Welcome back to Part 2 of my Totally Complete Planar Chaos Set Review! You can find part one here. You really don’t need to read part 1 to enjoy part 2, but I would recommend reading part 1 anyhow! In fact, you probably should read part 1 — it’s got the same great taste, but it’s somehow less filling. I’ve expanded this series to three parts, because I somehow end up with 4-5K words per set review part, and anything longer would be a waste.
Yeah yeah, introduction, blah blah blah, let’s do this thing. PROXXXXXXXXY JEEEEEEENKINS!
Magus of the Arena / Magus of the Bazaar / Magus of the Coffers / Magus of the Library / Magus of the Tabernacle:
Both the Planar Chaos and Time Spiral Magus cycles have been curious things. Both reprint older, powerful cards of a different type (artifacts for the Time Spiral Magus cycle, and lands for the Planar Chaos Magus cycle), and both prove that creatures are more fragile than any other card type. Going into the release of Time Spiral, the Magus cycle would be rated as follows:
#1) Magus of the Disk
#2) Magus of the Scroll
#3) Magus of the Jar
#4) Magus of the Candelabra
#5) Magus of the Mirror
After release, the list looks more like this:
#1) Magus of the Scroll
#2) Bulk Rares
#3) Everything Else
Wherein #2 is just below #1. So, going into Planar Chaos, here’s where we stand on the current Magus cycle:
#1) Magus of the Library
#2) Magus of the Bazaar
#3) Magus of the Tabernacle
#4) Magus of the Coffers
#5) Magus of the Arena
Note — the above list is generated solely on sales. No commentary here about power levels, only that all of these were comparably priced, and that Magus of the Arena was the cheapest of the five.
Will any of these be any good? Magus of the Library and Bazaar are very aggressively costed, but so was Magus of the Scroll and Magus of the Disk. Apparently, Wrath of God on turn 5 that dies to Char is no good right now. Will the current Magus cycle fare any better? Magus of the Arena sure won’t (Shambling Strider is as Shambling Strider does), but some people have raved about Magus of the Tabernacle and Magus of the Coffers. It’ll remain to be seen if they’re good or not, but it seems like this cycle will be more powerful than the last.
In addition, Inquest Magazine has spoiled that (shock and horror!) there will be a third cycle of Magus in Future Sight. In addition, Ultra Pro has spoiled one of the Magus (Magus of the Future) on their product release schedule, inferring that the cycle this time around will be famous enchantments. So, let’s guess which color will get which Magus!
Blue: Magus of the Future (Future Sight): Spoiled. Could be wrong, but it seems like a fit.
Green: Magus of the Oath (Oath of Druids): There are a few great Green enchantments that would fit this slot (Survival of the Fittest, Exploration), but Oath of Druids makes the most sense. One of the greatest powers of Oath of Druids was as an anti-creature card, and starting out Oath of Druids with a creature in play (the Magus itself!) would be a very fair way of balancing out the power of this card.
White: Magus of the Crusade (Crusade): Bad Moon came back in Time Spiral, and Green got Gaea’s Anthem in Planar Chaos. It’d be fitting if White (especially White Weenie) got Crusade back attached to a creature. This would be an uber-lord for White. On the other hand, this might be too close to Crovax. If so, other possibilities include Magus of the Chorus (Angelic Chorus), Magus of the Law (Rule of Law), Magus of the Sacred (Sacred Ground), Magus of the Circle (Story Circle) and Magus of the Worship (Worship). Not in contention would be Opalescence (so many rules issues on this card!), Ivory Mask (I don’t think they could outdo True Believer), and Land Tax (too powerful at one mana). [Magus of Humility FTW! — Craig.]
Red: Red has some weak enchantments overall, but Magus of the Barbs (Manabarbs) or Magus of the Vortex (Sulfuric Vortex) seem to make the most sense overall.
Black: The card that makes the absolute most sense is Magus of the Plague (Engineered Plague). Engineered Plague is set to rotate out of Extended next year, and one of the problems with Engineered Plague is that certain colors (Black, Red) can’t deal easily with an enchantment that hoses entire tribes (Goblins, Zombies). Making Engineered Plague into a creature makes it vulnerable to burn (so Goblins have an out), but also keeps Engineered Plague in Extended, and able to swing for two (probably two). Other candidates include Magus of Attrition (Attrition), Magus of Contamination (Contamination), Magus of the Darkest Hour (not really, but what a cool name for a card!), and Magus of Greed (Greed).
Malach of the Dawn
It’s Ghost Ship. What do you want from me, a prize?
Mana Tithe
In Extended, having an Adarkar Wastes open means you can be Force Spiked from either side. I think that, for all the hype this card has gotten, people are underestimating how much Force Spike (even in White) will matter in both Extended and Standard. Several people have said that Damnation makes White (and Wrath of God) irrelevant, but I’m sure that Boros would love to drop guys on turns 1-3, and sit back on Force Spike on turn 4. It beats running Blue for Remand or Mana Leak.
