Amonkhet Previews 4-12

~
Happy Wednesday MTG peeps,

If you've arrived here at MTG Realm, without first visiting the mothersite to read today's Magic: the Gathering Story, then we suggest you take a U-Turn.  Today's Magic Story, The Writing on the Wall, by Alison Luhrs, delivered another engaging and exciting short story of our Gatewatch cast of characters on the Plane of Amonkhet.  

'The city of Naktamun is too perfect to be real. It is glistening and immaculate, and its citizens are young and full of faith. Determined to uncover Nicol Bolas's intentions with the plane, Nissa and Chandra explore the city in search of answers. What they find challenges every assumption they had about Amonkhet.'

Just as our boy Hamlet said, "Something is rotten in the state of Denmark", and Nissa (Steward of Elements) is the first to catch on as to just how damaged things are, and the coming danger.  Meanwhile, Gideon (of the Trials, or 'MeatSlab'), is quite hopelessly star-struck with Oketra and quite oblivious.  In other news, the MTG Realm HQ could use some of the 'Anointed' (mummified dead) to housekeep.

Kudos to Hapatra, Vizier of Poisons for this weeks funny - ". . . They all got laryngitis at the same time."  

Anywhoos, let's get to today's Amonkhet spoilers and previews !
~

Glyph Keeper, 3UU (rough translation)
Creature - Sphinx, Rare
Flying
Whenever this creature becomes the target of a spell or ability for the first time each turn, counter that spell or ability.
Embalm 5UU
5/4

Sparkling Suns, 1RR (rough translation)
Sorcery, Rare
Sparkling Suns deals 3 damage to each creature.

Cycling 3 (3, Discard this card: Draw a card.)

• Bontu the Glorified, illustrated by Chase Stone, previewed by the official MTG APAC (Asia-Pacific) Facebook Page.  Seems to be some nice synergy with Hidden Stockpile or Yahenni, Undying Partisan and a number of others, which may make it worth your while to get this out.

• Glyph Keeper, illustrated by Chris Rahn, previewed by Tokyo MTG.  Shimmering or Jetting Glasskite from Betrayers of Kamigawa.  Nice lated game finisher for blue and your opponent will need to work a little harder to have something stick to this.  Having said this, you would have equal trouble to try to buff this or have it enchanted with an aura.

• Vizier of the Many Faces, illustrated by Ryan Yee. Send in the Clones! Mimic those EtB effects.

• Enigma Drake, illustrated by Steve Argyle. Spellheart Chimera had a toughness of 3.

• Wayward Servant, illustrated by Anthony Palumbo.  Nice Soul Wardern for Zombies.

• Samut, Voice of Dissent, illustrated by Aleksi Briclot.  A smörgåsbord of abilities here which seems a bit awkward, but we are still tempted to run this in a Naya Commander build. 

• Sparkling Suns, illustrated by Raymond Swanland. Damn fine burn sorcery, with cycle ability.  Might be a Hekma, but you still need an big SPF.

• By Force - WOW.

NERF ALL THE ARTIFACTS!  In other news, we think that Chandra takes offense to the Sarcophagi that her and Nissa had found in the alleyway in today's story.  Yet another clue of the complete $hitstorm about to hit Amonkhet.

~