Magic: The Gathering Phyrexia All Will Be One expansion review

February 9, 2023February 9, 2023 Rupali Gupta

As somebody who has been enjoying Magic: The Gathering because the mid-90s, I used to be very excited to take a seat down and actually sink my tooth into Phyrexia: All Will Be One. One in every of my favourite factions within the card recreation has one other starring function, and there’s by no means been a lot physique horror in a single set for the MTG!

Magic: The Gathering’s Phyrexia: All Will Be One enlargement will launch on February 10, 2023, and produce a wealth of highly effective new playing cards to the sport, alongside some basic reprints. Whereas I used to be going by means of the set, I pulled within the bins and packs that Wizards of the Coast offered. As such, I observed a development in highly effective playing cards.

There are such a lot of of them! I believe there are some really superb choices on this enlargement. I don’t suppose Phyrexia: All Will Be One is stronger than Throne of Eldraine, however I believe the ability hole isn’t terribly broad. There are one or two playing cards that might be banned in Normal, so not as unhealthy as Throne.

So how does Magic: The Gathering’s newest enlargement maintain up?

Contents

What’s the story of Phryexia: All Will Be One in Magic: The Gathering?

Phyrexia: All Will Be One is the third half of the present Phyrexian Saga in Magic: The Gathering. Elesh Norn’s plan to beat the Multiverse seems to be going properly, now that the Phyrexians have Compleated some really highly effective Planeswalkers. To this point, anybody who has give you them has been defeated, however all hope isn’t misplaced.

A insurgent pressure is getting ready to put siege to New Phyrexia. That the Phyrexians aren’t really united might be what helps the heroes break by means of and overcome Elesh Norn, Mom of Machines, as soon as and for all. It’s seemingly that some heroes will fall within the siege, however that’s the duty they signed up for.

What merchandise have been reviewed for this Magic: The Gathering enlargement? How did it really feel?

Wizards of the Coast despatched me a number of Magic: The Gathering merchandise for the needs of this evaluate. I opened a booster field, the Phyrexia: All Will Be One Bundle: Compleat Version, each of the Commander decks, just a few Collector Boosters, and Draft Boosters.

Like all Magic: The Gathering packs, what I pulled was random. There are only some issues fairly like cracking a bunch of MTG packs, and it felt like being again at my previous common native recreation retailer (LGS). I opened all of the packs and bins whereas streaming on Twitch, so it was all of my unfiltered ideas. Having individuals round to speak in regards to the playing cards was additionally fairly good.

So far as the typical pack’s energy? I acquired some really unbelievable playing cards. Positive, I didn’t get that one card I needed, however that’s the character of Magic: The Gathering! There’s a wide range of energy ranges, however total, I really feel very optimistic in regards to the course of Normal.

There are additionally some very fascinating playing cards for Commander and I might even see just a few unfold out in direction of different Everlasting codecs. There are fairly just a few that I can see being splashed into Legacy decks, like Minor Misstep, or Sheoldred’s Edict. I’m additionally a giant fan of the potential The Mycosynth Gardens has.

Pair it with Urza’s Saga to seize a combo piece and use the Gardens to repeat one other artifact. Whereas it’s not game-breaking, it’s an instance of how you should use the cardboard exterior of the Normal meta.

New mechanics in Magic: The Gathering’s Phyrexia: All Will Be One

There are just a few fascinating new mechanics on this enlargement. Some I believe have the chance to be used once more, and others that I’m not so certain about. Poisonous as a alternative for Infect might be a much more balanced transfer on playing cards sooner or later. I’m not saying “take away Infect,” simply, use it much less, and use Poisonous extra.

Poisonous (quantity) permits the attacking creature to present a number of poison counters primarily based on its Poisonous Score, along with dealing fight injury. It has to trigger injury to a participant, although. Infect makes use of the creature’s present assault score, so it’s simple to one-shot somebody with it.

