"Arzakon: Chaos, Black Lotus, and Big Questions"

 "Arzakon: Chaos, Black Lotus, and Big Questions"

by: 

Virgilio F. De Leon Jr.MD

Arzakon was a powerful planeswalker from an unknown plane who once sought to conquer Shandalar, only to be defeated before disappearing into Magic's history.

As the main villain of an old MicroProse game, I had absolutely no idea who he was. After finally seeing his card, though, I can't help but feel a little underwhelmed. Between the demanding WUBRG mana cost and what he actually brings to the table, he seems... kind of tame.

To be fair, any deck capable of casting Arzakon probably has plenty of powerful things it can already be doing before he ever enters the battlefield. You'll need serious mana ramp just to get him into play, so that part is practically mandatory.

His first ability, a +2, lets you throw what is essentially a Lightning Bolt at any target. Sometimes that's enough to kill a creature, sometimes it just chips away at an opponent's life total. More often than not, though, it's simply an invitation for someone across the table to decide that you are now the biggest threat. It's a perfectly serviceable ability, but not exactly the kind of effect that makes you excited to spend five different colors of mana.

Then there's the controversial -3 ability, which creates a Black Lotus token.

There has already been plenty of discussion about Wizards of the Coast tiptoeing around the Reserved List, and this feels like another example of them finding a creative way to reference one of Magic's most iconic cards without actually reprinting it.

After all the work it takes to cast Arzakon, your reward is a one-shot three-mana boost. It's undeniably powerful, but I also couldn't help wondering how Arzakon himself managed to get hold of a Black Lotus in the first place. Then again, suspending disbelief is part of being a Magic player.

So... yay. Black Lotus token.

Finally, we get to his -7 ultimate.

Each player shuffles their hand and graveyard into their library and then draws seven cards.

Personally, this feels far too chaotic for my tastes. Imagine you've carefully built an advantage, your opponents are running low on resources, and you decide to fire off the ultimate. Congratulations—you've just handed everyone else seven fresh cards that could easily include the answers they need to destroy your planeswalker, dismantle your board, or simply win the game outright.

Sure, you also get seven new cards, but there's no guarantee they'll be any better than what your opponents draw. Sometimes you'll hit the jackpot. Other times you'll wonder why you helped everyone else refill their hands.

In the end, I think Arzakon is a commander looking for a very specific kind of player—the one who embraces unpredictability, thrives on chaos, and enjoys letting the game go completely off the rails.

If that's you, then congratulations.

You've found your planeswalker.

Good luck.

"The Unluckiest Planeswalker: If Life Gives You Curses... Build Around Them."

"The Unluckiest Planeswalker: If Life Gives You Curses... Build Around Them."

by:

Virgilio F. De Leon Jr., MD

The Unluckiest Planeswalker has become something of an inside joke among Magic players. Over the years, he has been the subject of multiple cards—most notably a series of Aura cards in the form of Curses that seem to follow him no matter which plane he visits.

The running joke is that he somehow crossed the warlock Lynde, and that's where all of his misfortunes began. I mean, it probably says something when someone keeps a doll made in your likeness within arm's reach at all times.

Well, the poor guy is finally getting his own planeswalker card, and unsurprisingly, it continues the Aura theme.

First, he comes with the new Rule Breaker mechanic, allowing you to include Aura cards of any color identity in your deck, along with basic lands of any type.

That immediately points toward a five-color Aura deck, which sounds like a blast to build. At just three mana, the Unluckiest Planeswalker can even come down as early as turn two.

He starts providing value immediately with his first ability. His +1 adds one mana of any color, and if that mana is spent to cast an Aura spell, you create a 1/1 red Gremlin creature token.

That opens up some fun lines of play. You can cast a Curse or other negative Aura on an opposing creature—or even directly on an opponent—and still end up with a Gremlin on your side of the battlefield. Then you can suit up that Gremlin with a beneficial Aura that grants abilities or simply makes it bigger. Negative Auras for your opponents, positive Auras for your own creatures. I have to admit—that sounds like a lot of fun. Not bad at all for a +1 ability.

His second ability, a -3, is even more interesting. You discard your hand, then draw cards equal to twice the number of Auras you control. In a dedicated Aura or Curse deck, that number can get ridiculously high. It's an excellent way to refill your hand or dig for exactly what you need. Better yet, several cards can return Auras from your graveyard back to the battlefield, making the discard less of a drawback and more of an opportunity.

