Ixalan Spoilers
Spoilers, Rumors, and Speculation forum
Posted on June 16, 2017, 2:50 p.m. by clayperce
Hi everyone!
We've been chatting about Ixalan here for a while, but on 21 Aug Wizards got into the act with four promo cards (and some upcoming tokens):
And then on 28 Aug they posted a BUNCH more:
- Mechanics and some new cards are here: Ixalan Mechanics
AllMost of the previously-leaked cards are here: Behind the Scenes with the Alleged Ixalan Card Theft
So let's talk Ixalan!
AgentGreen says... #2
That was quick
So even if the cards do not say "another", the rule is it cannot target itself. Very important to know especially come pre-release
August 28, 2017 1:55 p.m.
DemonDragonJ says... #3
What is the point of adding the legendary supertype to planeswalkers? That change makes no sense of any type.
On a more positive note, I am very glad to see that the "checklands" from Magic 2010 (Dragonskull Summit, Glacial Fortress, and so forth) are being reprinted, and with new artwork. I really hope that this means that the checklands from Innistrad (Hinterland Harbor, Isolated Chapel, and so forth) are eventually reprinted, as well.
August 28, 2017 3:05 p.m.
DemonDragonJ,
I'm speculating here, but I'm guessing it's to make it easier for new players. The fact that the Planeswalker Uniqueness rule worked differently than the Legendary Uniqueness rule was definitely confusing to noobs.
Could also be that someone from the Rules team at Wizards just wanted to play Gideon Tribal. Or make their Captain Sisay EDH deck even more busted. Or go infinite with Jace and Doubling Season ...
August 28, 2017 3:18 p.m. Edited.
DemonDragonJ says... #5
clayperce, it is a flavor fail, in my mind, since two planeswalkers with the same type represent the same specific being, and there was no way to mechanically represent that with legendary creatures.
August 28, 2017 3:33 p.m.
DemonDragonJ,
I agree it's a flavor fail. But now at least it's the same Flavor fail as with Legendary Creatures. Thalia and Thalia, Atarka and Atarka, etc ...
August 28, 2017 3:38 p.m. Edited.
DemonDragonJ says... #8
AgentGreen, banned from which format? I am planning to make an EDH deck with Atraxa, Praetors' Voice as the general, and I plan to have Doubling Season in that deck.
August 28, 2017 3:47 p.m.
Oh yeah castaway Jace is actually really good with Doubling Season.
Like, slower splinter twin good. If you already have a way to do combat damage with a creature, you get infinite 2/2s and as much card draw as you like... Except on MTGO. Damn that token limit.
Anyway, pretty much everything spoiled so far is fine. The only thing I think is considerably noteworthy is the spyglass, but we've known about that for months now. Does this spoiler season seem too early for anyone else? I didn't even realize it had started until 30 minutes ago.
August 28, 2017 5:19 p.m.
DarkLaw,
Spoilers were supposedly going start in earnest Monday, but I heard someone say that they started today because of PAX.
August 28, 2017 6:13 p.m.
Oloro_Magic says... #11
So assuming Jace, Cunning Castaway is working like we think he is with Doubling Season, I threw this list together as a possible build using that combo.
Jace Twin Combo
Combo
4x Jace, Cunning Castaway
Ramp
2x Arbor Elf
Cantrips
Protection
1x Spellskite
3x Remand
1x Spell Snare
Land
1x Steam Vents
5x Island
1x Card: Forest
1x Mountain
Thoughts on this assuming Jace is as broken as he seems with Doubling Season? This is a rough list so any feedback would be appreciated.
August 28, 2017 6:49 p.m.
AgentGreen says... #12
The massive leak probably helped push in that direction too
August 28, 2017 6:58 p.m.
AgentGreen says... #13
I want to like new Jace and drop him in with Bolas in my deck; but I can't see him working all that well in that deck
August 28, 2017 7:35 p.m.
Shane if you're referrencing Old Growth Dryad, it's absolutely awful. A 3/3 for 1 is not worth setting your opponent ahead.
In the early game, it ramps your opponent too quickly. In the late game, it's too weak to actually matters. At least for modern/standard. Especially since you'd want to run it early game unlike Path to Exile, which is the most comparable card (and that's instant speed and complete removal of a serious threat).
Unless you're running some really janky bulls*** regarding lands, this isn't even going to do anything in EDH except he wasted mana, so it's not going to do anything there either. Frankly, it's gonna be a dollar rare that might be fun in sealed but that's about it.
August 28, 2017 9:29 p.m.
Shane,
Not everyone on this thread is a guy.
