Also, the Oracle is lolz-wrong to say that its hard to be an Atheist in a world where the Gods are real. There's a branch of ideology called Satanist-Atheism, and on a Plane where the Gods are Real, it's probably very easy for Xenagos types go from Satanism (God Hating) to Make Atheism True (Dei-Genocide)
You don't have to 'disbelieve the existence of God' to be a certain shade that really only fits in with Atheism. Satan himself I would say is usually a Satanist-Atheist: portrayed as seeking the Destruction of God. Kind of Nihilist also. A lot of people are hatin' on Heliod and I would call those people Satanist-Atheists (in regards to the Pantheon of Theros, not in regards to the real world) whether they know it or not. They don't give blind Faith that Heliod is somehow implicitly a Perfect Superman Good Guy because they're aware of what he *could* be, because White is *able* to have personal character faults.
I think Elspeth Trusts Heliod, but hey, she's been wrong before.
The funny thing about Satanist-Atheism, is IF God is Flawed AND you can think of a Better Replacement, or some way to make the Universe no longer Need God, it's perfectly acceptable to claim that that's moral. But is the Potential for Flaw the same has Having Flaw? An unbroken crystal can be dropped and smashed- does that make it not whole?
If we SEE more of Heliod somehow portraying character flaws, like a mono White Orzhov Syndicatist or Azorius Senator, then maybe Xenagos actually has a POINT. That would be interesting, but I somehow don't feel that Wizards is going to deliberately portray Heliod as less than perfect.
THEY ALSO won't deliberately call him perfect either.
I do still think Xenagos is essentially Atheist-leaning, because he doesn't think the Gods should be revered as Gods, he considers them Just Beings like anyone else.....in his effort to prove that, he will inconsistently demand that he be treated as a God to make his point that they are no better than him....and that will lead to a downward spiral into believing himself to be Better than them.
"The gods exist but they are Not God" -using the word as a noun first, but then an adjective, see?
And, like, this is all pretty 'duh Duh DUH DUH XP' to even anyone who doesn't know anything except just what the Trailer shows xP
But I still find it really cool
I'm not sure half of that makes sense to me lol. Not to argue religion because people get touchy about the matter but...
-Actual "Satanist" groups (not the ones in cloaks that do sacrifices for Satan like people think, I'm talking about LaVeyan Satanists), are 100% atheists and do not believe in a god or a devil, and only believe that they themselves are gods... at least in a figurative sense. They do not believe in God, and are atheist.
-Atheist/atheism by definition only means you do not believe in a god or gods (regardless if people are turning it into an anti-religion faction). Nothing else. If you are a Satanist that still believes in God and believes that he is a god but rejects him, you are not an atheist. Generally Buddhists are completely atheist, but still a religion or more correctly a life philosophy.
-Oracle states that it is hard to be atheist on Theros, because the gods are there and make themselves known. I guess you're right in a way in saying you can be atheist by not believing they are true gods (such as saying Thor isn't a true god in Marvel but One-Above-All is, because be honest, Thor is nothing in comparison to actual Marvel gods most of the time)... but this would still be hard because the gods on Theros actively CREATE and destroy everything in the world from the plane to the humans on it. They live in other realms, watch over the dead, etc. Everything gods do.
^You'd have to always pretend they didn't land on the planet in front of your face lolol.
Just a snippet here about Athiesm. It had actually meant not that you didn't believe in God, but that you believed in the wrong one, or in the wrong way. I know the term was thrown at people in the early days of the US who were Catholic vs Protestant, and so on.
So in a really really broad sense, it's not a lack of a belief of God, but the rejection of an accepted one considered by the society at large. After all, if you're not believing in the right God, then what other gods are there? (Largely in a Monotheistic mentality)
Just a snippet here about Athiesm. It had actually meant not that you didn't believe in God, but that you believed in the wrong one, or in the wrong way. I know the term was thrown at people in the early days of the US who were Catholic vs Protestant, and so on.
So in a really really broad sense, it's not a lack of a belief of God, but the rejection of an accepted one considered by the society at large. After all, if you're not believing in the right God, then what other gods are there? (Largely in a Monotheistic mentality)
Actually, it's original meaning (and the one we use today) of atheism is the rejection of the belief of god (or gods), it originates in the 14th century.
Thus it is correct that Xenagos is an atheist, he rejects the Theran pantheon.
