I await this to hit the table while a Blood Sun is out and the nearest judge spontaneously bursts into flames.
I'm curious now. What actually happens here?
EDIT: So I think what happens is the type-changing ability applies in Layer 4, and then Blood Sun's loss of abilities applies in Layer 6, so you end up with Arixmethes being a land with no other abilities than to tap for UG. Can anyone else confirm?
I never anticipated waking up this morning to THIS!!!!???
MY ARIXMETHES ARRIVING AT LONG LAST!!!!! HELL YES IT'S A SLUMBERING ISLE, THIS DAMN THING SLUMBERED ALL THE WAY THROUGH THEROS BLOCK AND THE LAST FOUR YEARS OF MY MTG LIFE
But the slumber counters have been removed! I HAVE CAST MY 5TH SPELL AT LAST AND HE HAS APPEARED!
The moment I saw this, I was so stunned, I could have sworn this was a prank. LITERALLY TREMBLING AS I TYPE THIS!
omgomgogmgomgomgomg
omThassa
This literally happened. I'm so stunned but it literally finally did at long freaking last. I don't even know how to react!
I destroyed these forums, Blogatog, Reddit, Youtube comments, emails, survey comments, all of it in my path to get here. I would have interrupted Trump and Kim Jong Un to demand this card. I have been on a MISSION AND TODAY... TODAY GENTLEMEN! WE DINE IN ARIXMETHES!!!!
YES this is the Theros Atlantis from the novels. And the Lost City itself, all in one. It's one of my absolute favorite MTG Legends. I thought we would have to return to Theros to get this card, but HERE HE IS!!! I really do believe Ken Nagle and Gavin really did look online for what we wanted. This approach has been amazing and if you notice, it has yielded some of the most impressive, unique and Vorthos-friendly cards in these products that have been celebrated the most!
Thassa'lmighty I'm having palpitations. Not only did I open this thread to the ACTUAL CARD. Like not only did this ACTUALLY HAPPEN, But the design is AMAZING! It's really unique, and truly captures the lore of this mighty and elusive creature. I love the art too - it's exactly as I had imagined it (although perhaps more so at sunset, but I love getting bright, balmy Greek beach sunshine art all the same!) with the whole visible isle but Arixmethes partly visible beneath the sea surface. And who doesn't admire scale boats! The island itself even reminds me of Santorini, the real-world island that was once Atlantis. My only gripe is the city itself should have been larger and more prominent (see the new Temple of the False God) but honestly, the art captures so much perfectly that this is only minor.
I was surprised a bit to see him Simic, but part of me anticipated he may be. While it's awkward he gives more devotion to Kruphix than Thassa, the character always kinda did feel Simic, being a sea monster land. THEY EVEN GOT THE STATS CORRECT!!!! And it is so funny and cool that he is a bit similar to Thing In the Ice and the enchantment lands from Ixalan, but in a different and unique way. Trample or Hexproof would have been ideal, but I imagine Trample is awkward on something that immediately becomes a Land. Plus who needs trample when I WHELMING WAVE and smash with this. I'd have given him Hexproof, but frankly, they've gotten so much right with this card, I have nothing to do but to celebrate and finally put my crusade to rest and enjoy all the commanders games I am going to have with ARIXMETHES!
So this finally solidifies my Sea Monster deck as Simic and I am not complaining at all. I will use Time of Need to tutor Thassa and have them both on the field. JUST THAT IS VICTORY ENOUGH FOR ME.
We have Polukranos
We have Arixmethes
Thraxes left and we will have ALL THE PETS OF THE GODS WOTC I forgive all of your transgressions! -Thassa
I await this to hit the table while a Blood Sun is out and the nearest judge spontaneously bursts into flames.
I'm curious now. What actually happens here?
EDIT: So I think what happens is the type-changing ability applies in Layer 4, and then Blood Sun's loss of abilities applies in Layer 6, so you end up with Arixmethes being a land with no other abilities than to tap for UG. Can anyone else confirm?
Correct.
Notice that without its abilities, Arixmethes doesn't get to remove counters so it will just stay a land.
But hey, imagine how you'll feel if they reveal that Jenrik is in the 'cares about top of deck' deck... you know, the Astrologer?
That would certainly be amazing too, although I understand that's less likely. With Arixmethes finally carded, that leaves Cosper Lowe and the remaining Kamigawa novel characters, my favorite of which is Choryu. But ideally I hope we get them all - I'd actually rather get all the Kamigawa novel characters on cards over a Return to Kamigawa, believe it or not.
I still play the Thing in the Ice you sent me in the deck that Arixmethes is going into, by the way Thrasios is the Commander and Thassa is in the 99, but I search her with Time of Need and Primal Command. Eventually I'll get a Sylvan Tutor for the deck... but Portal is such a nightmare. I'd like a Wordly Tutor reprint with new art at some point too for the deck.
omg revealing this for Quest For Ula's Temple is so cool. And the best part, Arixmethes ramps into the spells that will remove his counters. I love it being a may ability and the fact it's any spell. This card just keeps being awesome. Everyone on Twitter is celebrating it. I wonder how many people know I petitioned for it. I'm the Anthony who tallied the Character poll for Maro on Blogatog btw - and no, I actually didn't give Arixmethes any extra votes But here he is!
Oh, I did do that, didn't I? I had forgotten... ;p
I only bring up Jenrik because I could easily see him as a monoblue 'messes with top of deck' fit for the deck, as opposed to most of the Kamigawa characters.
Personally, my best friend has played Nekusar for forever, and then we played a Dominaria Sealed where he got Tatyova out. So I made him a Tatyova deck. Arixmethes is, as others have stated, an obvious inclusion.
It is too bad that Thrasios doesn't put him directly on the battlefield...
Edit: Also, I checked cards like Venarian Gold to see if they added slumber counters to the enchanted creature... alas, they are sleep counters....
