Our complete set of Magic: The Gathering Aether Revolt spoilers has all of the official visual spoilers released by Wizards of the Coast during the December 2016 - January 2017 spoiler season. We've also got a brief analysis of the set as a whole.
If you're interested in honing your Magic skills or are just new to the game, you should check out our guide to Magic: The Gathering. If you're more into checking out some cards, we also have a set review for Kaladesh, the set just before this one.
Aether Revolt Spoilers - December 15, 2016
Today, on December 15, 2016, Wizards of the Coast published an article on Magic: The Gathering Standard Showdown decks in preparation for their final events this upcoming Saturday. In that article, they also revealed a new card for the upcoming Aether Revolt - a new card in the Oath cycle that begun in Oath of the Gatewatch. The Oath cycle represents the moment in which a Planeswalker agrees to join the Gatewatch, and gives their reasoning for keeping watch over the Multiverse.
As seen below, the newest member of the Gatewatch is the leonin Planeswalker Ajani Goldmane, originally from the Nayan shard of Alara. His Oath, the Oath of Ajani, is a legendary enchantment with a casting cost of one green and one white mana; when it enters the battlefield, you put a +1/+1 counter on each creature you control. In addition, Planeswalker spells you cast will cost one less generic mana.
Aether Revolt Spoiler - December 18, 2016
Update 12/19/2016: Blake Rasmussen , Editor-in-Chief of Daily MTG and Wizards of the Coast employee, has provided the English version of the Tezzeret card from Aether Revolt proper. TechRaptor almost nailed the translated name of this card perfectly - English Magic: The Gathering players can look forward to seeing Tezzeret the Schemer in their Aether Revolt booster packs in January 2017.
The original article follows below.
Yesterday, on December 18, 2016, the official Taiwanese Magic: The Gathering Facebook page posted a video giving more details on the setting for the next expansion set from Wizards of the Coast, Aether Revolt. In that video the second (and presumably final) Planeswalker card of the set was revealed: a new depiction of the antagonistic Tezzeret, originally from the Esper shard of Alara. While Magic: The Gathering players were aware of Tezzeret's presence on Kaladesh, and knew that he would be making an appearance in Aether Revolt thanks to Planeswalker deck details, the exact abilities and nature of his card weren't known until now.
Tezzeret, the Conspirator has a casting cost of two generic, one blue, and one black mana, enters the battlefield with five loyalty counters and has the following abilities (credit for ability translation goes to reddit user jack651411):
- +1: Create a colorless artifact token named "Etherium Stone," which has "Tap: Sacrifice this and add one mana of any color into your mana pool".
- -2: Target creature get +X/-X until end of turn, which X is the number of artifacts you control.
- -7: You get an emblem with "At the beginning of your combat phase, target artifact you control becomes a 5/5 artifact creature."
Aether Revolt Spoiler - December 19, 2017
Earlier today, Wizards of the Coast's Customer Support sent an email out to all Wizards Account Holders—Wizards Accounts are the identification used at all Wizards of the Coast events, from Dungeons & Dragons to Magic: The Gathering. This email contained a special preview card from their upcoming Magic: The Gathering set Aether Revolt, with the Account Holders getting a first glimpse at the card before other players.
The card that was revealed was Quicksmith Spy, a mono-blue Human Artificer with a casting cost of three generic and one blue mana, and power/toughness of 2/3. When Quicksmith Spy enters the battlefield, it gives target artifact that you control the ability to tap to draw a card for as long as you control Quicksmith Spy.
Those familiar with the cards previewed so far will remember that one of the cards leaked on November 29 (and later confirmed on December 5) was called "Quicksmith Rebel." The similarity in names, converted mana costs, rarity, abilities, and creature types has not been lost on Magic: The Gathering players, with many postulating that there will either be a partial or full "Quicksmith" cycle of Human Artificers in Aether Revolt.
Aether Revolt Spoiler - January 2, 2017
January 02, 2017 marks the first day of an abbreviated preview season for Magic: The Gathering's newest expansion set, Aether Revolt; usually Wizards of the Coast releases preview cards over the course of two weeks, but for this set they've chosen to use an accelerated schedule that puts information on all of the cards into the hands of players by January 06, 2017.
