Maybe this is sorta Wizards' fault because even with Plane Shift and the art books there is still not a lot of exposure to the extent of which they build a world, but I feel like the criticism that the worlds they've been making aren't deep or interesting is a bit unfair. Kaladesh gets it a lot, but even if you just read the Plane Shift you see the depth of the world. The less technologically advanced countryside, the different factions of elves, some of the specific areas with a history outside the areas of focus in the story, such as the urban legend of a greenhouse of poisonous plants in Ghirapur that appears to assassins. Or the people behind the aether technology advances of the world as it is now. We just cant see all of this because there is a story that isnt always about the entire plane, or its in the past, or whatever. Even Amonkhet which is also focused on a singular area, you have a sense that there is a wide world lost to time that we just don't see in the wastes.
What exactly is the sigificance of the number 8? 8 feels like a weird number in a magic context, especially considering the existing gods being 5 mono colored. I wonder if theres any reason or if its just arbitrary or tying into somethig besides colors. I also wonder how they were forgotten-- do they work like Theros gods and die off when they are no longer worshipped, or were they outright killed or maybe mummified or otherwise incapacitated, tying into their more physical nature than the Theros gods?
Like a lot of people, Im dying to know what all this means. Some really great puzzle pieces being weaved together here, like rhe significance of the young or the silent sphinxes that all build towards the reveal.
Yeah, the embalm token isn't creepy or anything...
Your right it isn't creepy it is adorable.
I think the creepy part is that the scene is exactly the same. Like they did not even wait, just alive one minute and embalmed the next.
Personally, I find it a little unsettling the white mummies dont have visible faces. Its probably preferable for "good" undead that you cant see their face, but faceless things that normally have them are still pretty creepy. Thats actually kind of interesting still since they ARE apparently benevolent, but both the practice and their design in the game makes them feel unique among both typical white creatures and zombies, since while theyre not typical zombiee, they are still weird looking for white creatures.
I know "this goes right into my commander deck" is a cliche at this point, but its almost embarassing how much I like 1-drop lifelinkers and similar because of Karlov and this is a sweet one that made me smile.
I think the crocofile is the main thing making me not sure they're mono colored. I think in context its because the crocodile head is actually a dragon head, just Amonkhet dragons apparently look like crocodiles, kind of letting them cheat on colors while still having an iconic looking animal head. Though I still rgink shards are a good possibility, since even if these appear mono color, shards tend to center on one anyway.
Im so excited for these guys! I cant wait to learn more. I'm really interested in seeing if gods continue to be enchantment creatures. Just want to see how distinct they make these guys mechanically so we can get a grasp on how similar gods have to be card wise between worlds. Really love the gold funerary mask animal head designs.
Plithynos
Creature — Elemental (R) : Monstrosity 1. (If this creature isn't monstrous, put a +1/+1 counter on it and it becomes monstrous.)
When Plithynos becomes monstrous, create a token that's a copy of Plithynos.
2/2
I think one of the main appeals is that this feels more like a constructed level version of Splitting Slime and I'm all for that. Its other main attraction is its low Monstrosity cost which is unique space for monstrous creatures. I think I'd have focused more on that and made sort of a value creature as I'm not quite sure of the ramifications of a cheap, duplicating creature.
Defier of Erebos3B
Creature — Human Cleric (R)
Deathtouch Heroic — Whenever you cast a spell that targets ~, return target creature from a graveyard to the battlefield under your control.
1/3
Nice, clean, good flavor. I'm not quite sure what the stats mean (is there significance? Is it just to make him a defensive creature and that semeed right for 3B?) But that's grasping at something to critique.
Pharika’s Acolite2B
Creature - Gorgon (U)
Deathtouch Heroic — Whenever you cast a spell that targets Pharika’s Acolite, until end of turn Pharika’s Acolite must be blocked if able. “The nature of a lure goes beyond the simple look on its aesthetics, shape and dimension”
2/3
Art by
Also a simple, concise design. Not as flavorful as the last but it's pure mechanical function. Also not much to say.
