Hello everyone and thank you for stopping by at this thread. While some of you may or may not remember this, I whipped this up a couple years ago on a whim. I really loved the Primeval dragon cycle but feel like they never got the true love or attention they deserved. Especially the wedge dragons. With the release of Commander 2011, wedge players got a little bit more in the pool of options for their commanders. But we still itch for more wedge options to diversify our deck building and table top playing. But I believe we should never forget our roots or our beginnings, so that is why this thread will be dusted off and revised. Perhaps this will shed new light on a long forgot group of heroes which made us itch for more when we built commander decks. For those of you just joining and not much experience with the Primevals, this may be a good place to get started. This list will feature not only summaries about the dragon's gameplay, but also the most popular deck lists and primers, exclusive fan art, and some flavor filled stories provided by the MTG community. As with all my threads, I try to involve the community as much as I can. If you have any decks, art work, thoughts, or just general input for the thread please post it below and I will do my best to feature it with credit due to you. As a community, let us build knowledge and show our love for this game.
=The Story so Far=
Let me run down a crash course on the Primeval dragons for the new ones or even the veterans who need a refresher. The first five Primeval dragons were self-proclaimed gods who ruled Dominaria long after the Elder dragons were running amok. A group of wizards, known as the Numena managed to imprison the dragons in five separate resting places. It was here that they spent an eternity slumbering, waiting to be awaken. Just a little side note, it is not quite confirmed but some fan rumors say that the five primeval were actually one insanely powerful dragon. When the Numena tried to entrap the dragon, it proved to be too powerful. The wizards then cast a spell to split the dragon into five smaller, significantly weaker dragons that could be imprisoned separately.
During the Phyrexian Invasion, Rhammidarigaaz came to a revilation that he was a reincarnation of one of the five dragons imprisoned so long ago. He then set on a quest to revive and unleash the other four dragons and to return himself to his true form. The five dragons then proceeded to decimate forces from both the Dominaria and Phyrexia. The planeswalker Karn convinced Darigaaz the wrong of his ways. In shame, he threw himself into a volcano and died. The other four dragons were now weaker since their leader had died and either fled or were killed.
Each dragon's name has a draconic meaning. Darigaaz means "birth", Rith means "childhood", Treva means "adolescence", Dromar means "adulthood" and Crosis means "death". The dragon cycle represents the cycle of life. Darigaaz awoke each dragon in this specific order, while their awakening had to do with their specific name. While we do not have a translation for the other five primevals, I'm guessing their names roughly mean the same. Since this is an alternative universe, the meanings go as follows: Teneb means "birth" (since he resurrects), Intet means "childhood" (since she is dreamy and aloof, naive), Oros means "adolescence" (a critical turning point in a individuals life. For Treva, she chose to heal. For Oros, he chose to kill.), Vorosh means "adulthood" (since he is ambitious and driven) and Numot means "death" (since he destroys). This is also just speculation. Someone could probably shed some more light on these meanings.
Fast forward to the time rifts of Dominaria. The world is literally falling apart. Past characters and alternate realities flash along side the present. By this time, all five primeval dragons are dead. However, the luck comes with the passing of an alternate reality: What if now was the time for the five rulers to rise again and bring balance to a broken world? This time rift reincarnated all five dragons, but reversed their abilities and personalities, in some cases, also their genders. These dragons however, never bonded. They waged a civil war among themselves, to see who truly was fit to bring balance. Since all the dragons were equally powerful, they settled in a stalemate and decided to go their own ways. Some dragons became lone arbiters, commanding justice how they see fit. Others became vicious hunters or killers. Some others hid away to harbor and harness their new founded power. Yet others used their powers to help the struggling denizens of Dominaria. Either way, the five primevals were no longer bonded. However, one thing was for certain: one day, they would have their vengeance against the plane who imprisoned them so long ago.
The last part I wrote, simply because there was no lore about the Primeval dragons from Time Spiral. Someone needed to fill in the gap. So why me? I am currently a starving upcoming writer and English tutor at the University of New Mexico (well, almost a tutor... application still hasn't come back). But this story is totally up to change. Do you have any input on the story? Let me know and lets work on it together!
=Meet the Dragons=
The Red Primevals
-Darigaaz, the Igniter: Darigaaz is your average, run of the mill dragon: breathes fire, possesses magical powers, etc. His birth name was Rhammidarigaaz, son of Gherridarigaaz, a very powerful she-dragon. His mother sacrificed herself to protect the Planeswalker Urza. He was instrumental in the Phyrexian-Dominaria war. In order to fight the dark lord Yawgomoth, he allied himself with the dark draconian planeswalker Tevesh Szat. Szat revealed to Darigaaz that he was one of five ancient dragons who were demi-gods. He then set out on a quest to free the other four dragons. When they all arose and rallied behind him, he boldly decided to attack both the Phyrexians and the Dominarians in a vain effort to reclaim their lost kingdom. The planeswalker Karun eventually talked him down and showed him the wrong of his ways. Weak minded and guilty, Darigaaz threw himself into a volcano as penance for his misdeeds. In that volcano he died in a fiery explosion..
Darigaaz is a fun general to play. When he connects, you get to peer into your opponent’s hand. That is a very blue technique that the Jund Shard now has access to. He can then deal extra damage by the cards in the players hands of a certain choice. A exciting ability, since his fire-breathing helps dwindle your opponent's life total to nothing. I could not really find a good, up-to date list for Darigaaz, simply because there are a lot better generals than him to play. None the less, Cvipertooth had a good place to start here
-Numot, the Devistator: Numot is the second incarnation of Darigaaz. As are the other incarnations of the former dragons, he is completely different from his former self. A dragon who was once a fearless leader and valued teamwork, now flies alone with only one thing on his mind: vengeance. He is now bitter, resentful, and lusts for destruction. He believes his efforts as a team leader were unappreciated and he did not receive proper credit where it was due. For it was he that kept the dragons together in their time of glory. Without him, they were unorganized and clumsy. And the only reason they fell was because he took his own life.
