War of the Spark: Spoilers and Speculation
Spoilers, Rumors, and Speculation forum
Posted on March 31, 2019, 10:56 a.m. by AgentGreen
Spoiler season technically kicks off today
Someone spoiled her card so we do see her, and her ability just seems too tied to the eternals to betray Bolas'.
April 15, 2019 7:09 p.m.
JANKYARD_DOG says... #3
Exclusive preview card
Soul Diviner
Creature - Zombie Wizard - Rare
, Remove a counter from an artifact, land, creature, or planeswalker you control: Draw a card
2/3
April 15, 2019 7:37 p.m. Edited.
DemonDragonJ says... #6
Guildpact informant is strictly worse than grateful apparition, so I wonder why it even exists.
Nicol Bolas, Dragon-God is simply too powerful for five mana, even if it is all colored mana.
The elderspell is far too cheap at two mana; it should have either had a higher initial cost, or required its caster to pay life for each target beyond the first.
There are no dinosaurs on Ravnica, so did Huatli summon one there from Ixalan?
The artwork on Deliver Unto Evil is amazing; Seb McKinnon is definitely now one of my new favorite artists, close behind Todd Lockwood, Wayne Reynolds, Raymond Swanland, Steve Argyle, and Thomas M. Baxa.
April 15, 2019 9:32 p.m.
JANKYARD_DOG says... #7
DemonDragonJ if you haven't yet noticed, the power level of this entire set has been high.
April 15, 2019 9:45 p.m.
ZendikariWol says... #8
DemonDragonJ, I’m actually quite put off by the power leap of this set too. But I suspect it will come and pass.
As for your Huatli’s Raptor question, read the flavor text for Ajani’s Pridemate.
April 15, 2019 10:02 p.m.
Finale of Revelation Draw X cards. If X is 10 or more, instead shuffle your graveyard into your library, draw X cards, untap up to five lands, and you have no maximum hand size for the rest of the game.
Exile Finale of Revelation.
Finale of Revelation will work great in Niv-Miz deck but so hard to get 12 mana in standard on a regular basis but in EDH this card will rock in the Niv-Mizzet, Parun or Niv-Mizzet, the Firemind decks and I can so leverage this in my Nekusar, the Mindrazer edh deck not quite as good as Time Spiral but as a player that only started playing a couple years ago that would require me to drop $60 for 1 card so this is a solid cheaper substitute that can help me filter through to the cards I need and untap 5 lands and with the right card could wreck someone day
April 16, 2019 12:02 p.m.
ShutUpMokuba says... #10
Casualties of War
2
Sorcery
Choose one or more -
Destroy target artifact.
Destroy target creature.
Destroy target enchantment.
Destroy target land.
Destroy target planeswalker.
This looks pretty good.
April 16, 2019 12:11 p.m.
Casualties of war is a better version of Decimate but way more expensive and of course is black green and not red green
April 16, 2019 1:15 p.m.
ShutUpMokuba says... #12
Just for the record: it's not that i was super excited about the planeswalker part.. i've messed up with the message format..
April 16, 2019 1:20 p.m.
JANKYARD_DOG says... #13
Oath of Kaya
Legendary Enchantment
When Oath of Kaya enters the battlefield, it deals 3 damage to any target and you gain 3 life.
Whenever an opponent attacks a planeswalker you control with one or more creatures, Oath of Kaya deals 2 damage to that player and you gain 2 life.
Bioessence Hydra Creature - Hydra Mutant
Trample
Bioessence Hydra enters the battlefield with a +1/+1 counter on it for each loyalty counter on planeswalkers you control.
Whenever one or more loyalty counters are put on planeswalkers you control, put that many +1/+1 counter on Bioessence Hydra.
New oath may suggest the survival of the Gatewatch... nice bit of tech for gain/drain types though. Hydra seems nice too. 5cmc for a 4/4 trample is pretty vanilla but with enough walkers its could be something left unchecked.
April 16, 2019 1:21 p.m.
JANKYARD_DOG says... #14
If my counting 10 times over is right we are still down 1 Walker (because its 36+1 box topper) so who are we missing?
Also most of the walkers were spoiled with a spell related to them yet surrak was not. What's with that? Not even a flavor text mention.
April 16, 2019 5:44 p.m.
ShutUpMokuba says... #17
Is it me or the flavour texts are getting dumber? first Jace being Cap. Obvious on Eternal Taskmaster , now Ajani in Storm the Citadel..
April 16, 2019 6:33 p.m.
DemonDragonJ says... #18
Why is Sarkhan mono-red, again? I know that red is the most prominent color in his identity, but he has had three multicolored cards, so I wish that WotC had kept him multicolored for this set.
Bioessence hydra would be so awesome for my Atraxa EDH deck, but there is no card that I can remove for it, unfortunately.