Yes. I think you misread my post. I'll clarify: I'd rather get all the remaining Kamigawa novel characters as cards in supplemental products such as Commander even more than I would want an actual Return to Kamigawa itself. Largely because a Return would not card those characters for the reason you mentioned.
Every time I'm reminded I never got the see the All-Consuming Oni of Chaos as a card. It'll be more exact to call him Hidetsugu, the All-Consuming now, but still the same. Actually I'd prefer the later, Hidetsugu is still my favorite character after all these years, no character has been so badass - strong enough to take down a Spirit Dragon (granted with help, but he actively "scouted" that help), devoted (and/or insane, depending on perspective) enough to his beliefs to absorb his own patron Oni when it fell from grace, smart enough to outwit Toshiro of all people (from the very beginning, no less) and even more devastatingly dangerous, calm enough to plan everything out (except the one moment he went insane, but hey he still had the strength and intellect in his physically and spiritually damaged form to direct it in a way that only made him stronger rather than self-destruct).
Still it isn't fair to consider All-Consuming to have had a card because Hidetsugu had one (which was obviously before his ascension anyway), so Hidetsugu deserves another card to represent his current form and the All-Consuming at the same time. I feel like him being possibly still alive now shouldn't be a factor comparatively, since Return to Kamigawa isn't a likely thing anyway.
Okay, now I got nostalgia of my favorite character out of the way, onto Arixmethes and unforunately I'm not as attached to Theros as a whole, so I'll just comment on the card itself.
"It's great" - Animar, Soul of Elements
It's essentially 2 mana for a 2-mana ramp that triggers the Commander, then becomes a beatstick (very quickly because its Animar) that can still be used as a mana dork for other big stuff. This is the kind of functionally-effective battlecruiser creature I want for Animar, not stuff like Rhino Beetles even if they are fun designs.
Momir Vig, Simic Visionary
Melek, Izzet Paragon
Oona, Queen of the Fae
Bruna, Light of Alabaster
Gisela, Blade of Goldnight
Rhys the Redeemed
Jarad, Golgari Lich Lord
Sen Triplets
The Mimeoplasm WUBRGSliver OverlordGRBUW WUBRGSliver Hivelord(Superfriends)GRBUW
Good to know, thanks!
I'll probably try Arix out in there since Momir can awaken him rather easily,
sort of like an infinitely less broken Erayo, Soratami Ascendant.
Momir Vig, Simic Visionary
Melek, Izzet Paragon
Oona, Queen of the Fae
Bruna, Light of Alabaster
Gisela, Blade of Goldnight
Rhys the Redeemed
Jarad, Golgari Lich Lord
Sen Triplets
The Mimeoplasm WUBRGSliver OverlordGRBUW WUBRGSliver Hivelord(Superfriends)GRBUW
But hey, imagine how you'll feel if they reveal that Jenrik is in the 'cares about top of deck' deck... you know, the Astrologer?
That would certainly be amazing too, although I understand that's less likely. With Arixmethes finally carded, that leaves Cosper Lowe and the remaining Kamigawa novel characters, my favorite of which is Choryu. But ideally I hope we get them all - I'd actually rather get all the Kamigawa novel characters on cards over a Return to Kamigawa, believe it or not.
I still play the Thing in the Ice you sent me in the deck that Arixmethes is going into, by the way Thrasios is the Commander and Thassa is in the 99, but I search her with Time of Need and Primal Command. Eventually I'll get a Sylvan Tutor for the deck... but Portal is such a nightmare. I'd like a Wordly Tutor reprint with new art at some point too for the deck.
omg revealing this for Quest For Ula's Temple is so cool. And the best part, Arixmethes ramps into the spells that will remove his counters. I love it being a may ability and the fact it's any spell. This card just keeps being awesome. Everyone on Twitter is celebrating it. I wonder how many people know I petitioned for it. I'm the Anthony who tallied the Character poll for Maro on Blogatog btw - and no, I actually didn't give Arixmethes any extra votes But here he is!
Oh, I did do that, didn't I? I had forgotten... ;p
I only bring up Jenrik because I could easily see him as a monoblue 'messes with top of deck' fit for the deck, as opposed to most of the Kamigawa characters.
Personally, my best friend has played Nekusar for forever, and then we played a Dominaria Sealed where he got Tatyova out. So I made him a Tatyova deck. Arixmethes is, as others have stated, an obvious inclusion.
It is too bad that Thrasios doesn't put him directly on the battlefield...
Edit: Also, I checked cards like Venarian Gold to see if they added slumber counters to the enchanted creature... alas, they are sleep counters....
I would be exceptionally thrilled to see Jenrik. I agree top deck manipulation would be neat design space for an Astronomer. I resent that he was killed off in the lore, and do hope we see him on a card someday. I'd love to see Cosper Lowe from Innistrad as well. Thrasios is perfect for Arixmethes - he scrys and draws into Arixmethes or cards that tutor him, and ramps into spells that awaken him.
I wonder if we'll see Olantin as a Legendary Land in Return to Theros as well?
And all throughout that time, I was in contact with Konami to just support the deck enough to survive ONE OR TWO TURNS.
So you never tried the Secret Village/Spellcaster version we were working on in that thread.
Tried is a great way of phrasing it. You can't be serious sis. You know better than this. I'm upset with what Yugioh was, you can't imagine how I'd feel seeing what it has become now. Trash. I heard they even made an alternate Trishula and named it Ice Prison Dragon to avoid it belonging to the archetype. And they even restricted their own former mechanics and sold them back to players as a novel new idea via Links? That game really is the absolute worst.
Yes. I think you misread my post. I'll clarify: I'd rather get all the remaining Kamigawa novel characters as cards in supplemental products such as Commander even more than I would want an actual Return to Kamigawa itself. Largely because a Return would not card those characters for the reason you mentioned.
