlpack Alpha
Pivlic, Orzhov Informant
Crixizix, Master Engineer
Feather, Boros Peacekeeper
Marisi Coilbreaker
O-Kagachi
Gix, Phyrexian Praetor
Karn, Father of Machines
Yawgmoth, Father of Machines
Serra, Mother of All Angels
Tevesh Szat, Doom of Fools
Leshrac the Nightwalker
Jeska, the Thrice-Touched
Elspeth Returned
Crucius the Mad
Taysir the Infinite
Urza's Head (Unglued!)
Extremely well-written story today, looking forward to crying more when Hazoret and Oketra die. Throughout all of this, though, I keep thinking: why is Bolas doing this? What's the point? He has his army of Eternals, what does he gain from destroying the city in the most agonizing, traumatic way possible? He could easily swoop in, collect his zombies, and swoop back out without killing anyone. I really hope it's not just "because he's evil". In one of the recent former stories he muses to himself that destruction is wasteful and that he prefers to manipulate when he can. He's supposed to be a long-term chessmaster, there's no reason to throw away pieces just because you don't need them anymore. They could still be useful in the future some day.
I know right, he could just sweep in harvest some 4/4 lazotepies have a party for a week or two, then let the farms beyin again.
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MtG is where you can hate white players or black players, and still not be racist.
I loved this story but my favorite part is that the fight in many ways reflected the actual cards abilities. Well played I feel like I read the cards duke it out but the scorpion god had like fifteen mana.
Extremely well-written story today, looking forward to crying more when Hazoret and Oketra die. Throughout all of this, though, I keep thinking: why is Bolas doing this? What's the point? He has his army of Eternals, what does he gain from destroying the city in the most agonizing, traumatic way possible? He could easily swoop in, collect his zombies, and swoop back out without killing anyone. I really hope it's not just "because he's evil". In one of the recent former stories he muses to himself that destruction is wasteful and that he prefers to manipulate when he can. He's supposed to be a long-term chessmaster, there's no reason to throw away pieces just because you don't need them anymore. They could still be useful in the future some day.
I can think of a couple possible reasons off the top of my head. It's possible he does not yet have his Lazotep army, and since their creation involves black magic, there may be some large amount of sacrifice involved. And making a giant super powered army might just need the sacrifice of most of a plane, or some gods. Alternately, the army's method of creation may have/may mean they have some fatal flaw (perhaps the cartouches as a control point being vulnerable), and thus Bolas wants to destroy all the evidence involved in their creation to cover his tracks and keep enemies from finding said flaw. A third possibility that occurs to me is that Amonkhet's current culture is simply unsustainable. So rather than have it die out naturally, he'd rather just screw with them for fun. Plus, there is the well established fact that he is a cruel dude. So it's possible it's one of the above reasons, or another one, combined with the fact that this method of covering it up is the most fun for him.
Extremely well-written story today, looking forward to crying more when Hazoret and Oketra die. Throughout all of this, though, I keep thinking: why is Bolas doing this? What's the point? He has his army of Eternals, what does he gain from destroying the city in the most agonizing, traumatic way possible? He could easily swoop in, collect his zombies, and swoop back out without killing anyone. I really hope it's not just "because he's evil". In one of the recent former stories he muses to himself that destruction is wasteful and that he prefers to manipulate when he can. He's supposed to be a long-term chessmaster, there's no reason to throw away pieces just because you don't need them anymore. They could still be useful in the future some day.
I know right, he could just sweep in harvest some 4/4 lazotepies have a party for a week or two, then let the farms beyin again.
Maybe its a trick he can only do once (per plane). He claims to kill the worldsoul, and if that is a necessary part of his plan (rather than just another twist of the knife for style points) and he isn't lying, then he would not be able to reuse Amonkhet for the same plan. In that case, he's basically erasing any witnesses as well as the chance that anything native to Amonkhet that could thwart his plan that he might have overlooked could be discovered.