Catholics and Protestants (and other religions for that matter) calling each other atheists because their faith is different, is not only incredibly stupid, it is also incredibly wrong, as the mere fact that they believe in a supreme being (or multiples even, depending on the religion) precludes them from being atheist.
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But the Theros Pantheon exists. Moreover Xenagos intends to be one. Neither of these work with the definition of 'Atheist,' as 'Atheist' means 'not a theist'. You're thinking of 'Anti-theist' which is against god, rather than no god.
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Cyme we inne frið, fram the grip of deaþ to lif inne ðis smylte land.
Actually, it's original meaning (and the one we use today) of atheism is the rejection of the belief of god (or gods), it originates in the 14th century.
Thus it is correct that Xenagos is an atheist, he rejects the Theran pantheon.
Catholics and Protestants (and other religions for that matter) calling each other atheists because their faith is different, is not only incredibly stupid, it is also incredibly wrong, as the mere fact that they believe in a supreme being (or multiples even, depending on the religion) precludes them from being atheist.
My case is more so on the usage of Athiesm than its literal meaning. I know it does predate my example, but the point still stands. Athiesm in the past (and some of today) is regarded as an insult by religious folk, for whom have beliefs of a god that does not reflect the accepted one. It is to suggest, as you mention, that the Athiest by definition rejects the 'true' God.
In short, "You're Athiest" isn't so much as saying "You do not believe, subscribe to, or acknowledge any god", but instead "You do not believe, subscribe to, or acknowledge specific gods that I do".
At least, it's quite a valid spin on how athiesm has been used as a term.
But the Theros Pantheon exists. Moreover Xenagos intends to be one. Neither of these work with the definition of 'Atheist,' as 'Atheist' means 'not a theist'. You're thinking of 'Anti-theist' which is against god, rather than no god.
It is possible to know that "gods" exist and be an atheist regardless. Remember, any sufficiently advanced entity would appear to be a god to those less advanced. In this case an Atheist is someone who strongly believes that such a creature is, in fact, not a god.
And considering that the Theran gods, like the Greek gods they are based on, are inherently flawed beings, one can easily see where Xenagos is coming from in this regard. Particularly when one remembers that he is a planeswalker and has as such has visited other worlds with their own beings of power.
My case is more so on the usage of Athiesm than its literal meaning. I know it does predate my example, but the point still stands. Athiesm in the past (and some of today) is regarded as an insult by religious folk, for whom have beliefs of a god that does not reflect the accepted one. It is to suggest, as you mention, that the Athiest by definition rejects the 'true' God.
In short, "You're Athiest" isn't so much as saying "You do not believe, subscribe to, or acknowledge any god", but instead "You do not believe, subscribe to, or acknowledge specific gods that I do".
At least, it's quite a valid spin on how athiesm has been used as a term.
Yes, but they are using it wrong as it has a very specific definition.
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On the subject of how the Lesser Gods can/would work mechanically: I expect their Devotion requirement to be less imposing, but with a lower payout. I don't see 5/5 being the low end of the Lesser Deity Spectrum, but the high end. So while they do things in their color pie, it won't be as much as Heliod and co.
On the subject of Xenny's color identity. People forget while ambition is Black, that's ambition for the sake of power/ambition for the sake of ambition. All five colors can have ambition, but their methods and their reasoning vary wildly:
White wants to be King because White knows it'll do the job best, it'll serve the people best, it'll lead to a more organized and more effective country.
Blue wants to be King because Blue knows it's the smartest, and wants access to all the information the King has. That way it will be best prepared for the situation to come, whatever it is.
Black wants to be King because you either are in charge, or someone is bossing you around. And it's way better to be in the position to tell someone else to go be cannon fodder.
Red wants to be King because screw you for telling Red how to be!
Green doesn't want to be King. Green either is the strongest, or it isn't. And the strongest naturally end up in charge, if that's Green, well, Good to be King.
So far it doesn't feel like any of Xenagos's reasons to be a God are Black. They all feel very Red to me, and red's love of freedom to do whatever Red wants.
Yes, but they are using it wrong as it has a very specific definition.
Sort of, but not really?
Keep in mind that in the older days, gods were very much real and there were no such thing as 'other' gods for the most part. The dictionary definition describes an individual who does not believe in a god or gods or otherwise denies them. An extension of this would be directed towards those who believe in something that another person deems to be not a god.
