M15 Planeswalkers
Spoilers, Rumors, and Speculation forum
Posted on June 24, 2014, 4:15 a.m. by YouGotFranked
So one of today's Mothership articles revealed the packaging for M15, and among themwas the 5 Sample decks with each one featuring a planeswalker on it's box. I think it's safe to assume they are the Planeswalkers present in the set. According to the pictures, we should get new planeswalker and 2 reprints.
New: Jace, Nessa and Ajani (yep)
Reprints: Chandra, Pyromaster and Liliana Vess (Yep x2)
What do you guys think of this?
Link to said article: http://magic.wizards.com/en/articles/archive/magic-2015-packaging-2014-06-24
@TexasDice Jace isn't bound to Ravnica; the guildpact exists inside him, as long as he's alive he doesn't necessarily need to be on Ravnica at all times. He will start spending more time there, sure, but it doesn't mean he won't take off when he senses a threat to the multiverse (currently Garruk). I do agree that he should put his hood up, though; I'm not a huge fan of the anime hair, either. I'm glad it's a new Jace, too. Jace, the Mind Sculptor and Jace Beleren are probably too strong to ever see standard again, and I'm a bit burnt out on Jace, Memory Adept and Jace, Architect of Thought since they've both been in standard for quite some time already.
It is a bit soon for another Ajani from a gameplay perspective, but it makes sense as far as the story goes. He just lost a dear friend, he's gonna be pissed. Thought maybe an Ajani Vengeant reprint would fit, but it seems like they wanted something new to showcase his new story development (and something mono-W to fit well in the core set). He might not leave Theros at all, either. We know it's one of the planes DotP15 will visit, so maybe Garruk comes to him while looking for Liliana, or Jace comes to him for help. He'll be reluctant to leave Theros for a while, but if he's called upon to help stop Garruk, I don't think he'd refuse.
Liliana of the Veil has been the only strong printing of her, and I don't think they'll ever bring it back. I don't really care if it's Vess or Dark Realms, both are usually bad in constructed.
I'm pretty happy with the Chandra reprint, though. This is the first version of her I've used in constructed and I'm happy to see her stick around.
Curious about what they do with Nessa. Not a lot of elves on Theros or in M15 so far to really fit her theme very well. Maybe they'll move away from just elves and have her start to fill Garruk's shoes a bit better for the core set.
I do still think there will be a G/B Garruk in the set in the 6th slot where Nicol Bolas, Planeswalker has usually resided. I know we all get the silly oversized Garruk, but I still think there will be a playable version of him as well.
June 24, 2014 7:13 a.m.
Servo_Token says... #4
Gotta be totally honest, this core set looks totally bad ass. The white packaging, the new-style of art, the 'I-can't-give-two-shits' look that everyone has, it's awesome.
I appreciate that Chandra, Pyromaster will be around again, and I'm glad that they're making a new white ajani because Caller of the pride has gotten real old. A new Jace is actually a nice refresh as well, hopefully this time he does something more like Mind sculpter where his utility isn't strictly drawing you cards or milling.
June 24, 2014 9:31 a.m.
MagicalHacker says... #5
I like how Chandra is the only one without glowing eyes XD
And I pretty much agree with everyone so far:
Jace: nice refresh
Ajani: nice refresh
Nissa: excited to see her as a reprint; hopefully people will respect her now
Lili: Vess beats Dark Realms
Chandra: best version of her; glad to see it
June 24, 2014 10:04 a.m.
asasinater13 says... #6
we also have the option of a 3-color ajani right now. it would fit to add back red r
June 24, 2014 10:49 a.m.
I understand where you guys are coming from about new versions instead of old prints.
But I'm so sick of the lorwyn five in general, I just can't stand them anymore. Gideon Jura would've been an amazing reprint. Or Tamiyo, the Moon Sage . Tamiyo is sooo awesome and I'm so mad about missing her completely.
Atleast there's Nissa, I'm very interested in what she'll look like. And Chandra is still a workhouse, I'll continue 0'ing everyday.
June 24, 2014 12:13 p.m.
Hjaltrohir says... #8
Thee is also arguably going to be a GB garruk as well
June 24, 2014 12:17 p.m.
Ugh. .. Can't we get a break from jace? At least put his hood back on. He should be mysterious, not metro. Rather have a new blue dude... or the moon sage back.
June 24, 2014 6:36 p.m.
@TexasDice: Core Sets aren't canon. They can use whoever they want in them.
June 24, 2014 7:49 p.m.
Excited to see a new Nissa and a new core Jace. I'm hoping they won't be pure elf or mill theme respectively.
June 24, 2014 9:28 p.m.
LordOfDispair says... #13
I'm hoping this means garruk will be a black creature, if not a planeswalker.
June 24, 2014 10:18 p.m.
Yaaaay baseless speculation.
He'll be a Black/Green Planeswalker. I'm saying this here so I can come back and say I told you so.
June 24, 2014 10:46 p.m.
Gidgetimer says... #15
Yeah most people have been saying Garruk will likely be a GB Planeswalker for over a week now, I don't think it is going to surprise anyone if it is the case.
June 24, 2014 11:52 p.m.