Of course, its quite possible that the army of the Worthy not Bolas' main plan, but rather him just eking extra value out of a plane he was going to ruin. Maybe he's trying to eat its energy again like Alara, or maybe he's conducting a ritual requiring the sacrifice of a plane or its life or Gods, Maybe he's absorbing the murdered Gods, or maybe his real prizes are the corrupted Gods to be used as WMD across the multiverse, and in any case he decided to also reap a zombie army as a side scam because it was convenient.
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The Meaning of Life: "M-hmm. Well, it's nothing very special. Uh, try and be nice to people, avoid eating fat, read a good book every now and then, get some walking in, and try and live together in peace and harmony with people of all creeds and nations"
Onering's 4 simple steps that let you solve any problem with Magic's gameplay
Whether its blue players countering your spells, red players burning you out, or combo, if you have a problem with an aspect of Magic's gameplay, you can fix it!
Step 1: Identify the problem. What aspect of Magic don't you like? Step 2: Find out how others deal with the problem. How do players deal with this aspect of the game when they run into it? Step 3: Do what those players do. Step 4: No more problem. Bonus: You are now better at Magic. Enjoy those extra wins!
Extremely well-written story today, looking forward to crying more when Hazoret and Oketra die. Throughout all of this, though, I keep thinking: why is Bolas doing this? What's the point? He has his army of Eternals, what does he gain from destroying the city in the most agonizing, traumatic way possible? He could easily swoop in, collect his zombies, and swoop back out without killing anyone. I really hope it's not just "because he's evil". In one of the recent former stories he muses to himself that destruction is wasteful and that he prefers to manipulate when he can. He's supposed to be a long-term chessmaster, there's no reason to throw away pieces just because you don't need them anymore. They could still be useful in the future some day.
My guess is Bolas is turning Amonkhet into his own personal plane. The set is top-down Bolas world after all.
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Awesome story today, definitely felt bad for Rhonas but he went out like a beast. Im hoping by the end of the set at least one of the corrupted bug gods is freed from Bolas's thrall.
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Yeah, this was a good one. Friggin' good. Yes, Rhonas did not play a role in Amonkhet stories, but if it was just because of needing him for this, I am OK with that.
So there is Necropolis where the bodies are stored. Logical. But one would wonder why nobody mentioned it before, let alone anyone in Naktamun - they had to know about a monstrous building just near the city. Also, the gods being stored in sarcophagi and awakened by the blood river was neat.
The Invocations depict the Bolasgods emerging from the Necropolis. The Scarab God's normal pic has plenty of awakened Eternals - apparently the inside of the Necropolis.
As the Locust God preview article said, each of Bolas's pawns is responsible for one of the predicted Hours. Razaketh, the Hour of Revelation, and starting the chain reaction. Scorpion, the Hour of Glory. Locust, the Hour of Promise (tearing down the Hekma). Scarab, as apparent from the card, the Hour of Eternity (emergence of the Eternals). Then Bolas arrives, and the fifth unsung hour, the Hour of Devastation, commences.
I think that the snakestaff spell art is from Rhonas's Last [something], because he had pretty no time to do anything else.
With the incessant repetition of the leylines, I have still stronger vibe that Nissa will be able to reweave the gods at the end of the story.
Funny thing: there are several references when Rhonas thinks about his brothers and sisters (meaning the four other gods). In fact, this should say "brother and sisters", as there is only one more male, Kefnet.
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Let this great clan rest in peace (2001-2011)
Extremely well-written story today, looking forward to crying more when Hazoret and Oketra die. Throughout all of this, though, I keep thinking: why is Bolas doing this? What's the point? He has his army of Eternals, what does he gain from destroying the city in the most agonizing, traumatic way possible? He could easily swoop in, collect his zombies, and swoop back out without killing anyone. I really hope it's not just "because he's evil". In one of the recent former stories he muses to himself that destruction is wasteful and that he prefers to manipulate when he can. He's supposed to be a long-term chessmaster, there's no reason to throw away pieces just because you don't need them anymore. They could still be useful in the future some day.
Maybe hes testing his new army to see what they can do.
