By enablers, I think Scott means all of those cards that give zombie tokens menace/hexproof/flying/ trample/deathtouch...
Thanks. That's exactly what I meant. I almost made the mistake people thought I had made and said that you could Amass onto them, but I was mainly discussing the Splicer-like enablers.
You know, I think the casting cost of The Elderspell is supposed to hearken back to early Magic (it is specifically a spell from the distant past of Dominaria; i.e., early Magic) where the spells were quite overpowered compared to almost all creatures.
And yes, Shalai is a good counter to The Elderspell.
Aftter this I can say Bolas definitely sucks at alliances.
Bolas doesn't do alliances. That implies he has an equal. He does deals. Something he can do for you (which either works for his plans or doesn't matter) in exchange for something you can do for him (which works with his plans).
I really hope, though, that there is a card--hopefully Chandra's--where she's blown all but 2 of Dovin's fingers off, and then asks, 'How many allies do you have now?'
Gideon likely dies. Which I feel is a shame, as I don't think his story is done.
Nissa also likely dies. She doesn't have much a 'hook' left. Or, put another way, if Gideon is going to die even though everything dealing with Theros is still unresolved, Nissa also likely dies, even though 'rebuilding devastated planes' is a fine story continuation for her.
Jace doesn't die. Chandra doesn't die. Liliana doesn't die. They're the three most popular PWs.
Of supporting cast, Sorin and Nahiri are pretty clearly going to live, as there is no reason to narratively show their feud continuing unless they will continue it into the future.
Karn is going to live, as his concern is the likely next large arc.
Ugin, though, could very easily die. He is hyper-focused these days on dealing with Bolas. I like his 'planar ecology' approach to noninterference, but that has taken a back seat recently.
I hope Tamiyo doesn't die.
I think that if Nissa dies, Kiora may very well 'replace' her. Another Zendikari PW who is UG (though more evenly than Nissa) who likes ramping.
Ob Nixilis likely survives given that he is the 'other' 'tyrant PW' who can take over from Nicol Bolas.
Jaya likely dies. Teferi may or may not die. I think signs point to 'no', but it could go either way.
Teyo, Davriel, and the Wanderer are all too new to die, IMO.
Jiang Wanggu likely lives.
Ral Zarek probably dies. I hope Vraska doesn't, but she might.
The odds that any given GR PW dies is pretty high given the relative glut of them they have. Domri Rade almost certainly will die, given that he seems the most pro-Bolas PW out there.
While I agree that Pacifism really hurts Amass, it's likely to get a variant that can go on noncreatures, like Manite's suggestion of Suppression Bonds, but have a mana cost to attack or use Activated Abilities. (Like Brainwash.)
If you want events listed chronologically in-universe, you should include Liliana's contract taking place, which should be right after Nicol Bolas sets up Amonkhet as a zombie factory, which happens (apparently) immediately after the Mending. Including the first three demons on the contract hitlist may be helpful.
The five Amonkhet gods were never 'evil'. They were duped into facilitating the creation of the Dreadhorde. When Bolas showed his true colors, they all fought him. Hazoret was the only one who survived.
i wonder if we will also get the Scarab, Scorpion and Locust gods
Unlikely, as they aren't pictured here. Also, if the Scarab God were around, Bolas wouldn't need Liliana to control the Dreadhorde. Likely reason why is that the three gods were corrupted, not killed. Therefore, they can't go over the Planar Bridge. The 4 gods pictured were all killed, and thus apparently eligible for lazotep shipment.
I enjoyed the linkin park cover for the video and thought it fit quite nicely with liliana's story arc, well done wotc!!
How does it fit with her Story Arc?
The lyrics.
Liliana tried so hard and got so far but in the end, it didn't even matter. She had to fall, to lose it all but in the end, it didn't even matter.
Yeah, basically this, regarding her story. I mean, yes, Liliana's situation is wholly her own fault, or at least a very Vorkosigan story path, but that doesn't mean the lyrics don't apply.
She tried so hard (to live her life her way), she got so far(contract with demons to get her youth, screw them out of the deal using the Chain Veil, deal with the Chain Veil...), but in the end, it didn't even matter (Bolas controls her). She had to fall--that is, realize that she's been a patsy the whole time--to lose it all (and to her, that's losing her freedom), but in the end, it didn't even matter.
Except, of course, by putting her in position of the army that Bolas absolutely needs to carry out his plan.
The Hero / Villain weaknesses are perfectly summed up in Return of the Jedi:
Hero to Villain: Your overconfidence is your weakness.
