New Phyrexia Videos

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Happy Thursday MTG peeps,

It's time again in the spoiler season (albeit severely truncated) for Magic the Gathering fans to gather 'round the tube and take in the tradional and customary videos put together by Wizards of the Coast ahead of the release of their newest set, New Phyrexia. So, if you can tear yourself away from the media frenzy covering William and Kates royal wedding or (to a lesser extent) the Canadian Federal election, kick off yer boots, put yer dawgs up and take in these New Phyrexia Planeswalker primer videos . . .

Stick around after the vids - we've got vid-caps of all of the upcoming New Phyexia promo cards.

New Phyrexia Overview



New Phyrexia - Phyrexian Mana



New Phyrexia Chancellors



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Take a look inside New Phyrexia, the new Magic: The Gathering expansion that goes on sale May 13. You can get a sneak peek at the cards May 7-8 at Prereleases around the world. Go to www.wizards.com/locator to find a Prerelease near you. The Phyrexians may have conquered the plane of Mirrodin, but that's not the end of the story.
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PROMOS !

Prerelease Events (Sheoldred) - May 7-8, 2011, and

Launch Parties (Phyrexian Metamorph) - May 13-16, 2011

Game Day June 11-12, 2011

All Participants score the mana-crazd Priest of Urabrask while Top 8 players win a very cool Myr-Zilla. Odd how these cards kinda go together.











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Finally, just a word about keeping your finger on the pulse of new tech which always comes out with a new set.

We had been attempting to maintain a diligent watch over all new cards spoiled and previewed, altough this was a bit more difficult this season. One thing we did notice was just how nicely the Rise of the Eldrazi rare, Splinter Twin plays nicely with the freshly arrived Deceiver Exarch (as well as others) from New Phyrexia. To this end, we ensured we picked up a deckset from the folks over at MTG Mint Card when they were at $1.39 - have you checked out the price lately - yep - it's about $8.49 now.
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MBS Primer Video

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Hello again MTG peeps,

As tradition dictates, Wizards has produced another primer video ahead of the new Magic the Gathering set pre-release. In this their most recent Planeswalker Primer video, WoTC minions Dr. Ryan Miller and Dr. Bill Stark take a look at the overview of Mirrodin Besieged, officially released February 4 and provide tips for the pre-release this weekend.


Of note in the video : the Mirrodin Besieged Game Day cards are announced. Game Day events are standard format and held approximately one month after a set's release. Grab a bucket of popped Korn and let's watch . . .

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Now a word about the Game Day cards . . .

For showing up and participating you score a

Treasure Mage, 2u
Creature - Human Wizard, Uncommon
When Treasure Mage enters the battlefield, you may search your library for an artifact card with converted mana cost 6 or greater, reveal that card, and put it into your hand. If you do, shuffle your library.
2/2

. . . And the Top 8 players get the awesome bombtastic

Black Sun's Zenith, xbb
Sorcery, Rare
Put X -1/-1 counters on each creature. Shuffle Black Sun's Zenith into its owner's library.

yep - awesome sauce!
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To follow up with the above video, Wizards has provided two additional ones to help you out with the new mechanics.

A look at the new 'Battle Cry' mechanic . . .

And here's a look at the new 'Living Weapon' tech . . .

One last thingy - -

During the pre-release (most places) will provide 3 booster packs of Scars of Mirrodin and 3 booster packs of Mirrodin Besieged. You should be able to get the opportunity to request which faction, Mirran or Phyrexia you want to get for your MBS packs . . . WHICH faction will you go with and WHY ? -> Drop your response in the comment thingy below this post.

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SoM Primer Videos

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Just when you thought you have just returned to school and were hitting the books, you get hit with this - a new set with new cards to familiarize yourself with and new mechanics and keywords to learn - dammit. But this kind of learning is fun AND there's videos.

Following are the Scars of Mirrodin Planeswalker Primer videos for your review to get up to speed before you head out to a pre-release this weekend or release / launch party next weekend.
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Set Overview
Scars of Mirrodin will return to the plane of Mirrodin, previously the setting of the block and the set of the same name. As Mirrodin is an artificial plane, the number of artifacts and cards relating to that permanent type is larger than in other sets and mechanically reflects the themes already explored in the previous sets. The set describes the conflict between two major factions - one being Mirrodin, and the other being the invading forces of Phyrexia.

