Besides the glaringly obvious Bolas, Planeswalkers will almost certainly include Gideon (they didn't plan on BfZ still being in standard and I imagine they'll always want at least one version of the "Founding Gatewatch/Origins 5" in Standard at least until the Gatewatch balloons to 8+ members and needs to split up more often). I also imagine we'll get Liliana (one of her demons is on Amonkhet). Thee's a chance we'll get a new Jace as well but I doubt it; sort of suspect that the block after this will be Rav3 and that'd be a perfect time to do/re-do a Guildpact Jace. Toss in speculations of a U/x Sphinx walker and there we go. The last slot will most likely be another new 'walker to show the flavor of the plane, probably something G/x since we have B, W, UBR, and Uxy as the walkers already listed.
Normally I would propose a WB necromancer as a sort of "good Liliana", but Lili herself will most likely appear in the block, so the necromancer niche is filled.
Personally I would love to see Gideon and Jace get a buddy cop story in Ravnica 3. They've already hinted at Vraska being the antagonist. And being a Gorgon she could serve as a segue to Theros.
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MTGS Wikia Article about "New World Order"
Every time I read a comment about "Well if this card had card draw/trample/haste/indestructible/hexproof/life gain...", I think "You're missing the point." They're armchair developer comments that fail to take into account the card's role in the greater Limited and Standard environment. No, it may not be as good as whatever card you're comparing it to. There's a reason for that. Not every burn spell is Lightning Bolt, nor does it need to be or should be.
PSA to everyone who keeps forgetting about the Reserved List:
You're on a website dedicated to talking about MtG. You're only a few keystrokes away from finding out what cards are on the Reserved List. You're also only a few keystrokes away from finding out why some cards on the Reserved List got foil printings in FtV, as Judge promos, or whatnot, as well as why that won't happen again. Stop doing this.
before Planeswalkers, magic speculation was much more interesting. Today everyone is mostly talking about which annoying, returning character will team up with jace to safe the day. again.
Well it's nice to have returning characters people can care about, and even the Gatewatch can get more interesting members over time. Though I do agree with you about the "Jace saving the day" part, they should leave him out for a block or ten...
I think what would work wonderfully with the theme of Amonkhet is the Hideaway lands like Mosswort Bridge. You stash away a powerful spell or monster or even planeswalker within a tomb and when the conditions are met, you may claim your treasure.
I think what would work wonderfully with the theme of Amonkhet is the Hideaway lands like Mosswort Bridge. You stash away a powerful spell or monster or even planeswalker within a tomb and when the conditions are met, you may claim your treasure.
The only thing guaranteed about the lands is that they aren't going to be reprints at the rare level and they are going to most likely print dual tap lands as the uncommons. They said they want to make a baseline land that they can reprint every set for mana-fixing, which means given our preview card in Aether Revolt is tri-color will probably be there for limited. I'm not sure we will ever see mana-fixing as good as Kahns of Tarkir for a long while, though.
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1. (Ravnica Allegiance): You can't keep a good esper control deck down... Or Wilderness Reclamation... or Gates...
2. (War of the Spark): Guys, I know what we need! We need a cycle of really idiotic flavor text victory cards! Jace's Triumph...
3. (War of the Spark): Lets make the format with control have even more control!
Well with the tri-colored card, that is also Nicol Bolas color's and we are visiting his plane we can't be exactly sure if its going to have wedged colors
Here is a crazy idea: What if the gods of Amonkhet actually are all planeswalkers? If they indeed are shard-colored, at least one would otherwise have to share colors with Bolas, which would be kinda weird (even weirder if Crucius is present and another one has to share colors with him). On the other hand, it would rack up the planeswalker count to at least 6, more probably 7. But it could be feasible since three-color walkers are considered very narrow. And a whole different issue would be flavor justification for a Bant or Naya walker working for Bolas.
I floated this same idea a while back
(it kind of makes sense if Bolas is one of the gods, as is heavily implied).
If they do this, I think they would treat them very differently from "normal" Planeswalkers-
most likely very expensive and very powerful (not unlike Nicol Bolas, Planeswalker).
Then they could create "normal" PWs without too much to worry about
(though Planar Bridge would get a lot more valuable).