Now Numot realizes that he is the most powerful of all of the Primeval dragons, and their survival depends on his well being. With his newfound egocentrism, he boldly challenged all five dragons in combat. Their battle tore an already dying plane apart. When the dust settled, neither dragon stood victorious. In a fit of annoyance and rage, Numot flew off. He now stalks the land, destroying the very ground his enemies stand on in a way to exact vengeance for is downfall. One way or another, this plane will pay for its incompetence.
Numot is the more competitive tier general of the two. When he connects, you can destroy up to two lands. This is very powerful, since you can unconditionally destroy problematic lands your opponent runs. He is in essence a Strip Mine on a stick. And most commander players already know the raw power of Strip Mine in EDH. You can also mess up their entire mana base if it was developed poorly. A very evil Primeval, yet high ranking in power and class. I mean, have you seen his necklaces? Numot has a few more lists, since he is currently the only aggressive URW commander. Lionheart’s list is the closest thing to a primer for Numot. You can find his list here.
The Green Primevals
-Rith, the Awakener: The first incarnation of the Green Primeval is one of the few Primevals that holds a similar trait with his/her second incarnation: desire for supremacy. Rith knows she is a powerful being, and demands total obedience, or her wrath with annihilate all in her path. She commands vast armies that bend to her supreme command. Unquestioned, unchallenged, Rith is one of the most powerful incarnations of a Primeval. When Darigaaz awaked her, she convinced him to awake the others, no matter the cost. This would be their world and their world alone. When he died, she fled since the Primeval’s power faltered with the death of their leader. She was tracked to Urborg and grabbed form the sky by an army of tree folk who swallowed her whole.
Rith creates a army when she connects to an opponent. Her army grows exponentially with every hit. Your opponent will then scramble for removal for both her and her army. Backed up with haste outlets and mass pumps, Rith can soon become unstoppable. She is one of the most powerful dragons of the first incarnations. There is a fantastic primer here by Vash9177.
-Vorosh, the Hunter: The second incarnation of the Green Primeval also hungers for power. However, he does not value community and have an army to bend to his will. He will get things done his and only his way, Stubbron and diabolic, Vorosh lives for the thrill of the hunt. He grows stronger with every kill, and will even challenge his kin for their draconian thrones. Tyrant, murderer, liberator. No matter what they call him, all bystanders look toward the sky in terror when they hear the whisper of his wings as they cut through the sky. When he awoke from the Planar shift, he exploded from his wooden tomb and slaughtered entire groves of treefolk in a fit of vengeance for imprisoning him. He then searched for his kin to murder them as well. When he received Numot’s challenge, he prepared by bathing himself in dark swamp matter, camouflaging himself and dipping his claws in toxic poison. He then stealthy attacked each of the dragons. Victory was almost his, but all the other dragons then turned and focused their efforts on him, easily emancipating him. But they themselves were wounded and left the battle in a stalemate. Vorosh left as well, as he honed his skills as a killer and sought methods to increase his abilities as a hunter. He even went as far as to consult the enemy he had fought so long ago: the Phyrexians.
Vorosh stands alone as he dishes out massive damage to your opponent. His power grows by six as he pounds your opponent. This can lead to a possible two turn clock with minor pumps and swords. Vorosh is scary due to the fact that if unanswered, he will finish you. Being black makes him immune to most removal. Be careful piloting Vorosh. The deck tends to rely on him. If he can be taken down, you will need a plan B. KosmiK HorroR has a list here that will give you a good place to start.
The White Primevals
-Treva, the Renewer: Treva is the first incarnation of the White Primeval. She is a powerful healer, and cures almost all disease and/or injury. While she cannot restore the dead, she can prevent soldiers from dying. Her army is clouded in an aurora of healing magic. She is kind, generous, and has a very large heart. At full strength, she could breathe a shaft of pure white light that could cut through the hardest steel. Her kindness comes from the horrors she faced when she was initially imprisoned. She was crucified by the wizard tasked with capturing her. When she was awoken, she did not have enough strength to sustain her body, so four dragon lords were sacrifice for her. Now vital again, she realized that she must right the wrongs of what had happened to her. Instead of exacting vengeance, she offered aid and assistance. She was one of the few dragons who helped the Coalition fight the Phyrexians. However, when Darigaaz died, she fled since it was revealed her and Dromar had placed the entire Dragon Nation under a mind spell. Now that her folly was brought to light, she attempted to flee but was cut down and killed.
When Treva connects to an opponent, she allows you to gain a massive amount of life. Buffing your life total up while dwindling your opponent's is a crucial and even super efficient effect in Commander. Not much can be said about Treva. She can be built fairly easily, and the colors happily compliment each other in synergy. Vash9177 built a Treva list similar to an enchantress build. It is solid, strong, and a great place to start.
-Oros, the Avenger: Again, the tables are turned as the second incarnation of the White Primeval has completely altered from the first. He is now male, with a burning desire for vengeance in his heart. Instead of healing, he now inflicts pain on all, even his allies. He can breathe a fire so hot that it can melt any sort of steel. He awoke from his slumber with a evil vendetta. He believes that despite all the good he had done for others in his past life, he was never thanked or appreciated. Instead, they hunted him down and killed him, despite his help in the war against the Phyrexians. Revenge would have been his. He was also furious at his brothers and sisters for their lack of appreciation or attention. He gladly accepted Numot’s request for war and joined battle with a malice that decimated the other dragons. He however was also susceptible to their injuries, and despite his most powerful spells, the dragons landed a stalemate. He was the only dragon left on the dragon field, confused and alone, for he did not know the ways of war. He decided to study and learn how to be the perfect warrior. He would lay waste to all, enemy or ally. Whoever stood in his way would be burned to cinders. He is now on a quest to become Dorminaria’s god of war. And nothing will stop the Avenger.
Oros's ability is when he deals damage to an enemy, he deals three damage to every non white creature. This may seem strange, since this also inflicts damage on your own creatures, the ones who are red, black, or have no color at all. With this in mind, Oros requires some thought into the deck building. Oros tends to lend himself to the stax/punisher builds, since his synergies with many of the creatures who want to be inflicted with pain. A very interesting general to build. deadguydrew has a awesome primer that is worth a look if you want to run Oros.
