RTR Spoiler 9

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Happy Wednesday MTG peeps,

If you've not yet seen these yet, then get ready for some more amazing Return to Ravnica art spoilers 'n' previews spotted at the recent 2012 Magic Players Championship in Seattle.  This invite-only tournament features sixteen Magic the Gathering players from around the world doing battle for the title of 'Player of the Year'.  A first place cash prize of $40,00 is part of the total cash purse totaling over $100,000.

Anywhoos, check out some of these beautiful images thrown up on the screen behind the players during the tournament.  We can only hope that these arts make it onto cards in the upcoming Return to Ravnica set . . .

First up,
This art screams to be a reprint of Ravnica: City of Guilds reprint of the legendary creature Tolsimir Wolfblood on his stead or rather wolf, the 2/2 green and white Wolf creature token named Voja.

Next -
TWO different arts, both strongly suggestive of being an Izzet League Mage.

This red Devil might just be painted by Svetlin Velinov, the same artist which brought you the Dark Ascension Hellrider.
 
This Elf may be a member of the Golgari swarm as the art is somewhat reminiscent of Savra, Queen of the Golgari.

Next - some exciting stuff.  There may or may not be a reprint or functional reprint (or perhaps something altogether different) of the popular shocklands from Ravnica: City of Guilds.  Here are lovely arts which remind us of Hallowed Fountain, Sacred Fountain and Watery Grave.

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RTR Spoiler 8

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Happy WEdnesday MTG peeeps,

We did take a break from actual Return to Ravnica cards spoiled / previewed in the Izzet vs. Golgari Duel Deck to concentrate on all the amazing new Magic: the Gathering card arts which came out but now we're back on point.  So far we have had a look at Rootborn Defenses and Deadbridge Goliath as well as Jarad, Golgari Lich Lord but we did not yet review the 5 new (6 if you include Jarad) cards revealed in the Izzet vs Golgari Decklist.

Let's have a boo now shall we as in the next post we will want to yatter about the possible Return to Ravnica cycles we may expect.
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Street Spasm, xr
Instant, Uncommon
Street Spasm deals X damage to target creature without flying you don't control.
Overload {X}{X}{R}{R}

Overload looks to be a cool mechanic and Street Spasm might be a decent enough card for limited as well as constructed play.
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Dreg Mangler, 1bg
Creature - Plant Zombie, Uncommon
Haste
Scavenge 3{B}{G}
3/3

Lov'n the name as well as the slick art from Peter Mohrbacher.  Scavenge also looks to be a decent new tech and we look forward to seeing this mechanic on other cards.
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Goblin Electromancer, ur
Creature - Goblin Wizard, Common
Instant and sorcery spells you cast cost 1 less to cast.
2/2

This card's flavour is totally Izzet.  We love this card at common rarity and have great expectations of epic Izzet games with cards like this.
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Izzet Charm, ur
Instant, Uncommon
Choose One - Counter target noncreature spell unless its controller pays 2; or Izzet Charm deals 2 damage to target creature; or draw two cards, then discard two cards.

Another card Wizards produced with big Izzet flavour.  We're still not quite decided as to how well this may be in constructed but we do rather appreciate spells with this many different 'swiss-knife' options.
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Korozda Guildmage, bg
Creature - Elf Shaman, Uncommon
1{B}{G}: Target creature gets +1/+1 and gains intimidate until end of turn.
2{B}{G}, Sacrifice a nontoken creature: Put X 1/1 green Saproling creature tokens onto the battlefield, where X is the sacrificed creature's toughness.
2/2

This guildmage rocks our Golgari world.  The art from one of our fav artists Ryan Pancoast is a bit weird but we love the pump 'n' intimidate as well as sac 'n' token utility.
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Lastly,
Remember to drop by MTG Mint Card for Magic the Gathering singles from not only the Duel Deck but Return to Ravnica as well.