Ok, I made an account because I have a speculation I wanted to run by everyone about Gideon. So there is a lot of foreboding that he will die. But that does not mean he can't come back. Here is my thought - the whole point of the trials is to ensure that the Lazotep zombies are in prime fighting condition. Of all MTG characters, I'd say Gideon is one of the most well known for his beefiness and fighting capabilities - as well as his leadership capabilities.
I think Gideon will die, and then Bolas will turn him into an Eternal - using Gideon's leadership and raw fighting power to lead his new army. The eternals we have seen appear to keep a semblance of their old power and characteristics, which means Gideon would be right at home here. He would probably lose his spark, which means he would be represented by a creature card. Imagine a black Gideon zombie creature named Gideon, General of Bolas, or something along those lines. That would be insane.
I loved this story but my favorite part is that the fight in many ways reflected the actual cards abilities. Well played I feel like I read the cards duke it out but the scorpion god had like fifteen mana.
Liked that too. It's like their cards are really fighting each other.
I think Rhonas "killed" Scorp god three times.. first is the blow that Rhonas says does not fails to defeat anyone, second is death touch from the staff, and third is with the staff that turn into giant snake. Unfortunately, Scorpion god has infinite lives.
Maybe there would be a card in HOU which allow us to use Rhonas staff when it turns into a snake?
Funny how an indestructible god can be defeated by one without indestructible. I guess, The Scorpion God put -1/-1 counters on Rhonas until he died.
We now know that Bolas can to Amonkhet 60 years ago so right after the mending? Before fighting Ajani in Alara?
It has been said in one of the first story of HOU or the last of Amonkhet (can't remember which one) that Bolas came on Amonkhet to corrupt it just a few days before the Great Mending. He still had his God-like powers in those days. He was always talking to himself about how he was in a rush as the mending would strip him of his might in a matter of days.
Extremely well-written story today, looking forward to crying more when Hazoret and Oketra die. Throughout all of this, though, I keep thinking: why is Bolas doing this? What's the point? He has his army of Eternals, what does he gain from destroying the city in the most agonizing, traumatic way possible? He could easily swoop in, collect his zombies, and swoop back out without killing anyone. I really hope it's not just "because he's evil". In one of the recent former stories he muses to himself that destruction is wasteful and that he prefers to manipulate when he can. He's supposed to be a long-term chessmaster, there's no reason to throw away pieces just because you don't need them anymore. They could still be useful in the future some day.
My guess is Bolas is turning Amonkhet into his own personal plane. The set is top-down Bolas world after all.
Here we are... One of my questions is really about this thing: is this army enough for Bolas? Wouldn't he need an indefinite resource of expendable eternal soldiers? They can't be enough to be an enormous army. And I can't see Amonkhet keeping up the work of factory of eternals now that everyone is going to be annihilated. Only the worthy became eternals and I don't think in 60 years of trials there are enough eternals... We saw a curious power in the scarab god... Could he produce new eternals in the lore too?
I think I did some rough math a few days ago, and if one person was killed by Hazoret every day for 50 years (60 minus 10 years for the toddlers to grow up), that would only be like 18-20k Eternals, which doesn't seem to be very many when you consider how large ancient armies and even modern armies were/are. Enough to wipe out the last city of Amonkhet, sure, but enough to conquer other planes? Tough call, but the Eternals aren't 'indestructible' in the rules text, so I assume they can still be wrecked in-story. And if they can be 'killed,' eventually one assumes they'd run out, as it's unlikely Bolas can keep making more on other planes.
And I can't bring myself to think the army was Bolas' main goal; why was it so important when he was about to lose his power? Seems a strange goal.
I believe Bolas needs the gods to die to unravel part of the plane for either a source of power or as a was to move his new army off this plane. They write when Rhoas dies "He felt the poison gnaw at his heart and fray the knot of leylines and magic and physical strength that resided in his core. Yet as the poison destroyed the links anchoring him to the world, it also unbound the magical threads placed there by another force." -Hour of Glory
The battle between Rhonas and The Scorpion God was epic but my heart broke for Rhonas. All of Amonkhet really. This set is brutal. I'm holding out hope that maybe Nissa will be able to undo Bolas' corruption of the gods (the three new ones), at least one of them, so maybe there's a chance to rebuild Amonkhet. New gods could emerge.
