New Phyrexia is the third set in the Scars of Mirrodin block and is the fifty-sixth Magic expansion. It will be released on May 13, 2011. The entire set was suprisingly spoiled on April 19, 2011 almost a month before it will be released.
Set Details
New Phyrexia concludes the story that began in Scars of Mirrodin, with the Phyrexians defeating the Mirrans and taking control of the plane of Mirrodin. Cards are again watermarked with either factions symbol, but the ratio is significantly favoring Phyrexia. This showcases the progress of the Phyrexian invasion and is a reversal from the ratio as it was seen in Scars of Mirrodin. In a similar fashion, the Phyrexian keyword mechanics of Infect and Proliferate spread into colors that did not get cards with these mechanics before.
Just like Mirrodin Besieged before it, New Phyrexia features a cycle of Basic Lands, used to showcase the transformation of Mirrodin's landscape during the Phyrexian take-over in the artwork.
Originally, Wizards of the Coast announced that the set would be called either Mirrodin Pure or New Phyrexia, as they did not wish to reveal which of the factions would win. On March 29, 2011, it was announced that the new set would in fact be called New Phyrexia.
The promotional card given to participants at the Prerelease tournaments will be Sheoldred, Whispering One, one of the five powerful Phyrexian praetors.
Marketing cards
Boosters of New phyrexia come with a bonus sixteenth card that is either a "tips & tricks card" or a creature token from New Phyrexia or a poison counter token. One face of the New Phyrexia bonus card has one of five different rules tips or is one of 4 different creature tokens or a poison counter token. The other face has one of 14 advertisements for organized play programs.
Tokens
The New Phyrexia tokens in numerical order are:
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3/3 Beast.
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1/1 Goblin, similar to the token from Scars of Mirrodin, but with phyrexianized art to show the compleation of the plane.
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3/3 Golem Artifact, similar to the token from Scars of Mirrodin, but with phyrexianized art to show the compleation of the plane.
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1/1 Myr Artifact, similar to the token from Scars of Mirrodin, but with phyrexianized art to show the compleation of the plane.
Mechanics
New Phyrexia introduces five new mana symbols: A phyrexian symbol on a colored background which can be paid with either 2 life or a colored mana of the background color of the symbol. This mechanic also heralds the return of colored artifacts, previously seen in Future Sight and the Esper shard from Alara block.
The keyword mechanics Infect, Proliferate, Living weapon, Metalcraft and Imprint return while Karn gets a Planeswalker card which is at the same time the first colorless planeswalker card and also has up to that point the largest amount of loyalty counters added by a planeswalker's first ability with +4, and the most costly ultimate ability at -14 loyalty counters.
The set has a small subtheme of splicers, 1/1 creatures that put a certain number of 3/3 Golem artifact creature tokens onto the battlefield and grant abilities to them. Another subtheme is the phrase "1 life", which appears on 10 different cards, with most forcing the opponent to lose 1 life in addition to destroying a permanent.
Cycles
New Phyrexia has six Cycles:
- Praetors: Five mythic rare legendary creatures, one per color, representing the Phyrexian's rulers and a different philosophy among the Phyrexian army what exactly New Phyrexia should look like. They give a positive effect to the player controlling them, and an inverse effect to his or her opponents — Elesh Norn, Grand Cenobite, Jin-Gitaxias, Core Augur, Sheoldred, the Whispering One, Urabrask the Hidden, and Vorinclex, Voice of Hunger
- Chancellors: Five rare creatures, who can be revealed at the start of the game for a small effect to get an early advantage. — Chancellor of the Annex, Chancellor of the Spires, Chancellor of the Dross, Chancellor of the Furnace and Chancellor of the Tangle.
- Exarchs: Five uncommon Cleric creatures that let you chose to either exercise a positive affect on yourself or a permanent you control, or the inverse effect on the opponent or one of his or her creatures. — Inquisitor Exarch, Deceiver Exarch, Entomber Exarch, Tormentor Exarch, and Brutalizer Exarch.
- Phyrexian Mana Instants: Each of these instants costs one Phyrexian mana of the appropriate color, allowing them to be cast for free. They are uncommon, with the exception of the rare Surgical Extraction — Marrow Shards, Mental Misstep, Surgical Extraction, Gut Shot and Noxious Revival.
