March of the Machine/Trivia
March of the Machine/Trivia
Mark Rosewater gave his traditional teaser with the following hints.[1]
First up, here are some things you can expect:
- Numerous cards that mechanically care about Phyrexians: Norn's Inquisitor, The Argent Etchings, The Great Synthesis, Glissa, Herald of Predation, Phyrexian Awakening, Sculpted Perfection; Grafted Butcher; Gift of Compleation
- A double-faced token (one that transforms): An Incubator artifact token that transforms into a 0/0 Phyrexian artifact creature.
- A card that costs XUUUU: Transcendent Message
- A variant of a mechanic returns to a premier set for the second time since it originally appeared:[2] Basic landcycling, first appearing in Scourge, then returning in Alara Reborn.[3]
- A legendary creature returns not seen since Homelands: Grandmother Ravi Sengir (transformed from Invasion of Ulgrotha)
- A creature capable of dealing eleven poison counters: Etali, Primal Sickness (once transformed)
- Some planes show up in card names that have never done so before: Amonkhet, Azgol, Belenon, Eldraine, Ergamon, Fiora, Ikoria, Kaldheim, Karsus, Lorwyn, Moag, Tolvada, Ulgrotha, Xerex
- Wrenn returns with a new partner: Wrenn and Realmbreaker
- Two draft archetypes that have a creature types matter component: Phyrexians, Knights
- The tenth ___ and ___ sword: Sword of Once and Future
Here are snippets of rules text, you’ll see:
- "You may cast spells with flash or flying from the top of your library." — Errant and Giada
- "An Aura, God or Demigod card" — Invasion of Theros
- "where X is the excess damage dealt this way." — Nahiri's Warcrafting
- "This spell can't be copied." — See Double
- "Activate only if you've cast two or more spells this turn." — Xerex Strobe-Knight
- "Each player can't cast more than one non-Phyrexian spell each turn." — Phyrexian Censor
- "X twice, where X is the number of lands you control." — Glistening Dawn
- "Whenever a permanent transforms or a permanent enters the battlefield under your control transformed," — Corruption of Towashi
- "If the opponent protects it, remove a defense counter from it." — Portent Tracker
- "At the beginning of your upkeep, if you haven't been dealt combat damage since your last turn, you draw a card and you lose 1 life." — Marchesa, Resolute Monarch
Finally, here are some Phyrexians in the set:
- Creature — Phyrexian Bear Rhino — Copper Host Crusher
- Creature — Phyrexian Devil — Glistening Goremonger (transformed from Pyretic Prankster)
- Creature — Phyrexian Dog Warrior — Burnished Dunestomper
- Creature — Phyrexian Jackal — Gitaxian Spellstalker (transformed from Khenra Spellspear)
- Creature — Phyrexian Samurai — Grafted Butcher, Alabaster Host Intercessor
- Creature — Phyrexian Shade — Ichor Shade
- Creature — Phyrexian Shark — Chrome Host Seedshark
- Creature — Phyrexian Treefolk — Invoker of Ailments (transformed from Herbology Instructor)
- Creature — Phyrexian Viashino — Thrashing Frontliner
- Creature — Phyrexian Weird — Compleated Conjurer (transformed from Captive Weird)
And some creature type lines of denizens fighting them:
- Creature — Moonfolk Ninja — Rooftop Saboteurs (transformed from Invasion of Kamigawa)
- Creature — Aetherborn Vampire — Consuming Aetherborn
- Creature — Fungus Rabbit — Placid Rottentail
- Creature — Dwarf Pilot — Hangar Scrounger, Golden-Scale Aeronaut
- Creature — Raccoon Warrior — Scrappy Bruiser
- Creature — Goblin Spellshaper — Kyren Flamewright (transformed from Invasion of Mercadia)
- Creature — Wolverine Dinosaur — War-Trained Slasher
- Legendary Creature — Elder Giant Dog — Kroxa and Kunoros
- Legendary Creature — Ape Dinosaur Turtle — Kogla and Yidaro
- Legendary Creature — Cyclops Homunculus — Borborygmos and Fblthp
Gavin Verhey gave a teaser with the following hints about the new cards in the Commander decks:[4]
- There is a red card with enchant planeswalker — Rowan's Talent
- There is a card that calls back to a specific group of cards from New Phyrexia — Darksteel Splicer (Splicers)
- There is a card that begins "whenever you cast a Phyrexian or artifact creature spell..." — Brimaz, Blight of Oreskos
- There is a card with the same ability three times! — Conclave Sledge-Captain (Backup)
- There is a cycle of cards that all have the ability word "Will of the Planeswalkers" — Path of the Ghosthunter (), Path of the Enigma (), Path of the Schemer (), Path of the Pyromancer (), Path of the Animist ()
- There is a card with a sentence that begins, "As many times as you choose..." — Dance with Calamity
- There is a card with the Parley mechanic! — Cutthroat Negotiator
- There is a card that cares about Merfolk! — Vodalian Wave-Knight
- There is a plane that references an iconic creature from Alpha — The Pit (Lord of the Pit)
- There is a new Kithkin in these decks! — Mistmeadow Vanisher
- There is an Angel Ally! — Kasla, the Broken Halo
- There is a Phyrexianized M11 Titan in the set— Blight Titan
- There is a new card with Eminence! — Sidar Jabari of Zhalfir
- There is FINALLY something that creates a 1/1 Butterfly creature token with flying (#FreeTheButterfly) — Megaflora Jungle
Callbacks
- Chrome Host Seedshark's ability is a callback to Shark Typhoon.
- Etali, Primal Sickness's Power/Toughness and abilities are a callback to Blightsteel Colossus.
- Polukranos, Engine of Ruin's name and triggered ability are callbacks to Wurmcoil Engine.
- Serra Faithkeeper is a callback to Serra Angel.
- Botanical Brawler's art is a callback to Stony Strength.
- Rona, Tolarian Obliterator is a callback to the Phyrexian monster cycle, a 5/5 with a beneficial effect upon taking damage.
- Seraph of New Phyrexia has a trigger reminiscent of Fallen Angel.
- Sunfall is a callback to Phyrexian Rebirth and Starfall.
Other trivia
- Thalia and The Gitrog Monster calls out a joke popular amongst LoadingReadyRun fans that the arm in The Gitrog Monster's mouth in the art was Thalia's, of which most of the humor is from insisting despite all evidence to the contrary.
- Yargle and Multani has the highest power of any eternal creature card. Its stats are exactly twice those of Yargle, Glutton of Urborg.
- Ghalta and Mavren previews the Booster Fun treatment for cards in The Lost Caverns of Ixalan.
- Marchesa, Resolute Monarch's second ability counters dethrone, and her third ability is reminiscent, fittingly, of the monarch.
- Lazotep Convert's ability is similar to Eternalize.
- Herald of Hoofbeats is the only creature with horsemanship not from Portal Three Kingdoms.
References
- ↑ Mark Rosewater (March 21, 2023). "Maro’s March of the Machine Teaser". Blogatog. Tumblr.
- ↑ Mark Rosewater (March 23, 2023). "I just caught a mistake in my teaser.". Twitter.
- ↑ Mark Rosewater (April 5, 2023). "What was the mechanic you mentioned in your teaser that was returning for the 3rd total time?". Blogatog. Tumblr.
- ↑ 14 March of the Machine Commander Deck Hints! (And New Art!) (Video). Good Morning Magic. YouTube (March 27, 2023).