Gruul Mechanic - Riot

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Happy Thursday MTG peeps,

With Borbrorbygmobos nowhere to be seen, it is becoming apparent that Domri may now be large and in charge of the loosely affiliated Gruul Clans.  Enough of that for the moment, we are here to talk about the next Magic: the Gathering set,  Ravnica Allegiance, and the new Gruul Clans Mechanic.  Here are all of them to date :

Guildpact : Bloodthirst

Gatecrash : Bloodrush

Ravnica Allegiance : Riot

Our OCD is suggesting that perhaps we should be calling this Bloodriot, but as Wizards of the Coast may want to develop a new nomenclature, who are we to argue.  Riot is a keyword ability, which allows you to choose between +1/+1 counter or haste when a creature enters the battlefield.  The two new Ravnica Allegiance cards previewed as part of the unveiling of this new tech are -

• Gruul Spellbreaker, 1GR, Creature - Ogre Warrior, illustrated by Zoltan Boros

• Frenzied Arynx, 2RG, Creature - Cat Beast, Illustrated by Filip Burburan

Looks like someone has snuck an Arynx off Tarkir through Ravnica customs, and now the killer kitteh is full grown.  As for Grull Spellbreaker - WOW.  The Riot tech is already pretty damn good with the hasty critters, and then you add trample in the mix, you've got a winner.  The conditional hexproof puts this over the top and into our hearts - we want a deck-set.  Here are all the Ravnica Allegiance mechanics so far, and to say we're excited to see what Wizards has for Azorius, would be an understatement.

• Cult of Rakdos - Spectacle

• Orzhov Syndicate - Afterlife

• Simic Combine - Adapt

• Gruul Clans - Riot

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Simic Mechanic - Adapt

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Happy Wednesday MTG peeps,

We now have our third Magic: the Gathering mechanic for the new set, Ravnica Allegiance.  Here they are so far with the very handy Wizards of the Coast video links :

• Cult of Rakdos - Spectacle

• Orzhov Syndicate - Afterlife

• Simic Combine - Adapt

Adapt is a keyword action introduced in Ravnica Allegiance for the Simic Combine.  Adapt is 'adapted' version of Monstrous (Monstrosity), from Theros. It always appears as Adapt N. If a creature has no +1/+1 counters on it, you may pay the adapt cost to put N +1/+1 counters on that creature. In contrast to Monstrous, if a creature somehow loses its +1/+1 counters, it can adapt again and pick up more.

• Zegana, Utopian Speaker, 2GU. Legendary Creature - Merfolk Wizard, illustrated by Slawomir Maniak

• Aeromunculus, 1GU. Crreature - Homunculus Mutant, illustrated by Simon Dominic
"The absense of binocular vision imposes certain challenges for a flying creature, which are overcome via echolocation." - Simic research notes

Personally, we did very much enjoy the previous Simic mechanic 'Evolve' which was introducted in Gatecrash.  In this particular mechanic, a creature 'evolved' by gaining an additional +1/+1 counter whenever a larger creature (with greater power or toughness) entered the battlefield under your control.  Not only did this provide some Simic-accurate flavour to the card, we thought it played quite well in standard as you cast your creatures 'on-curve' thus beefing out your previously cast critters.  Adapt looks interesting but we are not completely sold until we start gaming with this.

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Orzhov and Rakdos Mechanics

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Happy Tuesday MTG peeps,

Ravnica Allegiance Mechanics - Part I is now up on the Wizards of the Coast mothersite.  It appears that the remaining three mechanics for Simic, Gruul, and Azorius are to be previewed on seperate days (Wednesday / Thursday / Friday)

Afterlife (Orzhov Syndicate - White / Black)

A keyword ability found on creatures. When the creature dies it creates a number of 1/1 black and white Spirit creature token with flying.  New cards with this mechanic include a human soldier creature Tithe Take, and the human cleric Imperious Oligarch. 

Spectacle (Cult of Rakdos - Black / Red)

A keyword ability that gives spells an alternative cost. You can cast a spell for its spectacle cost if an opponent lost life during the turn.  New cards with this mechanic include human shaman Rix Maadi Reveler and Rafter Demon.

In other news, MTG fans were treated to all the Ravnica Allegiance Promos as well as the packaging.  From these revelations, we now know the following characters are likely to see print in this set :

• Lavinia
• Kaya
• Domri
• Dovin

The Rakdos and Simic booster pack arts are yet unconfirmed at this time.  Do pop on over to the WotC Ravnica Allegiance card image gallery linked here as new  cards are now being posted / previewed.

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Guilds of Ravnica Spoiler 12-16

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Happy Monday MTG peeps,

Yesterday there was a post with several Magic: the Gathering spoilers.  These Ravnica Allegiance leaks appears to be from the same WPN store which had previously posted Guilds of Ravnica spoilers, from their promo card mail out.

It has now been out for a day, so we may as well talk about it.  Looks like the XXYY cycle is continuing, some fun alternate wind condition, a favourite reprint and possibly a rather nice inclusion in competitive standard.  Have a look -

Open House Promo
Rakdos Firewheeler, BBRR
Creature - Human Rogue, Uncommon
When Rakdos Firewheeler enters the battlefield, it deals 2 damage to target opponent and 2 damage to up to one target creature or planeswalker.
4/3

Draft Weekend Promo
Simic Ascendancy, GU
Enchantment, Rare
1GU: Put a +1/+1 counter on target creature you control. Whenever one ore more +1/+1 counters are put on a creature you control, put that many growth counters on Simic Ascendancy. At the beginning of your upkeep, if Simic Ascendancy has twenty or more growth counters on it, you win the game.