The Blue Primevals
-Dromar, the Banisher: Shy and coy, the first incarnation of the Blue Primeval is surprisingly the greediest. His powers included a breath that was similar to a EMP (electro magnetic pulse) that disoriented and shocked all enemies in his path. He also could teleport or creates a mass teleportation spell, transporting him and others away from the field of battle. He also had an insatiable desire for treasure and gems, like most dragons you read about. This greed eventually became his downfall. The wizard tasked with imprisoning Dromar tempted him with a cave full of treasure under the sea. His desire was so great that he immersed himself in the cursed treasure, which put him in a coma-like state. Since he had all the treasure he could ever want, he slipped into a deep sleep in the comfort of his treasure. When Darigaaz freed him, he destroyed his bed of jewels. Snapping out of his coma, Dromar realized that there was a far greater jewel for him to claim: Dominaria. He then joined his brothers and sisters as they fought for their lost kingdom. When Darigaaz fell however, Dromar fled into the horizon, never to be seen again.
Dromar's effect when he connects is a massive bounce of a single color. Keep in mind that of the five options to pick for a color, he is three of them. Two of them happen to be the most common and problematic colors. This means that in most important bounces, Dromar will bounce himself. Without haste and abundance of mana, Dromar can be VERY SLOW. However, he can utilize many ETB triggers for your benefit. A bit of work to build, but it can be done. StyxOfTolaria has a primer for Dromar but is slowly changing it to Oloro. You can still find good information here.
-Intet, the Dreamer: In the Blue Primeval's second incarnation, her gender has changed as well as many of her powers and traits. She is no longer scheming and deceptive. She is now kind, honest, and straightforward. Once a focused thinker, now she is aloof in her own world. Her power to teleport and manipulate the field has changed to being able to make large behemoths appear out of thin air, as well as control massive phenomenon a with little to no mana. She overwhelms her opponents with her massive spells and magic. When she arose, the merfolk whispered that she simply came from the horizon, apparently returning from whatever haven she had found in her previous life. In her new founded birth, she realized that her materialistic desires were her inevitable downfall. She dived into the depths of the sea, which was once her prison. She adorned herself with the various jewels as a reminder of her greed. With this new founded philosophy, she journeyed to find her brothers. In shock, she found them locked in a vicious battle. She intervened to try to stop them, but was mortally injured. She decided that a life of war was not for her. She fled to the opposite horizon of which she had came and made a home among the reefs and cliffs near the edge of the world. Here she meditated and practiced her new philosophy. She sent various creatures to whisper to the denizens of Dorminia. Hundreds of druids, warriors, and wizards came to her costal home to discover her secrets which she discovered as she pondered the universe and its many mysteries.
Intet's ability requires a lot of 'build around me' approaches. When she connects, you can exile the top card of your library, then play that spell for free as you wish. Without proper building techniques, Intet's ability becomes somewhat random. However, she is very fun and all casual players enjoy her ability. Not to be taken lightly however, she can be a force to be reckoned with. CatParty has a awesome primer here that offers more depth to Intet.
The Black Primevals
-Crosis, the Purger: Crosis. The mere name makes even the bravest of warriors collapse to their knees in terror. They cover their ears and scream prayers that will only be answered by death. Crosis is the pure embodiment of evil. The first incarnation of the Black Primeval lives up to the title of evil. Crosis has slain the mightiest of commanders with merely his voice. He can whisper dark psalms to the loyal and convert them to his cause. He can hum dark lullabies to make the dead rise from their slumber. His roar can shred the very soul to oblivion. In order to awaken him, Darigaaz and the other three primeval dragons had to sacrifice themselves just to satisfy Crosis, who in turn resurrected them. Crosis was nearly unstoppable, since his words would kill any mortal. It wasn’t until Darigaaz died that Crosis’s words lost their effect. This was the perfect window of opportunity for Captain Sisay of the Weatherlight to ram her ship into him and make him fall back into the tar pits of Urborg.
Crosis has a very powerful ability. When he connects, he allows you to view your opponent's hand, then make him discard cars of a certain color. With Crosis, you can have constant discard and sacrifice engines, leading to a very powerful control/stax strategy. Soon, your opponent will have no answers and no advantage, as Crosis moves in for the kill. Cabz, who is taking a break from commander made a really awesome list that should be a primer. You can find it here
-Teneb, the Harvester: The tables turn again in the second incarnation of the Black Primeval. This time, he actually is the embodiment of all that is good and just. His whispers are holy psalms that resurrect warriors that are not done fighting for justice. He isn't bitter as his former self. Now he is gentle, compassionate, and loving to his allies. He will strike down any enemy that comes between him and his cause with a righteous fury that is unparalleled to any commander. Perhaps Teneb wishes to right the wrongs of his previous incarnation. However, Teneb is a force of good, not evil. When he was awoken, he saw a world torn by struggles for power. He saw the destruction of the planeswalkers and their feeble attempt to fix their wrong doings. He saw an end of a world. He decided that he would use his time to help others. But before he could do anything, he was invited by Numot to a challenge: the winner would rule this new world, and this battle was to the death. Furious, he raced to the battle field in the middle of the raging battle. He first took his sister Intet to safety, for she had been badly poisoned by Vorosh. He then fought each of the dragons until none of the five could stand. The battle was over in a bloody stalemate. He took his wounded sister and nursed her back to health. She left to pursue a life of philosophy, while he stayed behind to assemble a team of talented individuals to help with the healing of his world.
Teneb can allow you to reanimate any creature from ANY graveyard when he connects with an opponent. This means you can take your opponents biggest fattie and have it serve under your command. Teneb is relatively easy to build around, and pretty much lends himself to the build. If you need more suggestions, I made a primer a while ago that is currently up to date, which you can find in my signature, or here.
=Extras=
From the Mothership
As Khans of Tarkir began to spoil on the main website, the Arcana released this article:
This article held the original card description for each Planar Chaos dragon. As insightful as it maybe, it was still quite vague and gave little to no information about them. Wizards actually acknowledged this lack of information as a purposeful maneuver:
Little is known about these five mighty dragons that have headlined many a Commander deck over the years, and they remain shrouded in mystery.
