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1.31.2009

Conflux Visual Spoiler

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Well, it is the much anticipated day of the Conflux pre-release and I am not sure whether I will be able to get out to go today (Saturday) or tomorrow (Sunday). After a long night of online poker, I needed to get my dose of new card goodness, so I loaded up images of the Conflux visual spoiler - more for my reference than anything else and to be able to return to these when I hope to get my set review (by colour) done sometime in the next week or two.

Click to enlarge

WHITE

BLUE

BLACK

RED

GREEN

GOLD (multi-colour) 1

GOLD (multi-colour) 2

LANDS / ARTIFACTS

For those of you heading out to the event, have a blast and kick some butt - best of luck to you for opening up a Nicol Bolas.

1.30.2009

Conflux on Gatherer

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Just after noon today, Conflux was loaded up and is now live on Gatherer Beta. If you spend any time playing Magic, you will know just how indespensible it is to be able to hop onto Gatherer (the card database) and quickly find the right card you need for your next winning deck.


Although I find the text spoilers on the forums great, nothing quite compares to not only seeing the card art and flavour text but also being able to efficiently sort cards for review.

I also have to say that the new Gatherer is a HUGE improvement over the old data base in terms of the high number of variables the user can insert into a query. I also appreciate viewing the page in standard, visual, compact checklist and text summary.

For those of you who do not know yet, Gatherer is the Magic Card Database. Search for the perfect addition to your deck. Browse through cards from Magic's entire history. See cards from the most recent sets and discover what players just like you are saying about them.

If you are looking for the full Conflux visual spoiler - here is the handy LINK. Just browsing through this, I have to admit that this may very well be one of the best sets artistically yet with the small exception of the aptly named 'moo moo clow plow' (a.k.a. Thornling).


Conflux Intro Deck - Grixis

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The Conflux Intro Packs, originally spoiled here on MTG Realm truly waaaay back on 18th December finally have deck lists associated with them. Here is the skinny on all five and today we will look at Grixis.

Grixis Shambling Army
Foil card: Blood Tyrant

You’ve chosen a deck based around the plane of Grixis, a world of death naturally suited to destroying its enemies. Your unstoppable undead minions lurch back from the grave, slashing away at your foe’s life total. Your spells slay your opponent’s defenders on the spot. And if that doesn’t do it, then a duo of enormous flying horrors will finish off any enemy planeswalker.

15 creatures

1 Blood Tyrant 4UBR
Creature – Vampire (r)
Flying
At the beginning of your upkeep, each player loses 1 life. Whenever one or more players loses life this way, put that many +1/+1 counters on Blood Tyrant.
Whenever a player loses the game, put five +1/+1 counters on Blood Tyrant.
5/5

1 x Brackwater Elemental 2U
Creature – Elemental (c)
When Brackwater Elemental attacks or blocks, sacrifice it at end of turn.
Unearth 2U (2U: Return this card from your graveyard to play. It gains haste. Remove it from the game at end of turn or if it would leave play. Unearth only as a sorcery.)
4/4

1 x Dregscape Zombie 1B
Creature - Zombie (c)
Unearth B (B: Return this card from your graveyard to play. It gains haste. Remove it from the game at end of turn or if it would leave play. Unearth only as a sorcery.)

1 x Extractor Demon 4BB
Creature – Demon (r)
Flying
Whenever another creature leaves play, you may have target player put the top two cards of his or her library into his or her graveyard.
Unearth 2B (2B: Return this card from your graveyard to play. It gains haste. Remove it from the game at end of turn or if it would leave play. Unearth only as a sorcery.)
5/5

1 x Fire-Field Ogre 1UBR (Shards of Alara)
Creature - Ogre Mutant (u)
First strike Unearth UBR (UBR: Return this card from your graveyard to play. It gains haste. Remove it from the game at end of turn or if it would leave play. Unearth only as a sorcery.)
4/2

2 x Grixis Slavedriver 5B
Creature – Zombie Giant (u)
When Grixis Slavedriver leaves play, put a 2/2 black Zombie creature token into play.
Unearth 3B (3B: Return this card from your graveyard to play. It gains haste. Remove it from the game at end of turn or if it would leave play. Unearth only as a sorcery.)
4/4

2 x Kathari Screecher 2U (Shards of Alara)
Creature - Bird Soldier (c)
Flying Unearth 2U (2U: Return this card from your graveyard to play. It gains haste. Remove it from the game at end of turn or if it would leave play. Unearth only as a sorcery.)
2/2

1 x Kederekt Creeper UBR (Shards of Alara)
Creature - Horror (c)
Deathtouch (Whenever this creature deals damage to a creature, destroy that creature.) Kederekt Creeper can't be blocked except by two or more creatures.
2/3

1 x Pestilent Kathari 2B
Creature – Bird Warrior (c)
Flying
Deathtouch (Whenever this creature deals damage to a creature, destroy that creature.)
2R: Pestilent Kathari gains first strike until end of turn.
1/1

2 x Sedraxis Alchemist 2B
Creature – Zombie Wizard (c)
When Sedraxis Alchemist comes into play, if you control a blue permanent, return target nonland permanent to its owner’s hand.
2/2

2 x Zombie Outlander BR
Creature – Zombie Scout (c)
Protection from white
2/2
9 other spells
2 x Absorb Vis 6B
Sorcery (c)
Taget player loses 4 life and you gain 4 life.
Basic landcycling 1B (1B, Discard this card: Search your library for a basic land card, reveal it, and put it into your hand. Then shuffle your library.)

