Rise of the Eldrazi FAQ

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Happy Wednesday folks.
Not only is it 'hump-day' for working stiffs and students all over the world, today in particular also happens to be spoiler complete day for Rise of the Eldrazi. Late last evening or early this morning, Wizards did the final update and loaded in the last few remaining cards on their RoE mini-site preview page.

As a result of this, we now have a complete 248 of 248 cards and card images accounted for. Make sure you hit up our MTG Realm Rise of the Eldrazi Spoiler list which provides all the card text as well as images for rare / mythic rares. We will ensure we get a full Rise of the Eldrazi visual spoiler hosted within the next week as well for easy reference while on the blog here.

This weekend, Pre-Release events will be taking place all over the globe - to find an event near you, check out this page at Wizards. With the pre-release events just 2 days away, it may be time for you to do a quick review of the Rise of the Eldrazi FAQs so your games go smoothly this weekend.


Here is a copy of the FAQ document for your reference . . .


You can find descriptions, notes, and rules explanations for most Rise of the Eldrazi cards in this document. Some of the major points -

New Creature Type: Eldrazi
New Keyword Ability: Annihilator
Returning Card Type: Tribal
New Card Frames: Colorless Cards
Theme: "When you cast [this creature]" abilities
Theme: Legendary Eldrazi
Theme: Eldrazi Spawn tokens
New Card Layout: Levelers
New Keyword Ability: Level up
New Keyword Ability: Rebound
New Keyword Ability: Totem Armor
Theme: Converted Mana Cost

Also - make sure you check out the card-specific notes section starting on page 11 - we will to reduce any potentional faux-pas during the pre-release this weekend.

If you will be heading out and bringing your best game - good luck !

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Rise Eldrazi Spoiler 3-13

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Good Afternoon folks,

Straight off the Rise of the Eldrazi Spoiler wagon come these five (5!) rares to pimp your next Magic the Gathering game. Our thanks to the folks in Italy for supplying us with these . .

Lightmine Field, 2
Enchantment (Rare)
Whenever one or more creatures attack, Lightmine Field deals damage to each of those creatures equal to the number of attacking creatures.

Not a bad insurance policy against token decks. Sort of reminds us of an anti-Chain Reaction.


Umbra Mystic 2
Creature - Human Wizard (Rare)
Auras attached to permanents you control have totem armor.
2/2


If you are playing a casual constructed deck which includes the new Kor Spiritdancer, you may want to consider this one for inclusion as well.


Gravitational Field, 3
Enchantment (Rare)
Creatures with flying get +2/+0.
Creatures without flying get -2/-0.

Very nice addition to casual blue decks featuring a flock 'o' fliers. We really don't think the pro-tour circuit guys will be giving this a second look - we however like it.



Evil Omen, 4
Enchantment (Rare)
At the beginning of your end step, you may reveal the top card of your library. If you do, each opponent loses life equal to that card's converted mana cost.


Dang! - With all the huge Eldrazi fatties entering our play environment, this could be rather dangerous. 'Could be' is the word - way too situational for us.


Sphinx-Bone Wand, 7
Artifact (Rare)
Whenever you cast an instant or sorcery spell, you may put a charge counter on Sphinx-Bone Wand. If you do, Sphinx-Bone Wand deals damage to target creature or player equal to the number of charge counters on it.

Nice. We don't really play control or burn but would like to hear from those what they think of this little beauty. Perhaps if it was less expensive to cast, this may make the cut.

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That's all folks, stay tuned - the light is at the end of the spoiler tunnel and we will be sitting down to our first sealed event soon this weekend for the pre-release events.
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Rise Eldrazi Intro Packs

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We finally have the official Rise of the Eldrazi Intro Pack details / contents today from Wizards although we still short a few cards on the spoiler. We will get all the cards linked up to the Gather DataBase after they are loaded up.

