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After two sets facing off against the Phyrexian threat, it’s time for Magic: The Gathering to head to their home turf and descend into the machine hell itself in Phyrexia: All Will Be One. With gruesome imagery, body horror galore, and the return of the always-scary poison counters, All Will Be One looks set to be a memorably grim, powerful set that has more than a few surprises.
Phyrexia: All Will Be One’s preview season runs from January 17 through January 26, during which we’ll see everything the set has to offer, both in booster packs and in its two Commander decks. Expect plenty of oil and gore, and check back each day to see what else Elesh Norn is cooking up for us when Phyrexia: All Will Be One launches on February 10.
Updated January 21, 2023 at 09:47 by Joe Parlock: As we settle into the groove of Phyrexia’s reveals, day four gave us a not particularly splashy day, but an interesting one nonetheless. A strictly better Pacifism, lots of tools for oil counters, and even some new Golems more than made up for the lack of big hitter cards.
Day Four Previews
Day four’s previews introduced a strictly better version of one of the game’s most popular Aura enchantments, a cycle of card-drawing artifacts, and lots of new tools for the underappreciated Golem creature type.
Image | Name | Description |
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![]() | Compleat Devotion | One generic, one white instant: Target creature you control gets +2/+2 until end of turn. If that creature has toxic, draw a card. |
![]() | Planar Disruption | One generic, one white enchantment – Aura: Enchant artifact, creature, or planeswalker. Enchanted permanent can’t attack or block, and its activated abilities can’t be activated. |
![]() | Mindsplice Apparatus | Three generic, one blue artifact: Flash At the beginning of your upkeep, put an oil counter on Mindsplice Apparatus. Instant and sorcery spells you cast cost one generic less to cast for each oil counter on Mindsplice Apparatus. |
![]() | Transplant Theorist | Three generic, one blue artifact creature – Phyrexian Artificer – 2/4: Whenever Transplant Theorist or another artifact enters the battlefield under your control, you may draw a card. If you do, discard a card. Two generic: Put target card from your graveyard on the bottom of your library. |
![]() | Chittering Skitterling | Two generic, one black creature – Phyrexian Rat – 1/4: Corrupted – Sacrifice an artifact or creature: Draw a card. Activate only if an opponent has three or more poison counters and only once each turn. |
![]() | Necrogen Communion | One generic, one black enchantment – Aura: Enchant creature you control Enchanted creature has toxic 2. (Players dealt combat damage by it also get two poison counters.) When enchanted creature dies, return that card to the battlefield under your control. |
![]() | Scheming Aspirant | One generic, one black creature – Phyrexian Advisor – 1/3: Whenever you proliferate, each opponent loses two life and you gain two life. |
![]() | Vran, Executioner Thane | One generic, one black legendary creature – Phyrexian Vampire – 2/2: Whenever one or more other creatures you control die, each opponent loses two life and you gain two life. This ability triggers only once each turn. |
![]() | Incubation Bag (Translated name TBA) | One green artifact: Incubation Bag enters the battlefield with three oil counters on it. Four generic, tap, remove an oil counter from Incubation Bag: Create a 3/3 colorless Phyrexian Golem artifact creature token. Activate only as a sorcery. |
![]() | Viral Spawning | Two generic, one green sorcery: Create a 3/3 green Phyrexian Beast creature token with toxic 1. (Players dealt combat damage by it also get a poison counter.) Corrupted – As long as an opponent has three or more poison counters and Viral Spawning is in your graveyard, it has flashback: two generic, one green. (You may cast this card from your graveyard for its flashback cost. Then exile it.) |
![]() | Vivisection Evangelist | Three generic, one white, one black creature – Phyrexian Cleric – 4/4: Vigilance Corrupted – When Vivisection Evangelist enters the battlefield, if an opponent has three or more poison counters, destroy target creature an opponent controls. |
![]() | Serum Reactor Chimera (translated name TBA) | Two generic, one blue, one red creature – Phyrexian Chimera – 2/4: Flying Whenever you cast a noncreature spell, put an oil counter on Serum Reactor Chimera. Remove three oil counters from Serum Reactor Chimera: Draw a card, then you may discard a nonland card. When you discard a card this way, Serum Reactor Chimera deals three damage to target creature or planeswalker. Activate only as a sorcery. |
![]() | Argentum Masticore | Five generic artifact creature – Phyrexian Masticore – 5/5: First strike, protection from multicolored. At the beginning of your upkeep, sacrifice Argentum Masticore unless you discard a card. When you discard a card this way, destroy target nonland permanent an opponent controls with mana value less than or equal to the mana value of the discarded card. |
![]() | Basilica Skullbomb (Translated name TBA) | One generic artifact: One generic, sacrifice Basilica Skullbomb: Draw a card. Two generic, one white, sacrifice Basilica Skullbomb: Target creature you control gets +2/+2 and gains flying until end of turn. Buy a card. Activate only as a spell. |
![]() | Dross Skullbomb (Translated name TBA) | One generic artifact: One generic, sacrifice Dross Skullbomb: Draw a card. Two generic, one black, sacrifice Dross Skullbomb: Return target creature card from your graveyard to your hand. Draw a card. Activate only as a sorcery. |
![]() | Furnace Skullbomb (Translated name TBA) | One generic artifact: One generic, sacrifice Furnace Skullbomb: Draw a card. One generic, one red, sacrifice Furnace Skullbomb: Put two oil counters on target artifact or creature you control. Draw a card. Activate only as a sorcery. |
![]() | Ichorplate Golem | Three generic artifact creature – Phyrexian Golem – 2/3: Whenever a creature enters the battlefield under your control, if it has one or more oil counters on it, put an oil counter on it. Creatures you control with oil counters on them get +1/+1. |
![]() | Labyrinth Skullbomb (Translated name TBA) | One generic artifact: One generic, sacrifice Labyrinth Skullbomb: Draw a card. Two generic, one green, sacrifice Labyrinth Skullbomb: A creature you control gets +3/+3 and has trample until end of turn. Draw a card. Activate only as a sorcery. |
![]() | Surgical Skullbomb (Translated name TBA) | One generic artifact: One generic, sacrifice Surgical Skullbomb: Draw a card. Two generic, one blue, sacrifice Surgical Skullbomb: Return target creature to its owner’s hand. Draw a card. Activate only as a sorcery. |
![]() | Tablet of Compleation | Two generic artifact: Tap: Put an oil counter on Tablet of Compleation. Tap: Add one colorless. Activate only if Tablet of Compleation has two or more oil counters on it. One generic, tap: Draw a card. Activate only if Tablet of Compleation has five or more oil counters on it. |
Pacifism is one of Magic’s most-repeated enchantment spells, but it seems its day is finally up with the strictly-better Compleat Devotion. Costing the same as Pacifism, it can not just shut down a creature attacking or blocking, but prevents any permanent from using its activated abilities.