Momir Vig, Simic Visionary
Melek, Izzet Paragon
Oona, Queen of the Fae
Bruna, Light of Alabaster
Gisela, Blade of Goldnight
Rhys the Redeemed
Jarad, Golgari Lich Lord
Sen Triplets
The Mimeoplasm WUBRGSliver OverlordGRBUW WUBRGSliver Hivelord(Superfriends)GRBUW
Hmm, DFC? I guess they could get away with printing like five such cards as normally its very expensive for them to do so like what they did with, within budget, to do something like what they did with the Origins planeswalkers.
I'm just personally imagining something like lands that transform into planeswalkers. Like a Tomb or maybe a Temple, and then when a specific condition is met, the card transforms and the "god" makes his appearance.
Hmm, DFC? I guess they could get away with printing like five such cards as normally its very expensive for them to do so like what they did with, within budget, to do something like what they did with the Origins planeswalkers.
I'm just personally imagining something like lands that transform into planeswalkers. Like a Tomb or maybe a Temple, and then when a specific condition is met, the card transforms and the "god" makes his appearance.
Experimentation with DFC sounds fascinating - we've only seen creatures and artifacts flip thus far (and that ormendahl land), so expanding the roster in a limited fashion seems cool.
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DECKS:
Commander:
Aurelia the Warleader - Combat Tricks and Swarm
Oloro, Ageless Ascetic - Lifegain/Lifedrain Pillowfort
Trostani, Selesnya's Voice - Token Assault
Meren of Clan Nel Toth - Reanimator Value
Mizzix - Out of the Box Spellslinger
You guys are overthinking it! Wizards is more likely to do a cycle of unplayable common, 1-2 CMC artifacts related to the main characters of the set. Like...
King Tut's Chin-Dongle 2
Artifact 2, T ,Sacrifice King Tut's Chin-Dongle: Shuffle your library. Then, if you control a creature named King Tut, draw a card.
Probably some sort of Graveyard mechanic, or at least "when X dies" kind of theme. They'll probably want to avoid stepping on Innistrad's toes too much given we just went there, but I'm not sure quite what they'll angle towards. Also guessing a Blue/Green Planeswalker and some sort of Red/not Blue Planeswalker. Blue/Green is probably new, could be the Sphinx, Red/not Blue doesn't have to be. Could also be that we get a Tricolor in place of either of those, but on top of Bolas just seems like overkill and I don't see Bolas dropping down to two colors. Liliana/Gideon as Gatewatch getting new cards, clearing space for a new Jace in the next block, wherever that is. Gods of some sort, but probably not Devotion, guessing some sort of other mechanic as the focus.
Anyone else be down for a colorless Planeswalker at 4,5 or 6 cmc?
Not sure how it would fit in, we have a silver golem and a spirit dragon, maybe a stone sphinx, spirit or semi-deity??? Need more colorless walkers.
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Playing since 1994: Currently MAGS (HomeBrew),Standard & Pauper (Pioneer and Modern are degenerate trash formats)
STOP using "dude/bro" as a pejorative or insult. Grow up.
Margaret Thatcher: “The problem with socialism is that you eventually run out of other people's money.”
Benjamin Franklin: "Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety."
Martin Luther King Jr.: "I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character."
On the story front, I'm guessing we'll see the predictable outcome of "Gatewatch 5 take on Bolas, get severely outmatched" followed in HOD with Ajani bringing in some reinforcements to free his new teammates and give Bolas a good fightin', even if they don't outright defeat him this block. Also, Liliana gets to take out Razaketh on the side.
