Mirrodin Cards in Vintage

[Bastian]

Full Mirrodin spoiler WITH PICTURES!!

Start discussing!!

Mirrodin


Besides the already known cards, here are some more that are worth mentioning:

Loxodon Peacekeeper
White Rare
W1
Creature-Elephant Soldier
At the beginning of your upkeep, the player with the lowest life total gains control of Loxodon Peacekeeper. If two or more players are tied for the lowest life total, you choose one of them, and that player gains control of Loxodon Peacekeeper.
4/4
Artist: Michael Sutfin

Damping Matrix
Artifact Rare
3
Artifact
Activated abilities of artifacts and creatures can't be played unless they're mana abilities.
The priests tried cursing it. The mages tried dispelling it. In the end, they all obeyed it.
Artist: Mike Dringenberg

Platinum Angel
Artifact Rare
7
Artifact Creature - Angel
Flying You can't lose the game and your opponents can't win the game.
In its heart lies the secret of immortality.
4/4
Artist: Brom

The angel isn't a legend after all, but it's still great:)

Proteus Staff
Artifact Rare
3
Artifact
U2, T: Put target creature on the bottom of its owner's library. That creature's controller reveals cards from the top of his or her library until he or she reveals a creature card. That player puts that card into play and the rest on the bottom of his or her library in any order. Play this ability only any time you could play a sorcery.
Artist: Trevor Hairsine

Nuisance Engine
Artifact Uncommon
3
Artifact
2, T: Put a 0/1 Pest artifact creature token into play.
All Auriok children know the tale, "Bolgri and the Long Day of Squashing."
Artist: Stephen Tappin

Lightning Coils
Artifact Rare
3
Artifact
Whenever a nontoken creature you control is put into a graveyard from play, put a charge counter on Lightning coils. At the beginning of your upkeep, if Lightning Coils has five or more charge counters on it, remove all of them from it and put that many 3/1 red Elemental creature tokens with haste into play. Remove them from the game at end of turn.
Artist: Brian Snoddy

Leonin Sun Standard
Artifact Rare
2
Artifact
W1: Creatures you control get +1/+1 until end of turn.
The commander tells the troops where to go, but the standard reminds them why they're there.
Artist: Jim Nelson

Empyrial Plate
Artifact Rare
2
Artifact - Equipment
Equipped creature gets +1/+1 for each card in your hand. Equip 2 (2: Attach to target creature you control. Equip only as a sorcery. This card comes into play unattached and stays in play if hte creature leaves play.)
Artist: Paolo Parente

A NEW AND BETTER EMPYRIAL ARMOR! And it can be used by ANY color! Go WW:D
Now this set managed to conquer my heart:)

Sword of Kaldra
Artifact Rare
4
Legendary Artifact - Equipment
Equipped creature gets +5/+5. Whenever equipped creature deals damage to a creature, remove that creature from the game. Equip 4 (4: Attach to target creature you control. Equip only as a sorcery. This card comes into play unattached and stays in play if hte creature leaves play.)
Artist: Donato Giancola

Troll Ascetic
Green Rare
GG1
Creature - Troll Shaman
Troll Ascetic can't be the target of spells or abilities your opponents control. G1: Regenerate Troll Ascetic.
It's no coincidence that the oldest trolls are also the angriest.
3/2
Artist: Puddnhead

Ok, that's about it. Probably there are many more. I, for once, as a WW am extremely pleased. The artifact crusade, empyrial plate and chrome mox seem great. And the plate... oh the plate =D\n\n

[erik]

Thirst for Knowledge
Blue Uncommon
U2
Instant
Draw three cards. Then discard two cards from your hand unless you discard an artifact card from your hand.

Is it just me, or is this the perfect card to replace Meditate in Stax?

[Bastian]

It's not because Stax wants to skip turns so the opponents are hurt more by effects like Smokestack.

[Jebus]

Spoils of the Vault
Rare

Instant
Name a card. Reveal cards from the top of your library until you reveal the named card, then put that card into your hand. Remove all other cards revealed this way from the game, and you lose 1 life for each of the removed cards.