While it won’t stop triggered abilities, meaning Sheoldred, The Apocalypse can still be annoying in Standard, it can completely turn off other threats like Bloodtithe Harvester, or, in Pioneer and Explorer, the ever-problematic Witch’s Oven.
The five Skullbomb cards seem like good ways to shore up card draw in limited formats, and also work nicely in sacrifice-heavy archetypes elsewhere. They’re nice and cheap, can sacrifice themselves straight away, and, if you do wait for that second ability, still give you draw as an incidental bonus.
Golems have been an unassuming creature type for a long time, but between Phyrexia and The Brothers’ War it looks like it’s time for these artifact creatures to shine. In particular, Incubation Bag is a great way to repeatedly pump out Golems each turn, especially if you have a few Powerstone tokens lying around not getting used. Finally, there’s also Ichorplate Golem, which will help speed up oil counter strategies a lot.
Day Three Previews
After a hefty first two days, day three slowed things down and took a trip to the Furnace Layer to check in on the rebel praetor, Urabrask. Lots of red cards were shown off, giving us a better sense of the redesign Urabrask and his minions are getting for this set.
Image | Name | Description |
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![]() | Incisor Glider | One generic, one white artifact creature – Phyrexian Construct – 1/3: Flying Corrupted – Whenever Incisor Glider attacks, if an opponent has three or more poison counters, creatures you control get +1/+1 until end of turn. |
![]() | Infested Fleshcutter | One generic, one white artifact – Equipment: Equipped creature gets +2/+0. Whenever equipped creature attacks, create a 1/1 colorless Phyrexian Mite artifact creature token with toxic 1 and “This creature can’t block.” (Players dealt combat damage by it also get a poison counter.) Equip: Two generic, one white. |
![]() | Veil Of Assimilation | One generic, one white artifact: When Veil of Assimilation or another artifact enters the battlefield under your control, until end of turn, target creature you control gets +1/+1 and has vigilance until end of turn. |
![]() | Quicksilver Fisher | Three generic, two blue creature – Phyrexian Drake – 4/3: Flying When Quicksilver Fisher enters the battlefield, draw a card, then discard a card. |
![]() | Tamiyo’s Immobilizer | Three generic, one blue artifact: Tamiyo’s Immobilizer enters the battlefield with four oil counters on it. Tap, Remove an oil counter from Tamiyo’s Immobilizer: Tap target artifact or creature. |
![]() | Bilious Skulldweller | One black creature – Phyrexian Insect – 1/1: Deathtouch Toxic 1 (Players dealt combat damage by it also get a poison counter.) |
![]() | Blightbelly Rat | One generic, one black creature – Phyrexian Rat – 2/2: Toxic 1 (Players dealt combat damage by it also get a poison counter.) When Blightbelly Rat dies, proliferate. (Choose any number of permanents and/or players, then give each another counter of each kind already there.) |
![]() | Bonepicker Skirge | Two generic, one black creature – Phyrexian Imp – 2/2: Flying Corrupted – As long as an opponent has three or more poison counters, Bonepicker Skirge has deathtouch and lifelink. |
![]() | Awaken The Sleeper | Three generic, one red sorcery: Gain control of target creature until end of turn. Untap that creature. It gains haste until end of turn. If it’s equipped, you may destroy all Equipment attached to that creature. |
![]() | Cacophony Scamp | One red creature – Phyrexian Goblin Warrior – 1/1: Whenever Cacophony Scamp deals combat damage to a player, you may sacrifice it. If you do, proliferate. |
![]() | Gleeful Demolition | One red sorcery: Destroy target artifact. If you controlled that artifact, create three 1/1 red Phyrexian Goblin creature tokens. |
![]() | Hexgold Halberd | One generic, one red artifact – Equipment: For Mirrodin! (When this Equipment enters the battlefield, create a 2/2 red Rebel creature token, then attach this to it.) As long as it’s your turn, equipped creature has first strike and trample. Equip: two generic. |
![]() | Urabrask’s Anointer | Three generic, one red artifact creature – Phyrexian Wizard – 4/2: When Urabrask’s Anointer enters the battlefield, it deals X damage to any target, where X is the number of permanents you control that have oil counters on them. |
![]() | Oxidda Finisher | Five generic, two red creature – Ogre Rebel – 7/5: Affinity for Equipment (This spell costs one generic less to cast each Equipment you control.) Trample |
![]() | Resistance Skywarden | Three generic, two red creature – Ogre Rebel – 5/5: Menace, reach |
![]() | Sawblade Scamp | One red creature – Phyrexian Beast – 1/1: Haste Whenever you cast a noncreature spell, put an oil counter on Sawblade Scamp. Tap, Remove an oil counter from Sawblade Scamp: It deals one damage to each opponent. |
![]() | Volt Charge | Two generic, one red instant: Volt Charge deals three damage to any target. Proliferate. (Choose any number of permanents and/or players, then give each another counter of each kind already there.) |
![]() | Expand the Sphere | Three generic, one green sorcery: Look at the top six cards of your library. Put up to two land cards from among them onto the battlefield tapped and the rest on the bottom of your library in a random order. If you put fewer than two lands onto the battlefield this way, proliferate any number of times equal to the difference. (Choose any number of permanents and/or players, then give each another counter of each kind already there.) |
![]() | Unnatural Restoration | One generic, one green sorcery: Return target permanent card from your graveyard to your hand. Proliferate. (Choose any number of permanents and/or players, then give each another counter of each kind already there.) |
![]() | Kethek, Crucible Goliath | Two generic, one black, one red legendary creature – Phyrexian Beast – 4/4: At the beginning of your end step, you may sacrifice another creature. If you do, reveal cards from the top of your library until you reveal a nonlegendary creature card with lesser mana value, put it onto the battlefield, then put the rest on the bottom of your library in a random order. |
![]() | Prosthetic Injector | One generic artifact – Equipment: Equipped creature gets +0/+2 and has toxic 1. (Players dealt combat damage by it also get a poison counter.) |
![]() | The Filigree Sylex | Two generic legendary artifact: Tap: Put an oil counter on the Filigree Sylex. Tap, Sacrifice the FIligree Sylex: Destroy each nonland permanent with mana value equal to the number of oil counters on The Filigree Sylex. Tap, Remove ten oil counters from among permanents you control and sacrifice The Filigree Sylex: It deals 10 damage to any target. |
Much of what we saw on day three is designed more with limited play in mind than constructed. Cards like Bilious Skulldweller serve as the typical one-mana deathtouch for the set, while Urabrask’s Anointer will be a good payoff for all those oil counters you’re able to proliferate.
