Battle for Zendikar

Battle for Zendikar
Set Information
Set symbol
Themes and mechanics	Allies, Elementals, Colorless matters, Exile interaction.
Keywords/​ability words	Awaken, Converge, Devoid, Ingest, Landfall, Rally
Set size	274 + 25 101 Commons, 80 Uncommons, 53 Rares, 15 Mythic Rares, 25 Basic Land + 25 full art versions of the Basic Lands
Expansion code	BFZ
Development codename	Blood

Battle for Zendikar is the 68th Magic expansion, and the first in the Battle for Zendikar block. It will be released October 2, 2015. Battle for Zendikar is a large expansion, and the Battle for Zendikar block is the first block of the Two-Block Paradigm.

Set details

The set contains 274 cards (25 basic lands , 101 commons, 80 uncommons, 53 rares, 15 mythic rares) and includes randomly inserted premium versions of all cards in the set. There are 25 basic lands, instead of the usual 20, and the set also features special full art versions similar to those that appeared in Zendikar. The full-art versions appear in booster packs and fat packs, but not in intro packs. The expansion symbol of the set is a broken hedron. While allies represented adventuring parties in the last Zendikar block, they now represent the united army against the Eldrazi. This is also a battle between the colored against the colorless faction. The Eldrazi interact with the exile zone.

Because the demise of the core sets, R&D is now experimenting with same art reprints in expansion sets (e.g. Felidar Sovereign). As a promotion to further the theme of the set, WotC randomly inserts Expedition cards into Battle for Zendikar boosters.

Storyline

Battle for Zendikar returns the storyline to Zendikar, a plane of adventure, many treasures, and potent mana supplies. The plane is littered with large, floating polyhedron-shaped stones called Hedrons, that were created by Nahiri, the Kor Lithomancer. Together with Ugin and Sorin Markov she used them to trap the horrendous Eldrazi on the plane. Thousands of years later, the meeting of Sarkhan Vol, Chandra Nalaar and Jace Beleren in the Eye of Ugin chamber unintentionally loosened the bonds that kept the Eldrazi in torpor. The Eldrazi were finally released by the elf Nissa Revane, thinking that they would leave Zendikar far behind them. She was wrong. Two years after the initial destruction, at least Ulamog is still around.

Now, Gideon Jura takes the lead of a group of planeswalkers in facing the Eldrazi alongside the residents of Zendikar. Meanwhile, the trapped planeswalker-turned-demon Ob Nixilis is desperate for a way off of the plane. A pivotal moment in the storyline is the Slaughter at Sea Gate.

Marketing

BFZ booster box, featuring Gideon Jura

Battle for Zendikar is sold in 16-card boosters (one card being a marketing card), five intro packs, one event deck and a fat pack.

Zendikar Expeditions

Zendikar Expeditions are all premium foil cards with a special Zendikari frame and a seperate expansion symbol. Thus, they are not part of the set. Zendikar Expeditions include all new art set on Zendikar and will appear slightly more often than premium mythic rares. These cards are playable in limited and formats where they're already legal. There are 25 Expedtion cards appearing with Battle for Zendikar (the 5 new dual lands, 10 shock lands and 10 fetch lands ) and 20 more cards coming in Oath of the Gatewatch.

Prerelease

BFZ themed prerelease deck box

At the prerelease (September 26–27, 2015) each player will receive a special hedron-themed Prerelease pack that they can use after the event as a take-home deck box. Inside each Prerelease box, there will be six regular Battle for Zendikar Booster packs along with a randomized, date-stamped premium promo card, a spindown life counter, a deckbuilding guide and a story insert. Starting with this prerelease, seeded booster packs will no longer be used. This prerelease is the first to use the "Vancouver" mulligan rule.

Instead of getting a specific set Prerelease card or one of a small subset of Prerelease cards, starting with Battle for Zendikar players will receive a random Prerelease card in their boxes that can be one of any rare or mythic rare in the set.

