Magic 2014

Magic 2014

 

Changes

 

Deck Builder's Toolkit

 

Event deck

 

Duels of the Planeswalkers

 

Intro packs

 

Sample decks

 

Magic 2014
[[File:{{#setmainimage:M14 logo.jpg}}|250px]]
Set Information
Set symbol
Symbol description	“M14”
Design	Mark Globus (lead), Tom LaPille, Adam Lee, Shawn Main, Ken Troop Monty Ashley
Development	Dave Guskin (lead) Kelly Digges Aaron Forsythe James Hata Zac Hill Max McCall With contributions from Matt Tabak
Art direction	Jeremy Jarvis
Release date	July 19, 2013
Plane	Shandalar
Themes and mechanics	Slivers
Set size	249 cards (101 commons, 60 uncommons, 53 rares, 15 mythic rares, 20 basic lands)
Expansion code	M14
Development codename	None
Core sets
[[Magic 2013]] '''Magic 2014''' [[Magic 2015]]
Magic: The Gathering Chronology
[[Modern Masters]] Magic 2014 [[From the Vault: Twenty]]

The Magic: The Gathering 2014 Core Set, commonly referred to as Magic 2014 or M14 is the 15th Magic core set. It was released on July 19, 2013.

Set details

“

Ignite your spark

”

Magic 2014 contains 249 cards (101 Common, 60 Uncommon, 53 Rare, 15 Mythic, 20 Basic Lands), including randomly inserted premium versions of all cards. The returning mechanic for this Core Set was Slivers.

Even more than the previous set, Magic 2014 is strongly integrated with its digital counterpart, Duels of the Planeswalkers. In celebration of Magic 's 20th anniversary, the logo of the set has the mythic orange / bronze color instead of the usual yellow or blue.

Design and development teams were officially referred to as "Initial Concept and Game Design" and "Final Game Design and Development" teams, respectively. Although these names had previously been internally in use at Wizards of the Coast, this announcement was the first to use them in an official capacity.

The set puts the spotlight on Chandra. This meant a new Planeswalker card aimed at making a splash in Constructed, many Chandra-themed support cards, and flavor throughout the set attached to her persona.

Magic Story

Title	Author	Release Date	Setting (plane)	Featuring
Prisoner of the Skep	Jennifer Clarke Wilkes	2013-06-26	Shandalar	Slivers
The Armor in the Crypt	Ari Levitch	2013-07-03	Unknown plane	Haunted Plate Mail
The Path of Bravery	Adam Lee	2013-07-10	Shandalar	Scourge of Valkas
Pride Cometh	Adam Lee	2013-07-17	Dominaria (?)	Goblins, Fleshpulper Giant
A Blessed Life	Nik Davidson	2013-07-24	Unknown plane	Angelic Accord
Zurbit's Day	Adam Lee	2013-07-31	Shandalar	Scroll Thief

Marketing

Magic 2014 fat pack

Magic 2014 was is sold in 16-card booster packs, five Intro packs, one event decks, Booster Battle Packs, a fat pack, the 2014 Deck Builder's Toolkit and a Land Station. The boosters feature art from Archangel of Thune, Chandra, Pyromaster, Garruk, Caller of Beasts, Syphon Sliver and Fiendslayer Paladin. With each copy of Duels of the Planeswalkers 2013 a six card Magic 2013 sampler could be obtained; there were five different samplers, one for each platform. The 6-card boosters (the last to be released) featured art from Banisher Priest. Prerelease Events took place July 13–14, 2013. Game Day took place on August 10–11, 2013. The Magic Online release was on July 29, 2013.

Marketing cards

• Prerelease: Megantic Sliver
• Launch promo: Colossal Whale
• Game Day: full-art Hive Stirrings
• Game Day (Top 8): full-art Goblin Diplomats
• Core set league: alternate art 1/1 colorless Sliver creature token
• Buy-a-Box: Ratchet Bomb

Tokens/Emblems

Regular boosters of Magic 2014 come with a bonus sixteenth card that is either a "tips & tricks card", a creature token or an emblem with an advertisement on the reverse side:

1. 1/1 Sliver produced by Hive Stirrings.
2. 4/4 Angel with flying produced by Angelic Accord and Devout Invocation..
3. 2/2 Cat produced by Ajani, Caller of the Pride and Ajani's Chosen.
4. 0/1 Goat produced by Trading Post.
5. 2/2 Zombie produced by Liliana's Reaver, Vile Rebirth and Xathrid Necromancer
6. 2/2 Dragon produced by Dragon Egg.
7. 1/1 Elemental (two versions) produced by Molten Birth and Young Pyromancer.
8. 3/3 Beast produced by Primeval Bounty.
9. 1/1 Saproling produced by Sporemound.
10. 2/2 Wolf produced by Howl of the NIght Pack
11. Emblem for Garruk, Caller of Beasts
12. Emblem for Liliana of the Dark Realms

Sample decks

The Magic 2014 Core Set came with five thirty-card sample decks.

