And just when we had started to lose faith that we were going to see any more spoilers, they arrived! And did they ever arrive… We have 12 new cards to spoil from over the last two days, including a completely new mechanic, a new land that may make this set playable, and a card that makes Kozilek (yes, the huge guy from last time) seem pathetic. But enough teasing, let’s take a look!

So let’s start off with something that I said last time I really wanted: A rebound removal spell (sort of).

Sure, it’s not quite straight up removal, but when used correctly it’ll get the job done. With all of these Eldrazi Spawn tokens running around, I’m sure you can find a way to put this to good use. What also makes this really powerful is that with all of these massive Eldrazi running around, chances are that a lot of the time your opponent are just going to dump one big creature on the field and expect it to get there. What better way to surprise them than with blocking with your 0/1 Spawn, and then paying to calmly kill off what they thought was going to win them the game. Then if you really want to rub it in, rebound it on your own Eldrazi the next turn and get in there for extra damage! Keep an eye out for this in Limited, it’s certainly going to see some play.

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Speaking of Eldrazi Spawn, we have a new way to power out your Eldrazi faster! Check out Emrakul’s Hatcher:

So I’m not really sure what to think of this card. Ignoring the Spawn, it’s a 3/3 for 5 mana at a common slot, which while not good, that has certainly seen play before. So while it’s not good, it’s not unplayable. Then take into account the Spawn and the card suddenly becomes much more interesting. Hatcher's ability means that you can power out a 9 mana Eldrazi on turn 6 (assuming you didn’t accelerate into the Hatcher, which we’ll get to later). If the format turns into race into the big fattie, than this card is going to be quite powerful, allowing you to your big guy into play quickly. It’s also an Eldrazi itself, so things like Eye of Ugin will make it so you can get this guy out really quick and start to power out your Eldrazi as soon as possible.

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While we’re on Eldrazi, let me show you one of the two new ones that we see today. I’ll start with the lesser one, and save the game-breaking one for later:

While this isn’t terribly exciting as far as Eldrazi go, it is important to note that this does confirm that we will see these titans at ALL rarities. Sure he’s plain as far as they come, but that’s still an 8 mana 8/8 at a common slot, and that’s nothing to scoff at. Since we have yet to see any real reason why this format is going to be blazingly fast, this could very well be what limited looks like, giant guys smashing back and forth across the field. It’s not much, but when this is just your draft fodder, that’s some really big scary draft fodder...

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Taking a step back from the Eldrazi for a second I want to look at a new ability that is unlike anything we’ve ever seen before in Magic, with the possible exception of Figure of Destiny. Wizards is now giving us “level up”:

First off I’m going to say straight up that I am really not a fan of this stylistically. I think the concept was great with Figure, and in general it’s a cool contest, I just feel like the style they did it in doesn’t seem very much like Magic, which makes me a little disappointed. But putting aside my qualms about style, let’s look at the ability itself. This guy is amazing. I wish he was in Zendiar/Worldwake draft so badly. It’s a machine gun! For one turn, then next turn, you set up a guy that is just going to gun down things left and right. Spend a few more turns upgrading it and you’re going to have a sizable body that is geared up to shrink or kill anything on the other side of the table. He costs a lot of mana to get there, but then again, people paid 11 mana to upgrade Figure, they just did it when they had the extra mana and over time.

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So there is an example of a creature that you up to get some nice added abilities, but let’s take a look at one that is simpler and just gets bigger and more aggressive:

My gut feeling on this card can be summed up into one word; meh. I mean, it’s fine, it’s a bear in white, which later picks up evasion and finally becomes much more of a dangerous threat. But if you do the math, you realize putting 14 mana into something that will only become Serra Angel just seems lackluster. I could get behind the Assassin because it would dig you out of a tight spot and at level two it started to really go somewhere. I’m not really excited at about a bear, nor am I excited about a 2/3 flier for 5. Sure I’ll play it, but I’m not going to be thrilled.