Today's first set of spoilers are from Wizards of the Coast's article on the mechanics of Aether Revolt; a total of seven cards were spoiled this way, the first four of which can be seen below.
- Decommission: Instant, casting cost of two generic and one white mana. Destroys target artifact or enchantment; additionally has new "Revolt" mechanic, which lets you gain three life if a permanent you controlled left the battlefield this turn.
- Night Market Aeronaut: Creature (Aetherborn Warrior), casting cost of three generic and one black mana, 2/2. Has Flying and the new Revolt mechanic, which gives it a +1/+1 counter as it enters the battlefield if a permanent you controlled left the battlefield this turn.
- Silkweaver Elite: Creature (Elf Archer), casting cost of two generic and one green mana, 2/2. Has Reach and the new Revolt mechanic, which lets you draw a card when Silkweaver Elite enters the battlefield if a permanent you controlled left the battlefield this turn.
- Shipwreck Moray: Creature (Fish), casting cost of three generic and one blue mana, 0/5. When it enters the battlefield, you get four energy counters. By paying one energy counter, it gets +2/-2 until the end of turn.
The next three spoilers from this Wizards of the Coast article are as follows.
- Sweatworks Brawler: Creature (Human Artificer), casting cost of three generic and one red mana, 3/3. Has Menace and the new Improvise mechanic, which functions very similar to Convoke; after mana abilities have been activated, each of your artifacts that you tap pays for one generic mana in Sweatworks Brawler's casting cost.
- Foundry Assembler: Artifact Creature (Assembly Worker), casting cost of five generic mana, 3/3. Has Improvise, which allows you to tap artifacts that you control to help pay for Foundry Assembler's casting cost, each artifact paying for one generic mana.
- Consulate Dreadnought: Artifact (Vehicle), casting cost of one generic mana. It has Crew 6, requiring you to tap any number of creatures you control with total power of six or more to turn Consulate Dreadnought into an Artifact Creature until end of turn. When you do so, it becomes a 7/11 Artifact Creature.
Up next are three spoiler cards from two different Wizards of the Coast articles; the first and third are from a character feature article, and the other is from the first article on Aether Revolt's development and design.
- Sram, Senior Edificer: Legendary Creature (Dwarf Advisor), casting cost of one generic and one white mana, 2/2. Whenever you cast an Aura, Equipment, or Vehicle spell, draw a card.
- Whir of Invention: Instant, casting cost of X generic mana and three blue mana. Whir of Invention has the new Improvise mechanic, which allows you to tap your artifacts to help pay for the casting cost, each artifact paying for one generic mana. Search your library for an artifact card with converted mana cost of X or less, put it onto the battlefield, and then shuffle your library.
- Sram's Expertise: Sorcery, casting cost of two generic and two white mana. Create three 1/1 colorless Servo artifact creature tokens; you may cast a card with converted mana cost of three or less from your hand without paying its mana cost.
The next batch of preview cards all come from Magic: The Gathering content creators, the various people, and groups who devote countless hours to creating videos, podcasts, and articles detailing various aspects of Magic: The Gathering. This includes Tolarian Community College, the Masters of Modern podcast group, and Chinese website bilibili.com.
- Gonti's Aether Heart: Legendary Artifact, casting cost of six generic mana. Whenever it or another artifact enters the battlefield under your control, you get two energy counters. By paying eight energy counters and exiling Gonti's Aether Heart, you get to take an extra turn after this one.
- Fatal Push: Instant, casting cost of one black mana. Fatal Push destroys target creature if it has converted mana cost of two or less. It also has the new Revolt mechanic, which lets you destroy target creature with converted mana cost of four or less if a permanent you controlled left the battlefield this turn.
- Peacekeeper Colossus: Artifact (Vehicle), casting cost of three generic mana. For one generic and one white mana, another target Vehicle that you control turns into an Artifact Creature until the end of turn. Peacekeeper Colossus also has Crew 4, requiring you to tap any number of creatures you control with total power of four or more to turn Peacekeeper Colussus into an Artifact Creature until end of turn. When you do so, it becomes a 6/6 Artifact Creature. Credit for card translation goes to reddit user bbbbbbbbba and MTGSalvation user Yandere Sliver.