Rules changes

With the release of Magic 2014, several rules changes were implemented. The rules changes were subject to a specific article by Sam Stoddard to place them in the context.

• The 'Legend rule' was changed. Legendary permanents of the same name and Planeswalker cards of the same type were now only placed into the graveyard if they are controlled by the same player. For example, if player A controls a Jace Beleren and player B controls Jace, the Mind Sculptor, nothing happens when before both cards would be placed into the graveyard. However, if player A had control of both, that player will choose one of those cards and that card will be placed in the graveyard will the other remains.
• Sideboards in constructed play now could contain up to 15 cards, rather than the rule of either 15 or 0 cards before. Also it is permitted to add/remove cards from the main deck to the sideboard (or vice versa) without swapping them for the same amount of cards, as long as the main deck contains more than 60 and the sideboard less than 15.
• Indestructible became a keyword.
• "*this creature* is unblockable" was changed to "*this creature* can't be blocked".
• The rules for playing additional lands off of effects like Explore were streamlined.

Cycles

Magic 2014 has six cycles:

Cycle name
Planeswalkers	Ajani, Caller of the Pride	Jace, Memory Adept	Liliana of the Dark Realms	Chandra, Pyromaster	Garruk, Caller of Beasts
	There are five mythic rare Planeswalker cards in the set.
Planeswalkers creatures	Ajani's Chosen	Jace's Mindseeker	Liliana's Reaver	Chandra's Phoenix	Garruk's Horde
	Each Planeswalker has a creature card named after them.
Wizard Staves	Staff of the Sun Magus	Staff of the Mind Magus	Staff of the Death Magus	Staff of the Flame Magus	Staff of the Wild Magus
	Each of these uncommon artifacts costs and has an ability that allows its controller to gain one life whenever a spell or land of the appropriate color is played.
Iconic mythics	Archangel of Thune	Windreader Sphinx	Shadowborn Demon	Scourge of Valkas	Kalonian Hydra
	There five Iconic mythic cards in the set.
Rare color hate creatures	Fiendslayer Paladin	Tidebinder Mage	Lifebane Zombie	Mindsparker	Witchstalker
	Each of these rare creatures oppose its enemy color.
Rare slivers	Bonescythe Sliver	Galerider Sliver	Syphon Sliver	Thorncaster Sliver	Megantic Sliver
	Each color gets one rare sliver.

Pairs

Magic 2014 has one mirrored pair.

Mirrored Pairs		Description
Divine Favor ()	Dark Favor ()	Common Auras with enchant creature that give a mirrored bonus to the enchanted creature's power/toughness and are illustrated by Allen Williams.

Combo

M14 has one top-down designed combo.

Cycle name
Combo pieces	Festering Newt	Bubbling Cauldron	Bogbrew Witch
	The death trigger of Festering Newt gets stronger if you control Bogbrew Witch. Bubbling Cauldron gets stronger if you sacrifice Festering Newt to it. Bogbrew Witch can fetch either of the other two cards.

Card comparisons

Functional reprints

• Elvish Mystic is a functional reprint of Llanowar Elves from Alpha and Fyndhorn Elves from Ice Age.

Colorshifted

• Seacoast Drake is a colorshifted Concordia Pegasus from Return to Ravnica (white to blue).

