The fact that people are saying this is "done for shock value", and that she is now "evil for evil's sake", are being dumb.
First of all, the phyrexians have been building up to this since... forever. Yawgmoth gave them a purpose to spread throughout the multiverse - that desire is the core of their motivation. They've evolved over ages and ages of magic's history, both through a strange, twisted version of natural selection and through biomimicry of other life. It's not a sudden thing done for shock value - it's the event that moves them from "contained threat" to "active threat". While Tezzeret had used the planar gate to transport phyrexians, now they've gained a being with a spark independent of him, and without the drawbacks of the planar bridge - the loss of their biological parts. It's also been pretty heavily foreshadowed - Ever since Kaldheim, if you told me that wizards weren't setting up Phyrexia to be the next big bad, I'd have laughed you out of there. And here we are - Phyrexians now have a means of transporting their Oil across planes without needing the help of Tezzeret.
As for evil for evil's sake, well, no. The old phyrexians followed yawgmoth, which was the entirety of their motivation, really. But the New Phyrexians don't have Yawgmoth to serve, so they only serve themselves and the purpose to "spread".
So instead, they each have their own morality, based on their colours of mana - a twisted and dark version of the virtues of the colors they represent.
Vorinclex embraces the "survival of the fittest" aspect of green, to the point where it's bordering on eugenics. He slaughters the weak and respects the strong. An extremely brutal interpretation of green, but it's certainly not a case of "evil for evil's sake". He wants to grow, and he wants to weed out the weak to grow the strong.
Jin-Gitaxias is obsessed with experimentation and knowledge, not caring at all for anything that stands in the way of progress. He's been leading the search for a way to spread phyresis into other planes, and now he's obtained Tamiyo, he'll likely experiment on her spark in an attempt to replicate it - maybe he's considering putting spirits into phyrexians or something, who knows?
And Elesh Norn represents the order of white mana, being a totalitarian dictator over the theocracy of New Phyrexia. She likely has her own motivations, and probably wants to absorb Jin and Vorinclex's factions into her own, or destroy them, like she did with Urabrask and Sheoldred.
Dismissing Phyrexia as "evil for evil's sake" is incorrect. They're living organisms with a desire to grow, an awareness of an entire multiverse to grow into, and a lack of conventional ethics. That's more than enough justification for them to do what they do.
- lynnalynn
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seilaoque posted a message on [AFR] Instrument of the bards — Rafael Seizlol, for 4 mana per activation I was reading the card sure it was tutoring onto battlefield....Posted in: The Rumor Mill
when I saw that it tutors to hand, I immediately dismissed any interest in this card. -
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lookingupanddown posted a message on [KMH] Kaldheim Launch StreamPosted in: The Rumor Mill
Oh, and Vorinclex confirmed. He's definitely the Grendel stand-in. -
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Decadent_Creed posted a message on [KHM] Runeforge Champion (LEAK)Will runes be artifacts, enchantments, or a new type?Posted in: The Rumor Mill -
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Urabrask posted a message on [KHM] Runeforge Champion (LEAK)Runeforge Champion 2WPosted in: The Rumor Mill
Creature - Dwarf Warrior
When Runeforge Champion enters the battlefield, you may search your library and/or graveyard for a Rune card, reveal it, and put it into your hand. If you search your library this way, shuffle it.
You may pay 1 rather than pay the mana cost for Rune spells you cast.
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Source: https://www.reddit.com/r/magicTCG/comments/kozqxk/khm_runeforge_champion_leak/ -
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The Lord of Tresserhorn posted a message on Where to find kaldheim previewsOMG, I was so hoping for that, and now it's TRUE!!!Posted in: The Rumor Mill
My Drakkar is ready won't you get on board...
Can't wait until January 8th!! -
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leslak posted a message on Twelve commander legends hints from gavinPosted in: The Rumor MillQuote from Ryperior74 »Quote from lynnalynn »Did Zilortha, Strength Incarnate have an online appearance? It would be cool to be able to get a non-Godzilla one!
no
and even if it did he said “art from Online magic that’s never seen paper till now”
If it did have a non-godzila art in magic online then it could be the hinted card as we only have Zilortha as a buy a box card with the godzilla skin -
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Jhyrryl posted a message on Commander 2017 announcement -- Only 4 decks, based on popular tribes, not color wheel!So with the Iconic Masters announcement and reviewing what's been discussed here, I'm sticking by my previous predictions. That being said, I agree with what others have expressed regarding secondary themes, so I'll select a secondary tribe for each of my predictions, and break down my reason for why these decks.Posted in: The Rumor Mill
Quote from Jhyrryl »- 5-color Dragon, with a reprint of Scion of the Ur-Dragon
- Dragons are absolutely the most popular of the iconic creature types.
