Eh not really a cycle per sa but a Mythic in each color. We got a red Mythic so out the 4 I think we will get a:
Green, blue, white, and black.
I may have called it a cycle by accident previously if I did I apologize.
Whether we get a finale cycle is beyond me but I’ll check the crunch to see if it fits but I doubt it.
Edit: a finale cycle fits but I don’t think wizards would give us 2 Mythic cycles. We will have to wait and see.
White and Black's second mythics are Gideon and Liliana. While War isn't a proper Ravnica set (in that parity is key), it is in a heavy multicolor Standard. So extra multicolor spells would probably be at a premium.
Blue's second Mythic - Probably a story moment relating to Jace and his Guildpactery. Especially if Jace dies, or in some way has to sacrifice something to mess with Niv.
Green's second Mythic - Probably a story beat to either whatever the heck the Simic are up to, or general old Ravnica lore about what Ravnica truly is.
1-3. - Niv, Nicy, Roalesk
4. - Another Mythic Legendary (in either Dimir or Orzhov as they have space). Either the old god that predates the Orzhov church becoming a new part of the lore, or Dimir shinanigans as I am full of eternal hopes and dreams.
5. - Elder Spell is probably UR, if Nicol Bolas is our only 3-color spell, which would account for Multicolor having 43 cards (Putting UR at 3 Rare/Mythic instead of 2). This also means the card is a bit more constructed playable as two color spells have an easier time finding homes than 3 color.
5 alternate. - If the Elder Spell is a monocolor spell, which it could be at rare in Black, then the final mythic is probably something Niv's plan or guildpact related in Artifact or 3-color.
In any event, every reveal gives us a bit more information to decree a little more of what's what. (Also I'm guessing Sarkhan's spell is probably Sarkhan's Rage reprint, or close to it.)
I'd rule out Kaya and Vraska. It seems like they placed walkers at U/R/M based on their level of relevance to the story, so I can't imagine ones that were relevant enough to get an Oath were irrelevant enough to be made as Uncommons.
The fact that they made Sorin rare while Nahiri is uncommon makes me think he may have a bigger part to play here than "tussle with Nahiri" (while her sole role is likely "tussle with Sorin")
Trying to fit a maximum number of Walkers meant meant a few had to be jumbled around? Vraska's at uncommon because there aren't any other Golgari Walkers who Nicol Bolas would invite to a party where he doesn't want Garruk to murder all the walkers he gathered very carefully.
I would say Kaya probably is less relevant than Sorin, in the way Kiora and Saheeli are less relevant than Tami and Ral, but that doesn't mean that Vraska is unimportant.
Please pardon my ignorance, is this an ETB or an "as it enters" effect? Meaning, if Humility or Hushwing Gryff are out, does this lose its ability to clone?
Clone effects are a replacement effect, Hushwing Gryff won't shut this down.
Humility won't stop the clone effect, but if the clone is referencing a creature on the battlefield it enters with no abilities as a 1/1 with a +1/+1 counter. If you pick a Planeswalker it isn't a creature when it hits the field.
Given how close Red is to complete the approximate numbers in monoccolor should be:
2 Mythic | 6 Rare | 8 Uncommon | 20 Common (more or less, some will end up 1 card up or down)
5 Mythics will be in multicolor (I'm not expecting an artifact or land to end up catching mythic without a solid reason): Nicky B, Big Nivvy, Roalesk, and two other we don't have a confirm on at the moment.
If we remove Niv, Nicy, and the big bad spell of spark stealing, we're left with 40 Gold cards. The 2 Uncommon | 2 Rare/Mythic doesn't feel wrong, but...
This isn't a conventional "Guilds Matter" Ravnica so there isn't a need for complete cycle parity. If a color pair has less cards than another that's just- how it goes. This set is very much defined on what has to fit into the story.
Forests tapping for GGG seems good. (Or UGG for Breeding Pools et al)
Double Wanderers means each one is protected from burnspells. Which is silly, but definitely complicates matters if you don't have a lot of guys to turn sideways.
I'm very curious how much this is a "Ravnica" designed set, as that changes how color balanced the set needs to be. But my guess leans toward balance still? Definitely looping the limited signposts into the uncommon two-color Walkers (like the Uncommon legends in Dominaria).
Especially given how the colors are just so... all over the place. The stained glass art doesn't really help deduce a conclusion on the ones that aren't innately tied to an identity. The only one really cemented by their art is Ajani, who is leading Selesnyan soldiers (and a squirrel). (Which I know isn't a hard call, Ajani is usually in White/Green now over mono-white).
The Dimir was known to anyone involved in the initial Guildpact. Given, you know, that was the binding magical treaty to make the guilds work.
...until RAV1 where half the guild leaders tried to kill everyone anyway...
The issue is that Niv and Rakdos just kinda never cared? Everyone else who knew was, you know, dead. But all the Guildpack stuff should just have the Dimir listed in them somewhere.
If they wanted to push this: CMC3, ETB tapped.
At CMC4 this would be... fine. It has a lot of words everyone likes.