Promotional cards

• Prerelease: a stamped card that can be any rare or mythic rare from the set.
• Launch promo: Blight Herder
• Game Day: full-art Stasis Snare
• Game Day (Top 8): full-art Radiant Flames
• Buy-a-Box: Ruinous Path

Tokens and emblems

1. 10/10 Eldrazi for Desolation Twin
2. 1/1 Eldrazi Scion for Adverse Conditions, Blight Herder, Blisterpod, Brood Butcher, Brood Monitor, Call the Scions, Catacomb Sifter, Drowner of Hope, Eldrazi Skyspawner, Eyeless Watcher, From Beyond, Grave Birthing, Incubator Drone, Spawning Bed and Void Attendant
3. 1/1 Eldrazi Scion
4. 1/1 Eldrazi Scion
5. 2/2 Knight Ally for Gideon, Ally of Zendikar
6. 1/1 Kor Ally for Retreat to Emeria and Unified Front
7. 8/8 Octopus for Kiora, Master of the Depths
8. 5/5 Dragon with flying for Dragonmaster Outcast
9. 3/1 Elemental with Trample and Haste for Akoum Stonewaker
10. 1/1 Plant for Grovetender Druids
11. Template:Rg 5/5 Elemental for Omnath, Locus of Rage
12. Emblem for Gideon, Ally of Zendikar
13. Emblem for Ob Nixilis Reignited
14. Emblem for Kiora, Master of the Depths

Themes and mechanics

Eldrazi , Colorless matters , colorless instants, allies and landfall make a return from the Zendikar block. Landfall now sometimes is land specific.

There are at five new named mechanics:

• Devoid (This card has no color)
• Ingest (Whenever this creature deals combat damage to a player, that player exiles the top card of his or her library)
• Awaken N — (cost) (If you cast this card for (cost), also put N +1/+1 counters on target land you control and it becomes a 0/0 Elemental creature with haste. It's still a land)
• Rally, an ability word that gives an advantageous effect whenever an ally enters the battlefield. This is a tweak of the unnamed ally mechanic of the Zendikar block.
• Converge, an ability word that gives an advantageous effect for each color of mana used to cast the spell.

A remarkable mechanic is featured on Void Winnower, which cares about "even converted mana cost".

Card types

Battle for Zendikar introduces the creature types Scion and Processor.

• Eldrazi Scions are very similar to Eldrazi Spawn, but are 1/1 instead of 0/1. They're created by Eldrazi-themed spells in a variety of ways and all have the ability "Sacrifice this creature: Add to your mana pool."
• Processor is an additional creature type for some Eldrazi. Each one has an ability that requires you to put your opponent's exiled cards into their graveyard for some effect.

Cycles

Battle for Zendikar has at least six cycles:

• Allied color tangolands: five rare dual lands that enter the battlefield tapped unless the player controls two or more basic lands (reverse of the scar lands) — Prairie Stream, Sunken Hollow, Smoldering Marsh, Cinder Glade and Canopy Vista.
• Common feature lands: five common taplands that have additional effects when they enter the battlefield and can be tapped for C. — Sandstone Bridge, Skyline Cascade, Mortuary Mire, Looming Spires, Fertile Thicket
• Blighted lands: five uncommon lands that tap for one colorless mana, and can be sacrificed to activate an ability with a mono-colored activation cost. — Blighted Steppe, Blighted Cataract, Blighted Fen, Blighted Gorge and Blighted Woodland
• Color-specific landfall creatures: five rare creatures with landfall that have a different effect when a land with a specific basic land type enters the battlefield. Each is named after a location. — Emeria Shepherd, Guardian of Tazeem, Guul Draz Overseer, Akoum Hellkite and Oran-Rief Hydra
• Enemy colored uncommons: five uncommon creatures with enemy-colored mana costs. — Drana's Emissary, Herald of Kozilek, Catacomb Sifter, Resolute Blademaster, Skyrider Elf.
• Retreats: five uncommon enchantments with a modal landfall triggered effect — Retreat to Emeria, Retreat to Coralhelm, Retreat to Hagra, Retreat to Kazandu, Retreat to Valakut.

