There isn't even a flavor standpoint for there to be unaligned cards, this is the part in the block thats a full out war, why would there be any bystanders?
If anyone would be a bystander, it would be a planeswalker for sure. Besides, it's Wizards, they love throwing curveballs. An unaligned card means one more you can have in a faction deck that won't count against you, and it would be pretty interesting to have an unaligned planeswalker in faction vs faction. It would really even the odds in-game, too. Gameplay trumps flavor (see: Ice cage)
If anyone would be a bystander, it would be a planeswalker for sure. Besides, it's Wizards, they love throwing curveballs. An unaligned card means one more you can have in a faction deck that won't count against you, and it would be pretty interesting to have an unaligned planeswalker in faction vs faction. It would really even the odds in-game, too. Gameplay trumps flavor (see: Ice cage)
Uhh, all of the planeswalkers are unaligned. Ice Cage makes sense flavorwise. Its a creature in a cage of ice, when something touches it the ice is shattered.
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Crave: It is quite unlikely that there are non-PW unaligned cards in MBS, certainly. However, I can see at least one practical reason that WotC would want to have unaligned lands, particularly, in MBS. Since they are having faction-specific boosters, complete with a tournament format dedicated to them, and given that Phyrexia is spreading its influence into other colors, I think it makes sense to offer certain lands to both sides.
There are at least two options evident in this.
1) Make two sets of lands, one for each faction. This has the issue of taking up an incredible amount of space in a small set.
2) Make one set of lands, but make them unaligned.
As for why they would have the poisoned 'mechanic' on unaligned cards, I can think of several reasons. The most likely is to show the land itself slowly getting taken over by Phyrexia (they're winning, right?), and it would also allow the Mirrans a comeback mechanism if it were necessary.
Why don't you find any proof beyond wild speculation that there will me more unaligned cards than planeswalkers? There isn't even a flavor standpoint for there to be unaligned cards, this is the part in the block thats a full out war, why would there be any bystanders? If there wernt any in the previous block where most of Mirrodin was oblivious to the fact of Phrexian invasion why when it is right on there door things would be unaligned? Not even the nonbasic lands were unaligned which would be the thing that would make the most sense to be so. Also, there wouldn't be unaligned "poisoned" cards because its a Phrexian mechanic, maybe its just showcasing a mechanic in the third set. Its about common sense. Occam's razor.
Well this is just speculation, but what about Karn? Remember his art was spoiled in the same mothership post with the Tezz art? His art is more square so he's most likely not a planeswalker. I know it's unlikely that he's unaligned (since he created argentum) but maybe he's unaligned since his creation was bastardized by memnarch. This world is nothing like he made it. It has different reigons, more suns and creatures. His plane was created to be solitary. Or maybe since his art makes him look as if he's corrupted by phyresis, but his world is being taken over he is torn between the two sides unable to overcome phyrexian urges and unable to follow through.
Crave: It is quite unlikely that there are non-PW unaligned cards in MBS, certainly. However, I can see at least one practical reason that WotC would want to have unaligned lands, particularly, in MBS. Since they are having faction-specific boosters, complete with a tournament format dedicated to them, and given that Phyrexia is spreading its influence into other colors, I think it makes sense to offer certain lands to both sides.
There are at least two options evident in this.
1) Make two sets of lands, one for each faction. This has the issue of taking up an incredible amount of space in a small set.
2) Make one set of lands, but make them unaligned.
As for why they would have the poisoned 'mechanic' on unaligned cards, I can think of several reasons. The most likely is to show the land itself slowly getting taken over by Phyrexia (they're winning, right?), and it would also allow the Mirrans a comeback mechanism if it were necessary.
There is already one set of lands. And there is at least one land on Mirrodins side and possibly one for Phrexia. From rereading the Mechanics article it looks like they were just showing off something cool they could do with poison to expand on it in the next set. "Poisoned" is just a rules term like land burning.
Well this is just speculation, but what about Karn? Remember his art was spoiled in the same mothership post with the Tezz art? His art is more square so he's most likely not a planeswalker. I know it's unlikely that he's unaligned (since he created argentum) but maybe he's unaligned since his creation was bastardized by memnarch. This world is nothing like he made it. It has different reigons, more suns and creatures. His plane was created to be solitary. Or maybe since his art makes him look as if he's corrupted by phyresis, but his world is being taken over he is torn between the two sides unable to overcome phyrexian urges and unable to follow through.