1 x Agony Warp UB (Shards of Alara)
Instant (c)
Target creature gets -3/-0 until end of turn. Target creature gets -0/-3 until end of turn.

1 x Bone Saw 0
Artifact – Equipment (c)
Equipped creature gets +1/+0.
Equip 1

1 x Elder Mastery 3UBR
Enchantment – Aura (u)
Enchant creature
Enchanted creature gets +3/+3, has flying, and has “Whenever this creature deals damage to a player, that player discards two cards.”

1 x Infest 1BB (Shards of Alara)
Sorcery (u)
All creatures get -2/-2 until end of turn.

2 x Shock R (Tenth Edition)
Instant (c)
Shock deals 2 damage to target creature or player.

1 x Terror 1B(Tenth Edition)
Instant (c)
Destroy target nonartifact, nonblack creature. It can't be regenerated.

17 lands
2 Crumbling Necropolis (u) ALA / T : Add U, B, or R to your mana
3 Island
3 Mountain
7 Swamp
2 Terramorphic Expanse (sac land)

Conflux Intro Deck - Jund

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The Conflux Intro Packs, originally spoiled here on MTG Realm truly waaaay back on 18th December finally have deck lists associated with them. Here is the skinny on all five and today we will look at Jund.

Jund Appetite for War
Foil card: Charnelhoard Wurm

As the worlds collide, you need a deck designed to eat your new neighbors alive. Summon a force of goblins, dragons, and other voracious creatures from Jund who only get bigger as they consume other creatures. Flood the board with fodder for your hungry beasts, then summon the best-fed dragon your fellow planeswalkers have ever seen.


15 creatures

2 x Carrion Thrash 2BRG
Creature - Viashino Warrior (c)
When Carrion Thrash is put into a graveyard from play, you may pay 2. If you do, return another target creature card from your graveyard to your hand.
4/4

1 x Charnelhoard Wurm 4BRG
Creature – Wurm (r)
Trample
Whenever Charnelhoard Wurm deals damage to an opponent, you may return target card from your graveyard to your hand.
6/6

1 x Ember Weaver 2G
Creature – Spider (c)
Reach
As long as you control a red permanent, Ember Weaver gets +1/+0 and has first strike.
2/3

1 x Gluttonous Slime 2G
Creature – Ooze (u)
Flash
Devour 1 (As this comes into play, you may sacrifice any number of creatures. This creature comes into play with that many +1/+1 counters on it.)
2/2

2 x Goblin Outlander RG
Creature – Goblin Scout (c)
Protection from blue
2/2

1 x Hellkite Hatchling 2RG
Creature – Dragon (u)
Devour 1 (As this comes into play, you may sacrifice any number of creatures. This creature comes into play with that many +1/+1 counters on it.)
Hellkite Hatchling has flying and trample if it devoured a creature.
2/2


1 x Scarland Thrinax BRG
Creature – Lizard (u)
Sacrifice a creature: Put a +1/+1 counter on Scarland Thrinax.
2/2

1 x Sprouting Thrinax BRG
(Shards of Alara)
Creature - Lizard (u)
When Sprouting Thrinax is put into a graveyard from play, put three 1/1 green Saproling creature tokens into play.
3/3

1 x Toxic Iguanar R
Creature – Lizard (c)
Toxic Iguanar has deathtouch as long as you control a green permanent.
1/1

2 x Tukatongue Thallid G
Creature – Fungus (c)
When Tukatongue Thallid is put into a graveyard from play, put a 1/1 green Saproling creature token into play.
1/1

1 x Viashino Slaughtermaster 1R
Creature – Viashino Warrior (u)
Double strike
BG: Viashino Slaughtermaster gets +1/+1 until end of turn. Play this ability only once each turn.
1/1


1 x Voracious Dragon 3RR
Creature – Dragon (r)
Flying
Devour 1 (As this comes into play, you may sacrifice any number of creatures. This creature comes into play with that many +1/+1 counters on it.)
When Voracious Dragon comes into play, it deals damage to target creature or player equal to twice the number of Goblins it devoured.
4/4

9 other spells

1 x Branching Bolt 1RG
Instant (c)
Choose one or both - Branching Bolt deals 3 damage to target creature with flying; and/or Branching Bolt deals 3 damage to target creature without flying.

2 x Dark Temper 2R
Instant (c)
Dark Temper deals 2 damage to target creature. If you control a black permanent, destroy that creature instead.