- Shrines: Each of these artifacts gains a charge counter at the beginning of it's controllers upkeep, and whenever they cast a spell of a specified colour, and can be sacrificed for an effect that scales with the number of charge counters — Shrine of Loyal Legions, Shrine of Piercing Vision, Shrine of Limitless Power, Shrine of Burning Rage, and Shrine of Boundless Growth.
- Souleaters: Five common artifact creatures with activated abilities that cost a single phyrexian mana of a specified color. — Blinding Souleater, Pestilent Souleater, Trespassing Souleater, Immolating Souleater, and Insatiable Souleater.
- Signature Spells: there is one signature for each color with different rarities, Norn's Annex, Tezzeret's Gambit, Geth's Verdict, Priest's of Urabrask and Glissa's Scorn.
Notable Cards
- Phyrexian Obliterator: An homage of the Suicide Black staple Phyrexian Negator that is on the Reserved List. Both have similar names as Obliterator and Negator are close to being synonyms as well as having identical combat stats (5/5 trampler). However, the new card reverses Negator's drawback for a higher and more color-intensive mana cost.
- Sword of War and Peace: this completes the set of enemy color swords, from Sword of Fire and Ice, Sword of Light and Shadow, Sword of Body and Mind and Sword of Feast and Famine.
Reprints
- Enslave was last seen in Duel Decks: Garruk vs. Liliana.
- Evil Presence was last seen in Fifth Edition.
- Phyrexian Hulk was last seen in Duel Decks: Phyrexia vs. The Coalition. It's rarity has been changed from uncommon to common.
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Planeswalker - Karn (M)
+4: Target player exiles a card from his or her hand.
-3: Exile target permanent.
-14: Restart the game, leaving in exile all non-Aura permanent cards exiled with Karn Liberated. Then put those cards onto the battlefield under your control.
[6]
White (25/25)
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Instant (C)
Target artifact or creature you control gains protection from artifacts or from the color of your choice until end of turn.
Auriok Survivors
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Creature - Human Soldier (U)
When Auriok Survivors enters the battlefield, you may return target Equipment card from your graveyard to the battlefield. If you do, you may attach it to Auriok Survivors.
4/6
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Creature - Human Artificer (R)
When Blade Splicer enters the battlefield, put a 3/3 colorless Golem artifact creature token onto the battlefield.
Golem creatures you control have first strike.
1/1
Cathedral Membrane
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Artifact Creature - Wall (U)
Defender
When Cathedral Membrane is put into a graveyard from the battlefield during combat, it deals 6 damage to each creature it blocked this combat.
0/3
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Creature - Angel (R)
You may reveal this card from your opening hand. If you do, when each opponent casts his or her first spell of the game, counter that spell unless that player pays
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Flying
Whenever an opponent casts a spell, counter it unless that player pays
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5/6
Dispatch
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Instant (U)
Tap target creature.
Metalcraft - If you control three or more artifacts, exile that creature.
Due Respect
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Instant (U)
Permanents enter the battlefield tapped this turn.
Draw a card.
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Legendary Creature - Praetor (M)
Vigilance
Other creatures you control get +2/+2.
Creatures your opponents control get -2/-2.
4/7
Exclusion Ritual
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Enchantment (U)
Imprint - When Exclusion Ritual enters the battlefield, exile target nonland permanent.
Players can't cast spells with the same name as the exiled card.
Forced Worship
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Enchantment - Aura (C)
Enchant creature
Enchanted creature can't attack.
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Inquisitor Exarch
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Creature - Cleric (U)
When Inquisitor Exarch enters the battlefield, choose one - You gain 2 life; or target opponent loses 2 life.
2/2
Lost Leonin
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Creature - Cat Soldier (C)
Infect
2/1
Loxodon Convert
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Creature - Elephant Soldier (C)
4/2
Marrow Shards
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Instant (U)
Marrow Shards deals 1 damage to each attacking creature.
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Creature - Human Artificer (U)
When Master Splicer enters the battlefield, put a 3/3 colorless Golem artifact creature token onto the battlefield.
Golem creatures you control get +1/+1.