It may look unassuming to newer players, but Gleeful Demolition could prove to be a big player. It’s incredibly flexible, serving as basic, cheap artifact removal or helping power up Goblin decks with three tokens to work with. Goblins may not be a big thing in Standard right now, but in other formats like Pioneer or Modern, we could see Gleeful Demolition pick up traction.
We also saw Kethek, Crucible Goliath. A new take on sacrifice commanders, it giving your creatures a pseudo-cascade could be absolutely incredible in Standard and Pioneer red/black decks, and in Commander could have some scary uses.
Finally, The Filigree Sylex is the third set in a row we’ve had a new Sylex card. However, this one might be best served keeping away from the Phyrexian oil, as tapping and sacrificing it straight away will blow up every zero-cost nonland permanent, which also includes tokens. Wiping the board of all of these without touching your bigger, more expensive pieces, particularly in a token-heavy set like All Will Be One, makes it almost not worth building up to that ten damage.
Day Two Previews
While day two of previews was mostly focused on showing off the two Commander decks launching alongside Phyrexia, we also had a few reveals from the main set as well.
Image | Name | Description |
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![]() | Apostle Of Invasion | Four generic, two white creature – Phyrexian Angel – 4/4: Flying Corrupted – As long as an opponent has three or more poison counters, Apostle of Invasion has double strike. |
![]() | Jawbone Duelist | One generic, one white creature – Phyrexian Soldier – 1/1: Double strike Toxic 1 (Players dealt combat damage by this creature also get a poison counter.) |
![]() | Resistance Reunited | One generic, one white instant: Target creature gets +2/+2 until end of turn. Equipped creatures you control gain indestructible until end of turn. |
![]() | Sinew Dancer | One white creature – Phyrexian Soldier – 1/1: Three generic, one white, tap: Tap target creature. Corrupted – One white, tap: Tap target creature. Activate only if an opponent has three or more poison counters. |
![]() | Swooping Lookout | One white artifact creature – Phyrexian Construct – 1/2: Flying, vigilance |
![]() | Vanish Into Eternity | Two generic, one white instant: This spell costs three generic more to cast if it targets a creature. Exile target nonland permanent. |
![]() | Mesmerizing Dose | One generic, two blue enchantment – Aura: Enchant creature When Mesmerizing Dose enters the battlefield, tap enchanted creature, then proliferate. (Choose any number of permanents and/or players, then give each another counter of each kind already there.) Enchanted creature doesn’t untap during its controller’s untap step. |
![]() | Minor Misstep | One blue instant: Counter target spell with mana value one or less. |
![]() | Anoint With Affliction | One generic, one black instant: Exile target creature if it has mana value three or less. Corrupted – Exile that creature instead if its controller has three or more poison counters. |
![]() | Nimraiser Paladin | Four generic, one black creature – Phyrexian Knight – 4/4: Toxic 2 (Players dealt combat damage by this creature also get two poison counters.) When Nimraiser Paladin enters the battlefield, return target creature card with mana value three or less from your graveyard to your hand. |
![]() | Capricious Hellraiser | Three generic, three red creature – Phyrexian Dragon – 4/4: This spell costs three generic less to cast if you have nine or more cards in your graveyard. Flying When Capricious Hellraiser enters the battlefield, exile three cards at random from your graveyard. Choose a noncreature, nonland card from among them and copy it. You may cast the copy without paying its mana cost. |
![]() | Hexgold Slash | One red instant: Hexgold Slash deals two damage to target creature. If that creature has toxic, Hexgold Slash deals four damage to that creature instead. |
![]() | Carnivorous Canopy | Two generic, one green sorcery: Destroy target artifact, enchantment, or creature with flying. If that permanent’s mana value was three or less, proliferate. (Choose any number of permanents and/or players, then give each another counter of each kind already there.) |
![]() | Evolved Spinoderm | Two generic, two green creature – Phyrexian Beast – 5/5: Evolved Spinoderm enters the battlefield with four oil counters on it. Evolved Spinoderm has trample as long as it has two or fewer oil counters on it. Otherwise, it has hexproof. At the beginning of your upkeep, remove an oil counter from Evolved Spinoderm. Then if it has no oil counters on it, sacrifice it. |
![]() | Noxious Assault | Three generic, two green sorcery: Creatures you control get +2/+2 until end of turn. Whenever a creature blocks this turn, its controller gets a poison counter. |
![]() | Tyrranax Rex | Four generic, three green creature – Phyrexian Dinosaur – 8/8: This spell can’t be countered. Trample, ward: four generic, haste Toxic 4 (Players dealt combat damage by this creature also get four poison counters.) |
![]() | Malcator, Purity Overseer | One generic, one white, one blue legendary creature – Phyrexian Elephant Wizard – 1/1: When Malcator, Purity Overseer enters the battlefield, create a 3/3 colorless Phyrexian Golem artifact creature token. |
![]() | Ovika, Engima Goliath | Five generic, one blue, one red legendary creature – Phyrexian Nightmare – 6/6: Flying Ward: three generic, Pay three life. Whenever you cast a noncreature spell, create X 1/1 red Phyrexian Goblin creature tokens, where X is the mana value of that spell. They gain haste until end of turn. |
![]() | Necrogen Rotpriest | Two generic, one black, one green creature – Phyrexian Zombie Cleric – 1/5: Toxic 2 (Players dealt combat damage by this creature also get two poison counters.) Whenever a creature you control with toxic deals combat damage to a player, that player gets an additional poison counter. One generic, one black, one green: Target creature you control with toxic gains deathtouch until end of turn. |