The promotional "Fight the Hydra"-type Garruk card for the prerelease has a Black and Green transitional border, so that confirms it as far as I'm concerned.
June 25, 2014 12:09 a.m.
strateupjee says... #18
I am so pumped for Liliana + Waste Not... this is gonna be awesome haha
June 25, 2014 1:24 a.m.
Hjaltrohir says... #19
@erabel what do you think of the new ajani, is it any good?
June 25, 2014 1:33 a.m.
He seems alright. I'm a bad judge of Planeswalker power level. I kinda like his emblem.
June 25, 2014 1:34 a.m.
Hjaltrohir says... #21
I would say he is the least aggro based one as he leans towards damage prevention but i could be wrong
His emblem does seem pretty nice though...
June 25, 2014 1:36 a.m.
dat +1 tho
Jesus.
+1/+1, lifelink, vigilance, AND first strike until EoT?
Yes, please.
Now G/W Midrange has all the life-gain it'll ever need.
June 25, 2014 2:42 a.m.
His emblem is a great stall, but his other abilities are creature-based and more aggressive. I get the flavor, but it's a bit awkward. The decks that would want his emblem are the turbo-fog style decks, and they would have no use for his other abilities.
He certainly could be ok in midrange with is +1. I think he's not really worth it, for G/W right now, though. Unflinching Courage is better for the lifegain, and Ajani, Caller of the Pride is better for ending the game because flying/doublestrike is just silly.
June 25, 2014 8:08 a.m.
lol @TexasDice.
I like the new Nissa, though. 5-drop walker that untaps 4 forests for my green ramp deck? And that's on a +1 you say? Yes please. Oh, but what if I have nothing to do with my mana for a turn? Well in that case she can turn one into a 4/4 trample until end of turn. Well alright then. Wait, that's also on a +1? Well shit, I'm in love.
Not to mention her ult can literally draw every single basic land out of your deck. Even if they used AEtherize or something cute like that to bounce them all and stop you from just ending the game that turn, that still means you won't top-deck a basic for the rest of the game. That's fantastic.
Not a 4-of, but most walkers aren't. I'll definitely throw two in my green ramp, though. Along with two genesis hydra.
With so many good mana sinks available to green right now, I think she'll be just fine.
June 25, 2014 9:35 a.m.
Gidgetimer says... #26
Her +1 turn the land into an elemental isn't EoT it is permanent. Which could be way worse because now sorcery speed removal can be used on your lands. As long as you don't over extend it shouldn't be a problem though.
June 25, 2014 9:46 a.m.
You're right, I didn't notice that at first. Would mean you have to be a bit more careful, but yeah, if they're trading removal for your lands in a ramp deck (especially when you have a walker that can untap 4 forests a turn), you're winning. Supreme Verdict is the only thing to really be wary of, but green ramp already has to be careful not to overextend into that.
All-in-all, you wouldn't be using her manland ability until after you already have more land than you need, so I don't really see that being a problem.
June 25, 2014 9:54 a.m.
Valentine35 says... #29
Is it just me or does anyone else wish Wizards would give Ajani a break for awhile. How many versions of him are we gonna have?! I wish they would have made a different white planeswalker since the only one i have ever like is Elspeth. I'm just really super sick of Ajani... Really stoked Nissa is back though and she actually looks playable.
June 25, 2014 10:39 a.m.
MagicalHacker says... #30
Valentine35, I definitely agree that the core sets would be more interesting if each one had a new combination of five. Think about it: Gideon, Tamiyo, Sorin, Koth, Nissa. That'd be freaking awesome.
June 25, 2014 10:50 a.m.
The core sets are really focused on newer players, so it helps to have a returning cast of characters every year that players can get to know. It makes for good marketing when you have some familiar faces that newer players and casual players can recognize.
That said, it is nice when they change it up a bit. Nissa is kind of replacing Garruk as the green walker in this set (but he'll likely stay in as multicolored). And they have replaced Lilly and Ajani before with Sorin and Gideon, respectively. They will likely continue doing stuff like that, replacing one or two of the Lorwyn five, but I highly doubt they'll ever make a core set where they replace all of them like that.
June 25, 2014 10:59 a.m.
The new Ajani seems pretty sweet really. Play him in a token/swarm deck, and -2 him all day long. I played a lot with Sorin, Lord of Innistrad and his -2 reminds me a lot of him.
TexasDice says... #2
Why are they still making Jace? Jace is now bound to the Plane of Ravnica, if he leaves, the guildpact is once again broken and the guilds start killing each other. And why isn't jace allowed to wear his hood? I hate this anime haircut, it looks ridiculous.
Another Ajani is also pretty stupid, wasn't there one just a set ago? And doesn't Ajani have some kind of grudge against the God's of Theros now and stays there because of it?
Just saying, from a flavor (and hood) perspective, Wizards dropped the ball. We will never get another core set like M13...
I like the white backgrounds though. DotP 2015 will have a UI that doesn't cause me to vomit all over my keyboard (blue and orange, barf).
Further, I can't believe they would reprint Chandra, Pyromaster , it's too good to be true.
Also, where is Liliana of the Dark Realms ? I was really pumped for her third printing and all the swamp support the people need.
June 24, 2014 6:41 a.m.