2 x Dragon Fodder 1R (Shards of Alara)
Sorcery (c)
Put two 1/1 red Goblin creature tokens into play.

2 x Fiery Fall 5R
Instant (c)
Fiery Fall deals 5 damage to target creature.
Basic landcycling 1R (1R, Discard this card: Search your library for a basic land card, reveal it, and put it into your hand. Then shuffle your library.)

2 x Incinerate 1R (Tenth Edition)
Instant (c)
Incinerate deals 3 damage to target creature or player. A creature dealt damage this way can't be regenerated this turn.

17 x lands
4 x Forest
5 x Mountain
2 x Savage Lands (Tap: Add B, R, or G to your mana pool.)
4 x Swamp
2 x Terramorphic Expanse (sac land)

1.29.2009

Conflux Intro Deck - Naya

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The Conflux Intro Packs, originally spoiled here on MTG Realm truly waaaay back on 18th December finally have deck lists associated with them. Here is the skinny on all five and we will start with Naya.


Naya Domain
Foil card: Paleoloth
This deck thrives on the power of all five colors of mana, centered in the world of Naya. Go to war against the other planes using the domain mechanic, powering up your creatures and spells with the strengths of all five types of lands. Once you max out your domain with land-search spells and artifacts, you’ll crush your foes with the most diverse arsenal of spells available.


11 creatures
1 x Aven Trailblazer 2W
Creature – Bird Soldier (c)
Flying
Domain – Aven Trailblazer’s toughtness is equal to the number of basic land types among lands you control.
2/*

1 x Beacon Behemoth 3GG
Creature – Beast (c)
1: Target creature with power 5 or greater gains vigilance until end of turn.
5/3

1 x Ember Weaver 2G
Creature – Spider (c)
Reach
As long as you control a red permanent, Ember Weaver gets +1/+0 and has first strike.
2/3

1 x Kranioceros 4R
Creature – Beast (c)
1W: Kranioceros gets +0/+3 until end of turn.
5/2

2 x Matca Rioters 2G
Creature – Human Warrior (c)
Domain – Matca Rioters’s power and toughness are each equal to the number of basic land types among lands you control.
*/*

1 x Meglonoth 3RGW
Creature – Beast (r)
Vigilance, trample
Whenever Meglonoth blocks a creature, Meglonoth deals damage to that creature’s controller equal to Meglonoth’s power.
6/6

1 x Paleoloth 4GG
Creature – Beast (r)
Whenever another creature with power 5 or greater comes into play under your control, you may return target creature card from your graveyard to
your hand.
5/5

1 x Vagrant Plowbeasts 5GW
Creature – Beast (u)
1 : Regenerate target creature with power 5 or greater.
6/6

1 x Wandering Goblins 2R
Creature – Goblin Warrior (c)
Domain – 3: Wandering Goblins get +1/+0 until end of turn for each basic land type among lands you control.
0/3

1 Woolly Thoctar RGW (Shards of Alara uncommon)
Creature - Beast
5/4

13 other spells
1 x Drag Down 2B
Instant (c)
Domain – Target creature gets -1/-1 until end of turn for each basic land type among lands you control.

1 x Kaleidostone 2
Artifact (c)
When Kaleidostone comes into play, draw a card.
5, T, Sacrifice Kaleidostone: Add WUBRG to your mana pool.

1 x Manaforce Mace 4
Artifact – Equipment (u)
Domain – Equipped creature gets +1/+1 for each basic land type among lands you control.
Equip 3

1 x Might of Alara G
Instant (c)
Domain – Target creature gets +1/+1 until end of turn for each basic land type among lands you control.

1 Pacifism (Tenth Edition common)
Enchantment - Aura
Enchant creature (Target a creature as you play this. This card comes into play attached to that creature.)
Enchanted creature can't attack or block.

1 x Path to Exile W
Instant (u)
Remove target creature from the game. Its controller may search his or her library for a basic land card, put it into play tapped, then shuffle his or her library.

2 x Rampant Growth 1G (Tenth Edition common)
Sorcery
Search your library for a basic land card and put that card into play tapped. Then shuffle your library.

1 x Shard Convergence 3G
Sorcery (u)
Search your library for a Plains card, an Island card, a Swamp card, and a Mountain card. Reveal those cards, and put them into your hand. Then shuffle your library.

2 x Spore Burst 3G
Sorcery (u)
Domain – Put a 1/1 green Saproling creature token into play for each basic land type among lands you control.
2 x Sylvan Bounty 5G
Instant (c)
Target player gains 8 life.
Basic landcycling 1G (1G, Discard this card: Search your library for a basic land card, reveal it, and put it into your hand. Then shuffle your library.)

17 lands
6 x Forest
1 x Island
3 x Mountain
3 x Plains
1 x Swamp
3 x Terramorphic Expanse
Tap, Sacrifice Terramorphic Expanse: Search your library for a basic land card and put it into play tapped. Then shuffle your library.