Artroklos, The Wizened Blade1WU
Legendary Creature - Human Soldier (R) Inspired — Whenever Artroklos becomes untapped, you may return an instant card with a converted mana cost 2 or less that could target Artroklos from your graveyard to your hand. Heroic — Whenever you cast a spell that targets Artroklos, put a +1/+1 counter on Artroklos.
2/2
I really like this one because it's a nice engine and would make a very interesting commander. And also I get where the name is derived since I loved that guy. Nicely combined the +1/+1 counters of white's Heroic cards with a card advantage spell effect from blue. I dont find it super flavorful but it's a nice combined mechanical package.
Oakheart Songstress1G
Creature — Human Druid (R) Heroic — Whenever you cast a spell that targets Oakheart Songstress, add one mana of any color to your mana pool. The lush forests call out to those who know its song. 1/2
Tiny nitpick is that green didn't get spell effects and was relegated to +1/+1 counters as its Heroic trigger, but of course that was only for Theros block and this could be expanded in hypothetical future blocks. Like Artroklos, I'm not sure if there's something that can abuse this (my first thought are the free Phyrexian spells) to the point of it being unfun but I don't pretend to know that's an issue.
Dessius, Oracle of Keranos1UR
Legendary Creature - Human Wizard {M} Heroic - Whenever you cast a spell that targets Dessius, Oracle of Keranos, if it's an instant or sorcery spell, copy that spell and you may choose new targets for the copy. Otherwise, put a token that's a copy of the permanent it becomes onto the battlefield.
2/4
As said by another poster, I get what this ability wants to do but it reads very weird and mechanical. But it is for the benefit of an interesting spin on UR's ability to copy things. Overall I'm not blown away since UR copying stuff is not super new space and I personally am not so excited by it, though I know a lot of people love it, but the design is fine and even supports a new angle copying permanent spells.
3) Oakheart Songstress (proudawesome)
2) Artroklos, the Wizened Blade (IcariiFA)
1) Defier of Erebos (willows)
Thing I'm craziest for other than the neatness of Dark Intimations is OH MY GOD ARTIFACT CONVOKE. Convoke is one of my favorite mechanics and it's super flavorful. Improvise just about matches the flavor level while also using another awesome permanent type. I love it so much. Improvise is so awesome.
Lyna, Soltari Emissary1W
Legendary Creature - Soltari Soldier
Shadow
Whenever Lyna, Soltari Emissary or another creature with shadow enters the battlefield or attacks, you may pay 1. If you do, that creature loses shadow until end of turn, then you may draw a card. UB: Target creature gains shadow until end of turn.
1/2
Next: A partner commander meant to play a supporting role to the other partner.
Too slow! Ignore this.
In progress Divergent Chimera2U
Creature - Chimera (R)
Flying 3RR and/or 3GG: Monstrosity 3. (If this creature isn't monstrous, put three +1/+1 counters on it and it becomes monstrous.)
When Divergent Chimera becomes monstrous, if you paid 3RR, it deals 3 damage to each other creature. As long as Divergent Chimera is monstrous, if you paid 3GG, it has indestructible.
2/1
Ormendahl Relentless13BBB
Legendary Creature - Demon (M)
Convoke (Your creatures can help cast this spell. Each creature you tap while casting this spell pays for 1 or one mana of that creature's color.)
Flying, Lifelink, Indestructible, Haste
When Ormendahl Relentless enters the battlefield, each opponent discards a number of cards and sacrifices a number of creatures equal to the number of creatures you control. xBB, reveal Ormendahl Relentless from your hand: Create X 1/1 white and black Human Cleric creature tokens. Activate this ability only during an opponent's end step and only once each turn.
9/7
Filigree Songbird
Artifact Creature- Bird (R)
Flying : Add to your mana pool
0/1 “The elegant design and soothing melodies call to mind visions of paradise.”
I really like this card. I think the creativity is there in flavor even if the design itself isn't new, and even though the pendulum has currently swung away from 1-drop mana dorks in standard, I think this card would be printable, but I may be underestimating the power of a splashable 1-drop dork or overestimating the original Birds offering all colors. If I had one issue it would be that as cool a nod as it is, it is a derivative design. It doesn't really present any interesting decisions or go into new space.
