On Theros, enchantments represent the gods and everything that comes from them. This new frame makes it easier to see which card is an enchantment in addition to its other types, otherwise, it would be hard to differentiate a normal creature from an enchantment creature without reading the type line, which would be annoying in a block where enchantments play a big role. It's the same thing as how coloured artifact have their own frame.
As for the card, it does feel like an enchantment artifact with one static ability and one activated ability. Sure, they've done a bunch of artifacts with static abilities, but that was always something I felt R&D should stop doing if they really want to differentiate enchantments from artifacts.
I think that it is a 4/3, upon further inspection...
If you look at the full poster, it mentions the set release event on it, and the promo is right next to the day for the set release.
Yes, the naming convention of the card is a little strange, because we were given a very specific name for this thing that isn't even used...but I'm sure we will be given a reason for that soon. (Olivia Voltaren was the original name, changed for cultural meanings of the name, it might be something along those lines)
So if this is fake, the faker
-Used the new frame, which was only shown before on a black card
-Used an art we haven't seen
-Put a watermark on the tiny promo
-Used information we only received last night to create it, but didn't use the name of the weapon given last night
I mean, that all sounds totally possible, much more possible than "this is the release promo that is on this poster and the card is real", right?
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So strange that it has the celestial backdrop, but no mechanic that necessitates it. It could just be a flavor thing in the end then, kinda like how the eldrazi had the clear colorless frame. Maybe the gods really are legendary enchantment creatures.
While it is a drag that this isn't an equipment, not all weapons can be wielded by mere mortals; eg. Thor's Hammer.
As for dropping the weapon's name from the card's name, it's probably because R&D wants the god's names to be center stage. If this read "Dukella, Bident of Thassa", players might mix up Dukella and Thassa. You'd be amazed how easy it is to confuse new players.
So far, Theros spoilers are only raising more questions.
Wow, that feels super awkward. Enchantment Artifact.
It makes sense though -- the Gods are Enchantments and 'godly things' are enchantments too. So, logically, godly artifacts are enchantment artifacts.
That's the flavor for Theros.
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Some facts of magic:
-Terror is an emotion which, when experienced, results in death.
-The pox was a disease notorious for having killed one-third, rounded up, of Europe’s population. Smallpox, on the other hand, killed only a single person.
-A person riding a horse cannot be stopped by foot soldiers, large animals, walls, archers, or even catapults.
Seems ludicrous to combine the two just for flavor sake. Enchantments and artifact are close in relation anyways its seems to blur the lines between the two.
Seems like a really weird card to me. Hopefully there is an interesting reason for there to be 'Enchantment Artifacts' beyond just 'because it's an enchantment set'. I guess we'll find out more when the rest of the cards are spoiled.
Also the activated ability seems very strange for a blue card. I know there was Siren's Call back in the day, and Courtly Provocateur in M13 - so maybe they're moving this one into blue also. Feels strange to me. I guess this is just another example of blue getting every ability.
I feel this just dilutes enchantments for no good reason, not really a fan at the moment...
Also thankfully it isn't an equipment, as every zombie vorthos would roll in their grave at the sight of a vanilla 1/1 dork equipped with a skyscraper sized weapon of the gods.
edit: unless it had an equip condition like how auras say "enchant land" for example...
so instead of "equip {2UU} it would say "equip blue god {2UU}"
I understand the Enchantment Artifact combination, and I'm taking it as an artifact that only exists as a blessing (i.e. enchantment) from the gods. If it weren't for the God's gift, the artifact wouldn't exist in physical form.
So it's an artifact made of an enchantment, not the other way around or any other explanation you can come up with; It makes a lot of sense flavor-wise, even though it seems odd on a card.
I approve and I love this set already. You go Wizards, it's really clever how you made us hold out through three awful blocks since Shards to finally get an interesting set. :thumbsup::p
Wear / Tear. Can't even pick the wrong side cus both work.
silly you, you use both
use the wear side to hit this thing and the tear side to hit the now obvious Legendary Enchantment Creature- God, that they also dropped into the field
also you attack them anyways, because even if they didnt pay for the ability you were obviously going to do it...
