What's wrong with the card Jihad? But even if that's the case, WoTC is by no means obligated to reprint it.
In any case, they may, for example, use the english word for it (Jihad in english actually means "Struggle") and do a semi-functional reprint of it. Because, let's accept it... there is a general wrong perceived concept of the word (and the whole arabic/islam) by most of the people, given thanks a lot of the constantly media manipulation and misinformation.
None the less, a retcon of Rabiah might be really awesome. I do not mind if we do not get power cards like in the original set, but the simple fact to revisit an "historic" plane, might be really nice.
With the information we have actually, this sets looks very much promising. Maybe then we will have a dark-heavy side set, where black rules and each other color tries to survive with new rules... maybe.
Also, I hope that the extra size is actually bonus cards getting included on the set! ... much like in the Time Spiral block... but maybe with cards that are like-related with this block with certain flavour.
You sir, have made me my day. You have won 1 internets.
Returning to topic, sure Bolas is all but behind watching everything not only on this set, but the next and dunno what else others...
Sure, Wizards can change the storyline as much as they wish, but they will not do for a sole reason: Their market is different.
Unlike DC or Marvel that need to hit wide markets on different time-frames, Wizards have a more focused market, and sure it is preventing it to happen (at least for now, because Wizards is not old enough yet to do it often)
We can see Urza and Yawgmoth once again around magic? For sure. Put then Bolas in the formula and you'll get the multiverse upside-down because he messed with something he should not.
But, for the sake to be coherent, returning to a setting the past will be awesome, but it will take a long time for that because even Time Spiral is too "fresh" for some... it needs to rot a bit before to returning back (like we did with Mirrodin).
I opened yesterday 2 boxes ... and well, they are here! ... and, well... the cards I got were pretty odd ... because I got 3 Hero of Bladehold and in a box I also got 2 foil rares! And also in the same row just 4 Mythics!
Or Venser breaks into a parallel reality (after all, I think he DID encounter some when he was in Urborg during Planar Chaos) and breaks to Pure Mirrodin that was never corrupted by Phyrexians, never had Memnarch abduct other races... pure artifact world where Mirrans can start anew.
Very much like the history was told in the Urza's Saga block? ... where each color had an history associated to it?
So, maybe, just maybe, we can see then a two histories running parallel, one linked to the Phyrexians, while the other will be told by the Mirran cards.
What about if they do then something like they did in the Time Spiral block? Just imagine that they "mimic" the "fake" set, but instead of just "dropping it", they just include them on the boosters as extras or just something alike.
So, you can have the 145 regular cards, plus 30 extra cards for that propose.
Well, in the case of the pre-release where I do live, the mythic distribution was very much the same as the ones you find in regular boxes. This means that they were around of 4 to 5 per box.
So far, the faction packs appear to have the very same distribution, just save the pack design.
Yeah, here's only question I can't answer, if only one set is coming out, how are they going to give away promo cards from both sets?
Um...if only one of those sets is real, what's up with the two promo cards? Are both cards in whichever set is being released, and they're just using the different expansion symbols for the promos?
Or is one of the cards never going to see print beyond being a promo?
Until I read that line, I was pretty convinced that the people speculating on both sets coming out were grasping at straws, but this....well......this seems odd.
Maybe they are just using the names that way to prevent to "unveil" the actual set name before time.
If I keep on the same line of thoughts, then maybe all the promos are from the very same expansion, but instead just saying that Mirrians come from one, and Phyrexians from the other for the sake of secrecy.
Well, actually the distributors maybe know about the name of the next set... but were told to just remain silent (You know, it was not just until some fan-worker viewed some packages in a printing place that actually everything started to surface regarding Besieged?) like holding it as a trade secret.
Now, since a Marketing point of view, New Phyrexia makes a whole sense. The word Phyrexia have too much power inside the MTG world. The new players barely know about it, but those that have been around for a long time know about it (and where I do play, they got all exited when they know about phyrexia coming back on the Scars set).
On the other hand, "Mirrodin Pure" is not as "strong" (in a marketing way) as how is "New Phyrexia", so maybe it is just a gimmick, for now.
Only time will say, and eventually a pair of eyes may just give some light to this.
Like mentioned before, the oil just generates the phyrexians and it infects anywhere them have put a feet on.
Now, I'm sure that the history on the SOM block will just affect the way and speed on what the infection will spread all across the multiverse.
For example, on a case of Phyrexian win, the survivor Mirrians escape with Venzer's help. Somehow, they have a kind of dormant infection and happen to infect even further planes. But since the phyrexian have a home, they do happen to focus in its own new world while gather enough force to try to take down the multiverse.
On the other hand, if the Mirrians win, it can be then an illusionary win. It somehow then makes all the oil react and the phyrexians start to "evolve" and "perfect" themselves faster than ever, making them harder to kill and even more virulent.
That may be a part of it, also prompting then in a future block an evil-evil conflict instead of a good-evil one.
(Yes, I have not been following the plot strictly on the last blocks... so sorry if I said something that already have been said, or an complete incoherence XD)
In any case, they may, for example, use the english word for it (Jihad in english actually means "Struggle") and do a semi-functional reprint of it. Because, let's accept it... there is a general wrong perceived concept of the word (and the whole arabic/islam) by most of the people, given thanks a lot of the constantly media manipulation and misinformation.
None the less, a retcon of Rabiah might be really awesome. I do not mind if we do not get power cards like in the original set, but the simple fact to revisit an "historic" plane, might be really nice.
There are not coincidences X3
not specially when this one is pretty much straight-forward.
Just think about it... why to use "Lights", "Camera" and then "Action" if the premier actors of the block were not being triumpant?
Also, this one did make a lot of more sense from the Marketing View. Phyrexia is a solid seller rather than the Mirrians.
