Collectables
Magic The Gathering (MTG)
Key Resources
- MTG :: WOTC – The official website of the game.
- MTG Magazine :: WOTC – Daily contributions from a list of top MTG journalists on the game
- Magic Work Station
- Download Magic Work Station (MWS) – A free application for playing online Magic with other players, building and analysing decks
- Images for MWS – A full list of sites hosting images at all sizes for MWS
- Download Full-sized Card Images for MWS
- Forums :: MTG Salvation – Great forums on all aspects of the game.
- DeckCheck.net – List of all of the top decks in all formats of the game.
- PTQ - Suan Juan 2010 :: MTG Melbourne
Magic Stores
- Star City Games – Great list of MTG journalists, giving daily updates on the game, American meta and Pro Tour. Great for strategies, updates on the card market and hot deck prototypes. Also a wide range of cards available for purchse.
- Buy list :: Star City Games – A list of wanted, hot cards. From every expanision since Alpha.
- Good Games Online – An Aussie online card retailer.
Melbourne Stores
Card Gallery
New Phyrexia
New Phyrexia is the latest MTG expansion and the 3rd expansion in the Scars of Mirrodin block. You should never really consider one expansion on its own – when it comes to constructed. Really the most rudimentary form of constucted is block constructed. But it is interesting to look at what the new expansion brings to the meta, do some research for draft and see the new set in the context of the wider game.
I think black gets a particularly strong boost with New Phyrexia. So I wanted to look at a few cards – dividing them by colour – to discuss their potential and worth in the broader context of constructed. Here is a list of cards that I think are worth consideration – and thoughts on the context in which they are useful.
Black
Black is very strong, with some solid combo cards as well as cards that could easily slip into multi-coloured decks. In fact I'd go as far as to say that you could make a competitive constructed combo deck just using mono-black cards from New Phyrexia. Here is my list, as well as some complementary cards in standard – to make a potent combo deck. Etched Monstrosity – while not a black card – could combo with some black standard staples to create a real midrange threat. The combo with Vampire Hexmage (sac, remove all counters) effectively gives you a 10/10 on turn 5 or 6.
Lashwrithe also has extremely strong synergy with black and particularly mono-black. On the other hand Hex Parasite – while being great in decks playing with black mana sources – can be played equally well in non-black or even colourless decks. Both great cards and no doubt will see lots of competitive play, especially Hex Parasite.
- Vampire Hexmage (Zendikar) First strike. Sacrifice Vampire Hexmage: Remove all counters from target permanent.
- Etched Monstrosity Etched Monstrosity enters the battlefield with five -1/-1 counters on it. WUBRG, Remove five -1/-1 counters from Etched Monstrosity: Target player draws three cards.
- Phyrexian Obliterator = Trample. Whenever a source deals damage to Phyrexian Obliterator, that source's controller sacrifices that many permanents. This card is a powerhouse, especially in mono-back decks. The cost (financial) i slightly prohibitive however.
- Despise = Target opponent reveals his or her hand. You choose a creature or planeswalker card from it. That player discards that card.
- Dismember = Target creature gets -5/-5 until end of turn.
- Life's Finale = Destroy all creatures, then search target opponent's library for up to three creature cards and put them into his or her graveyard. Then that player shuffles his or her library.
- Mortis Dogs = Whenever Mortis Dogs attacks, it gets +2/+0 until end of turn. When Mortis Dogs is put into a graveyard from the battlefield, target player loses life equal to its power.
- Praetor's Grasp = Search target opponent's library for a card and exile it face down. Then that player shuffles his or her library. You may look at and play that card for as long as it remains exiled.
- Surgical Extraction = Choose target card in a graveyard other than a basic land card. Search its owner's graveyard, hand, and library for any number of cards with the same name as that card and exile them. Then that player shuffles his or her library.
- Vault Skirge = Flying. Lifelink
- Lashwrithe = Living weapon. Equipped creature gets +1/+1 for each Swamp you control.
- Hex Parasite = Xb/p: Remove up to X counters from target permanent. For each counter removed this way, Hex Parasite gets +1/+0 until end of turn.
- Geth's Verdict = Target player sacrifices a creature and loses 1 life.
- Go for the Throat = Destroy target nonartifact creature.
- Doom Blade = Destroy target nonblack creature.
Further References
- The top 10 Standard cards in New Phyrexia @ Magic Game Plan
- Every Card Counts: the Top 30 Budget Cards in New Phyrexia @ MTG Fanatic
- The Top 30 Budget Cards in Mirrodin Besieged @ MTG Fanatic