1.28.2009

Conflux FAQ

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The Conflux Frequently Asked Questions (word 'doc' format) just went up this afternoon. Out thanks to Mark Gottlieb and the MTG rules guru crew for putting this together. Make sure you give this 26 page tome a read before you head into your Pre-release event or Launch party.

Following is a quick summary of the new keyword mechanics / abilities. As well, there is some very interesting rules around a particular creature's ability which will make you chortle with evil mirth . . . buckle up and let's go.
Returning Mechanics
Some abilities and mechanics introduced in the Shards of Alara set appear in the Conflux set. For more information about the five shards and their mechanics (the Bant shard's keyword "exalted," the Esper shard's colored artifacts, the Grixis shard's keyword "unearth," the Jund shard's keyword "devour," and the Naya shard's "5 power matters" mechanic), see the Shards of Alara FAQ.

Ability Word: Domain
Domain is an ability word. It appears in italics at the beginning of an ability that counts the number of basic land types among lands you control. (An ability word has no rules meaning.) domain ability has a different effect. Read each card carefully.

Returning Keyword Ability: Cycling
New Keyword Variant: Basic Landcycling

If you have a card with "cycling" in your hand, you can pay its cycling cost and discard it to draw a new card. If you have a card with "basic landcycling" in your hand, you can pay its cycling cost and discard it to search your library for a basic land card. Cycling (and, thus, basic landcycling) is an activated ability. Effects that interact with activated abilities (such as Stifle or Rings of Brighthearth) will interact with cycling. Effects that interact with spells (such as Remove Soul or Faerie Tauntings) will not.

Theme: Color Matters
Many Conflux cards have abilities that check to see whether you control a permanent of a certain color. There are three different forms these abilities can take. Six of these cards (Bloodhall Ooze, Kederekt Parasite, Mirror-Sigil Sergeant, Parasitic Strix, Rhox Meditant, and Sedraxis Alchemist) are creatures that have triggered abilities with "intervening 'if' clauses". If the permanent with this ability has itself become the color that its ability checks for, then it can count itself as the permanent it's looking for. These abilities continually check the colors of permanents you control. As long as at least one of them is the specified color, the ability will "work" and grant the permanent the bonus. Otherwise, the permanent won't have the bonus.

Check out these Card-specific notes . . .

Charnelhoard Wurm
{4}{B}{R}{G}
Creature -- Wurm
6/6
Trample
Whenever Charnelhoard Wurm deals damage to an opponent, you may return target card from your graveyard to your hand.

* If Charnelhoard Wurm is dealt lethal damage at the same time it deals damage to an opponent, Charnelhoard Worm will be in your graveyard by the time you put its ability on the stack. In that case, you can target it with its own ability. ( ! ! ! OMG ! ! ! )

Mirror-Sigil Sergeant, {5}{W}
Creature -- Rhino Soldier
4/4
Trample
At the beginning of your upkeep, if you control a blue permanent, you may put a token into play that's a copy of Mirror-Sigil Sergeant.

* Normally, when a token is created by this ability, it will simply be a Mirror-Sigil Sergeant, so it'll also have the token-creating ability. (See below for weird exceptions.) At the beginning of your next upkeep, if you still control the original Sergeant, the token copy, and a blue permanent, you'll get two more token copies; the turn after that you'll get four; then eight; and so on. ( ! ! ! Epic Win ! ! ! )

Exotic Orchard
Land
{T}: Add to your mana pool one mana of any color that a land an opponent controls could produce.

* The colors of mana are white, blue, black, red, and green. Exotic Orchard can't be tapped for colorless mana, even if a land an opponent controls could produce colorless mana.
* Exotic Orchard checks the effects of all mana-producing abilities of lands your opponents control, but it doesn't check their costs. For example, Vivid Crag has the ability "{T}, Remove a charge counter from Vivid Crag: Add one mana of any color to your mana pool." If an opponent controls Vivid Crag and you control Exotic Orchard, you can tap Exotic Orchard for any color of mana. It doesn't matter whether Vivid Crag has a charge counter on it, and it doesn't matter whether it's untapped.
* Lands that produce mana based only on what other lands "could produce" won't help each other unless some other land allows one of them to actually produce some type of mana. For example, if you control an Exotic Orchard and your opponent controls an Exotic Orchard and a Reflecting Pool, none of those lands would produce mana if their mana abilities were played. On the other hand, if you control a Forest and an Exotic Orchard, and your opponent controls an Exotic Orchard and a Reflecting Pool, then each of those lands can be tapped to produce {G}. Your opponent's Exotic Orchard can produce {G} because you control a Forest. Your Exotic Orchard and your opponent's Reflecting Pool can each produce {G} because your opponent's Exotic Orchard can produce {G}.

Gwafa Hazid, Profiteer, {1}{W}{U}
Legendary Creature -- Human Rogue
2/2
{W}{U}, {T}: Put a bribery counter on target creature you don't control. Its controller draws a card.
Creatures with bribery counters on them can't attack or block.