On the subject of Xenny's color identity. People forget while ambition is Black, that's ambition for the sake of power/ambition for the sake of ambition. All five colors can have ambition, but their methods and their reasoning vary wildly:
White wants to be King because White knows it'll do the job best, it'll serve the people best, it'll lead to a more organized and more effective country.
Blue wants to be King because Blue knows it's the smartest, and wants access to all the information the King has. That way it will be best prepared for the situation to come, whatever it is.
Black wants to be King because you either are in charge, or someone is bossing you around. And it's way better to be in the position to tell someone else to go be cannon fodder.
Red wants to be King because screw you for telling Red how to be!
Green doesn't want to be King. Green either is the strongest, or it isn't. And the strongest naturally end up in charge, if that's Green, well, Good to be King.
So far it doesn't feel like any of Xenagos's reasons to be a God are Black. They all feel very Red to me, and red's love of freedom to do whatever Red wants.
On the subject of how the Lesser Gods can/would work mechanically: I expect their Devotion requirement to be less imposing, but with a lower payout.
I'm hoping it's the devotion to each color added together, so you can get them out quicker (Because they would have a devotion of 2 automatically). I'm not sure how hybrid mana will work with them. Also, yes, I suspect they will be rare, and weaker then the main 5 gods.
I'd be cool for them to have weapons as well, but I doubt it...
I'm hoping it's the devotion to each color added together, so you can get them out quicker (Because they would have a devotion of 2 automatically). I'm not sure how hybrid mana will work with them. Also, yes, I suspect they will be rare, and weaker then the main 5 gods.
I'd be cool for them to have weapons as well, but I doubt it...
They might be at Mythic? Since Xenny would probably fit at Mythic. It depends how the excess cards in the sets are spread out (rarity wise). Small sets usually come with 10 Mythics, but if they want to have a full 2-color Mythic cycle they need to add an extra five Mythics between the two sets.
I don't see them doing all the God cycles they did for the Big Gods, but I'm not sure which will get dropped. I figure the Emissaries will be done again, but I'm not sure if Ordeals or Weapons will get dropped. I hope it isn't the Weapons.
Sort of, but not really?
Keep in mind that in the older days, gods were very much real and there were no such thing as 'other' gods for the most part. The dictionary definition describes an individual who does not believe in a god or gods or otherwise denies them. An extension of this would be directed towards those who believe in something that another person deems to be not a god.
Considering that Protestants and Catholics worship the same god. They were still using it wrong.
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[QUOTE=hairlessThoctar;/comments/12495551]Not a chance. These are the Gods of an entire world. Anything less than mythic wouldn't feel right.
They are MINOR gods. As in, gods of specific things. You wouldn't expect Jeff, God of Biscuits to be mythic, would you?
(Yes, I am aware that isn't a real god, but some of the minor gods in Greek/Roman mythology were similarly crazy.)
Also, consider this. We still have one multicolor mythic cycle to finish (5 mythics over two sets). Plus another ten mythics would leave only five mythics in the whole block. They will want some monocolor mythics as well, so in reality there isn't a large chance they will be willing to make them mythic.
They are MINOR gods. As in, gods of specific things. You wouldn't expect Jeff, God of Biscuits to be mythic, would you?
(Yes, I am aware that isn't a real god, but some of the minor gods in Greek/Roman mythology were similarly crazy.)
Also, consider this. We still have one multicolor mythic cycle to finish (5 mythics over two sets). Plus another ten mythics would leave only five mythics in the whole block. They will want some monocolor mythics as well, so in reality there isn't a large chance they will be willing to make them mythic.
There is somewhere around 10-15 mythics in the average small set, so it wouldn't be that much of a stretch for them to devote five of those mythics to the Gods in each of Born of the Gods and Journey Into Nyx. This leaves somewhere around 5 to 10 other slots for planeswalkers, powerful legends, and various other mythics in each set, which is plenty.
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They are MINOR gods. As in, gods of specific things. You wouldn't expect Jeff, God of Biscuits to be mythic, would you?
(Yes, I am aware that isn't a real god, but some of the minor gods in Greek/Roman mythology were similarly crazy.)