![]() | Atraxa, Grand Unifier | Three generic, one green, one white, one blue, one black legendary creature – Phyrexian Angel – 7/7: Flying, vigilance, deathtouch, lifelink When Atraxa, Grand unifier enters the battlefield, reveal the top ten cards of your library. For each card type, you may put a card of that type from among the revealed cards into your hand. Put the rest on the bottom of your library in a random order. (Artifact, battle, creature, enchantment, instant, land, planeswalker, and sorcery are card types.) |
![]() | Mirran Safehouse | Three generic artifact: As long as Mirran Safehouse is on the battlefield, it has all activated abilities of all land cards in all graveyards. |
![]() | Monument to Perfection | Three generic, tap: Search your library for a basic, Sphere, or Locus land card, reveal it, put it into your hand, then shuffle. Three generic: Monument to Perfect becomes a 9/9 Phyrexian Construct artifact creature, loses all abilities, and gains indestructible and toxic 9. Activate only if there are nine or more lands with different names among the basic, Sphere, and Locus lands you control. |
![]() | Sword of Forge and Frontier | Three generic artifact – Equipment: Equipped creature gets +2/+2 and has protection from red and from green. Whenever equipped creature deals combat damage to a player, exile the top two cards of your library. You may play those cards this turn. You may play an additional land this turn. Equip: two generic. |
![]() | Zenith Chronicler | Two generic artifact creature – Phyrexian Construct – 3/1: Whenever a player casts their first multicolored spell each turn, each other player draws a card. |
Easily the most noteworthy reveal here is Atraxa, Grand Unifier. Its ability isn’t quite as scary as the original Atraxa card’s, but it does give us one massive reveal for an entirely new card type.
We don’t know what battles are yet, but it is the first new card type introduced to Magic since 2007, when we were introduced to Planeswalker cards for the first time. It’s possible we’ll see more about battles in March of the Machine, but they’d also be fitting for Lord Of The Rings: Tales of Middle-earth launching later this year.
The second big card is Sword Of Forge And Frontier, the latest in the very popular Sword cycle. This one gives your creature from red and green, as well as allows for impulsive draw almost every turn, provided you can keep swinging. The swords are some of the most popular equipment cards in the game, so it’s nice to see a new one here.
Mirran Safehouse has the potentially to be easily broken wide open. It only copies activate abilities, meaning it can be a fetch land, a manland, or something spicier like a Field of Ruin all on its own. It not being a land itself also means it’s incredible ramp, provided somebody has some good lands in their graveyard.
Finally, Noxious Assault is a potential win condition for green decks. It’s not quite a Triumph of the Hordes or Craterhoof Behemoth, but it is a way to force your opponent to choose between dying to combat damage or poison counters, which could be gnarly.
Day One Previews
Day one’s previews lifted the lid on Phyrexia’s main mechanics, including oil counters, proliferate, toxic, and, for the few rebels still standing against Phyrexia, For Mirrodin!.
Image | Name | Description |
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![]() | Annex Sentry | Two generic, one white artifact creature – Phyrexian Cleric – 1/4: Toxic 1 (Players dealt combat damage by this creature also get a poison counter.) When Annex Sentry enters the battlefield, exile target artifact or creature an opponent controls with mana value three or less until Annex Sentry leaves the battlefield. |
![]() | Kemba, Kha Enduring | One generic, one white legendary creature – Cat Cleric – 2/2: Whenever Kemba, Kha Enduring or another Cat enters the battlefield under your control, attach up to one target Equipment you control to that creature. Equipped creatures you control get +1/+1. Three generic, two white: Create a 2/2 white Cat creature token. |
![]() | Mite Overseer | Three generic, one white creature – Phyrexian Soldier – 4/2: First strike As long as it’s your turn, creature tokens you control get +1/+0 and have first strike. Three generic, one white Phyrexian: Create a 1/1 colorless Phyrexian Mite artifact creature token with toxic 1 and “This creature can’t block.” (Players dealt combat damage by it also get a poison counter. Phyrexian white can be paid with either one white mana or two life.) |
![]() | Mondrak, Glory Dominus | Two generic, two white legendary creature – Phyrexian Horror – 4/4: If one or more tokens would be created under your control, twice that many of those tokens are created instead. One generic, two white Phyrexian, Sacrifice two other artifacts and/or creatures: Put an indestructible counter on Mondrak, Glory Dominus. (Phyrexian white can be paid with either one white or two life.) |
![]() | Norn’s Wellspring | One generic, one white artifact: Whenever a creature you control dies, scry 1 and put an oil counter on Norn’s Wellspring. One generic, tap, Remove two oil counters from Norn’s Wellspring: Draw a card. |
![]() | Ossification | One generic, one white enchantment – Aura: Enchant basic land you control. When Ossification enters the battlefield, exile target creature or planeswalker an opponent controls until Ossification leaves the battlefield. |
![]() | Skrelv, Defector Mite | One white legendary artifact creature – Phyrexian Mite – 1/1: Toxic 1 (Players dealt combat damage by this creature also get a poison counter.) Skrelv, Defector Mite can’t block. One Phyrexian white, tap: Choose a color. Another target creature you control gains toxic 1 and hexproof from that color until end of turn. It can’t be blocked by creatures of that color this turn. (Phyrexian white can be paid with either one white or two life.) |
![]() | Skrelv’s Hive | One generic, one white enchantment: At the beginning of your upkeep, you lose one life and create a 1/1 colorless Phyrexian Mite artifact creature token with toxic 1 and “This creature can’t block.” Corrupted – As long as an opponent has three or more poison counters, creatures you control with toxic have lifelink. |
