Battle for Zendikar
Spoilers, Rumors, and Speculation forum
Posted on June 1, 2015, 10:17 p.m. by VampNighthawk1497
Does anyone know if full art lands will come back with the new block? I know I'll be stacking up on them if they do. Also, what type of cards are they printing? It would be nice to see Vampire Nocturnus make its way back into the scene.
GoldGhost012 says... #3
Here's what we currently know: we're going back to Zendikar, the Eldrazi will be ravaging the plane, and Gideon and (potentially) Nahiri will be involved.
That's about it.
June 1, 2015 10:20 p.m.
Servo_Token says... #4
Remember that there's only two sets this time around, so whatever that means for your speculation decisions.
June 1, 2015 10:21 p.m.
Grantley91 says... #5
I really hope Allies come back. They're my second favorite tribe next to Slivers.
June 1, 2015 10:22 p.m.
CastleSiege says... #6
There's no guarantee that full art lands will come back, but the possibility hasn't been ruled out.
We actually know a lot about what's been going on with the happenings of Zendikar, so here's my speculation as to what we may and may not see return:
The plane of Zendikar has been ravaged by the Eldrazi for some time now. Emrakul and Kozilek have since left the plane, so we won't be seeing new versions of them most likely. Their leaving probably means that the plane has been drained of most of its mana, meaning that the world will be much less "alive." If this is true, then I doubt we'll see nearly as many cards that have to do with landfall or mana ramping.
Ulamog is still on the plane, as seen in the promotional art for the set. Some planeswalkers have been in search of aid to battle the Eldrazi, not just Gideon (who is also on the promotional art). One of them is Kiora, who last we knew, had just stolen Thassa's bident, giving her complete control over most sea creatures. We will probably see her return with a new printing.
Sorin just found the newly revivded Ugin, thanks to Sarkhan's time traveling shenanigans. The two of them need Nahiri in order to re-trap the Eldrazi, and Sorin seems to know where she is (based on his dialogue with Ugin in one of the Uncharted Realms). It's likely that these three will make an appearance on new cards as well.
Vampires were prominent in the original Zendikar block, and I see no reason for them not to be this time around as well. I think a lot of them actually worshiped Ulamog, so that should be interesting to see.
Since this is going to be a "battle," I wouldn't be at all surprised to see Allies return as one side of the conflict.
Also, Kor, Elves, Merfolk, and Elementals :3
June 1, 2015 10:48 p.m. Edited.
I play allies. I've played them ever since I got into magic. Allies are the first singles I ever bought. I want more of them so bad.
June 1, 2015 10:49 p.m.
VampNighthawk1497 says... #8
CastleSiege That was a great response. I'm fairly new to Magic and have not picked up on the storyline/lore. I started in Theros but did a great deal of studying Zendikar vampires for the longest time. It's great to know how all this ties together. Thanks!
June 1, 2015 11:12 p.m.
zephramtripp says... #10
Just speculation, but based some of the lore, BFZ could have a ton more planeswalkers than normal. Nahiri, Sorin, Ugin, Kiora, Gideon, and any number of other walkers.
June 1, 2015 11:47 p.m.
SimicPower says... #11
Mark Rosewater confirmed that there is going to be a threat in the next 7 years that they are planning on including full-art lands. Battle for Zendikar is a nice candidate.
June 2, 2015 12:50 a.m.
From what I could gater, we're only getting 5 planeswalkers per block. Which would me Zednikar will only have 5 actual planeswalker cards, but I guess that won't stop them from printing cards with some other planeswalkers on them. :P
Kiora, Gideon and Nahiri have the strongest chance of being cards. I'm iffy on Sorin and Ugin since they just got cards not too long ago, but who knows. I'm also thinking that Ob Nixilis will get his spark back in the second set, since he's seeking to get it back. I don't know who the other one would be, maybe Nicol Bolas?
June 2, 2015 12:59 a.m.
Planeswalker Eldrazi's....The second most OP cards printed after Storm Crow.
June 2, 2015 1:02 a.m.
Grantley91 says... #14
ojmandias "You get an emblem with "Creatures you control have Annihilator 4"
Oh good laaawwdddd...
June 2, 2015 1:51 a.m.
MagicalHacker says... #15
All I want is a five color commander who does something specifically for allies.
June 2, 2015 6:10 a.m.