Also, consider this. We still have one multicolor mythic cycle to finish (5 mythics over two sets). Plus another ten mythics would leave only five mythics in the whole block. They will want some monocolor mythics as well, so in reality there isn't a large chance they will be willing to make them mythic.
Yes, because Keranos, God of Storms, and Iroas, God of War, are on the same tier as Jeff, God of Biscuits. The Greeks and Romans had gods for everything, but these are representations of the blended colors as Gods, they should probably be Mythic if the set has room.
The usual count for Small sets is 10 Mythics (Higher happens when they do something special like Maze's End and DFC), using up half the remaining Mythic slots would be a heavy chunk, but it is doable. It's also possible one of the two sets might not have any Monocolor Mythics in it (or they could use the slightly bolstered set counts to make room for another five count of mythics per set).
So 10 more Gods at Mythic is on the table, it isn't ruled out by math.
“There are no weak Jews. I am descended from those who wrestle angels and kill giants. We were chosen by God. You were chosen by a pathetic little man who can't seem to grow a full mustache"
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Yes, because Keranos, God of Storms, and Iroas, God of War, are on the same tier as Jeff, God of Biscuits. The Greeks and Romans had gods for everything, but these are representations of the blended colors as Gods, they should probably be Mythic if the set has room.
The usual count for Small sets is 10 Mythics (Higher happens when they do something special like Maze's End and DFC), using up half the remaining Mythic slots would be a heavy chunk, but it is doable. It's also possible one of the two sets might not have any Monocolor Mythics in it (or they could use the slightly bolstered set counts to make room for another five count of mythics per set).
So 10 more Gods at Mythic is on the table, it isn't ruled out by math.
I did not realize it, but I've now seen that Born of the Gods has around 10 extra cards. I retract my previous statement with this information considered.
I'm interested in how the Theros Pantheon is mapped to the Greek Pantheon which reveals more about the Theros gods and what we can expect. Currently we have:
I looked at the flavour texts of cards and themes to find the rest of my guesses... Would appreciate more ideas!
Theros Pantheon:
------ Karametra (White / Green)
Karametra's Acolyte
Ability: Devotion Mana Druid
Flavour Text: "The wilds are a garden tended by divine hands."
Setessan Battle Priest
Ability: Heroic Life Gain
Flavour Text: "Your god teaches you only how to kill. Karametra teaches me to defend what I hold dear. That is why I will prevail."
Bronze Sable
Ability: Artifact Temple Guardian
Flavour Text: The Champion stood alone between the horde of the Returned and the shrine to Karametra, cutting down scores among hundreds. She would have been overcome if not for the aid of the temple guardians whom Karametra awakened.
—The Theriad
Themes:
- Enemy of the Returned
- Nature and healing
- Defensive powers
- Similar to Greek Goddess Demeter
------ Ephara (White / Blue?)
Ephara's Warden
Ability: Tap Creature
Flavour Text: "When you threaten the sanctity of the polis, you insult Ephara herself. If she doesn't smite you, I will."
Themes:
- City life / civilization protector
- Similar to Greek Goddess Athena
Borderland Minotaur
Flavour Text: "You have led us to triumph over the forces of Mogis!" said Brygus the Brave, clapping the Champion on the back. The Champion wiped the sweat and blood from her brow. "I count eight graves," she said. "Too many to call this a victory."
—The Theriad
Deathbellow Raider
Ability: Aggressive Regenerator
Flavour Text: "The temple has been rededicated. It belongs to Mogis now."
—Rastos, disciple of Mogis
Themes:
- Barbarians anti-civilization
- Fear, aggression and intimidation
- Patron of Minotaurs
- Similar to Greek God Aries
------
Future God Xenagos (Green / Red)
Destructive Revelry
Ability: Anti Enchantments / Artifacts. Direct Damage
Flavour Text: "Stoke a fire hot enough and you'll never run out of things to burn."
—Xenagos, the Reveler
Annul
Ability: Anti Enchantments / Artifacts
Flavour Text:"Why pray to the gods, who feed on your worship? Dissolve your illusions and see the true nature of things."
— Xenagos, the Reveler
Themes:
- Disregard for civilization and gods
- Mana Ramping
- Likes destroying the tools of gods ie. artifacts / enchantments
- Patron of Satyrs
- Dionysus involved Satyrs but he doesn't fit...
