Journey into Nyx Release Notes

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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 -
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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.

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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.
:)
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RTR FAQ

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Happy Wednesday MTG peeps,

The newest Magic the Gathering set, Return to Ravnica will be hitting game tables around the world shortly after midnight this Friday 28th September and officially launched the next weekend (5th October, 2012).  With the new set, there are always questions to be had.  To this end, we here at MTG Realm want to bring to your attention, the Return to Ravnica Frequently Asked Questions (linky here) documents which, if reviewed, should make your PreRelease play more effecient and more enjoyable.  Speaking of the PreRelease, if you do not know where you can go to game, click on over to locator.wizards.com to find a store near you.  Also make sure to peruse the selection of Return to Ravnica english / chinese singles, foils and sets at MTG Mint Card.

Anywhoos - onto the FAQs . . .

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Cycle: Guildgates
The Return to Ravnica set introduces a new land subtype: Gate. Each guild has a Gate card with Guildgate in its name that taps for mana of either of that guild’s colors.  Gate is not a basic land type.

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Cycle: Keyrunes
Each guild has a Keyrune, an artifact that taps for mana of either of that guild’s colors and can become a creature.  Until the ability that turns the Keyrune into a creature resolves, the Keyrune is colorless.

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Cycle: Cards that “Can’t Be Countered”
The Return to Ravnica set includes a cycle of cards that can’t be countered.  Each of these rare multicolored spells with the ability to not be (conventionally) countered. A spell that can’t be countered by spells or abilities can be targeted by spells and abilities that try to counter it.

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Returning Themes: Guilds and Guildmarks
If a card in the Return to Ravnica set is associated with a guild, it features the appropriate guildmark in the background of its text box. These guildmarks have no effect on game play.

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Returning Mechanic: Hybrid Cards
These are cards with Hybrid mana costs.  Each hybrid mana symbol represents a cost which can be paid with one of two colors. The hybrid mana symbol can be of any combination of two colors, or any color of mana and two generic mana.

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Returning Cycle: Ravnica “Dual Lands”
There are five nonbasic lands in the Return to Ravnica set that each have two basic land types - Blood Crypt (b/r), Hallowed Fountain (w/), Overgrown Tomb (b/g), Steam Vents (u/r), and Temple Garden (g/w).

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Azorius Keyword Action: Detain
Reminder text on these cards are 'Until your next turn, that creature can’t attack or block and its activated abilities can’t be activated.'  Activated abilities include a colon and are written in the form “[cost]: [effect].  If a creature is already attacking or blocking when it’s detained, it won’t be removed from combat.  If a noncreature permanent is detained and later turns into a creature, it won’t be able to attack or block.

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Izzet Keyword: Overload
Reminder text here is 'You may cast this spell for its overload cost. If you do, change its text by replacing all instances of “target” with “each.”.  If you don’t pay the overload cost of a spell, that spell will have a single target. If you do pay the overload cost, the spell won’t be 'targetting' meaning it can get around 'hexproof' critters (can't be the target of spells and abilities).

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Rakdos Keyword: Unleash
These cards will have the text 'You may have this creature enter the battlefield with a +1/+1 counter on it. It can’t block as long as it has a +1/+1 counter on it.'  You make the choice to have the creature with unleash enter the battlefield with a +1/+1 counter or not as it’s entering the battlefield. At that point, it’s too late for a player to respond to the creature spell by trying to counter it, for example.  Putting a +1/+1 counter on a creature with unleash that’s already blocking won’t remove it from combat. It will continue to block.

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Golgari Keyword: Scavenge
These will have text with 'Scavenge (Cost ?) - (Cost ?, Exile this card from your graveyard: Put a number of +1/+1 counters equal to this card’s power on target creature. Scavenge only as a sorcery.)'.  Somewhat similar to the flashback mechanic.

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Selesnya Keyword Action: Populate
The reminder text will be 'Put a token onto the battlefield that’s a copy of a creature token you control.'.  You can choose any creature token you control. If a spell or ability puts a token onto the battlefield under your control and then instructs you to populate (as Coursers’ Accord does), you may choose to copy the token you just created, or you may choose to copy another creature token you control.  If you control no creature tokens when instructed to populate, you won’t put a token onto the battlefield.
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Also - there is a large section with card specific rules / notes / explanations within the document, look here to find a card which you may have questions about.