Mantle of Leadership
It’s make-a-Herd-Gnarr. This card doesn’t quite seem to gel right, from a design perspective. If you cast it in response to an opponent casting a creature, it’ll either be before blockers (so your opponent can play around it) or after blockers (so your opponent doesn’t care about it). On offense, you either cast it before blockers (so you can cast creatures in your main phase, allowing your opponent to play around it) or after blockers (in which case you need other flash creatures to use it as an effective combat trick). Either way, does Flash help this card out any? Only in a very narrow space, and it would have been better to write some flavor text on this card, rather than have Flash plus a line of reminder text.
Merfolk Thaumaturgist
I used to use Dwarven Thaumaturgist to deal with Tradewind Rider, Birds of Paradise, Wall of Roots, and Ball Lightning. Nowadays, you can use Merfolk Thaumaturgist to deal with Birds of Paradise, Wall of Roots, Groundbreaker, and Stuffy Doll (and the occasional Fortune Thief). Keep this in mind if there are a lot of disproportionate power / toughness guys in your metagame!
Mesa Enchantress
Let me know how your Verduran Enchantress / Mesa Enchantress deck works.
Yup, took me a whole two seconds to write that, and even less time to think it up.
Midnight Charm
Previously, Black had one of the best charms (Funeral Charm) and one of the worst charms in Ebony Charm, and a pretty mediocre, yet tribally significant charm in Misery Charm. I’m afraid to report that Midnight Charm is more Ebony Charm than Misery or Funeral Charm. Then again, Funeral Charm isn’t Funeral Charm anymore, and neither is Funeral Charm.
You get what I’m saying, don’t you?
Mire Boa
Is Mire Boa equal to River Boa? The answer is no — Blue has a much harder time dealing with creatures than Black. Black can just kill this thing eight ways to Sunday. However, it’s still 2/1 for two mana. Compare this to Drudge Skeletons — two mana for a two-power regenerator seems to be where the curve is to make a regeneration creature playable (you don’t see Will-O’-The-Wisp or Drudge Skeletons making splashes, do you?), and Mire Boa is an efficient creature even without the Swampwalk ability.
My apologies to Kev Walker, but seriously.
What
The
Hell?
You basically have one of the iconic names in all of Magic, one of the major focal points of this set’s artwork (several cards reference or feature Mirri), and turn Mirri into this reality’s version of Crovax — and this is the artwork you throw on this card? Maybe it’s just my taste in art, and I concede completely that tastes in art, humor, or other finer things in life are completely subjective, but this is absolutely horrid artwork for Mirri.
First of all, where’s the freaking background? Magic started having backgrounds on cards years ago (after several years of early cards having, you know, empty space. See Mirri the Cursed for an example!). Did someone forget to cue the Green Screen here? Is that why Mirri looks all pissed?
“Squee! Where’s my *&@#$*ing weather map? Rarrrrrr!”
Mirri herself is disorientingly off-center, half the card is shrouded in shadows (and not good, mood-setting shadows. More like “Oops, don’t’ have time to finish this card!” shadows), and Mirri is drooling blood. Except it’s not blood, it’s probably tomato sauce. Ragu tomato sauce, just like mom used to pass off as her very own.
Molten Firebird
Here’s a deck I was thinking of building:
2 Vitu-Ghazi, the City-Tree
3 Terramorphic Expanse
3 Sulfurous Springs
4 Adarkar Wastes
4 Island
6 Mountain
6 Plains
2 Molten Firebird
2 Blinking Spirit
3 Condemn
3 Disenchant
2 Mindstab
1 Diabolic Tutor
3 Volcanic Hammer
2 Pyroclasm
2 Wildfire
2 Stone Rain
3 Mana Leak
3 Spell Burst
2 Commandeer
1 Dark Heart of the Woods
Thoughts?
Muck Drubb
Awww, isn’t it cute? Can I take it home? What a piddy widdle doggy! Awww, piddy widdle doggy wanna woo woo? Piddy widdle doggy wanna woo woo? Who’s a good boy? You’re a good boy, yes that’s right! You’re a good boy! Now go fetch!
Mycologist
Previously, the most valuable cards in Fallen Empires was, believe it or not, Elvish Farmer. Now that Mycologist has been printed, the king of Fallen Empires crown can now safely return to Hymn to Tourach, a common.
Necrotic Sliver
White gets not one, but two Vindicates in this set. This one costs six to use — three for a 2/2 creature, and three for the Vindicate. This seems like a great card for W/B control decks, because it can silver bullet virtually any opposing threat. Unlike Vindicate, Necrotic Sliver can easily get the two-for-one. Also unlike Angel of Despair, you might actually hard-cast and use this before your Debtors’ Knell hits the board. A definite contender for Constructed play.
