OGW Embodiment of ... Cycle Speculation
Spoilers, Rumors, and Speculation forum
Posted on Jan. 7, 2016, 11:13 p.m. by AGunWithLegs
So, I have been searching around the internet for more speculation on the possibility of the Embodiment elementals cycle because I am super excited for these cards to go into my 5-color manlands deck, but I have turned up little to no intelligent or cohesive discussion on the subject. So I wanted to share my findings. As a quick recap we have:
Great creatures, IMO, especially at the uncommon level. Now, some people say that this is where the cycle will stop, and that is perfectly reasonably, since red and green were the primary colors for Landfall in BFZ, but I disagree.
I assert that they will continue the cycle, especially since there is room in the unspoiled cards for Embodiment of ... names in white, blue, and black. I further speculate the abilities these creatures will grant; another point that frustrated me in my search. Since Fury is red and gives trample (a secondary red / primary green ability) and Insight gives vigilance (a tertiary green / primary white ability) I suggest that the others will grant abilities that are secondary/tertiary in their own color and primary in the color of their clockwise neighbor. Thus, White grants a primarily blue ability (but secondary/tertiary to white), Blue grants a primarily black ability (but secondary/tertiary to blue), and Black grants a primarily red ability (but secondary/tertiary to black).
So, my unofficial declaration, based on my assumptions, are as follows:
- The white embodiment will grant hexproof.
- The blue embodiment might grant deathtouch.
- The black embodiment will grant first strike.
Now, blue is hard to pin down. Since we already have Halimar Tidecaller, there may not be a blue one. Also, blue has the smallest amount of distinct keywords in secondary/tertiary to choose from. I suggested deathtouch because there are at least some creatures in U/B that have deathtouch such as Dragonlord Silumgar or Fathom Feeder. I expect I will be wrong on that one, and maybe someone can set me straight in the comments. However, white and black were fairly easy if my predictions of the trend are correct, as Aegis of the Gods and Angelic Overseer point us to hexproof in white and cards like Abattoir Ghoul and Drana, Liberator of Malakir tell us first strike is ok for black, at least sometimes.
With that said, I could be wrong about the whole thing, but I just wanted to get it out there and see what other people think.
In fact, all three don't work. White doesn't get Hexproof. Blue doesn't get Deathtouch. And Black doesn't really get First Strike (it's reserved for Black Knights now). The other embodiments work b/c Red is secondary in Trample and Green is secondary in Vigilance.
You also have a misunderstanding on how Gold cards work. A gold card can have mechanics from either color, but that doesn't mean the off-color gets it. The way to use that is to look at hybrid cards, and the only hybrid cards that can have deathtouch is 
.
January 7, 2016 11:31 p.m.
TheFoilAjani says... #4
It would make more sense for white to get flying or first strike, blue to have hexproof, and black to het lifelink or flying. Other than that, I don't think the cycle can finish.
January 7, 2016 11:57 p.m.
AGunWithLegs says... #5
While I appreciate the feedback, I'm going to have to disagree (except for blue, I'm really reaching on blue). Besides that, I cited legitimate reasons for white and black. Need I throw in Gurmag Swiftwing and Swarm Surge?
Besides, vigilance is tertiary in green. There are only 20 or so mono-green cards with vigilance.
So, if it can't be deathtouch in blue, what is it? Others have said prowess, flying, hexproof, maybe even unblockable, but those are all primary blue abilities. If my original hypothesis is correct, then it can't be any of these.
January 7, 2016 11:57 p.m.
AGunWithLegs says... #6
If I am right, they will not have their colors' primary abilities. So no on first strike or flying for white. No lifelink or flying for black.
January 8, 2016 12:03 a.m.
You can keep naming cards, but that doesn't change the fact that Black only rarely gets First Strike. And if a creature was to have the line of text "Land creatures you control gain First Strike" it's either Red or White, not Black. Also, Vigilance is secondary in Green, not tertiary.
Furthermore, in your hypothesis it allows the room for Halimar Tidecaller to be that "Land Lord" but in BFZ instead of OGW. Not that I think your hypothesis is correct, but regardless. Now it should be said that a 
creature keyword is something that Wizards has been looking to find for some time. They just haven't found one yet.
A strike against your hypothesis is that these are uncommons in the Landfall deck's colors. There very well could be a cycle, but then the uniqueness of the ones that are spoiled is lost. The only color that I could see getting another one would be White, since Black doesn't care about A) Landfall or B) Awaken.
January 8, 2016 12:05 a.m.
AGunWithLegs says... #8
I admit there is the very real possibility that there is no cycle and it is just red and green, but like any deranged nut-bag on the internet, I will continue to argue with strangers about it anyway.
Also, thanks for the link! I was looking here for info on the keyword's colors. I guess I just misread vigilance. My bad.
Anyway, I continued to name cards to establish that there is a precedence for color bleed for those abilities I predict will be in the cycle. Hell, I probably am wrong, but one can dream, right?
January 8, 2016 12:28 a.m.
well we do have Embodiment of Spring :P but name aside, it doesn't complete the cycle
January 8, 2016 1:21 a.m.
RussischerZar says... #10
I can definitely see first strike in black and maybe even hexproof in white (although very unlikely), but deathtouch in blue? Just nope.
How about Prowess for white and "tap: scry 1" for blue?
January 8, 2016 5:38 a.m.
AGunWithLegs says... #11
Given what JWiley129 has said, prowess actually seems probable for white, as busted as it would be, since prowess is secondary for white. However, I don't see it happening.
January 8, 2016 7:02 a.m.
AGunWithLegs says... #13
Too bad I was wrong, although it was a long shot. I am in favor of having this thread deleted.
CharlesMandore says... #2
Your speculations on the embodiments for blue and black are so outlandish.
January 7, 2016 11:27 p.m.