One interaction I found particularly amusing is that if you've somehow managed to "curse" yourself, you can later transfer those Curses to an opponent. That sounds both hilarious and incredibly satisfying.

Overall, I think this is a very interesting commander. It finally gives me a reason to dust off the pile of Aura cards I've accumulated over the years and see if they can all work together in one deck.

Now the only question is...

Can I actually pull it off?

"Greensleeves: Badgers, Mana Dorks, and Big Expectations"

 "Greensleeves: Badgers, Mana Dorks, and Big Expectations"

by:

Virgilio F. De Leon Jr., MD

The Mystery Booster: Commander Edition features nine new planeswalkers that can serve as your commander, and almost all of them are callbacks to Magic's rich history.

One of those is Greensleeves, a character whose story dates back to the Brothers' War. Now she finally gets her own planeswalker card.

At six mana, she immediately reminded me of Garruk. Then again, Garruk himself can't officially be your commander unless you're playing with Rulebreaker rules, so perhaps this was Wizards' way of giving players a similar experience without actually making Garruk legal in the command zone.

Her first ability is a +2 that creates a 2/2 Giant Badger token. For a six-mana planeswalker, that's not the most impressive plus ability, especially when compared to Garruk's ability to create a 4/4 Beast. Still, the extra loyalty from a +2 is always welcome.

Her second ability is a -3 that mills three cards, then lets you put all permanents milled this way into your hand. It's essentially conditional card draw for green. If your deck is packed with lands and creatures—as most mono-green decks naturally are—you could easily "draw" three cards and refill your hand.

Finally, her -8 ultimate turns all of your creatures into 8/8 tramplers until end of turn. Since green decks are full of mana dorks that can help power out this commander early, this has the potential to be a devastating finisher.

Assuming, of course, that you still have those mana dorks—and perhaps a couple of Giant Badgers—you've been creating over the last few turns. Suddenly, those humble utility creatures become legitimate game-ending threats.

Overall, I get the feeling that Wizards simply didn't want to make another Garruk, nor did they want Garruk himself to become a commander. Greensleeves certainly captures some of his flavor while carving out her own identity.

Will she dominate the format? Probably not. I suspect a mono-green planeswalker commander like this could easily be outclassed by more explosive options.

That said... it doesn't mean I won't build her anyway.

After all, sometimes creating an army of Giant Badgers and turning them into 8/8 tramplers is reason enough to sleeve up a deck.

And honestly? That sounds like a lot of fun. Hahaha.

"A Seat at the Table"

"A Seat at the Table"

By:

Virgilio F. De Leon Jr., MD

Earlier today, one of the more popular Facebook pages for Magic: The Gathering shared a simple letter. It was written by a girlfriend on behalf of her boyfriend.

She asked if there were any players willing to play with him. He had gone to a local venue, but although plenty of people were there, everyone was already paired off or playing within their own established groups.

I could immediately relate to that situation. More often than not, the hardest part of joining a new community isn't learning the game—it's introducing yourself to people who have been friends or playgroup members for years.

I consider myself fortunate to have found my own communities over the years. Whether it was the SM North community, my fellow Planeswalkers in Accenture and DXC, or the wonderful people at Forge Hobby Shop in Monumento and Collecticat in Greenhills, I've been lucky enough to always find a table where I belonged.

Having spent enough time in Magic's online community, where everyone seems to have an opinion about everything, I was pleasantly surprised by the response to that post. In fact, I honestly didn't see a single negative comment.

People invited the guy to join their pods. Others tagged friends who might be looking for another player. Even several local game stores in the area reached out and invited him to drop by.

I've certainly had my share of unpleasant experiences in the hobby over the years, so seeing this outpouring of kindness and encouragement was a welcome reminder of what the Magic community can be at its best.

I sincerely hope he found a game that day.

And I have to say, he's also incredibly fortunate to have someone who not only supports his hobby but is willing to step outside her comfort zone to help him enjoy it.

In my opinion, that's a keeper.

Because sometimes the best thing you find through Magic isn't a rare card or the perfect topdeck.

Sometimes, it's simply a seat at the table.

"Nivea: The Woman Behind Akroma"

"Nivea: The Woman Behind Akroma"

By:

Virgilio F. De Leon Jr., MD

Nivea.

Just seeing her among the spoilers for the Commander Mystery Booster brought a tear to my old, nostalgic heart.

I still remember reading the Odyssey storyline, where Nivea—the beloved wife of Ixidor—was slain by Phage the Untouchable in the Cabal fighting pits. It was one of those moments that reminded you Magic's story wasn't afraid to break your heart.