1/1
Norn's Annex
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Artifact (R)
Creatures can't attack you or a planeswalker you control unless their controller pays
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Phyrexian Unlife
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Enchantment (R)
As long as you have 0 or less life, all damage is dealt to you as though its source had infect. (Damage is dealt to you in the form of poison counters.)
Porcelain Legionnaire
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Artifact Creature - Soldier (C)
First strike
3/1
Puresteel Paladin
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Creature - Human Knight (R)
Whenever an Equipment enters the battlefield under your control, you may draw a card.
Metalcraft - Equipment you control have equip
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2/2
Remember the Fallen
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Sorcery (C)
Choose one or both - Return target creature card from your graveyard to your hand; and/or return target artifact card from your graveyard to your hand.
Sensor Splicer
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Creature - Artificer (C)
When Sensor Splicer enters the battlefield, put a 3/3 colorless Golem artifact creature token onto the battlefield.
Golem creatures you control have vigilance.
1/1
Shattered Angel
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Creature - Angel (U)
Flying
Whenever a land enters the battlefield under an opponent's control, you may gain 3 life.
3/3
Shriek Raptor
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Creature - Bird (C)
Flying
Infect
2/3
Suture Priest
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Creature - Cleric (C)
Whenever another creature enters the battlefield under your control, you may gain 1 life.
Whenever a creature enters the battlefield under an opponent's control, you may have that player lose 1 life.
1/1
War Report
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Instant (C)
You gain life equal to the number of creatures on the battlefield plus the number of artifacts on the battlefield.
Blue (25/25)
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Instant (U)
Target permanent becomes an artifact in addition to its other types until end of turn.
Draw a card.
Arm with Aether
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Sorcery (U)
Until end of turn, creatures you control gain "Whenever this creatures deals damage to an opponent, you may return target creature that player controls to its owner's hand."
Blighted Agent
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Creature - Human Rogue (C)
Infect
Blighted Agent is unblockable.
1/1
Chained Throatseeker
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Creature - Horror (C)
Infect
Chained Throatseeker can't attack unless defending player is poisoned.
5/5
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Creature - Sphinx (R)
You may reveal this card from your opening hand. If you do, at the beginning of the first upkeep, each opponent puts the top seven cards of his or her library into his or her graveyard.
Flying
When Chancellor of the Spires enters the battlefield, you may cast target instant or sorcery card from an opponent's graveyard without paying its mana cost.
5/7
Corrupted Resolve
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Instant (U)
Counter target spell if its controller is poisoned.
Deceiver Exarch
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Creature - Cleric (U)
Flash
When Deceiver Exarch enters the battlefield, choose one - Untap target permanent you control; or tap target permanent an opponent controls.
1/4
Defensive Stance
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Enchantment - Aura (C)
Enchant creature
Enchanted creature gets -1/+1.
Gitaxian Probe
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Sorcery (C)
Look at target player's hand.
Draw a card.
Impaler Shrike
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Creature - Bird (C)
Flying
When Impaler Shrike deals combat damage to a player, you may sacrifice it. If you do, draw three cards.
3/1
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Legendary Creature - Praetor (M)
Flash
At the beginning of your end step, draw seven cards.
Each opponent's maximum hand size is reduced by seven.
5/4
Mental Misstep
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Instant (U)
Counter target spell with converted mana cost 1.
Mindculling
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Sorcery (U)
You draw two cards and target opponent discards two cards.
Numbing Dose
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Enchantment - Aura (C)
Enchant artifact or creature
Enchanted permanent doesn't untap during its controller's untap step.
At the beginning of the upkeep of enchanted permanent's controller, that player loses 1 life.
Phyrexian Ingester
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Creature - Beast (R)
Imprint - When Phyrexian Ingester enters the battlefield, you may exile target nontoken creature.
Phyrexian Ingester gets +X/+Y, where X is the exiled creature card's power and Y is its toughness.
3/3
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Artifact Creature - Shapeshifter (R)
You may have Phyrexian Metamorph enter the battlefield as a copy of any artifact or creature on the battlefield, except it's an artifact in addition to its other types.
0/0
Psychic Barrier
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Instant (C)
Counter target creature spell. Its controller loses 1 life.