Another Magic: The Gathering content creator, TCGPlayer.com, and three Wizards of the Coast employees (Trick Jarrett, Jules Robins, and Blake Rasmussen), have revealed more Aether Revolt preview cards. The card Jarrett previewed is one of the final two Aether Revolt Inventions which were revealed on December 28, 2016, confirming the legitimacy of those cards.
- Greenwheel Liberator: Creature (Elf Warrior), casting cost of one generic and one green mana, 2/1. Greenwheel Liberator has the new Revolt mechanic, which gives it two +1/+1 counters when it enters the battlefield if a permanent you controlled left the battlefield this turn.
- Planar Bridge: Legendary Artifact, casting cost of six generic mana. By paying eight generic mana and tapping Planar Bridge, you can search your library for a permanent card, put it onto the battlefield, and then shuffle your library.
- Greenbelt Rampager: Creature (Elephant), casting cost of one green mana, 3/4. When Greenbelt Rampager enters the battlefield, you must pay two energy counters; if you can't, Greenbelt Rampager is returned to your hand and you get one energy counter.
- Metallic Mimic: Artifact Creature (Shapeshifter), casting cost of two generic mana, 2/1. As it enters the battlefield, chose a creature type; Metallic Mimic is the chosen type in addition to its other types. Each other creature you control of the chosen type enters the battlefield with an additional +1/+1 counter on it.
Content creators and podcasts Magic: The Amateuring, Limited Resources, and Top Level Podcast all had interesting cards to share with the Magic: The Gathering community today.
- Freejam Regent: Creature (Dragon), casting cost of four generic and two red mana, 4/4. Freejam Regent has Flying and the new Improvise mechanic, which allows you to tap your artifacts to help pay for the casting cost, each artifact paying for one generic mana.. In addition, by paying one generic and one red mana, you can give Freejam Regent +2/+0 until the end of turn.
- Winding Constrictor: Creature (Snake), casting cost of one black and one green mana, 2/3. If one or more counters would be placed on an artifact or creature you control, that many of those counters plus one are placed on that permanent instead. In addition, if you would get one or more counters, you get that many of those counters plus one instead.
- Siege Modification: Enchantment (Aura), casting cost of one generic and two red mana, enchanting creature or vehicle. As long as enchanted permanent is a vehicle, it's a creature in addition to its other types, and gets +3/+0 and First Strike.
- Rishkar, Peema Renegade: Legendary Creature (Elf Druid), casting cost of two generic and one green mana, 2/2. When Rishkar, Peema Renegade enters the battlefield, put a +1/+1 counter on each of up to two target creatures; each creature you control with a counter on it has "Tap: Add one green mana to your mana pool".
Three more Aether Revolt spoiler cards are made available by accounts associated with Wizards of the Coast - Wizards of the Coast's Magic: The Gathering Twitter account (here and here) and the Korean Magic: The Gathering Facebook account.
- Aeronaut Admiral: Creature (Human Pilot), casting cost of three generic and one white mana, 3/1. Aeronaut Admiral has Flying, and vehicles that you control have Flying as well.
- Untethered Express: Artifact (Vehicle), casting cost of four generic mana. Untethered Express has Trample and Crew 1, requiring you to tap any number of creatures you control with total power of one or more to turn Untethered Express into an Artifact Creature until end of turn. When you do so, it becomes a 4/4 Artifact Creature. In addition, whenever Untethered Express attacks, put a +1/+1 counter on it.
- Ornithopter: Artifact Creature (Thopter), casting cost of zero mana, 0/2. Has Flying.
January 02, 2017's final spoilers are from PureMTGO, Windmill Slam, and Cardshop Hamaya.
- Hungry Flames: Instant, casting cost of two generic and one red mana. Deals three damage to target creature and two damage to target player.
- Pacification Army: Artifact, casting cost of one generic mana. Paying two generic mana and tapping Pacification Army allows you to tap target artifact or creature.