Metalcraft
Metalcraft is a new ability word introduced in this Scars of Mirrodin set and gives a bonus to a permanent if its controller also controls three or more artifacts.

Imprint
Imprint is a keyword ability that is featured on a number of artifact cards within the original Mirrodin block and now making a reappearence in the new Scars of Mirrodin set. Some imprint abilities are triggered, commonly by entering play, and some are activated abilities, but both remove cards from some zone to the removed from the game zone, where they are referred to as "imprinted" on the artifact.

Infect
Infect is a new keyword introduced in this Scars of Mirrodin set. It is centered in black and green with some artifacts having the keyword. The damage is still dealt as damage, and as such it can be prevented or redirected as normal. If not prevented or redirected, it turns into -1/-1 counters. However, damage to a player is dealt in poison counters.

Proliferate
Proliferate is a new keyword introduced in this Scars of Mirrodin set. It is only seen in the colour blue. When a player proliferates, he or she chooses any number of players and/or permanents with a counter on them, then puts another of those counters on these players or permanents. For example, a player proliferates and chooses an opponent with a Poison counter, a Planeswalker card with a loyalty counter, a creature with a -1/-1 counter and an artifact with a charge counter on it. Then that player gets another poison counter, the planeswalker gets another loyalty counter, the creature now has two -1/-1 counters and the artifact two charge counters on it. Thematically, the Proliferate mechanic is tied in with the Phyrexia faction in Scars of Mirrodin and its related Infect mechanic.

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As the entire set has now been spoiled / previewed, be sure to check out our Scars of Mirrodin Spoiler list which is constantly updated - linky is HERE. Also - from MTG Mint Card you can now pre-order card lots for Scars of Mirrodin.
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Eldrazi Primer Videos

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Good Day folks,
You've now seen all of the new card awesomeness in the new Rise of the Eldrazi set. You are now starting to develop deck ideas and strategies and like us, most of you will now start planning purchases and hopefully snag a pre-ordered deck set of that special card on the cheap before players realise just how good it is in the game and subsequently drive the prices up - sooo - plan now.

Check out MTG Mint Card - all the Rise of the Edlrazi singles are now up and ready for pre-order. BONUS - just enter "MTG-REALM" on check out page and you will get $5 off on your order of $50 or over. This code is good until the end of April, so plan your purchases now.

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Now that we have seen the entire set previewed, it's time to take some time and figure out how all of it works. Make sure you check out the Rise of the Eldrazi Frequently Asked Questions post we put up yesterday. Anywhoos - to that end, take off your planeswalker boots, pop a bowl of Korn and sit down to these A Planeswalker's Primer Videos from Wizards for Rise of the Eldrazi . . .

A Planeswalker's Primer to Rise of the Eldrazi:
Eldrazi

Take a look at the Eldrazi, soulless ravagers of the Aether who have awakened from their slumber deep within Zendikar's core. One of the new elements introducted in Rise of the Eldrazi, learn more about the Eldrazi, the Annihilator ability, and Eldrazi Drones and Eldrazi Spawn by watching this video.

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A Planeswalker's Primer to Rise of the Eldrazi:
Levelers

Rise of the Eldrazi introduces Levelers, a new type of creature in Magic: The Gathering that grow in power turn after turn. By spending mana after you cast a Leveler, the creature levels up to gain abilities, power, and toughness. But remember, a creature can only be leveled up when you would be able to cast a sorcery.

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A Planeswalker's Primer to Rise of the Eldrazi:
Rebound

Check out Rebound, a new ability introduced in Rise of the Eldrazi. If you like getting double value out of your spells, you'll love Rebound.

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A Planeswalker's Primer to Rise of the Eldrazi:
Totem Armor

Rise of the Eldrazi features totem armor, a new type of enchantment that provides bonuses to power and toughness along with bonus abilities, as well as protecting your creature from being destroyed.

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Stay tuned, we still have quite a bit of gaming tips to cover off before the pre-release this weekend and the release next week.