Wow, that feels super awkward. Enchantment Artifact.
It makes sense though -- the Gods are Enchantments and 'godly things' are enchantments too. So, logically, godly artifacts are enchantment artifacts.
That's the flavor for Theros.
I was actually thinking that the god weapons might be enchantment equipment, so this doesn't really surprise me at all. I agree the card type is weird. They are two types that already had overlap.
It is now clear, for a while they have been desperately trying to make enchantments matter, even reprinting the best ever Rancor. But this is just humiliating. Just stapling the word enchantment to better card types does not make enchaments better and is actually a negative in my mind for the theme.
It could have just been an activated ability and legendary and it would have been fine. I find this hilarious to leak just days after MR said don't design things just because they haven't been done before. There can be no other excuse for this.
The upside is after this block they will ease off enchantments for a while. Thank god.
I feel like they're doing enchantment artifacts just because it's two permanent types they haven't arbitrarily jammed together before. I mean, what is the point? It's just an enchantment that dies to smelt? Is that really neccesary?
Wait, you're telling me a MaRo designed set has uninspired, pointless design elements jammed into it? Say it ain't so!
I guess it makes it more tutorable in EDH, which is the only place this card will ever see even the slightest play.
not making them equipments it's like you are wielding them, they are the present of the gods to you. i like it.
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Huey, Dewey and Louie are always dressed in RUG. it is CLEARLY going to be the wedges block Pioneer: WURFaerie fires BRGDragons ModernBGElves WRBurn UR Fires Turns URGift Storm UG Twiddle Storm
So now enchantments and artifacts are one and the same effectively:
- both tap
- both can be colored
The only difference being that red can destroy one and not the other. Well gj wotc, you got to ruin another paradigm of the game for the sake of "cool" while not exploring the infinite design space still available because you're lazy. Give your job to people that are still invested in this game and not as creatively bankrupt as you please.
On a mechanical level, I'm really kind of confused as to why this had to be an Enchantment in addition to being an artifact. I mean, yeah I get it, Theros is an enchantment block etc etc, but I'm just kind of scratching my head. We've had artifacts with static effects before (see Winter Orb or Trinisphere), and artifacts clearly have activated tap abilities (Time Vault), so the only reason I can see to make them Enchantment Artifacts is to create an enchantment that has to tap to activate.
I get it I guess, it's both an artifact (because it's a bident) and an enchantment (because it's a DIVINE BIDENT)....I don't know. Not that exciting by itself honestly, and if you're going to make a card that is exposed to both anti-artifact AND anti-enchantment effects, you'd think they could have pushed the power level some.
A blue ability I would have expected on a god-weapon might have been a Frost Breath effect every time your creatures dealt combat damage to another creature. Team-wide Curiosity is ok too.
I wonder if Theros will make this new frame an evergreen thing for enchantments. logically, if all enchantments in Theros will use this new frame, it's possible that enchantments after the Theros block will keep using them to differ enchantments from other types of cards.
look at the original Ravnica - they used the gradient effect for 2 colored cards (3+ used plain gold) and it became an evergreen thing for 2 colored cards onward.
the "stars effect" in Theros does catch the essence of enchantments.
it's probably just a wishful thinking... but who knows
First, if the game hasn't done something for twenty years, odds are there's a reason. Second, just because it hasn't been done doesn't mean it's good or it will be fun. But wait, we've done all sorts of crazy things. Yes, but in the case of our successes, we didn't set out to do them; rather, we found them because they were an answer to another problem.
Let's hope they really had a problem solved with this enchantment thing and it hasn't been made just to do the unexpected...
I believe people are getting a bit too spoiled with artifacts that have enchantment-like abilities, like Torpor Orb. Let's be honest, the prime reason for artifacts to exist is to make cards that can be played in every color. But with time, they started stepping on enchantments' toes, getting global effects, getting attached to creatures and stuff like that. The division has to be made sooner or later, and if it has to be done through designating different types of effects to different card types, then so be it.