* If Gwafa Hazid leaves play, any bribery counters will remain where they are. However, without a Gwafa Hazid in play, creatures with bribery counters on them can attack and block as normal. If another Gwafa Hazid comes into play, its ability will affect all creatures with bribery counters on them, including the ones that received counters from a different Gwafa Hazid.
* Creatures with bribery counters on them can't be declared as attackers or blockers. However, if a bribery counter is put on a creature that's already been declared as an attacker or blocker, that creature will continue to attack or block that combat.

Magister Sphinx, {4}{W}{U}{B}
Artifact Creature -- Sphinx
5/5
Flying
When Magister Sphinx comes into play, target player's life total becomes 10.

* This ability is not optional.
* For a player's life total to become 10, what actually happens is that the player gains or loses the appropriate amount of life. For example, if the targeted player's life total is 4 when this ability resolves, it will cause that player to gain 6 life; alternately, if the targeted player's life total is 17 when this ability resolves, it will cause that player to lose 7 life. Other cards that interact with life gain or life loss will interact with this effect accordingly.

Master Transmuter, {3}{U}
Artifact Creature -- Human Artificer
1/2
{U}, {T}, Return an artifact you control to its owner's hand: You may put an artifact card from your hand into play.

* Returning an artifact you control to its owner's hand is part of the cost of Master Transmuter's activated ability. Paying a cost can't be responded to (with Naturalize, for example).
* Since Master Transmuter is an artifact, you may return Master Transmuter itself to your hand. If you do, the rest of the ability will still work normally.

Shard Convergence, {3}{G}
Sorcery
Search your library for a Plains card, an Island card, a Swamp card, and a Mountain card. Reveal those cards and put them into your hand. Then shuffle your library.

* You don't have to find all four cards.
* Shard Convergence checks for cards with the subtypes Plains, Island, Swamp, and Mountain, not for cards with those names. You may find nonbasic land cards this way, as long as they have appropriate subtypes.
* You may find "dual lands" with Shard Convergence. The Plains card you find, for example, can have a second subtype. What subtypes it has won't impact what other cards you can find. For example, you may find a Hallowed Fountain (which has subtypes Plains and Island) as the Plains card, and another Hallowed Fountain as the Island card.

Voracious Dragon, {3}{R}{R}
Creature -- Dragon
4/4
Flying
Devour 1 (As this comes into play, you may sacrifice any number of creatures. This creature comes into play with that many +1/+1 counters on it.)
When Voracious Dragon comes into play, it deals damage to target creature or player equal to twice the number of Goblins it devoured.

* Voracious Dragon can devour any type of creatures, not just Goblins.
* "The number of Goblins it devoured" means "The number of Goblins sacrificed as a result of its devour ability as it came into play." For each creature that Voracious Dragon devoured, this ability checks its creature type as it last existed in play to see if it was a Goblin at that time.

Conflux Wallpapers

-
Eager to freshen up my desktop with the latest MTG hotness, I check out the 'Product Information' page over at Wizards and click on the linky for 'Special Conflux Wallpaper'. No matter how often I click, I deadend. I then realise that this was probably the Wallpaper of the week (Progenitus) from January 23. This is similar to the links on the last two Conflux puzzles Volcanic Fallout and Knotvine Mystic. Really really . . . Wizards - If you are reading, pleeeease fix the links.

In order to save your computer desktop from mediocrity I now pass along to you, the links to those very kewl desktop wallpapers. Here are three (of the four) very lovely pieces of art from the puzzles.

Armillary Sphere, 2
Artifact, Common
2, {T}, Sacrifice Armillary Sphere: Search your library for up to two basic land cards, reveal those cards, and put them into your hand. Then shuffle your library.

Volcanic Fallout, 1RR
Instant, Uncommon
Volcanic Fallout can't be countered.
Volcanic Fallout deals 2 damage to each creature and each player.

Knotvine Mystic, RGW
Creature - Elf Druid, Uncommon
1, Tap : Add {R}{G}{W} to your mana pool.
2/2

1.27.2009

Conflux Primer Videos

~ If you are heading out to Conflux Pre-Release or to a Launch Party, make sure you're up to speed on the new themes and rules and check out the new Planeswalker's Primer Videos posted yesterday on WoTC.

Planeswalkers
Sam gives us an in-depth look at Planeswalkers, including the debut of Nicol Bolas in the new Magic expansion Conflux. Ten exciting Planeswalkers including the new Nicol Bolas are now in circulation.







Domain
Sam gives us an in-depth look at Domain, one of the key mechanics in the new Magic expansion Conflux. This mechanic essentially counts the number of basic land types of the lands you control. The bigger the Mana diversity the bigger the bonus (and there is a variety of them).







Basic Landcycling
Sam yatters with us about Basic Landcycling, one of the key mechanics in the new Magic expansion Conflux.







1.25.2009

Conflux Spoiler 26

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Just another quick round-up of Conflux spoilers before we head into the second and last week of previews over at Wizards. First off however, just a quick repost of Fusion Elemental now that we have the finished card to look at.