Or the art isn't a creature and is another card. Just because a character is in art doesn't mean that the art is for that characters card.
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Hate to spoil the silly speculation fight about unaligned cards, but I'm still quite confused as to why there are 6 instances of "Equip" but only 5 instances of "Equipped" on the Phyrexian side. Does this mean the 6th equipment doesn't have an effect on "equipped creature"? Something like "While CARDNAME is attached to a creature, creatures you control get +X/+X"? Except it can't be that since the one usage of the word "attached" is on the Mirran side, not the Phyrexian...
Well this is just speculation, but what about Karn? Remember his art was spoiled in the same mothership post with the Tezz art? His art is more square so he's most likely not a planeswalker. I know it's unlikely that he's unaligned (since he created argentum) but maybe he's unaligned since his creation was bastardized by memnarch. This world is nothing like he made it. It has different reigons, more suns and creatures. His plane was created to be solitary. Or maybe since his art makes him look as if he's corrupted by phyresis, but his world is being taken over he is torn between the two sides unable to overcome phyrexian urges and unable to follow through.
Hasn't it been confirmed - repeatedly - that Karn is the new Father of Machines, and therefore Phyrexian Aligned?
Hasn't it been confirmed - repeatedly - that Karn is the new Father of Machines, and therefore Phyrexian Aligned?
I point this out because Karn doesn't turn up in either orb.
@craveman
I think it's odd that they would focus entirely on Karn if it wasn't about him, but maybe you're right. If it isn't Karn as a creature, then it's a very strong hint of him in the next set. Similar to nicol bolas showing up on cruel ultimatum.
Edit: albeit with about a thousandth of the subtlety.
As for unaffiliated cards: We know for sure Tezzeret is one. We have an image of Karn but he appears in neither orb (and even if he were to appear under other name, he'd still be legendary and we already know both legendary creatures in the set.)
In other words, Karn needs to be unaffiliated, which makes sense: he's clearly corrupted, but not giving in. He can't ally with the Mirrans when he's busy not becoming their enemy and the art shows this perfectly: Karn sitting down passively, his only struggle happening inside.
Now what makes this relevant for our crunching is the fact that Wizards stated the set is exactly 50%-50% Mirran-Phyrexian. That means that we need an odd number of unaffiliated cards to make the number of affiliated cards even and thus, divisible in halves. So, if Karn is unaffiliated, that means there must be at least 1 more unaffiliated card. (or 5?)
I'm calling it right now- worst rare in the set. Even good limited players will find better bombs at common and uncommon no sweat. Worst. Episode. Ever.
I really do predict this to be our worst rare in set award winner. I'd be happier opening a jar of eyeballs, so I think anything worse is highly unlikely. This card wont just have zero constructed potential, but not be significantly better than a mass of ghouls in a draft.
Hate to spoil the silly speculation fight about unaligned cards, but I'm still quite confused as to why there are 6 instances of "Equip" but only 5 instances of "Equipped" on the Phyrexian side. Does this mean the 6th equipment doesn't have an effect on "equipped creature"? Something like "While CARDNAME is attached to a creature, creatures you control get +X/+X"? Except it can't be that since the one usage of the word "attached" is on the Mirran side, not the Phyrexian...
*wracks brain*
Even still, the number difference with Equip versus Equipped typically means a non-mana equip cost, which for some reason concates together. For instance, Sigil of Distinction has "Equip -- Remove" printed, but in Orb speak it's "Equipremove" for a search, IIRC.
As for unaffiliated cards: We know for sure Tezzeret is one. We have an image of Karn but he appears in neither orb (and even if he were to appear under other name, he'd still be legendary and we already know both legendary creatures in the set.)
In other words, Karn needs to be unaffiliated, which makes sense: he's clearly corrupted, but not giving in. He can't ally with the Mirrans when he's busy not becoming their enemy and the art shows this perfectly: Karn sitting down passively, his only struggle happening inside.