------ Kruphix (Blue / Green)
Agent of Horizons
Ability: Evasion
Flavour Text: The light in the woods just before dawn reveals a glimmering network of branches, roots, and spiderwebs. The acolytes of Kruphix walk this lattice unseen.
Prophet of Kruphix
Ability: Untap and Flash
Flavour Text: "Time is fluid as a dance, and truth as fleeting."
Themes:
- Evasion and surprise
- Time
- Similar to Greek God Hermes
------ Pharika (Black / Green)
Pharika's Mender
Ability: Graveyard regrowth
Flavour Text: "The direst venom becomes a panacea under Pharika's guidance. I bring it to the worthy, clinging at the edge of the abyss."
Pharika's Cure
Ability: Damage and Healing.
Flavour Text: "The venom cleanses the sickness from your body, but it will not be pleasant, and you may not survive. Pharika's blessings are fickle."
—Solon, acolyte of Pharika
Viper's Kiss
Ability: Disabling
Flavour Text: "I could heal a snakebite. Looks like you got bitten by a constellation."
—Aescalos, healer of Pharika
Themes:
- Regeneration and regrowth
- Poison and healing
- Patron of Gorgons?
- Similar to Greek God Asclepius
------ Athreos (Black / White)
Sentry of the Underworld
Ability: Regeneration and Guarding
Flavour Text: When Athreos gathers the newly dead to be ferried across the Five Rivers that Ring the World, he sends skeletal griffins to fetch those who stray.
Scholar of Athreos
Ability: Draining life
Flavour Text: She asks pointed questions of the dead who wait for Athreos, learning of life from those who are about to leave it.
Themes:
- Domain over the dead
- Healing by draining
- Similar to River Styx and Greek Goddess Styx
------ Iroas (White / Red)
Arena Athlete
Ability: Influence combat
Flavour Text: The Iroan Games award no medals. Athletes vie for a visit from Iroas, god of victory.
Priest of Iroas
Ability: Sacrifice to destroy enchantment
Flavour Text: "Even my last breath with be a blow struck for Iroas."
Themes:
- God of Victory
- Competition.
- Rigtheous and noble sacrifice
- Similar to Greek Goddess Nike
------ Keranos (Blue / Red)
Steam Augury
Ability: Decisions and card draw
Flavour Text: Keranos is a fickle god, delivering punishment as readily as prophecy.
Lightning Strike
Ability: Direct damage
Flavour Text: "The hand of Keranos can be seen in every rumbling storm cloud. Best not to stand where he points."
—Rakleia of Shrine Peak
Destructive Revelry
Ability: Anti Enchantments / Artifacts. Direct Damage
Flavour Text: "Stoke a fire hot enough and you'll never run out of things to burn."
—Xenagos, the Reveler
Annul
Ability: Anti Enchantments / Artifacts
Flavour Text:"Why pray to the gods, who feed on your worship? Dissolve your illusions and see the true nature of things."
— Xenagos, the Reveler
Themes:
- Disregard for civilization and gods
- Mana Ramping
- Likes destroying the tools of gods ie. artifacts / enchantments
- Patron of Satyrs
- Dionysus involved Satyrs but he doesn't fit...
Pan isn't an option now? After all, with the exception of Nylea and Purphoros, all major Theros gods are based off primordial gods (Helios, Thalassa, Erebos), so....
Keranos basically looks like a mixture of Apollo with indo-european thunder gods like Perun, PerKunas, Perkwunos and Thor. It was also an actual epithet of Zeus, probably based off Perkwunos as well.
I'm not sure half of that makes sense to me lol. Not to argue religion because people get touchy about the matter but...
-Actual "Satanist" groups (not the ones in cloaks that do sacrifices for Satan like people think, I'm talking about LaVeyan Satanists), are 100% atheists and do not believe in a god or a devil, and only believe that they themselves are gods... at least in a figurative sense. They do not believe in God, and are atheist.
-Atheist/atheism by definition only means you do not believe in a god or gods (regardless if people are turning it into an anti-religion faction). Nothing else. If you are a Satanist that still believes in God and believes that he is a god but rejects him, you are not an atheist. Generally Buddhists are completely atheist, but still a religion or more correctly a life philosophy.