Yeah, Wizards actually admitted their laziness on their Vorthos part as a marketing move. Keep in mind, Planar Chaos released in 2007. These art descriptions and full image arts were not released until 2014, a full seven years after their release, as a casual arcana article to celebrate a new wedge block. It makes me mad, but I suppose in terms of supplimental sources for the Planar Dragons, this is the best Wizards will give us. That being said, the original stories I wrote will stay as they are. I mean, one of the descriptions described Teneb as bitter and sleepy. Sleepy? Really? He's just super chill. A sleepy dragon...
No it doesn't. Other than that, nice post, fun to read. On a side note, I've just finished my Intet Epic Experiment deck. I love the Dragons, but Intet is my favourite.
Also, does anyone have any good decklists for the five dragons? So far I have Rith covered
I also have a Rith list I'm quite fond of, but it doesn't really highlight the strengths of the Primeval at all. You could take a look if you want a slightly different style list.
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"I have seen the true path. I will not warm myself by the fire—I will become the flame."
—Lim-Dul, the Necromancer
I also have a Rith list I'm quite fond of, but it doesn't really highlight the strengths of the Primeval at all. You could take a look if you want a slightly different style list.
I remember your deck! I actually used it to help me with my Rith build back in the summer. It really helped
Interesting read, and for sure it's offered me insight on the design purposes of the Chaos Primevals. I always considered the Chaos separate, if not 'lost' primevals aside from the originals.
Interesting read, and for sure it's offered me insight on the design purposes of the Chaos Primevals. I always considered the Chaos separate, if not 'lost' primevals aside from the originals.
I'm glad you enjoyed it I feel that the only reason people don't like them is because they have no story line. At least, none that Wizards wrote. But that's why I like them, because they make room for your own imagination and your own stories about them (:
I'm glad you enjoyed it I feel that the only reason people don't like them is because they have no story line. At least, none that Wizards wrote. But that's why I like them, because they make room for your own imagination and your own stories about them (:
Oh yes! I was curious.. Have you any ideas on if their titles reflect the draconic words for a cycle? Just like how the originals reflected a life cycle?
I'm glad you enjoyed it I feel that the only reason people don't like them is because they have no story line. At least, none that Wizards wrote. But that's why I like them, because they make room for your own imagination and your own stories about them (:
now inspired to build an intet deck
ive come up with ideas for crosis and rith but just never followed through.
Recent discussions here and elsewhere have made it clear that there seems to be a group of players who consider blue and control synonymous, as if they somehow started playing a game with four identical and "bad" colors that do nothing interesting because they just "turn men sideways" and then true, glorious blue, the only thinking person's color.
EDH decks
Marath, Will of the Wild
Sygg, River Cutthroat
Slobad, Goblin Tinkerer
Marchesa, the Black Rose
I am dredging an old thread I wrote a while ago, simply because I felt like this information should be put out there. I wanted to make this community based, so have lots of input and feature threads from other posters and community members. The MTG community is such a great pool of people and with threads like this, bringing everyone together for lore and love of the same game really is why I enjoy playing. So I will work on this regularly. Thank you all and Enjoy!
Nice read! Intet is essentially what I envisioned her as when I first started building her.
I never really realized how all of the dragons essentially are inverses of their past selves. Darigaaz tries to take out the player as quickly as possible. Numot tries to take out the player's lands, leaving them helpless to a slower death. Rith brings power in numbers. Vorosh hordes power for himself. Dromar revokes things from the world, Intent brings things into it. Treva brings healing for the righteous. Oros brings punishment for all. And Crosis brings death, while Teneb brings life.
I like it, and I like how you fleshed them out! I'd love to help you flesh out the Elder Dragons, if you're interested. Really you can hit me up anytime you want to expand on the stories of generals who don't have much. I'd be happy to help!
Man i would love to get a copy of each primeval dragon. And stuff them into tribal deck with Scion at the helm. Run Karthus, a few big bad reds, Utility, ramp, and see it all come together as a deck of Monsters that black out the skies.
Flavor point, Darigaaz means "conception" and Rith means "birth". Rith seems like she wants Purphoros, God of the Forge.
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Card advantage is not the same thing as card draw. Something for 2B cannot be strictly worse than something for BBB or 3BB. If you're taking out Swords to Plowshares for Plummet, you're a fool. Stop doing these things!
Thank you all for your input and suggestions!! I will work on the thread soon and add everyone's suggestions. Katherine, I'd love to work with you on the story part! PM me and let's figure something out.
I will add a section on the Scion of the Ur-Dragon in a bit. I believe there is even a primer running around here.
I updated a lot of the info on the list. Khans of Tarkir may prove to be a super exciting set, since it is wedge based and there are rumors of a new set of Wedge dragons. I may consider including those if that is the case.
How the Primeval Dragons influence EDH
All the credit to the amazing Ace.
Hello everyone and thank you for stopping by at this thread. While some of you may or may not remember this, I whipped this up a couple years ago on a whim. I really loved the Primeval dragon cycle but feel like they never got the true love or attention they deserved. Especially the wedge dragons. With the release of Commander 2011, wedge players got a little bit more in the pool of options for their commanders. But we still itch for more wedge options to diversify our deck building and table top playing. But I believe we should never forget our roots or our beginnings, so that is why this thread will be dusted off and revised. Perhaps this will shed new light on a long forgot group of heroes which made us itch for more when we built commander decks. For those of you just joining and not much experience with the Primevals, this may be a good place to get started. This list will feature not only summaries about the dragon's gameplay, but also the most popular deck lists and primers, exclusive fan art, and some flavor filled stories provided by the MTG community. As with all my threads, I try to involve the community as much as I can. If you have any decks, art work, thoughts, or just general input for the thread please post it below and I will do my best to feature it with credit due to you. As a community, let us build knowledge and show our love for this game.