From the flavor standpoint, the card seems great to me. I mean, it's a gigantic bident, of course it can't be a simple artifact that's crafted or summoned: it's obviously conjured. That also happens to explain why it's not an equipment: only gods themselves could wield it, and they probably come with their own (as shown in their artwork). Lastly, both effects make plenty of sense on an enchantment, especially with that flavor text.
Overall, I'm much more happy with this card than some other people, though I'd gladly hear the story behind it. I love them stories.
As for the card, it does feel like an enchantment artifact with one static ability and one activated ability. Sure, they've done a bunch of artifacts with static abilities, but that was always something I felt R&D should stop doing if they really want to differentiate enchantments from artifacts.
If you look at the full poster, it mentions the set release event on it, and the promo is right next to the day for the set release.
Yes, the naming convention of the card is a little strange, because we were given a very specific name for this thing that isn't even used...but I'm sure we will be given a reason for that soon. (Olivia Voltaren was the original name, changed for cultural meanings of the name, it might be something along those lines)
So if this is fake, the faker
-Used the new frame, which was only shown before on a black card
-Used an art we haven't seen
-Put a watermark on the tiny promo
-Used information we only received last night to create it, but didn't use the name of the weapon given last night
I mean, that all sounds totally possible, much more possible than "this is the release promo that is on this poster and the card is real", right?
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While it is a drag that this isn't an equipment, not all weapons can be wielded by mere mortals; eg. Thor's Hammer.
As for dropping the weapon's name from the card's name, it's probably because R&D wants the god's names to be center stage. If this read "Dukella, Bident of Thassa", players might mix up Dukella and Thassa. You'd be amazed how easy it is to confuse new players.
So far, Theros spoilers are only raising more questions.
unfortunately being an artifact is bad for my deck I needed it to be only an enchantment.
Pioneer:UR Pheonix
Modern:U Mono U Tron
EDH
GB Glissa, the traitor: Army of Cans
UW Dragonlord Ojutai: Dragonlord NOjutai
UWGDerevi, Empyrial Tactician "you cannot fight the storm"
R Zirilan of the claw. The solution to every problem is dragons
UB Etrata, the Silencer Cloning assassination
Peasant cube: Cards I own
It makes sense though -- the Gods are Enchantments and 'godly things' are enchantments too. So, logically, godly artifacts are enchantment artifacts.
That's the flavor for Theros.
-Terror is an emotion which, when experienced, results in death.
-The pox was a disease notorious for having killed one-third, rounded up, of Europe’s population. Smallpox, on the other hand, killed only a single person.
-A person riding a horse cannot be stopped by foot soldiers, large animals, walls, archers, or even catapults.
More facts of magic
CardboardCreationism
ETSY COUNTERS
Also the activated ability seems very strange for a blue card. I know there was Siren's Call back in the day, and Courtly Provocateur in M13 - so maybe they're moving this one into blue also. Feels strange to me. I guess this is just another example of blue getting every ability.
@MTGClue - Haakon, Stromgald Scourge in the Moorland Haunt with the Hammer of Purphoros.
Also thankfully it isn't an equipment, as every zombie vorthos would roll in their grave at the sight of a vanilla 1/1 dork equipped with a skyscraper sized weapon of the gods.
edit: unless it had an equip condition like how auras say "enchant land" for example...
so instead of "equip {2UU} it would say "equip blue god {2UU}"
I can see the conversation in my head:
Designer1: I have this awesome idea for the Gods' weapons! *hands text to designer2*
Designer2: I understand the Legendary and I understand the artifact, but why is it an enchantment?
Designer1: **** YOU! That's why!
Standard
W.I.P.
EDH
WNorn Tokens
So it's an artifact made of an enchantment, not the other way around or any other explanation you can come up with; It makes a lot of sense flavor-wise, even though it seems odd on a card.