-Oracle states that it is hard to be atheist on Theros, because the gods are there and make themselves known. I guess you're right in a way in saying you can be atheist by not believing they are true gods (such as saying Thor isn't a true god in Marvel but One-Above-All is, because be honest, Thor is nothing in comparison to actual Marvel gods most of the time)... but this would still be hard because the gods on Theros actively CREATE and destroy everything in the world from the plane to the humans on it. They live in other realms, watch over the dead, etc. Everything gods do.
^You'd have to always pretend they didn't land on the planet in front of your face lolol.
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So in a really really broad sense, it's not a lack of a belief of God, but the rejection of an accepted one considered by the society at large. After all, if you're not believing in the right God, then what other gods are there? (Largely in a Monotheistic mentality)
Actually, it's original meaning (and the one we use today) of atheism is the rejection of the belief of god (or gods), it originates in the 14th century.
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/atheism
Thus it is correct that Xenagos is an atheist, he rejects the Theran pantheon.
Catholics and Protestants (and other religions for that matter) calling each other atheists because their faith is different, is not only incredibly stupid, it is also incredibly wrong, as the mere fact that they believe in a supreme being (or multiples even, depending on the religion) precludes them from being atheist.
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Numquam evolutioni obstes. Solum conculceris.
Pascite draconem, evolvite aut morimini.
My case is more so on the usage of Athiesm than its literal meaning. I know it does predate my example, but the point still stands. Athiesm in the past (and some of today) is regarded as an insult by religious folk, for whom have beliefs of a god that does not reflect the accepted one. It is to suggest, as you mention, that the Athiest by definition rejects the 'true' God.
In short, "You're Athiest" isn't so much as saying "You do not believe, subscribe to, or acknowledge any god", but instead "You do not believe, subscribe to, or acknowledge specific gods that I do".
At least, it's quite a valid spin on how athiesm has been used as a term.
It is possible to know that "gods" exist and be an atheist regardless. Remember, any sufficiently advanced entity would appear to be a god to those less advanced. In this case an Atheist is someone who strongly believes that such a creature is, in fact, not a god.
And considering that the Theran gods, like the Greek gods they are based on, are inherently flawed beings, one can easily see where Xenagos is coming from in this regard. Particularly when one remembers that he is a planeswalker and has as such has visited other worlds with their own beings of power.
Yes, but they are using it wrong as it has a very specific definition.
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Numquam evolutioni obstes. Solum conculceris.
Pascite draconem, evolvite aut morimini.
On the subject of Xenny's color identity. People forget while ambition is Black, that's ambition for the sake of power/ambition for the sake of ambition. All five colors can have ambition, but their methods and their reasoning vary wildly:
White wants to be King because White knows it'll do the job best, it'll serve the people best, it'll lead to a more organized and more effective country.
Blue wants to be King because Blue knows it's the smartest, and wants access to all the information the King has. That way it will be best prepared for the situation to come, whatever it is.
Black wants to be King because you either are in charge, or someone is bossing you around. And it's way better to be in the position to tell someone else to go be cannon fodder.
Red wants to be King because screw you for telling Red how to be!
Green doesn't want to be King. Green either is the strongest, or it isn't. And the strongest naturally end up in charge, if that's Green, well, Good to be King.
So far it doesn't feel like any of Xenagos's reasons to be a God are Black. They all feel very Red to me, and red's love of freedom to do whatever Red wants.
Keep in mind that in the older days, gods were very much real and there were no such thing as 'other' gods for the most part. The dictionary definition describes an individual who does not believe in a god or gods or otherwise denies them. An extension of this would be directed towards those who believe in something that another person deems to be not a god.
This, pretty much.
I'm hoping it's the devotion to each color added together, so you can get them out quicker (Because they would have a devotion of 2 automatically). I'm not sure how hybrid mana will work with them. Also, yes, I suspect they will be rare, and weaker then the main 5 gods.
I'd be cool for them to have weapons as well, but I doubt it...
They might be at Mythic? Since Xenny would probably fit at Mythic. It depends how the excess cards in the sets are spread out (rarity wise). Small sets usually come with 10 Mythics, but if they want to have a full 2-color Mythic cycle they need to add an extra five Mythics between the two sets.
I don't see them doing all the God cycles they did for the Big Gods, but I'm not sure which will get dropped. I figure the Emissaries will be done again, but I'm not sure if Ordeals or Weapons will get dropped. I hope it isn't the Weapons.
Considering that Protestants and Catholics worship the same god. They were still using it wrong.