Let me run down a crash course on the Primeval dragons for the new ones or even the veterans who need a refresher. The first five Primeval dragons were self-proclaimed gods who ruled Dominaria long after the Elder dragons were running amok. A group of wizards, known as the Numena managed to imprison the dragons in five separate resting places. It was here that they spent an eternity slumbering, waiting to be awaken. Just a little side note, it is not quite confirmed but some fan rumors say that the five primeval were actually one insanely powerful dragon. When the Numena tried to entrap the dragon, it proved to be too powerful. The wizards then cast a spell to split the dragon into five smaller, significantly weaker dragons that could be imprisoned separately.
During the Phyrexian Invasion, Rhammidarigaaz came to a revilation that he was a reincarnation of one of the five dragons imprisoned so long ago. He then set on a quest to revive and unleash the other four dragons and to return himself to his true form. The five dragons then proceeded to decimate forces from both the Dominaria and Phyrexia. The planeswalker Karn convinced Darigaaz the wrong of his ways. In shame, he threw himself into a volcano and died. The other four dragons were now weaker since their leader had died and either fled or were killed.
Each dragon's name has a draconic meaning. Darigaaz means "birth", Rith means "childhood", Treva means "adolescence", Dromar means "adulthood" and Crosis means "death". The dragon cycle represents the cycle of life. Darigaaz awoke each dragon in this specific order, while their awakening had to do with their specific name. While we do not have a translation for the other five primevals, I'm guessing their names roughly mean the same. Since this is an alternative universe, the meanings go as follows: Teneb means "birth" (since he resurrects), Intet means "childhood" (since she is dreamy and aloof, naive), Oros means "adolescence" (a critical turning point in a individuals life. For Treva, she chose to heal. For Oros, he chose to kill.), Vorosh means "adulthood" (since he is ambitious and driven) and Numot means "death" (since he destroys). This is also just speculation. Someone could probably shed some more light on these meanings.
Source: http://mtgsalvation.gamepedia.com/Dragons#Primeval_Dragons
Fast forward to the time rifts of Dominaria. The world is literally falling apart. Past characters and alternate realities flash along side the present. By this time, all five primeval dragons are dead. However, the luck comes with the passing of an alternate reality: What if now was the time for the five rulers to rise again and bring balance to a broken world? This time rift reincarnated all five dragons, but reversed their abilities and personalities, in some cases, also their genders. These dragons however, never bonded. They waged a civil war among themselves, to see who truly was fit to bring balance. Since all the dragons were equally powerful, they settled in a stalemate and decided to go their own ways. Some dragons became lone arbiters, commanding justice how they see fit. Others became vicious hunters or killers. Some others hid away to harbor and harness their new founded power. Yet others used their powers to help the struggling denizens of Dominaria. Either way, the five primevals were no longer bonded. However, one thing was for certain: one day, they would have their vengeance against the plane who imprisoned them so long ago.
The last part I wrote, simply because there was no lore about the Primeval dragons from Time Spiral. Someone needed to fill in the gap. So why me? I am currently a
starvingupcoming writer and English tutor at the University of New Mexico (well, almost a tutor... application still hasn't come back). But this story is totally up to change. Do you have any input on the story? Let me know and lets work on it together!The Red Primevals
-Darigaaz, the Igniter: Darigaaz is your average, run of the mill dragon: breathes fire, possesses magical powers, etc. His birth name was Rhammidarigaaz, son of Gherridarigaaz, a very powerful she-dragon. His mother sacrificed herself to protect the Planeswalker Urza. He was instrumental in the Phyrexian-Dominaria war. In order to fight the dark lord Yawgomoth, he allied himself with the dark draconian planeswalker Tevesh Szat. Szat revealed to Darigaaz that he was one of five ancient dragons who were demi-gods. He then set out on a quest to free the other four dragons. When they all arose and rallied behind him, he boldly decided to attack both the Phyrexians and the Dominarians in a vain effort to reclaim their lost kingdom. The planeswalker Karun eventually talked him down and showed him the wrong of his ways. Weak minded and guilty, Darigaaz threw himself into a volcano as penance for his misdeeds. In that volcano he died in a fiery explosion..
Darigaaz is a fun general to play. When he connects, you get to peer into your opponent’s hand. That is a very blue technique that the Jund Shard now has access to. He can then deal extra damage by the cards in the players hands of a certain choice. A exciting ability, since his fire-breathing helps dwindle your opponent's life total to nothing. I could not really find a good, up-to date list for Darigaaz, simply because there are a lot better generals than him to play. None the less, Cvipertooth had a good place to start here
Source: http://archive.wizards.com/Magic/magazine/article.aspx?x=mtgcom/arcana/1335
-Numot, the Devistator: Numot is the second incarnation of Darigaaz. As are the other incarnations of the former dragons, he is completely different from his former self. A dragon who was once a fearless leader and valued teamwork, now flies alone with only one thing on his mind: vengeance. He is now bitter, resentful, and lusts for destruction. He believes his efforts as a team leader were unappreciated and he did not receive proper credit where it was due. For it was he that kept the dragons together in their time of glory. Without him, they were unorganized and clumsy. And the only reason they fell was because he took his own life.
Now Numot realizes that he is the most powerful of all of the Primeval dragons, and their survival depends on his well being. With his newfound egocentrism, he boldly challenged all five dragons in combat. Their battle tore an already dying plane apart. When the dust settled, neither dragon stood victorious. In a fit of annoyance and rage, Numot flew off. He now stalks the land, destroying the very ground his enemies stand on in a way to exact vengeance for is downfall. One way or another, this plane will pay for its incompetence.
Numot is the more competitive tier general of the two. When he connects, you can destroy up to two lands. This is very powerful, since you can unconditionally destroy problematic lands your opponent runs. He is in essence a Strip Mine on a stick. And most commander players already know the raw power of Strip Mine in EDH. You can also mess up their entire mana base if it was developed poorly. A very evil Primeval, yet high ranking in power and class. I mean, have you seen his necklaces? Numot has a few more lists, since he is currently the only aggressive URW commander. Lionheart’s list is the closest thing to a primer for Numot. You can find his list here.
