0) Start with Tree of Perdition, Child of Thorns, and Blood Artist on the battlefield
1) Sac Child of Thorns targeting the Tree. Blood Artist's ability will trigger. Put these abilities on the stack so that the Child's ability will resolve first.* (*I believe these abilities will be put on the stack at the same time and thus this works, but I'm not 100% sure.)
2) Let the Child's ability resolve. The Tree is now a 1/14.
3) In response to Blood Artist's ability (which is still on the stack), cast Tragic Slip targeting Tree of Perdition.
4) Let Tragic Slip resolve. Tree of Perdition is now a 0/1. (Technically it's a -12/1, but that's not important right now.)
5) Activate Tree of Perdition's ability (in response to Blood Artist's ability, which is still on the stack) targeting your opponent.
6) Let the Tree's ability resolve. Your opponent's life total is now 1.
7) Let Blood Artist's ability resolve. Your opponent loses 1 life and the game.
So that's it. Since it takes 4 cards to pull off, it's far from being the best combo in the world, but I thought it was nifty.
Apart from the mistake (already pointed by Ashiok) in the first step, you could simply activate Tree of Perdition's ability and answer it with Tragic Slip targeting the Tree (assuming a creature has died this turn). When the ability resolves, the last know information is that the Tree's toughness is zero, and you end up with a very dead opponent - using only two cards.
But she was made of pure mana at that time... she was a demigod, she could even decide to become blue skinned if she really wanted and committed to it.
As far as I understand, no she wasn't. People don't just become pure mana, planeswalkers don't just become pure mana. Neither do demigods, by the way.
Even if it was possible, why would she?
Also, as Whirl said, there is no confirmation that the Helvault could only trap "pure mana" beings.
Not sure it this is the right place for it, but there is a new video in portuguese in hanweirchronicle.com
The letter reads something like:
"I write from Hanweir province (formally Hanweir town). I understand that you have hunted angels lately, but we discovered something that may be of your interest.
Our wall's captain recently killed a werewolf between the city walls and was scared to discover that he had not changed back when he died. I have included part of his skin and the head of the arrow that killed he as evidence. Please answer as soon as you can - my city grows in apprehension and concern about the conditions of the world beyond our walls.
Thank you,
Oliver Hayfield"
I found that really interesting. It seems that not only the cursemute has changed, but the very nature of lycanthropy on the plane.
One question, why if we pick of every clue the 4 word the letters 3 and 4 (remember tamiyo journal entrance 434) we have "ud te nr re en ep", if its an anagram we have "DEEP RETURN" or "DEEPEN RETURN", can be Marit Lage?
"Their chanting grows lo[ud]er as the tide rises."
"For every answer, th[re]e questions."
"With angels came my[st]eries."
"Remember to have Je[nr]ik research Markov Manor."
"The symbols - When di[d ]they change?"
"Consider this: the sh[ep]herd turns on her flock. Why?"
Not quite the letters you picked, but maybe you're on to something...
just for your information, it completely matched for Ugin's Insight in Japanese Ver.
Ok, I'm starting to give this theory more credit
Edit:
In portuguese it doesn't match completely Ugin's Insight, but you could make up "Lembre-se eles vieram em três" - "Remember they came as three" (Ugin's Insight read "Mas não se esqueça: eles vieram em três" - "But don't forget: they came as three")
The thing is, for this to work, clue #16 would have to be ignored - its words have no match in Ugin's Insight.
If they wanted to do "Do not forget", it would have taken three more clues, though, following that scheme, right?
No, it would have taken only one more clue. "Do not forget" became "Remember this". If space was really pressing, though, they could have gone with "Don't forget".
I'm on #TeamEmrakul, but I don't believe this is anything more than coincidence. At least not without some justification for the choice of the words and ordering of the clues (back on RTR the letters from the secret message were "highlighted", and here I see nothing of the kind).
A - People at the prerelease who'd never seen the poster before to be able to solve the puzzle, and
B - For it not to be cracked weeks ahead of time by the internet.
About B: if that was true, it would make no sense for the site layout to have containers for 4 card spoilers, since by then the whole set would be known.
On the back side, you can see his face covered by the same substance that Thraben Inspector is examining.
Does this strengthens the Emrakul theory, weakens it, or makes no difference at al?
Either way, that thing requires some explanation.
"an image of many floating stone obelisks with intricate runes carved into their sides, moving in concert with each other..."
in a vision from the latest Magic Story article (besides obvious anti-Emrakul bias)? Seems like a pretty huge clue to me, yet I don't see it on the OP...
The Pious Evangel art shows a knife with the clue symbol. The cultist behind the person in focus seems to be carrying a ring with hooks hanging from it probably what the clue inscription is supposed to represent.
Actually, that is just the same symbol drawn on the cultist's clothes. They are also present on Wayward Disciple's.
So, I just wanted to respond to the argument of "it can't be an eldrazi because it is twisting minds and that was the domain of Kozilek, who is dead". I have three possible scenarios where that could be easily explained:
1) An ancient Eldrazi, previously unknown. This possibility is hinted at by the Zendikar Art book, and this fourth Eldrazi could have the effects we are seeing within its domains.
2) Emrakul. Yes, Emrakul, the Eldrazi who can't affect minds neither unliving matter. Except if one of the consequences of Ulamog's and Kozilek's deaths was that their domains were incorporated by the remaining Eldrazi.
3) A new Eldrazi. Alternatively, the consequence of the titan's deaths might be the birth of a new titan, with a set of domains that would fill the roles of the deceased titans
The second and third scenarios make some sense if we, as Ugin, believe that the Eldrazi perform vital functions to the preservation of the Multiverse, as they represent a built-in prevention of the permanent loss of one of those functions.