Needlepeak Spider
To be followed by LaserReaderHeight Spider, MagneticStripFeederApex Spider, and VocalChordsTop Spider.
Null Profusion
Fun is a word. Funner is not a word. Funner is, though, the word that best describes the relationship between Null Profusion and Recycle. Null Profusion is funner, just by virtue of being a Black card. It would be funnest if Dark Ritual and Cabal Ritual were both legal right now in Standard.
Numot, the Devastator
Much like Rakavolver, this six drop RWU3 creature will see play in Red/White/Blue decks as the finisher. Some people claim Numot is a “win-more” card because if you’re hitting with a Dragon you’re winning, but I like to think of it as a “top-end-of-the-curve finisher-who-makes-sure-the-opponent-has-no-outs” type card.
Oros, the Avenger
Probably the worst of the five dragons, which is odd considering it’s the Pyroclasm Dragon. However, it doesn’t kill any Boros creatures, doesn’t kill any Glare of Subdual creatures that matter (and like it’s going to swing through a Glare and active creatures anyhow!), and it’s too slow against Red Aggro or Green Aggro. Who cares if you can Sunlance everything if you’re being hit by Ball Lightning and Timbermare?
Ovinize
It takes at least a level 8 mage to wield the awesome powers of this spell.
Pallid Mycoderm
Can our newest Green ripoff attack them using little attackers to inflict one needed stab? You only use him against very expectant foes. Only usurp new damage, then heave every Saproling (even created rotters!), each taking miniscule effects (seemingly small) against great enemies.
Phantasmagorian
Isn’t this a trade magazine about upcoming horror films?
Piracy Charm
YARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!
(Is good, ya?)
Great artwork, great concept for a card, completely missed opportunity for flavor text.
“Some spellcrafting mistakes go on to becomes spells of their own.”
Come on Wizards! This is a spell that turns things into Apes / Monkeys / what have you! Have a little fun, you tossers!
“Yes, they finally made a monkey out of me!”
“Ping Pong Balls?”
“Akroma didn’t mind the craving for bananas, but the fleas caused her much wrath and fury.”
“I’m the top banana now!” — Bilbo, Utopia Tree
“Ben Bleiweiss? Is that you?” — Darth Junior, Store Owner
Please feel free to insert your flavor text for Pongify in the forums!
Porphyry Nodes
Hands down, this will be the most misspelled Magic card in Standard [over Phthisis? — Craig, doubtful]. For the love of Pete, someone come up with a nickname for this card, Stat! I, for one, propose “Stay-Lost, the Marshmallow Maze.”
Poultice Sliver
When the Nazis came for the Clot Slivers,
I remained silent;
I was not a Clot Sliver.
When they locked up the Crypt Slivers,
I remained silent;
I was not a Crypt Sliver.
When they came for the Sedge Slivers,
I did not speak out;
I was not a Sedge Sliver.
When they came for me,
there was no one left to speak out.
Pouncing Wurm
The kicker is that you just paid seven mana for a 6/6 haste creature!
*Rimshot*
Sigh. Back to my day job.
Primal Plasma
Coincidentally, this is what Michael Bay is going to make Soundwave look like come July 4th, 2007. (July 27th for our friends in the UK, and August 4th for our Japanese readers.)
Prodigal Pyromancer
Wizards of the Coast has given cards that, while Timeshifted in Planar Chaos, would fit into a color’s current color pie, as Toms. This is in reference to the original Prodigal Sorcerer being named “Tim”, which was in turn a homage to Monty Python and the Quest for the Holy Grail. The net result of this? Expect to see Prodigal Pyromancer in Tenth Edition at the earliest, and Eleventh Edition at the latest.
Psychotrope Thallid
Turns Fists of Ironwood into Inspiration, and Scatter the Seeds into Harmonize! Pay five with Selesnya Guildmage in play to draw a card! Watch me eat my words when this finds its way into some deck somewhere, and then taunts me for making fun of it here!
Pyrohemia
In the very far-right corner of this card, you can see Rick Allen’s arm.
Ouch. Sorry!
Radha, Heir to Keld
See Talen Lee article “Tact or Friction: The Problem With Girls…”
Rathi Trapper
Stormscape Apprentice, the first creature that could tap other creatures, was introduced in Mercadian Masques. Puppeteer was printed in Prophecy, the next Magic set, and could both tap or untap any permanent. However, since foil cards weren’t invented yet, you could only get the normal version of this guy. Thankfully, Rathi Trapper is a Planeshifted version of Aysen Bureaucrats, which is currently banned in Legacy. With its two power and one toughness, this Mercenary will make a splash with Cateran Enforcer. Just make sure your opponent doesn’t block with the Pro-Black Thermal Glider, or you’ll take mana burn!
