Prophecy

For other uses, see Prophecy (disambiguation).

Prophecy
Set Information
Set symbol
Themes and mechanics	Alternate casting costs, Avatars, Land sacrifice, Mercenaries and Rebels, Rhystic magic, Spellshapers, Tapped or untapped lands
Set size	143 cards (55 commons, 44 uncommons, 44 rares)
Expansion code	PCY
Development codename	Dionysius

Prophecy is the third set in the Masques block. It is the 20^th Magic expansion and was released on June 5, 2000.

Set details

Prophecy featured 143 cards (55 commons, 44 uncommons and 44 rares); its expansion symbol is a cluster of three crystals (referencing the fragile rhystic magic of the set). Although Prophecy was the third expansion, and second small expansion, in the Masques block; its themes and mechanics were not a natural progression from those established in Mercadian Masques and Nemesis, leading to Magic Head Designer Mark Rosewater to state that, in his opinion, Prophecy felt disjointed from the rest of its block and that it is the second-worst designed set in Magic history, comparable to Homelands.

Prophecy is noted for introducing two of the first creature subtype hosers in Magic; Brutal Suppression and Root Cage, which deal with Rebels and Mercenaries, respectively.

Marketing

The cards were sold in 15-card boosters which had artwork from Avatar of Hope, in four preconstructed theme decks and a fat pack. The prerelease card was also Avatar of Hope, in a foil version. The set was accompanied by the novel of the same name. This was the first time a set had the same name as an older card. That card didn't appear in this set.

Flavor and storyline

Prophecy is set on the plane of Dominaria. Keld has declared war on Jamuraa. The city-states of Jamuraa form the Kipamu League and then repulse the invaders.

Tournament impact

Although contributing a few potent cards such as Avatar of Woe, Chimeric Idol, Foil, Mageta the Lion, and Spiketail Hatchling, Prophecy had an insubstantial impact on competitive Magic play and even had a paucity of playable cards in Limited. Mark Rosewater considers it the second worst designed set after Homelands, because it was too Spikey.

Themes and mechanics

Like Mercadian Masques, Prophecy had no new keywords. It did, however, introduce several new themes:

• Anti-rebel — cards like Brutal Suppression and Rebel Informer. (see notable cards)
• Rhystic magic — Discounted spells and abilities that work properly unless a specified player pays a set amount of mana.
• A land theme, with several permanents having abilities involving sacrificing lands and several cards that gained bonuses when all of their controller's lands were tapped.

Creature types

No novel creature types were introduced in this expansion.

The following creature types that are not new to Magic are used in this expansion:

• Angel
• Avatar
• Beast
• Berserker (retroactively)
• Bird
• Boar
• Cat
• Cleric
• Drake
• Druid
• Efreet
• Elemental
• Elephant
• Frog (retroactively)
• Golem
• Griffin
• Homunculus (retroactively)
• Horror (retroactively)
• Human (retroactively)
• Illusion
• Insect
• Juggernaut (retroactively)
• Mercenary
• Minotaur
• Nightstalker
• Rebel
• Serpent
• Shade
• Snake
• Soldier
• Spellshaper
• Spider
• Squid (retroactively)
• Turtle
• Wall
• Warrior (retroactively)
• Worm (retroactively)
• Wurm
• Zombie

The creature types Ghost and Ship were used in this expansion at the time of printing but were later changed to Spirit and Human, respectively.

Cycles

Prophecy features six cycles.

Cycle name	Description and notes	White card(s)	Blue card(s)	Black card(s)	Red card(s)	Green card(s)
Avatars	Each of these rare Avatar creatures cost MM and, at least, have a static ability that reduces its cost by if certain conditions are met and a static combat or evasion ability.	Avatar of Hope	Avatar of Will	Avatar of Woe	Avatar of Fury	Avatar of Might
Field Auras	Each of these uncommon Auras enchants a land, conferring it with an activated ability involving .	Flowering Field	Sunken Field	Noxious Field	Barbed Field	Verdant Field
Flash Auras	Each of these common Auras costs M, has Flash, enchants a creature, and is named after the legendary Spellshaper of its color.	Mageta's Boon	Alexi's Cloak	Greel's Caress	Latulla's Orders	Jolrael's Favor
Pitch spells	Each of these uncommon instant or sorcery spells has an alternate cost that includes discarding a basic land card of the type associated with its color.	Abolish	Foil	Outbreak	Flameshot	Snag
Legendary Spellshapers	Each of these rare legendary Spellshaper creatures cost MM and have an activated ability costing two cards and an amount of mana for a potent effect.	Mageta the Lion	Alexi, Zephyr Mage	Greel, Mind Raker	Latulla, Keldon Overseer	Jolrael, Empress of Beasts
Winds	Each of these rare instant or sorcery spells has a converted mana cost of 9 and a potent effect.	Blessed Wind	Denying Wind	Plague Wind	Searing Wind	Vitalizing Wind

Vertical cycles

Cycle name	Description and notes	Common card(s)	Uncommon card(s)	Rare card(s)
Glittering Cats	Each of these white Cat creatures has a static ability that prevents all damage that would be dealt to the creature and an activated ability that can be activated by any player that removes, until end of turn, the above static ability.	Glittering Lynx	Glittering Lion
Spiketail Drakes	Each of these blue Drake creatures with flying have an activated ability costing the sacrifice of the creature to counter a targeted spell unless its controller pays an additional amount of mana. This vertical cycle is unusual in that there is no rare member, and the intermediate Spiketail Drakeling was revealed upon the release of Time Spiral.	Spiketail Hatchling	Spiketail Drake
Brawlers	Each of these red Soldier creatures has two static abilities, one of which prevents the creature from attacking if the defending player has an untapped land and another which prevents the creature from blocking if you control an untapped land.	Branded Brawlers		Veteran Brawlers

Pairs

Matched pairs

Prophecy has no matched pairs.

Mirrored pairs

Prophecy has two mirrored pairs.

• Mercenary Informer and Rebel Informer are both rare Human Mercenary Rebels/Human Rebel Mercenaries with a mana cost of M, a power/toughness combination summing to 3, a static ability preventing its being targeted by spells or abilities from sources of the other's color, and an activated ability costing or , respectively, to put a targeted nontoken Merecenary or Rebel on the bottom of its owner's library.
• Soul Charmer and Death Charmer are both common 2/2 Rebel and Mercenary creatures, respectively, each with a ability that triggers upon its dealing combat damage to a creature and has an effect unless that creature's controller pays .

Reprinted cards

Prophecy has no reprinted cards.

Preconstructed decks

Theme decks

Prophecy has four theme decks, of which three are bicolored and one is monocolored. Template:Theme decks

References

External links

• Prophecy product information page — Wizards of the Coast