Now what makes this relevant for our crunching is the fact that Wizards stated the set is exactly 50%-50% Mirran-Phyrexian. That means that we need an odd number of unaffiliated cards to make the number of affiliated cards even and thus, divisible in halves. So, if Karn is unaffiliated, that means there must be at least 1 more unaffiliated card. (or 5?)
Before we get any further with this Karn speculation...
This is not the art of a legendary creature.
This is a spell.
I would love to hear someone trying to explain how this could be a legendary creature, and if it was, how it wasn't a Phyrexian one.
It is just Tezzeret, because there is no reason to make a non-Planeswalker card unaffiliated. I haven't heard a single good one.
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155 Cards, -1 for Tezzeret being un-alligned. This leaves us with 77 on each side.
Karn would just make the numbers uneven unless there was a 3rd un-alligned card.
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Well this is just speculation, but what about Karn? Remember his art was spoiled in the same mothership post with the Tezz art? His art is more square so he's most likely not a planeswalker. I know it's unlikely that he's unaligned (since he created argentum) but maybe he's unaligned since his creation was bastardized by memnarch. This world is nothing like he made it. It has different reigons, more suns and creatures. His plane was created to be solitary. Or maybe since his art makes him look as if he's corrupted by phyresis, but his world is being taken over he is torn between the two sides unable to overcome phyrexian urges and unable to follow through.
Karn's Art could be for a spell or enchantment - perhaps something hilighting his fall due to the Phyrexian influence - making way for hime to arive in set 3 as a planeswalker???
Karn's Art could be for a spell or enchantment - perhaps something hilighting his fall due to the Phyrexian influence - making way for hime to arive in set 3 as a planeswalker???
Karn lost his planeswalker spark sealing rifts. I don't think this is happening unless something changes. Confirmed for Legendary Creature.
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In SOM, there are the 5 aggro lands like Darkslick Shores. They're all Mirran Aligned, and their templating refers to them by name (2 instances in the SOM Orb).
In MBS, what if there's the mirror cycle? Aggro lands with Enemy Color Pairs.
We have not seen any red cards spoiled yet. The web comics have Koth fighting for his homeworld.
The Orb has the word land appear 3 times for Phyrexian aligned cards. Once for Mirran aligned cards. "Contested" "War" "Zone" shows up twice each in the Mirran-cards Orb. We have spoiled Art by Chou confirming that name.
What if:
Contested War Zone is a Mirran Affiliated Red/White Aggro Land.
"Super Contested War Zone" is an Unaffiliated Blue/Red Aggro Land.
And the 3 remaining B/G, W/B, G/U lands are Phyrexian affiliated lands.
Red could have very little Phyrexian watermarks (There's a 2R and 2RR Phyrexian card, but no other CMC <=4) in this set. The story arc playing out like Vulshok/Red are the last bastion of homeland fighters.
I think R/W may still be Mirran affiliated since the Phyrexian infection just spread to them this set. It has a more established foothold in blue because it started in SOM so that Land could cancel out the affiliation.
This could explain why there's an apparent broken cycle in MBS and allow room for other unaffiliated cards since they could be 50/50% aligned to either faction.
**(Side note, MBS Product Info page on wizards.com says "A new planeswalker card is included." All singular reference to Tezzeret who's on the packs. No Karn the planeswalker in this set)
Before we get any further with this Karn speculation...
This is not the art of a legendary creature.
This is a spell.
I would love to hear someone trying to explain how this could be a legendary creature, and if it was, how it wasn't a Phyrexian one.
It is just Tezzeret, because there is no reason to make a non-Planeswalker card unaffiliated. I haven't heard a single good one.
I'll argue the opposite: how is the art of a card that prominently displays a character, just being by himself not the art of a creature but of a spell? Spell's art either depict the showy stream/blast/whatever of magic OR depict a being casting it/being affected by it, nothing which describes our friend Karn here.
I'm calling it right now- worst rare in the set. Even good limited players will find better bombs at common and uncommon no sweat. Worst. Episode. Ever.
I really do predict this to be our worst rare in set award winner. I'd be happier opening a jar of eyeballs, so I think anything worse is highly unlikely. This card wont just have zero constructed potential, but not be significantly better than a mass of ghouls in a draft.
I'll argue the opposite: how is the art of a card that prominently displays a character, just being by himself not the art of a creature but of a spell?