Hmmm...new Consultation, but perhaps TOO risky.

[Nocturnal]

Gate to the Aether - 6
Artifact
At the beginning of each player's turn, that player reveals the top card of their library.  If its a permanent, that player may put it into play.

Looks kind of interesting in an all permanent deck like Welder Mud, but is probably too symmetric and pricy for type 1.

I am just dreaming about the abuses of Metalworker after Mirrodin is legal.

Edit...

Also:
Liar's Scepter - 1
Artifact
2, T: Name a card. Target opponent guesses whether a card with that name is in your hand. You may reveal your hand. If you do and your opponent guessed wrong, draw a card.

Incredible mind games!\n\n

[Azhrei]

I seriously dislike the "cards with mana cost X become countered." Even if that is XX to cast, you can just drop it on turn one at zero for Moxen, or on turn one with Workshop and a Mox for two.

I think this set is going to generate a LOT of restrictions, both within the set itself and without.

[erik]

From my experience, losing a turn to meditate is a drawback far more often than an advantage. I'd rather have a card that is good both in- and outside the lock, than one who is better only once the lock is in place. But I digress, testing will tell.

The new consult looks EXTREMELY good in Mask decks. Not that hot in decks that use Bargain a lot though...

[Toad]

Quote (erik @ Sep. 12 2003,00:34)From my experience, losing a turn to meditate is a drawback far more often than an advantage.

Then -with no offense- you don't have enough experience with $T4KS. Giving an additional turn to an opponent with a full Tangle Wire or a Smokestack on the board is not a drawback. Some people even play Time Vault in those Prison decks ! Meditate is one of the strongest lock component in $T4KS because of the skip-turn effect.

Matthieu

[Jebus]

Does anyone else see Chrome Mox being pre-emptively restricted on principle alone?

[VideoGameBoy]

Quote (Jebus @ Sep. 11 2003,17:00)Does anyone else see Chrome Mox being pre-emptively restricted on principle alone?

Principle hell - it's already strictly better than Mox Diamond:

1) You can weld it and have it work.
2) It doesn't have "as an additional cost to play this".
3) It's also playable in any deck (except brown, if they want to get mana from it).
4) Doesn't stunt mana development.
5) Synergistic with Wishes.

Plus, the artwork seems to be designed purely to have a spectacular foil, since it already has quasi-iridescent red & green in the art.

[Jebus]

Quote (VideoGameBoy @ Sep. 11 2003,17:06)

Quote (Jebus @ Sep. 11 2003,17:00)Does anyone else see Chrome Mox being pre-emptively restricted on principle alone?

Principle hell - it's already strictly better than Mox Diamond:

1) You can weld it and have it work.
2) It doesn't have "as an additional cost to play this".
3) It's also playable in any deck (except brown, if they want to get mana from it).
4) Doesn't stunt mana development.
5) Synergistic with Wishes.

Plus, the artwork seems to be designed purely to have a spectacular foil, since it already has quasi-iridescent red & green in the art.

I didn't mean to make it sound like it wasn't a good card.

I don't see what you mean by you can Weld it and have it work.  Mox Diamond should also work fine when Welded.

[VideoGameBoy]

Quote (Jebus @ Sep. 11 2003,17:09)I didn't mean to make it sound like it wasn't a good card.

I don't see what you mean by you can Weld it and have it work.  Mox Diamond should also work fine when Welded.

Whoops, brain fart - you are correct.

[Zoofields]

Quote (Jebus @ Sep. 11 2003,18:00)Does anyone else see Chrome Mox being pre-emptively restricted on principle alone?

Chalice of the Void XX
Artifact
All spells with converted mana cost equal to X are countered.


I don't know that it should be restricted outright *cough* chalice.  Having more moxen around will just make my Null Rods and Shaman better.

