MTG Salvation

Who are the Tuskeri?

I wonder if Niko really could jailbreak Nicol Bolas from his prison. We don't really know the full extent of Nico's abilities but the fact that they can transport fellow planeswalkers in-plane is interesting and I'm curious if the same can be done for the Elder Dragon between planes.

We know for certain the Ugin himself transported Nicol Bolas to the Meditation Realm and it was said that this was somehow possible due to Nicol Bolas being an Elder Dragon, which while a hand wave, is an acceptable hand-wave.

I don't want another Bolas arc right away but he's a useful narrational tool for the story and it's nice to know we may see him again.

One can advocate for greater representation of a marginalized community without taking offence at another marginalized community becoming better represented.

But back to the specific planeswalkers in question, I wonder if Niko Aris would be able to jailbreak Nicol Bolas out with their ability?

Somebody on Reddit made the suggestion and it's intriguing, as Aris wouldn't necessarily have to be a villain to find reason to do it. As a relatively new PW I could see them not knowing of the implications of such an act, and become an unwilling pawn of a Bolas agent via coercion, trickery or hostage-taking.

(on the latter, the Bolas agent could threaten a family member or friend)

Quote from Gizlivadi »

Quote from Tiro of Meletis »

Quote from Gizlivadi »

Quote from Tiro of Meletis »

Teyo definitely looks Latino

He has matte skin and dark brown hair. If that's what an artist considers enough to "represent" Latinos, that's actually insulting.

Quote from Tiro of Meletis »

isn't Verada a Latino surname?

It's not.

Full disclosure, if this game was 98% white people in the art (as is the actual demographic that plays it and produces it), I wouldn't mind at all. What bothers me is the clear pandering and overrepresentation of Black people for obvious political reasons, while there's a much larger Latino playerbase than Black playerbase. If they truly cared about accurate representation, we would have a LOT more Latino characters.

I feel you. I don't think representation needs to be at the expense of anyone though. Let's just have it for both black and Latino people.

My only gripe is accuracy. If we're doing Ixalan, should be Latino. Kamigawa, Japanese. Theros, Greek. Aside from PW, I'd like planes to have racial identity as well, except places like Dominaria that have many continents and aren't based on real-world cultures. After the Theros art book, it finally made sense why Theros has black people, since they did expand its geography (thankfully) so it can encompass North Africa-like regions instead of just being three freaking cities. But it's awkward if we return to Kamigawa and there's anything but Asian natives for example.

Then again idk, Linden kinda worked in Edlraine despite it being European themed.

And I completely agree with that. If we returned to Kamigawa and everyone but the planeswalkers were of an Asian phenotype, that'd be completely fine by me. That's only accurate. Same thing for a Slavic-themed plane with most or only Slavic looking people. It's the fact that they're so afraid to put white people in the Scandinavian plane that they HAVE to slap a Black woman on the cover that bothers me. But hey, at least we know they would'd dare to do that in a Chinese-inspired plane...

As a white guy I'm perfectly able to advocate for myself thanks, and Kaya's presence as Kaldheim's face is a non-issue as we just had a main set where everyone was pretty pasty and I'm getting mixed messages as to your actual intent.

Go ahead. Fight without me. I'm just gonna ignore from now on. I demonstrated evidence regarding Teyo, if one doesn't like being demonstrably wrong, well that isn't my problem.

Edit: Tyvar Kell is a Scandinavian elf.

Quote from Gizlivadi »

Quote from Tiro of Meletis »

Teyo definitely looks Latino

He has matte skin and dark brown hair. If that's what an artist considers enough to "represent" Latinos, that's actually insulting.

Quote from Tiro of Meletis »

isn't Verada a Latino surname?

It's not.

Full disclosure, if this game was 98% white people in the art (as is the actual demographic that plays it and produces it), I wouldn't mind at all. What bothers me is the clear pandering and overrepresentation of Black people for obvious political reasons, while there's a much larger Latino playerbase than Black playerbase. If they truly cared about accurate representation, we would have a LOT more Latino characters.