Yeah, I certainly don't agree that this art can't be a legendary creature. Of course, if we take the Orb's word for it, it's unlikely to be one, unless there's more than the bare minimum of unaligned cards (but why would Wizards dilute the theme of opposing factions with more than the bare minimum of unaligned cards?).
Still, if we're not being told the whole story, anything is possible.
Spell's art either depict the showy stream/blast/whatever of magic OR depict a being casting it/being affected by it, nothing which describes our friend Karn here.
Well, what you said is usually true for instants or sorceries, but enchantments and artifacts usually look different.
Personally, if a legendary creature's out of the question, I'd say this looks like an enchantment, probably an Aura. Most likely Phyrexian, since Karn looks like he's (being) corrupted in some way.
being casting it/being affected by it
I'd say that in this pic Karn's been very much affected by something, but YMMV.
Thou shalt not have others of the same Legendary before me Thou shalt not frame images with the modern card face Thou shalt not change rules in vain Remember the Reserved List to keep it holy Honor thy Slivers and the symmetry of their abilities Thou shalt not kill mana burn Thou shalt not sacrifice depth for accessibility Thou shalt not steal combat damage from the stack Thou shalt tell a story through thy cards All must be one
I have it on good authority that the Phyrexians are going to win. However, Venser is then going to teleport the whole of New Phyrexia inside the Zendikar Hedrons, leaving the Phyrexians and Eldrazi trapped in an eternal struggle of the mechanics that nobody likes.
The next set will feature both infect and annihilator, and be called Maro'sWetDreamia. It will also feature a new Jace, to ensure that it sells well.
If anyone would be a bystander, it would be a planeswalker for sure. Besides, it's Wizards, they love throwing curveballs. An unaligned card means one more you can have in a faction deck that won't count against you, and it would be pretty interesting to have an unaligned planeswalker in faction vs faction. It would really even the odds in-game, too. Gameplay trumps flavor (see: Ice cage)
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Uhh, all of the planeswalkers are unaligned. Ice Cage makes sense flavorwise. Its a creature in a cage of ice, when something touches it the ice is shattered.
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err oops sorry, was just blindly checking every card with 'sentinel'
There are at least two options evident in this.
1) Make two sets of lands, one for each faction. This has the issue of taking up an incredible amount of space in a small set.
2) Make one set of lands, but make them unaligned.
As for why they would have the poisoned 'mechanic' on unaligned cards, I can think of several reasons. The most likely is to show the land itself slowly getting taken over by Phyrexia (they're winning, right?), and it would also allow the Mirrans a comeback mechanism if it were necessary.
Psychosis- 2
I'm starting to think the Doom Machine Foil is "Psychosis Crawler," not Phyresis Crawler.
Crawler only has one hit. Wrong again.
Well this is just speculation, but what about Karn? Remember his art was spoiled in the same mothership post with the Tezz art? His art is more square so he's most likely not a planeswalker. I know it's unlikely that he's unaligned (since he created argentum) but maybe he's unaligned since his creation was bastardized by memnarch. This world is nothing like he made it. It has different reigons, more suns and creatures. His plane was created to be solitary. Or maybe since his art makes him look as if he's corrupted by phyresis, but his world is being taken over he is torn between the two sides unable to overcome phyrexian urges and unable to follow through.
There is already one set of lands. And there is at least one land on Mirrodins side and possibly one for Phrexia. From rereading the Mechanics article it looks like they were just showing off something cool they could do with poison to expand on it in the next set. "Poisoned" is just a rules term like land burning.
Or the art isn't a creature and is another card. Just because a character is in art doesn't mean that the art is for that characters card.
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*wracks brain*
Hasn't it been confirmed - repeatedly - that Karn is the new Father of Machines, and therefore Phyrexian Aligned?
I point this out because Karn doesn't turn up in either orb.
@craveman
I think it's odd that they would focus entirely on Karn if it wasn't about him, but maybe you're right. If it isn't Karn as a creature, then it's a very strong hint of him in the next set. Similar to nicol bolas showing up on cruel ultimatum.
Edit: albeit with about a thousandth of the subtlety.
In other words, Karn needs to be unaffiliated, which makes sense: he's clearly corrupted, but not giving in. He can't ally with the Mirrans when he's busy not becoming their enemy and the art shows this perfectly: Karn sitting down passively, his only struggle happening inside.