The Shizzle : Each Rise of the Eldrazi Intro Pack will contain a 41-card deck, 1 fixed foil rare, 1 random non-foil rare, 1 Worldwake booster pack, and a mechanics/rules insert.

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Levelers' Glory (/):

Creatures
1x Affa Guard Hound (uncommon)
1x Alluring Siren (M10 uncommon)
2x Caravan Escort (common)
1x Glory Seeker (common)
1x Hedron-Field Purists (rare)
1x Lone Missionary
2x Makindi Griffin
1x Soulbound Guardians (common)
1x Student of Warfare (foil rare)
1x Venerated Teacher (common)
1x Wall of Frost (M10 uncommon)

Spells
1x Angel's Mercy (M10 common)
1x Domestication (uncommon)
1x Fleeting Distraction
1x Luminous Wake (uncommon)
2x Narcolepsy (common)
1x Negate (M10 common)
1x See Beyond (common)
1x Sleep (M10 uncommon)
1x Unsummon (M10 common)

Lands
10x Plains
8x Island

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Levelers' Scorn (/):

Creatures
1x Coral Merfolk (M10 common)
1x Echo Mage (Rare)
1x Enatu Golem
1x Hada Spy Patrol (Uncommon)
1x Phantasmal Abomination (common)
1x Phantom Warrior (M10 Uncommon)
1x Sea Gate Oracle (common)
2x Skywatcher Adept (common)
1x Snapping Drake (M10 common)
1x Sphinx of Magosi (Rare)
1x Venerated Teacher (common)
1x Wall of Bone (M10 Uncommon)
1x Zombie Goliath (M10 common)

Spells
1x Domestication (Ucommon)
1x Doom Blade (M10 common)
1x Fleeting Distraction
2x Last Kiss (common)
1x Negate (M10 common)
1x See Beyond (common)
1x Telepathy (M10 Uncommon)
1x Unsummon (M10 common)

Lands
11x Island
7x Swamp

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Invading Spawn (/):

Creatures
2x Bloodthrone Vampire (common)
1x Dragon Whelp (M10 Uncommon)
1x Drana, Kalastria Bloodchief (Foil Rare)
2x Emrakul's Hatcher (common)
1x Gloomhunter (common)
1x Hand of Emrakul (common)
1x Howling Banshee (M10 Uncommon)
1x Lagac Lizard (common)
2x Lavafume Invoker (common)
1x Magmaw (Rare)
1x Ogre Sentry
1x Pawn of Ulamog (Uncommon)
1x Rapacious One (Uncommon)

Spells
1x Act of Treason (M10 Uncommon)
1x Corpsehatch (Uncommon)
1x Essence Feed (common)
1x Fireball (M10 Uncommon)
2x Lightning Bolt (M10 common)
1x Vendetta (common)

Lands
9x Mountain
9x Swamp

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Eldrazi Arisen (/):

Creatures
1x Akoum Boulderfoot (common)
1x Conquering Manticore (Foil Rare)
1x Daggerback Basilisk (common)
1x Goblin Piker (M10 common)
1x Hand of Emrakul (common)
1x Kozilek's Predator (common)
1x Nest Invader (common)
1x Ondu Giant (common)
1x Pathrazer of Ulamog (Uncommon)
1x Rapacious One (Uncommon)
1x Runed Servitor (Uncommon)
2x Sporecap Spider (common)
1x Ulamog's Crusher (common)

Spells
1x Act of Treason (M10 Uncommon)
1x Awakening Zone (Rare)
1x Bountiful Harvest (M10 common)
1x Dreamstone Hedron (Uncommon)
2x Flame Slash (common)
1x Growth Spasm (common)
1x Might of the Masses (common)
1x Windstorm (M10 Uncommon)

Lands
10x Forest
8x Mountain

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Totem Armor (/):