- Merchant's Porter: Artifact Creature (Construct), casting cost of one generic mana, 1/2. Paying three generic and one blue mana and tapping Merchant's Porter lets you tap X artifacts you control. You then look at the top X cards of your library and put one into your hand and the rest on the bottom of your library in any order. Credit for card translation goes to reddit user PangoriaFallstar and MTGSalvation user Ryperior74.
Aether Revolt Spoiler January 3, 2017
January 03, 2017 marks the second day of an abbreviated preview season for Magic: The Gathering's newest expansion set, Aether Revolt; usually Wizards of the Coast releases preview cards over the course of two weeks, but for this set they've chosen to use an accelerated schedule that puts information on all of the cards into the hands of players by January 06, 2017. Our article detailing the cards previewed from yesterday can be found here.
The first four spoilers of the day come from various sources - Loading Ready Run, Ars Technica, HobbyConsolas.com, and Cardbox.sc.
- Release the Gremlins: Sorcery, casting cost of X generic, X generic, and one red mana. Destroy X target artifacts, and create X 2/2 Gremlin tokens.
- Aetherwind Basker: Creature (Lizard), casting cost of four generic and three green mana, 7/7. Aetherwind Basker has Trample, and whenever it enters the battlefield or attacks, you gain one energy counter for each creature you control. By paying one energy counter, it gets +1/+1 until the end of turn.
- Inspiring Statuary: Artifact, casting cost of three generic mana. Non-artifact spells you cast have Improvise (Your artifacts can help cast non-artifact spells. Each artifact you tap after you're done activating mana abilities pays for one generic mana). Credit for card translation goes to MTGSalvation user Antiantiserum.
- Spire of Industry: Land, taps normally for one colorless mana. By paying one life and having one or more artifacts under your control, you can tap Spire of Industry for any color of mana. Credit for card translation goes to MTGSalvation user Antiantiserum.
Wizards of the Coast has published two additional articles today on Aether Revolt matters; the first is a feature article on Aethergeode Miner, and the other is from the set's lead designer, Ben Hayes.
- Aethergeode Miner: Creature (Dwarf Scout), casting cost of one generic and one white mana, 3/1. Whenever Aethergeode Miner attacks, you gain two energy counters. By paying two energy counters, you can exile Aethergeode Miner from the battlefield, and then return it to the battlefield under its owner's control.
- Mechanized Production: Enchantment (Aura), casting cost of two generic and two blue mana, enchants target artifact that you control. At the beginning of your upkeep, create a token that's a copy of enchanted artifact. Then if you control eight or more artifacts with the same name as one another, you win the game.
- Renegade Map: Artifact, casting cost of one generic mana. Renegade Map enters the battlefield tapped; by tapping and sacrificing Renegade Map, you can search your library for a basic land card, reveal it, put it into your hand, then shuffle your library.
- Countless Gears Renegade: Creature (Dwarf Artificer), casting cost of one generic and one white mana, 2/2. Countless Gears Renegade has the new Revolt mechanic, which creates a 1/1 colorless Servo artifact creature token when Countless Gears Renegade enters the battlefield if a permanent you controlled left the battlefield this turn.
- Glint-Sleeve Siphoner: Creature (Human Rogue), casting cost of one generic and one black mana, 2/1. Glint-Sleeve Siphoner has Menace, and whenever it enters the battlefield or attacks, you gain one energy counter. At the beginning of your upkeep, you may pay two energy counters. If you do so, you draw a card and you lose one life.
Wizards of the Coast has also made a sixth card available in their Aether Revolt card image gallery; this card is the Sorcery Reverse Engineer. This spoiler is also accompanied by spoilers from the Magic: The Gathering Judges Blog and Gathering Magic website.
- Reverse Engineer: Sorcery, casting cost of three generic and two blue mana. Reverse Engineer has the new Improvise mechanic, and allows you to draw three cards.
- Tezzeret's Touch: Enchantment (Aura), casting cost of one generic, one blue, and one black mana, enchants an artifact. Enchanted artifact is a creature with base power and toughness 5/5 in addition to its other types. When enchanted artifact is put into a graveyard, return that card to it's owner's hand.
- Yahenni, Undying Partisan: Legendary Creature (Aetherborn Vampire), casting cost of two generic and one black mana, 2/2. Yahenni, Undying Partisan has Haste, and whenever a creature an opponent controls dies, put a +1/+1 counter on Yahenni, Undying Partisan. By sacrificing another creature, Yahenni, Undying Partisan gains indestructible until the end of turn.