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Choose your Guild 2

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Happy Tuesday MTG peeps,

As we continue to churn through a number of Return to Ravnica spoilers and art previews, we wanted to take a moment to smell the roses with the very cool work Wizards of the Coast has done with the Planeswalker Points site.  If you've played Magic the Gathering at any sort of organised event (like Friday Night Magic) or tournament / competitive play, then you have a DCI membership card.  With Return to Ravnica excitement ramping up, WoTC has provided a very cool 'Choose your Guild' tab on the Planeswalker Points site.  Just login with your DCI number & password and select a guild.  Once in a guild, you’ll work alongside other guild members to earn achievements and raise your guild to the top of the leaderboard.  Not sure what guild you might be in? -Then take the cool Guild Quiz. 

One 'accepted' by your Guild, you get one of these very lovely letters.  Here are the Guilds featured in the Gatecrash set . . . Wizards are brilliant here with the creativity.
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The Boros Legion stands ready to maintain order on Ravnica with its fearless army of angels and knights.

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 The Simic Combine investigates the deepest realms of life, exploring its secrets and revealing its powers.

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The Orzhov Syndicate controls the flow of wealth and souls through the debts that extend deep into the afterlife.

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House Dimir seeks to control all knowledge, making Ravnica dance on its puppet string.

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 The Gruul Clans rage across Ravnica teating down everything in their path, reducting the great city to rubble and ash.

The Gruul letter nearly made our milk shoot through our nose.  Awesome - now we're thinking of sprucing up our resumé with something similar.
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Choose your Guild 1

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Happy Tuesday MTG peeps,

As we continue to churn through a number of Return to Ravnica spoilers and art previews, we wanted to take a moment to smell the roses with the very cool work Wizards of the Coast has done with the Planeswalker Points site.  If you've played Magic the Gathering at any sort of organised event (like Friday Night Magic) or tournament / competitive play, then you have a DCI membership card.  With Return to Ravnica excitement ramping up, WoTC has provided a very cool 'Choose your Guild' tab on the Planeswalker Points site.  Just login with your DCI number & password and select a guild.  Once in a guild, you’ll work alongside other guild members to earn achievements and raise your guild to the top of the leaderboard.  Not sure what guild you might be in? -Then take the cool Guild Quiz. 

One 'accepted' by your Guild, you get one of these very lovely letters.  Here are the Guilds featured in the Return to Ravnica set . . . Wizards are brilliant here with the creativity.
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The Azorious Senate creates and enforces laws that prevent Ravnica from slipping into chaos.

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 The Selesnya Conclave communes as one interconnected soul dedicated to defending the purity of nature's immaculate order.

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The Golgari Swarm reveres the natural cycles of life and death and ensures an abundance of both.

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The Izzet League endlessly invents new forms of magic and machinery to serve Ravnica as well as its own boundless curiousity. 

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The Cult of Radkos is dedicated to wild revelry, debauched public displays, and senseless acts of destuction.

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Izzet vs Golgari Decklist

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Happy Monday MTG peeps,
Just aw we here at MTG Realm are still reeling from last weekend's massive Return to Ravnica art spoilers / previews, today the Mothersite posted the full Duel Deck Izzet vs Golgari Decklist.  If you don't know, Duel Decks are a series of theme decks first issued in 2007 with each set depicts a notable rivalry.  They contain two 60-card decks designed and developed specifically to be played againsteach other by two people.  The latest duel deck, is rather exciting as it contains six cards from the upcoming Return to Ravnica set.  We'll get to those new cards next post, but for now, let's have a peak at the Izzet vs Golgari Decklist . . .

(R) - Rare or Mythic Rare, (RTR) - New Return to Ravnica Card

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Izzet Deck
The Izzet are obsessive experimenters, the epitome of keen creative intellect combined with an unfortunately short attention span. The original mandate of the Izzet guild was to provide solutions for public works projects (sewers, boilers, roadways), but their experiments often produce mana geysers, spatial rifts, or arcane portals instead. As of late, their guildmaster, the dragon Niv-Mizzet, has driven the Izzet to delve deeper and deeper into more dangerous and experimental magic. The purpose of these experiments is unknown.