My guess for the basic story flow:
Amonkhet
Gatewatch 5 arrive on Amonkhet
Liliana takes off to find Razaketh
Jace starts doing research on Bolas' whereabouts and what kinds of forces are at his disposal on Amonkhet
Nissa begins feeling for mana bonds, and locates five particularly strong bonds in the temples of the Five Gods
The Founding 4 set out to destroy Bolas' mana bonds
The Founding 4 destroy two of the bonds before being set upon by Bolas' forces
Jace uses his powers of illusion to help the 4 escape
Liliana destroys Razaketh
Jace contacts Liliana to inform her of the situation and urges her to help them destroy the mana bonds
Tezzeret finally shows up to report the events on Kaladesh to Bolas
Bolas seeks out the Gatewatch
Gatewatch battles Bolas, Bolas wins and imprisons the Gatewatch with ominous intentions
Hour of Devastation
Ajani shows up on Amonkhet with allies in tow (likely including Narset, Ral Zarek, Sarkhan, Saheeli, Sorin, Tamiyo, and Ugin, possibly even Karn)
Jace telepathically contacts Ajani to inform him of the current dire situation
Ajani's group split up, half to draw Bolas' attention and half to save the Gatewatch 5 (Ugin leads the distraction team while Ajani leads the rescue team)
Ajani's team battle planeswalkers under Bolas' control (likely including Ramaz and Tezzeret, possibly including Vraska)
Ajani's team rescues the Gatewatch 5
The Gatewatch continue their plan to destroy Bolas' mana bonds
The battle begins shifting in the favor of Ugin's team, but Bolas has tricks up his sleeve yet
Two more mana bonds are destroyed
Bolas prepares a spell that threatens to destroy the entire plane with his enemies on it
The fifth mana bond is destroyed
The destruction of Bolas' bonds has considerably weakened him, resulting in a spell that doesn't quite destroy the plane but heavily devastates it (hence Hour of Devastation)
Bolas planeswalks away
Ajani royally chews out the 5 for their reckless move
Several new PWs join the Gatewatch
The newly expanded Gatewatch exchange info about threats to address, including Garruk, Vraska, Nahiri, Nixilis, and of course Bolas
Jace begins planning housing arrangements on Ravnica, negotiates additional sanctums on various planes, and works with Ugin to plan the Gatewatch's next moves
Bolas begins recruiting new allies of his own, including Ob Nixilis and Tibalt
By the end of July, we'll see how much of this I got right. If I'm going to guess, not every single sapient being on Amonkhet will be aligned with Bolas; there will be some who want the tyrant overthrown.
MTGS Wikia Article about "New World Order"
Every time I read a comment about "Well if this card had card draw/trample/haste/indestructible/hexproof/life gain...", I think "You're missing the point." They're armchair developer comments that fail to take into account the card's role in the greater Limited and Standard environment. No, it may not be as good as whatever card you're comparing it to. There's a reason for that. Not every burn spell is Lightning Bolt, nor does it need to be or should be.
PSA to everyone who keeps forgetting about the Reserved List:
You're on a website dedicated to talking about MtG. You're only a few keystrokes away from finding out what cards are on the Reserved List. You're also only a few keystrokes away from finding out why some cards on the Reserved List got foil printings in FtV, as Judge promos, or whatnot, as well as why that won't happen again. Stop doing this.
Amonkhet:
In the story, Liliana seems to want to use Chandra to help her destroy Razaketh.
Gideon will disapprove of Liliana putting Chandra in harm's way, the Mardu wedge might have a falling out.
It's possible Liliana's desire to kill Razaketh costs them an opportunity to gain an advantage over Nicol Bolas. Maybe Jace and/or Nissa get captured. Razaketh escapes.
Hour of Devastation:
Ajani shows up with Tamiyo and/or another planeswalker. Perhaps Sarkhan (who Ajani is at least on good terms with) and Sarkhan brings Ugin.
Bolas gets defeated, and Liliana discovers and corners the retreated Razaketh. Kills him in badass fashion despite Ajani's disapproval.
I'm very curious to see the gods and which themes they represent. Cats, Dogs, Crocodiles and Scarabs are the most obvious ones.
Mummies. Curses. Traps. Pyramids. Treasures. Tons of potential.
If that continuity is sustained, this should be where we could expect to see Crucius. Hopefully they get a cool riddle-based mono blue or Esper design.
A new BR planeswalker, just because it's been SO long since we've had one in standard.
You don't call "dying to removal" if the removal is more expensive in resources than the creature. If you have to spend BG (Abrupt Decay), or W + basic land (PtE) to remove a 1G, that is not "dying to removal". Strictly speaking Goyf dies to removal, but actually your removal is dying to Goyf.