The next batch of cards all come from various sources - The Command Zone, Izzetmtgnews.com, TCGPlayer, and the Russian Magic: The Gathering Youtube page.
- Rishkar's Expertise: Sorcery, casting cost of four generic and two green mana. Draw cards equal to the greatest power among creatures you control; in addition, you may cast a card with converted mana cost 5 or less from your hand without paying its mana cost.
- Aid from the Cowl: Enchantment, casting cost of three generic and two green mana. Aid from the Cowl has the new Revolt mechanic, which lets you reveal the top card of your library at the beginning of your end step if a permanent you controlled left the battlefield this turn. If the card revealed this way is a permanent card, you may put it on the battlefield. If not, you may place that card on the bottom of your library. Credit for card translation goes to MTGSalvation moderator Marquisd.
- Aegis Automaton: Artifact Creature (Construct), casting cost of two generic mana, 0/3. By paying four generic and one white mana, you return another target creature you control to its owner's hand.
- Druid of the Cowl: Creature (Elf Druid), casting cost of one generic and one green mana, 1/3. Druid of the Cowl can be tapped to add one green mana to your mana pool. Credit for card translation goes to reddit user Vovix1.
The final five Aether Revolt spoiler cards for the day come primarily from Wizards of the Coast accounts and employees, with a few content creators getting in on the action as well.
- Indomitable Creativity: Sorcery, casting cost of X generic mana and three red mana. Destroy X target artifacts and/or creatures. For each permanent destroyed this way, its controller reveals cards from the top of his or her library until an artifact or creature card is revealed and exiles that card. Those players put the exiled cards onto the battlefield, then shuffle their libraries.
- Renegade Rallier: Creature (Human Warrior), casting cost of one generic, one green, and one white mana, 3/2. Renegade Rallier has the new Revolt mechanic, which returns target permanent card with converted mana cost two or less to the battlefield if a permanent you controlled left the battlefield this turn.
- Secret Salvage: Sorcery, casting cost of three generic and two black mana. Exile target nonland card from your graveyard. Search your library for any number of cards with the same name as that card, reveal them, and put them into your hand, shuffling your library afterwards.
- Rogue Refiner: Creature (Human Rogue), casting cost of one generic, one green, and one blue mana, 3/2. When Rogue Refiner enters the battlefield, you draw a card and gain two energy counters. Credit for card translation goes to MTGSalvation user Antiantiserum.
- Shock: Instant, casting cost of one red mana. Deals two damage to target creature or player. Credit for card translation goes to MTGSalvation user UnsafeNormal.
Aether Revolt Spoilers January 4, 2017
January 04, 2017 marks the third day of an abbreviated preview season for Magic: The Gathering's newest expansion set, Aether Revolt; usually Wizards of the Coast releases preview cards over the course of two weeks, but for this set they've chosen to use an accelerated schedule that puts information on all of the cards into the hands of players by January 06, 2017. Our article detailing the cards previewed from yesterday can be found here.
The first five spoilers for the day are a cycle of common-rarity artifacts discussed in this article from Wizards of the Coast.
- Implement of Improvement: Artifact, casting cost of one generic mana. By paying one white mana, you can sacrifice Implement of Improvement to gain two life. When Implement of Improvement is put into a graveyard from the battlefield, draw a card.
- Implement of Examination: Artifact, casting cost of three generic mana. By paying one blue mana, you can sacrifice Implement of Examination to draw a card. When Implement of Examination is put into a graveyard from the battlefield, draw a card.
- Implement of Malice: Artifact, casting cost of two generic mana. By paying one black mana, you can sacrifice Implement of Malice to force target player to discard a card only at any time you could cast a sorcery. When Implement of Malice is put into a graveyard from the battlefield, draw a card.
- Implement of Combustion: Artifact, casting cost of one generic mana. By paying one red mana, you can sacrifice Implement of Combustion to deal one damage to target player. When Implement of Combustion is put into a graveyard from the battlefield, draw a card.