Except, I have met Hispanic folx that do have dark brown hair. I think it is perfectly reasonable to want greater Latin American representation but please understand that if the decision by WotC's to represent more Black people is inherently political, than it would be just as political to consciously represent more Latin American people.

Furthermore, this isn't a zero-sum issue. Having more Black people represented in MtG does not necessarily impede any greater, and more conscious decision by WotC to represent Latinos.

Edit: As ThyLordQ put it, one can argue for greater representation without the attack on other marginalized peoples.

Help me understand here.

Quote from SilverWolf_27 »

Well, I guess the subtlety of Karn, Ashiok and Oko wasn't enough and we had to be hit with an anvil. Just check all the other boxes too and be done with it.
Still waiting for more planeswalkers that aren't boring human or human in all but name. I have given up hope for more that differ from humanoid body plan.

Oko goes by "he", Ashiok is cool but kinda a psychopath, and Karn is just basically a robot. I'm not entirely sure of the point being made here.

If we had another non-humanoid walker then we'd just be checking a different box, but one that you would prefer instead.

Live and let live dude

As always folks and folx just ignore the haters and don't give em any attention.

For a crowd that sure likes to complain about 'special snowflakes' they sure get their feathers ruffled easily. Characters are out for only a few hours and they gotta object.

Both of these new planeswalkers look pretty cool. I admittedly wish Niko had more Theran attire but maybe that's an indication that they're pretty well adjusted to planesewalking by now. I also had to look up their names, as at first these seemed more Italian than Greek, but my assumptions were wrong, as they are indeed Greek and fit the world. I like that Niko's personality and powerset is focused upon the perfection of the senses and body and would like to see more warriors and other martial class types in U.

Edit: I'm happy to see Tybalt but I admittedly was a little disappointed with Ramaz's absence.
I really like the aesthetic for Tyvar but I'm of course I have a positive bias for beefy elf dudes. I'm glad they chose to expand beyond the 'Legolas' and 'Arwen' body frames for Kaldheim's elves.

Quote from Mullerornis »

Besides the rep I very much like that Niko is a blue aligned character that is an athlete rather than a nerd. Perfection is not always about knowledge, after all.

I like this as well. I always felt that U needs to expand more in its martial classes used.

We ahve a fewU on Tarkir and beyond and there are far too many rogues for my taste.

This is the most welcome signal I have seen so far from the Storyline team in navigating a new (or newly reformed)direction for the lore.

While I acknowledge the costs this policy will have upon MtG players in less liberal or socially democratic countries, I am positively stoked for what this means for the game itself.

I would also not be surprised if many MtG players in these kinds of countries are a force for positive change in their respective countries. I could of course be wrong.

My only nitpick here is that I wish the company acknowledged the corporate decision in retconning and downplaying Chandra and Nissa's relationship, not Weisman's, as they kinda threw him under the bus by not fully acknowledging their role in the controversy and that they had indeed made a mistake.

Overall, I see myself buying more MtG as a result of this decision and believe it to be something to celebrate.

These aren't snow lands, so I'm okay that they're not all that snowy.

Edit: Is it just me or is part of the 'world serpent' depicted in one of the forests?

"Will you please welcome our new Defense against the Dark Arts teacher?"

I like how the typeline is "forced" to reveal that this is Lili in disguise.

Also, while the name Danny Trejo did ring a bell, my mind simply refused to establish the link until it was pointed out that this is THE Danny Trejo (I just recently rewatched Desperado...). Then I found out the man is already 76 years old!!!

Quote from Xcric »

What reason is there for her to hide her identity? Is she known on this plane? For being a multiverse everyone sure does know everyone else.

Easily couldve been any other walker whose storyline HASNT been concluded.

But sex sells.

Kasmina (and any walker) would know her from War of the Spark. Liliana faked her death so likely she would lie low for whatever reason she is on the plane.

Quote from CatParty »

Danny Trejo was in a Magic Arena commercial a year or two ago. I guess he got some sponsorship money from them, like American actors in Japanese commercials.

wow interesting learn something new everyday


Edit: OH SHOOT! Since the twins are here and if garruk is here and finds onyx he’s gonna go berserk charge on her because he knows her true identity.