![]() | White Sun’s Twilight | X generic, two white sorcery: You gain X life. Create X 1/1 colorless Phyrexian Mite artifact creature tokens with toxic 1 and “This creature can’t block.” If X is five or more, destroy all other creatures. (Players dealt combat damage by a creature with toxic 1 also get a poison counter.) |
![]() | Blade of Shared Souls | Two generic, one blue artifact – Equipment: For Mirrodin! (When this Equipment enters the battlefield, create a 2/2 red Rebel creature token, then attach this to it.) Whenever Blade of Shared Souls becomes attached to a creature, for as long as Blade of Shared Souls remains attached to it, you may have that creature become a copy of another target creature you control. Equip: two generic. |
![]() | Encroaching Mycosynth | Three generic, one blue artifact: Nonland permanents you control are artifacts in addition to their other types. The same is true for permanent spells you control and nonland permanent cards you own that aren’t on the battlefield. |
![]() | Experimental Augury | One generic, one blue instant: Look at the top three cards of your library. Put one of them into your hand and the rest on the bottom of your library in any order. Proliferate. (Choose any number of permanents and/or players, then give each another counter of each kind already there.) |
![]() | Jace, the Perfected Mind | Two generic, one blue, one Phyrexian blue legendary planeswalker – Jace – 5: Compleated (Phyrexian blue can be paid with one blue mana or two life. If life was paid, this planeswalker enters with two fewer loyalty counters.)
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![]() | Mercurial Spelldancer | One generic, one blue creature – Phyrexian Rogue – 2/1: Mercurial Spelldancer can’t be blocked. Whenever you cast a noncreature spell, put an oil counter on Mercurial Spelldancer. Whenever Mercurial Spelldancer deals combat damage to a player, you may remove two oil counters from it. If you do, when you cast your next instant or sorcery spell this turn, copy that spell. You may choose new targets for the copy. |
![]() | Serum Sovereign | Four generic, one blue creature – Phyrexian Sphinx – 4/4: Flying Whenever you cast a noncreature spell, put an oil counter on Serum Sovereign. One blue mana, Remove an oil counter from Serum Sovereign: Draw a card, then scry 2. |
![]() | Archfiend of the Dross | Two generic, two black creature – Phyrexian Demon – 6/6: Flying Archfiend of the Dross enters the battlefield with four oil counters on it. At the beginning of your upkeep, remove an oil counter from Archfiend of the Dross. Then if it has no oil counters on it, you lose the game. Whenever a creature an opponent control dies, its controller loses two life. |
![]() | Black Sun’s Twilight | X generic, one black instant: Up to one target creature gets -X/-X until end of turn. If X is five or more, return a creature card with mana value X or less from your graveyard to the battlefield tapped. |
![]() | Geth, Thane of Contracts | One generic, two black legendary creature – Phyrexian Zombie – 3/4: Other creatures you control get -1/-1. One generic, two black, tap: Return target creature card from your graveyard to the battlefield. It gains “If this creature would leave the battlefield, exile it instead of putting it anywhere else. Activate only as a sorcery. |
![]() | Karumonix, the Rat King | One generic, two black legendary creature – Phyrexian Rat – 3/3: Toxic 1 (Players dealt combat damage by this creature also get a poison counter.) Other Rats you control have toxic 1. When Karumonix enters the battlefield, look at the topic five cards of your library. You may reveal any number of Rat cards from among them and put the revealed cards into your hand. Put the rest on the bottom of your library in a random order. |
![]() | Kinzu of the Bleak Coven | Four generic, one black legendary creature – Phyrexian Vampire – 5/4: Flying Whenever another nontoken creature you control dies, you may pay two life and exile it. If you do, create a token that’s a copy of that creature, except it’s 1/1 and has toxic 1. (Players dealt combat damage by it also get a poison counter.) |
![]() | Phyrexian Arena | One generic, two black enchantment: At the beginning of your upkeep, you draw a card and lose one life. |
![]() | Sheoldred’s Edict | One generic, one black instant: Choose one:
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![]() | Rhuk, Hexhold Nabber | Two generic, one red legendary creature – Goblin Rebel – 2/2: Trample, haste Whenever an equipped creature you control other than RHuk, Hexhold Nabber attacks or dies, you may attach all Equipment attached to that creature to Rhuk. |
![]() | Urabrask’s Forge | Two generic, one red artifact: At the beginning of combat on your turn, put an oil counter on Urabrasks’s Forge, then create an X/1 red Phyrexian Horror creature with trample and haste, where X is the number of oil counters on Urabrask’s Forge. Sacrifice that token at the beginning of the next end step. |
![]() | Vindictive Flamestoker | One red creature – Phyrexian Wizard – 1/2: Whenever you cast a noncreature spell, put an oil counter on Vindictive Flamestoker. Six generic, one red, Sacrifice Vindictive Flamestoker: Discard your hand, then draw four cards. This ability costs one generic less to activate for each oil counter on Vindictive Flamestoker. |
![]() | Vulshok Splitter | Three generic, one red artifact – Equipment: For Mirrodin! (When this Equipment enters the battlefield, create a 2/2 red Rebel creature token, then attach this to it.) Equipped creature gets +2/+0. Equip: two generic, one red (Two generic, one red: Attach to target creature you control. Equip only as a sorcery.) |
![]() | Bloated Contaminator | Two generic, one green creature – Phyrexian Beast – 4/4: Trample Toxic 1 (Players dealt combat damage by this creature also get a poison counter.) Whenever Bloated Contaminator deals combat damage to a player, proliferate. (Choose any number of permanents and/or players, then give each another counter of each kind they already have.) |