- Implement of Ferocity: Artifact, casting cost of one generic mana. By paying one green mana, you can sacrifice Implement of Ferocity to put a +1/+1 counter on target creature only at any time you could cast a sorcery. When Implement of Ferocity is put into a graveyard from the battlefield, draw a card.
Magic: The Gathering content creators and storefronts StarCityGames and ChannelFireball both have spoiler cards related to one of the story characters from Aether Revolt - Baral, whose actions forced a young Chandra's spark to first ignite in Ghirapur.
- Baral, Chief of Compliance: Legendary Creature (Human Wizard), casting cost of one generic and one blue mana, 1/3. Instant and sorcery spells you cast cost one less generic mana to cast. Whenever a spell or ability you control counters a spell, you may draw a card. If you do, discard a card.
- Baral's Expertise: Sorcery, casting cost of three generic and two blue mana. Return up to three target artifacts and/or creatures to their owner's hands; you may cast a card with a converted mana cost of four or less from your hand without paying it's mana cost.
A slew of cards from non-English sources were revealed today; here are the first four of these spoilers.
- Skyship Bandit: Creature (Human Rogue), casting cost of one generic and one blue mana, 2/1. Skyship Bandit has Flying and "Whenever Skyship Bandit deals combat damage to a player, you choose any number of permanents and/or players with counters on them, then give each another counter of a kind already there". Credit for card translation goes to MTGSalvation moderator Marquisd.
- Lightning Runner: Creature (Human Warrior), casting cost of three generic and two red mana, 2/2. Lightning Runner has Double Strike and Haste; when Lightning Runner attacks, you gain two energy counters, and then you may pay eight energy counters. If you do, untap all creatures you control and there is an additional combat phase after this one. Credit for card translation goes to MTGSalvation user nal2.
- Outland Boar: Creature (Boar), casting cost of two generic, one red and one green mana, 4/4. Outland Boar can't be blocked by creatures with power two or less. Credit for card translation goes to MTGSalvation user clan_iraq.
- Weldfast Engineer: Creature (Human Artificer), casting cost of one generic, one black, and one red mana, 3/3. At the beginning of combat on your turn, target artifact creature you control gets +2/+0 until end of turn. Credit for card translation goes to MTGSalvation user clan_iraq.
The next batch of non-English spoilers includes some from big name stores, such as Japanese storefront Bigmagic.
- Call for Unity: Enchantment, casting cost of three generic and two white mana. Call for Unity has the new Revolt ability word, which activates whenever a permanent you controlled left the battlefield this turn; for Call for Unity, this puts a "Unity counter" on itself. Creatures you control get +1/+1 for each "Unity counter" on Call for Unity. Credit for card translation goes to reddit user Saitamarama.
- Aetherborn Warrior: Creature (Aetherborn Warrior), casting cost of two generic and one black mana, 3/2. Aetherborn Warrior has the new Revolt ability word, which activates whenever a permanent you controlled left the battlefield this turn; for Aetherborn Warrior, this gives target creature -3/-3 until the end of turn. Credit for card translation goes to reddit user wildfire393.
- Aethertide Whale: Creature (Whale), casting cost of four generic and two blue mana, 6/4. Aethertide Whale has Flying and "When Aethertide Whale enters the battlefield, you get six energy counters. By paying four energy counters, you can return Aethertide Whale to your hand". Credit for card translation goes to MTGSalvation user Caranthir.
- Hidden Reserve: Enchantment, casting cost of one black and one white mana. Hidden Reserve has the new Revolt ability word, which activates whenever a permanent you controlled left the battlefield this turn; for Hidden Reserve, this creates a 1/1 colorless Servo artifact creature token at the beginning of your end step. By paying one generic mana and sacrificing a creature, you can Scry 1. Credit for card translation goes to MTGSalvation user PlagueRus.
Quite a few cards were also spoiled by Wizards of the Coast staff members and accounts.
- Walking Ballista: Artifact Creature (Construct), casting cost of double X generic mana, 0/0. Walking Ballista enters the battlefield with X +1/+1 counters. By paying four generic mana, you can put one +1/+1 counters on it, and by removing one +1/+1 counter you can have it deal one damage to target creature or player.
