March of the Machine

Spoilers, Rumors, and Speculation forum

Posted on Feb. 21, 2023, 12:52 p.m. by Coward_Token

First Look

Update: Story is on, first chapter here

Update2: Where to Find previews

Update3: Image Gallery

Wall of text for my thoughts Show

Jin-Gitaxias: Use proliferate to turbo trough the chapters; there's probably some combo to be had. Actually kinda dissapointed that it doesn't bounce Phyrexians? It makes it randomly bad vs some opponents, and you could just recast your own Phyrexians with the third chapter anyway. (Also, the Saga side isn't Legendary.)

Breach the Multiverse: Not super exciting, but I like that black is getting more utilitarian mill, especially for the purpose of stealing stuff.

Ghalta and Mavren: Doesn't have to attack to trigger. Maybe take a page out of OG Ghalta's book and use cards like Fungal Sprouting and Miming Slime?

Heliod: No noncreature devotion shenanigans or indestructible! Guess he hasn't quite recovered from his Punishment. At least compleation gives +2 toughness. Anyway in EDH, Teferi's Puzzle Box sound pretty fun although continously paying the transform cost in addition to commander tax feels rough. Note that it's the sum total of the cards all opponents have drawn! (Also, I expect Daxos to take over as sun god, even if he's a whole lot more boring.)

Omnath: IDK why they made red center in the art while black just another hand, but whatever. As I understand it, it doesn't need it to be three or more different mana symbols, so you'll probably want to lean heavily black? Honestly, while the flavor is good, this card is kinda dissapointing seeing it's been effectively anticipated since 2015; mostly a fancy Phyrexian Arena that sometimes ramps.

Goro-Goro and Satoru: A french vanilla token or three doesn't excite me, but it's still more interesting than Ardoz as far as haste tribal goes.

Katilda and Lier: I have quite a bit to write about this, going to have to go in its own post.

Slimefoot and Squee: You know, the whole point of the last Squee story is that he gave up on respawning. Anyway, let's be grateful that Food Chain exiles instead of sacrifices, especially with Embalmer's Tools around.

Wheel and Deal: Seeing as New Capenna is a modern times-ish plane, I don't get why they didn't have the art feature actual playing cards.

The flavor sure rides the ongoing multiverse trend, but can't really blame MtG of all franchies for doing it.

Gitmog eating phyrexians seems like a fast track to compleation, but maybe Thalia's angelic spear provides immunity? Can't say the same for various other miscelanous beasties who rely on biting and such.

I'm guessing the various "Invasion of..."-art is for Battles? IDK about the wider dimensions though. (Also, Esper seems to be joining the other shards on the defense, you'd think they'd welcome their new metal overlords.)

The set symbol + the art for Collector Boosters seems to indicate that Elspeth will get Godsend back? Maybe fused with Luxior?

Judging from the art for the Commander Deck Growing Threat ({B}{W}), it seems Brimaz got compleated.

Oh no, Ragavan reprint

Coward_Token says... #1

Invasion of Amonkhet // Lazotep Convert: hahahah, they should have done "Hazotek, the Locusts God, and the Scarab God" as a {R}{B}{U} creature card; would have been appropriate for that "alliance of convenience" flavor

April 4, 2023 12:15 p.m.

Hi_diddly_ho_neighbor says... #2

The Naya Backup deck and Esper Knights precons are spoiled.

The Naya deck has absoultely abysmal reprint value, but I do think Path of the Pyromancer will be a card to watch as it is a mashup of Jeska's Will and the spell side of Valakut Awakening  ^Flip...though coming in at 5 mana may cap it's powerlevel ceiling.

The knights deck looks like a pretty solid tribal build with some good reprints. Horsemanship is back baby! Also, Chivalric Alliance is probably going to see a lot of play.

April 4, 2023 12:35 p.m.

SpammyV says... #3

Planechase gets even better because now Planes can add The Monarch and City's Blessing to a game. More extra game rules! More!

April 4, 2023 1:35 p.m.

Abaques says... #4

The reprint values for the commander decks.... is not good. The knights one is fine, the rest are pretty bad. Overall a handful of solid reprints, but overall way too few cards of real value.

April 4, 2023 3:39 p.m.