Main Deck - 60 cards   
24 lands : 1  Forgotten Cave, 10  Island, 2  Izzet Boilerworks, 1  Lonely Sandbar, 9  Mountain, 1  Nivix, Aerie of the Firemind

15 creatures : 1  Djinn Illuminatus (R), 1  Galvanoth (R), 1  Gelectrode, 1  Goblin Electromancer (RTR), 1  Izzet Chronarch, 1  Izzet Guildmage, 2  Kiln Fiend, 1  Niv-Mizzet, the Firemind (R), 1  Ogre Savant, 2  Shrewd Hatchling, 1  Steamcore Weird, 2  Wee Dragonauts

21 other spells : 1  Brainstorm, 1  Call to Heel, 1  Dissipate, 1  Fire // Ice, 1  Force Spike, 1  Invoke the Firemind (R), 1  Isochron Scepter (R), 1  Izzet Charm (RTR), 1  Izzet Signet, 1  Magma Spray, 1  Overwhelming Intellect, 1  Prophetic Bolt (R), 2  Pyromatics, 1  Quicksilver Dagger, 1  Reminisce, 1  Sphinx-Bone Wand (R), 1  Street Spasm (RTR), 1  Thunderheads, 1  Train of Thought, 1  Vacuumelt

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Golgari Deck
The Golgari guild is organized more like a single organism than a collective. It has a nucleus or nerve center that drives the direction and growth of the guild, elements that collect nutrients and convert them into usable resources, defenses that fight off foreign bodies, and an instinctual drive to survive, reproduce, and overcome.

Main Deck - 60 cards   
24 lands : 1  Barren Moor, 1  Dakmor Salvage, 8  Forest, 2  Golgari Rot Farm, 1  Svogthos, the Restless Tomb, 10  Swamp, 1  Tranquil Thicket

23 creatures : 1  Boneyard Wurm, 1  Brain Weevil, 1  Doomgape (R), 1  Dreg Mangler (RTR), 2  Elves of Deep Shadow, 1  Eternal Witness, 1  Gleancrawler (R), 1  Golgari Grave-Troll (R), 2  Golgari Rotwurm, 1  Golgari Thug, 1  Greater Mossdog, 1  Jarad, Golgari Lich Lord (R), 1  Korozda Guildmage (RTR), 1  Plagued Rusalka, 1  Putrid Leech, 1  Ravenous Rats, 1  Reassembling Skeleton, 1  Sadistic Hypnotist, 1  Shambling Shell, 1  Stingerfling Spider, 1  Stinkweed Imp

13 other spells : 1  Feast or Famine, 1  Ghoul's Feast, 1  Golgari Germination, 1  Golgari Signet, 1  Grim Flowering, 1  Life // Death, 1  Life from the Loam (R), 1  Nightmare Void, 2  Putrefy, 1  Twilight's Call (R), 1  Vigor Mortis, 1  Yoke of the Damned

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We rather like this Duel Deck - everything from the flavour, to hard hitting spells, and the nostaligia.  Considering that Niv Mizzet, Jarad, Golgari Lich Lord, Life from the Loam, Isochron Scepter, Eternal Witness and Grave Troll we think that the MRSP of $20 is money well spent and excellent entainment / collector value.  We're going to try to get our paws on this when it is finally released on 7th September, 2012, get some games in and get you a proper review.  If you are looking to get singles from this, look no further than MTG Mint Card.
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RTR Spoiler 7

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Happy Sunday MTG peeps,

Some very exciting news about the next Magic: The Gathering set, Return to Ravnica set to be released on 5 October, 2012.  Forum user '1Drop' was able to find a treasure trove of Return to Ravnica spoilers on the mothersite which had been loaded but not yet hyperlinked to a front page.  The content essentially provides additional story-line / flavour as well as a ton of Return to Ravnica art spoilers / previews.  Expect a series of posts here at MTG Realm as we churn through the content.  In this post, we have a slew of Return to Ravnica / Gatecrash arts which is part of the very cool 'Which Guild are you?' Quiz.  On a personal note, we cannot recall being this excited in anticipation for a MTG set release. 

These images, for ease of organisation were put together in an ah-hoc Return to Ravnica (Gatecrash)Guild banners and we cannot provide any assurance that arts provided belong to the guild indicated.  Only refer to the mothersite for official previews. Anywhoos - let's have a looky . . .