Creatures
1x Cudgel Troll (M10 Uncommon)
1x Daggerback Basilisk (common)
2x Elvish Visionary (M10 common)
1x Gigantomancer (Foil Rare)
1x Kor Spiritdancer (Rare)
1x Nema Siltlurker
1x Ornithopter (M10 Uncommon)
1x Pelakka Wurm (Uncommon)
1x Prized Unicorn (M10 Uncommon)
1x Soul's Attendant (common)
2x Sporecap Spider (common)
1x Stomper Cub (common)

Spells
1x Angel's Mercy (M10 common)
1x Boar Umbra (Uncommon)
1x Eland Umbra (common)
1x Harmless Assault (common)
1x Mammoth Umbra (Uncommon)
2x Pacifism (M10 common)
1x Righteousness (M10 Uncommon)
1x Spider Umbra (common)

Lands
9x Forest
9x Plains

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One last thing - there are quite a few Magic 2010 core set cards in these Intro Packs. You might want to bump up the numbers of a few of these. There are a LOT of stores (brick 'n' mortar and OnLine which had simply run out of stock for Magic 2010, the core set as well as Zendikar. Apparently MTG Mint Card just received a bunch more, so if you were waiting, wait no longer . . .

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French RoE Scans

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We are still catching up on image spoilers for the newest Rise of the Eldrazi. These are still unofficial and have possible translation errors. It may be important you recognise the images across the table from you - it may help your game during the Pre-Release coming up this weekend. ;-)

click to get a clearer, larger image dude!

SCAN ONE ROW ONE ~

Cadaver Imp, 1bb
Creature - Imp, Common
Flying
When Cadaver Imp enters the battlefield, return target creature card from your graveyard to your hand.
1/1

Suffer the Past, xb
Instant, Uncommon
Exile X target cards from target player's graveyard. For each card you exiled this way, that player loses 1 life and you gain 1 life.

Zulaport Enforcer, b
Creature - Human Warrior, Common
Level up 4
[Level 1-2]: (3/3)
[Level 3+]: Zulaport Enforcer can't be blocked except by black creatures. (5/5)
1/1

ROW TWO~

Prophetic Prism, 2
Artifact Common
When Prophetic Prism enters the battlefield, draw a card.
1, {T}: Add one mana of any color to your mana pool.

Puncturing Light, 1w
Instant Common
Destroy target attacking or blocking creature with power 3 or less.

Unified Will, 1u
Instant Uncommon
Counter target spell if you control more creatures than that spell's controller.

ROW THREE~

Overgrown Battlement, 1g
Creature - Wall, Common
Defender
{T}: Add {G} to your mana pool for each creature with defender you control.
0/4

Harmless Assault, 2ww
Instant Common
Prevent all combat damage that would be dealt this turn by attacking creatures.

Support Revenge, 5bb
Sorcery Rare
Each player’s life total becomes the lowest life total among all players.

SCAN TWO
ROW ONE ~

Spider Umbra, g
Enchantment - Aura, Common
Enchanted creature gets +1+1 and has reach.
Totem armor

Jaddi Lifestrider, 4g
Creature Elemental, Uncommon
When Jaddi Lifestrider enters the battlefield, you may tap any number of untapped creatures you control. You gain 2 life for each creature tapped this way.
2/8

Spore Spider, 2g
Creature - Spider Common
Reach
1/5

ROW TWO ~

Daggerback Basilisk, 2g
Creature - Basilisk Common
Deathtouch
2/2

Perish the Thought, 2b
Sorcery Common
Target opponent reveals his or her hand. Choose a card from it. That player shuffles that card into his or her library.

Ulamog's Crusher, 8
Creature - Eldrazi Common
Annihilator 2
Ulamog's Crusher attacks each turn if able.
8/8

ROW THREE ~

Demonic Appetite, b
Enchantment - Aura, Common
Enchant creature you control
Enchanted creature gets +3/+3.
At the beginning of your upkeep, sacrifice a creature.

Overwhelming Prey, g
Sorcery Uncommon
Target creature must be blocked this turn if able.
Draw a card.