Psychic Surgery
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Enchantment (R)
Whenever an opponent shuffles his or her library, you may look at the top two cards of that library. You may exile one of those cards. Then put the rest on top of that library in any order.
Spined Thopter
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Artifact Creature - Thopter (C)
Flying
2/1
Spire Monitor
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Creature - Drake (C)
Flash
Flying
3/3
Tezzeret's Gambit
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Sorcery (U)
Draw two cards, then proliferate.
Vapor Snag
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Instant (C)
Return target creature to its owner's hand. Its controller loses 1 life.
Viral Drake
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Creature - Drake (U)
Flying
Infect
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1/4
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Creature - Human Artificer (U)
When Wing Splicer enters the battlefield, put a 3/3 colorless Golem artifact creature token onto the battlefield.
Golem creatures you control have flying.
1/1
Xenograft
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Enchantment (R)
As Xenograft enters the battlefield, choose a creature type.
Each creature you control is the chosen type in addition to its other types.
Black (26/26)
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Creature - Human Cleric (C)
Intimidate
Whenever Blind Zealot deals combat damage to a player, you may sacrifice it. If you do, destroy target creature that player controls.
2/2
Caress of Phyrexia
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Sorcery (U)
Target player draws three cards, loses 3 life, and gets 3 poison counters.
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Creature - Vampire (R)
You may reveal this card from your opening hand. If you do, at the beginning of your upkeep, each opponent loses 3 life, then you gain life equal to the life lost this way.
Flying, lifelink
6/6
Dementia Bat
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Creature - Bat (C)
Flying
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2/2
Despise
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Sorcery (U)
Target opponent reveals his or her hand. You choose a creature or planeswalker card from it. That player discards that card.
Dismember
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Instant (U)
Target creature gets -5/-5 until end of turn.
Enslave
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Enchantment - Aura (U)
Enchant creature
You control enchanted creature.
At the beginning of your upkeep, enchanted creature deals 1 damage to its owner.
Entomber Exarch
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Creature - Cleric (U)
When Entomber Exarch enters the battlefield, choose one - Return target creature card from your graveyard to your hand; or target opponent reveals his or her hand, you choose a noncreature card from it, then that player discards that card.
2/2
Evil Presence
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Enchantment - Aura (C)
Enchant land
Enchanted land is a Swamp.
Geth's Verdict
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Instant (C)
Target player sacrifices a creature and loses 1 life.
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Enchantment - Aura (R)
Enchant creature
Enchanted creature has infect.
At the beginning of your upkeep, put a -1/-1 counter on enchanted creature.
When Glistening Oil is put into a graveyard from the battlefield, return Glistening Oil to its owner's hand.
Grim Affliction
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Instant (C)
Put a -1/-1 counter on target creature, then proliferate.
Ichor Explosion
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Sorcery (U)
As an additional cost to cast Ichor Explosion, sacrifice a creature.
All creatures get -X/-X until end of turn, where X is the sacrificed creature's power.
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Sorcery (R)
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
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Creature - Hound (C)
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.
2/2
Parasitic Implant
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Enchantment - Aura (C)
Enchant creature
At the beginning of your upkeep, enchanted creature's controller sacrifices it and you put a 1/1 colorless Myr artifact creature token onto the battlefield.
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Creature - Horror (M)
Trample
Whenever a source deals damage to Phyrexian Obliterator, that source's controller sacrifices that many permanents.
5/5
Pith Driller
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Artifact Creature - Horror (C)
When Pith Driller enters the battlefield, put a -1/-1 counter on target creature.
2/4
Postmortem Lunge
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Sorcery (U)
Return target creature card with converted mana cost X from your graveyard to the battlefield. It gains haste. Exile it at the beginning of the next end step.
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Sorcery (R)
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.
Reaper of Sheoldred
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Creature - Horror (U)
Infect
Whenever a source deals damage to Reaper of Sheoldred, that source's controller gets a poison counter.
2/5
Sheoldred, Whispering One
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Legendary Creature - Praetor (M)
At the beginning of your upkeep, return target creature card from your graveyard to the battlefield.
At the beginning of each opponent's upkeep, that player sacrifices a creature.
6/6
Surgical Extraction {p
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Instant (R)
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.