Could it be that when Bolas did his thing in the flashback in Hour of Revelation, that it was the second time he had been there, fulfilling his long plan?
I ask this because by then, Naktamun was already the last city standing, and one of the gods suggests there having been a previous conflict.
This set is really heartbreaking. I liked the gods of Amonkhet more than the Theros ones (with only Kruphix being the main exception) because they actually care for their subjects and walk among them. Seeing them corrupted, unable to process the truth and now being killed, with the finishing touch being to recognize their failure in their final moments... that's true tragedy. Hell, the same goes for the whole plane. I can only hope that Amonkhet itself survives and Nissa (who has become much more interesting as a character since the start of Kaladesh and her stepping into blue) redeems one of the insect gods (I hoped for the other Amonkhet gods to be "rebooted", but they obviously all die).
Nicol Bolas has definitely become a much more interesting villain through this block. Before that I always thought of him as a lesser threat than Phyrexia and the Eldrazi. But Phyrexia at least has the twisted idea that it helps other worlds by compleating them and the Eldrazi are more like natural disasters than true villains. Bolas only seeks more power for Bolas, a hollow pursuit which he sacrifices whole worlds for, but he has the might and the intellect to succeed in doing so without much opposition and he still more or less tortures and corrupts everything just because he can.
I think it has been pretty much stated that he really was after the lazotep and the eternals it can create the whole time. Amonkhet doesn't seem to be a very mana rich plane (especially since the world soul is nearly dead anyway) so it doesn't seem likely that he would try the same thing he did on Alara here (by the way, his manipulations of the Alaran people seem nearly tame in comparison to what he has done to Amonkhet in my opinion).
The question is: What does he want to conquer with them that he couldn't conquer just by himself?
I believe Bolas needs the gods to die to unravel part of the plane for either a source of power or as a was to move his new army off this plane. They write when Rhoas dies "He felt the poison gnaw at his heart and fray the knot of leylines and magic and physical strength that resided in his core. Yet as the poison destroyed the links anchoring him to the world, it also unbound the magical threads placed there by another force." -Hour of Glory
That was a reference to Bolas' corruption. It's Bolas' leyline manipulation that's unraveling which is what allowed Rhonas to remember the truth.
I never read Legends Cycle II—was life under Bolas at full power really all that bad?
Nearly every terrible thing we’ve seen Bolas do is because he wants his old power back. Destroying worlds, corrupting religions, wiping out innocent populations... . While the first card ever printed of Bolas just showed him kicking it in his evil lair and reading books. If that’s what he’s so eager to go back to, I say let him.
I know it's not typically in a dragon's nature to be content with "enough," but personally, I'd find it hilarious if Bolas finally succeeds in restoring his old power, decides he's happy, and then largely just disappears and leaves everyone else alone. Maybe even shows up now and then to help fight Phyrexians.
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RGTron
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BRGrishoalbrand
URGScapeshift
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WGBogles
The gods probably should've attacked the Scorpion then, but they were too shocked to hear Rhonas cursing Bolas.
Shu Yun, the Silent Tempest WUR Voltron Control
Temmet, Vizier of Naktamun WU Unblockable Mirror Trickery
Ra's al Ghul (Sidar Kondo) and Face-Down Ninjas
Brudiclad, Token Engineer
Vaevictis (VV2) the Dire Lantern
Rona, Disciple of Gix
Tiana the Auror
Hallar
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Scorpion, Locust, Scarab, Egyptian Gods
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Well, we do know that at least Oketra is going to die and judging by the <God's Last Act> cycle, and the flavour texts saying that "the gods die", I'm fairly sure all the uncorrupted gods are going to kick the bucket.
Wow, huh. I didn't catch that.
Point is they probably still believed it was 'just' a test. I think the thing that really shook the gods wasn't so much Rhonas dying (though deep down they probably still sense that something isn't right with that) but that Rhonas openly cursed the God-Pharaoh.