Overwhelmed by grief, Ixidor used his illusion magic to create an angel in Nivea's image. That angel would become the iconic Akroma, a creature that set the standard for what a powerful finisher looked like during her era.

Personally, I've always thought it would have been interesting if Akroma had retained more of the animalistic features that Ixidor gave her in the original story. It probably wouldn't have looked quite as elegant on an angelic figure, but it would have been a fascinating nod to her origins. Card Akroma is different from Story Akroma and it feels nice that only those who read the story actually know that. 

So seeing Nivea finally receive a card of her own warmed my nostalgic heart. Then I read the card and discovered that, after she dies, she creates an Akroma token.

Damn.

What a beautiful way to tell that story through gameplay.

I'm pretty sure an Akroma, Ixidor, and Nivea Commander deck won't be particularly good.

But you know what?

I'm going to build it anyway.

"Saved by Geography: The Commander Mystery Booster Story"

 "Saved by Geography: The Commander Mystery Booster Story"

By:

Virgilio F. De Leon Jr., MD

Magic has continued its barrage of spoilers for the 2027 lineup as if the year were already coming to an end and there were no more sets left to reveal.

The latest offering is the Commander Mystery Booster, available to the fortunate players who can attend MagicCon events.

With the number of cards that have already been spoiled, this honestly feels like a hidden Unhinged set. It embraces the goofy, the absurd, and the downright hilarious.

Yet mixed in with all that silliness are some genuinely groundbreaking cards.

Featuring an impressive lineup of 59 legendary creatures along with the new Rule Breaker mechanic, Wizards of the Coast is practically guaranteeing that MagicCon venues will be packed to capacity.

I've always believed that Mystery Boosters are among the most enjoyable Magic products to open and draft. They thrive on surprise, nostalgia, and unexpected interactions. Now that this version is built specifically with Commander in mind and introduces even more unique cards into the mix, it looks like it will be even more entertaining.

Thankfully, all of this is happening in 2027—and only at MagicCon. Between the cost of travel and my own time constraints, attending simply isn't an option.

Which, come to think of it, may be the best thing that could happen to my wallet... and my sanity.

Sometimes missing out doesn't feel quite so bad when geography makes the decision for you.

Hahahaha.

"Star Trek in Magic: Great Idea, Questionable Extras"

"Star Trek in Magic: Great Idea, Questionable Extras"

by:

Virgilio F. De leon Jr.MD

When it was revealed that Star Trek would become a Universes Beyond set for Magic: The Gathering, a friend asked me how I felt about it.

My answer was... mixed.

On one hand, there is so much Star Trek lore that I would love to see translated into Magic cards. I've watched almost everything the franchise has put out, even if some of its more recent iterations made me want to gouge my eyes out afterward.

To me, Star Trek isn't what it used to be. It has been hijacked by identity politics and the pursuit of appealing to a so-called "modern audience." Much like what happened with Doctor Who, the franchise often feels like a walking zombie, wearing the skin of a brand it no longer resembles.

So when the previews focused on Captain Kirk and Captain Janeway, I was relieved. Seeing two of the franchise's greatest captains gave me hope. I'm sure Captain Picard will be included as well, and probably a few characters from the newer series, but I'm hoping Wizards of the Coast stays away from the Kelvin Timeline and instead focuses on classic Star Trek—the version that made so many of us fans in the first place.

That said, there is one preview that I'm not particularly on board with: the autographed cards.

I understand why people have cards signed. Maybe it's their favorite artist. Maybe they want a keepsake from a memorable tournament or a hard-fought match against a respected opponent. Those signatures have personal stories behind them.

What I don't understand is creating autographed versions as premium chase cards. The regular versions would have been perfectly fine. As much as I like Star Trek, I don't necessarily want my Magic cards to look like collectibles that belong in a display case instead of being shuffled into a deck.

Then again, perhaps that's exactly the point. Those autograph cards aren't really meant to be played with—they're meant to be displayed. A way of saying, "Look what I pulled," and earning a little more nerd cred than the next fan.

As for me, I'll probably be buying singles, and I'm seriously considering picking up the Commander decks. I'm just not convinced this will be a particularly exciting set to crack open by the box. Hopefully, I'm wrong.

If there's one thing the past few years have taught me as a Magic player, it's that patience usually wins. Waiting a few months before buying sealed product or expensive singles has often paid off, as Wizards of the Coast has shown a tendency to lower prices once the initial hype has faded.