Ludevic is such a fail. He should not have partner at all, he's a loner mad scientist who should be cloistered in his lab making carzy zombies! I really feel like the partner mechanic in general has been overlooked flavorfully. I get that it was a mechanical solution to four color decks, but the flavor just doesn't feel right. Why not make a Tibor card and a Lumina card, and give them both partner? Or for that matter why not make the gay kings two different cards with partner?! Lol amiright? There are enough characters in magic with a history of working together that they shouldn't be shoe-horning important loner characters onto these cards arbitrarily.
Magic creative likes to put couples together on a single card (See Anax and Cymede, the aforementioned Tibor and Lumia and Pia and Kiran Nalaar). Splitting them up, which it might have worked flavorfully, wouldn't have been in keeping with this trend and they probably wouldn't have wanted to risk earning flack for not presenting the first gay couple in Magic consistently with the others.
Wow, 1/1 for 4? I mean, multi-player format, lots of opponents potentially casting spells, but holy cow is she fragile and expensive.
EDIT: oh AND she's mythic? Would she have been broken as a 2/2?
Rarity in these kinds of sets mena little to nothing. The potential is there for this card to be nuts, especially in the Atraxa deck where it will likely be found
I actually spaced out and was meaning that she was the Mythic of the two commanders in her colors, forgetting about the fact that it's only the enemy pairs that get two commanders in the deck.
It´s too bad that Kyanios and Tiro isn´t in black. Would have been fun to run Underworld Dreams with it. Is there any other non-black card that punish the opponent for drawing cards?
The only things I can really think of are Consecrated Sphinx and Mind's Eye, which don't really punish your opponent so much as they reward you.
Edit: Actually, the Sphinx could be bonkers if multiple opponents can't play out a land and thus HAVE to draw a card.
2. This raises a question I've had about Theros - why is one of the Kings Black? It makes sense if Theros represents not just Greek Mythology, but geographically encompasses what Ancient Greece also encompassed, which was the Mediterranean including North Africa. If that's the case, it makes sense that Theros has black people too and not just Greek-appearing populace (such as the king on the right, or Gideon, etc.) But if that's the case, I really hope Return to Theros includes more geography, more city-states beyond the three we've seen. Granted Theros has other little ones like Iretis and all but really, they should add more area to the region and settlements.
There are black people in Theros and generally in every plane. It think is something standard in Wizards. Maybe they were afraid that not including a non white male would cause some complaints (???) I don't know I know I love them.
First of all Theros isn't ancient or mythical Greece, it's a fantasy plane with some inspiration from ancient and mythical Greece. Second, the ancient Greeks knew about black skinned Africans and some named characters from ancient Greek literature, including kings, are identified as such. Wikipedia on Aethiopia. I agree that it would be cool to see a more geographically diverse return to Theros. Much of what is popularly known of ancient greece is after all from the interaction between the greeks and their neighbours; the odyssey, the persian wars, the conquests of Alexander, etc.
Back to the art. Notice how the king on the right is wearing a helmet, and holding a second helmet. That, to me, implies that he removed the helmet of the other king so he could caress his neck and hair. I think that's a very nice way to hint of tenderness in an image of two warrior kings in armor.
I really love that detail in the art. It's such a small but natural display of affection. I tend to be touchy in little ways with all the people I care about. Kiss the top of my mom's head (she's like 6-8in shorter than me), rub a hand across someone's back as I pass. Run my fingers through my nephew's hair when he's being adorable (or tickle his face when he's being pouty). Little things you may not even notice that you do can have and convey a lot of meaning. It's nice to see something like that included.
Mmm, so they got flavor text instead of a second ability. Shame. I mean, they still benefit you more than your opponents (You get a card AND a land, your opponents only get one or the other) but still.
The one word visible in Kynaios and Tiro's second ability looks like "who" or maybe "when" to me, which makes me think that their second ability might let you do something when, or for each (other)player who did <do something> (play a land card? would work with their first ability).
That would mean that while they may be huggy, they'd also make sure that you still benefited from it more than your opponents.
