FTV Annihilation Rumor

~
UPDATE 5.01.2014  - almost certainly Fake as we had cautioned.
Happy Thursday MTG peeps,

Some rather interesting late-day Magic: the Gathering news.  Just as we were planning our Journey into Nyx purchases and brewing up new or modifying existing decklists for standard constructed, a rumor had popped up that the entire From the Vault: Annihilation decklist was spoiled.  FTV: Annihilation is not due to be released until the end of summer (22nd August) and we were not expecting any spoilers (or official previews) for quite some time.

Redditor 'thegreatpablo' had posted two images from a source who claims to have snapped the pic of what appears to be the back of the packaging where previously all 15 of the FTV cards are provided along with contents text and some flavor text for that product - as shown below in the FTV: Realms packaging.

Anywhoos - here are the two images that were posted which we've merged together to get a sense of how realistic the images were.  PLEASE REMEMBER - these are unofficial and could very well be fake.

UPDATE : 5.01.2014

The MTG community at large had provided a number of inconsistencies which all add up to the images being faked.  There is a special ring in hell reserved for fakers btw.

  

The list of the 15 cards -

Armageddon (new art)
Burning of Xinye
Cataclysm (new art)
Child of Alara
Decree of AnnihilationFirespout (new art)
Fracturing gust
Living death (new art)
Martial Coup
Rolling EarthquakeSmokestack ( new art)
Terminus
Upheaval
Virtue's Ruin
Wrath of God (new art)

~

This indeed could be a clever fake but should the list be true, colour us impressed - we're liking what we're seeing. 
~

Journey into Nyx PreRelease

~
Happy Tuesday MTG peeps,

In this post we wanted to cover off our adventures in last weekend's Journey into Nyx PreRelease event at OMG! Games here in Barrie, Ontario.  It sort of all really started during Friday Night Magic when with just a few short hours away to the midnight event (we did not go), Magic: the Gathering players were yattering about some incredible rumours of Journey into Nyx 'god' packs being opened at PreRelease events in earlier time zones.  With several images being posted of players pulling all 15 gods from a pack, we were cautiously optimistic thinking Wizards of the Coast had yet again re-created another 'Zendikar Priceless Treasures' promotion.  In fact they did as they had claimed in this post to the motersite for which we say 'well done Wotc!'.
 

~
As for our Journey into Nyx Pre-Release we attended on Saturday, everyone's choices for PreRelease packs were as follows :

Forged in Glory / White - Dawnbringer Charioteers
Forged in Intellect / Blue - Scourge of Fleets
Forged in Tyranny / Black - Doomwake Giant
Forged in War / Red - Spawn of Thraxes
Forged in Pursuit / Green - Heroes' Bane 
Contents:
• 2 Journey into Nyx packs
• 1 Born of the Gods packs
• 2 Theros booster packs
• 1 seeded booster pack
• 1 promo card
• 1 activity card
• 1 life counter
• 1 welcome letter
• 1 Hero Card

~
Here's a short 'n' sweet video from OMG! Games -

 
We went with White (as did a large percentage of players) - here are our pulls -

• Dawnbringer Charioteers (Seeded Pack)
• Aegis of the Gods (Seeded Pack)
• Hydra Broodmaster (JOU Pack)
• Eidolon of Blossoms (JOU Pack)
• Fated Retribution (BNG Pack)
• Gift of Immortality (THS Pack)
• Arbor Colossus (THS Pack)

We did manage 2 wins and 2 loss which brought us just short of some prize packs unfortunately, but we're happy with our games and very happy to get our paws on some of the new cards.  We're popping over to MTG Mint Card to pick up additional Journey into Nyx cards which we were not able to pull just yet.
 ~

Niconico Chōkaigi 3

~
Happy Monday MTG peeps,

What an amazing weekend for Magic: the Gathering fans.  The Journey into Nyx PreRelease events held worldwide figured quite prominently.  We attended the PreRelease event at OMG! Games here in Barrie where we went 2 win 2 loss and although we did not do well enough for prizes, not only did we had a blast but were also able to pull some rather decent cards in our PreRelease pack.  Speaking of prizes, we held a random prize for a very cool Dragon's Egg Tournament Bag from Power 9 Pro - one of the younger players in the room, 13-year old Daymion, scored this.

Anywhoos, let's have a look at some of the other Magic: the Gathering news from today and the weekend -
~

マジック：ザ・ギャザリング
Niconico Chōkaigi 3
Niconico Douga is a popular video sharing website in Japan and each year helps organize the monstrous Niconico Chōkaigi (ニコニコ超会議３) fan event.  This year the event drew 124,966 fans as well as an estimated 7.6 million on-line participants over the weekend.  