We now know that Bolas can to Amonkhet 60 years ago so right after the mending? Before fighting Ajani in Alara?
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Yep. The fight actually lines up mechanically with the God cards. Rhonas probably kills the Scorpion God before he turns around to address the crowd, and possibly kills him again with his snake staff, but both times the Scorpion God comes back, reflecting how the creature can die but it just returns to your hand to get recast. Meanwhile, the Scorpion God kills Rhonas despite Rhonas having indestructible because he just pumps him full of -1/-1 counter poison. Rhonas' poison staff reflecting his deathtouch is a cool touch, as his invigorating magic reflecting his activated ability (though he cannot target himself).
Onering's 4 simple steps that let you solve any problem with Magic's gameplay
Step 1: Identify the problem. What aspect of Magic don't you like? Step 2: Find out how others deal with the problem. How do players deal with this aspect of the game when they run into it? Step 3: Do what those players do. Step 4: No more problem. Bonus: You are now better at Magic. Enjoy those extra wins!
Xantcha, Phyrexian Reject
Jodah, Archmage Eternal
Tovolar, Howlpack Alpha
Pivlic, Orzhov Informant
Crixizix, Master Engineer
Feather, Boros Peacekeeper
Marisi Coilbreaker
O-Kagachi
Gix, Phyrexian Praetor
Karn, Father of Machines
Yawgmoth, Father of Machines
Serra, Mother of All Angels
Tevesh Szat, Doom of Fools
Leshrac the Nightwalker
Jeska, the Thrice-Touched
Elspeth Returned
Crucius the Mad
Taysir the Infinite
Urza's Head (Unglued!)
I know right, he could just sweep in harvest some 4/4 lazotepies have a party for a week or two, then let the farms beyin again.
Maybe its a trick he can only do once (per plane). He claims to kill the worldsoul, and if that is a necessary part of his plan (rather than just another twist of the knife for style points) and he isn't lying, then he would not be able to reuse Amonkhet for the same plan. In that case, he's basically erasing any witnesses as well as the chance that anything native to Amonkhet that could thwart his plan that he might have overlooked could be discovered.
Of course, its quite possible that the army of the Worthy not Bolas' main plan, but rather him just eking extra value out of a plane he was going to ruin. Maybe he's trying to eat its energy again like Alara, or maybe he's conducting a ritual requiring the sacrifice of a plane or its life or Gods, Maybe he's absorbing the murdered Gods, or maybe his real prizes are the corrupted Gods to be used as WMD across the multiverse, and in any case he decided to also reap a zombie army as a side scam because it was convenient.
Onering's 4 simple steps that let you solve any problem with Magic's gameplay
Step 1: Identify the problem. What aspect of Magic don't you like? Step 2: Find out how others deal with the problem. How do players deal with this aspect of the game when they run into it? Step 3: Do what those players do. Step 4: No more problem. Bonus: You are now better at Magic. Enjoy those extra wins!
My guess is Bolas is turning Amonkhet into his own personal plane. The set is top-down Bolas world after all.
"You can tell how dumb someone is by how they use Mary Sue"
RG 8-Whack
BWG Abzan midrange
GRB Living End
UWB Spirit Control
GU Kruphix's "Hug Assassin"
RW Kalemne's "Play Fatties and Hope for the Best!"
BUGW Atraxa's "All counters, all the time"
Yeah, this was a good one. Friggin' good. Yes, Rhonas did not play a role in Amonkhet stories, but if it was just because of needing him for this, I am OK with that.
So there is Necropolis where the bodies are stored. Logical. But one would wonder why nobody mentioned it before, let alone anyone in Naktamun - they had to know about a monstrous building just near the city. Also, the gods being stored in sarcophagi and awakened by the blood river was neat.
The Invocations depict the Bolasgods emerging from the Necropolis. The Scarab God's normal pic has plenty of awakened Eternals - apparently the inside of the Necropolis.