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Numquam evolutioni obstes. Solum conculceris.
Pascite draconem, evolvite aut morimini.
Not a chance. These are the Gods of an entire world. Anything less than mythic wouldn't feel right.
Whether God or Planeswalker, everything about Xenagos represents things they do at mythic rare.
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They are MINOR gods. As in, gods of specific things. You wouldn't expect Jeff, God of Biscuits to be mythic, would you?
(Yes, I am aware that isn't a real god, but some of the minor gods in Greek/Roman mythology were similarly crazy.)
Also, consider this. We still have one multicolor mythic cycle to finish (5 mythics over two sets). Plus another ten mythics would leave only five mythics in the whole block. They will want some monocolor mythics as well, so in reality there isn't a large chance they will be willing to make them mythic.
There is somewhere around 10-15 mythics in the average small set, so it wouldn't be that much of a stretch for them to devote five of those mythics to the Gods in each of Born of the Gods and Journey Into Nyx. This leaves somewhere around 5 to 10 other slots for planeswalkers, powerful legends, and various other mythics in each set, which is plenty.
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Numquam evolutioni obstes. Solum conculceris.
Pascite draconem, evolvite aut morimini.
Yes, because Keranos, God of Storms, and Iroas, God of War, are on the same tier as Jeff, God of Biscuits. The Greeks and Romans had gods for everything, but these are representations of the blended colors as Gods, they should probably be Mythic if the set has room.
The usual count for Small sets is 10 Mythics (Higher happens when they do something special like Maze's End and DFC), using up half the remaining Mythic slots would be a heavy chunk, but it is doable. It's also possible one of the two sets might not have any Monocolor Mythics in it (or they could use the slightly bolstered set counts to make room for another five count of mythics per set).
So 10 more Gods at Mythic is on the table, it isn't ruled out by math.
"You can tell how dumb someone is by how they use Mary Sue"
I did not realize it, but I've now seen that Born of the Gods has around 10 extra cards. I retract my previous statement with this information considered.
New OTP.
Level 1 Judge
I write flavor articles for RoxieCards.
I play and judge at Giga Bites Cafein Marietta, Georgia.
I'd wager it was only a temporary crush.
Cōnservātum album delenda est.
Thassa - Poseidon
Nylea - Artemis
Purphoros - Hephaestus
Heliod - Zeus
Erebos - Hades
I looked at the flavour texts of cards and themes to find the rest of my guesses... Would appreciate more ideas!
Theros Pantheon:
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Karametra (White / Green)
Karametra's Acolyte
Ability: Devotion Mana Druid
Flavour Text: "The wilds are a garden tended by divine hands."
Setessan Battle Priest
Ability: Heroic Life Gain
Flavour Text: "Your god teaches you only how to kill. Karametra teaches me to defend what I hold dear. That is why I will prevail."
Bronze Sable
Ability: Artifact Temple Guardian
Flavour Text: The Champion stood alone between the horde of the Returned and the shrine to Karametra, cutting down scores among hundreds. She would have been overcome if not for the aid of the temple guardians whom Karametra awakened.
—The Theriad
Themes:
- Enemy of the Returned
- Nature and healing
- Defensive powers
- Similar to Greek Goddess Demeter
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Ephara (White / Blue?)
Ephara's Warden
Ability: Tap Creature
Flavour Text: "When you threaten the sanctity of the polis, you insult Ephara herself. If she doesn't smite you, I will."
Themes:
- City life / civilization protector
- Similar to Greek Goddess Athena
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Phenax (Black / Blue?)
Disciple of Phenax
Ability: Discard
Flavour: Stealth artwork
Themes:
- Discard and Stealth
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Mogis (Black / Red)
Mogis's Marauder
Ability: Devotion Intimidation
Flavour: Barbarian Berserkers
Borderland Minotaur
Flavour Text: "You have led us to triumph over the forces of Mogis!" said Brygus the Brave, clapping the Champion on the back. The Champion wiped the sweat and blood from her brow. "I count eight graves," she said. "Too many to call this a victory."
—The Theriad
Deathbellow Raider
Ability: Aggressive Regenerator
Flavour Text: "The temple has been rededicated. It belongs to Mogis now."