//
Do you mean Old-Growth Dryads?
I'm not generally a fan of group hug effects, but so probably not. But a 3/3 for 1 is pretty impressive!
For sure though, it's terrible in Two-headed Giant :-)
August 28, 2017 9:34 p.m.
He might be cool with Torpor Orb or that new creature with the torpor orb effect. Tocatli honor guard
August 28, 2017 11 p.m.
The issue is without the torpor orb stuff, it's basically not worth it at all for the cost.
August 28, 2017 11:14 p.m.
Hi_diddly_ho_neighbor says... #20
Old Growth Dryads are pretty bad. If they had haste they might be playable. Accelerating your opponent's mana base for a 3/3 that probably gets in one attack before something bigger comes down on the other side of the table a turn early seems pretty bad to me.
I could see it maybe as a sideboard card against something like Rumanap Red since extra lands really do nothing for them and it successfully blocks most of the deck's creatures, but even that seems pretty bad.
August 29, 2017 12:32 a.m.
filthyc4sual says... #21
Just so everyone here knows, if I ever wind up talking about Davy Jones's Locker, I mean the new Drowned Catacombs art.
August 29, 2017 2:03 a.m.
new jace isnt getting anything banned. Twin and Saheeli cat had something dangerous in common: a 2 card infinite damage combo. New jace can make infinite tokens and infinite jaces with doubling season sure, but they can't swing unless you have a third card to give all the tokens haste. On top of that, doubling season is 5 mana, where Splinter Twin & Felidar Guardian were both 4 drops, and Saheeli Rai & Deceiver Exarch were both three drops. Making the combo cost one more mana IS a massive setback in modern; making it cost 1 more mana AND require a third card to even guarantee a win makes it borderline unplayable.
I speak from three years experience trying to break Pili-Pala + Grand Architect, and if you mean to tell me that somehow new jace and Doubling Season are better standalone cards than GA and pili... well I'll respectfully disagree I suppose.
As far as commander is concerned, Protean Hulk, Deadeye Navigator, Doomsday, and Rings of Brighthearth are all legal. I doubt new jace is getting anything banned in that format either, since his combo isnt faster than a typical storm deck is.
New jace has no infinites in standard, so he's not making splashes there either
August 29, 2017 2:35 a.m.
seshiro_of_the_orochi says... #23
Ezuri, Claw of Progress loves Herald of sercret streams.
Regarding the "legendary planeswalker"-thing. Is it possible that this is made to have walkers automatically be legal commanders?
August 29, 2017 3:14 a.m.
Being Legendary isn't the only requirement for Commanders.
They need to be Legendary CREATURES.
Unless stated otherwise on the card, such as with Ob Nixilis of the Black Oath.
August 29, 2017 4:01 a.m.
Also, can I just do this.
(runs around wildly, with hands flailing)
VEHICLES!!
SAW MY FIRST IXALAN VEHICLE!!!
Weeeeeeeeee!!
Good thing we have that Vehicle Hub.
August 29, 2017 4:18 a.m.
I'm LOVING the artwork on the new Merfolk.
Like this new card, spoiled in Germany:
Deeproot Waters - 2U
Enchantment - Uncommon
Whenever you cast a Merfolk creature spell, create a 1/1 blue Merfolk creature token with hexproof.
A visit to the Deeproot tree and its ancient spring renews the connection between merfolk and nature.
August 29, 2017 10:02 a.m.
Oh good lord, Wizards.
Stop printing interesting Tribal cards.
I already have my Herd of Worthy Minotaurs, I don't know if I can support a Shoal of Merfolk, as well.
August 29, 2017 10:13 a.m.
Looks like we're getting a bunch of the uncommon Gold cards today (which is awesome b/c they give hints about the Limited archetypes):
Invite the Party? - 2WB
Sorcery
Create three 1/1 White Vampire creature tokens with lifelink.
Deadeye Pillagers - 3UB
Creature - Human Pirate
Deadeye Pillagers gets +1/+1 for each artifact you control.
2UB: Create a colorless artifact token named Treasure with "T, Sacrifice this artifact: Add one mana of any color to your mana pool."
Keep your friends close and your enemies within shooting range.
3/3
Belligerent Dinosaur? - 5GW
Creature - Dinosaur
Each creature you control assigns damage equal to its toughness rather than its power.
4/6
August 29, 2017 10:23 a.m.
Hi_diddly_ho_neighbor says... #30
Belligerent Dinosaur seems oddly placed with the so far spoiled dinosaurs. Most of them have either equal or lower toughness when compared to their power. Hopefully we will see some big but dinos in the next couple weeks (like a stegosaurus or an ankylosaurus).