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Zendikar Primer Videos

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Zendikar goes on sale October 2, 2009 with many official launch parties taking place this Saturday. We have for your convenience and reference today a re-post of the WoTC Zendikar Primer Videos and some key-word abilities and themes for this new Magic the Gathering set. You may also wish to read the Zendikar Frequently Asked Questions which we posted HERE.

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Landfall

* Landfall is an ability word. It appears in italics at the beginning of an ability that triggers whenever a land enters the battlefield under your control.
* A landfall ability triggers whenever a land enters the battlefield under your control for any reason. It triggers whenever you play a land, as well as whenever a spell or ability (such as Rampant Growth) causes you to put a land onto the battlefield under your control. It will even trigger when a spell or ability causes another player to put a land onto the battlefield under your control (as can happen with Yavimaya Dryad's ability, for example).
* When a land enters the battlefield under your control, each landfall ability of the permanents you control will trigger. You can put them on the stack in any order. The last ability you put on the stack will be the first one that resolves.

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Quests

* "Quests" is the nickname for a set of _Zendikar_ enchantments that reward you for certain achievements while playing the game.
* Each quest has two abilities. The first ability triggers whenever a certain condition happens and puts a quest counter on the enchantment as a result. The second ability works only if there are a certain number of quest counters on the enchantment.
* The second ability of each common and uncommon quest requires you to remove a certain number of quest counters from it and sacrifice it as a cost. You can activate this ability only if it has the appropriate number of quest counters on it, since otherwise you couldn't remove enough of them. Also, you may activate this ability only once, since you can sacrifice the enchantment only once. You can't search for two Equipment cards if Quest for the Holy Relic has ten quest counters on it, for example.
* The second ability of each rare quest doesn't require you to remove any counters from it or sacrifice it. The counters and the enchantment will just stay put.
* Once there are enough counters on a quest for its second ability to work, there's usually no particular need to add more counters to it with its first ability, though you are free to do so.

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Traps

* Trap is a new subtype that appears on instants. Although the subtype Trap has no specific rules meaning, each Trap has an alternative cost you can pay to cast it if a certain condition has been met.
* You may ignore a Trap's alternative cost condition and simply cast it for its normal mana cost. This is true even if its alternative cost condition has been met.
* Casting a Trap by paying its alternative cost doesn't change its mana cost or converted mana cost. The only difference is the cost you actually pay.
* Effects that increase or reduce the cost to cast a Trap will apply to whichever cost you chose to pay. This is true even if the Trap's alternative cost is {0}.
* The alternative cost condition of most Traps checks for an action that has happened in the past. For example, Baloth Cage Trap checks to see if an opponent had an artifact enter the battlefield under his or her control this turn. It doesn't matter if that permanent is still on the battlefield or is still an artifact, and it doesn't matter if that opponent is still in the game. If that action happened at some point during the turn, Baloth Cage Trap can be cast for its alternative cost.
* If the alternative cost condition of a Trap checks to see if a number of actions have happened involving an opponent over the course of the turn (such as "if an opponent had three or more cards put into his or her graveyard from anywhere this turn"), those actions may have occurred separately. In this case, the three cards don't need to have been put into the opponent's graveyard all at once; it's okay if they were put there for different reasons at different times. All such actions must have involved the same single opponent, though.
* If a Trap checks to see if multiple events have happened over the course of a turn, it will individually count different events involving the same physical card if that card has changed zones between events. That's because it becomes a new object, with no relation to its previous existence, when it changes zones. For example, if the same physical creature card entered the battlefield, left the battlefield, then returned to the battlefield all in the same turn and all under an opponent's control, that opponent had two creatures enter the battlefield under his or her control that turn.
* The alternative cost condition of some Traps checks the number of creatures that are attacking as the spell is cast. For example, Arrow Volley Trap checks to see if four or more creatures are attacking. Once you cast a Trap like this, it doesn't matter whether its condition remains true. For Arrow Volley Trap and the other Traps like it, it doesn't matter how many creatures were declared as attackers, only how many are attacking as you cast it. It doesn't matter if all the attacking creatures are controlled by the same player. It also doesn't matter who controls the attacking creatures, so you can cause their alternative cost conditions to be true . . . but that means they'll affect your own attacking creatures.