Every time I'm reminded I never got the see the All-Consuming Oni of Chaos as a card. It'll be more exact to call him Hidetsugu, the All-Consuming now, but still the same. Actually I'd prefer the later, Hidetsugu is still my favorite character after all these years, no character has been so badass - strong enough to take down a Spirit Dragon (granted with help, but he actively "scouted" that help), devoted (and/or insane, depending on perspective) enough to his beliefs to absorb his own patron Oni when it fell from grace, smart enough to outwit Toshiro of all people (from the very beginning, no less) and even more devastatingly dangerous, calm enough to plan everything out (except the one moment he went insane, but hey he still had the strength and intellect in his physically and spiritually damaged form to direct it in a way that only made him stronger rather than self-destruct).
Still it isn't fair to consider All-Consuming to have had a card because Hidetsugu had one (which was obviously before his ascension anyway), so Hidetsugu deserves another card to represent his current form and the All-Consuming at the same time. I feel like him being possibly still alive now shouldn't be a factor comparatively, since Return to Kamigawa isn't a likely thing anyway.
Okay, now I got nostalgia of my favorite character out of the way, onto Arixmethes and unforunately I'm not as attached to Theros as a whole, so I'll just comment on the card itself.
"It's great" - Animar, Soul of Elements
It's essentially 2 mana for a 2-mana ramp that triggers the Commander, then becomes a beatstick (very quickly because its Animar) that can still be used as a mana dork for other big stuff. This is the kind of functionally-effective battlecruiser creature I want for Animar, not stuff like Rhino Beetles even if they are fun designs.
I hope we get the All-Consuming Oni of Chaos as its own card though. The list of remaining book characters in need of cards are:
Choryu
Boss Uramon
Kobo
Kyodai
Riko
Lady Pearl-Ear
Sharp-Ear
Chiyo
Eitoku
All-Consuming Oni of Chaos
Aoyama, Keeper of Moths (VERY minor character, can be left out if necessary)
But yeah, I love the idea. This is what Island Fish Jasconius should've been. I'll never look at Santorini the same way again.
For a few rules notes:
Casting it doesn't count as playing a land. However, when it enters the battlefield, barring Solemnity shenanigans, it does count as a land. So, it triggers landfall, but does not trigger things like Aura Shards (unless someone has Living Plane out, or the aforementioned Solemnity shenanigans).
If it's a land, it's still your commander, same as Kytheon, Hero of Akros is still your commander whether he's a creature, a planeswalker, or both.
As a land, it still has all its abilities, but it can't attack, block, be targeted by auras with enchant creature, be equipped, or any of the other things only creatures can do.
Only Commander would be able to do a 12/12 mana dork just right.
Private Mod Note
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Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Card advantage is not the same thing as card draw. Something for 2B cannot be strictly worse than something for BBB or 3BB. If you're taking out Swords to Plowshares for Plummet, you're a fool. Stop doing these things!
Santorini as Atlantis (Thera - "the burnt land") is the reason I've been so obsessed with Arixmethes since the Godsend novel. That and an Atlantis trope was missing from Theros block on the cards, yet present in the lore.
We still technically have Olantin as well, but I suspect that one is an actual Legendary Land.
Leave it to Theros to have all the cool unique Greek myth stuff
I like this card quite a lot. The fact they played with another land creature is great, and since it's a "may" to remove counters you could leave it there for some time if you wanted to until you're ready for Arixmethes to be a creature. I've been waiting for this "character" for some time and while it isn't exactly what I thought it would be it's still a fun card.
A shame this isn't in standard/modern though.
Sorry to double post, but I wanted to ask this yesterday and got flooded by hype. Out of curiosity, what did you expect Arixmethes to be btw? I had no idea other people were also anticipating this character card as well
Momir Vig, Simic Visionary
Melek, Izzet Paragon
Oona, Queen of the Fae
Bruna, Light of Alabaster
Gisela, Blade of Goldnight
Rhys the Redeemed
Jarad, Golgari Lich Lord
Sen Triplets
The Mimeoplasm WUBRGSliver OverlordGRBUW WUBRGSliver Hivelord(Superfriends)GRBUW
I like this card quite a lot. The fact they played with another land creature is great, and since it's a "may" to remove counters you could leave it there for some time if you wanted to until you're ready for Arixmethes to be a creature. I've been waiting for this "character" for some time and while it isn't exactly what I thought it would be it's still a fun card.
A shame this isn't in standard/modern though.
Sorry to double post, but I wanted to ask this yesterday and got flooded by hype. Out of curiosity, what did you expect Arixmethes to be btw? I had no idea other people were also anticipating this character card as well
Based off the story where we have a god and a planeswalker duking it out just to get a hold of Arixmethes, I guess I just expected some huge beater with a lot of abilities. After all Kiora wanted Arix to fight the Eldrazi, and since Thassa fought tooth and nail to keep it Arix is clearly important on a couple different levels.
There was no "Arixmethes cab only be X or Y and nothing else", but just a different expectation from one small story.
I like this card quite a lot. The fact they played with another land creature is great, and since it's a "may" to remove counters you could leave it there for some time if you wanted to until you're ready for Arixmethes to be a creature. I've been waiting for this "character" for some time and while it isn't exactly what I thought it would be it's still a fun card.
A shame this isn't in standard/modern though.
Sorry to double post, but I wanted to ask this yesterday and got flooded by hype. Out of curiosity, what did you expect Arixmethes to be btw? I had no idea other people were also anticipating this character card as well
Based off the story where we have a god and a planeswalker duking it out just to get a hold of Arixmethes, I guess I just expected some huge beater with a lot of abilities. After all Kiora wanted Arix to fight the Eldrazi, and since Thassa fought tooth and nail to keep it Arix is clearly important on a couple different levels.
There was no "Arixmethes cab only be X or Y and nothing else", but just a different expectation from one small story.