That being said, I kinda wish it allowed Dinos to deal combat damage as though they weren't blocked. That would've been sweet alongside the Enrage mechanic and Gishath. Plus that seems more belligerent than big butts.
August 29, 2017 10:42 a.m.
AgentGreen says... #31
So far the only card I dislike is that 2CMC white graveyard hoser. It stops Torrentials cold
August 29, 2017 10:53 a.m.
@Hi_diddly_ho_neighbor, I was thinking of using this guy in my fiance's Doran edh deck for some potential draw power. I too would guess we'll get some high-toughness herbivores eventually
August 29, 2017 11:47 a.m.
Ripjaw Raptor is nice. I love big butts and free cards. And at 4 mana it's just right.
August 29, 2017 3:11 p.m.
Hopefully there's a good limited environment for dinosaurs.
August 29, 2017 3:56 p.m.
LittleBlueHero says... #35
So i'm getting things together for my Gishath, sun's avatar commander deck and I just wanted to point out a fun thematic card.
You can cast Signal the Clans and search for burning sun avatar, verdant sun avatar and the eventual white dino avatar (it would make sense that they make one).
Signaling the 3 different clans that make up the tribes of the sun!
August 29, 2017 5:20 p.m.
RazortoothMtg says... #36
LittleBlueHero: I believe the 3rd one was spoiled. It's a mythic, however, and I think it's like a Dread Cacodemon that doesn't hit dinos.
August 29, 2017 5:26 p.m.
I actually like the 3/3 but only in Legacy where I could build a really shitty, janky, old-school Mono-Green Stompy deck with Rogue Elephants, Mtenda Lion, Jungle Lion, Invigorate, Berserk, and so on.
Just play 9 lands, Land Grant, and Elvish Spirit Guide to dump my entire hand on the table turn 1 and start smacking things. Giving your opponent extra lands isn't really going to matter if you go Invigorate -> Berserk -> Berserk on your 3/3!
August 29, 2017 6:02 p.m.
We got another Uncommon!
Deathless Ancient - 4BB
Creature - Vampire Knight
Flying
Tap three untapped Vampires you control: Return Deathless Ancient from your graveyard to your hand.
Oh ancient one, we have reached the promised land. The Immortal Sun is near: Drinking and awakening.
4/4
August 29, 2017 7:28 p.m.
Harashiohorn says... #40
Given the all of 0 Basics run in many/most "Grixis" Delver, Bug Delver, Eldrazi Aggro, MUD, 4c Control, and Chzech Pile decks I feel like the 1 mana 3/3 is certainly "playable" in Legacy, though I'm not sure if it's enough to resuscitate the kind of zoo deck that would want it.
August 29, 2017 8:52 p.m.
filthyc4sual says... #41
That uncommon looks oppressive to play against. You need four removal spells to answer it, and even then it can come back later.
August 29, 2017 9:18 p.m.
That uncommon is probably pretty powerful. If you can discard it early, then cast super cheap vampires, it can probably be on the field turn 3 or 4.
August 29, 2017 9:32 p.m.
DemonDragonJ says... #47
Why is "pirate" its own creature type? Would not "rogue" work perfectly well for those creatures?
Also, not all dinosaurs in actuality had feathers; only certain bipedal species had them, which lends credence to the theory that modern birds evolved from dinosaurs. Quadrupedal dinosaurs did not have feathers, so the artist who illustrated goring ceratops is taking artistic liberties by portraying it with feathers.
August 29, 2017 10:20 p.m.
I can see/hope for:
1) (white) Vampire clergy being conquistadors, imposing strict order on the locals with that whole human cattle + sacrifice angle.
2) The Jundesque Savage lands with the untamed/unbroken dinos pushing back.
3) More useful & generally awesome airships (vehicles).
4) Maybe Jace can just stay lost & clueless in some arctic place & not effect the story (although it is nice to see him not donning that ridiculous hoodie...hoser)
August 29, 2017 10:44 p.m.
filthyc4sual says... #49
Yeah, he gets amnesia and goes, " Fuck this hoodie."
August 29, 2017 10:46 p.m.
I actually like the multicolored merfolk. It's really cool to see merfolk based on tropical species of fish for coloring.
supagrex says... #1
Hostage Taker Errata
Wow they actually let this get to print before readin their own card. I wanna first thank the play design team, Maro, Ian Duke, and everyone else that "read" this card. And remember this is after the felidar guardian cheese
August 28, 2017 1:50 p.m.