The Green Primevals
-Rith, the Awakener: The first incarnation of the Green Primeval is one of the few Primevals that holds a similar trait with his/her second incarnation: desire for supremacy. Rith knows she is a powerful being, and demands total obedience, or her wrath with annihilate all in her path. She commands vast armies that bend to her supreme command. Unquestioned, unchallenged, Rith is one of the most powerful incarnations of a Primeval. When Darigaaz awaked her, she convinced him to awake the others, no matter the cost. This would be their world and their world alone. When he died, she fled since the Primeval’s power faltered with the death of their leader. She was tracked to Urborg and grabbed form the sky by an army of tree folk who swallowed her whole.
Rith creates a army when she connects to an opponent. Her army grows exponentially with every hit. Your opponent will then scramble for removal for both her and her army. Backed up with haste outlets and mass pumps, Rith can soon become unstoppable. She is one of the most powerful dragons of the first incarnations. There is a fantastic primer here by Vash9177.
Source: http://mtgsalvation.gamepedia.com/Rith
-Vorosh, the Hunter: The second incarnation of the Green Primeval also hungers for power. However, he does not value community and have an army to bend to his will. He will get things done his and only his way, Stubbron and diabolic, Vorosh lives for the thrill of the hunt. He grows stronger with every kill, and will even challenge his kin for their draconian thrones. Tyrant, murderer, liberator. No matter what they call him, all bystanders look toward the sky in terror when they hear the whisper of his wings as they cut through the sky. When he awoke from the Planar shift, he exploded from his wooden tomb and slaughtered entire groves of treefolk in a fit of vengeance for imprisoning him. He then searched for his kin to murder them as well. When he received Numot’s challenge, he prepared by bathing himself in dark swamp matter, camouflaging himself and dipping his claws in toxic poison. He then stealthy attacked each of the dragons. Victory was almost his, but all the other dragons then turned and focused their efforts on him, easily emancipating him. But they themselves were wounded and left the battle in a stalemate. Vorosh left as well, as he honed his skills as a killer and sought methods to increase his abilities as a hunter. He even went as far as to consult the enemy he had fought so long ago: the Phyrexians.
Vorosh stands alone as he dishes out massive damage to your opponent. His power grows by six as he pounds your opponent. This can lead to a possible two turn clock with minor pumps and swords. Vorosh is scary due to the fact that if unanswered, he will finish you. Being black makes him immune to most removal. Be careful piloting Vorosh. The deck tends to rely on him. If he can be taken down, you will need a plan B. KosmiK HorroR has a list here that will give you a good place to start.
The White Primevals
-Treva, the Renewer: Treva is the first incarnation of the White Primeval. She is a powerful healer, and cures almost all disease and/or injury. While she cannot restore the dead, she can prevent soldiers from dying. Her army is clouded in an aurora of healing magic. She is kind, generous, and has a very large heart. At full strength, she could breathe a shaft of pure white light that could cut through the hardest steel. Her kindness comes from the horrors she faced when she was initially imprisoned. She was crucified by the wizard tasked with capturing her. When she was awoken, she did not have enough strength to sustain her body, so four dragon lords were sacrifice for her. Now vital again, she realized that she must right the wrongs of what had happened to her. Instead of exacting vengeance, she offered aid and assistance. She was one of the few dragons who helped the Coalition fight the Phyrexians. However, when Darigaaz died, she fled since it was revealed her and Dromar had placed the entire Dragon Nation under a mind spell. Now that her folly was brought to light, she attempted to flee but was cut down and killed.
When Treva connects to an opponent, she allows you to gain a massive amount of life. Buffing your life total up while dwindling your opponent's is a crucial and even super efficient effect in Commander. Not much can be said about Treva. She can be built fairly easily, and the colors happily compliment each other in synergy. Vash9177 built a Treva list similar to an enchantress build. It is solid, strong, and a great place to start.
Source: http://mtgsalvation.gamepedia.com/Treva
-Oros, the Avenger: Again, the tables are turned as the second incarnation of the White Primeval has completely altered from the first. He is now male, with a burning desire for vengeance in his heart. Instead of healing, he now inflicts pain on all, even his allies. He can breathe a fire so hot that it can melt any sort of steel. He awoke from his slumber with a evil vendetta. He believes that despite all the good he had done for others in his past life, he was never thanked or appreciated. Instead, they hunted him down and killed him, despite his help in the war against the Phyrexians. Revenge would have been his. He was also furious at his brothers and sisters for their lack of appreciation or attention. He gladly accepted Numot’s request for war and joined battle with a malice that decimated the other dragons. He however was also susceptible to their injuries, and despite his most powerful spells, the dragons landed a stalemate. He was the only dragon left on the dragon field, confused and alone, for he did not know the ways of war. He decided to study and learn how to be the perfect warrior. He would lay waste to all, enemy or ally. Whoever stood in his way would be burned to cinders. He is now on a quest to become Dorminaria’s god of war. And nothing will stop the Avenger.
Oros's ability is when he deals damage to an enemy, he deals three damage to every non white creature. This may seem strange, since this also inflicts damage on your own creatures, the ones who are red, black, or have no color at all. With this in mind, Oros requires some thought into the deck building. Oros tends to lend himself to the stax/punisher builds, since his synergies with many of the creatures who want to be inflicted with pain. A very interesting general to build. deadguydrew has a awesome primer that is worth a look if you want to run Oros.
The Blue Primevals
-Dromar, the Banisher: Shy and coy, the first incarnation of the Blue Primeval is surprisingly the greediest. His powers included a breath that was similar to a EMP (electro magnetic pulse) that disoriented and shocked all enemies in his path. He also could teleport or creates a mass teleportation spell, transporting him and others away from the field of battle. He also had an insatiable desire for treasure and gems, like most dragons you read about. This greed eventually became his downfall. The wizard tasked with imprisoning Dromar tempted him with a cave full of treasure under the sea. His desire was so great that he immersed himself in the cursed treasure, which put him in a coma-like state. Since he had all the treasure he could ever want, he slipped into a deep sleep in the comfort of his treasure. When Darigaaz freed him, he destroyed his bed of jewels. Snapping out of his coma, Dromar realized that there was a far greater jewel for him to claim: Dominaria. He then joined his brothers and sisters as they fought for their lost kingdom. When Darigaaz fell however, Dromar fled into the horizon, never to be seen again.