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Orzhov Syndicate
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Izzet League
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Golgari Swarm
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Boros Legion
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Simic Combine
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Lastly,
Ensure you drop by MTG Mint Card to get your pre-orders in for the soon to be released Izzet vs. Golgari which is rumoured to feature at least six new cards to be part of this fall's large set Return to Ravnica.
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RTR Spoiler 6

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Happy Sunday MTG peeps,

Some very exciting news about the next Magic: The Gathering set, Return to Ravnica set to be released on 5 October, 2012.  Forum user '1Drop' was able to find a treasure trove of Return to Ravnica spoilers on the mothersite which had been loaded but not yet hyperlinked to a front page.  The content essentially provides additional story-line / flavour as well as a ton of Return to Ravnica art spoilers / previews.  Expect a series of posts here at MTG Realm as we churn through the content.  In this post, we have a slew of Return to Ravnica arts which is part of the very cool 'Which Guild are you?' Quiz.  On a personal note, we cannot recall being this excited in anticipation for a MTG set release. 

These images, for ease of organisation were put together in an ah-hoc Return to Ravnica Guild banners and we cannot provide any assurance that arts provided belong to the guild indicated.  Only refer to the mothersite for official previews. Anywhoos - let's have a looky . . .

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Azorius Senate

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House Dimir

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The Cult of Rakdos

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The Gruul Clans

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Slesnya Conclave

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Lastly,
Ensure you drop by MTG Mint Card to get your pre-orders in for the soon to be released Izzet vs. Golgari which is rumoured to feature at least six new cards to be part of this fall's large set Return to Ravnica.
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RTR Spoiler 5

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Happy Sunday MTG peeps,

Some very exciting news about the next Magic: The Gathering set, Return to Ravnica set to be released on 5 October, 2012.  Forum user '1Drop' was able to find a treasure trove of Return to Ravnica spoilers on the mothersite which had been loaded but not yet hyperlinked to a front page.  The content essentially provides additional story-line / flavour as well as a ton of Return to Ravnica art spoilers / previews.  Expect a series of posts here at MTG Realm as we churn through the content - this post, a low-down on Guilds to be featured in 'Gatecrash'.  On a personal note, we cannot recall being this excited in anticipation for a MTG set release.  Anywhoos - let's have a looky-loo . . .
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Orzhov Syndicate 
The Orzhov guild is founded on the beliefs that wealth is power, that structure breeds wealth, and that guilt creates structure. The guild is run like a combination religion, credit-lending agency, and crime syndicate. An ostentatious hierarchy of priests, enforcers, and ghostly councilors rules over a congregation of guilt-bound loyalists, indebted undead, and thrull servants. Many Orzhov guild members truly believe that their rule is necessary for making Ravnica the best it can be, and they are unscrupulous in their methods of seizing power. Most Ravnicans see the Orzhov for the corrupt organization they are, but many are lured in by their promises of wealth, prestige, and longevity.

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Izzet League 
The Izzet are obsessive experimenters, the epitome of keen creative intellect combined with an unfortunately short attention span. The original mandate of the Izzet guild was to provide solutions for public works projects (sewers, boilers, roadways), but their experiments often produce mana geysers, spatial rifts, or arcane portals instead. As of late, their guildmaster, the dragon Niv-Mizzet, has driven the Izzet to delve deeper and deeper into more dangerous and experimental magic. The purpose of these experiments is unknown.


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Golgari Swarm 
The Golgari guild is organized more like a single organism than a collective. It has a nucleus or nerve center that drives the direction and growth of the guild, elements that collect nutrients and convert them into usable resources, defenses that fight off foreign bodies, and an instinctual drive to survive, reproduce, and overcome.

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Boros Legion 
The Boros Legion is the guild of righteous law and fierce justice. The most formidable military force on Ravnica, the Boros are efficient, self-assured, and zealous in the pursuit of their ideals. The Boros believe passionately in law; to them it is the structure by which society functions and the road map for the community’s health and safety. Anything that violates the letter of the law, threatens the spirit of the law, or obstructs the enforcement of the law is considered an enemy of the Boros Legion. In effect, anyone who disagrees with the Boros is an enemy of the Boros.