I approve and I love this set already. You go Wizards, it's really clever how you made us hold out through three awful blocks since Shards to finally get an interesting set. :thumbsup::p
silly you, you use both
use the wear side to hit this thing and the tear side to hit the now obvious Legendary Enchantment Creature- God, that they also dropped into the field
also you attack them anyways, because even if they didnt pay for the ability you were obviously going to do it...
I was actually thinking that the god weapons might be enchantment equipment, so this doesn't really surprise me at all. I agree the card type is weird. They are two types that already had overlap.
It could have just been an activated ability and legendary and it would have been fine. I find this hilarious to leak just days after MR said don't design things just because they haven't been done before. There can be no other excuse for this.
The upside is after this block they will ease off enchantments for a while. Thank god.
Wait, you're telling me a MaRo designed set has uninspired, pointless design elements jammed into it? Say it ain't so!
I guess it makes it more tutorable in EDH, which is the only place this card will ever see even the slightest play.
Pioneer: WURFaerie fires BRGDragons
ModernBGElves WRBurn UR Fires Turns URGift Storm UG Twiddle Storm
Enchantments = coloured; no tap abilities
Artifacts = colourless; no static abilities
In which case this card would HAVE to be an artifact enchantment
EDH
Azami (video)
:symw::symb::symg: Teneb (video)
Drana (video) (retired)
:symw::symr: Brion (video)
:symb::symr: Wort (video)
Arcum (video) (retired)
:symr::symg: Stonebrow (video)
B Shirei (video)
WU Rasputin (video) (retired)
R Urabrask (video)
WUR Zedruu (video) (retired)
W Isamaru
UB Grimgrin
U Mistform Ultimus (video)
UBR Gwendlyn (video)
URG Animar (video)
RG Thromok
WB Selenia
Standard
WU Geist of Saint Traft standard EDH (video) (retired)
WUB Battle of Wits!
- both tap
- both can be colored
The only difference being that red can destroy one and not the other. Well gj wotc, you got to ruin another paradigm of the game for the sake of "cool" while not exploring the infinite design space still available because you're lazy. Give your job to people that are still invested in this game and not as creatively bankrupt as you please.
I get it I guess, it's both an artifact (because it's a bident) and an enchantment (because it's a DIVINE BIDENT)....I don't know. Not that exciting by itself honestly, and if you're going to make a card that is exposed to both anti-artifact AND anti-enchantment effects, you'd think they could have pushed the power level some.
A blue ability I would have expected on a god-weapon might have been a Frost Breath effect every time your creatures dealt combat damage to another creature. Team-wide Curiosity is ok too.
Enchantment that taps?
Mind = blown
look at the original Ravnica - they used the gradient effect for 2 colored cards (3+ used plain gold) and it became an evergreen thing for 2 colored cards onward.
the "stars effect" in Theros does catch the essence of enchantments.
it's probably just a wishful thinking... but who knows
MaRo tells us this (3 days ago):
Let's hope they really had a problem solved with this enchantment thing and it hasn't been made just to do the unexpected...
Constructive criticism.
I believe people are getting a bit too spoiled with artifacts that have enchantment-like abilities, like Torpor Orb. Let's be honest, the prime reason for artifacts to exist is to make cards that can be played in every color. But with time, they started stepping on enchantments' toes, getting global effects, getting attached to creatures and stuff like that. The division has to be made sooner or later, and if it has to be done through designating different types of effects to different card types, then so be it.
From the flavor standpoint, the card seems great to me. I mean, it's a gigantic bident, of course it can't be a simple artifact that's crafted or summoned: it's obviously conjured. That also happens to explain why it's not an equipment: only gods themselves could wield it, and they probably come with their own (as shown in their artwork). Lastly, both effects make plenty of sense on an enchantment, especially with that flavor text.
Overall, I'm much more happy with this card than some other people, though I'd gladly hear the story behind it. I love them stories.