EDIT: Unless, of course they're the only one of the 4c commanders who has flavor text, in which came they might only have 1 ability.
There are black people in Theros and generally in every plane. It think is something standard in Wizards. Maybe they were afraid that not including a non white male would cause some complaints (???) I don't know I know I love them.
Indeed, I think trying to model it too closely on real life states brings the risk of digging themselves into the quagmire of expansionism, the Colonial era, etc., so they're unlikely to really get too much into "this is the "Africa" continent of the plane."
Why are there black people(Kings) on Theros? Cause there are(is), simple as that. No need for potentially messy real-life analogues.
I'm wondering why Saskia, the face of the aggro deck, has 3 power while Breya, the artifact legend, has 4 power.
Because Sasika effectively has 6 power if unblocked, and effectively doubles the power of any of your unblocked creatures as well. It's just split across two opponents.
Edit: Also, please fell me her name is pronounced "kai-dey-ley". Anax and Cymede is correctly pronounced as " sai-mee-dee" but pronouncing this woman's name as "kai-dee-lee" just feels silly.
Edit: Also, please fell me her name is pronounced "kai-dey-ley". Anax and Cymede is correctly pronounced as " sai-mee-dee" but pronouncing this woman's name as "kai-dee-lee" just feels silly.
I was thinking "Kai-Dell".
That's how I say it as well. And I pronounce Cymede as "Sigh-Meed"
Well. After actually looking into Greek pronunciations, it got weirder. If the "Y" in both of these names is meant to be the Greek "Y" or "upsilon" then they're pronounced "oo". The "e" seems to nearly always be pronounced as "eh".
So...
"Koo-meh-deh"
and
"Koo-deh-leh"
...Idk man. I'll probably keep the "eh" sound but assume Wizards just wanted to stand Y in for I to look cool and use the "ee" sound for both Y's instead.
I've always pronounced Cymede as Sim-eed. If I had to take a guess as Kydele, I'd probably pronounce it Kai-dell or Kai-deh-lay. Yes i know this leads me to pronouncing the same letter different ways, but it is what my stupid brain says it is.
And seriously....Wizards...if the mythic RW commander is not Feather this time....
It won't be. The two enemy colored partners are linked somehow.
Two enemy two-color legendary creatures with partner (characters from Magic's past that haven't yet been printed as cards that are creatively linked to one another), one printed at mythic rare and the other at rare
Feather and Bruse have absolutely nothing tying them together.
Edit: Wait, Bruse is the RW mythic... we're getting 5 allied partners (1 per pairing) and 10 enemy partners (2 per pairing, 1 mythic + 1 rare) right? So it's the Rare RW that we're missing. (On some level I fully expect the RW rare to by a named Ox.)
Hidden in the JungleBG
Sorcery
As an additional cost to cast ~, sacrifice a basic land.
Search your library for a nonbasic land and put it onto the battlefield. If that land would enter the battlefield tapped, you may have it enter the battlefield untapped instead. Shuffle your library.
I'm pleased that they explained Dovin's ability as a type of minor divination.
Divination? It seemed more like just hyper awareness to me. I do that same kind of thing at times, though it's possible I glossed over something that made it seem more magical than what I'm reading it as.
Anyways, really liked this one. Dovin is definitely a really nice character, though I'm worried about where he will end up when the dust settles. He has good intentions, but I'm not sure if that will help things work out or not. I kind of get the impression they're building Dovin to turn on Tezz though, just wonder if he'll wind up dead for that betrayal.
I'm thinking they're referring to this part of the story here:
Other issues were better suited to individual intervention. He made his way to the scene of an emotional flare-up, a hot-headed human inventor loudly making his displeasure known to a dwarf enforcer while a pair of Bastion automatons tried to lift an elaborate device whose purpose was not immediately apparent.
"Perhaps I may be of assistance," he said, interposing himself between the inventor and the enforcer. In such situations, Dovin had found, the characteristic vedalken calm could defuse the powerful emotions displayed so prominently by other races.