So liliana changed her name twice?

first Ana and now onyx?


and the ultimate was the “six or more times” teaser I thought maro said each teaser is for 1 card?

looking magecraft..l WIZARDS THAT ONE PART MIGHT MAKE THIS BANNABLE IN SOME FORMATS! (“When your cast or Copy... all storm cards including Thousand-Year Storm)

EDIT: WAIT WAIT WAIT! Since when does Danny Trejo know about magic cards!?! (that’s who previewing this)

From a creative stand point what a cool way to show a character is undercover.

I do dislike them going on how discard and life drain are suppose to be Dav and Sorins things and like lookingupanddown said where are the zombies? Maybe since she is hiding?

Wonder if we will see another planeswalker since its likely the Kenriths are MDFC.

EDIT- Magecraft is also nifty I like how it includes copies for multiple reasons.

Quote from ShiroeTheEnchanter »

Using this card, Planeswalkers with no plus loyalty abilities can actually get one or "speed up" Planeswalkers with only +1 loyalty abilities using a +2 ability instead.

Very much gets across the mentor flavor very well and +2 to scry 1 seems balanced enough since you'd also need to be playing other planeswalkers as well.

Quote from Ryperior74 »

Well the prophecy has been foretold that this is where kasmina was

but How the world is she simic from this

Leader of a shadowy cabal

Kasmina is the leader of an ancient, secret order of Planeswalkers, a shadowy cabal with mysterious aims. Her larger goals are unknown, but her recent obsession is recruitment. Her preferred method is to identify what she calls "embers", non-ignited Planeswalkers. She helps these mages to discover their potential, even if it means causing trauma to ignite their spark, and then indoctrinates them in the ways of her order. She is preparing for a looming conflict that dwarfs the War of the Spark.

Basicly she’s missing black in all levels, and for edh for the googolplex time in a row a forever staple for Atraxa, Praetors' Voice decks superfriend decks for this case

She's not motivated by a want for power or for a self serving reason. She kinda seems a lot like Kiroa only gathering planeswalkers instead of sea monsters.

Using this card, Planeswalkers with no plus loyalty abilities can actually get one or "speed up" Planeswalkers with only +1 loyalty abilities using a +2 ability instead.

Quote from Djau the Jackal »

To be honest the story in MTG only got bad the moment the game put more focus on Planeswalkers as critical to the story. Alpha until Gatewatch was the best time story-wise. The new stuff just seems so...Marvel.

Do you mean the story of Urza, who becomes a Planeswalker and influences the path of Dominaria for centuries? Or the story of the Thran and the man who destroyed them in an attempt to become a Planeswalker himself and while not becoming a Planeswalker, did still have find ways to interact with other planes? Or the story of Jodah and Jaya, a world-traveller and a Planeswalker, respectively? Or the story of the Weatherlight and it's crew, as they use the ship to walk to other planes and deal with the threats that are approaching their own? Or the story of Jhoira, Teferi, and Karn, as they deal with an interplanar threat and eventually become planeswalkers in two of three cases? Or the story of Kamahl, who's dealing with the ramifications of an extra-planar object of intense power?

Like...I understand the frustration with the modern story, even if I don't fully agree with it. I just think the idea of "The story didn't used to have Planeswalkers as critical to the story" is maybe a bit misguided. The only stories I can think of that don't involve Planeswalkers, soon to be Planeswalkers, people who still travel between planes without being Planeswalkers, or dealing with the ramifications of a Planeswalker are like... original Ravnica and maybe Kamigawa.

Quote from Grixh »

I generally figure that it's your deck, your rules. This is why I really wish they'd commit alternate names for MtG stuff - people can play with the other IP stuff, but those that would rather not have MtG themed versions to use. Some people don't like foils, but demanding that other players don't play foils against them would be pretty weird. Maybe your playgroup could have a no foils rule, but if some random person shows up at the game store, it'd be pretty weird to walk away from a casual game because they brought their shiny Mountains.