![]() | Conduit of Worlds | Two generic, two green artifact: You may play lands from your graveyard. Tap: Choose target nonland permanent card in your graveyard. If you haven’t cast a spell this turn, you may cast that card. If you do, you can’t cast additional spells this turn. Activate only as a sorcery. |
![]() | Goliath Hatcher | Four generic, two green enchantment: When Goliath Hatchery enters the battlefield, create two 3/3 green Phyrexian Beast creature tokens with toxic 1. (Players dealt combat damage by them also get a poison counter.) Corrupted – At the beginning of your upkeep, if an opponent has three or more poison counters, choose a creature you control, then draw cards equal to its toxic value. |
![]() | Green Sun’s Twilight | X generic, one green sorcery: Reveal the top X plus one cards of your library. Choose a creature card and/or a land card from among them. Put those cards into your hand and the rest on the bottom of your library in a random order. If X is five or more, instead put the chosen cards onto the battlefield or into your hand and the rest on the bottom of your library in a random order. |
![]() | Paladin of Predation | Five generic, two green creature – Phyrexian Knight – 6/7: Toxic 6 (Players dealt combat damage by this creature also get six poison counters.) Paladin of Predation can’t be blocked by creatures with power two or less. |
![]() | Venerated Rotpriest | One green creature – Phyrexian Druid – 1/2: Toxic 1 (Players dealt combat damage by this creature also get a poison counter.) Whenever a creature you control becomes the target of a spell, target opponent gets a poison counter. |
![]() | Venser, Corpse Puppet | One blue, one black legendary creature – Phyrexian Zombie Wizard – 1/3: Lifelink, toxic 1 Whenever you proliferate, choose one –
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![]() | Melira, the Living Cure | One green, one white legendary creature – Human Scout – 3/3: If you would get one or more poison counters, instead you get one poison counter and you can’t get additional poison counters this turn. Exile Melira, the Living Cure: Choose another target creature or artifact. When it’s put into a graveyard this turn, return that card to the battlefield under its owner’s control. |
![]() | Slaughter Singer | One green, one white creature – Phyrexian Cleric – 2/2: Toxic 2 (Players dealt combat damage by this creature also get two poison counters.) Whenever another creature you control with toxic attacks, it gets +1/+1 until end of turn. |
![]() | Glissa Sunslayer | One generic, one black, one green legendary creature – Phyrexian Zombie Elf – 3/3: First strike, deathtouch Whenever Glissa Sunslayer deals combat damage to a player, choose one –
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![]() | Bladehold War-Whip | One generic, one red, one white artifact – Equipment: For Mirrodin! (When this Equipment enters the battlefield, create a 2/2 red Rebel creature token, then attach this to it.) Equip abilities you activate of other Equipment cost one generic less to activate. Equipped creature has double strike. Equip: three generic, one red, one white. |
![]() | Ezuri, Stalker of Spheres | Two generic, one green, one blue legendary creature – Phyrexian Elf Warrior – 3/3: When Ezuri, Stalker of Spheres enters the battlefield, you may pay three generic. If you do, proliferate twice. Whenever you proliferate, draw a card. |
![]() | Graaz, Unstoppable Juggernaut | Eight generic legendary artifact creature – Juggernaut – 7/5: Juggernauts you control attack each combat if able. Juggernauts you control can’t be blocked by Walls. Other creatures you control has base power and toughness 5/3 and are Juggernauts in addition to their other creature types. |
![]() | Myr Convert | Two generic artifact creature – Phyrexian Myr – 2/1: Toxic 1 (Players dealt combat damage by this creature also get a poison counter.) Tap, Pay two life: Add one mana of any color. |
![]() | Staff of Compleation | Three generic artifact: Tap, Pay one life: Destroy target permanent you own. Tap, Pay two life: Add one mana of any color. Tap, Pay three life: Proliferate. Tap, Pay four life: Draw a card. Five generic: Untap Staff of Compleation. |
![]() | Blackcleave Cliffs | Land: Blackcleave Cliffs enters the battlefield tapped unless you control two or few other lands. Tap: add one black or one red. |
![]() | Copperline Gorge | Land: Copperline Gorge enters the battlefield tapped unless you control two or few other lands. Tap: add one red or one green. |
![]() | Darkslick Shores | Land: Darkslick Shores enters the battlefield tapped unless you control two or few other lands. Tap: add one blue or one black. |
![]() | Razorverge Thicket | Land: Razorverge Thicket enters the battlefield tapped unless you control two or few other lands. Tap: add one green or one white. |
![]() | Seachrome Coast | Land: Seachrome Coast enters the battlefield tapped unless you control two or few other lands. Tap: add one white or one blue. |
![]() | The Monumental Facade | Land – Sphere: The Monumental Facade enters the battlefield with two oil counters on it. Tap: add one colorless mana. Tap, Remove an oil counter from The Monumental Facade: Put an oil counter on a target artifact or creature you control. Activate only as a sorcery. |
![]() | The Seedcore | Land – Sphere: Tap: add one colorless mana. Tap: Add one mana of any color. Spend this mana only to cast Phyrexian creature spells. Corrupted – Tap: Target 1/1 creature gets +2/+2 until end of turn. Activate only if an opponent has three or more poison counters. |
Immediately, this set looks poised to be much more powerful than the current Standard format, with cards like Mondrak, Glory Dominus giving Standard a new token-doubling effect like Anointed Procession, and Conduit of Worlds speeding up land-based decks with a new take on Crucible of Worlds.
We also saw the debut of a new creature type, Mites, that are small, expendable ways to dish out poison counters. Skrelv, Defector Mite is the only nontoken Mite we’ve got so far, but with enough support in the set we could see these little bugs pop up across a handful of formats.
A big pull for both Standard and Pioneer is the reprint of Phyrexian Arena, which has long been a staple for black card draw in older formats – especially Commander.