I don't think they will do tri-lands again due to those enabling 4 color mana bases too easily. However, I am betting on a better allied land cycle than the shadow lands to make up for it.
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1. (Ravnica Allegiance): You can't keep a good esper control deck down... Or Wilderness Reclamation... or Gates...
2. (War of the Spark): Guys, I know what we need! We need a cycle of really idiotic flavor text victory cards! Jace's Triumph...
3. (War of the Spark): Lets make the format with control have even more control!
Wait what if the Gate watch are the bad guys in this set.
Think maybe Bolus is trying to save his plan and his people and the Gate Watch just destroyed the portal that could have been the answer.
I mean jut because Bolus is black and blue doesn't mean he lacks the deep passion and love we see in red. So it could be really funny if the Gate-watch are portrayed as the bad-guys and Bolus as the hero.
I mean the only thing Bolus has ever don wrong was accidentally kill Ugin were he sent Sarken back in time to fix. The whole Eldrozi being released was Jace,Chandra, and Lilliona's fault. Even if Bolus planned it out it doesn't mean him leading the fools to unsealing the Eldrozi was a bad thing.
He may have know all along that it would turn out just fine. Still how did Tamio get free from the time bubble? What was Bolus's plan for the Eldrozi?
Why dose a plains walker need a plainer bridge?
I hope that Amonkhet will shed some light on the subject.
Ho what if the story is told from Bolus and his subjects point of view instead of from the Gate-watch's.
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Normally I would propose a WB necromancer as a sort of "good Liliana", but Lili herself will most likely appear in the block, so the necromancer niche is filled.
Personally I would love to see Gideon and Jace get a buddy cop story in Ravnica 3. They've already hinted at Vraska being the antagonist. And being a Gorgon she could serve as a segue to Theros.
Every time I read a comment about "Well if this card had card draw/trample/haste/indestructible/hexproof/life gain...", I think "You're missing the point." They're armchair developer comments that fail to take into account the card's role in the greater Limited and Standard environment. No, it may not be as good as whatever card you're comparing it to. There's a reason for that. Not every burn spell is Lightning Bolt, nor does it need to be or should be.
Well it's nice to have returning characters people can care about, and even the Gatewatch can get more interesting members over time. Though I do agree with you about the "Jace saving the day" part, they should leave him out for a block or ten...
The only thing guaranteed about the lands is that they aren't going to be reprints at the rare level and they are going to most likely print dual tap lands as the uncommons. They said they want to make a baseline land that they can reprint every set for mana-fixing, which means given our preview card in Aether Revolt is tri-color will probably be there for limited. I'm not sure we will ever see mana-fixing as good as Kahns of Tarkir for a long while, though.
1. (Ravnica Allegiance): You can't keep a good esper control deck down... Or Wilderness Reclamation... or Gates...
2. (War of the Spark): Guys, I know what we need! We need a cycle of really idiotic flavor text victory cards! Jace's Triumph...
3. (War of the Spark): Lets make the format with control have even more control!
I do like the idea of an Entomb land.
I floated this same idea a while back
(it kind of makes sense if Bolas is one of the gods, as is heavily implied).
If they do this, I think they would treat them very differently from "normal" Planeswalkers-
most likely very expensive and very powerful (not unlike Nicol Bolas, Planeswalker).
Then they could create "normal" PWs without too much to worry about
(though Planar Bridge would get a lot more valuable).
Reprint Stasis!
Control needs more love.
EDH:
Momir Vig, Simic Visionary
Melek, Izzet Paragon
Oona, Queen of the Fae
Bruna, Light of Alabaster
Gisela, Blade of Goldnight
Rhys the Redeemed
Jarad, Golgari Lich Lord
Sen Triplets
The Mimeoplasm
WUBRGSliver OverlordGRBUW
WUBRGSliver Hivelord(Superfriends)GRBUW
I'm just personally imagining something like lands that transform into planeswalkers. Like a Tomb or maybe a Temple, and then when a specific condition is met, the card transforms and the "god" makes his appearance.
Experimentation with DFC sounds fascinating - we've only seen creatures and artifacts flip thus far (and that ormendahl land), so expanding the roster in a limited fashion seems cool.
