Conspiracy 2

~
Happy Monday MTG peeps,

Something unexpected happened today.  We were expecting an announcement for Magic: the Gathering fans sometime this week on the next 'From the Vaults' product from Wizards of the Coast but instead we have this announcement (linky to the mothersite here) on the next (and totally unexpected) Conspiracy set.  Perhaps we will not see a FTV product offering this year.  WotC certainly did not very forthcoming (until gamers asked) that Clash Packs and Event Decks were to be discontinued, so perhaps this Conspiracy set is to replace the FTV - who knows.  

Anywhoos, if you are new to the MTG scene, the first Magic: The Gathering – Conspiracy set which was released in June 2014, was the first-ever multiplayer-focused Magic booster set designed specifically to be drafted and from what we've heard from friends and online, players rather enjoyed the quirky and fun games this set made.  As you may know, we really are not fans of the draft format but were certainly head-over-heels on a number of cards from the original Conspiracy set which we gobbled up and prompted absorbed into a few of our Commander decklists. 

We are fans of the storyline and the lovely card arts of the first Conspiracy set, and are most definitely salivating for the second one now - thanks WotC for providing an illustration of Brago so we can dream upon and speculate - which we will now start.  Here's hoping that Brago comes back not as a Legendary Creature but a Planeswalker which we know pretty much impossible as a dead dude cannot have his 'spark' iginite.  :(

Here is the official announcement - 

Long May He Reign

Add deeper layers of gameplay to your next Magic draft and fight for King Brago — or plot his downfall. The Conspiracy: The Reign of Brago set builds on the revolutionary abilities introduced in the original Magic: The Gathering—Conspiracy set, with new cards that affect the draft itself and new Conspiracies that twist the rules against your foes and those who dare oppose Brago. Trade votes and spread your attacks to manipulate the game in your favor.

How will you defend the throne?

This set is designed for eight-player drafts followed by free-for-all games of three to five players each.

Set NameConspiracy: The Reign of Brago
Number of Cards: 221
Release Date: August 26, 2016
Official Three-Letter Code: CN2
Twitter Hashtag: #MTGCN2
Languages Available: English, Japanese, Chinese Simplified
MSRP: $3.99

Initial Concept and Game Design: Shawn Main (lead), Nik Davidson, Bryan Hawley, Ken Nagle, Matt Tabak

Final Game Design and Development: Ben Hayes (lead), Bryan Hawley, Jonathan Skolnik, James Sooy, Gavin Verhey
~

Here is a quick summary of who, or rather what King Brago is for fans of vorthos / storyline -

Brago, also known as he 'King Eternal' on account that he has moved on from a corporeal being to that of a spirit, rules the High City of Paliano on the plane of Fiora.  When he finally took a dirt nap, courtesy of his friend Selvala, the Custodi which is a priesthood with ambitions to stay in power, kept Brago's spirit bound.  Although Brago's rule "persists beyond death itself", and "no matter is settled until King Brago offers an opinion", this new set's storyline may show Brago breaking away from the Custodi.

~