He should have had Hexproof and perhaps gained Trample when the last Slumber Counter was removed. I agree. Especially the way he tore through Kiora's army and all. But I think that would have been a lot of text, though. This card is trying to capture the dormant nature of the beast as well as the idea that he's also a land. Kind of a lot to do on one card IMO.
Also is that whole island part of the Kraken? What happens to the town when ol'Kraken decides he wants to do a deep dive?
I can see a lot of people here didn't read Godsend or the Magic Story with Arixmethes in it. Arixmethes was a city-state twice the size of Meletis. It may not be obvious in the art since we are zoomed far away. You can see part of it in Temple of the False God. Theros myths state that the Arixmethians angered Heliod and he smote the city and cast it into the sea, but the myth is embellished and incorrect. The reality probably is, Arixmethes merely woke up lol
EDIT: There is one version of the myth in Godsend that says Arixmethes (the city) was where the Chimera was invented, due to them practicing forbidden alchemy there, which is why the gods sank it. Which is funny - since casting spells is how Arixmethes 'wakes up' in the cards. So they nailed the flavor.
Another myth stated Godsend was claimed by the ruins, when in reality, Elspeth had planeswalked away with it.
Here is an excerpt from Godsend by Jenna Helland:
A dark wall loomed at the end of their water-bound tunnel, hard and impassable. If they hit it, they would be destroyed on impact. The triton leaped gracefully to the front of the ship. “Finally,” she whispered. The prow tilted upward abruptly, and the ship accelerated even more. They shot up through the surface like an arrow unleashed from a bow. As they vaulted into the open air, the ship transformed back to its normal state, but the planeswalkers were distracted by the unexpected sight on the horizon. Instead of the vast and empty ocean, the ship came to rest on a narrow strip of dark land at the edge of a vast and ruined city. Dripping husks of ornate buildings with elaborate facades and a complex of cobblestone streets stretched before them. The city’s horizon was unnatural, and the ruins arched upward as if the architecture were constructed on a convex surface that could not be shaped or altered to the builder’s whim. “This isn’t Kruphix’s temple?” Elspeth asked. There was no tree or waterfall in sight.
“No, this is something else entirely,” Ajani said. “Welcome to Arixmethes!” Callaphe cried with joy as she sprung out of the ship and onto the rim of dry land. “The sunken ruins! At last I’ve found him.” “Him?” Elspeth asked as she started to climb out of the ship. But Ajani cautioned her to stay. “Look at the ground,” Ajani warned her. Beneath Callaphe’s feet, the black ground was soft and pliable, and it bowed slightly under her weight. “You’re not Callaphe, are you?” Ajani asked the triton. In the sea behind them, the waves had become turbulent. There was a rushing sound from deep beneath the waves. “Not even close,” the triton answered cheerfully. “Who are you?” Ajani asked. “You can call me Kiora,” she said. “I needed the Monsoon to find Arixmethes. I couldn’t have done it without you. Good luck getting to Nyx.” “But where is the edge of the world?” Elspeth asked. “Ask the ship,” Kiora said impatiently. Patterns of teal light played across her skin as her arms elongated and grew sawfish teeth. She sprang high into the air, twisted her body around midair, and swan dived into the depths just as the Eye of Thassa emerged from the water.
Thassa had taken the form of a giant eye that was composed of vapor more than corporeal substance. Elspeth sensed that even though the pupil was fixed on the bubbling waves where Kiora had disappeared, Thassa was watching her, too. When the God of the Sea swung her gaze toward the Monsoon, Elspeth and Ajani reacted simultaneously. Quickly, Ajani bolstered Elspeth’s strength while Elspeth made the air around them dense and heavy, like a metaphysical shield of light. A flurry of razor-sharp translucent shards blasted out of the sea and rained down on them. Ribbons of water lashed the air around them like an unnatural typhoon. The wind threatened to sweep Elspeth off her feet. But with Ajani aiding her, she maintained the focus of her spell.
The watery assaults splashed harmlessly back into the ocean waves. For a moment, there was an unexpected silence. Then, a woman’s voice whispered across the waves. The great eye blinked, the air around it folded in on itself, and Thassa was standing next to them in the ship before either planeswalker could think of reacting. She had taken the form of a female triton no taller than Elspeth. Crimson fins branched from her forehead and tentacles coiled down her shoulders and back. Nyx shone brilliantly in her eyes and the shadows of her body. Even her bident glittered with divine substance. But without the traces of stars, she could have been mistaken for a creature of the mortal realm. Thassa took her time considering them. “Why must you mortals aspire to godhood?” Thassa demanded. “You can never truly be like us.” “We do not aspire to godhood,” Ajani said. “Why do you travel with Elspeth the Betrayer?” Thassa asked him. “Are you a traitor as well?
“Elspeth is not a betrayer,” Ajani said. “Of any god or mortal.” “Heliod disagrees,” Thassa said. “With Nylea, they’re determined to humble mortals into submission.” “And yet you are here, in your realm, and have not joined them,” Ajani pointed out. “I have spent most of the Silence hidden in the depths of my ocean,” Thassa said. “It was not me that Kruphix needed to punish. And now a humble satyr has cracked the foundations of Nyx.” “I will stop him,” Elspeth said. Thassa scanned the horizon. She cared nothing for Elspeth’s promises.
“That triton thief has been searching endlessly for the Monsoon. She’s pretended to be Callaphe. She’s pretended even to be me. She intends to steal Arixmethes.” “How does someone steal a city?” Elspeth asked. “It’s not just a city, isn’t that right?” Ajani said. “It’s what’s it’s built on.” “I just felt her touch the sea floor,” Thassa said. “As she rises up, she gathers the strength of my currents. I must stop her before she plunders my realm. I have little time, but I will tell you this: I don’t believe you are to blame, Elspeth. Heliod is arrogant and intends to make himself lord of the pantheon. That is why he is so offended by the Satyr-God. He believes the usurper has taken his personal throne.” Thassa touched the mast, and the ship began to roll beneath them. Once again, the boards became like skin, the planks like bones, and black-slanted eyes blinked open on the prow of the ship.