Wizards of the Coast was there as well manning a booth, showcasing the Magic 2015 Duels of the Planeswalkers as well as organizing side-events.  The big news here was two Magic: the Gathering spoilers - one preview for Conspiracy and one from From the Vault : Annihilation - let's have a look.  We are most definitely wanting to pick these fine cards up from MTG Mint Card -
  

MTG Conspiracy
Brago, King Eternal, 2WU
Legendary Creature - Spirit, Rare
Flying
When Brago, King of Eternity deals combat damage to a player, exile any number of target nonland permanents you control, then return those cards to the battlefield under their owner's control.
"My rule persists beyond death itself."
illus. Karla Ortiz # 41/65 2/4
~From the Vault : Annihilation
Wrath of God, 2WW
Sorcery, Rare
Destroy all creatures. They can't be regenerated.
Legend speaks of the lost coastal polis of Olantin, whose inhabitants' hubris enraged the sun god Heliod.
illus. Willian Murai #15/15

~
Next up -
Today on the mothership, the DCI Banned & Restricted List Announcement was made.   The news here is that there are no changes for Standard, Modern, Extended, Legacy, and Vintage sanctioned formats.  Check out the details of each format here.
~

MTG Nemesis

~
Happy Friday MTG peeps,

Today marks the very last Friday Night Magic event before the Magic: the Gathering game format evolution when the next Journey into Nyx set is released next weekend.  In the forefront of players thoughts are this weekend's Journey into Nyx PreRelease event.  

Our local gaming store, OMG! Games here in Barrie, Ontario is running multiple events all weekend long including a midnight event tonight.  Join MTG Realm at OMG! Games at the Saturday morning PreRelease event when someone's name will be drawn to win a very cool Power 9 Pro Dragon's Egg Tournament Bag.

Anywhoos, as we look forward to the new Journey into Nyx set we can't help but also look back.  Today's post is a bit of nostalgia for us - here's a quick look at two Nemesis Intro Packs we picked up a long time ago . . .
~

Storyline
For eons the twisted machine rulers of the hellish world of Phyrexia have watched Dominaria, world of magic. For centuries they have plotted their invasion and conquest of this world. Now the long-awaited time is approaching.

The plans of the Dark Lord have assumed their final shape. On the artificial plane of Rath, staging ground for the invasion, the Phyrexians prepare to stop their greatest enemy, one who has combated them down through the millennia, one who alone can halt their attack: Urza Planeswalker.  

Nemesis released in February 2000 as the second set and first small expansion in the Masques block.  The Masques block is a Magic: The Gathering block that is set on the planes of Mercadia, Rath, and plane of Dominaria. It consisted of Mercadian Masques (October 1999), Nemesis (February 2000), and Prophecy (June 2000). The Masques block was the first set that is not subject to Wizards of the Coast's Reprint Policy.  Here are our two Intro Packs we picked up -

Eruption Nemesis Theme Deck
Eruption is bubbling over with creatures that can spell death to your rivals. Anything they fail to destroy is fodder for the laccolith and flowstone brutes that inhabit this deck.

Mercenaries Nemesis Theme Deck
With Mercenaries you enlist an infantry of vile fiends to do your bidding. Where there is one, there are many as you use these creatures' recruiting ability to spawn other monstrosities until the victory is secured.

~

Journey into Nyx Intro Packs

~
Happy Thursday MTG peeps,

As most Magic : the Gathering fans will know, this weekend is the Journey into Nyx pre-release event.  Make sure you call ahead to your local gaming store to get event(s) details.  We'll be slinging new cardboard at OMG! Games here in Barrie, Ontario and plan to an article / video following.  Today over on the mothership we were provided with the new Journey into Nyx Intro Pack decklists, although they were sort of buried on the Product Info page.

Intro Packs are not only perfect for those players getting into the game but also for seasoned players wanting to open duel during the PreRelease.  These Intro Packs are a great point of entry into standard constructed and easily upgraded with additional singles from trades, your local gamestore or online retailers like MTG Mint Card.  For an MSRP of only $15, you get a premium foil rare from Journey into Nyx, a second rare from either Theros or Born of the Gods and about eleven or twelve uncommons in your decklist which is ready to play right out of the package.  Here's the details of what you get -

• 1 x premium card 
• 1 x 60-card deck
• 2 x Journey Into Nyx booster packs  
• 1 x learn-to-play insert 
• 1 x strategy insert

For complete Journey into Nyx decklists, pop on over to the mothersite.  Here's the brief overview of these for now -

Mortals of Myth (white / green)
Assemble a mighty army of heroic Soldiers and Warriors, and power them up with spells that unlock their potential. Your opponent will be put to the test in combat by creatures that could become gigantic at a moment's notice.

Fates Foreseen (blue / red)
Scry is a useful ability that gives you control over your future draw steps. The "Fates Foreseen" deck is based around casting spells that give you additional benefits for scrying and setting up ways to scry repeatedly. Link together a chain of these spells and thwart your opponent's best laid plans. 