For Mirrodin! is a capability that I believe might be renamed, or else it seemingly gained’t be used once more quickly, besides maybe in March of the Machines.

You’ll discover this on tools, and when mentioned gear comes into play, create a 2/2 crimson Insurgent creature token, and fasten this to it. Consider the basic Residing Weapon capacity — it capabilities the identical approach in Magic: The Gathering. It should most likely simply be renamed sooner or later and given a special token creature to equip it to.

Lastly, there’s Corrupted, which I believe might positively proceed to make appearances. It’s much like Threshold, for many who are aware of it. Once you use a capability or spell that has Corrupted, it can set off a further impact if the goal has not less than three poison counters.

It rewards poison counter gameplay with out requiring you to obliterate gamers in just a few turns with poison. I believe it’s a extremely fascinating mechanic and hope it comes again in one other set.

Whereas not new, Proliferate, Flashback, and Affinity all return, as does Phyrexian Mana. A brand new kind of counter was created on this set, oil counters. They’re utilized in all kinds of how, from buffing a creature to closing out video games with pure injury. I’m a fan, however I don’t see them going previous the Phyrexians quickly.

Energy of the Shade Wheel

So, how in regards to the precise colours in Magic: The Gathering? Whereas I believe that this can be a highly effective set as a complete, not all the colours really feel particularly nice. Even with that in thoughts, I believe even weak variants can have highly effective decks.

For instance, Purple doesn’t really feel so sizzling proper now. There aren’t many playing cards in Phyrexia: All Will Be One which really feel particularly “will need to have.” The one superb card that genuinely involves thoughts is Urabasks’ Forge, which might arrange some nice stuff in aggro decks.

Nevertheless, Inexperienced and Black are going actually nice proper now. The previous has a variety of unimaginable playing cards throughout mana values, the Honored Rotpriest, the Tyrannax Rex, the Bloated Contaminator, and the brand new Nissa. Inexperienced very properly might be the strongest colour within the set, however it’s actually arduous to say.

went undefeated at pre release tonight playing 2 archfiend of the dross in my deck – AMA https://t.co/zQ2cfwWLee

Black in Magic: The Gathering options so many superb traps and elimination spells! Mono-black Aggro is without doubt one of the strongest decks I ran within the Early Entry occasion. The Archfiend of the Dross carried video games effortlessly.

For White playing cards, I’m a giant fan of what dropped on this Magic: The Gathering enlargement. Mondrak, Glory Dominus + White Solar’s Twilight is a brutal late-game bomb to win with. You clear the board, create a bunch of creature tokens, and double the quantity, as a result of Mondrak. By then, he’ll already be indestructible, so he’ll reside by means of the boardwipe.

Blue is strong throughout in Magic: The Gathering, with some superb proliferation choices. Tekuthal is a card I’ve already highlighted, and the identical goes for the artifact, Ichormoon Gauntlets. You possibly can run highly effective proliferate Superfriends decks proper now that may utterly lock the opposite participant out of creating responses.

It’s very satisfying to take further turns, in any case. There are additionally loads of superb multi-color legendary playing cards, for Commander and in any other case. I believe Venser, Corpse Puppet might do loads within the coming meta. Even weak colours on this enlargement might be helpful in decks and there’s none that I believe shouldn’t be run in any respect.

How are lands in Phyrexia: All Will Be One?

There are some unbelievable lands on this Magic: The Gathering enlargement. The “Allied Quick Lands” are again – Darkslick Shores, Seachrome Coast, and so on. I additionally pulled not less than one in all every, so that they don’t really feel particularly arduous to get.

Whereas Magic: The Gathering has a number of fascinating, helpful lands, the one which has the potential to be probably the most game-changing throughout most codecs and decks is The Mycosynth Backyard.

It could turn out to be a replica of any non-token artifact you may have in play. All it’s a must to do is pay the mana worth of that card. Do you want one other copy to make a combo pop off? It’s going to be simpler than ever. This land goes to see play in mainly each format – mark my phrases on that one.