Finally, of course, is the last of the ten Planeswalkers in the set, with a completeated Jace, The Perfected Mind. His ability will be great for Standard mill decks, although compared to some of his older cards, like Jace the Mind Sculptor that this card is a direct reference to, it doesn’t quite seem as strong. Still, Jace the Face is a Phyrexian now, which is incredibly scary for lore fans.
Commander Decks
The full reveal of both Commander decks will begin on January 18. For now, we only have the two face cards.
Corrupting Influence
Image | Name | Description |
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![]() | Ixhel, Scion of Atraxa | One generic, one white, one black, one green legendary creature – Phyrexian Angel – 2/5: Flying, vigilance, toxic 2 Corrupting – At the beginning of your end step, each opponent who has three or more poison counters exiles the top card of their library face down. You may look at and play those cards for as long as they remain exiled, and you may spend mana as though it were mana of any color to cast those spells. |
![]() | Norn’s Choirmaster | Three generic, two white creature – Phyrexian Angel – 5/4: Flying, first strike Whenever a commander you control enters the battlefield or attacks, proliferate. (Choose any number and/or players, then give each another counter of each kind already there.) |
![]() | Norn’s Decree | Two generic, one white enchantment: Whenever one or more creatures an opponent controls deal combat damage to you, that opponent gets a poison counter. Whenever a player attacks, if one or more players being attacked are poisoned, the attacking player draws a card. |
![]() | Geth’s Summons | Two generic, two black sorcery: Return up to one target creature card from your graveyard to the battlefield. Corrupted – For each opponent who has three or more poison counters as you cast this spell, put up to one target creature card from that player’s graveyard onto the battlefield under your control. |
![]() | Phyresis Outbreak | Two generic, one black sorcery: Each opponent gets a poison counter. Then each creature your opponent control gets -1/-1 until end of turn for each poison counter its controller has. |
![]() | Containment Grafter | Four generic, one green creature – Phyrexian Druid – 5/5: Trample, toxic 1 Whenever one or more creatures you control deal combat damage to one or more players, proliferate. Corrupted – At the beginning of your end step, if an opponent has three or more poison counters, draw a card, then you may put a land card from your hand onto the battlefield. |
![]() | Glissa’s Retriever | Five generic, one green creature – Phyrexian Beast – 6/6: Haste, toxic 3 (Players dealt combat damage by this creature also get three poison counters.) Glissa’s Retriever can’t be blocked by creatures with power two or less. Corrupted – When Glissa’s Retriever dies, exile it. When you do, return up to X target cards from your graveyard to your hand, where X is the number of opponents who have three or more poison counters. |
![]() | Wurmquake | Four generic, two green sorcery: Corrupted – Create an X/X green Phyrexian Wurm creature token with trample and toxic 1, where X is the amount of mana spent to cast this spell. Then for each opponent with three or more poison counters, you create another one of those tokens. Flashback: eight generic, two green (You may cast this card from your graveyard for its flashback cost. Then exile it.) |
![]() | Glistening Sphere | Three generic artifact: Glistening Sphere enters the battlefield tapped. When Glistening Sphere enters the battlefield, proliferate. Tap: Add one mana of any color. Corrupted – Tap: Add three mana of any one color. Activate only if an opponent has three or more poison counters. |
![]() | Vishgraz, the Doomfive | Two generic, one white, one black, one green legendary creature – Phyrexian Insect – 3/3: Menace, toxic 1 (Players dealt combat damage by this creature also get a poison counter.) When Vishgraz, the Doomhive enters the battlefield, create three 1/1 colorless Phyrexian Mite artifact creature tokens with toxic 1 and “This creature can’t block.” Vishgraz gets +1/+1 for each poison counter your opponents have. |
Corrupting Influence is a white/black/green deck designed to finally give Phyrexians and poison counters something to do in Commander. Both have famously struggled to find a place in the format, due to the fear poison can cause when it lands on a table.
Fortunately, the new corrupted mechanic helps with this, by encouraging you to spread poison around instead of focusing one player and becoming the enemy of the table. There are tons of good corrupted effects, such as stealing creatures from your opponent’s graveyards, putting lands onto the battlefield, or tapping for lots more mana.
The alternate commander for the deck is Vishgraz, the Doomhive. Vishgraz doesn’t care about corrupted abilities, and instead wants to just put as many poison counters on anybody as possible to make it grow nice and big to smash your opponents directly.
Rebellion Rising
Image | Name | Description |
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![]() | Neyali, Suns’ Vanguard | Two generic, one red, one white legendary creature – Human Rebel – 3/3: Attacking tokens you control have double strike. Whenever one or more tokens you control attack a player, exile the top card of your library. During any turn you attacked with a token, you may play that card. |
![]() | Clever Concealment | Two generic, two white instant: Convoke (Your creatures can help cast this spell. Each creature you tap while casting this spell pays for one generic or one mana of that creature’s color.) Any number of target nonland permanents you control phase out. (Treat them and anything attached to them as though they don’t exist until your next turn.) |
![]() | Glimmer Lens | One generic, one white artifact – Equipment: For Mirrodin! (When this Equipment enters the battlefield, create a 2/2 red Rebel creature token, then attach this to it.) Whenever equipped creature and at least one other creature attack, draw a card. Equip: one generic, one white. |
![]() | Kemba’s Banner | Three generic, one white artifact – Equipment: For Mirrodin! (When this Equipment enters the battlefield, create a 2/2 red Rebel creature token, then attach this to it.) Equipped creature gets +1/+1 for each creature you control. Equip: two generic, one white. |
![]() | Staff of the Storyteller | One generic, one white artifact: When Staff of the Storyteller enters the battlefield, create a 1/1 white Spirit creature token with flying. Whenever you create one or more creature tokens, put a story counter on Staff of the Storyteller. One white, tap, Remove a story counter from Staff of the Storyteller: Draw a card. |
![]() | Goldwardens’ Gambit | Six generic, two red sorcery: Affinity for Equipment (This spell costs one generic less to cast for each Equipment you control.) Create five 2/2 red Rebel creature tokens. They gain haste until end of turn. For each of those tokens, you may attach an Equipment you control to it. |
![]() | Hexplate Wallbreaker | Three generic, two red artifact – Equipment: For Mirrodin! (When this Equipment enters the battlefield, create a 2/2 red Rebel creature token, then attach this to it.) Equipped creature gets +2/+2. Whenever equipped creature attacks, if it’s the first combat phase this turn, untap each attacking creature. After this phase, there is an additional combat phase. Equip: Three generic, one red. |
![]() | Roar of Resistance | One generic, one red enchantment: Creature tokens you control have haste. Whenever one or more creatures attack, you may pay one generic and one red. If you do, creatures attacking your opponents and/or Planeswalkers they control get +2/+0 until end of turn. |
![]() | Vulshok Factory | Two generic, one red artifact: Tap: Add one red. Put a charge counter on Vulshok Factory. Two generic, one red, tap, Sacrifice Vulshok Factory: Create an X/X colorless Golem artifact creature token with haste, where X is the number of charge counters on Vulshok Factory. Activate only as a sorcery. |
![]() | Otharri, Suns’ Glory | Three generic, one red, one white legendary creature – Phoenix – 3/3: Flying, lifelink, haste Whenever Otharri, Suns’ Glory attacks, you get an experience counter. Then create a 2/2 red Rebel creature token that’s tapped and attacking for each experience counter you have. Two generic, one red, one white, Tap an untapped Rebel you control: Return Otharri from your graveyard to the battlefield tapped. |
The red/white Rebellion Rising deck takes a break from the Phyrexians, and instead looks at the Mirran rebellion that opposes them. This is a “go-wide token deck” with a particular focus on Equipment, the For Mirrodin! mechanic, and a few Rebel creature type synergies.