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Avacyn Restored FAQ

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Happy Tuesday afternoon MTG peeps,

This is our second post for the day.  In our first post, we formally introduced our first official 'Tumblr Tuesdays', but for now we wanted to cover off the Avacyn Restored FAQ / Frequently Asked Questions document (WoTC linky here).  As you are likely headed out to the prerelease event this weekend (with thousands of other Magic: The Gathering players), it may help to give this document a look over.  For now, here's a quick run-down of the two new Avacyn Restored mechanics -

New Keyword: Miracle
Miracle is a keyword mechanic introduced in Avacyn Restored. Miracle provides an alternate cost for a card which can be used while drawing it if it is the first card drawn during a turn. The timing of casting it is similar to the timing of casting cards with Madness. If a player intends to cast a card for its miracle cost, the card must be revealed immediately. Costs are being payed when the effect causing the draw is finished and the triggered ability to cast it resolves.

Mythic Miracles : Entreat the Angels, Bonfire of the Damned, Temporal Mastery.
Rare Miracles : Terminus, Devastation Tide, Reforge the Soul, Revenge of the Hunted.
Uncommon Miracles : Banishing Stroke, Vanishment, Thunderous Wrath, Blessings of Nature.

702.91. Miracle

702.91a Miracle is a static ability linked to a triggered ability (see rule 603.10). "Miracle [cost]" means "You may reveal this card from your hand as you draw it if it's the first card you've drawn this turn. When you reveal this card this way, you may cast it by paying [cost] rather than its mana cost."

702.91b If a player chooses to reveal a card using its miracle ability, he or she plays with that card revealed until that card leaves his or her hand, that ability resolves, or that ability otherwise leaves the stack.

New Keyword: Soulbond
Soulbond is a keyword mechanic introduced in Avacyn Restored. Soulbond pairs up creatures with each other. When a creature with Soulbond enters the battlefield, it can choose another unpaired creature. The creatures are considered paired with each other. The player may also choose not to pair with another creature, and then choose to pair with another creature when that creature enters the battlefield. Usually, the creature with Soulbond as well as its pair gain abilities or advantages when paired up. There are also other cards which look for paired up creatures.  Creatures can not become members of multiple pairs. However, if two creatuers with Soulbond pair up, they each provide their benefits to each other.

White (3) : Nearheath Pilgrim, Silverblade Paladin, Spectral Gateguards
Blue (5) : Deadeye Navigator, Elgaud Shieldmate, Stern Mentor, Tandem Lookout, Wingcrafter
Red (3) : Hanweir Lancer, Lightning Mauler, Stonewright,
Green (8) : Diregraf Escort, Druid's Familiar, Flowering Lumberknot, Geist Trappers, Nightshade Peddler, Pathbreaker Wurm, Trusted Forcemage, Wolfir Silverheart

702.92. Soulbond

702.92a. Soulbond is a keyword that represents two triggered abilities. "Soulbond" means "When this creature enters the battlefield, if you control both this creature and another creature and both are unpaired, you may pair this creature with another unpaired creature you control for as long as both remain creatures on the battlefield under your control" and "Whenever another creature enters the battlefield under your control, if you control both that creature and this one and both are unpaired, you may pair that creature with this creature for as long as both remain creatures on the battlefield under your control."

702.92b A creature becomes "paired" with another as the result of a soulbond ability. Abilities may refer to a paired creature, the creature another creature is paired with, or whether a creature is paired. An "unpaired" creature is one that is not paired.

702.92c When the soulbond ability resolves, if either object that would be paired is no longer a creature, no longer on the battlefield, or no longer under the control of the player who controls the soulbond ability, neither object becomes paired.

702.92d A creature can be paired with only one other creature.

702.92e A paired creature becomes unpaired if any of the following occur: another player gains control of it or the creature it's paired with; it or the creature it's paired with stops being a creature; or it or the creature it's paired with leaves the battlefield.

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Finally, the folks over at MTG Mint Card is running a contest with a pretty cool giveaway . . .

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Innistrad FAQ

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Happy Tuesday Evening MTG peeps,

In this post, we give you the quick and dirty crash course on the upcoming Magic the Gathering set by summarising the Innistrad Frequently Asked Questions document. The original is posted on the mothership here.
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Innistrad contains 264 cards (107 common, 67 uncommon, 59 rare, 16 mythic rare, and 15 basic lands.