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Allies

* Ally (rhymes with "shall I") is a new creature type. Allies are good at teamwork: Nearly every Ally has an ability that triggers whenever it or another Ally enters the battlefield under your control.
* Some Allies, such as Nimana Sell-Sword, have abilities that put +1/+1 counters on them. These abilities trigger when they enter the battlefield themselves, so even though Nimana Sell-Sword will enter the battlefield as a 2/2 creature, it will become a 3/3 creature almost immediately. But they'll be more vulnerable to instants and abilities while their triggered abilities wait to resolve.
* Some Allies have abilities that, when they resolve, grant an ability to all Allies you control. These affect only Allies you control at the time the ability resolves.
* Some Allies have abilities that, when they resolve, do something based on the number of Allies you control. These count the number of Allies you control as they resolve.
* When an Ally enters the battlefield under your control, each applicable triggered ability of the Allies you control will trigger. You can put them on the stack in any order. The last ability you put on the stack will be the first one that resolves.
* If more than one Ally enters the battlefield under your control at the same time due to some spell or ability, they'll all see each other enter the battlefield. For example, if two Nimana Sell-Swords enter the battlefield at the same time, each one's ability will trigger twice (once for itself and once for the other one), and they'll each wind up as 4/4 creatures.

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Intimidate

* Intimidate is an ability that makes attacking creatures hard to block.
* Intimidate looks at the current colors of a creature that has it. Normally, Bladetusk Boar can't be blocked except by artifact creatures and/or red creatures. If it's turned blue, then it can't be blocked except by artifact creatures and/or blue creatures.
* If an attacking creature has intimidate, what colors it is matters only as the defending player declares blockers. Once it's blocked, changing its colors won't change that.
* Artifact creatures can block creatures with intimidate no matter what colors either of them are.
* A multicolored creature with intimidate can be blocked by any creature that shares a color with it, in addition to artifact creatures. For example, a white-blue creature with intimidate can be blocked by white creatures and/or blue creatures, no matter what other colors they are.
* A colorless creature with intimidate can be blocked only by artifact creatures. It can't be blocked by colorless nonartifact creatures. In fact, a colorless nonartifact creature can't block a creature with intimidate at all.

Kicker

* Kicker is an ability originally seen in the _Invasion_(TM) block. It represents an additional cost, and may appear on any type of card that can be cast as a spell.
* You kick a spell as you cast it. You declare whether you're going to pay a kicker cost at the same time you'd choose a spell's mode, and then you actually pay it at the same time you pay the spell's mana cost. Kicking a spell is always optional.
* You can pay any particular kicker cost only once. You can't pay it multiple times to "pump up" the effect.
* Some instant and sorcery spells have an additional effect if they were kicked. Other instant and sorcery spells have a different effect if they were kicked. Read these cards carefully: If they include the word "instead," the second effect replaces the first. If they don't include the word "instead," both the first and second effects occur.
* Some permanents with kicker enter the battlefield with counters on them if they were kicked. Other permanents with kicker have "enters the battlefield" triggered abilities that check whether they were kicked. These look at whether they were kicked when cast as a spell. If not, the ability doesn't trigger at all. If such a permanent is put onto the battlefield as the result of a spell or ability, there's no opportunity to kick them.
* If a permanent has a targeted "enters the battlefield" ability that triggers if it was kicked, the target isn't chosen until the permanent enters the battlefield and the ability triggers (as opposed to when that permanent was cast). That means that sometimes you may wind up targeting something you don't want to. For example, say you cast a kicked Heartstabber Mosquito, which has the ability "When Heartstabber Mosquito enters the battlefield, if it was kicked, destroy target creature." In response to the Heartstabber Mosquito spell, your opponent sacrifices his or her only creature. When the Mosquito enters the battlefield, its ability triggers, and you must choose a target for it. If no one else controls any creatures, you must target one of your own -- possibly Heartstabber Mosquito itself.
* Kicker costs don't change a spell's mana cost or converted mana cost.
* If a kicked spell is copied, the copy is also kicked.
* Older cards with kicker were printed with abilities that had the text "if you paid the kicker cost" or "if its kicker cost was paid." Cards that were printed with that text have received errata in the Oracle card reference so they now say "if it was kicked." The cards work the same way they always did; these abilities have their effects if the player decided to pay the kicker cost, not necessarily if the listed cost was actually paid.