Coward_Token says... #5

Uggh, content overload

More white draw etc

Locthwain Lancer: "nontoken" strikes again

Not a fan of horsemanship returning, guess we can be pretty sure of why Rohan had blue in its precon

Elanda and Azor: is this the only pair with a class creature type?

Rashmi and Ragavan: yeah I like this way more than the face commander. Gogo Academy Manufactor

April 4, 2023 6:14 p.m.

Gleeock says... #6

I am LOVING the 'backup' mechanic, it seems pertinent in multiple formats. Seems like it could be just plane good as a one-off in a deck where it doesn't need to be devoted to a narrow mechanic, it works midgame nicely. It does not look to me like some dumbass toy-mechanic that will be ok for 2-seconds of MtG history. I love that it plays off you having some board-presence, if you do it is like hasting out a neat ability. I feel like it is the kind of mechanic that could be safely evergreen & not super parasitic & at the same time the rotation formats needn't gripe, because I think (not an expert) that it will be an ok mechanic there too. Love the Timmy-reanimator-'backup'-dragon.

Convoke is good to see as well, I forgot how strong that can be. Timmy-exily-play-convoke-dragon is quite good too!

Mechanically looks like they are working a wide crowd here. To me main set appears to be Phyrexian tribal vs Timmy-teamup defenders/buddycops/odd-couple. As someone who has been craving Timmystuff with less: 75% tribal/parasitic mechanic emphasis I am pleased. Looks like the Phyrexians didn't calculate for strange-bedfellows amongst the opposition.

The commander sets look like there is maybe a wider array of other stuff: oomph for knight tribal for example.

That is my rant

April 4, 2023 11:39 p.m.

Gleeock says... #7

After I ranted I realized backup is not multi-format? Too bad, seems like it could be fine in others. Anyway, I still maintain a liking of 'backup'

April 4, 2023 11:46 p.m.

Coward_Token says... #8

Path of the Enigma: guess Kasmina, Enigmatic Mentor is taking over after Jace as the good guy blue 'walker for now?

April 5, 2023 1:14 a.m.

Gleeock says... #9

Looks like I am wrong again. Achhg! I'm bad at this!!

April 5, 2023 10:42 p.m.

DemonDragonJ says... #10

Is anyone here displeased that the cad March of the Machines was not reprinted in the set of the same name?

April 7, 2023 8:54 a.m.

Coward_Token says... #11

DemonDragonJ: Yeah I'm guessing it's because it makes most artifacts tokens die, namely Incubators.

I'm disproportionally dissapointed that they didn't use the phyrexian transformation cards for more humor, e.g. my white-red Devil idea; most of them don't change that much in personality. The could have instead e.g. had Chrome Host Hulk  ^Flip been more like Voracious Reader  ^Flip

So uh Phyrexian Archivist is just a reprint with an added creature type, could have done some kind of twist.

Ephara, Ever-Sheltering: calling it now, the THB Demigods will be the new cycle of mono-colored Gods.

Polukranos Reborn  ^Flip: one of the more fun usages of the psi-symbol omen in the art

Botanical Brawler: kinda weird flavor that this works well with Incubate.

Wrenn's Resolve: yesss, I'm happy that Reckless Impulse got a functional reprint already

Dance with Calamity: kinda red Ad Nauseam?

April 7, 2023 7:03 p.m.

Coward_Token says... #12

Oh also @Polukranos: the flavor text + phyrexian transform would have been funnier on a fully sapient character.

April 7, 2023 7:05 p.m.

Hi_diddly_ho_neighbor says... #13

I only just realized how busted the Backup mechanic is with Rionya, Fire Dancer. Definitely will have to consider Death-Greeter's Champion and Voldaren Thrillseeker for my Rionya list...that is if she survives the strong urge I am having to swap that deck over to Urabrask.

April 13, 2023 8:05 p.m.

SpammyV says... #14

So every Prerelease kit for March of the Machine comes with an extra promo card in the form of one of three legendary team-up cards from the Commander set. You are not allowed to include those cards in your Prerelease deck, so... Why? The different bonus sheets over the years show that they're fine just adding stuff to the Limited environment that doesn't go into Standard. Why only have three promos? Why not have more of the Commander set legends included? The article says it's "to inspire your next Commander deck" but do they need to do more for that? Are people just not buying enough Commander products?

I just don't really understand what purpose this move serves.

April 13, 2023 11:09 p.m.