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Phyrexia All Will Be One - A summary of Mechanics and Archetypes

 


Once again I find myself in the position of watching everyone else have fun at Prerelease for the new set and this time I cannot put into words how disappointed I am to be unable to partake. Everyone who plays against me in MTG jokes that I'm "a Phyrexian Simp". To help you wrap your head around it and help with deck building for prerelease I have compiled the Mechanics and Archetypes into a single blog post you may scroll through to help.

Mechanics

Toxic
Toxic is the new infect- applying Poison counters to an opponent when a creature with Toxic deals combat damage. The damage applied to an opponent’s life total is reduced with the combat damage and the number of Poison counters applied is determined by the number next to Toxic in that creature’s text box.

Corrupted
Corrupted is a new MTG mechanic in Phyrexia All Will Be One that adds value to Poison counters. Upon an opponent having 10 Poison counters, the game is ended. The Corrupted mechanic allows permanents to have additional effects that become active with an opponent having three or more Poison counters attached to them.

Oil Counters
Oil counters in Phyrexia provide advantages to individual cards throughout the set, meant to represent the Phyrexian Oil. Think of this mechanic as counters that have unique properties for each card they're on. These are also great when combined with proliferate.

Proliferate
Speaking of Proliferate- Its returning! This mechanic adds an additional counter to a permanent that already has a counter on it. An Artifact like Urabrask’s Forge can gain an additional Oil counter through Proliferate but it can’t gain any other type of counter as the mechanic only increases the number of an existing counter. 

For Mirrodin!
Upon entering the battlefield, For Mirrodin! creates a 2/2 Red rebel creature token that has the Artifact Equipment directly attach to it without having to pay an Equip cost. Equipment with the For Mirrodin! mechanic can get moved to other creatures, but the Equip cost must get paid. 

Ward and Protection
Another returning mechanic, Ward protects a creature, by forcing an opponent to pay a Ward cost upon removing the creature from the battlefield with a targeted spell. And Protection can provide permanents protection from a specific MTG color, or even multicolor spells and creatures. 

Flashback (now an evergreen mechanic)
Flashback allows players to cast a permanent from the graveyard at a specific cost.

Compleated
Refers to the use of Phyrexian Mana to cast planeswalker spells. (Pay 2 life or the coloured mana)

Archetypes

This sets two coloured archetypes are outlined below alongside what they will want to be built around. Use this section to help you with deck construction.

Azorius (Blue/White): Artifacts

The White and Blue archetype has a strong connection to the glorious artifacts of Phyrexia. Gather as many of said artifacts in this colour combination to outmaneuver your opponent and win.

Dimir (Blue/Black): Proliferate Control

Blue and Black want nothing more than to spread the glory of Phyrexia- Oil, Poison and Loyalty counters are all ready to proliferate.

Rakdos (Black/Red): Oil Counter Sacrifice

Black and Red still want to sacrifice things, when it comes to Phyrexia, in death, creatures and artifacts generate oil counters when they die.

Gruul (Red/Green): Oil Counter Midrange

The more things with oil counters you have, the merrier. Use these oil counters to get the biggest, smashiest creatures you can.

Selesnya (Green/White): Toxic Aggro

The Green and White archetype is toxic... especially in this set! Small toxic creatures token generation will quickly overwhelm your opponent.

Orzhov (Black/White): Corrupted

Give your poison 3 poison counters and maximise your spells like never before.

Izzet (Blue/Red): Oil Counters & Noncreature Spells

Build up your oil counters and overwhelm your opponents by casting a variety of Artifacts, Enchantments, Instants, Sorcery and even PLANESWALKERS!

Golgari (Green/Black): Poison Victory

I'd be tempted to say you just win playing this archetype... You will have the biggest and badest creatures with toxic. Use them to get your opponents to 10 Poison counters and win.

Boros (Red/White): For Mirrodin & Equipment
Someone's got to fight against the Phyrexians! Your Rebels can use Equipment to stave them off!

Simic (Blue/Green): Proliferate Poison
Two great tastes that go freakishly well together. Use Green creatures with Toxic to deal out poison counters and proliferate to finish them off.



That's it, you're all set to play in your prerelease! EPIC Ipswich is running its sealed prerelease Friday the 3rd of February at 6PM.

Your Friend and Ally,
Lachy

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