But apparently people don't dislike foils enough to not play against them. Your argument is basically "if you don't like something, you have to refuse playing with it and you have to treat all your dislikes equally", which quite evidently real people (as opposed to the made up straw man) don't share. Everyone can set their own boundaries. You are not allowed to tell people who to play with and what games to join. I may dislike foils (for the sake of argument) but still agree to play against an opponent with an all foil deck. But that does not make me a hypocrite when I refuse to play with an opponent who plays, say, un-cards. I can even reserve to make a distinction within the same category based on scope. I can refuse to play with an opponent with a blinged up all foil deck, even though I played against an opponent before who had one or two foils in their deck.

Once again, the crux is: Nobody is entitled to playing with me. And I am simply baffled that we are having this conversation. Is the idea that multiplayer games are consentual in nature such a novel concept?

As for the "if you don't like it don't put it in your deck" argument: I mean, people say that as if that would stop me from playing with those cards. But that's not true. All it means is that I won't have them in my deck. But I may still play with them through in-game interactions, like targeting cards, blocking or simply just being exposed to them during gameplay. It actually annoys me with the godzilla cards on magic arena, because you can't stop your opponent from having these in their decks. My Magic experience is actually lessened from having to fight godzilla or mothra. I understand that this isn't true for everyone, but it is true for me, and I don't see why I should be pressured into doing something I don't want to do rather than just me simply not engaging with it. I haven't touched Magic Arena in a while mostly for this reason and I guess I am literally gatekeeping half the magic community by not playing Magic Arena, based on the logic of some people here.
(Magic Arena is a funny case because they could have easily allowed for disabling special artworks on client side through an option. There's apparently even an option but it's only for your own cards, or the function is bugged, I don't know. I assume it's so that players who pay money for their bling can shove their bling in their opponent's faces, whether they want or not.)

Quote from wallycaine »

Basically this. Nobody's going to force you to put those cards in your deck. But if you are preventing other people from playing with you because they picked up a card with a particular creative treatment, then yeah, that's 100% gatekeeping. You can certainly chose to own that, but that's what you're doing.

You're using a really messed up definition of gatekeeping. Gatekeeping is preventing someone from doing or entering a certain activity or group. By not playing with a person for whatever reason I am not gatekeeping. In fact, if anything, I am keeping myself out of an activity. They are still free to play with whoever they want. They simply have to find a person to agree to play the game the way they want.

Is it gatekeeping when a person comes to the store and wants to play a draft of a certain set and people say "nah, we don't draft" or "nah, we'd rather play <another set>". No, it really isn't and I don't know what to tell people who think that that person is entitled to playing with anyone. I am not anyone's plaything and claiming I am gatekeeping and keeping players from playing, because I am not interested in playing a certain format is really disgusting. What is wrong with you.

Fun fact: I don't like how commander handles the hybrid rule. It's backwards and completely misses the point of hybrid (not meaning to start an argument here on that, just using that as an example). Would it be justified for me to claim other commander players are gatekeeping me because they refuse to play with my version of the hybrid rule? If I threw a tantrum at the store that I was gatekept out of commander for this people would (rightfully) call me insane.

Quote from Faruel »

Quote from 5colors »

Quote from Superplatt »

Based upon the art for the command cards it appears For the tribes we have:
Humans
Elves
Dwarves
Orcs
Loxodon
Aven
Trolls
Elementals/dryad
And possibly:
Vampires
Kor


I might be missing some but that seems like a pretty diverse plane.


I think maybe there was some interplanar travel prior to the mending perhaps.

Merfolk, Azra and maybe the Orcs are ogres (Obeka looks similar to one figure).

Just found the concept art from Bryan Sola for Silverquill Command, here.
The comments on the arts says (Human, Kor, Vampire, Orc) und the second version there seem to be an Owl, too. I am not sure where the Orc is, tho.

Might have been cut, Orcs and Owls (aven I'm guessing) are typically B and W respectfully so maybe they where planned for this college.