I may be late for the round, but crits have yet to start, so...
Aether-Ant Swarm5
Artifact Creature - Insect (U)
Haste
When Aether-Ant Swarm enters the battlefield, you get EEEEE(five energy counters). The Greenwheel Lifecrafters have made some of their products an integral part of the aether reclamation business.
3/3
Seems like a limited workhorse for KLD but otherwise very unexciting to me. I'm sure there's reasoning but I also don't quite get the flavor. A mechanical roleplayer since this fits into the etb decks, energy decks, and of course artifacts-matter decks, all sets need them, but I think this needed an extra ability which I think would have been fine on an uncommon. The appeal of Sage of Shaila's Claim for example is that she has low cmc, making it a nice early dude to be proactive but also a cheap energy charge late game. This has some late game as a hastey dude which I can respect but I don't think the card is quite a full package at 5 cmc with just a keyword and an etb energy trigger, especially since the flavor is not registering at a glance for me.
Crop’s Dryad2G
Artifact Creature - Dryad Construct (u)
When a player other than Crop’s Dryad’s owner controls it pay E each upkeep or sacrifice it.
Pay EE: Search your library for a basic land, reveal it, put in your hand, then shuffle your library.
2/2
Art by
This is a pretty curious card. I'm not super experienced at Magic so I'm not quite grasping the purpose or flavor of the first ability. Solid limited dude, but I think it wanted to be colorless. I think this would have had cool play as a colorless artifact that could fix. Only other thing for me is they made a point to have every card that used energy in the set generate it somehow which I think was brilliant execution and this misses that. It works fine in Kaladesh limited but it doesn't have play outside of that, and I think missing that design quirk in general energy users had is a unfortunately a big strike against it for me.
Aetheric Enigma6
Artifact Creature - Sphinx {R}
As long as you have at least 1 E(energy counter), Aetheric Enigma has flying.
As long as you have at least 2 E, Aetheric Enigma has vigilance.
As long as you have at least 4 E, Aetheric Enigma has deathtouch.
As long as you have at least 8 E, Aetheric Enigma has "Whenever this creature deals damage, you may draw a card."
5/5
As said by another poster, and on a similar note as the last crit ended on, they did design energy cards so that players wouldn't want to horde it. Of course cards would encourage players to use their energy instead of just gathering it and not spending it. However, despite that being, again, a big strike against this one for me as it was for the last one, I can really appreciate the unique design and creative use of the energy mechanic as a barometer.
Mobile Power-Station
Artifact Creature — Construct (R)
Mobile Power-Station enters the battlefield with four +1/+1 counters on it.
Remove a +1/+1 counter from Mobile Power-Station: You get (an energy counter).
Pay : Put a +1/+1 counter on Mobile Power-Station.
0/0
I feel like there's almost certainly someway to make this card loop, whether its in Kaladesh or Aether Revolt. You might even know it if there is one that already exists. But I have no problem with that. This design is simple, elegant, the flavor is cool as a mobile sort of energy converter, and in the spirit of Kaladesh as the "Johnny" set. This card MAKES you want to figure out if there's some way to break it even if there isn't. And at 5 mana I think that potential is fair. Being able to do both abilities with no restrictions seems maybe a little questionable, but I think some flavor is lost if it can't immediately convert all of its +1/+1 counters into energy counters, and the elegance and simplicity is lost if it can't do the reverse, even if both assumptions f A) sometihng does break it in standard and B) that it's solved by limited activations of its abilities. Without further research and of course without knowing what's in Aether Revolt, though, I think this card is pretty great and I would like to see it remain as is. Cool flavor, concise and elegant ability, and having a "feeling" wholly appropriate for the set its in as a card that feels like it's waiting to start a combo.