"You have no right!" the inventor yelled, bringing his reddened face entirely too close to Dovin's and jabbing a finger into his sternum.
"I can certainly understand your attachment to this marvelous device," Dovin said, running a hand over the invention's intricate metalwork. He understood its purpose now—it was designed to fabricate thopters. Clever. Of course, its many flaws also became immediately apparent, but this was not the time to enumerate them. "Truly amazing work. Your application of Dujari's principle here is ingenious." It was; he made a mental note to examine the device further once it was safely stored in a laboratory. After the dangerous aether leak, sure to attract gremlins, was closed. "Tremendous potential."
He doesn't seem to need to observe or inspect the device to work out its design or function. It just comes intuitively, almost as a sort of psychometry.
Magic creative likes to put couples together on a single card (See Anax and Cymede, the aforementioned Tibor and Lumia and Pia and Kiran Nalaar). Splitting them up, which it might have worked flavorfully, wouldn't have been in keeping with this trend and they probably wouldn't have wanted to risk earning flack for not presenting the first gay couple in Magic consistently with the others.
I actually spaced out and was meaning that she was the Mythic of the two commanders in her colors, forgetting about the fact that it's only the enemy pairs that get two commanders in the deck.
The only things I can really think of are Consecrated Sphinx and Mind's Eye, which don't really punish your opponent so much as they reward you.
Edit: Actually, the Sphinx could be bonkers if multiple opponents can't play out a land and thus HAVE to draw a card.
EDIT: oh AND she's mythic? Would she have been broken as a 2/2?
I really love that detail in the art. It's such a small but natural display of affection. I tend to be touchy in little ways with all the people I care about. Kiss the top of my mom's head (she's like 6-8in shorter than me), rub a hand across someone's back as I pass. Run my fingers through my nephew's hair when he's being adorable (or tickle his face when he's being pouty). Little things you may not even notice that you do can have and convey a lot of meaning. It's nice to see something like that included.
Mmm, so they got flavor text instead of a second ability. Shame. I mean, they still benefit you more than your opponents (You get a card AND a land, your opponents only get one or the other) but still.
8 toughness though... woof.
That would mean that while they may be huggy, they'd also make sure that you still benefited from it more than your opponents.
EDIT: Unless, of course they're the only one of the 4c commanders who has flavor text, in which came they might only have 1 ability.
Indeed, I think trying to model it too closely on real life states brings the risk of digging themselves into the quagmire of expansionism, the Colonial era, etc., so they're unlikely to really get too much into "this is the "Africa" continent of the plane."
Why are there black people(Kings) on Theros? Cause there are(is), simple as that. No need for potentially messy real-life analogues.
Because Sasika effectively has 6 power if unblocked, and effectively doubles the power of any of your unblocked creatures as well. It's just split across two opponents.
I've always pronounced Cymede as Sim-eed. If I had to take a guess as Kydele, I'd probably pronounce it Kai-dell or Kai-deh-lay. Yes i know this leads me to pronouncing the same letter different ways, but it is what my stupid brain says it is.
It won't be. The two enemy colored partners are linked somehow.
Feather and Bruse have absolutely nothing tying them together.
Edit: Wait, Bruse is the RW mythic... we're getting 5 allied partners (1 per pairing) and 10 enemy partners (2 per pairing, 1 mythic + 1 rare) right? So it's the Rare RW that we're missing. (On some level I fully expect the RW rare to by a named Ox.)
Sorcery
As an additional cost to cast ~, sacrifice a basic land.
Search your library for a nonbasic land and put it onto the battlefield. If that land would enter the battlefield tapped, you may have it enter the battlefield untapped instead. Shuffle your library.
Yes.
So very much yes.
We didn't get any closure as to the welfare or standing of the plane or its inhabitants at all.
You can't just leave us hanging like that Wizards! It's mean.
I'm thinking they're referring to this part of the story here:
He doesn't seem to need to observe or inspect the device to work out its design or function. It just comes intuitively, almost as a sort of psychometry.
Sorcery
(~ is white.)
Exile target artifact or enchantment. That permanent's controller gains 3 life.