Strictly better

• Accursed Spirit is strictly better than Fen Stalker and Marsh Lurker.
• Archangel of Thune is strictly better than Lucent Liminid, Starlit Angel and Warrior Angel.
• Battle Sliver is strictly better than Frost Ogre.
• Blood Bairn is strictly better than Headless Horseman, Mindless Null and Scathe Zombies.
• Blur Sliver is strictly better than Goblin Chariot, Goblin Hero, Gray Ogre, Raging Bull, Raging Cougar and Wild Colos.
• Corpse Hauler is strictly better than Dakmor Scorpion, Krovikan Scoundrel, Skeletal Snake and Wei Infantry.
• Elvish Mystic is strictly better than Willow Elf.
• Festering Newt is strictly better than Festering Goblin and Muck Rats.
• Galerider Sliver is strictly better than Cloud Pirates, Cloud Sprite, Fledgling Osprey, Flying Men, Fugitive Wizard, Manta Riders, Merfolk of the Pearl Trident, Sea Eagle, Thought Nibbler, Wandering Ones, Winged Sliver and Zephyr Sprite.
• Gnawing Zombie is strictly better than Bane Alley Blackguard.
• Goblin Diplomats is strictly better than Goblin Bully, Goblin Piker and Independent Troops.
• Kalonian Hydra is strictly better than Fangren Hunter.
• Kalonian Tusker is strictly better than Elvish Warrior, Gnarled Mass and Trained Armodon.
• Liliana's Reaver is strictly better than Zhang Liao, Hero of Hefei.
• Manaweft Sliver is strictly better than Druid of the Anima, Gemhide Sliver, Harvester Druid, Quirion Explorer, Sylvok Explorer and Urborg Elf.
• Master of Diversion is strictly better than Pearled Unicorn.
• Megantic Sliver is strictly better than Alpha Tyrannax, Barbtooth Wurm, Craw Wurm, Jerrard of the Closed Fist, Kindercatch, The Lady of the Mountain, Torsten Von Ursus and Vastwood Gorger.
• Mindsparker is strictly better than Balduvian Barbarians and Lightning Hounds.
• Predatory Sliver is strictly better than Balduvian Bears, Barbary Apes, Bear Cub, Cylian Elf, Forest Bear, Grizzly Bears, Muscle Sliver, Runeclaw Bear and Scarwood Goblins.
• Regathan Firecat is strictly better than Craven Giant.
• Seacoast Drake is strictly better than Lumengrid Warden, Maritime Guard, Sea Eagle, Storm Crow, Straw Soldiers, Talas Merchant, Talas Scout, Vodalian Soldier and Whiptongue Frog.
• Sentinel Sliver is strictly better than Alaborn Grenadier, Alert Shu Infantry, Fresh Volunteers, Glory Seeker, Knight Errant, Pearled Unicorn, Silvercoat Lion, Squire, Steadfast Guard, Thraben Valiant, Traveling Philosopher and Veteran Cavalier.
• Seraph of the Sword is strictly better than Assault Griffin, Champion Lancer, Charging Griffin, Charmed Griffin, Cho-Manno, Revolutionary, Dawn Elemental, Esper Cormorants, Loyal Gyrfalcon, Lucent Liminid, Mercenaries, Mothrider Samurai, Shu Elite Infantry, Skyrider Trainee, Spirit en-Kor, Spotted Griffin, Trokin High Guard and Ursine Fylgja.
• Shadowborn Apostle is strictly better than Muck Rats.
• Soulmender is strictly better than Eager Cadet and Shu Farmer.
• Steelform Sliver is strictly better than Alaborn Trooper, Keepers of the Faith, Pearled Unicorn, Regal Unicorn and Shu Foot Soldiers.
• Striking Sliver is strictly better than Dwarven Trader and Mons's Goblin Raiders.
• Syphon Sliver is strictly better than El-Hajjaj, Headless Horseman, Mindless Null and Scathe Zombies.
• Tenacious Dead is strictly better than Muck Rats.
• Undead Minotaur is strictly better than Headless Horseman, Mindless Null and Scathe Zombies.
• Warden of Evos Isle is strictly better than Wind Drake.
• Xathrid Necromancer is strictly better than Headless Horseman, Mindless Null and Scathe Zombies.
• Young Pyromancer is strictly better than Goblin Bully, Goblin Piker and Independent Troops.

Strictly worse

• Blood Bairn is strictly worse than Nantuko Husk, Phyrexian Ghoul and Vampire Aristocrat.
• Charging Griffin is strictly worse than Galepowder Mage, Restoration Angel and Seraph of the Sword.
• Deathgaze Cockatrice is strictly worse than Vampire Nighthawk.
• Encroaching Wastes is strictly worse than Wasteland and Strip Mine.
• Glimpse the Future is strictly worse than Forbidden Alchemy and Strategic Planning.
• Minotaur Abomination is strictly worse than Grave Titan.
• Rumbling Baloth is strictly worse than Chameleon Colossus, Deadbridge Goliath, Ezuri's Brigade, Obstinate Baloth, Ravenous Baloth, Sporesower Thallid and Wolfbriar Elemental.
• Seismic Stomp is strictly worse than Falter from Urza's Saga.
• Undead Minotaur is strictly worse than Dead Reveler and Undercity Informer.

Notable cards

• Young Pyromancer sees tournament play in Modern and Legacy thanks to its ability to make a powerful board advantage.
• Shadowborn Apostle is a card that a deck can have any number of. At time of printing, the only other card to have this text was Relentless Rats from Fifth Dawn.

Preconstructed decks

Intro packs

The intro packs are:

Intro pack name	Colors Included					Foil rare
Lightforce	W				G	Ajani's Chosen
Psychic Labyrinth	W	U				Jace's Mindseeker
Death Reaper			B	R		Liliana's Reaver
Fire Surge		U		R		Chandra's Phoenix
Bestial Strength			B		G	Garruk's Horde

Each intro pack includes an appropriate card from the Wizard Stave cycle.

Event deck

Magic 2014 has one event deck.

Event deck name	Colors Included
Rush of the Wild				R	G

Core set changes

Notable changes

• Magic rings of Shandalar: — Ring of Thune, Ring of Evos Isle, Ring of Xathrid, Ring of Valkas, and Ring of Kalonia
• Sedge creatures: — Prized Elephant, Arctic Aven, Harbor Bandit, Crimson Muckwader, and Flinthoof Boar.
• Taplands: — Glacial Fortress, Drowned Catacomb, Dragonskull Summit, Rootbound Crag and Sunpetal Grove. This was the first core set since 4th Edition without a series of dual type lands in it.

External links

• Magic: The Gathering 2014 Core Set product information page — Wizards of the Coast
• Trick Jarrett (March 27, 2013). "Magic 2014 Trailer". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.