Dromar's effect when he connects is a massive bounce of a single color. Keep in mind that of the five options to pick for a color, he is three of them. Two of them happen to be the most common and problematic colors. This means that in most important bounces, Dromar will bounce himself. Without haste and abundance of mana, Dromar can be VERY SLOW. However, he can utilize many ETB triggers for your benefit. A bit of work to build, but it can be done. StyxOfTolaria has a primer for Dromar but is slowly changing it to Oloro. You can still find good information here.
Source: http://mtgsalvation.gamepedia.com/Dromar
-Intet, the Dreamer: In the Blue Primeval's second incarnation, her gender has changed as well as many of her powers and traits. She is no longer scheming and deceptive. She is now kind, honest, and straightforward. Once a focused thinker, now she is aloof in her own world. Her power to teleport and manipulate the field has changed to being able to make large behemoths appear out of thin air, as well as control massive phenomenon a with little to no mana. She overwhelms her opponents with her massive spells and magic. When she arose, the merfolk whispered that she simply came from the horizon, apparently returning from whatever haven she had found in her previous life. In her new founded birth, she realized that her materialistic desires were her inevitable downfall. She dived into the depths of the sea, which was once her prison. She adorned herself with the various jewels as a reminder of her greed. With this new founded philosophy, she journeyed to find her brothers. In shock, she found them locked in a vicious battle. She intervened to try to stop them, but was mortally injured. She decided that a life of war was not for her. She fled to the opposite horizon of which she had came and made a home among the reefs and cliffs near the edge of the world. Here she meditated and practiced her new philosophy. She sent various creatures to whisper to the denizens of Dorminia. Hundreds of druids, warriors, and wizards came to her costal home to discover her secrets which she discovered as she pondered the universe and its many mysteries.
Intet's ability requires a lot of 'build around me' approaches. When she connects, you can exile the top card of your library, then play that spell for free as you wish. Without proper building techniques, Intet's ability becomes somewhat random. However, she is very fun and all casual players enjoy her ability. Not to be taken lightly however, she can be a force to be reckoned with. CatParty has a awesome primer here that offers more depth to Intet.
The Black Primevals
-Crosis, the Purger: Crosis. The mere name makes even the bravest of warriors collapse to their knees in terror. They cover their ears and scream prayers that will only be answered by death. Crosis is the pure embodiment of evil. The first incarnation of the Black Primeval lives up to the title of evil. Crosis has slain the mightiest of commanders with merely his voice. He can whisper dark psalms to the loyal and convert them to his cause. He can hum dark lullabies to make the dead rise from their slumber. His roar can shred the very soul to oblivion. In order to awaken him, Darigaaz and the other three primeval dragons had to sacrifice themselves just to satisfy Crosis, who in turn resurrected them. Crosis was nearly unstoppable, since his words would kill any mortal. It wasn’t until Darigaaz died that Crosis’s words lost their effect. This was the perfect window of opportunity for Captain Sisay of the Weatherlight to ram her ship into him and make him fall back into the tar pits of Urborg.
Crosis has a very powerful ability. When he connects, he allows you to view your opponent's hand, then make him discard cars of a certain color. With Crosis, you can have constant discard and sacrifice engines, leading to a very powerful control/stax strategy. Soon, your opponent will have no answers and no advantage, as Crosis moves in for the kill. Cabz, who is taking a break from commander made a really awesome list that should be a primer. You can find it here
Source: http://mtgsalvation.gamepedia.com/Crosis
-Teneb, the Harvester: The tables turn again in the second incarnation of the Black Primeval. This time, he actually is the embodiment of all that is good and just. His whispers are holy psalms that resurrect warriors that are not done fighting for justice. He isn't bitter as his former self. Now he is gentle, compassionate, and loving to his allies. He will strike down any enemy that comes between him and his cause with a righteous fury that is unparalleled to any commander. Perhaps Teneb wishes to right the wrongs of his previous incarnation. However, Teneb is a force of good, not evil. When he was awoken, he saw a world torn by struggles for power. He saw the destruction of the planeswalkers and their feeble attempt to fix their wrong doings. He saw an end of a world. He decided that he would use his time to help others. But before he could do anything, he was invited by Numot to a challenge: the winner would rule this new world, and this battle was to the death. Furious, he raced to the battle field in the middle of the raging battle. He first took his sister Intet to safety, for she had been badly poisoned by Vorosh. He then fought each of the dragons until none of the five could stand. The battle was over in a bloody stalemate. He took his wounded sister and nursed her back to health. She left to pursue a life of philosophy, while he stayed behind to assemble a team of talented individuals to help with the healing of his world.
Teneb can allow you to reanimate any creature from ANY graveyard when he connects with an opponent. This means you can take your opponents biggest fattie and have it serve under your command. Teneb is relatively easy to build around, and pretty much lends himself to the build. If you need more suggestions, I made a primer a while ago that is currently up to date, which you can find in my signature, or here.
From the Mothership
As Khans of Tarkir began to spoil on the main website, the Arcana released this article:
http://magic.wizards.com/en/articles/archive/arc/dragons-planar-chaos-2014-08-28
This article held the original card description for each Planar Chaos dragon. As insightful as it maybe, it was still quite vague and gave little to no information about them. Wizards actually acknowledged this lack of information as a purposeful maneuver:
Yeah, Wizards actually admitted their laziness on their Vorthos part as a marketing move. Keep in mind, Planar Chaos released in 2007. These art descriptions and full image arts were not released until 2014, a full seven years after their release, as a casual arcana article to celebrate a new wedge block. It makes me mad, but I suppose in terms of supplimental sources for the Planar Dragons, this is the best Wizards will give us. That being said, the original stories I wrote will stay as they are. I mean, one of the descriptions described Teneb as bitter and sleepy. Sleepy? Really? He's just super chill. A sleepy dragon...
More Coming Soon!
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WUBRG The Primeval Dragon's influence on EDH
Thanks to Heroes of the Plane for the awesome Sig.