Reprinted cards

• Altar's Reap, first printed in Innistrad
• Anticipate, first printed in Dragons of Tarkir
• Bone Splinters, first printed in Shards of Alara
• Dispel, first printed in Worldwake
• Dutiful Return, first printed in Khans of Tarkir
• Dragonmaster Outcast, first printed in Worldwake
• Felidar Sovereign, first printed in Zendikar
• Giant Mantis, first printed in Mirage
• Goblin War Paint, first printed in Zendikar
• Inspired Charge, first printed in Magic 2011
• Plummet, first printed in Magic 2011
• Smite the Monstrous, first printed in Innistrad (last seen in Khans of Tarkir).
• Sylvan Scrying, first printed in Mirrodin (last seen in Tenth Edition).
• Territorial Baloth, first printed in Zendikar

Common to Uncommon

• Rolling Thunder, first printed in Tempest (last seen in Planechase (2009)).
• Pilgrim's Eye, first printed in Worldwake (last seen in Commander 2014).

Card comparisons

Functional reprints

• Cloud Manta is a functional reprint of Moon Heron from Innistrad, Snapping Drake from Portal and Talas Air Ship from Portal Second Age, save for creature type.
• Dampening Pulse is an almost functional reprint of Cumber Stone from Conflux, it's an Enchantment instead of an Artifact.
• Expedition Envoy is a functional reprint of Elite Vanguard from Magic 2010 and Savannah Lions from Alpha, save for creature type.
• Felidar Cub is a functional reprint of Kami of Ancient Law from Champions of Kamigawa, Ronom Unicorn from Coldsnap and Keening Apparition from Return to Ravnica, save for creature type.
• Ghostly Sentinel is a functional reprint of Angel of Light from Starter 1999.
• Kitesail Scout is a functional reprint of Aven Skirmisher from Fate Reforged, Lantern Kami from Champions of Kamigawa and Suntail Hawk from Judgment, save for creature type.
• Reclaiming Vines is a functional reprint of Creeping Mold from Visions.
• Shadow Glider is a functional reprint of Wild Griffin from Portal Second Age.

Strictly better

• Boiling Earth is strictly better than Simoon.
• Breaker of Armies is strictly better than Akron Legionnaire and Scaled Wurm.
• Crumble to Dust is strictly better than Sowing Salt.
• Deathless Behemoth is strictly better than Alpha Tyrranax, Axegrinder Giant, Barbtooth Wurm, Barktooth Warbeard, Bog Serpent, Barbtooth Wurm, Craw Wurm, Deep-Sea Serpent, Deep-Sea Terror, Flameborn Viron, Godhunter Octopus, Jedit Ojanen, Jerrard of the Closed Fist, Kasimir the Lone Wolf, Kindercatch, Minotaur Abomination, Obsianus Golem, Phyrexian Hulk, Razorfield Rhino, Razorfield Thresher, Ronom Serpent, Sea Monster, Sea Serpent, Sivitri Scarzam, Steelclad Serpent, The Lady of the Mountain, Torsten Von Ursus, Trained Orgg, Tusked Colossodon, Vastwood Gorger, and Vizzerdrix.
• Eldrazi Devastator is strictly better than Akron Legionnaire, Crash of Rhinos and Scaled Wurm.
• Endless One is strictly better than Fugitive Wizard, Grizzly Bears, Centaur Courser, Rumbling Baloth, Hollowhenge Beast, Kindercatch, and Enormous Baloth.
• Jaddi Offshoot is strictly better than Wall of Wood.
• Kor Castigator is strictly better than Blade of the Sixth Pride, Dromoka Warrior and Oreskos Swiftclaw.
• Kozilek's Channeler is strictly better than Sunastian Falconer.
• Guardian of Tazeem is strictly better than Air Elemental.
• Hedron Archive is strictly better than Sisay's Ring and Ur-Golem's Eye.
• Oran-Rief Invoker is strictly better than Stonewood Invoker.
• Sheer Drop is strictly better than Vengeance.
• Scatter to the Winds is strictly better than Cancel.
• Skyrider Elf is strictly better than Gaea's Skyfolk.
• Stone Haven Medic is strictly better than Shu Farmer.
• Sure Strike is strictly better than Rise to the Challenge, Slaughter Cry and Thunder Strike.
• Swarm Surge is strictly better than Desperate Charge.
• Tightening Coils is strictly better than Pin to the Earth.
• Volcanic Upheaval is strictly better than Craterize.

Strictly worse

• Touch of the Void is strictly worse than Yamabushi's Flame.