Red/white isn’t often known for big, go-wide decks like this, and the pressure to play aggressively and attack every turn to get card advantage should keep a Commander game flowing smoothly. Some of the For Mirrodin! equipment in this deck is wild, like Kemba’s Banner rewarding you for having such a big board state, and Hexplate Wallbreaker giving you an entire second combat phase.
Also worth pointing out is Clever Concealment, a new anti-board wipe tool that can be cast for just two white if you have even two creatures. Unfortunately it isn’t quite at the same power as a Teferi’s Protection, as you’ll still be left defenseless until your next turn, but it’s still a nice answer to a Farewell or Vanquish the Horde.
The secondary commander for this deck isn’t a Rebel, but a Phoenix. Otharri, Suns’ Glory is a scarily persistent commander, as the counters it cares about are put on you rather than it. No amount of removal can stop Otharri from pumping out a ton of tokens, and even if your opponents do take it out, you can bypass the command tax by playing it from your graveyard instead.
Spoilers Revealed Before Preview Season
These are all the cards that were shown off for Phyrexia: All Will Be One before the debut on January 17.
Image | Name | Description |
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![]() | Elesh Norn, Mother Of Machines | Four generic, one white legendary creature – Phyrexian Praetor – 4/7: Vigilance If a permanent entering the battlefield causes a triggered ability of a permanent you control to trigger, that ability triggers an additional time. Permanents entering the battlefield don’t cause abilities of permanents your opponents control to trigger. |
![]() | The Eternal Wanderer | Four generic, two white legendary planeswalker – 5: No more than one creature can attack The Eternal Wanderer each combat.
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![]() | Blue Sun’s Twilight | X generic, two blue sorcery: Gain control of target creature with mana value X or less. If X is five or more, create a token that’s a copy of that creature. |
![]() | Phyrexian Obliterator | Four black creature – Phyrexian Horror – 5/5: Trample Whenever a source deals damage to Phyrexian Obliterator, that source’s controller sacrifices that many permanents. |
![]() | Vraska, Betrayal’s Sting | Four generic, one black, one Phyrexian black legendary planeswalker – Vraska – 6: Compleated (Phyrexian black can be paid with one black mana or two life. If life was paid, this planeswalker enters with two fewer loyalty counters).
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![]() | Koth, Fire of Resistance | Two generic, two red legendary planeswalker – Koth – 4:
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![]() | Slobad, Iron Goblin | Two generic, one red legendary creature – Phyrexian Goblin Artificer – 3/3: Tap, Sacrifice an artifact: Add an amount of red mana equal to the sacrificed artifact’s mana value. Spend this mana only to cast artifact spells or activate abilities of artifacts. |
![]() | Nissa, Ascended Animist | Three generic, two green, two Phyrexian green legendary planeswalker – Nissa – 7: Compleated (Phyrexian black can be paid with one green mana or two life. If life was paid, this planeswalker enters with two fewer loyalty counters).
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![]() | Jor Kadeen, First Goldwarden | One red, one white legendary creature – Human Rebel – 2/2: Trample Whenever Jor Kadeen, First Goldwarden attacks, it gets +X/+X until end of turn, where X is the number of equipped creatures you control. Then if Jor Kadeen’s power is four or greater, draw a card. |
![]() | Kaito, Dancing Shadow | Two generic, one blue, one blue legendary planeswalker – Kaito – 3: Whenever one or more creatures you control deal combat damage to a player, you may return one of them to its owner’s hand. If you do, you may activate loyalty abilities of Kaito twice this turn rather than only once.
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![]() | Kaya, Intangible Slayer | Three generic, two white, two black legendary planeswalker – Kaya – 6: Hexproof
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![]() | Lukka, Bound To Ruin | Two generic, one red, one green, one Phyrexian red/green legendary planeswalker – Lukka – 5: Compleated (Phyrexian red/green can be paid with one red mana, one green mana, or two life. If life was paid, this planeswalker enters with two fewer loyalty counters).
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![]() | Nahiri, the Unforgiving | One generic, one red, one white, one Phyrexian red/white legendary planeswalker – Nahiri – 5: Compleated (Phyrexian red/white can be paid with one red mana, one white mana, or two life. If life was paid, this planeswalker enters with two fewer loyalty counters).
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![]() | Tyvar, Jubilant Brawler | One generic, one black, one green legendary planeswalker – Tyvar – 3: You may activate abilities of creatures you control as though those creatures had haste.
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