Also, I really hope that this set does not start a trend of planeswalkers being more numerous than they already are; I really hope that this is a one-time occurrence, and that sets in the future return to having only three to five planeswalkers.
Also, WotC insists that it was not deliberate, but the fact that this set is being released close to the release date of Avengers: Endgame is quite a coincidence, especially when one considers that each product is the culmination of several years' worth of storylines, features nearly every major character joining forces to fight a supervillain who threatens all of existence, and it is very likely that many protagonists shall die in the conflict. Does anyone else find the coinciding of these two products to be suspicious?
April 16, 2019 10:09 p.m.
ShutUpMokuba says... #19
DemonDragonJ yeah it's really suspicious that war of the spark, avengers endgame and game of thrones final season all happen in April 2019...
April 17, 2019 3:17 a.m.
ShutUpMokuba says... #20
New card spoiled. It's Liliana betraying Bolas.
Finale of Eternity
X
Sorcery
Destroy up to three target creatures with toughness X or less. If X is 10 or more, return all creature cards from your graveyard to the battlefield.
FT:When you rule by fear, your greatest weakness is one who's no longer afraid.
April 17, 2019 3:24 a.m.
JANKYARD_DOG says... #21
And we have our last Walker.
Narset, Parter of Veils
Legendary Planeswalker - Narset
Each opponent can't draw more than one card each turn.
-2: Look at the top four cards of your library. You may reveal a noncreature, nonland card from among them and put it into your hand. Put the rest on the bottom of your library in a random order.
5
Also, Prison Realm suggests Bolas won't die, just be trapped in his Meditation realm.
Prison Realm
Enchantment
When Prison Realm enters the battlefield, exile target creature or planeswalker an opponent control until Prison Realm leaves the battlefield.
When Prison Realm enters the battlefield, scry 1.
Ft: After millenia to craft victory, Bolas had eternity to contemplate defeat.
Tyrant's Scorn
Instant
Choose one -
-
Destroy target creature with converted mana cost 3 or less.
-
Return target creature to its owner's hand. Ft: The hero with the magic sword slays the dragon? Not this time. -Nicol Bolas
Almost got the full set now.
April 17, 2019 8:38 a.m.
ShutUpMokuba says... #22
Tyrant's Scorn
Instant
Choose one -
-
Destroy target creature with converted mana cost 3 or less.
-
Return target creature to its owner's hand.
FT:"The hero with the magic sword slays the dragon? Not this time." -Nicol Bolas
So, Bolas gets defeated but not by Gideon (who dies?)
April 17, 2019 9:21 a.m.
ShutUpMokuba says... #23
Sorry i didn't see you posted also that card, Mj3913
April 17, 2019 9:22 a.m.
LittleBlueHero says... #24
Gideon sacrifices himself to save liliana. Liliana and the others somehow trap Bolas in a prison realm. At least thats what looks to be happening based on some of todays spoilers.
April 17, 2019 10:54 a.m.
Ugin finds Bolas' weakness
Beefslap jumps for it
but fails
sacrifices himself to take Lilis curse
Lili defeats Bolas
and they somehow turn Bolas Meditation Realm into his prison and banish him there. Never see you again. The End.
April 17, 2019 12:37 p.m.
Price of Betrayal is not bad at all reminds me of AEther Snap . Now the million dollar question what counters do opponents have poison (not in standard) but you do not want to remove those anyways; it would remove experience counters so you would be like hell yes but that is also not present in standard right now so whats coming that has not been released hum call me intrigued
April 17, 2019 1:08 p.m.
Players can have counters on them, e.g. experience counters for Kalemne, Disciple of Iroas and other cards.
It's also great to remove poison counters from an opponent you still need in EDH.
April 17, 2019 1:13 p.m.
If you zoom in on Finale of Eternity, doesn't it look like Liliana threw the chain veil? Looks like the veil is colliding with that glowing purple oval in front of Bolas, could that be his floating Gem? Liliana threw the chain veil on Bolas's gem and it messed him up dude.
April 17, 2019 1:47 p.m.
AgentGreen says... #30
Heartfelt Redemption
Not a bad card itself, but the art and flavor text is something else. (This is after Gids sacs himself to save her from betraying Bolas)
"Kytheon knew war everyday of his life. Now finally he knew peace."
April 17, 2019 3:54 p.m.
JANKYARD_DOG says... #31
15 cards left to spoil I think, assuming there are 5 other basic land arts (the numbers seem weird). Being its story based its gotta be the "post war" cards I guess.
April 17, 2019 6:14 p.m.
I hope they show Lilis reaction to Gideons sacrifice somehow, maybe with a renewed oath.
April 17, 2019 8 p.m.