Mechanized Muncher4
Artifact Creature - Gremlin (U)
Whenever Mechanized Muncher deals combat damage to a player, that player sacrifices an artifact. If you can't beat em, join em
3/2
Simple, clean, flavorful, appropriately costed in limited. Not much to say about this one. A nice intersection of form and function as with the last, even if it doesn't feel as much a showstopper as the last. If I had to pick one thing about it I think it could have been 3 but that's both grasping and maybe a bit over the top for an artifact creature with all upside with that upside being destroying a permanent type that very much matters in context of limited for the set. Also I love alliteration.
3: Mechanized Muncher, by drewdagreek
2: Filigree Songbird, by Rosy Dumplings
1: Mobile Power-Station, by Flatline
Penultimate Partyer3B
Creature - Aetherborn
When Penultimate Partyer enters the battlefield, you get EE (two energy counters).
Haste
E: Each creature you control gets +1/+0 until end of turn. Sacrifice Penultimate Partyer at the beginning of the next end step. Activate this ability only any time you could cast a sorcery. "Let's make this one count, boys!"
0/1
Like a lot of people, Im dying to know what all this means. Some really great puzzle pieces being weaved together here, like rhe significance of the young or the silent sphinxes that all build towards the reveal.
Personally, I find it a little unsettling the white mummies dont have visible faces. Its probably preferable for "good" undead that you cant see their face, but faceless things that normally have them are still pretty creepy. Thats actually kind of interesting still since they ARE apparently benevolent, but both the practice and their design in the game makes them feel unique among both typical white creatures and zombies, since while theyre not typical zombiee, they are still weird looking for white creatures.
Im so excited for these guys! I cant wait to learn more. I'm really interested in seeing if gods continue to be enchantment creatures. Just want to see how distinct they make these guys mechanically so we can get a grasp on how similar gods have to be card wise between worlds. Really love the gold funerary mask animal head designs.
I think one of the main appeals is that this feels more like a constructed level version of Splitting Slime and I'm all for that. Its other main attraction is its low Monstrosity cost which is unique space for monstrous creatures. I think I'd have focused more on that and made sort of a value creature as I'm not quite sure of the ramifications of a cheap, duplicating creature.
Nice, clean, good flavor. I'm not quite sure what the stats mean (is there significance? Is it just to make him a defensive creature and that semeed right for 3B?) But that's grasping at something to critique.
Also a simple, concise design. Not as flavorful as the last but it's pure mechanical function. Also not much to say.
I really like this one because it's a nice engine and would make a very interesting commander. And also I get where the name is derived since I loved that guy. Nicely combined the +1/+1 counters of white's Heroic cards with a card advantage spell effect from blue. I dont find it super flavorful but it's a nice combined mechanical package.
As said by another poster, I get what this ability wants to do but it reads very weird and mechanical. But it is for the benefit of an interesting spin on UR's ability to copy things. Overall I'm not blown away since UR copying stuff is not super new space and I personally am not so excited by it, though I know a lot of people love it, but the design is fine and even supports a new angle copying permanent spells.
3) Oakheart Songstress (proudawesome)
2) Artroklos, the Wizened Blade (IcariiFA)
1) Defier of Erebos (willows)
Lyna, Soltari Emissary 1W
Legendary Creature - Soltari Soldier
Shadow
Whenever Lyna, Soltari Emissary or another creature with shadow enters the battlefield or attacks, you may pay 1. If you do, that creature loses shadow until end of turn, then you may draw a card.
UB: Target creature gains shadow until end of turn.
1/2
Next: A partner commander meant to play a supporting role to the other partner.
Too slow! Ignore this.
Instant (U)
Remove target attacking creature an opponent controls from combat and untap it.
Draw a card.
"Whoa, deja vu!"
Divergent Chimera 2U
Creature - Chimera (R)
Flying
3RR and/or 3GG: Monstrosity 3. (If this creature isn't monstrous, put three +1/+1 counters on it and it becomes monstrous.)
When Divergent Chimera becomes monstrous, if you paid 3RR, it deals 3 damage to each other creature. As long as Divergent Chimera is monstrous, if you paid 3GG, it has indestructible.
2/1
Legendary Creature - Demon (M)
Convoke (Your creatures can help cast this spell. Each creature you tap while casting this spell pays for 1 or one mana of that creature's color.)