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While we’re on white cards that I would say are reasonable, but underwhelming let’s make a stop at the next Umbra:

Every particle of my being is crying out: WHY DOESN’T THIS CARD HAVE FLASH? If it had flash, it would be a combat trick, it would be a shield for a kill spell or a sweeper, I would be head over heels in love with this card. But instead, it’s just something you’re going to drop, they’re going to play around, and you’re not really going to get anywhere. I reserve complete judgment on this card for now, because if they get some nice high power-low toughness guys, or some deathtouch working in the set, I’ll deem it exciting. Until then, this is going to be a last couple of picks card for me.

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And finally on white things I’m not excited about, let’s take a look at the newest version of Pacafism:

Meh. Not interested. Sure, it gets rid of an attacker, but then that guy can still sit back and block all day. This may see some limited play, but everyone else should just call a bad card a bad card and play Journey to Nowhere instead.

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Moving back into the level up mechanic, let’s take a look at the release card for RoE:

Well, it’s flashy alright, I’ll give it that. At four mana for a 3/3 or 6 Mana for a 6/6, it’s certainly acceptable. The only reason I ever see this really going off, is if you reach a stalemate and you need to break through. But break through you will, 6 damage is a LOT! While it may not see much tournament play, I’m guessing this will be popular among more casual circles.

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The second rare (mythic, actually) level up creature is one that I had to read two or three time to believe it. See how many time it takes you:


Yeah, that’s right, this guy will give you MULTIPLE extra turns. First off, for all of you serious players out there shaking your heads at me, I realize that this is not something you’re just doing to drop and pop. This is certainly some kind of giant finish, like firing off Jace, the Mind Sculptor’s ultimate ability. It’s only going to happen once in a while, and only if you’re trying to specifically do that, but when it happens, it’s going to make someone very happy, and at least one other person very unhappy. What I really want to see this in is casual multiplayer, especially the EDH format. This card says: Pay nine mana, take every other turn until your opponents deal with it. When I saw this card for the first time, I immediately ran to my roommate (who plays Oona, Queen of the Fae as his General) and told him he had to read this. He was as shocked as I was, I want to hear stories of dirty things done with this card posted in the forums once it comes out.

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Speaking of dirty things, there is still the matter of that insane card that I promised to spoil. Well, this isn’t it, but the next two are how I expect people to actually be able to cast it:

First glimpse makes you think: Oh look, Vine Trellis, that’s nice. But then you take a second look and realize you get the Cloudpost effect. Play one of these guys on turn two, and then play a second one on turn three, and you can still hit your three drop. Then, proceed to blow your opponent out of the water by hitting your 8 drop *cough*Elrazi*cough* on turn 4! I promise you, your opponent will NOT be happy about that. Expect this to be a large mana engine, and keep an eye out for any that make their way around to you in draft. Remember, the more you have, the better they are!

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Not quite as explosive, but in my opinion more constructed playable, take a look at the new “Eldrazi Land” on the block:


Okay, to be fair, we don’t really know that much about the temple, as all of the information is coming from the Orb of Insight, but I’m going to go with it anyway. It’s important to note that this card is NOT Legendary, and does NOT enter the battlefield tapped, two things that are very important when rating a new land. It also still taps for a mana normally, but gets powered up when you want to cast your big Eldrazi spells. I’m excited about this card (especially if it’s not rare) and I think Wizards is really going to make this whole: “Cast 8 – 15 mana spells” think possible.

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Wait, 15 mana? What costs 15 mana? Oh right, it’s the massive spell I’ve been talking about:

This card is just so back-breaking that it’s disgusting. He can’t be countered, so you can just drop it and laugh at your opponent, he has virtual haste because you are going to take your next turn right then and there, protection from colored spells means that nothing that currently exists that can easily deal with it. And Annihilator SIX means that once you swing with it, the effect is game breaking. (Also, sort of as a footnote here, it has flying, so they’re probably taking 15 damage too. Ouch.) So yes, this is a game breaking effect, and yes, it costs 15 mana, which means it’s going to be hard to play. I have faith though that someone will find a deck to do it *cough*Polymorph*cough* and even if they cheat it into play and don’t get the turn, then the swing is going to be crushing.

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So that’s it for this time, we’re starting to see some of the bad cards come out of the woodwork, but Wizards is still giving us lots of exciting new stuff to play around with. I know I’m looking forward to seeing how the set pieces together and what is going to be possible in the land of Zendikar!

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