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Simic Combine 
The Simic Combine is Ravnica’s steward of nature and the wild; its mission is to preserve and advance the natural world even as Ravnica’s cities continue to grow. The guild seeks to protect the elements of the plane that are incompatible or mutually exclusive with its overpopulated, urban conditions. This is not easy, of course, because the forces of civilization are so prevalent on Ravnica that they threaten to subsume anything that runs counter to them. But the Simic practice a strange combination of detachment and holism that provide a kind of separation from the larger urban systems—a separation on which their conservation mission depends.
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Lastly,
Ensure you drop by MTG Mint Card to get your pre-orders in for the soon to be released Izzet vs. Golgari which is rumoured to feature at least six new cards to be part of this fall's large set Return to Ravnica.
~

RTR Spoiler 4

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Happy Sunday MTG peeps,

Some very exciting news about the next Magic: The Gathering set, Return to Ravnica set to be released on 5 October, 2012.  Forum user '1Drop' was able to find a treasure trove of Return to Ravnica spoilers on the mothersite which had been loaded but not yet hyperlinked to a front page.  The content essentially provides additional story-line / flavour as well as a ton of Return to Ravnica art spoilers / previews.  Expect a series of posts here at MTG Realm as we churn through the content.  On a personal note, we cannot recall being this excited in anticipation for a MTG set release.  Anywhoos - let's have a looky-loo . . .
~

Azorius Senate 
Also known as the High Judges, the Azorius Senate is Ravnica’s ostensible government. The guild considers itself to be the mediator and controller of all other guilds’ activities, even though most of its countless decrees are largely ignored. The Azorius Senate does wield real power, and other guilds are aware that if the Azorius had their way, they would be in charge over the entire metropolis. The Azorius’s reach has waxed and waned depending on economics, cultural trends, and other guilds’ activities.

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House Dimir 
In the dark, slick corridors of the undercity lurks the unfathomable network of the Dimir guild. House Dimir is Ravnica’s dark but open secret: the populace knows Dimir exists but they pretend it doesn’t. The Dimir’s role in Ravnica is to provide covert services that other guilds can’t or won’t, using their secrecy as both weapon and defense. Dimir is hidden even from itself, using pockets of covert agents who are aware of only a few other contacts. Dimir agents leave no trace, destroying memories of witnesses to their crimes, and even going so far as to eliminate their own memories of their assignments.

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Rakdos Cult 
The Rakdos Cult is a large group of hedonists, sadists, criminals, and psychopaths under the leadership of a powerful demon named Rakdos. The Rakdos Cult combines an instinctual bloodlust and desire for power. They’re sadistic and cruel simply for the fun of it. Opportunistic violence is their modus operandi. Mayhem and personal enjoyment is their goal. They want Ravnica to bow to their whims and anything that gets in their way—or happens to be walking by—is fair game.
 

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Gruul Clans 
The Gruul are a loose affiliation of savage clans who squat in Ravnica’s alleyways, abandoned zones, and overgrown ruins. Many Gruul warriors and shamans have come to occupy the Rubblebelt, a broken thread of war-ruined land and settlements that begins near the outskirts of Ravnica’s Tenth District. Warfare among the Gruul is constant and almost ritualistic; the Gruul believe that only the strong should survive and rule. The Gruul are the most anti-civilization and disenfranchised of all of Ravnica’s guilds, and as such are the most ill at ease in a world covered by city.

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Selesnya Conclave 
The Selesnya guild sees itself as the voice of Mat’Selesnya, a mysterious consciousness they believe to be the manifestation of nature itself. All within the guild are considered mouthpieces of that singular voice, and they seek to expand their guild by evangelizing their message and adding members. The Selesnya message is personal as well as public: individuals must silence their own consciousness in order to hear the will of their guildmaster, a three-headed dryad who is the spiritual transmitter of Mat’Selesnya.
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Lastly,
Ensure you drop by MTG Mint Card to get your pre-orders in for the soon to be released Izzet vs. Golgari which is rumoured to feature at least six new cards to be part of this fall's large set Return to Ravnica.
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