Fusion Elemental, WUBRG
Creature - Elemental, Uncommon
As the shards merged into the Maelstrom, their mana energies fused into new monstrosities.
8/8

Apparently playing Fusion Elemental is almost akin to drinking Brawndo ! In fact, if you send me a picture of yourself playing Fusion Elemental while drinking Brawndo, I'll send you some nice MTG cards (please no photo-shoppery like buddy Bradley here). Fusion Elemental is like riding a pony, which probably doesn't sound dangerous, except that in this case the pony is 300 feet tall and covered in chainsaws, and to get on the pony you have to take an elevator with sixteen live cougars.


Shambling Remains, 1BR
Creature - Zombie Horror, Uncommon
Shambling Remains can't block.
Unearth {B}{R}
4/3


Sphinx Summoner, 3UB
Artifact Creature - Sphinx. Rare
Flying
When Sphinx Summoner comes into play you may search your libary for an artifact card reveal it and put it into your hand, then shuffle your libary.
3/3

Wild Leotau, 2GG
Creature - Cat
At the beginning of your upkeep sacrifice Wild Leotau unless you pay G.
5/4

Vagrant Plowbeasts, 5GW
Creature - Beast (uncommon)
1: Regenerate target creature with power 5 or greater.
6/6

View from Above, 1U
Instant (uncommon)
Target creature gains flying until end of the turn.
If you control a white permanent, return View from Above to you hand.

Skyward Eye Prophets, 3GWU
Creature - Human Wizard, Uncommon
Vigilance
T: Reveal the top card of your library. If it's a land card, put it into play. Otherwise, put it into your hand.
3/3

1.24.2009

Conflux Spoiler 25

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Happy Saturday evening everyone. I did get invites for all the hottest parties in town but decided to stay home and provide you, the hungry blog-reader with more Conflux spoilers. Tonight, I've scrapped the internet and have two rares and six uncommons for your careful evaluation.

It appears that Ron Vitale over at 'The Magic Sock', a popular MTG podcast show got another card (Knight of the Reliquary) to preview from WoTC. He was also provided the art spoiler for Nicol Bolas back in December. I'm rather envious there Ron . . .

Knight of the Reliquary, 1GW
Creature - Human Knight Rare
Knight of the Reliquary gets +1/+1 for each land card in your graveyard.
Tap : Sacrifice a Forest or Plains: Search your library for a land card, put it into play, then shuffle your library.
2/2

You may have noticed that the card did not say 'search your deck for a BASIC land card . . '. This card is total win and will find a lot of use. The sugar on top of this is that the Knight gets tossed +1/+1 counter for the land-sac. I envision some funky deck piloted by Countryside Crusher at the helm and Knight of the Reliquary in the passenger seat.

Font of Mythos, 4
Artifact, Rare
At the beginning of each player's draw step, that player draws an additional two cards.

I know what you are thinking . . . just how lovely this would be in your deck with its new best friend Kederekt Parasite (that 1/1 critter that pains your opponent for one IF you have a red permanent and IF your opponent draws 3 cards. Come-on ! - I have a better chance of scoring a date with Kate Beckinsale but I guess the Johnny in me has to work on this a bit more.

Scarland Thrinax, BRG
Creature - Lizard, Uncommon
Sacrifice a creature: Put a +1/+1 counter on Scarland Thrinax.
2/2

Your Jund Token deck just called and wants Scarland Thrinax. Mr. 00Shoe on the board called this 'Devour-on-Demand' - very apropos. This preview was provided to the popular Planeswalking with the Proffessors vid-cast. Again, more envy.

Knotvine Mystic, RGW
Creature - Elf Druid?, Uncommon
1, Tap : Add {R}{G}{W} to your mana pool.
2/2

Big boost here to the Naya fans. Ever since Shadowmoor, I get rather excited with any card with a tap symbol on it. Johnny is wispering to get a Q to untap and abuse. Not sure if that will happen here but I am sure that someone devious at the local gamming club is going use Knotvine to bring out a huge beater.

Jhessian Balmgiver, 1WU
Creature - Human Cleric?, Uncommon
Tap : Prevent the next 1 damage that would be dealt to target creature or player.
Tap : Target creature is unblockable this turn.
1/1

This is a really solid card. I will give it one thumb up for now - it would get two thumbs from me but at 1/1, Balmgiver is too easliy removed unless this critter gets a boost or provided shroud.

Filigree Fracture, 2G
Instant, Uncommon
Destroy target enchantment or artifact.
If that artifact or enchantment's controller controls a black or blue permanent, you may draw a card.

Look out Esper - this is headed your way. This card will also kill Bitterblossom and toss you a card for your trouble.
Spore Burst, 3G
Sorcery, Uncommon
Domain - Put a 1/1 green Saproling creature token into play for each basic land type among lands you control.

Well . . . meh. This can be good but you had better have a lot of different colours on the board.
Controlled Instincts, U
Enchantment - Aura, Uncommon
Enchant red or green creature
Enchanted creature doesn't untap during its controller's untap step.