- Cogwork Assembler: Artifact Creature (Assembly-Worker), casting cost of three generic mana, 2/3. By paying seven generic mana, you can create a token that's a copy of target artifact; that token gains Haste. Exile it at the beginning of the next end step.
- Renegade Wheelsmith: Creature (Dwarf Pilot), casting cost of one generic, one red, and one white mana, 3/2. Whenever Renegade Wheelsmith becomes tapped, target creature can't be blocked this turn.
- Spire Patrol: Creature (Human Soldier), casting cost of two generic, one white, and one blue mana, 3/2. Spire Patrol has Flying and "When Spire Patrol enters the battlefield, tap target creature an opponent controls. That creature doesn't untap during its controller's next untap step".
- Gifted Aetherborn: Creature (Aetherborn Vampire), casting cost of two black mana, 2/3. Gifted Aetherborn has Deathtouch and Lifelink.
The final four spoilers for Wednesday, January 04, 2017 are as follows.
- Exquisite Archangel: Creature (Angel), casting cost of five generic and two white mana, 5/5. Exquisite Archangel has Flying and "If you would lose the game, instead exile Exquisite Archangel and your life total becomes equal to your starting life total".
- Treasure Keeper: Artifact Creature (Construct), casting cost of four generic mana, 3/3. When Treasure Keeper dies, reveal cards from the top of your library until you reveal a nonland card with converted mana cost 3 or less. You may cast that card without paying its mana cost. Put all cards not cast this way on the bottom of your library in a random order.
- Hidden Herbalists: Creature (Human Druid), casting cost of one generic and one green mana, 2/2. Hidden Herbalists has the new Revolt ability word, which activates whenever a permanent you controlled left this battlefield this turn; for Hidden Herbalists, this adds two green mana to your mana pool when it enters the battlefield.
- Solemn Recruit: Creature (Dwarf Soldier), casting cost of one generic and two white mana, 2/2. Solemn Recruit has Double Strike and the new Revolt ability word, which activates whenever a permanent you controlled left this battlefield this turn; for Solemn Recruit, this puts a +1/+1 counter on it at the beginning of your end step. Credit for card translation goes to MTGSalvation moderator Marquisd.
Aether Revolt Spoiler - January 5, 2017
January 05, 2017 marks the fourth day of an abbreviated preview season for Magic: The Gathering‘s newest expansion set, Aether Revolt; usually Wizards of the Coast releases preview cards over the course of two weeks, but for this set they’ve chosen to use an accelerated schedule that puts information on all of the cards into the hands of players by January 06, 2017. Our article detailing the Magic: The Gathering cards previewed from yesterday can be found here.
The first eight cards for the day were spoiled in this Wizards of the Coast article; the cards revealed are those that will be exclusive to the Aether Revolt Planeswalker Decks. Below are the four cards that will be in the Ajani Planeswalker Deck.
- Ajani's Aid: Enchantment, casting cost of two generic, one green, and one white mana. When Ajani's Aid enters the battlefield, you may search your library and/or graveyard for a card named Ajani, Valiant Protector, reveal it, and put it into your hand. If you search your library this way, shuffle it. Additionally, you can sacrifice Ajani's Aid to prevent all combat damage a creature of your choice would deal this turn.
- Ajani's Comrade: Creature (Elf Soldier), casting cost of one generic and one green mana, 2/2. Ajani's Comrade has Trample and "At the beginning of combat on your turn, if you control an Ajani planeswalker, put a +1/+1 counter on Ajani's Comrade".
- Inspiring Roar: Sorcery, casting cost of three generic and one white mana. Put a +1/+1 counter on each creature you control.
- Tranquil Expanse: Land, enters the battlefield tapped. Taps to add either one green mana or one white mana to your mana pool.
Meanwhile, the following four Magic: The Gathering cards are those that players can expect to find in the Tezzeret Planeswalker Decks.
- Tezzeret's Betrayal: Sorcery, casting cost of three generic, one blue, and one black mana. Destroy target creature: you may search your library and/or graveyard for a card named Tezzeret, Master of Metal, reveal it, and put it into your hand. If you search your library this way, shuffle it.