“Your blade is the only thing that can destroy Xenagos and restore the true nature of the world,” Thassa said. “I will remove the obstacles on the rest of your journey to Nyx.” “I will set things right,” Elspeth promised. “Finding the way into Nyx isn’t the end of your journey,” Thassa said. “Once inside, you will find a shrine to the gods. You must choose one of us and ask for an ordeal. If you pass the ordeal, the god will open the gates of Nyx and grant you one request within his or her domain.” “Can I request help in killing Xenagos?” Elspeth asked. “A god cannot kill another god, but I can make it as easy for you as possible,” Thassa said. “Choose my altar, and your ordeal will be as kind as a summer breeze. Xenagos has protected himself by creating a void that lies just beyond the gates. Ask me for a bridge of aether so you can cross over to him.” “What’s the void?” Ajani asked. “It’s a gulf of nothingness around him,” Thassa said. “You’ve seen it in the night sky. Without my help, I fear you’ll never get close enough to kill him.”
Kiora emerged in the waves behind Thassa. She was perched on the back of a gargantuan sea serpent with a hornlike spire. The serpent undulated like a black snake but concealed its true size beneath the waves. The water churned with white froth as masses of writhing tentacles rose from the depths. Kiora had recruited monsters from the floor of Thassa’s ocean, and inky eyes that had never seen sunlight now gazed upon the surface world. Her legion included creatures native to this world but also others that hailed from oceans under far-flung skies. “She steals my children,” Thassa said. Her fathomless eyes gleamed with fury. Beside the ship, a squidlike creature larger than a whale burst up through the surface. Rings of choppy waves rippled in all directions, and the Monsoon jostled against the shore. The creature’s leathery black skin was covered with mossy barnacles. Rows of yellow eyes blinked from the scalloped edges of its tentacles, which emerged one after another from the waves. It had a gaping maw with boulderlike teeth, and eyeballs lined the bumpy surface of its forked tongue. The monster was large enough to devour their ship with one bite. “That is not my child,” Thassa said.
Elspeth felt the ship pitch and roil beneath them, and the ruins of Arixmethes began to rumble back down into the sea. The ruins disappeared under an upwelling of water, leaving an unobstructed ocean in its wake. Elspeth marveled that an entire city could be swallowed by the ocean in mere seconds. No wonder Callaphe had such a hard time finding it. But there was no sign of the waterfall or Kruphix’s Tree. As if she’d read her mind, Thassa pointed to the horizon. “My sea will carry you to Kruphix,” Thassa told Elspeth. “Thank you,” Elspeth said. “Choose my altar,” Thassa warned her again. “Or your journey will fail.” Whispering to her waves, Thassa ordered the sea to reach for Nyx. In response to her command, the water hastened for the sky. A monstrous wave carried the Monsoon hundreds of feet in the air. From the summit of the wave, they saw Thassa transform back into the Great Eye, which transfixed its hostile gaze upon her enemy, Kiora. Just before their vessel cascaded down the other side, a titanic kraken breached out of the water in the distance, answering the call to battle. He was the one they called Arixmethes, and he carried the ruins of the lost city affixed to the length of his spine. “You’ll never claim Arixmethes!” Thassa’s warned Kiora, who laughed at the God of the Sea. The last thing Elspeth saw was the two tritons locked in combat, surrounded by a legion of ancient sea monsters and furious, unbound waves. As the massive wave descended back into the ocean, the ship accelerated dramatically until their surroundings were indistinct streaks of blue light.
I like this card quite a lot. The fact they played with another land creature is great, and since it's a "may" to remove counters you could leave it there for some time if you wanted to until you're ready for Arixmethes to be a creature. I've been waiting for this "character" for some time and while it isn't exactly what I thought it would be it's still a fun card.
A shame this isn't in standard/modern though.
Sorry to double post, but I wanted to ask this yesterday and got flooded by hype. Out of curiosity, what did you expect Arixmethes to be btw? I had no idea other people were also anticipating this character card as well
Based off the story where we have a god and a planeswalker duking it out just to get a hold of Arixmethes, I guess I just expected some huge beater with a lot of abilities. After all Kiora wanted Arix to fight the Eldrazi, and since Thassa fought tooth and nail to keep it Arix is clearly important on a couple different levels.
There was no "Arixmethes cab only be X or Y and nothing else", but just a different expectation from one small story.
He should have had Hexproof and perhaps gained Trample when the last Slumber Counter was removed. I agree. Especially the way he tore through Kiora's army and all. But I think that would have been a lot of text, though. This card is trying to capture the dormant nature of the beast as well as the idea that he's also a land. Kind of a lot to do on one card IMO. Remember, Thassa keeps her krakens penned in a secret sea, and keeps Arixmethes slumbering there too, presumably because they'd wreak havoc on coastal settlements and compromise her devotion otherwise. So this kind of embodies what sleeping Arixmethes is like under peacetime conditions, when Arixmethes the city was built on its shell.
woken up in the morning a few times thinking about it haha. That's quite an achievement for something that obviously isn't hard-nosed competitive Modern!
Private Mod Note
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Modern: G Tron, Vannifar, Jund, Druid/Vizier combo, Humans, Eldrazi Stompy (Serum Powder), Amulet, Grishoalbrand, Breach Titan, Turns, Eternal Command, As Foretold Living End, Elves, Cheerios, RUG Scapeshift
woken up in the morning a few times thinking about it haha. That's quite an achievement for something that obviously isn't hard-nosed competitive Modern!
You're welcome. I think I got an infarction during my early days for spamming about it
Hi guys, just Wondering what people think of including this in an Animar/Statue deck? Coming in tapped hurts the game plan a little bit being able to tap for 2 mana seems great as well the fact that he will come in as a 2 drop a lot of the time. Storming out makes it easy to turn him in a 12/12 to build up a wall if things are going your way and need to restart your engine.