As the Locust God preview article said, each of Bolas's pawns is responsible for one of the predicted Hours. Razaketh, the Hour of Revelation, and starting the chain reaction. Scorpion, the Hour of Glory. Locust, the Hour of Promise (tearing down the Hekma). Scarab, as apparent from the card, the Hour of Eternity (emergence of the Eternals). Then Bolas arrives, and the fifth unsung hour, the Hour of Devastation, commences.
I think that the snakestaff spell art is from Rhonas's Last [something], because he had pretty no time to do anything else.
With the incessant repetition of the leylines, I have still stronger vibe that Nissa will be able to reweave the gods at the end of the story.
Funny thing: there are several references when Rhonas thinks about his brothers and sisters (meaning the four other gods). In fact, this should say "brother and sisters", as there is only one more male, Kefnet.
Let this great clan rest in peace (2001-2011)
Maybe hes testing his new army to see what they can do.
I think Gideon will die, and then Bolas will turn him into an Eternal - using Gideon's leadership and raw fighting power to lead his new army. The eternals we have seen appear to keep a semblance of their old power and characteristics, which means Gideon would be right at home here. He would probably lose his spark, which means he would be represented by a creature card. Imagine a black Gideon zombie creature named Gideon, General of Bolas, or something along those lines. That would be insane.
What do you guys think - is this a possibility?
Liked that too. It's like their cards are really fighting each other.
I think Rhonas "killed" Scorp god three times.. first is the blow that Rhonas says does not fails to defeat anyone, second is death touch from the staff, and third is with the staff that turn into giant snake. Unfortunately, Scorpion god has infinite lives.
Maybe there would be a card in HOU which allow us to use Rhonas staff when it turns into a snake?
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Hah, called it spot on
Let this great clan rest in peace (2001-2011)
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I think I did some rough math a few days ago, and if one person was killed by Hazoret every day for 50 years (60 minus 10 years for the toddlers to grow up), that would only be like 18-20k Eternals, which doesn't seem to be very many when you consider how large ancient armies and even modern armies were/are. Enough to wipe out the last city of Amonkhet, sure, but enough to conquer other planes? Tough call, but the Eternals aren't 'indestructible' in the rules text, so I assume they can still be wrecked in-story. And if they can be 'killed,' eventually one assumes they'd run out, as it's unlikely Bolas can keep making more on other planes.
And I can't bring myself to think the army was Bolas' main goal; why was it so important when he was about to lose his power? Seems a strange goal.
I hate sad endings
I ask this because by then, Naktamun was already the last city standing, and one of the gods suggests there having been a previous conflict.
Nicol Bolas has definitely become a much more interesting villain through this block. Before that I always thought of him as a lesser threat than Phyrexia and the Eldrazi. But Phyrexia at least has the twisted idea that it helps other worlds by compleating them and the Eldrazi are more like natural disasters than true villains. Bolas only seeks more power for Bolas, a hollow pursuit which he sacrifices whole worlds for, but he has the might and the intellect to succeed in doing so without much opposition and he still more or less tortures and corrupts everything just because he can.
I think it has been pretty much stated that he really was after the lazotep and the eternals it can create the whole time. Amonkhet doesn't seem to be a very mana rich plane (especially since the world soul is nearly dead anyway) so it doesn't seem likely that he would try the same thing he did on Alara here (by the way, his manipulations of the Alaran people seem nearly tame in comparison to what he has done to Amonkhet in my opinion).
The question is: What does he want to conquer with them that he couldn't conquer just by himself?
That was a reference to Bolas' corruption. It's Bolas' leyline manipulation that's unraveling which is what allowed Rhonas to remember the truth.
Nearly every terrible thing we’ve seen Bolas do is because he wants his old power back. Destroying worlds, corrupting religions, wiping out innocent populations... . While the first card ever printed of Bolas just showed him kicking it in his evil lair and reading books. If that’s what he’s so eager to go back to, I say let him.
I know it's not typically in a dragon's nature to be content with "enough," but personally, I'd find it hilarious if Bolas finally succeeds in restoring his old power, decides he's happy, and then largely just disappears and leaves everyone else alone. Maybe even shows up now and then to help fight Phyrexians.