- Dragons were the first FtV and have been featured in a Duel Deck.
- They're the only rare iconic (or common characteristic) creature type to be represented in all colors, even before...
- There is an entire block focused on them (in all colors).
- The greatest villain in the multiverse is a Dragon.
- Dragons are effectively the face of MtG, and it's MtG's 25th anniversary.
- While Scion of the Ur-Dragon already functions as a 5-color Dragon commander, it's due for a reprint, and I'm sure people want the Ur-Dragon itself to play with.
Over half of all creatures that reference Dragons favorably in their text are Shamans (7 of 12), so Cult of the Ur-Dragon would make a great deck.
- Brood Keeper creates dragon tokens;
- Dragon Whisperer creates dragon tokens;
- Dragonlord's Servant makes Dragons easier to cast;
- Dragonmaster Outcast creates dragon tokens;
- Dragonspeaker Shaman makes Dragons easier to cast;
- Hivis of the Scale gains control of dragons (but is sadly on the Reserve list)
- Zirilan of the Claw tutors your deck for dragons (but is sadly on the Reserve list)
Quote from Jhyrryl »- BUG Snakes
- This will be the "unexpected" tribe.
- While Kaseto's subtheme 2 years ago was nice, it really just called attention to the need for a Sultai snake commander.
- Snake tribe wants to include black for Pharika, Ophiomancer, Rite of the Serpent, Hapatra, Erebos's Emissary, Serpent Assassin, Winding Constrictor, and others.
While there has been lots of discussion of Naga in this thread, this year's Commander product can't logistically include any from Amonkhet or Hour of Devastation. In the meantime, the Naga from Khans block already includes 2 Legendaries and last year gave them Ikra.
Gorgons on the other hand, desperately need a reprinting of Damia, Sage of Stone.
Quote from Jhyrryl »- R/W Soldiers
- There are almost 600 soldiers in the game, making it a strong candidate for the game's most common profession;
- Most are white;
- 74 are red;
- Only three Legendary creatures reference the Soldier type in their text;
- None are red;
- None do anything more than create tokens.
- While there are R/W Legendary creatures that have the Soldier type, none of them make particularly good commanders for a Soldier-themed deck:
- Agrus Kos wants his creatures to be both W and R, and only provides a conditional benefit;
- Akiri cares more for Artifact than Soldiers;
- Anax and Cymede only provides a conditional benefit;
- Kalemne wants big creatures in her deck, not small Soldiers;
- Tajic doesn't confer any kind of benefit to those he commands.
Subtheme: Angels
There is a long history of Angels leading armies in MtG, and there's lots of reprint fodder for R/W Angels. However angels lack any "lords", so throwing them a bone or two here would be reasonable.
Clerics are in a similar situation as Soldiers...there are very many of them in print , but they lack a solid leader who cares about Clerics.Quote from Jhyrryl »- W/B Clerics
Subtheme: Demons
Black clerics, even multi-colored ones tend to sacrifice things to Demons. Who am I to argue? -
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Mort459 posted a message on Well, so much for Goryo's Expertise being a thing... (Rules change on split cards)it has nothing to do with "casuals" it has to do with logical, streamlined rules. The ENTIRE point of CMC is to give every card a singular numerical value that can be referenced by other cards. The old rule gave split cards 3 unique cmc's, the new rule gives them one. This is a completely logical rule change and fits with the goal of What CMC is supposed to be.Posted in: The Rumor Mill
I sympathize with those who like jamming emrakul into play on turned 3 and modern, and I'm sorry it ruins your combo. But for the love of God don't be so disingenuous to say that this change was to appease the "casuals" because they're "too dumb." -
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LouCypher posted a message on Amonkhet Story ArtRight, how about we don't attack one another and get back on track talking about the art itself, instead of attacking one another? And cut it out with the whole SJW-Pandering/Tumblr-mocking stuff.Posted in: The Rumor Mill - To post a comment, please login or register a new account.
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Fun fact is the first incarnation of this is Scholomance (not the World of Warcraft one) which was even mentioned as a kind of "pop culture reference" of sorts in Dracula (the original novel.) Basically creepy mages school in eastern Europe with a sea dragon guarding it and Satan as a headmaster hahaha. The school would steal children from the nearby town to become students.
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Maybe they will be like artifact sorcery/instants? IDK if that would work, but it would be how I would do them.
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Also, I am liking where white is going in this set.
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In my head....in my head....raggetone Raggetone Raggetone tone tone tone . . . . .
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The reason I asked was because OP said that it was probably a "Returning Mechanic" and I was pretty sure it was deciduous (couldn't think of that word earlier hahaha, the joys of responding right when I wake up lol.)
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Edit: As well as reminder texts!....silver border EDH here I come!