Stomper Cub, 3gg
Creature - Beast Common
Trample
5/3

SCAN THREE
ROW ONE ~

Merfolk Observer, 1u
Creature - Merfolk Rogue, Common
When Merfolk Observer enters the battlefield, look at the top card of target player's library
2/1

Skywatcher Adept, u
Creature - Merfolk Soldier, Common
Level up 3
[Level 1-2] : Flying (2/2)
[Level 3+] : Flying (4/2)
1/1

Soul Follower, w
Creature - Human Cleric, Common
Whenever another creature enters the battlefield, you may gain 1 life.
1/1

ROW TWO ~

Distortion Smite, u
Sorcery Common
Target creature gets +1/+0 until end of turn and is unblockable this turn.
Rebound

Runed Servitor, 2
Artifact Creature - Construct Uncommon
When Runed Servitor is put into a graveyard from the battlefield, each player draws a card.
2/2

Jwari Courser, 2u
Creature - Crab, Common
2/3

ROW THREE ~

Affa Guard Hound, 2w
Creature - Hound, Uncommon
Flash
When Affa Guard Hound enters the battlefield, target creature gets +0/+3 until end of turn.
Once a welcoming hub for explorers, Affa became a place of guarded tongues and quick defenses.
2/2

Totem-Guard Hartbeest, 4w
Creature - Antelope, Common
When Totem-Guard Hartbeest enters the battlefield, you may search your library for an Aura card, reveal it, put it into your hand, then shuffle your library.
2/5

Eldrazi Food Chain

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Those new Rise of the Eldrazi fatties are a fairly hungry bunch and in this new set, one will need to find a way to have a fat mana wallet or not be able to play the game. We're not certain how things will work out in the casual constructed environment but we do believe that good things are on the way for limited players - a number of drafters we've spoken with are already goo-goo and cannot wait until this set releases on April 23rd.

Rise of the Eldrazi is part of Zendikar block, which means that it will be part of Zendikar Block Constructed. But it's a large set, which means that it will be drafted on its own; drafts will be either Zendikar-Zendikar-Worldwake or Rise of the Eldrazi-Rise of the Eldrazi-Rise of the Eldrazi.

Soo - back again to the Eldrazi food chain - When you play Limited with Rise of the Eldrazi, you should value your Eldrazi Spawn generators higher than you might have otherwise so that you can get the most value out of all these interactions.

Essentially, any card that has that line "0/1 colorless Eldrazi Spawn creature token onto the battlefield. It has "Sacrifice this creature: Add 1 to your mana pool", is going to be gold in this limited game. Let's have a look what we have to date . . .

Have a look at the following and evaluate a fit into your deck (or snap it up early during a draft) :
Awakening Zone, Birthing the Brood, Corpsehatch, Emrakul's Hatcher, Essence Feed, Growth Spasm, Kozilek's Predator, Nest Invader, Pawn of Ulamog, Rapacious One, Skittering Invasion, Spawning Breath, and Spawnsire of Ulamog.



























Now, if you want to ensure you're newly hatched Eldrazi Spawn critters survive long enough to feed them into an Eldrazi fatty, you may wish to use such cards as Eldrazi Monument (+1/+1, flying and indestructible) or perhaps Broodwarden to make 'em all 2/2's.

Broodwarden, 3
Creature - Eldrazi Drone, Uncommon
Eldrazi Spawn creatures you control get +2/+1.


With all this yummy spawn token goodness, one may obviously feed those big Edrazi fatties but one card that did catch our attention is Hand of Emrakul - It is a 7/7 for 9 colourless with annihilator 1 - not that bad but the beauty is the ability to sac four Eldrazi spawn to put it straight onto the battlefield and create a solid game threat. Mind you, tis is not as large as Ulamog's Crusher, but it has the dangerous ability to be cast without mana quite early in the game.



That's it for now, make sure you check out our Rise of the Eldrazi Spoiler list (linky HERE), now at 181/248, which we have taken pains to maintain current with all the latest spoilers.

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