Grantley91 says... #16
Or even just two-(or three-)color legendaries like in KTK. Like R/G/W, R/B/U, G/R/B... Maybe 5 each set.
June 2, 2015 7:07 a.m.
MagicalHacker says... #17
Well last time we only got one multicolored legend: Wrexial, the Risen Deep
June 2, 2015 7:19 a.m.
I don't see Sorin, Nahiri, or Ugin as being likely candidates for PW's in BFZ.
In the Uncharted Realms lore for Dragons of Tarkir, Sorin awakens Ugin.
- During their interactions, it is made clear that Sorin knows more than he tells Ugin.
- Although Nahiri is missing, Sorin knows of the likely spot(s) where she may be.
- Sorin is reluctant to search for her, as he feels that finding her may be more trouble than it's worth. (some past issue(s))
- Ugin states that he will remain in Tarkir and continue to recover while awaiting for Sorin to return with Nahiri.
From all of this, I would expect another block/story involving Sorin's search and conflict with Nahiri before we see them hunting down the Eldrazi.
It has also been stated that Ulamog is the only Eldrazi that has been seen on Zendikar for some time. - This leaves the story wide open to have Gideon and some friends defeat this incarnation of Ulamog, and drive him back to the Blind Eternities. All while allowing for Ugin's band of Eldrazi trappers to still have Emrakul and Kozilek to be found.
Then... after Kozilek and Emrakul are found and trapped, Ulamog can eventually re-enter the various planes, wreaking more havoc... possibly freeing its friends.
Essentially dragging the the story out over many future blocks.
TL;DR: - Not likely to have Sorin, Nahiri, or Ugin... and likely to only have Ulamog and his spawn.
June 2, 2015 7:53 a.m.
Named_Tawyny says... #19
Is a Gideon PW card likely, though? We're getting a new one in Origins.
June 2, 2015 8:27 a.m.
Grantley91 says... #20
They'll likely introduce at least one 'new' one, some older legendary card that is now a PW, like Iona, Shield of Emeria since they don't have a transcended angel yet (they already did Ob Nixilis so why not her?) or maybe Omnath, Locus of Mana. "You get an emblem with "Green mana does not empty from your mana pool"."
June 2, 2015 8:32 a.m.
GoldGhost012 says... #21
Except Ob Nix was a human who lost his spark when he transformed into a demon, not a demon with a spark. Still, New Ob Nix card would be cool.
June 2, 2015 8:36 a.m.
I think Gideon is VERY likely... otherwise this BFZ spoiler artwork of him facing down Ulamog is quite a misdirection by Wizards.
June 2, 2015 8:52 a.m.
Player3.14 says... #23
We do know Gideon is being reprinted in Orgins, but it's still possible that he'll get reprinted in the next set. They printed Ajani, Mentor of Heroes in Journey into Nyx then turned around and printed Ajani Steadfast in Magic 2015, the next set. If it's relavent to the storyline, as it was with Ajani and as it is here, I can see them printing Gideon twice in a row.
June 2, 2015 9:02 a.m.
My expectation...
Gideon - Central PW of the set. - Just returned from Ravnica after his recent journey for recruitment.
A new PW from Ravnica - The one alluded to in the recent Ral Zarek and Jace Uncharted Realms.
Kiora - Wielding the Bident of Thassa
Nissa
Another new Planeswalker (Possibly /X) - Perhaps Ob Nixilis... but not likely as it would require a good story of how he got his spark back.
Either way, I think at the end of this blocks story, Ob should get his spark back (making him the first Demon PW)... likely 'stealing' or being given the spark by another fallen PW.
June 2, 2015 9:06 a.m.
Named_Tawyny says... #25
Rayenous, my understanding was that Gideon WAS the 'walker alluded to in the Project Lightning Bug UR.
Also, yes - that spoiler art is very unsubtle - thanks for the heads-up.
June 2, 2015 9:08 a.m.
I'm not certain that the PW in the story was Gideon. - Perhaps.
Even if it is him, the fact that he continued to regularly return to the Boros region of Ravnica would make me think he is in contact with a Boros Planeswalker.
June 2, 2015 9:16 a.m.
MAGESTIC_LLAMA says... #27
I don't care about your speculation about which pw are in or out, Elf tribal had better be a standard deck or Wizards is going to have a lot to answer for
CharlesMandore says... #2
It's too far off to be sure of anything. There's no point in speculating this soon.
June 1, 2015 10:19 p.m.