—Rastos, disciple of Mogis
Fanatic of Mogis
Ability: Devotion Direct Damage
Themes:
- Barbarians anti-civilization
- Fear, aggression and intimidation
- Patron of Minotaurs
- Similar to Greek God Aries
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Destructive Revelry
Ability: Anti Enchantments / Artifacts. Direct Damage
Flavour Text: "Stoke a fire hot enough and you'll never run out of things to burn."
—Xenagos, the Reveler
Xenagos, the Reveler
Ability: Mana Ramp, Haste attackers, Permanents
Annul
Ability: Anti Enchantments / Artifacts
Flavour Text:"Why pray to the gods, who feed on your worship? Dissolve your illusions and see the true nature of things."
— Xenagos, the Reveler
Themes:
- Disregard for civilization and gods
- Mana Ramping
- Likes destroying the tools of gods ie. artifacts / enchantments
- Patron of Satyrs
- Dionysus involved Satyrs but he doesn't fit...
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Kruphix (Blue / Green)
Agent of Horizons
Ability: Evasion
Flavour Text: The light in the woods just before dawn reveals a glimmering network of branches, roots, and spiderwebs. The acolytes of Kruphix walk this lattice unseen.
Prophet of Kruphix
Ability: Untap and Flash
Flavour Text: "Time is fluid as a dance, and truth as fleeting."
Themes:
- Evasion and surprise
- Time
- Similar to Greek God Hermes
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Pharika (Black / Green)
Pharika's Mender
Ability: Graveyard regrowth
Flavour Text: "The direst venom becomes a panacea under Pharika's guidance. I bring it to the worthy, clinging at the edge of the abyss."
Pharika's Cure
Ability: Damage and Healing.
Flavour Text: "The venom cleanses the sickness from your body, but it will not be pleasant, and you may not survive. Pharika's blessings are fickle."
—Solon, acolyte of Pharika
Viper's Kiss
Ability: Disabling
Flavour Text: "I could heal a snakebite. Looks like you got bitten by a constellation."
—Aescalos, healer of Pharika
Themes:
- Regeneration and regrowth
- Poison and healing
- Patron of Gorgons?
- Similar to Greek God Asclepius
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Athreos (Black / White)
Sentry of the Underworld
Ability: Regeneration and Guarding
Flavour Text: When Athreos gathers the newly dead to be ferried across the Five Rivers that Ring the World, he sends skeletal griffins to fetch those who stray.
Scholar of Athreos
Ability: Draining life
Flavour Text: She asks pointed questions of the dead who wait for Athreos, learning of life from those who are about to leave it.
Themes:
- Domain over the dead
- Healing by draining
- Similar to River Styx and Greek Goddess Styx
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Iroas (White / Red)
Arena Athlete
Ability: Influence combat
Flavour Text: The Iroan Games award no medals. Athletes vie for a visit from Iroas, god of victory.
Priest of Iroas
Ability: Sacrifice to destroy enchantment
Flavour Text: "Even my last breath with be a blow struck for Iroas."
Themes:
- God of Victory
- Competition.
- Rigtheous and noble sacrifice
- Similar to Greek Goddess Nike
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Keranos (Blue / Red)
Steam Augury
Ability: Decisions and card draw
Flavour Text: Keranos is a fickle god, delivering punishment as readily as prophecy.
Lightning Strike
Ability: Direct damage
Flavour Text: "The hand of Keranos can be seen in every rumbling storm cloud. Best not to stand where he points."
—Rakleia of Shrine Peak
Themes:
- Vengeance and Prophecy
- Storms
Pan isn't an option now? After all, with the exception of Nylea and Purphoros, all major Theros gods are based off primordial gods (Helios, Thalassa, Erebos), so....
Keranos basically looks like a mixture of Apollo with indo-european thunder gods like Perun, PerKunas, Perkwunos and Thor. It was also an actual epithet of Zeus, probably based off Perkwunos as well.
...
darn it
Level 1 Judge
I write flavor articles for RoxieCards.
I play and judge at Giga Bites Cafein Marietta, Georgia.
Actually, I still think that was a good catch. After all, if they decide that Xen is Born of some gods, we might of found his parents.
It's Hip to be a Square
wat
No.
Don't speculate based on nothing.
Satyrs are flesh and blood people that get their satyr freak on and make satyr babies like everyone else.
Level 1 Judge
I write flavor articles for RoxieCards.
I play and judge at Giga Bites Cafein Marietta, Georgia.