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I'm curious now. What actually happens here?
EDIT: So I think what happens is the type-changing ability applies in Layer 4, and then Blood Sun's loss of abilities applies in Layer 6, so you end up with Arixmethes being a land with no other abilities than to tap for UG. Can anyone else confirm?
*mana rock LOBSTER
So you never tried the Secret Village/Spellcaster version we were working on in that thread.
Correct.
Notice that without its abilities, Arixmethes doesn't get to remove counters so it will just stay a land.
Oh, I did do that, didn't I? I had forgotten... ;p
I only bring up Jenrik because I could easily see him as a monoblue 'messes with top of deck' fit for the deck, as opposed to most of the Kamigawa characters.
Personally, my best friend has played Nekusar for forever, and then we played a Dominaria Sealed where he got Tatyova out. So I made him a Tatyova deck. Arixmethes is, as others have stated, an obvious inclusion.
It is too bad that Thrasios doesn't put him directly on the battlefield...
Edit: Also, I checked cards like Venarian Gold to see if they added slumber counters to the enchanted creature... alas, they are sleep counters....
Every time I'm reminded I never got the see the All-Consuming Oni of Chaos as a card. It'll be more exact to call him Hidetsugu, the All-Consuming now, but still the same. Actually I'd prefer the later, Hidetsugu is still my favorite character after all these years, no character has been so badass - strong enough to take down a Spirit Dragon (granted with help, but he actively "scouted" that help), devoted (and/or insane, depending on perspective) enough to his beliefs to absorb his own patron Oni when it fell from grace, smart enough to outwit Toshiro of all people (from the very beginning, no less) and even more devastatingly dangerous, calm enough to plan everything out (except the one moment he went insane, but hey he still had the strength and intellect in his physically and spiritually damaged form to direct it in a way that only made him stronger rather than self-destruct).
Still it isn't fair to consider All-Consuming to have had a card because Hidetsugu had one (which was obviously before his ascension anyway), so Hidetsugu deserves another card to represent his current form and the All-Consuming at the same time. I feel like him being possibly still alive now shouldn't be a factor comparatively, since Return to Kamigawa isn't a likely thing anyway.
Okay, now I got nostalgia of my favorite character out of the way, onto Arixmethes and unforunately I'm not as attached to Theros as a whole, so I'll just comment on the card itself.
"It's great" - Animar, Soul of Elements
It's essentially 2 mana for a 2-mana ramp that triggers the Commander, then becomes a beatstick (very quickly because its Animar) that can still be used as a mana dork for other big stuff. This is the kind of functionally-effective battlecruiser creature I want for Animar, not stuff like Rhino Beetles even if they are fun designs.
I'm inclined to believe so, but I'm hardly certain.
Reprint Stasis!
Control needs more love.
EDH:
Momir Vig, Simic Visionary
Melek, Izzet Paragon
Oona, Queen of the Fae
Bruna, Light of Alabaster
Gisela, Blade of Goldnight
Rhys the Redeemed
Jarad, Golgari Lich Lord
Sen Triplets
The Mimeoplasm
WUBRGSliver OverlordGRBUW
WUBRGSliver Hivelord(Superfriends)GRBUW
You do, it's always a creature spell on the stack, the same way Kruphix, God of Horizons is also one even when you don't have devotion.
It's always a creature card everywhere else except when it's not a creature on the battlefield.
I'll probably try Arix out in there since Momir can awaken him rather easily,
sort of like an infinitely less broken Erayo, Soratami Ascendant.
Reprint Stasis!
Control needs more love.
EDH:
Momir Vig, Simic Visionary
Melek, Izzet Paragon
Oona, Queen of the Fae
Bruna, Light of Alabaster
Gisela, Blade of Goldnight
Rhys the Redeemed
Jarad, Golgari Lich Lord
Sen Triplets
The Mimeoplasm
WUBRGSliver OverlordGRBUW
WUBRGSliver Hivelord(Superfriends)GRBUW
I wonder if we'll see Olantin as a Legendary Land in Return to Theros as well?
Tried is a great way of phrasing it. You can't be serious sis. You know better than this. I'm upset with what Yugioh was, you can't imagine how I'd feel seeing what it has become now. Trash. I heard they even made an alternate Trishula and named it Ice Prison Dragon to avoid it belonging to the archetype. And they even restricted their own former mechanics and sold them back to players as a novel new idea via Links? That game really is the absolute worst.
lmao stahp
I hope we get the All-Consuming Oni of Chaos as its own card though. The list of remaining book characters in need of cards are:
Choryu
Boss Uramon
Kobo
Kyodai
Riko
Lady Pearl-Ear
Sharp-Ear
Chiyo
Eitoku
All-Consuming Oni of Chaos
Aoyama, Keeper of Moths (VERY minor character, can be left out if necessary)
|| UW Jace, Vyn's Prodigy UW || UG Kenessos, Priest of Thassa (feat. Arixmethes) UG ||
Cards I still want to see created:
|| Olantin, Lost City || Pavios and Thanasis || Choryu ||
|| UW Jace, Vyn's Prodigy UW || UG Kenessos, Priest of Thassa (feat. Arixmethes) UG ||
Cards I still want to see created:
|| Olantin, Lost City || Pavios and Thanasis || Choryu ||
Guys..
Guys..
This card is amazing...
I can't even put my thoughts together, I am so immensely happy that they would even design a card like this.
Just... Augh. I love it so much. Instant, instant top three cards of all time.
Big boi prawn gonna get his own Aaron Cain custom wooden box and custom playmat.
Haha he's a "landoustine"
Gonna get the monkey island theme going on my phone as I introduce this deck at every commander game >_<
Dark Depths
Thing in the Ice
Ludevic's Test Subject
But yeah, I love the idea. This is what Island Fish Jasconius should've been. I'll never look at Santorini the same way again.