Toxic Nim
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Creature - Zombie (C)
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4/1
Vault Skirge
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Artifact Creature - Imp (C)
Flying
Lifelink
1/1
Whispering Specter
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Creature - Specter (U)
Flying
Infect
Whenever Whispering Specter deals combat damage to a player, you may sacrifice it. If you do, that player discards a card for each poison counter he or she has.
1/1
Red (25/25)
Act of Aggression 
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Instant (U)
Gain control of target creature an opponent controls until end of turn. Untap that creature. It gains haste until end of turn.
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Instant (C)
As an additional cost to cast Artillerize, sacrifice an artifact or creature.
Artillerize deals 5 damage to target creature or player.
Bludgeon Brawl
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Enchantment (R)
Each noncreature, non-Equipment artifact is an Equipment with equip :Xmana: and "Equipped creature gets +X/+0," where X is that artifact's converted mana cost.
Chancellor of the Forge
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Creature - Giant (R)
You may reveal this card from your opening hand. If you do, at the beginning of the first upkeep, put a 1/1 red Goblin creature token with haste onto the battlefield.
5/5
Fallen Ferromancer
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Creature - Human Shaman (U)
Infect
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1/1
Flameborn Viron
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Creature - Insect (C)
6/4
Furnace Scamp
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Creature - Beast (C)
Whenever Furnace Scamp deals combat damage to a player, you may sacrifice it. If you do, Furnace Scamp deals 3 damage to that player.
1/1
Geosurge
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Sorcery (U)
Add
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Instant (U)
Gut Shot deals 1 damage to target creature or player.
Invader Parasite
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Creature - Insect (R)
Imprint - When Invader Parasite enters the battlefield, exile target land.
Whenever a land with the same name as the exiled card enters the battlefield under an opponent's control, Invader Parasite deals 2 damage to that player.
3/2
Moltensteel Dragon
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Artifact Creature - Dragon (R)
Flying
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Ogre Menial
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Creature - Ogre (C)
Infect
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0/4
Priest of Urabrask
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Creature - Human Cleric (U)
When Priest of Urabrask enters the battlefield, add
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2/1
Rage Extractor
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Artifact (U)
Whenever you cast a spell with ϕ in its mana cost, Rage Extractor deals damage equal to that spell's converted mana cost to target creature or player.
Razor Swine
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Creature - Boar (C)
First strike
Infect
2/1
Ruthless Invasion
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Sorcery (C)
Nonartifact creatures can't block this turn.
Scrapyard Salvo
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Sorcery (C)
Scrapyard Salvo deals damage to target player equal to the number of artifact cards in your graveyard.
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Creature - Construct (R)
Slag Fiend's power and toughness are each equal to the number of artifact cards in all graveyards.
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Slash Panther
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Artifact Creature - Cat (C)
Haste
4/2
Tormentor Exarch
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Creature - Cleric (U)
When Tormentor Exarch enters the battlefield, choose one - Target creature gets +2/+0 until end of turn; or target creature gets -0/-2 until end of turn.
2/2
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Legendary Creature - Praetor (M)
Creatures you control have haste.
Creatures your opponents control enter the battlefield tapped.
4/4
Victorious Destruction
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Sorcery (C)
Destroy target artifact or land. Its controller loses 1 life.
Volt Charge
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Instant (C)
Volt Charge deals 3 damage to target creature or player. Proliferate.
Vulshok Refugee
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Creature - Human Warrior (U)
Protection from red
3/2
Whipflare
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Instant (U)
Whipflare deals 2 damage to each nonartifact creature.
Green (25/25)
Beast Within 
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Instant {U}
Destroy target permanent. Its controller puts a 3/3 green Beast creature token onto the battlefield.
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Artifact {R}
(
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Brutalizer Exarch
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Creature - Cleric {U}
When ~ enters the battlefield, choose one -- Search your library for a creature card, reveal it, then shuffle your library and put that card on top of it; or put target non-creature permanent on the bottom of its owner's library
3/3
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Creature - Beast {R}
You may reveal this card from your opening hand. If you do, at the beginning of your first main phase, add
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Vigilance, Reach
6/7
Corrosive Gale
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Sorcery {U}
(
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~ deals X damage to each creature with flying.
Death-Hood Cobra
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Creature - Snake {C}
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1/1