Commander:
Aurelia the Warleader - Combat Tricks and Swarm
Oloro, Ageless Ascetic - Lifegain/Lifedrain Pillowfort
Trostani, Selesnya's Voice - Token Assault
Meren of Clan Nel Toth - Reanimator Value
Mizzix - Out of the Box Spellslinger
Standard:
RB Madness Vamps
Casual:
Formerly Modern Elfball
and Arlinn Kord and Garruk Relentless
King Tut's Chin-Dongle 2
Artifact
2, T ,Sacrifice King Tut's Chin-Dongle: Shuffle your library. Then, if you control a creature named King Tut, draw a card.
Many thanks to DNC at Heroes of the Plane Studios
Not sure how it would fit in, we have a silver golem and a spirit dragon, maybe a stone sphinx, spirit or semi-deity??? Need more colorless walkers.
STOP using "dude/bro" as a pejorative or insult. Grow up.
Margaret Thatcher: “The problem with socialism is that you eventually run out of other people's money.”
Benjamin Franklin: "Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety."
Martin Luther King Jr.: "I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character."
My guess for the basic story flow:
Amonkhet
Hour of Devastation
By the end of July, we'll see how much of this I got right. If I'm going to guess, not every single sapient being on Amonkhet will be aligned with Bolas; there will be some who want the tyrant overthrown.
Every time I read a comment about "Well if this card had card draw/trample/haste/indestructible/hexproof/life gain...", I think "You're missing the point." They're armchair developer comments that fail to take into account the card's role in the greater Limited and Standard environment. No, it may not be as good as whatever card you're comparing it to. There's a reason for that. Not every burn spell is Lightning Bolt, nor does it need to be or should be.
Amonkhet:
In the story, Liliana seems to want to use Chandra to help her destroy Razaketh.
Gideon will disapprove of Liliana putting Chandra in harm's way, the Mardu wedge might have a falling out.
It's possible Liliana's desire to kill Razaketh costs them an opportunity to gain an advantage over Nicol Bolas. Maybe Jace and/or Nissa get captured. Razaketh escapes.
Hour of Devastation:
Ajani shows up with Tamiyo and/or another planeswalker. Perhaps Sarkhan (who Ajani is at least on good terms with) and Sarkhan brings Ugin.
Bolas gets defeated, and Liliana discovers and corners the retreated Razaketh. Kills him in badass fashion despite Ajani's disapproval.
I'm very curious to see the gods and which themes they represent. Cats, Dogs, Crocodiles and Scarabs are the most obvious ones.
Mummies. Curses. Traps. Pyramids. Treasures. Tons of potential.
If that continuity is sustained, this should be where we could expect to see Crucius. Hopefully they get a cool riddle-based mono blue or Esper design.
A new BR planeswalker, just because it's been SO long since we've had one in standard.
"OH GOD MY BRAIN IS EXPLOADING AT HOW BAD THE ART IS ON MY OWN CARD"
-A friend's first impression of Ancestral Recall
10/10, I tapped.
1. (Ravnica Allegiance): You can't keep a good esper control deck down... Or Wilderness Reclamation... or Gates...
2. (War of the Spark): Guys, I know what we need! We need a cycle of really idiotic flavor text victory cards! Jace's Triumph...
3. (War of the Spark): Lets make the format with control have even more control!
Think maybe Bolus is trying to save his plan and his people and the Gate Watch just destroyed the portal that could have been the answer.
I mean jut because Bolus is black and blue doesn't mean he lacks the deep passion and love we see in red. So it could be really funny if the Gate-watch are portrayed as the bad-guys and Bolus as the hero.
I mean the only thing Bolus has ever don wrong was accidentally kill Ugin were he sent Sarken back in time to fix. The whole Eldrozi being released was Jace,Chandra, and Lilliona's fault. Even if Bolus planned it out it doesn't mean him leading the fools to unsealing the Eldrozi was a bad thing.
He may have know all along that it would turn out just fine. Still how did Tamio get free from the time bubble? What was Bolus's plan for the Eldrozi?
Why dose a plains walker need a plainer bridge?
I hope that Amonkhet will shed some light on the subject.
Ho what if the story is told from Bolus and his subjects point of view instead of from the Gate-watch's.