No comment - other than if you find a good fit for your deck with this one - good for you.

1.23.2009

Conflux Spoiler 24

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I just got an eMail from Naya Matca League and apparently they want 'Moar Spoilers', so buckle up and let's go.

Just catching up on some recent Conflux spoilers hitting the boards. We have quite a number of new cards being served on the MTG spoiler buffet to put under our scrutiny. There will be ample time to fully evaluate all the cards latter but let us have a brief look at the mettle of these and what they may bring to the game.

Mirror-Sigil Sergeant, 5W
Creature - Rhino Soldier, Mythic Rare
Trample
At the beginning of your upkeep, if you control a blue permanent, you may put a token into play that's a copy of Mirror-Sigil Sergeant.
4/4

This super-smash rhino screams for inclusion in your blue-white control decks. Perhaps you could even throw on a Protective Bubble (3U) to give it shroud and make it unblockable to satisfy the token generating condition. Anyway - I'm giving it two thumbs up for fun.

Scattershot Archer, G
Creature - Elf Archer, Common
Tap : Scattershot Archer deals 1 damage to each creature with flying.
1/2

As there is such a hatred of Bitterblossom tokens, this archer is much welcome to the fray. It is a one drop for a healthy 1/2 and provides a tim-shot to keep the skies clear of those pesky faeries.

Scaellum Archers, 2G
Creature - Elf Archer, Uncommon
{R}{W},Tap : Sacellum Archers deals two damage to target attacking or blocking creature.
2/3

Scaellum Archers . . . meh. I was hoping for something more along the lines of Brigid, Hero of Kinsbaile - maybe I'm just greedy.

Aven Squire, 1W
Creature - Bird Soldier Common
Flying
Exalted (Whenever a creature you control attacks alone, it gets +1/+1 until end of turn.)
1/1

Although some may say 'meh', a two-drop for a 2/2 is still a decent card, when you also consider this fills out a very critical space for an early-game flier, why now your cooking. This promises to see action in most exalted type or even bant-ramp decks.

Gluttunous Slime, 2G
Creature - Ooze, Uncommon
Flash
Devour 1
2/2

Wait . . . Wha ? Flash ? - Can ya scream 'Surprise Blocker' ! This flash / devour thing could get interesting play -

Grixis Illusionist, U
Creature - Human Wizard, Common
Tap : Target land becomes the basic land type of your choice until end of turn.
1/1

This sort of mana utility card promises to be standard fare in most decks sporting those crazy multi-colour rainbow critters and spells.

Corrupted Roots, B
Enchantment - Aura, Uncommon
Enchant Forest or Plains
Whenever enchanted land becomes tapped, its controller loses 2 life.

Since Sigil of the Empty Throne was spoiled early this month, I know players have been looking into busting as many cheap enchantments into their decks as possible. This card unfortunately does not really deliver considering the significant decrease of basic lands being played but may still find its way into sideboards.

Asha's Favor, 2W
Enchantment - Aura, Common
Enchant creature
Enchanted creature has flying, first strike, and vigilance.

I'm a big fan of auras and I like what I'm seeing here.

Telemin Performance, 3UU
Sorcery Rare
Target opponent reveals cards from the top of his or her library until a creature card has been revealed. Put all noncreature cards revealed this way into that player's graveyard, then put the creature card into play under your control.

Like many other Conflux rares we've seen, this card will only find a home in s fairly specific deck or as a defence against a spefic deck. The rules on this card might well as read 'Destroy target opponent's Creatureless Control deck'. If you are running a 5CC or planeswalkers type of deck, watch out for this card - it may hurt. This may also be tweaked into in a Sanity Grinding deck perhaps.

Stay tuned for more MTG Conflux spoilers and I'll see ya at FNM tonight.

1.22.2009

Casual Magic

~ Right . . . turn the weird-o-meter waaay up. This post promises to bake your noodle - - it is a blog post about a blog ! (wrap your noggin around that). More specifically, the post is about our blogging buddy Norm over at Casual Magic.

We asked Norm a variety of very high-brow journalistic questions such as how he first got into Magic the Gathering, why he started his MTG blog, some other passions he may have outside of Magic, his pet-peeves, future plans, and of course the very important 'boxers or briefs' decision. Here is what he had to say (after his lawyer and agent had vetted the responses).
~
When did you first start playing Magic : The Gathering ?

I started playing with my two roommates in 2006 when they realized I didn't know how to play. My first game was with a mono green deck that was probably about 80 cards. My roommates didn't remember the rules very well and most of my first games were kind of frustrating because of it. I decided that I needed to read the complete comprehensive rule book to better understand the game (don't ask my why I thought it was a good idea, but I did read most of it). It gave me a pretty good understanding of the game but without actual application my knowledge was only half complete. Fast forward to my first official DCI event, the ColdSnap prerelease. I currently consider myself a decent limited player, but wow did my first deck suck. I went with my roommate and we both made flight 1 and went 1-x. We dropped and joined a two-headed giant flight with four total teams. We took second and it was the most amazing day. Lets just say I was hooked on magic.