Currently Playing- EDH
GGGOmnath, Locus of the LifestreamGGG
BBBShirei, Lord of PoniesBBB
UWRasputin Dreamweaver, Russia's Greatest Love MachineUW
UBWZur, Killer of FunUBW
UGWTreva, Princess of CanterlotUGW
RWTajic, Master of the Reverse BladeRW
RRRZirilan, How to Train Your DragonRRR
PDH Decks
Gelectrode
Ascended Lawmage
Blaze Commando
Thanks guys, I totally forgot about that
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EDH
GWSigarda, Host of EnchantressGW[Primer]
Well, the Elder Dragons are different from the Primevals. Also, the Elder Dragons are what started the format, so perhaps. Any thoughts on this?
Also, does anyone have any good decklists for the five dragons? So far I have Rith covered
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Here is a link to my friend's Numot list if you'd like a decent decklist:
">Numot, the Devastator
G Azusa, Lost but Seeking G
WU Grand Arbiter Augustin IV WU
WBG Karador, Ghost Chieftan WBG
B Korlash, Heir to Blackblade B
RU Tibor and Lumia RU
'He tasks me! He tasks me, and I shall have him!' - Khan Noonien Singh
I also have a Rith list I'm quite fond of, but it doesn't really highlight the strengths of the Primeval at all. You could take a look if you want a slightly different style list.
—Lim-Dul, the Necromancer
EDH/Commander
WWMichiko Konda, Truth Seeker Mono-White Control
RWBasandra, Battle Seraph Sunforger Shenanigans
GRWZacama Loam & Lands
Cube
Draft my "Classic Border Cube"
WUBRGCheck out some of my older lists and my Type4 Cube!GRBUW
I remember your deck! I actually used it to help me with my Rith build back in the summer. It really helped
Sweeeeeeeeeeetttt Numot is such a badass!
Dromar is actually the only Primeval Dragon that hasn't been reprinted. If your gonna build around him, please please please show me the list
Any other thoughts? Did anyone like my bios on the Planar Dragons? I thought they were pretty nifty...
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{Writing and Rants}
WUBRG The Primeval Dragon's influence on EDH
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Proud member of the Spirit of EDH
BGW Teneb, the Harvester [Primer]
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{Writing and Rants}
WUBRG The Primeval Dragon's influence on EDH
I'm glad you enjoyed it I feel that the only reason people don't like them is because they have no story line. At least, none that Wizards wrote. But that's why I like them, because they make room for your own imagination and your own stories about them (:
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WUBRG The Primeval Dragon's influence on EDH
Why thank you! Check back tomorrow evening. I'm going to update this thread and give it a full make over.
Btw, if anyone has any decklists with any of these dragons, you can comment or PM me a link and I'll feature you in the thread!
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WUBRG The Primeval Dragon's influence on EDH
Oh yes! I was curious.. Have you any ideas on if their titles reflect the draconic words for a cycle? Just like how the originals reflected a life cycle?
now inspired to build an intet deck
ive come up with ideas for crosis and rith but just never followed through.
http://stat.rumandmonkey.com/tests/1/6/5261/20801.jpg
EDH decks
Marath, Will of the Wild
Sygg, River Cutthroat
Slobad, Goblin Tinkerer
Marchesa, the Black Rose
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BGW Teneb, the Harvester [Primer]
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{Writing and Rants}
WUBRG The Primeval Dragon's influence on EDH
I never really realized how all of the dragons essentially are inverses of their past selves. Darigaaz tries to take out the player as quickly as possible. Numot tries to take out the player's lands, leaving them helpless to a slower death. Rith brings power in numbers. Vorosh hordes power for himself. Dromar revokes things from the world, Intent brings things into it. Treva brings healing for the righteous. Oros brings punishment for all. And Crosis brings death, while Teneb brings life.
I like it, and I like how you fleshed them out! I'd love to help you flesh out the Elder Dragons, if you're interested. Really you can hit me up anytime you want to expand on the stories of generals who don't have much. I'd be happy to help!
WUBRGCommander Decklists - PaperWUBRG
CCCCCommander Decklists - TheorycraftCCCC
Sig Credit: Pegasus Bishop
Um wait I mean...Um...I'm just gonna leave now
UB Vela the Night-Clad BUDecklist
WBG Ghave, Guru of Spores GBW
WUBRGThe Ur-DragonWUBRGDecklist
If that is correct, it may be worth mentioning scion of the ur-dragon.
My Blog - contains my decklists
Uril, The Miststalker
Frankie Peanuts - needs to move to multiplayer.
On phasing:
I will add a section on the Scion of the Ur-Dragon in a bit. I believe there is even a primer running around here.
Epic Signature by the one and only Ace in Ace of Spades Studio
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BGW Teneb, the Harvester [Primer]
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GR Atarka, World Render
{Writing and Rants}
WUBRG The Primeval Dragon's influence on EDH
Epic Signature by the one and only Ace in Ace of Spades Studio
Proud member of the Spirit of EDH
BGW Teneb, the Harvester [Primer]
R Márton Stromgald
WUB Dakkon Blackblade
GR Atarka, World Render
{Writing and Rants}
WUBRG The Primeval Dragon's influence on EDH
UR Melek, Izzet ParagonUR, B Shirei, Shizo's CaretakerB, R Jaya Ballard, Task MageR,RW Tajic, Blade of the LegionRW, UB Lazav, Dimir MastermindUB, UB Circu, Dimir LobotomistUB, RWU Zedruu the GreatheartedRWU, GUBThe MimeoplasmGUB, UGExperiment Kraj UG, WDarien, King of KjeldorW, BMarrow-GnawerB, WBGKarador, Ghost ChieftainWBG, UTeferi, Temporal ArchmageU, GWUDerevi, Empyrial TacticianGWU, RDaretti, Scrap SavantR, UTalrand, Sky SummonerU, GEzuri, Renegade LeaderG, WUBRGReaper KingWUBRG, RGXenagos, God of RevelsRG, CKozilek, Butcher of TruthC, WUBRGGeneral TazriWUBRG, GTitania, Protector of ArgothG