Happy Tuesday MTG peeps,
Rather busy day today with regards to Theros spoilers and previews. The official kick off of this fall's large Magic: the Gathering set is taking place this weekend but it appears that we may now know four of the five mechanics / keyword associated with this new set - Monstrosity, Heroic, Bestow, and Devotion. TJ had served up Theros packaging and Intro Pack rares today over on the mothersite and it appears someone dropped a spoiler bomb over on 4Chan.Usually we disregard MTG spoilers on 4Chan but this one nailed the devotion tech ahead of the official preview today. To this end, here is our first Theros blue spoiler and we provide the same cautionary warning to only rely upon official previews over on the Wizards of the Coast page. Here's Thassa -
Thassa, God of the Sea, 2u
Legendary Enchantment Creature - God, Mythic Rare
Indestructible
As long as your devotion to blue is less than five, Thassa isn’t a creature. (Each u mana symbol in the mana costs of permanents you control adds to your devotion to blue.)
At the beginning of your upkeep, scry 1.
1u: Target creature you control can’t be blocked this turn.
5/5
No card image. Looks like scry is back - if you missed it first time around (most recently in the Magic 2011 core set), this allows you to look at the top stated number of cards in your library and return them in any order. This provides a very distinct advantage and is a great keyword action. Next - this devotion tech - very similar in some respects to 'chroma' from Eventide - which we loved by-the-way. This re-tweak delivers some nice flavor and we most definitely approve.
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Next up - those five Theros Intro Packs we were shown over on the mothersite. Before we get to them, a quick word on Intro Packs - probally the best way to get into the game. For the retail price of approximately $15, you get the following;
• 1 premium card
• 1 60-card deck
• 2 Theros booster packs
• 1 learn-to-play insert
• 1 strategy insert
This is good value. If you want to upgrade this as your skills upgrade, drop by MTG Mint Card and pick up a few singles. Anywhoos - here's today's new cardboard -
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Enchantment Creature — Archon, Rare
Bestow 5{W}{W} (If you cast this card for its bestow cost, it's an Aura spell with enchant creature. It becomes a creature again if it's not attached to a creature.)
Flying, first strike
Enchanted creature gets +4/+4 and has flying and first strike.
4/4
Creature — Kraken, Rare
6{U}{U}: Monstrosity 4 (If this creature isn't monstrous, put four +1/+1 counters on it and it becomes monstrous.)
When Shipbreaker Kraken becomes monstrous, tap up to four target creatures. Those creatures don't untap during their controllers' untap steps for as long as you control Shipbreaker Kraken.
6/6
Creature — Demon, Rare
Flying
When Abhorrent Overlord enters the battlefield, put a number of 1/1 black Harpy creature tokens with flying onto the battlefield equal to your devotion to black. (Each {B} in the mana costs of permanents you control counts towards your devotion to black.)
At the beginning of your upkeep, sacrifice a creature.
6/6
Creature — Elemental, Rare
5{R}{R}: Monstrosity 3 (If this creature isn't monstrous, put three +1/+1 counters on it and it becomes monstrous.)
When Ember Swallower becomes monstrous, each player sacrifices three lands.
4/5
Legendary Creature — Human Warrior, Rare
Heroic — Whenever you cast a spell that targets Anthousa, Setessan Hero, up to three target lands you control each become 2/2 Warrior creatures until end of turn. They're still lands.
4/5
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