What made you interested in starting a MTG Blog ?

I've been involved with an event, PodCamp Pittsburgh, for a few years, also 2006 coincidently. PodCamp is a new media event that focus on brining together podcasters, bloggers and other new media types. I stated my own blog in 07 that is primarily for family and friends. I wanted to start a blog that was a little more niche oriented so why not about magic. Honestly I was really nervous about starting a magic blog. There are a lot of magic players online and I didn't want to pretend like I knew it all. Also, I didn't have very much of a presence at any of my local stores and I didn't know many people who played. Sometimes I get really busy with my job and social life so I can't always make regular events. At the time I started Casual Magic I was kind of an odd on and off guy at my local shop (it was cool when some of the guys came up to me and told me they found the blog). The real reason I started Casual Magic is because I wanted a place to think more about the game especially when I was busy with the rest of my life. I'm a mac guy so MTGO was kind of out of the question.

When was your first post on your Casual Magic Blog ?

In February 2008. Yep I'm approaching one year! My first month I had just barely over 50 hits. Mostly from friends. Now, I've had more than 20,000 in a good month, usually a spoiler season. I didn't really have a plan for the whole site. I've often said Casual Magic is an experiment, and it still is at times. I love getting feedback from readers and words of encouragement. It is really cool when I meet more people online especially people who I really respect in the Magic world, like Mike Flores (still hoping to meet him IRL).

What are your future Gaming / Blogging goals ?

I think that is an interesting question. I would love to commit to more competitive play. I hope that someday I have the time to commit to playing enough sanctioned events to really be competitive. I also would like to have more of a gamers circle around me. As I've mentioned above there aren't a lot of people around me who play regularly so a casual group who is willing to try different formats would be great.

I don't have a specific blogging goal. Other than to provide interesting content of course. One thing that would be pretty cool would be to receive an official prerelease card. I've also toyed with the idea of moving the blog to my own domain and getting some sort of advertising dollars from it. I don't think I'm there yet, but maybe one day. CasualMagic.com is owned by some lame magician so I'll have to make him an offer he can't refuse for that domain.


Right - We have the basic sketch of Norm - please colour it in for us.

Boxers all the way. I'm rooting for the Steelers in the super bowl because, duh, I'm in Pittsburgh. Other than playing magic I've been brewing beer recently. I made a killer IPA last month, delicious. And I hate those new "Geico, money you could be saving" commercials.

Norm is a fellow Magic : The Gathering Blogger residing in Pittsburgh and who, like MTG-Realm has been at it for a one full year.

1.21.2009

MTG Conflux Art

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Have you seen the card-art for Progenitus. h.o.l.y.c.r.@.p ! I just want to say - w0w ! -This is beautiful . . . I am in awe of it. The card art over the last year or so has really improved and Progenitus appears to me as the pinacle of this trend. Shards of Alara card art was great and Conflux promises the same if not better. I also have to say a huge thank-you to the artist Jaime Jones who was commissioned to execute this piece of art.

Anyway - back on track - Let's yatter about Progenitus.

If you do not counter this when it hits the table, your chances of surviving the next several game turns are slim-to-none and Slim just left town (cuz Progenitus scares him too). If this does hit the table, you better hope to have a removal card which does not target Progenitus. If you want to make your opponent cry out in the parking lot at your gaming store, just cast a Cruel Edict when there is no other legal target for your oppoent to select.


The flavour text on Progenitus just sends shivers down my spine . . . 'The Soul of the World has returned'. Something else that would send shivers down my spine - - a player having the ability to effectively and consistently pay Progenitus' crazy MTG Double-Rainbow casting cost.

Lets talk also a moment about "Protection from everything". This means the following:
* Progenitus can't be blocked.
* Progenitus can't be enchanted or equipped.
* Progenitus can't be the target of spells or abilities.
* All damage that would be dealt to Progenitus is prevented.
* Progenitus CAN kick Chuck Norris' butt.
* Progenitus can't get traveler's diarrhea.

When, that took weird turn . . . anywho - back to the new Conflux spoilers.

Master Transmuter . . . This was that shy goth chick in high-school that you were always too nervous to ask out and now you bump into her at a tail-gate party outside the super-duper-dome and she's got etherium all over her . . . she is now officially out of your league.

This card promises to see a lot of play - espcially with huge multi-coloured fatties running willy-nilly all around Alara.

Here is the skinny from WoTC : Returning an artifact you control to its owner's hand is part of the cost of Master Transmuter's activated ability. Paying a cost can't be responded to (with Naturalize, for example). Since Master Transmuter is an artifact, you may return Master Transmuter itself to your hand. If you do, the rest of the ability will still work normally. The artifact card you put into play when the ability resolves may be the same card that you returned to your hand when you paid the cost. If so, it returns to play as a new object with no relation to its previous existence.

Stay tuned for more witless Conflux banter . . . !