I have no idea what is really going on, though. I think it would be awesome if it was an Eldrazi, but so far the clues are inconclusive, and that is true for any of the theories presented in this forum.
My one conspiracy theory: Ormendahl is suspiciously close to Emrakul, similar to Gideon's name change from Theros to Bant.
How is "Ormendahl" close to "Emrakul"? Maybe I just don't know the correct pronunciation, not being a native speaker and all, but those words don't seem similar at all. At least "Gideon" and "Kytheon" have similar vowels.
Also, Halana knowing the name and Ormendahl having been imprisoned on a mausoleum seem to go against that theory.
From the story:
"It's my fault!" Cathar Palter wailed. "It's all my fault! The mausoleum was under my guard. Whatever emerged from it that night, I could have stopped it."
Hal doubted that very much. The demon's name, Ormendahl, she had heard it before. And from the stories she knew of it, it was not a demon that a single mausoleum guard, no matter how good-hearted and well-intentioned, could have stopped.
Ok, I had not read the rules for "exchange". Thank you for correcting me.
Apart from the mistake (already pointed by Ashiok) in the first step, you could simply activate Tree of Perdition's ability and answer it with Tragic Slip targeting the Tree (assuming a creature has died this turn). When the ability resolves, the last know information is that the Tree's toughness is zero, and you end up with a very dead opponent - using only two cards.
As far as I understand, no she wasn't. People don't just become pure mana, planeswalkers don't just become pure mana. Neither do demigods, by the way.
Even if it was possible, why would she?
Also, as Whirl said, there is no confirmation that the Helvault could only trap "pure mana" beings.
Edit for new reply:
Because you can simply kill werewolves, horrors and etc without risking them just reforming into new werewolves, horrors and etc.
Well, Lunar Mystic is bald, while Tamyio's Journal's full art shows Jerink with hair.
Hair can grow, though.
The letter reads something like:
"I write from Hanweir province (formally Hanweir town). I understand that you have hunted angels lately, but we discovered something that may be of your interest.
Our wall's captain recently killed a werewolf between the city walls and was scared to discover that he had not changed back when he died. I have included part of his skin and the head of the arrow that killed he as evidence. Please answer as soon as you can - my city grows in apprehension and concern about the conditions of the world beyond our walls.
Thank you,
Oliver Hayfield"
I found that really interesting. It seems that not only the cursemute has changed, but the very nature of lycanthropy on the plane.
https://www.reddit.com/r/magicTCG/comments/4bm66i/soi_puzzle_clue_token_flavor_texts/
Right now I can't accept anything other than Emrakul.
"Their chanting grows lo[ud]er as the tide rises."
"For every answer, th[re]e questions."
"With angels came my[st]eries."
"Remember to have Je[nr]ik research Markov Manor."
"The symbols - When di[d ]they change?"
"Consider this: the sh[ep]herd turns on her flock. Why?"
Not quite the letters you picked, but maybe you're on to something...
Ok, I'm starting to give this theory more credit
Edit:
In portuguese it doesn't match completely Ugin's Insight, but you could make up "Lembre-se eles vieram em três" - "Remember they came as three" (Ugin's Insight read "Mas não se esqueça: eles vieram em três" - "But don't forget: they came as three")
The thing is, for this to work, clue #16 would have to be ignored - its words have no match in Ugin's Insight.
No, it would have taken only one more clue. "Do not forget" became "Remember this". If space was really pressing, though, they could have gone with "Don't forget".
I'm on #TeamEmrakul, but I don't believe this is anything more than coincidence. At least not without some justification for the choice of the words and ordering of the clues (back on RTR the letters from the secret message were "highlighted", and here I see nothing of the kind).
About B: if that was true, it would make no sense for the site layout to have containers for 4 card spoilers, since by then the whole set would be known.
On the back side, you can see his face covered by the same substance that Thraben Inspector is examining.
Does this strengthens the Emrakul theory, weakens it, or makes no difference at al?
Either way, that thing requires some explanation.
Nahiri does not twist minds. Eldrazi do.
Actually, that is just the same symbol drawn on the cultist's clothes. They are also present on Wayward Disciple's.
1) An ancient Eldrazi, previously unknown. This possibility is hinted at by the Zendikar Art book, and this fourth Eldrazi could have the effects we are seeing within its domains.
2) Emrakul. Yes, Emrakul, the Eldrazi who can't affect minds neither unliving matter. Except if one of the consequences of Ulamog's and Kozilek's deaths was that their domains were incorporated by the remaining Eldrazi.
3) A new Eldrazi. Alternatively, the consequence of the titan's deaths might be the birth of a new titan, with a set of domains that would fill the roles of the deceased titans
The second and third scenarios make some sense if we, as Ugin, believe that the Eldrazi perform vital functions to the preservation of the Multiverse, as they represent a built-in prevention of the permanent loss of one of those functions.
I have no idea what is really going on, though. I think it would be awesome if it was an Eldrazi, but so far the clues are inconclusive, and that is true for any of the theories presented in this forum.
How is "Ormendahl" close to "Emrakul"? Maybe I just don't know the correct pronunciation, not being a native speaker and all, but those words don't seem similar at all. At least "Gideon" and "Kytheon" have similar vowels.
Also, Halana knowing the name and Ormendahl having been imprisoned on a mausoleum seem to go against that theory.
From the story:
Hal doubted that very much. The demon's name, Ormendahl, she had heard it before. And from the stories she knew of it, it was not a demon that a single mausoleum guard, no matter how good-hearted and well-intentioned, could have stopped.