Pantheon's Power (white / black)
The "Pantheon's Power" deck is based around the constellation mechanic, an ability on enchantments that gives you a benefit every time an enchantment enters the battlefield under your control. Build up an array of constellation cards and watch their power amplify.

Voracious Rage (black / red)
The "Voracious Rage" deck boasts a horde of powerful and aggressive Minotaurs. Many of these creatures bolster your other Minotaurs and make them truly ferocious in combat. Build up a formidable force, and then smash your opponents down.

The Wilds and the Deep (green / blue)
"The Wilds and the Deep" features the monstrosity ability, which allows you to pay a lump sum of mana to permanently increase a creature's power and toughness. Just when your opponent thinks everything is under control, your monstrosity creatures can grow to unfathomable size. Power out your large monsters early, and make them unstoppable late. 

 ~

Journey into Nyx Release Notes

~
Happy Wednesday MTG peeps,

Today over on the mothership, the WotC crew posted Journey into Nyx Release Notes.  We were expecting as well today to have the new set also uploaded to the Gatherer Card Database, but apparently not.  Something odd did happen earlier today -  it appears that the mothersite was down - perhaps this was an issue with promoting the new database (?).  Anywhoos, things did indeed get set back in to order eventually.  Ahead of your Journey into Nyx PreRelease Event, we suggest reading over the Release Notes with an eye to the individual card notes to ensure your event goes smoothly and hopefully no confusion as what a particular card may or may not do.  Here's a brief overview -
~
Release Information
The Journey into Nyx set contains 165 cards (60 common, 60 uncommon, 35 rare, and 10 mythic rare).

Prerelease events: April 26–27, 2014
Launch Weekend: May 2–4, 2014
Game Day: May 24–25, 2014

The Journey into Nyx set becomes legal for sanctioned Constructed play on its official release date: Friday, May 2, 2014. At that time, the following card sets will be permitted in the Standard format: Return to Ravnica, Gatecrash, Dragon's Maze, Magic 2014, Theros, Born of the Gods, and Journey into Nyx.

Returning Ability Words
Bestow, Heroic, Inspired, Scry, Monstrosity and Devotion

New Ability Word - Constellation
An enchantment's constellation ability triggers every time it or another enchantment enters the battlefield under the player's control. Most of the enchantments with constellation abilities in Journey into Nyx are enchantment creatures, but not all of them. 

New Ability Word - Strive
Strive is an ability word introduced in Journey into Nyx, where it is connected to the hero theme of the block. A spell with a strive ability lets you pump more mana into it to increase the number of targets. Similar abilities had been featured before on cards like Fireball and some multikicker cards in Zendikar block.  As you cast a spell with strive, you can choose any number of targets, paying an additional cost for each target beyond the first.

~
Of particular note with regards to some of the card specific notes is the wording on Banishing Light which is very similar to that of Oblivion Ring.  The rewording sidesteps some of the crazy perma-exile and / or infinite loop shenanigans which Oblivion had allowed.

Jumping straight to the end of the Release Notes is a monster of a individual card note for the new black sorcery, 'Worst Fears'.  Check out this behemoth -

We'll just read that bit about Worst Fears latter.
:)
~

Journey into Nyx Tokens

~
Happy Tuesday MTG peeps,

If you've been following the MTG Realm blog for any time you will likely know that since we first started yattering about Magic: the Gathering online back in 2008, our group has a thingy for spells which generate token creatures.  Playing inexpensive spells which churn out token creatures and following up with an anthem effect to pump those critters makes us happy.  

Currently in Journey into Nyx there are several spells which can embiggen yer token creatures temporarily or permanently (until that card is removed) like Ajani's Presence, Dictate of Heliod, Aerial Formation, Cruel Feeding, Rollick of Abandon, Rouse the Mob, Colossal Heroics, Setessan Tactics, Desperate Stand, and Hall of Triumph. Some of these are good, others not so much.  

The trick is to get a permanent out which is not easily removed, like an enchantment (Spear of Heliod) or even better - a Planeswalker's emblem such as Elspeth, Sun's Champion ultimate - "Creatures you control get +2/+2 and have flying".  Long gone from standard format are the very lovely 'Honor of the Pure' and 'Tempered Steel' - but hey - there is always Modern.  Speaking of Modern, we're thinking of picking up a few cards from MTG Mint Card to start toying with a B/W Tokens starring our fav 'Intangible Virtue'. 