Buy-a-Box Promo
The Haunt of Hightower, 4BB
Legendary Creature - Vampire, Rare
Flying, lifelink Whenever The Haunt of Hightower attacks, defending player discards a card. Whenever a card is put into an opponent's graveyard from anywhere, put a +1/+1 counter on The Haunt of Hightower.
3/3

FNM Promo
Growth Spiral, GU
Instant, Common
Draw a card. You may put a land card from your hand onto the battlefield.

FNM Promo
Mortify, 1WB
Instant, Uncommon
Destroy target creature or enchantment.

Light the Stage, 2R
Sorcery, Uncommon
Spectacle - R Exile the top two cards of your library. Until the end of your next turn, you may play those cards.

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New MTG Novel / New Planeswalker

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Happy Tuesday MTG peeps,

As a complete surprise and very unanticipated, we are to be treated to a new Magic: the Gathering novella.  This news from io9 (linked right here) who had broke the news with an official Wizards of the Coast preview of the new work title "Children of the Nameless", penned by the popular author Brandon Sanderson.

Here is the blurb from io9 -

Written in collaboration with the Magic’s story team at Wizards of the Coast, Children of the Nameless invites readers to meet a young girl named Tacenda who is capable of great magic, until tragedy strikes at the worst possible time. But during that tragedy, Tacenda crosses paths with a mysterious new Planeswalker named Davriel, designed by Sanderson himself. Here’s a quick synopsis to whet your appetite:

Since the day she was born, Tacenda has been both blessed and cursed. Blessed by a powerful protection spell of unknown origin, she has warded her family and friends against any number of horrors over her 15 years. Cursed because the horrors which visit her small Kessig village are both numerous and frequent. Then, one night, for no reason she can fathom, her sacred song of protection fails. Seeking revenge on the man she believes responsible for the failure and the consequent destruction of everything she loves, she breaks into the manor of the local lord, a known consorter with demons. There she discovers the beginnings of an even greater mystery… starting with the fact the Lord of the Manor is anything but local . . .

Children of the Nameless will be available for free download starting tomorrow (December12, 2018) from the Magic: the Gathering website.  Until then, we can enjoy this very lovely (and intriguing) cover, illustrated by Chris Rahn.

First chapter was a good read and left us in anticipation of reading all of the subsequent chapters.

Looking past our new Planeswalker Davriel, who we assume is sitting, the gravity-defying towers, halls, and massive buttresses suggest Markov Manor, at a time before a certain Lithomancer (Nahiri) 'redecorated'.  

The seated party does indeed appear human, and this is suggest again with what appears to be a nice hot tea to his right.

The whole Phantom of the Opera thingy with his mask is very mysterious at the moment - and is he hiding the right side of his face ?  Perhaps not - but the mask does have a particular purple 'Liliana' necromancer magic haze around it.  This purple could very well be the type of magic that allows Kaya (the Ghost Assassin) to flow into the incorporeal world.  

All that is known for certain is that 'Whisperers' had de-peopled the village save Tacenda in the first chapter and that it is suggested in the blurb that a visit to the nearby Monor House is in order.  

Insert Kessig Province Problems hashtag.
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Ravnica Allegiance - Kaya

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Happy Monday MTG peeps,

We should like to yatter a bit about the very real possibility of the Planeswalker character Kaya appearing as a card in the next Magic: the Gathering set 'Ravnica Allegiance'.  This set features five of the bi-colored Ravnican guilds: Azorius (white / blue), Rakdos (black / red), Gruul (red / green), Simic (green / blue), and Orzhov (white / black) and is to release on January 25, 2019.

One of the first hints we saw was the cover of the 2019 Ravnica novel (to be published in April 2019), the first major paper novel in about eight years from author Greg Weisman.  The blurb describes the story of Chandra Nalaar, Jace Beleren, and Gideon Jura pitted against Bolas and his relentless army of Eternals.  The cover does show Gids and Chandra alongside an unkown (new) Planeswalker and what appears to be Kaya.

Our next hint was rather obvious.  This was from the recent Pro Tour in the form of a very lovely looking 'Top 16' playmat from Ultra PRO.  This shows quite undeniably Kaya, framed with the powerful upper echelon of the Orzhov Syndicate.  What is noticeably absent here are any of the members of the 'Ghost Council'.  From the Fiora storyline, we know her to be an Assassin of Ghosts - so not much stretch of the imagination as to what may have happened.

But how did we get here ?  This is pure speculation.

We know that a big showdown between the malevolent Bolas and the Gatewatch is to take place on Ravnica.  Bolas wants the Guilds to fall in line behind him, and those which do not, he needs to destroy or at least destabilize.  Ghosts, such as Brago (the King Eternal) are difficult to deal with or destroy, and the Orzhov do have a good number of these spirits. 

To this end, it does sound reasonable that Bolas employs Kaya to remove these bothersome spirits.  We assume that Kaya does this effectively and then perhaps realizes the evil despot that Bolas is and joins the Gatewatch crew as suggested by the novel cover.

As for the card itself, it is anyone's guess, but Kaya's
incorporeal powers suggest that one ability is to be able to exile the card (phased out from the game) and then return.  As for the other abilities, please do suggest with a comment below.
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