While unless something changes in the next two days Red got complete garbage on the instant card front and is worthless even in limited (draft) with all the planeswalker present. Hell they did not even get anything with any target.
This set is very crazy and very disappointing that we have 36 planeswalker and your best defense is going to be to dip black period end of story and outside of The ElderSpell and while Casualties of War is nice it is a 6 mana drop which are both rares dealing with planeswalkers is terrible and outside of 1 uncommon Angrath's Rampage which is ok and still requires black. Basically this set gives us way to many planeswalkers and the best ways with dealing with them are in other sets and they are also rares thanks for nothing MTG
I posted a while ago how disappointed I was about the planeswalker removal there should have been more uncommon removal that was decent to help and we got hot garbage mainly and all the best ones require black so basically red did not even get something on par with Wizard's Lightning in cost to damage to any target
While I expect to be even more disappointment tomorrow on this front, So nothing has really changed best planeswalker removal requires black (outside red bolt spells) and the best ones are all rare esper control is going to get even more ridiculous with the likes of Teferi, Time Raveler.
Not sure what I expected but my fears played out about all these planeswalkers
April 17, 2019 8:09 p.m.
ZendikariWol says... #34
Wow. Guess you can’t lean on one color for literally every utility except enchantment removal.
April 17, 2019 8:39 p.m.
DemonDragonJ says... #35
Wow, so much has been revealed, today!
First, I dislike two things about the new Narset: first, that she has lost a color with each new card, so what is the reason for that? Second, her static ability is far too powerful for an uncommon that costs only three mana, but at least she is easy to destroy or remove from the battlefield.
Second, the story seems to be reaching a very dramatic conclusion: Gideon fails to defeat Bolas, but transfers his invulnerability to Liliana, whop defies Bolas, likely dying in the process, and then Bolas is imprisoned in his meditation realm. I definitely shall need to read the book to fully understand the story, although I shall say that I am very disappointed that none of the old-school planeswalkers (i.e., Jaya, Karn, or Teferi) seem to have any role in defeating Bolas, since they have been part of this game for far longer than have any of the other planeswalkers.
April 17, 2019 10:58 p.m.
ShutUpMokuba says... #36
Gideon riding Rakdos it's the last thing i'd have expected to see..
April 18, 2019 7:10 a.m.
Gideon riding Rakdos...hahaha, what the fuck?
I think I cracked a fang.
April 18, 2019 10:43 a.m.
So Lili commands the Zombie Gods to take control over the Spark Collector Eternals which then take the Spark of Bolas.
April 18, 2019 10:46 a.m.
This was so needed card:Despark that card is a slightly less powerful Assassin's Trophy but yet again black is required; I was hoping red would get something like Bombard for planeswalkers or Fight with Fire that targets planeswalkers.
I am not even running any these cards in my decks I was just hoping for a more diverse set of tools to deal with the upcoming onslaught of planeswalkers to have a more diverse deck builds. Personally on arena I am already dipped into black on one of my main decks so very little effect on me. Like I said I was just looking for a more diverse tool box to be created by MTG.
April 18, 2019 11:30 a.m.
There’s an enchantment in white that targets plansewalkers and at least a few red spells that can target them too...
April 18, 2019 5:23 p.m.
See that's my point none of them will be used in constructed because Shock , Lightning Strike , Banefire and Skewer the Critics are all better cards from other sets that embrace red and then there is a reason we see Fight with Fire and Lava Coil played even though the other cards exist because they help with more damage against bigger creatures nope nothing at all big fat hot garbage so if you are doing limited draft better splash black for removal because red is atrocious in war of sparks for getting rid of planeswalkers now they did get some really nice creatures I like but from a planeswalker removal all the prior sets have better tools by a mile and that is bad design imo
April 18, 2019 6:50 p.m.
Hi_diddly_ho_neighbor says... #42
hejtmane - As someone who has themselves been outspoken about the perils of a set like this, I think you are need to re-evaluate a number of these cards. From a limited perspective (and not including other Walkers) there are about 19, non-creature spells that can deal with PW's. I'd argue that 13-15 are playable (all 6 of the multi colored ones are playable, all 4 mono black are playable, 3/4 mono red are playable, 2/3 mono white are playable, 2/2 of the mono blue are playable, and mono green received none). Of course Black got the most efficient interactions with PW's, but that is one of it's niche's in the color pie. Honestly, red is probably the strongest, or at least second strongest color to deal with walkers in this set. Blue and Green definitely got shafted, but they at least have a fair amount of evasive creatures.
I don't play standard so I can't speak much to constructed, but not every set provides a color with a large amount of playables. Red has been getting hooked up for the last few sets, so it will survive if it doesn't get a constructed playable burn spell this time around.
April 18, 2019 9:47 p.m.