[Diablos8]

Quote Damping Matrix
Artifact Rare
3
Artifact
Activated abilities of artifacts and creatures can't be played unless they're mana abilities.
The priests tried cursing it. The mages tried dispelling it. In the end, they all obeyed it.
Artist: Mike Dringenberg

Is it me, or does anybody else think this is really good? It's a Cursed Totem that also stops Cursed Scroll.

[Kheoinn]

Temporal Cascade
Blue Rare
UU5
Sorcery
Chose one - Each player shuffles his or her hand and graveyard into his or her library; or each player draws seven cards. Entwine 2 (Chose both if you pay the entwine cost.)

A new draw 7, but is it better than diminishing returns?

[jpmeyer]

Chrome Mox and Spoils of the Vault will be restricted almost immediately.  Fabricate might be safe.  Chalice of the Void shouldn't be restricted, but it might be the card that breaks Mishra's Workshop's back.

[Bastian]

I don't see how dangerous Chrome Mox can be right now. Really! It's better than Mox Diamond since it doesn't stunt mana production, but what decks would pack it??

Artifact decks: tnt and stax cannot use it efficiently nor they need to. They already have enough mana artifacts.
The same can be said for other decks like keeper and combo.

And are these decks willing to remove a single copy of a spell from hand to be able to play with Chrome Mox? Until I see it being abused I'm believing that it's more overrated than otherwise...

Remember: most powered decks don't need the new mox and some of them are not willing to take out a card from the game since they may end up needing it. And even if Chrome Mox does see play in these decks, just how many will it see play of?

I can predict seeing this card being abused in monocolored strategies but otherwise... I think it needs to prove itself still.

Someone suggested that this may have interaction with the wishes... remember that if you wish back for an imprinted card the imprinted artifact loses the imprint.

Chalice of the Void is already bad with all the fast mana running around the format. Add Mishra's Workshop to the mix and you have two serious candidates for restriction. I'm starting to believe it may just be a matter of time...

Spoils of the Vault seems a bit too risky... But it's still a pretty efficient tutor. May end up being restricted as JP said.

Kheonin: Diminishing Returns is already a bad card which actually managed to see play in some old standard combo decks. But... that?? It's a 7cc spell. Just how can it be better than Returns?!

I posted some cards I initially found interesting or good, but there were some that escaped me. Here's one...

Goblin Charbelcher
Artifact Rare
4
Artifact
3, T: Reveal cards from the top of your library until you reveal a land card. Goblin Charbelcher deals damage equal to the number of nonland cards revealed this way to target creature or player. If the revealed land card was a Mountain, Goblin Charbelcher deals double that damage instead. Put the revealed cards on the bottom of your library in any order.
Artist: Stephen Tappin

and something else...

Liar's Pendulum
Artifact Rare
1
Artifact
2, T: Name a card. Target opponent guesses whether a card with that name is in your hand. You may reveal your hand. If you do and your opponent guessed wrong, draw a card.
Artist: Christopher Moeller

Help me with this one to see if I'm right. I pay 2 and tap the artifact and name a card. Let's say I name a card I haven't got in my hand. My opponent tries to guess if that card is in my hand. If I do and my opponent was wrong, which he should be all the time, since I'm never going to tell something I have in hand... I get to draw a card.

So... Liar's Pendulum could just as well read:

2, T: Reveal your hand to target opponent and draw a card.
(the text may be a bit off, but it's practically the same thing, right??)\n\n

[Smmenen]

How can tog win if you set chalice at three?

Steve

[Bastian]

There are several cards that can deal with it at 2cc but they would have to be maindecked to be able to deal with the chalice. Or you have to counter the chalice before it gets to play. Really... I don't think workshop and/or the chalice will last long starting as soon as they start being abused.

And we're not even thinking about the possible impact Platinum Angel might have, but it can be targeted, but it can also be weldered back into play...

Diabolos: I thought this could used as a Null Rod and a Cursed Totem at the same time, but artifacts can still be tapped for mana:( It's not that hot now... Restricting to either Cursed Totem or Null Rod is the way to go.\n\n

[Rico Suave]

Combo can always make room for free artifact acceleration.  This new Mox is exactly that.  Hell, I'd run only like 4 land if I had enough good artifacts for the job.