Anywhoos, the Magic: the Gathering community typically gets treated to tokens on the Mothersite just ahead of the set's full reveal but we've just received these via Trick Jarret's post to Magic Arcana today - better late than never we say.  Let's have a look now.  The "*" symbol below indicates that there is no new token printed specifically for that Journey into Nyx card so make sure you keep close the token card printed in either 'Theros' or 'Born of the Gods'.
~
* Launch the Fleet - 1/1 white Soldier creature token

Hour of Need - 4/4 blue Sphinx creature token with flying

* Rise of Eagles - 2/2 blue Bird enchantment creature tokens with flying

Ritual of the Returned - */* black Zombie creature (p/t = t of exiled creature)

Flurry of Horns - 2/3 red Minotaur creature tokens with haste

Hydra Broodmaster - X/X green Hydra creature tokens

Renowned Weaver - 1/3 green Spider enchantment creature token with reach

Pharika, God of Affliction - 1/1 black and green Snake enchantment creature token with deathtouch

* Revel of the Fallen God - 2/2 red and green Satyr creature tokens with haste

~

PreRelease Preparation

~
Happy Monday MTG peeps,

 The very last Journey into Nyx previews were previewed on Friday, and now Magic: the Gathering players all have eyes to this coming weeekend's PreRelease events.  For more information on this weekend's fun events, please check out the mothersite's PreRelease Info Page, this handy guide posted today on the Wizards of the Coast MTG page, and to find a store near you running a PreRelease event - the handy Store & Event Locator.  We'll be planning to get in one (or perhaps two) events at OMG! Games here in Barrie so we can try two different colours, and after the events, check the new cards against our wishlist and finalise our pre-order with MTG Mint Card.

This PreRelease is similar to previous ones before that like Theros and Born of the Gods, where you pick your fav colour and get the corresponding Journey into Nyx PreRelease Pack which has everything you need to play in the sealed deck format.  Each PreRelease pack has the following goodies including your PreRelease Promo card -

• 2 Journey into Nyx booster packs
• 2 Theros™ booster packs
• 1 Born of the Gods™ booster pack
• 1 Seeded booster pack
• 1 Premium promo card
• 1 Activity card
• 1 Spindown life counter
• 1 Welcome Letter
• 1 Hero Card
 
Here's the very lovely foil alternate art PreRelease Promo cards in each of the colours -

 Dawnbringer Charioteers

Promo art by Volkan Baga

Regular art by Ryan Alexander Lee

Scourge of the Fleets

Promo art by Adam Paquette

Regular art by Steven Belledin

  

Doomwake Giant

Promo art by Nils Hamm

Regular art by Kev Walker

Spawn of Thraxes

Promo art by Jason Rainville

Regular art by Swetlin Velinov

Heroe's Bane

Promo Art by Volkan Baga

Regular art by RAymond Swanland

~
Remember to check in with your store to make sure whether they need to take reservations (as sometimes it can be rather crowded), and confirm time(s) of the events.  If you're in Central Ontario (north of Toronto), we'll see you at OMG! Games next weekend.
 

 ~

Journey into Nyx - FULL SPOILER

~
Happy Friday MTG peeps,

Before we get started we want to remind you that as we head in to the Easter long weekend, do drop by MTG Mint Card where they are holding a very cool virtual Easter Egg Hunt on their website - crack an egg and you could haul in big credit to your account.  Also, we want to thank BlackLotusGo.com for sponsoring our Journey into Nyx Spoiler List page - there you will find card text for all the newest Journey into Nyx cards along with images of mythic rare and rare cards.

The entire Journey into Nyx spoiler was posted earlier on the mothersite.  We did not get to any previews yesterday as we provided an update on the new Conspiracy set - so what we will do now is deliver the last four Rares from yesterday which includes the ones from last nights full reveal.  Let's go -
~

Revel of the Fallen God, 3RRGG
Sorcery, Rare
Put four 2/2 red and green Satyr creature tokens with haste onto the battlefield.


Spoiler alert if you were already read Jenna Helland's Theros: Godsend Part I and will be reading Part II when it comes out next month - the flavour text here spells it all out.  As for the card, 7 mana delivers 8 power on the field and that ain't too bad.
~

Skybind, 3WW
Enchantment, Rare
Constellation — When Skybind or another enchantment enters the battlefield under your control, exile target nonenchantment permanent. Return that card to the battlefield under its owner's control at the beginning of the next end step.


Sweet art from Igor Kieryluk is sweet.  Interesting static blink effect for non-enchantments which we will need to investigate latter for our Commander builds.
~

Deicide, 1W
Instant, Rare
Exile target enchantment. If the exiled card is a God card, search its controller's graveyard, hand, and library for any number of cards with the same name as that card and exile them, then that player shuffles his or her library. 


Amazing control card and certainly very relevant with the number of enchantment and god cards standard will now have. 
~

Dictate of Erebos, 3BB
Enchantment, Rare
Flash
Whenever a creature you control dies, each opponent sacrifices a creature.

Nice Grave Pack.  The new white / black god Athreos says hello.  Both these in a creature heavy deck would be hilarious.
~