Villain to Hero: Your faith in your friends is yours.
Using Liliana to control the Dreadhorde, while necessary, also tweaks the noses of the Gatewatch that their faith in Liliana was misplaced. But Bolas is confident that she won't turn on him, because he perfectly understands her fear of death. He is overconfident that that will control her... and is proven wrong.
If Liliana dies, she dies her own person. And in the end, that's all that really matters (to her).
Thanks. That's exactly what I meant. I almost made the mistake people thought I had made and said that you could Amass onto them, but I was mainly discussing the Splicer-like enablers.
Note that she makes tokens for the Amass enablers to work with, no?
And yes, Shalai is a good counter to The Elderspell.
And I think that the person dying in the art of Elderspell is Ral Zarek?
Bolas doesn't do alliances. That implies he has an equal. He does deals. Something he can do for you (which either works for his plans or doesn't matter) in exchange for something you can do for him (which works with his plans).
I really hope, though, that there is a card--hopefully Chandra's--where she's blown all but 2 of Dovin's fingers off, and then asks, 'How many allies do you have now?'
Nissa also likely dies. She doesn't have much a 'hook' left. Or, put another way, if Gideon is going to die even though everything dealing with Theros is still unresolved, Nissa also likely dies, even though 'rebuilding devastated planes' is a fine story continuation for her.
Jace doesn't die. Chandra doesn't die. Liliana doesn't die. They're the three most popular PWs.
Of supporting cast, Sorin and Nahiri are pretty clearly going to live, as there is no reason to narratively show their feud continuing unless they will continue it into the future.
Karn is going to live, as his concern is the likely next large arc.
Ugin, though, could very easily die. He is hyper-focused these days on dealing with Bolas. I like his 'planar ecology' approach to noninterference, but that has taken a back seat recently.
I hope Tamiyo doesn't die.
I think that if Nissa dies, Kiora may very well 'replace' her. Another Zendikari PW who is UG (though more evenly than Nissa) who likes ramping.
Ob Nixilis likely survives given that he is the 'other' 'tyrant PW' who can take over from Nicol Bolas.
Jaya likely dies. Teferi may or may not die. I think signs point to 'no', but it could go either way.
Teyo, Davriel, and the Wanderer are all too new to die, IMO.
Jiang Wanggu likely lives.
Ral Zarek probably dies. I hope Vraska doesn't, but she might.
The odds that any given GR PW dies is pretty high given the relative glut of them they have. Domri Rade almost certainly will die, given that he seems the most pro-Bolas PW out there.
By the same token, Dovin could die.
Tezzeret likely lives.
Hmm. Which others are there..?
The five Amonkhet gods were never 'evil'. They were duped into facilitating the creation of the Dreadhorde. When Bolas showed his true colors, they all fought him. Hazoret was the only one who survived.
Unlikely, as they aren't pictured here. Also, if the Scarab God were around, Bolas wouldn't need Liliana to control the Dreadhorde. Likely reason why is that the three gods were corrupted, not killed. Therefore, they can't go over the Planar Bridge. The 4 gods pictured were all killed, and thus apparently eligible for lazotep shipment.
Yeah, basically this, regarding her story. I mean, yes, Liliana's situation is wholly her own fault, or at least a very Vorkosigan story path, but that doesn't mean the lyrics don't apply.
She tried so hard (to live her life her way), she got so far(contract with demons to get her youth, screw them out of the deal using the Chain Veil, deal with the Chain Veil...), but in the end, it didn't even matter (Bolas controls her). She had to fall--that is, realize that she's been a patsy the whole time--to lose it all (and to her, that's losing her freedom), but in the end, it didn't even matter.
Except, of course, by putting her in position of the army that Bolas absolutely needs to carry out his plan.
The Hero / Villain weaknesses are perfectly summed up in Return of the Jedi:
Hero to Villain: Your overconfidence is your weakness.
Villain to Hero: Your faith in your friends is yours.
Using Liliana to control the Dreadhorde, while necessary, also tweaks the noses of the Gatewatch that their faith in Liliana was misplaced. But Bolas is confident that she won't turn on him, because he perfectly understands her fear of death. He is overconfident that that will control her... and is proven wrong.
If Liliana dies, she dies her own person. And in the end, that's all that really matters (to her).
Jace's Triumph could easily be turning Vraska.
Not sure about Chandra or Nissa. Well, Nissa could turn the Gods, perhaps.