Magic: The Gathering (Unreleased Sets)

Damn, that's a compelling point. Just getting beat down would work much better as a refutation of Belzenlok's narrative than getting killed when a super-special dragonslaying sword that was totally crafted by Belzenlok himself, yep yep. Especially if the finishing blow was dealt by one of the new generation. It shows he's not the ruler of every age, he's just another villain doomed to defeat at the hands of a fresh batch of heroes.

The World of Battlebond

It's interesting to learn more about Kylem lore-wise. I'm disappointed that the article didn't even mention the Kenriths, though.

The Living Guildpact rules that coffee is an acceptable substitution for rest as specified in subsection … whatever.

I assume they're gonna be added to the planeswalker section when the set's released, so we just need to wait until Friday to know anything about them beyond "they're siblings who like to compete in doubles magefight."

Magic Story: Chronicle of Bolas: The Twins

The Living Guildpact rules that coffee is an acceptable substitution for rest as specified in subsection … whatever.

O_o

At least we finally see the Ur-Dragon, and get some background info on the Elders. Also interesting the Dragons were not the first sentient/somewhat civilized race, presuming that is Dominaria.

Also, the implication the Ur-Dragon can travel between planes...

Any idea on the 1 or 2 that died on impact?

edited 13th Jun '18 4:44:36 PM by ViperMagnum357

So Nicol Bolas and Ugin were originally the weakest of the Ur-Dragon's children and twins to boot, and from the very beginning Ugin took it upon himself to act as big bro to Nicol Bolas despite starting out smaller.

We also see the roots of their worldviews. Ugin, already a somewhat detached sort, wasn't particularly emotionally affected by his sister's death and was instead brimming with curiosity at the world around him. Nicol Bolas on the other hand was deeply affected by the experience. That, along with his first moments in life spent trapped under a tree trunk, made him terrified of being weak prey and determined to be the strong hunter no matter what.

And damn...no wonder Ugin went to all that effort to stop Nicol Bolas. It's Personal doesn't begin to describe it. This is a Cain and Abel story. I guess Urza and Mishra weren't the only set of siblings who screwed up the multiverse. The dynamics are even somewhat similar, with one sibling being somewhat emotionally detached and the other one being a bit of a hothead.

I guess this also justifies why Ugin and Nicol Bolas look so similar to each other — they're twins.

edited 13th Jun '18 6:47:30 PM by M84

Disgusted, but not surprised

It'll be quite the accomplishment if they manage to make present-day Bolas more than a one-dimensional megalomaniac.

Bit late, though Emperor's Fist does mention that he respects his elder dragon siblings as equals, so there's something to potentially work out before he dies in Return to Return 2 Ravnica.

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Return 3 Ravnica?

Ravnica 3: Eclectic Boogaloo

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Core Set 2019 Previews have begun! There's some really interesting reprints and new cards in this one.

• Core Set 2019 Card Image Gallery
• Making Magic: Getting to the Core, featuring;
  • Crucible of Worlds
  • Palladia-Mors, the Ruiner
• Elvish Clancaller

Yes, we're getting a new original Elder Dragons cycle, and Nicol Bolas' new card is a flip-walker like the ones in Magic Origins.

The Living Guildpact rules that coffee is an acceptable substitution for rest as specified in subsection … whatever.

I'm hoping we get a flipwalker for Ugin as well, seeing as how their lifelong relationship seems to be a plot focus. In no small part because I want to see what kind of color identity they give baby Ugin.

Speaking of planeswalkers in recent sets, it's been a week and a half since Battlebond dropped and still no Kenriths in the planeswalker section of the Magic site. Give us the lore, you cowards.

edited 18th Jun '18 5:41:32 PM by rikalous

So we're finally going to get versions of the Elder Dragons that don't suck?

I still remember how utterly impractical the original ones were, due in no small part to the developers at the time not really knowing how to balance the game yet.

Disgusted, but not surprised

Eh, Bolas is at least theoretically useful in Commander-complete handwipes are rare enough that you can find him a place without a huge issue; some evasion; and being Black with T7 is just enough to put him out of comfortable removal range. Not particularly good, but at least usable.

I'm pretty sure Ugin will not appear as a card because he would ruin the elder dragon cycle. Or maybe they'll cop out and make him colourless all along.

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Maro has said that Bolas is the only DFC in M19.

So if Ugin does show up it won't be as a flipwalker.

Huh, the Kenriths have a spot in the planeswalker section now, we just can't access their actual page. Presumably an error, but hopefully one that means we get the dirt on them soon.

Eh, cycle's already asymmetric if only one of the cards transforms. Well, I suppose they do always talk about the set as being Nicol's backstory, not Nicol and Ugin's.

Clearly what they should have done is have a three-card cycle with Ugin and his two new cousins, where the latter two have a sacrifice mechanic. I have great ideas Wizards give me a job.

edited 19th Jun '18 1:48:52 PM by rikalous

Depends on how much you build around him. Bolas + Stranglehold + Maralen of the Mornsong is one of the nastiest combos you can pull off in EDH.

Here's some more Mothership previews!

• Creating Core Set 2019, featuring;
  • The Mare Cycle;
    • Shield Mare
    • Surge Mare
    • Plague Mare
    • Lightning Mare
    • Vine Mare
    • Diamond Mare
  • The Planeswalker Deck exclusive Planeswalker cards;
    • Ajani, Wise Counselor
    • Tezzeret, Cruel Machinist
    • Liliana, the Necromancer
    • Sarkhan, Dragonsoul
    • Vivien of the Arkbow
  • Chromium, the Mutable
• Omniscience

The first preview article left me with a few questions that are only tangentially related to Magic. I don't understand what this quote is referencing.

The first part I get, but I'm apparently too behind the times to know what the second part's talking about.

The short version of Vivien's backstory in the article makes me wonder if the Arkbow will ever show up as a Legendary Artifact, and if so, what would it do mechanically?

I also wonder if there are any pictures of Chromium's human form from those old comics floating around the Internet somewhere.

The final tidbit about the Japanese translation of Vaevictis Asmadi's old card causing problems with translating the new one's name was also interesting. I wonder what they meant by;

I know a handful of Japanese phrases and cultural aspects from having watched a lot of anime in my college days and being a Touhou fan today, but not enough of it to understand what that quote means. And the first thing "Vaevictis" brings to mind for me is Kain's Battle Cry.

The Living Guildpact rules that coffee is an acceptable substitution for rest as specified in subsection … whatever.

Huh, Mares...

...does this mean we might be able to build Horse Tribal?

Hopefully, Horses can prove as damnably powerful as the ones from that one Dark Souls 2 DLC.

Sign on for this After The End Fantasy RP.

I don't think we're going to see an all-powerful Horse tribal deck do much in Standard, but this does look like useful practice in case they do eventually do a Horse tribal subtheme.

You know, like a dress rehorsal.

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Honestly, that says a lot more about Maralen than Bolas.

, For the record, the article does allude to it being horse tribal's time in Standard. Right after noting that Diamond Mare looks like it walked off a Trapper Keeper, which gives some indication how seriously we should take it.

So Chromium's special ability is to essentially become hexproof whenever you want as long as you've got a card in your hand you can discard. And he can't be countered. And he's got Flash. All of that on top of being a 7/7 Dragon flier.

Bit of a step up from having that shitty obsolete Rampage: 2 and upkeep.

Disgusted, but not surprised

Hey, I like Rampage.