Now what makes this relevant for our crunching is the fact that Wizards stated the set is exactly 50%-50% Mirran-Phyrexian. That means that we need an odd number of unaffiliated cards to make the number of affiliated cards even and thus, divisible in halves. So, if Karn is unaffiliated, that means there must be at least 1 more unaffiliated card. (or 5?)
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Before we get any further with this Karn speculation...
This is not the art of a legendary creature.
This is a spell.
I would love to hear someone trying to explain how this could be a legendary creature, and if it was, how it wasn't a Phyrexian one.
It is just Tezzeret, because there is no reason to make a non-Planeswalker card unaffiliated. I haven't heard a single good one.
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Karn would just make the numbers uneven unless there was a 3rd un-alligned card.
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Like the Eye of Ugin - which makes sense as set 3 is a 80% Phyrexian set, and larger "poisoned" occurances could be in there.
My gut feeling is Karn will make his appearance in set 3 and that Tez will be in both faction packs.
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Karn's Art could be for a spell or enchantment - perhaps something hilighting his fall due to the Phyrexian influence - making way for hime to arive in set 3 as a planeswalker???
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Karn lost his planeswalker spark sealing rifts. I don't think this is happening unless something changes. Confirmed for Legendary Creature.
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In SOM, there are the 5 aggro lands like Darkslick Shores. They're all Mirran Aligned, and their templating refers to them by name (2 instances in the SOM Orb).
In MBS, what if there's the mirror cycle? Aggro lands with Enemy Color Pairs.
We have not seen any red cards spoiled yet. The web comics have Koth fighting for his homeworld.
The Orb has the word land appear 3 times for Phyrexian aligned cards. Once for Mirran aligned cards. "Contested" "War" "Zone" shows up twice each in the Mirran-cards Orb. We have spoiled Art by Chou confirming that name.
What if:
Contested War Zone is a Mirran Affiliated Red/White Aggro Land.
"Super Contested War Zone" is an Unaffiliated Blue/Red Aggro Land.
And the 3 remaining B/G, W/B, G/U lands are Phyrexian affiliated lands.
Red could have very little Phyrexian watermarks (There's a 2R and 2RR Phyrexian card, but no other CMC <=4) in this set. The story arc playing out like Vulshok/Red are the last bastion of homeland fighters.
I think R/W may still be Mirran affiliated since the Phyrexian infection just spread to them this set. It has a more established foothold in blue because it started in SOM so that Land could cancel out the affiliation.
This could explain why there's an apparent broken cycle in MBS and allow room for other unaffiliated cards since they could be 50/50% aligned to either faction.
**(Side note, MBS Product Info page on wizards.com says "A new planeswalker card is included." All singular reference to Tezzeret who's on the packs. No Karn the planeswalker in this set)
I'll argue the opposite: how is the art of a card that prominently displays a character, just being by himself not the art of a creature but of a spell? Spell's art either depict the showy stream/blast/whatever of magic OR depict a being casting it/being affected by it, nothing which describes our friend Karn here.
Yeah, I certainly don't agree that this art can't be a legendary creature. Of course, if we take the Orb's word for it, it's unlikely to be one, unless there's more than the bare minimum of unaligned cards (but why would Wizards dilute the theme of opposing factions with more than the bare minimum of unaligned cards?).
Still, if we're not being told the whole story, anything is possible.
Well, what you said is usually true for instants or sorceries, but enchantments and artifacts usually look different.
Personally, if a legendary creature's out of the question, I'd say this looks like an enchantment, probably an Aura. Most likely Phyrexian, since Karn looks like he's (being) corrupted in some way.
I'd say that in this pic Karn's been very much affected by something, but YMMV.
Thou shalt not frame images with the modern card face
Thou shalt not change rules in vain
Remember the Reserved List to keep it holy
Honor thy Slivers and the symmetry of their abilities
Thou shalt not kill mana burn
Thou shalt not sacrifice depth for accessibility
Thou shalt not steal combat damage from the stack
Thou shalt tell a story through thy cards
All must be one
Has anyone else considered that this meant a new planeswalker type? It could just mean that others, like Liliana Vess, could show up in the set.
I don't think so. New card does not equal new type.
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