[Matt The Great]

So far, not one person has mentioned the most fucked-up card in the entire set.

Mindslaver
Artifact Rare
6
Legendary Artifact
4, T, Sacrifice Mindslaver: You control target player's next turn. (You see all cards that player could see and make all decisions for the player. He or she doesn't lose life because of mana burn.)

Does anyone remember Inquest's old "purple is the new sixth color" hoax? One of their cards has nearly exactly this effect. This is probably not the most powerful of cards but it represents Wizards' taking a very right-brained leap in the way cards are made. I honestly would have put good money that such an effect would never be printed. This is by far the most radical card in the entire set. I wonder if Darksteel will have a Raging River spinoff?\n\n

[Davido]

@Bastian: Damping matrix doesn't stop artifact mana (moxen and the like). To do so, null rod is still better...

Davido\n\n

[Bastian]

You're so right... But wouldn't be good if it was so? Well, at least I'm over the dillema of wether using this or not. Not!

Thanks!

[Magimaster]

AAAH! too many good* cards!!!!!


the possiblities are endless.





*by good, I mean worth a look

[dandan]

Quote (Matt The Great @ Sep. 12 2003,02:46)So far, not one person has mentioned the most fucked-up card in the entire set.

Mindslaver
Artifact Rare
6
Legendary Artifact
4, T, Sacrifice Mindslaver: You control target player's next turn. (You see all cards that player could see and make all decisions for the player. He or she doesn't lose life because of mana burn.)

Haven't Wizards said on a number of occasions that Word of Command was a mistake? I could swear that this one is like casting a handfull of Words but it is colourless and you can pay for the activation during your opponent's end of turn.

Good job I stopped playing Channel back in 1995!

Just in case people are looking at this as the new Jester's Mask, try to view it as something that Workshop can spew out by turn 3 and activate on turn 4, which leaves you completely tapped out and probably mindtwisted.

That is of course in addition to the 10 pages of rules clarifications it will need.

Just for reference (Crystal Keep):

Word of Command
Color=Black  Type=Instant  Cost=BB ABU®  
Text(ABU+errata): Look at target opponent's hand and choose a card from it. That player plays that card with his or her own mana, but you make all decisions it calls for. The player is required only to use mana from his or her mana pool and mana that can be drawn from lands. [Oracle 1999/09/03]  

The caster of Word of Command controls all aspects of the spell they have the opponent cast, including the amount of mana and target of the spell. Note that if the spell just enables something, you cannot power it in addition to casting it. For example, you cannot cast Pestilence then tap additional mana to power the card, or summon a Nether Shadow and declare an attack with it. Spells with an X casting cost have X decided by the caster of Word of Command. [WotC Rules Team 1994/01/24] The decisions apply to ones made on announcement and ones made on resolution. [D'Angelo 1995/04/11]
Since this spell is an instant, your opponent gets a chance to respond to it as normal. Once this spell resolves, you look at your opponent's hand and choose a spell or land. [D'Angelo 1999/10/29] Note that it is common practice to respond to Word of Command by using up any spells or mana you have prior to letting it resolve.
When this spell finishes resolving, the next time the targeted player gets priority, they play the spell and you make the choices made on announcement. [Gray 1999/10/27]
Your opponent cannot counter the Word of Command after they let you look at his hand, but they can attempt to counter the spell you force them to play. [WotC rules team 1994/01/24]
You must order your opponent to play a spell or play a land if it is possible to do so. [D'Angelo 1994/10/01]
The spell which is played is considered as being played by the player targeted by Word of Command and not by the caster of Word of Command. [Arab FAQ 1994/01/05]
You can make them play anything that they could legally play if the spell stack was empty. So a sorcery spell can be played if it is their main phase, and so on. Since they do get to play the spell as if the spell stack were empty, it is possible to make them play a sorcery when the spell stack is not actually empty. [Gray 1999/10/27]
The spell being cast by Word of Command's effect can be responded to as normal once it is on the stack. [D'Angelo 1999/10/29]
You do get to choose which lands get tapped. [bethmo 1994/06/01] This means you can choose ones with Psychic Venom or other bad effects on them, but does not allow you to tap a wrong amount (or color) of mana (possibly causing mana burn) if there is a possible way to tap the right amount of mana. For example, if one Forest and one Forest with Wild Growth are available, you may not use the one with Wild Growth to cast Giant Growth (cost 'G'). [Aahz 1994/08/01] You can make them choose an optional mana generating ability of the land that is tapped, such as making them sacrifice a Dwarven Ruins. [WotC Rules Team 1994/12/15]
You may Command your opponent to play a land (if they have not already done so this turn). [Aahz 1994/06/01]
If used with a Demonic Tutor being the card the other player casts, you do not get to look through that player's library. You get to name a card for them to take. If it is in the library, they take it. If not, you name another card. Repeat until you name one that they have. [D'Angelo 1995/04/11] Remember that even on-resolution decisions are made by the Word of Command caster.
If there is a non-mana way to cast a spell, as with Pitch Spells, you may require that way to be used if it is possible to do so. [D'Angelo 1997/03/26]
To "play a card" is to either announce a spell (see Rule T.4) or to put a land into play using the main phase special action (see Rule P.8.4). [D'Angelo 1999/01/18]
Extended tournaments (see Rule D.15) have always banned this card.