The Seedcore is one other unbelievable land on this Magic: The Gathering set. It could faucet for any colour, just for Phyrexian creature spells, however that’s not one of the best half. If an opponent has not less than three or extra poison counters, you possibly can faucet it to make a 1/1 creature achieve +2/+1 till the tip of flip. All of the sudden, these annoying Mite creatures are a bit extra harmful.

What are the strongest playing cards in Phyrexia: All Will Be One?

There are some really bafflingly highly effective playing cards on this enlargement, and a few of them are apparent, others, not a lot. For instance, Elesh Norn, Mom of Machines. She duplicates your ETB results however stops your opponent from getting any.

Phyrexian Vindicator is the brand new Stuffy Doll! Any injury it takes is prevented, and that prevented quantity is dealt to any goal (like one other participant). In units the place you possibly can bomb the sector with Star of Extinction, it’s going to be a one-hit kill in so many conditions.

With as many artifacts as there are on this enlargement, you’ll wish to take a look at Gleeful Demolition. An awesome Purple sorcery, it destroys an artifact, and when you managed the goal beforehand, additionally, you will obtain three 1/1 crimson Phyrexian Goblin creature tokens. What’s to not love?

And naturally, there’s Honored Rotpriest, a card I’m changing into satisfied might be banned in brief order. It’s capacity to win video games on flip 3 or 4, persistently, is horrifying. We’ve mentioned it a number of occasions right here on Sportskeeda, and it’s simply my favourite card within the set.

Enjoyable combo items for Phyrexia: All Will Be One

There are additionally playing cards that, whereas highly effective, additionally make different decks or combos kick-off. So, I needed to focus on a few of my favourite combo items which can be in Phyrexia: All Will Be One. An awesome instance is All Will Be One. Whereas sure, I mentioned Purple isn’t that sturdy, this card is.

At any time when a number of counters is put onto a everlasting or participant, this card offers injury equal to that quantity. You possibly can simply arrange many infinite injury combos to win the sport, particularly in Everlasting codecs.

Tekuthal and Ichormoon Gauntlets are key to success in Superfriends decks too. Ichormoon lets your planeswalkers use +0 Proliferate, and -12: Take one other flip. Then, Tekuthal duplicates your whole proliferate triggers. Any taste of the Superfriends deck in Magic: The Gathering that makes use of Blue will use not less than one, most likely each of those.

Mondrak, Glory Dominus might be nice in Commander and Normal. Anytime you create tokens, double that quantity as an alternative. It’s also possible to make him indestructible, so he simply sticks round and makes issues extra annoying in your opponents.

In Conclusion

I like Phyrexia: All Will Be One, and its energy degree. It feels stronger than the earlier units, with out feeling prefer it’s going to have 5 or 6 playing cards that may get banned sooner or later. Nevertheless, there are just a few minor complaints. The brand new foil sorts are attractive. However a few of mine are already curving a bit, which shouldn’t be occurring.

Positive, I can put them in sleeves, and that’s what I’ve completed, however that doesn’t cease how shortly they curved. I additionally kind of marvel if there are too many “Chase” variations of playing cards. There are just so many alternate artwork types on this Magic: The Gathering set. I like the visible designs, although.

I additionally wish to say I like the Commander decks. Each felt sturdy, and have the potential to be expanded upon. The mini Collector Boosters have been neat, too. It got here with two playing cards, and one in all my pulls was Jace, the Perfected Thoughts (alternate artwork) so you may get great things in them.

They match the aesthetic of the set, however there are such a lot of. That mentioned, I loved the set, I like the alternate arts, even when I believe there are maybe too many. The facility degree feels strong, and I pulled playing cards throughout all of the rarities that I completely liked. I be ok with Phyrexia: All Will Be One total, and advocate it when you’re in search of physique horror, horrifying demons, and highly effective MTG playing cards.