For a few rules notes:
Casting it doesn't count as playing a land. However, when it enters the battlefield, barring Solemnity shenanigans, it does count as a land. So, it triggers landfall, but does not trigger things like Aura Shards (unless someone has Living Plane out, or the aforementioned Solemnity shenanigans).
If it's a land, it's still your commander, same as Kytheon, Hero of Akros is still your commander whether he's a creature, a planeswalker, or both.
As a land, it still has all its abilities, but it can't attack, block, be targeted by auras with enchant creature, be equipped, or any of the other things only creatures can do.
Only Commander would be able to do a 12/12 mana dork just right.
On phasing:
Right. He's a legendary land with no subtypes.
We still technically have Olantin as well, but I suspect that one is an actual Legendary Land.
Leave it to Theros to have all the cool unique Greek myth stuff
|| UW Jace, Vyn's Prodigy UW || UG Kenessos, Priest of Thassa (feat. Arixmethes) UG ||
Cards I still want to see created:
|| Olantin, Lost City || Pavios and Thanasis || Choryu ||
|| UW Jace, Vyn's Prodigy UW || UG Kenessos, Priest of Thassa (feat. Arixmethes) UG ||
Cards I still want to see created:
|| Olantin, Lost City || Pavios and Thanasis || Choryu ||
Eh, I did SCUBA there and saw no signs of this thing, so methinks WotC have been hitting the ****on a bit hard.
Reprint Stasis!
Control needs more love.
EDH:
Momir Vig, Simic Visionary
Melek, Izzet Paragon
Oona, Queen of the Fae
Bruna, Light of Alabaster
Gisela, Blade of Goldnight
Rhys the Redeemed
Jarad, Golgari Lich Lord
Sen Triplets
The Mimeoplasm
WUBRGSliver OverlordGRBUW
WUBRGSliver Hivelord(Superfriends)GRBUW
Also is that whole island part of the Kraken? What happens to the town when ol'Kraken decides he wants to do a deep dive?
none
Modern
UBG B/U/G control
BBB MBC
WUR Control
WWW Prison
RRR Goblins
Legacy
BBB Pox
UBG B/U/G Control
UWU StoneBlade
UW Miracle Control
Based off the story where we have a god and a planeswalker duking it out just to get a hold of Arixmethes, I guess I just expected some huge beater with a lot of abilities. After all Kiora wanted Arix to fight the Eldrazi, and since Thassa fought tooth and nail to keep it Arix is clearly important on a couple different levels.
There was no "Arixmethes cab only be X or Y and nothing else", but just a different expectation from one small story.
EDIT: There is one version of the myth in Godsend that says Arixmethes (the city) was where the Chimera was invented, due to them practicing forbidden alchemy there, which is why the gods sank it. Which is funny - since casting spells is how Arixmethes 'wakes up' in the cards. So they nailed the flavor.
Another myth stated Godsend was claimed by the ruins, when in reality, Elspeth had planeswalked away with it.
Here is an excerpt from Godsend by Jenna Helland:
“No, this is something else entirely,” Ajani said. “Welcome to Arixmethes!” Callaphe cried with joy as she sprung out of the ship and onto the rim of dry land. “The sunken ruins! At last I’ve found him.” “Him?” Elspeth asked as she started to climb out of the ship. But Ajani cautioned her to stay. “Look at the ground,” Ajani warned her. Beneath Callaphe’s feet, the black ground was soft and pliable, and it bowed slightly under her weight. “You’re not Callaphe, are you?” Ajani asked the triton. In the sea behind them, the waves had become turbulent. There was a rushing sound from deep beneath the waves. “Not even close,” the triton answered cheerfully. “Who are you?” Ajani asked. “You can call me Kiora,” she said. “I needed the Monsoon to find Arixmethes. I couldn’t have done it without you. Good luck getting to Nyx.” “But where is the edge of the world?” Elspeth asked. “Ask the ship,” Kiora said impatiently. Patterns of teal light played across her skin as her arms elongated and grew sawfish teeth. She sprang high into the air, twisted her body around midair, and swan dived into the depths just as the Eye of Thassa emerged from the water.
Thassa had taken the form of a giant eye that was composed of vapor more than corporeal substance. Elspeth sensed that even though the pupil was fixed on the bubbling waves where Kiora had disappeared, Thassa was watching her, too. When the God of the Sea swung her gaze toward the Monsoon, Elspeth and Ajani reacted simultaneously. Quickly, Ajani bolstered Elspeth’s strength while Elspeth made the air around them dense and heavy, like a metaphysical shield of light. A flurry of razor-sharp translucent shards blasted out of the sea and rained down on them. Ribbons of water lashed the air around them like an unnatural typhoon. The wind threatened to sweep Elspeth off her feet. But with Ajani aiding her, she maintained the focus of her spell.
The watery assaults splashed harmlessly back into the ocean waves. For a moment, there was an unexpected silence. Then, a woman’s voice whispered across the waves. The great eye blinked, the air around it folded in on itself, and Thassa was standing next to them in the ship before either planeswalker could think of reacting. She had taken the form of a female triton no taller than Elspeth. Crimson fins branched from her forehead and tentacles coiled down her shoulders and back. Nyx shone brilliantly in her eyes and the shadows of her body. Even her bident glittered with divine substance. But without the traces of stars, she could have been mistaken for a creature of the mortal realm. Thassa took her time considering them. “Why must you mortals aspire to godhood?” Thassa demanded. “You can never truly be like us.” “We do not aspire to godhood,” Ajani said. “Why do you travel with Elspeth the Betrayer?” Thassa asked him. “Are you a traitor as well?