At CMC5 this should really make 2 mana (possibly still ETB Tapped still, not sure how pushed 2 mana is off this being up and active).
That is a HUGE loss of Orzhov power lore wise. Most of their power came from contracts that bound the dead to their servitude, now they’re all gone.
Not that I have any love for Orzhov, but this is the biggest change happened to any of the guild this far. What exactly will happen to Orzhov now?
Feels like Bolas's game is less about his pawns being directly loyal, but more causing chaos to destabilize the plane as a whole.
The Golgari farm all the food for the plane, and they've locked themselves down to withstand whatever goes on with the surface city.
The Gruul are now trying to force the end of days destroying major swaths of city.
Kaya and Dovin are reshaping their respective guilds from within. Kaya unseating the Council and then freeing the debtors basically is an economic attack. Dovin militarizing and turning the Azorius into 'big brother' creates a state of constant paranoia and fear.
This will generally make Ravnica just... terrible to live in? Worse than it was before anyway.
Wizard's Lightning prevents this from seeing Constructed, but still a fantastic card. Arena Pauper players will surely love this.
Having a Wizard is a lot more of a dubious requirement than 'do the thing you wanna do to them anyway.' Wizard's Lightning is definitely the stronger card on its own, but synergy does have a point to make about playing this instead.
Blue's second Mythic - Probably a story moment relating to Jace and his Guildpactery. Especially if Jace dies, or in some way has to sacrifice something to mess with Niv.
Green's second Mythic - Probably a story beat to either whatever the heck the Simic are up to, or general old Ravnica lore about what Ravnica truly is.
1-3. - Niv, Nicy, Roalesk
4. - Another Mythic Legendary (in either Dimir or Orzhov as they have space). Either the old god that predates the Orzhov church becoming a new part of the lore, or Dimir shinanigans as I am full of eternal hopes and dreams.
5. - Elder Spell is probably UR, if Nicol Bolas is our only 3-color spell, which would account for Multicolor having 43 cards (Putting UR at 3 Rare/Mythic instead of 2). This also means the card is a bit more constructed playable as two color spells have an easier time finding homes than 3 color.
5 alternate. - If the Elder Spell is a monocolor spell, which it could be at rare in Black, then the final mythic is probably something Niv's plan or guildpact related in Artifact or 3-color.
In any event, every reveal gives us a bit more information to decree a little more of what's what. (Also I'm guessing Sarkhan's spell is probably Sarkhan's Rage reprint, or close to it.)
I would say Kaya probably is less relevant than Sorin, in the way Kiora and Saheeli are less relevant than Tami and Ral, but that doesn't mean that Vraska is unimportant.
Vraska and Tami have my vote for getting Oaths.
Humility won't stop the clone effect, but if the clone is referencing a creature on the battlefield it enters with no abilities as a 1/1 with a +1/+1 counter. If you pick a Planeswalker it isn't a creature when it hits the field.
2 Mythic | 6 Rare | 8 Uncommon | 20 Common (more or less, some will end up 1 card up or down)
5 Mythics will be in multicolor (I'm not expecting an artifact or land to end up catching mythic without a solid reason): Nicky B, Big Nivvy, Roalesk, and two other we don't have a confirm on at the moment.
If we remove Niv, Nicy, and the big bad spell of spark stealing, we're left with 40 Gold cards. The 2 Uncommon | 2 Rare/Mythic doesn't feel wrong, but...
This isn't a conventional "Guilds Matter" Ravnica so there isn't a need for complete cycle parity. If a color pair has less cards than another that's just- how it goes. This set is very much defined on what has to fit into the story.
Double Wanderers means each one is protected from burnspells. Which is silly, but definitely complicates matters if you don't have a lot of guys to turn sideways.
This Spark Double does Spark Joy.
Especially given how the colors are just so... all over the place. The stained glass art doesn't really help deduce a conclusion on the ones that aren't innately tied to an identity. The only one really cemented by their art is Ajani, who is leading Selesnyan soldiers (and a squirrel). (Which I know isn't a hard call, Ajani is usually in White/Green now over mono-white).
...until RAV1 where half the guild leaders tried to kill everyone anyway...
The issue is that Niv and Rakdos just kinda never cared? Everyone else who knew was, you know, dead. But all the Guildpack stuff should just have the Dimir listed in them somewhere.
Not infinite ETB triggers on ETB.
At CMC4 this would be... fine. It has a lot of words everyone likes.
At CMC5 this should really make 2 mana (possibly still ETB Tapped still, not sure how pushed 2 mana is off this being up and active).
The Golgari farm all the food for the plane, and they've locked themselves down to withstand whatever goes on with the surface city.
The Gruul are now trying to force the end of days destroying major swaths of city.
Kaya and Dovin are reshaping their respective guilds from within. Kaya unseating the Council and then freeing the debtors basically is an economic attack. Dovin militarizing and turning the Azorius into 'big brother' creates a state of constant paranoia and fear.
This will generally make Ravnica just... terrible to live in? Worse than it was before anyway.
...or you use both.
This is a sorcery because Spectacle works off life loss, and being able to just hold an opponent hostage like that would hamstring a lot of the game.