One that generates 1 and then makes you gain life?
Maybe it will not be a mana generator or fixer, but maybe do something else like prevent destruction at common level, for example.
XDDDDDDD
Akumajo Dracula block, please.
Hehehe, maybe not "Black-heavy", but yes dark-ideals heavy (You know, the dark sides of each color)
But in any case, if they decided to make another black-heavy (or color specific-heavy block) they surelly have learned from the Odyssey block.
Also, I hope that the extra size is actually bonus cards getting included on the set! ... much like in the Time Spiral block... but maybe with cards that are like-related with this block with certain flavour.
You sir, have made me my day. You have won 1 internets.
Returning to topic, sure Bolas is all but behind watching everything not only on this set, but the next and dunno what else others...
Sure, Wizards can change the storyline as much as they wish, but they will not do for a sole reason: Their market is different.
Unlike DC or Marvel that need to hit wide markets on different time-frames, Wizards have a more focused market, and sure it is preventing it to happen (at least for now, because Wizards is not old enough yet to do it often)
We can see Urza and Yawgmoth once again around magic? For sure. Put then Bolas in the formula and you'll get the multiverse upside-down because he messed with something he should not.
But, for the sake to be coherent, returning to a setting the past will be awesome, but it will take a long time for that because even Time Spiral is too "fresh" for some... it needs to rot a bit before to returning back (like we did with Mirrodin).
Here it is:
BOX 1
Left Row:
Knowledge Pool
Praetor's Counsel
Phyrexian Vatmother
Magnetic Mine
Hero of Oxid Ridge (Foil: Slagstorm)
Victory's Herald (Foil: Mortarpod)
Phyrexian Revoker
Spine of Ish Sah
Massacre Wurm
Glissa, the Traitor
Bonehoard
Mitotic Manipulation
Center Row:
Phyrexian Hydra
Phyrexian Cruzader (Foil: Cryptoplasm)
Cryptoplasm (Foil: Gnathosaur)
Mirran Crusader
Sangromancer
Phyrexian Hydra
Myr Welder
Mirrorworks (Foil: Loxodon Partisan)
Darksteel Plate
Slagstorm
Hellkite Igniter
Sangromancer (Foil: Flesh-Eater Imp)
Right Row:
Phyrexian Vatmother
Knowledge Pool
Psychosis Crawler
Distant Memories
Red Sun's Zenit (Foil: Swamp)
Creeping Corrosion
Shimmer Myr
Contested War Zone
Phyrexian Rebirth (Foil: Training Drone)
Phyrexian Crusader (Foil: Treasure Mage)
White Sun's Zenit
Trhun, the last Troll
BOX 2
Left Row:
Hero of Bladehold
Praetor's Counsel
Inkmoth Nexus
Victory's Herald
Tezzeret, Agent of Bolas
Black Sun's Zenit
Galvanoth
Mirrorworks
Decimator Web
Green Sun's Zenit
Inkmoth Nexus (Foil: Kuldotha Flamefiend)
Contested War Zone
Center Row:
Red Sun's Zenit
Titan Forge
Cryptoplasm
Black Sun's Zenit
Mitotic Manipulation
Thrun, the last Troll
Distant Memories (Foil: Phyrexian Revoker)
Hero of Bladehold (Foil: Fangren Marauder)
Phyrexian Rebirth
Red Sun's Zenit
Mirran Crusader
Hellkite Igniter
Right Row:
Phyrexian Vatmother
Phyrexian Hydra
Hero of Bladehold
Knowledge Pool
Phychosis Crawler
Red Sun's Zenit
Cryptoplasm
Shimmer Myr
Knowledge Pool
Magnetic Mine (Foil: Tangle Hulk)
Massacre Wurm
Thopter Assembly
Very much like the history was told in the Urza's Saga block? ... where each color had an history associated to it?
So, maybe, just maybe, we can see then a two histories running parallel, one linked to the Phyrexians, while the other will be told by the Mirran cards.
So, you can have the 145 regular cards, plus 30 extra cards for that propose.
So far, the faction packs appear to have the very same distribution, just save the pack design.
Maybe they are just using the names that way to prevent to "unveil" the actual set name before time.
If I keep on the same line of thoughts, then maybe all the promos are from the very same expansion, but instead just saying that Mirrians come from one, and Phyrexians from the other for the sake of secrecy.
Now, since a Marketing point of view, New Phyrexia makes a whole sense. The word Phyrexia have too much power inside the MTG world. The new players barely know about it, but those that have been around for a long time know about it (and where I do play, they got all exited when they know about phyrexia coming back on the Scars set).
On the other hand, "Mirrodin Pure" is not as "strong" (in a marketing way) as how is "New Phyrexia", so maybe it is just a gimmick, for now.
Only time will say, and eventually a pair of eyes may just give some light to this.
Like mentioned before, the oil just generates the phyrexians and it infects anywhere them have put a feet on.
Now, I'm sure that the history on the SOM block will just affect the way and speed on what the infection will spread all across the multiverse.
For example, on a case of Phyrexian win, the survivor Mirrians escape with Venzer's help. Somehow, they have a kind of dormant infection and happen to infect even further planes. But since the phyrexian have a home, they do happen to focus in its own new world while gather enough force to try to take down the multiverse.
On the other hand, if the Mirrians win, it can be then an illusionary win. It somehow then makes all the oil react and the phyrexians start to "evolve" and "perfect" themselves faster than ever, making them harder to kill and even more virulent.
That may be a part of it, also prompting then in a future block an evil-evil conflict instead of a good-evil one.
(Yes, I have not been following the plot strictly on the last blocks... so sorry if I said something that already have been said, or an complete incoherence XD)