[MoreFling]

Quote (Matt The Great @ Sep. 12 2003,05:46)I wonder if Darksteel will have a Raging River spinoff?

I was actually expecting sharazad #2.

[dandan]

Nobody has mentioned this:

Rule of Law 2W
Enchantment
Each player may not play more than one spell each turn.
019/306

For those who shun the use of Blue. A Lab that can't be REBed. Parfait has a lot of new toys.

[mrieff]

Some more cards I thing are worth mentioning:

5 cards for not too much. But is it little enough? Also an extra Kill condition.

Promise of Power 2BBB
Sorcery ®
Chose one - You draw five cards and you lose 5 life; or put a black Demon creature token with flying into play with power and toughness each equal to the number of cards in your hand as the token comes into play.
Entwine 4 (Chose both if you pay the entwine cost.)
#74

Tolarian Academy. Might be restricted in T1 because of it.

Sylvan Scrying -  
Sorcery (U)
Search your library for a land card, reveal it, and put it into your hand. Then shuffle your library.
#130


Nice with Mana Severance  
Seriously, this can deal a LOT of Damage. Also note that if you dont have any land, the card acts as Vampiric Tutor for your whole deck. (for instance, if your opponent doenst die from the damage because he has a certain angel into play)

Goblin Charbelcher 4
Artifact
3, T: Reveal cards from the top of your library until you reveal a land card. Goblin Charbelcher deals damage equal to the number of nonland cards revealed this way to target creature or player. If the revealed land card was a Mountain, Goblin Charbelcher deals double that damage instead. Put the revealed cards on the bottom of your library in any order.
#176

Maybe playable by lowering the land count:

Talisman of Dominance -  
Artifact (U)
: Add 1 to your mana pool.
: Add U or B to your mana pool. Talisman of Dominance deals 1 damage to you.
#253

[rozetta]

Cloudpost
Land - Locus ©
Cloudpost comes into play tapped.
T: Add 1 to your mana pool for each Locus in play.
"He watches from above. He watches from below. He watches from within." - Inscription on Tal-Jilad, the Tree of Tales
Illus. Martina Pilcerova
#280

OK, so comes into play tapped is bad, but this could be quite nice in an Academy-style combo deck with Fastbond and Candelabra of Tawnos - 16 mana from 4 lands doesn't seem bad, and you could use mana artifacts to power the candelabras for untap.

Dunno, though, just some initial thoughts.

[Kerzkid11]

Quote How can tog win if you set chalice at three?

Steve

It just can't, which is pretty scary. The new chalice will probably have some type of control deck built around it.