DemonDragonJ says... #43
Has every card now been spoiled? I thought that that did not happen until Friday.
I dearly wish that the ability of vampire opportunist gave more life with each opponent who is drained, because it definitely is not worth 7 mana as it currently is. I also wish that Oath of Kaya and Command the Dreadhorde had players lose life instead of dealing damage, as that would be more suitable for black and also use less text on the cards.
------, first, a pegasus, then, Rakdos himself; hopefully, Liliana will be next.
April 18, 2019 9:50 p.m.
JANKYARD_DOG says... #44
Yes, full set is spoiled. Friday's a holiday so probably why.
April 18, 2019 9:55 p.m.
ZendikariWol says... #45
What the FuckyDiscoGod??
Gideon died because he didn’t want to see another friend go. He still feels it should have been him back on theros, all those so-many-years ago. I’m not saying I think his character is deep or anything but he does have reasons for what he does other than “he’s the white knight.”
I am actually ALL FOR Gids’ death here, because he might finally get some more development which, let’s face it, he desperately needs.
April 19, 2019 8:48 a.m.
AgentGreen says... #46
Funkydiscogod Let's put some context here:
Gideon failed to slay Bolas, Bolas was about to overwhelm the planeswalkers; and Gideon knew it, it was hopeless.
Liliana turned the eternals on Bolas and in doing so, Bolas declared the demonic pact null and void, and as such, Lili's life was forfit.
Liliana was the ONLY walker who could defeat Bolas, Gids knew that and in order to save the lives of everyone, his life had to end. To save the multiverse at the cost of your own life? To use a Star Trek reference, that is the ultimate dream of any Klingon warrior
April 19, 2019 8:58 a.m.
Funkydiscogod - I agree with what ZendikariWol and AgentGreen said (though, I'll point out that Bolas did not declare the contract "null and void" but rather determined Liliana was in breach of the contract), but wanted to add one additional piece of meta-analysis.
As a character, Gideon was a generic white-aligned, lawful good character and thus easily replaceable. They wrote him into a corner where he was unlikely to have significant additional development, so it was time to retire him. I can think of no more fitting end to his arc than dying to save a friend and being rewarded in Elysium.
Compare to Liliana, who fills a much-needed role of Black-allgined protagonist, something Wizards is generally bad at creating. Unlike Gideon, she still has lots of development and outstanding stories that need to be addressed. There will likely be a reckoning with the rest of the Gatewatch. She has now been unshackled from her contract, which will likely have a huge effect on her character. She still has outstanding issues with the Raven Man and Garruk to address. Her entire character believes, unquestioningly, that no one does anything except for their own interest--she now has to come to terms with the fact Gideon sacrificed his interest for hers, challenging the fundamental way she views the world.
Ultimately, Gidoen's death not only was a fine way to dispose of the character, but it allowed a better, more interesting character to survive. In doing so, Gideon added another level of complexity to Liliana's character; had the roles been reversed, Gidoen would have the guilt of another person he could not save on his consciousness--and we've already heard that story from him.
April 19, 2019 9:58 a.m.
Hi_diddly_ho_neighbor says... #48
Well put cdkime, and I'd like to further add that we already saw Liliana's character begin to change during the Dominaria storyline. WoTC has been setting her up for a moment like this.
I'd also just like to say that it's tough to analyze a story from a few tidbits of information strewn across a number of cards. A picture may be worth 1000 words, but it can't convey much of the context, internal struggles, or nuance that 1000 words can. I think it would be wise to wait until after the book comes out next week before jumping to conclusions on something like character development.
April 19, 2019 10:09 a.m.
ZendikariWol says... #49
Oh, this is where I have to disagree, cdkime. If you think this is the end for Kytheon, I would have to say... unlikely.
If he were the only one in the underworld, well, his fate would be essentially sealed. But if, perhaps, there were anoth-oh fuck it you all know I’m talking about Elspeth.
Yeah. On her own I don’t know that Elspeth could break out of the underworld, but if she met another character with a similar moral alignment and an equally vigorous disdain for the gods? That’s another story. Hell, maybe Kytheon gets the gang back together, meets up with the irregulars, and plans a whole jailbreak?
April 19, 2019 10:25 a.m.
ZendikariWol - I was careful not to say that he would never come back, merely that it was time to retire the character and that his death would be a fitting end to his arc.
Interestingly, Nic Kelman, head of Magic's story, indicated in an interview with Polygon that Gideon would not be coming back. Polygon, unfortunately, did not provide the quote which indicated this. The reprint of Rest in Peace in Gideon's signature spellbook provides further evidence his rest will be undisturbed. So, it's possible Gideon will not return; but I won't be shocked if he does.
ShutUpMokuba says... #1
I think i see Rhonas but whatever it's not that important..
April 15, 2019 6:48 p.m.