Reality Acid
Actually, Reality Acid might be playable, with a little help. Unlike many other Vanishing cards that are contingent on removing the last time counter to trigger an effect, Reality Acid triggers on leaving play. This makes it combo ideally with Boomerang, Repeal, and other bounce effects that can target Reality Acid. Some people are excited about the prospect of Pongify and Repeal. I’m more excited about Reality Acid and Repeal, to be quite honest, since Reality Acid can go on any permanent (lands take note!)
Rebuff the Wicked
Rebuff the Wicked does not stop Damnation. The irony is thick in this one.
Reckless Wurm
Is it time to consider a Black/Red madness deck in Standard? Probably not — Black’s Madness cards are pretty unimpressive. Then again, it only took Basking Rootwalla and Arrogant Wurm to make U/G Madness’s Madness component. Red now has Reckless Wurm and Fiery Temper. Perhaps U/R Madness in Standard, featuring Magus of the Bazaar / Thought Courier, Reckless Wurm, Fiery Temper, Compulsive Research, and Think Twice? Who knows? I’m just dealing in possibilities here.
Reflex Sliver
Anger, except with no effect in the graveyard. +1/+1 over Heart Sliver for two mana. Didn’t they already do this with Fires of Yavimaya Sliver in the last set?
Retether
Unfortunately, Mesa and Verduran Enchantress require you to play an enchantment to trigger, and they do not trigger when an enchantment comes into play. I just don’t see this one happening, especially since Warp World does a much better job of winning in one turn with Enchant Creatures.
Revered Dead
It’s like Mire Boa, except with -1/-0 and no landwalk! That makes it half as good as Mire Boa, right?
Right?
….
Ridged Kusite
This is that large lump of artificial pseudo-cheese that you sometimes find at the bottom of a bag of Doritos. You know, that big ol’ thing that they grate over the chips to give it that cheesy flavor, and you always grab it out of the bag and wonder why your mouth is about to explode with artificially bad cheese flavor. That’s a Ridged Kusite.
Riftmarked Knight
I’m not quite sure what to think about Riftmarked Knight. On one hand, it’s not too impressive as a half Paladin En-Vec, since First Strike is better than Flanking in Standard, and Pro Red is most of the reason why you play the Paladin in the first place. On the other hand, getting two Riftmarked Knights after suspend is kind of like getting one Errant Ephemeron, but a turn earlier.
Never mind. I just talked myself into not liking this card.
Riptide Pilferer
Now this guy is going to be good. Headhunter was definitely a tier-2 playable card, and it was in a color that couldn’t easily protect it on the board. Riptide Pilferer is basically Hypnotic / Abyssal Specter, except splashable and droppable a turn or two earlier. I’m actually excited about Blue discard / Control, because there are some really good discard spells Blue got in this set.
Roiling Horror
This will forever be accidentally referred to as Rolling Horror, not Roiling Horror. Either way, this is also Black’s Serra Avatar, except only if you’re ahead. In Black Weenie, this might be the kingmaker — drop guys the first three turns, and then Suspend Roiling Horror on turn 4. If your opponent Wraths your first group of guys away, they’re open to an attack from an 8/8 to 10/10 creature. If they don’t, they’re open to an attack to three creatures plus an 8/8 to 10/10 creature. In the Black/White control deck, this is like an Orzhova that you can just throw up in the air on turn 6-7, and let simmer for a while as you use the rest of your mana in a more productive manner. I really like Roiling Horror, just like I really liked Aeon Chronicler. I think people are looking too much at the effect of removing a time counter, and not at the fact that often you’ll be getting a 6/6 or 8/8 or 10/10 creature for five mana.
Rough / Tumble
In my Dissension set review, I posited that people tend to value Split cards lower if they can’t use each half, because even if the one half is perfect for their deck, they view it as only half-as-valuable because they can’t use the other half. Judging from the time it took for Hide / Seek (the Hide side) and Crime / Punishment (either/or side, depending on your deck) to go up in value, I’m probably right. In this case, Rough is Pyroclasms numbers five through eight against most decks, and there are definitely decks that would love to run more than four Pyroclasms between main-deck and board. Tumble is just gravy. It’s the Pyroclasmy goodness you really want.
…
Tune in next week for the final third of my set review, where I promise to talk strategy about at least one card, and I totally go off on the latest Juganator.
Ben’s Corner
Added this week on the website:
Life/Death FNM Foil
Fire/Ice FNM Foil
Firebolt FNM Foil
Coming next week: We are getting ready to put our entire stock of BGS graded Magic cards on the website! Check next week’s Ben’s Corner to get the full details about our BGS 9.5 Beta and Unlimited Black Lotuses, and other pieces of Mint and Gem Mint power!
Ben Bleiweiss
General Manager, StarCityGames.com
[email protected]