Flying, Lifelink, Indestructible, Haste
When Ormendahl Relentless enters the battlefield, each opponent discards a number of cards and sacrifices a number of creatures equal to the number of creatures you control.
xBB, reveal Ormendahl Relentless from your hand: Create X 1/1 white and black Human Cleric creature tokens. Activate this ability only during an opponent's end step and only once each turn.
9/7
I really like this card. I think the creativity is there in flavor even if the design itself isn't new, and even though the pendulum has currently swung away from 1-drop mana dorks in standard, I think this card would be printable, but I may be underestimating the power of a splashable 1-drop dork or overestimating the original Birds offering all colors. If I had one issue it would be that as cool a nod as it is, it is a derivative design. It doesn't really present any interesting decisions or go into new space.
Seems like a limited workhorse for KLD but otherwise very unexciting to me. I'm sure there's reasoning but I also don't quite get the flavor. A mechanical roleplayer since this fits into the etb decks, energy decks, and of course artifacts-matter decks, all sets need them, but I think this needed an extra ability which I think would have been fine on an uncommon. The appeal of Sage of Shaila's Claim for example is that she has low cmc, making it a nice early dude to be proactive but also a cheap energy charge late game. This has some late game as a hastey dude which I can respect but I don't think the card is quite a full package at 5 cmc with just a keyword and an etb energy trigger, especially since the flavor is not registering at a glance for me.
This is a pretty curious card. I'm not super experienced at Magic so I'm not quite grasping the purpose or flavor of the first ability. Solid limited dude, but I think it wanted to be colorless. I think this would have had cool play as a colorless artifact that could fix. Only other thing for me is they made a point to have every card that used energy in the set generate it somehow which I think was brilliant execution and this misses that. It works fine in Kaladesh limited but it doesn't have play outside of that, and I think missing that design quirk in general energy users had is a unfortunately a big strike against it for me.
As said by another poster, and on a similar note as the last crit ended on, they did design energy cards so that players wouldn't want to horde it. Of course cards would encourage players to use their energy instead of just gathering it and not spending it. However, despite that being, again, a big strike against this one for me as it was for the last one, I can really appreciate the unique design and creative use of the energy mechanic as a barometer.
I feel like there's almost certainly someway to make this card loop, whether its in Kaladesh or Aether Revolt. You might even know it if there is one that already exists. But I have no problem with that. This design is simple, elegant, the flavor is cool as a mobile sort of energy converter, and in the spirit of Kaladesh as the "Johnny" set. This card MAKES you want to figure out if there's some way to break it even if there isn't. And at 5 mana I think that potential is fair. Being able to do both abilities with no restrictions seems maybe a little questionable, but I think some flavor is lost if it can't immediately convert all of its +1/+1 counters into energy counters, and the elegance and simplicity is lost if it can't do the reverse, even if both assumptions f A) sometihng does break it in standard and B) that it's solved by limited activations of its abilities. Without further research and of course without knowing what's in Aether Revolt, though, I think this card is pretty great and I would like to see it remain as is. Cool flavor, concise and elegant ability, and having a "feeling" wholly appropriate for the set its in as a card that feels like it's waiting to start a combo.
Simple, clean, flavorful, appropriately costed in limited. Not much to say about this one. A nice intersection of form and function as with the last, even if it doesn't feel as much a showstopper as the last. If I had to pick one thing about it I think it could have been 3 but that's both grasping and maybe a bit over the top for an artifact creature with all upside with that upside being destroying a permanent type that very much matters in context of limited for the set. Also I love alliteration.
2: Filigree Songbird, by Rosy Dumplings
1: Mobile Power-Station, by Flatline
Creature - Aetherborn
When Resolved Moribund dies, you get EEEEE (five energy counters).
”I'm ready."
3/2
Creature - Aetherborn
When Penultimate Partyer enters the battlefield, you get EE (two energy counters).
Haste
E: Each creature you control gets +1/+0 until end of turn. Sacrifice Penultimate Partyer at the beginning of the next end step. Activate this ability only any time you could cast a sorcery.
"Let's make this one count, boys!"
0/1