Prerelease events: September 24-25, 2011

Launch Parties: September 30-October 3, 2011

Innistrad set becomes legal for sanctioned Constructed play on its official release date: Friday, September 30, 2011. At that time, the following card sets will be permitted in the Standard format: Scars of Mirrodin, Mirrodin Besieged, New Phyrexia, Magic 2012, and Innistrad.
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Innistrad FAQ
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New Card Layout: Double-Faced Cards
New Keyword Action: Transform

There are 20 Innistrad cards have two faces: a front face and a back face. A new keyword action, transform, allows you to turn the card over to its other face under certain conditions. The front face of the card has a sun symbol in its upper left corner. The back face has a moon symbol in its upper left corner. While Double-Faced Cards are in public zone, each player may look at both faces and is always cast face up.

Transforming a Double-Faced permanent doesn't affect any Auras or Equipment attached to that permanent. Similarly, any counters on the permanent will remain on that permanent after it transforms. Similarily, damage marked on a double-faced permanent will stay marked on that permanent after it transforms.

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Theme: Double-Faced Werewolves

There are 12 Innistrad cards which can transform from a human-werewolf into a full werewolf given a triggered ability that may transform it. Similarly, each back face has the same triggered ability that may transform it back.

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Characteristic: Color Indicator
Double-faced Innistrad cards have a small dot to the left of its type line. This circular symbol is its "color indicator."

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Game Supplement: Checklist Cards

Cards in your deck be indistinguishable from one another. To accomplish this with double-faced cards, you can use the checklist cards which are included in some booster packs. Fat Packs will contain ten checklist cards.

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New Ability Word: Morbid

Morbid abilities, found on some creature, instants and sorceries cards check whether a creature died earlier in the turn. It's important to remember that Token creatures can also die, going to their owner's graveyard before ceasing to exist.

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Returning Keyword Ability: Flashback

Flashback appears on some instants and sorceries. It represents two static abilities: one that functions while the card is in a player's graveyard and the other that functions while the card is on the stack. "Flashback [cost]" means "You may cast this card from your graveyard by paying [cost] rather than paying its mana cost" and "If the flashback cost was paid, exile this card instead of putting it anywhere else any time it would leave the stack."

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New Subtype: Curse

There are six Auras in Innistrad which can enchant a player that could have a negative effect for that enchanted player. These enchantments have the additional subtype "Curse."


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Theme: Vampires with +1/+1 Counters

There are four Vampire creature cards in Innistrad that puts puts one or more +1/+1 counters on the creature when they deal combat damage to your opponent. The +1/+1 counter isn't put on the creature in time to increase the amount of combat damage dealt during that combat step.

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New Keyword Action: Fight

To fight, each of the indicated creatures simultaneously deals damage equal to its power to the other specified creature.

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Cycle: Enemy "Tap Lands"

Innistrad has a cycle of lands that produce two colors of mana and enter the battlefield tapped unless you control a certain land.


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And now a word about jumping on this upcoming set - we're suggesting getting in your pre-orders ahead of the official release on September 30th next month. Check out the excellent prices at MTG Mint Card here.
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NPH FAQ Document

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Happy Wednesday MTG peeps,

If you are heading out to a New Phyrexia pre-release, we suggest you set some time aside to review again our New Phyrexia spoiler list to evaluate top picks for your sealed pool. As well, you will be well-served should you read the Frequently Asked Questions document containing clarifications and rulings for the new cards. This will ensure that you will limit or eliminate a potentially embarassing faux-pas when slinging the new cardboard. Secondly, this should also help your game progress in an expeditious manner.


Anywhoos - here is the New Phyrexia Document

New Phyrexia FAQ Document


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For an easier to read html version of the FAQ document, head on over to the mothership where they have a a lovely page put up along with graphics of the cards.

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Be sure to drop by MTG Realm again as we go crazy with the Cheez Whiz and bring you more posts and VIDEOS of the all the pre-release madness. For now, ensure you know your vital stats to get you to the event . . .

Release Information

The New Phyrexia set contains 175 cards (60 common, 60 uncommon, 35 rare, 10 mythic rare, and 10 basic land).

Prerelease events: May 7-8, 2011
Launch Parties: May 13-15, 2011

The New Phyrexia set becomes legal for sanctioned Constructed play on its official release date: Friday, May 13, 2011.

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