“Elspeth is not a betrayer,” Ajani said. “Of any god or mortal.” “Heliod disagrees,” Thassa said. “With Nylea, they’re determined to humble mortals into submission.” “And yet you are here, in your realm, and have not joined them,” Ajani pointed out. “I have spent most of the Silence hidden in the depths of my ocean,” Thassa said. “It was not me that Kruphix needed to punish. And now a humble satyr has cracked the foundations of Nyx.” “I will stop him,” Elspeth said. Thassa scanned the horizon. She cared nothing for Elspeth’s promises.
“That triton thief has been searching endlessly for the Monsoon. She’s pretended to be Callaphe. She’s pretended even to be me. She intends to steal Arixmethes.” “How does someone steal a city?” Elspeth asked. “It’s not just a city, isn’t that right?” Ajani said. “It’s what’s it’s built on.” “I just felt her touch the sea floor,” Thassa said. “As she rises up, she gathers the strength of my currents. I must stop her before she plunders my realm. I have little time, but I will tell you this: I don’t believe you are to blame, Elspeth. Heliod is arrogant and intends to make himself lord of the pantheon. That is why he is so offended by the Satyr-God. He believes the usurper has taken his personal throne.” Thassa touched the mast, and the ship began to roll beneath them. Once again, the boards became like skin, the planks like bones, and black-slanted eyes blinked open on the prow of the ship.
“Your blade is the only thing that can destroy Xenagos and restore the true nature of the world,” Thassa said. “I will remove the obstacles on the rest of your journey to Nyx.” “I will set things right,” Elspeth promised. “Finding the way into Nyx isn’t the end of your journey,” Thassa said. “Once inside, you will find a shrine to the gods. You must choose one of us and ask for an ordeal. If you pass the ordeal, the god will open the gates of Nyx and grant you one request within his or her domain.” “Can I request help in killing Xenagos?” Elspeth asked. “A god cannot kill another god, but I can make it as easy for you as possible,” Thassa said. “Choose my altar, and your ordeal will be as kind as a summer breeze. Xenagos has protected himself by creating a void that lies just beyond the gates. Ask me for a bridge of aether so you can cross over to him.” “What’s the void?” Ajani asked. “It’s a gulf of nothingness around him,” Thassa said. “You’ve seen it in the night sky. Without my help, I fear you’ll never get close enough to kill him.”
Kiora emerged in the waves behind Thassa. She was perched on the back of a gargantuan sea serpent with a hornlike spire. The serpent undulated like a black snake but concealed its true size beneath the waves. The water churned with white froth as masses of writhing tentacles rose from the depths. Kiora had recruited monsters from the floor of Thassa’s ocean, and inky eyes that had never seen sunlight now gazed upon the surface world. Her legion included creatures native to this world but also others that hailed from oceans under far-flung skies. “She steals my children,” Thassa said. Her fathomless eyes gleamed with fury. Beside the ship, a squidlike creature larger than a whale burst up through the surface. Rings of choppy waves rippled in all directions, and the Monsoon jostled against the shore. The creature’s leathery black skin was covered with mossy barnacles. Rows of yellow eyes blinked from the scalloped edges of its tentacles, which emerged one after another from the waves. It had a gaping maw with boulderlike teeth, and eyeballs lined the bumpy surface of its forked tongue. The monster was large enough to devour their ship with one bite. “That is not my child,” Thassa said.
Elspeth felt the ship pitch and roil beneath them, and the ruins of Arixmethes began to rumble back down into the sea. The ruins disappeared under an upwelling of water, leaving an unobstructed ocean in its wake. Elspeth marveled that an entire city could be swallowed by the ocean in mere seconds. No wonder Callaphe had such a hard time finding it. But there was no sign of the waterfall or Kruphix’s Tree. As if she’d read her mind, Thassa pointed to the horizon. “My sea will carry you to Kruphix,” Thassa told Elspeth. “Thank you,” Elspeth said. “Choose my altar,” Thassa warned her again. “Or your journey will fail.” Whispering to her waves, Thassa ordered the sea to reach for Nyx. In response to her command, the water hastened for the sky. A monstrous wave carried the Monsoon hundreds of feet in the air. From the summit of the wave, they saw Thassa transform back into the Great Eye, which transfixed its hostile gaze upon her enemy, Kiora. Just before their vessel cascaded down the other side, a titanic kraken breached out of the water in the distance, answering the call to battle. He was the one they called Arixmethes, and he carried the ruins of the lost city affixed to the length of his spine. “You’ll never claim Arixmethes!” Thassa’s warned Kiora, who laughed at the God of the Sea. The last thing Elspeth saw was the two tritons locked in combat, surrounded by a legion of ancient sea monsters and furious, unbound waves. As the massive wave descended back into the ocean, the ship accelerated dramatically until their surroundings were indistinct streaks of blue light.
He should have had Hexproof and perhaps gained Trample when the last Slumber Counter was removed. I agree. Especially the way he tore through Kiora's army and all. But I think that would have been a lot of text, though. This card is trying to capture the dormant nature of the beast as well as the idea that he's also a land. Kind of a lot to do on one card IMO. Remember, Thassa keeps her krakens penned in a secret sea, and keeps Arixmethes slumbering there too, presumably because they'd wreak havoc on coastal settlements and compromise her devotion otherwise. So this kind of embodies what sleeping Arixmethes is like under peacetime conditions, when Arixmethes the city was built on its shell.
|| UW Jace, Vyn's Prodigy UW || UG Kenessos, Priest of Thassa (feat. Arixmethes) UG ||
Cards I still want to see created:
|| Olantin, Lost City || Pavios and Thanasis || Choryu ||
woken up in the morning a few times thinking about it haha. That's quite an achievement for something that obviously isn't hard-nosed competitive Modern!
|| UW Jace, Vyn's Prodigy UW || UG Kenessos, Priest of Thassa (feat. Arixmethes) UG ||
Cards I still want to see created:
|| Olantin, Lost City || Pavios and Thanasis || Choryu ||