- Tezzeret's Simulacrum: Artifact Creature (Golem), casting cost of three generic mana, 2/3. By tapping Tezzeret's Simulacrum, target opponent loses one life. However, if you control a Tezzeret Planeswalker, that opponent loses three life instead.
- Pendulum of Patterns: Artifact, casting cost of two generic mana. When Pendulum of Patterns enters the battlefield, you gain three life. By paying five generic mana, tapping Pendulum of Patterns, and sacrificing it, you can draw a card.
- Submerged Boneyard: Land, enters the battlefield tapped. Taps to add either one blue mana or one black mana to your mana pool.
We now move from spoilers from Wizards of the Coast employees and articles to those from Magic: The Gathering content creators.
- Hope of Ghirapur: Legendary Artifact Creature (Thopter), casting cost of one generic mana, 1/1. Hope of Ghirapur has Flying and "Sacrifice Hope of Ghirapur: Until your next turn, target player who was dealt combat damage by Hope of Ghirapur this turn can't cast noncreature spells".
- Locket of Myths: Artifact, casting cost of three generic mana. At the beginning of your upkeep, Scry 1, and whenever you cast a creature spell you may pay one green mana to draw a card. Credit for card translation goes to the card previewer.
- Heroic Intervention: Instant, casting cost of one generic and one green mana. Permanents you control gain Indestructible and Hexproof until end of turn. Credit for card translation goes to reddit user WollyTD.
- Aethersphere Harvester: Artifact (Vehicle), casting cost of three generic mana. Aethersphere Harvester has Flying and "When Aethersphere Harvester enters the battlefield, you gain two energy tokens". By paying one energy token, you can give Aethersphere Harvester Lifelink until the end of turn. In addition, Aethersphere Harvester has Crew 1, requiring you to tap any number of creatures you control with total power of one or more to turn Aethersphere Harvester into an Artifact Creature until end of turn. When you do so, it becomes a 3/5 Artifact Creature. Credit for card translation goes to reddit user bltdl.
The next batch of cards includes some from the Magic: The Gathering subforum for Magic Duels, as well as the crew over at Gatheringmagic.
- Metallic Rebuke: Instant, casting cost of two generic and one blue mana. Metallic Rebuke features the new Improvise mechanic, which allows players to tap artifacts that they control to help pay for the generic mana casting cost; each artifact you tap after activating mana abilities pays for one generic mana. Counter target spell unless its controller pays three generic mana.
- Ravenous Intruder: Creature (Gremlin), casting cost of one generic and one red mana, 1/2. Sacrifice an artifact: Ravenous Intruder gets +2/+2 until end of turn.
- Universal Solvent: Artifact, casting cost of one generic mana. By paying seven generic mana, tapping Universal Solvent, and sacrificing it, you can destroy target permanent.
- Efficient Construction: Enchantment, casting cost of three generic and one blue mana. Whenever you cast an artifact spell, create a 1/1 colorless Thopter artifact creature token with Flying.
The Italian Magic: The Gathering YouTube channel has put out a preview video for their card; this comes alongside some cards from employees of Wizards of the Coast.
- Maverick Thopterist: Creature (Human Artificer), casting cost of three generic, one blue, and one red mana, 2/2. Maverick Thopterist features the new Improvise mechanic, which allows players to tap artifacts that they control to help pay for the generic mana casting cost; each artifact you tap after activating mana abilities pays for one generic mana. When Maverick Thopterist enters the battlefield, create two 1/1 Thopter artifact creature tokens with Flying. Credit for card translation goes to MTGSalvation moderator Marquisd.
- Herald of Anguish: Creature (Demon), casting cost of five generic and two black mana, 5/5. Herald of Anguish has Flying and the new Improvise mechanic, which allows players to tap artifacts that they control to help pay for the generic mana casting cost; each artifact you tap after activating mana abilities pays for one generic mana. At the beginning of your end step, each opponent discards one card. Additionally, by paying one generic and one black mana and sacrificing an artifact, you can give target creature -2/-2 until the end of turn.
- Kari Zev, Skyship Raider: Legendary Creature (Human Pirate), casting cost of one generic and one red mana, 1/3. Kari Zev, Skyship Raider has First Strike and Menace; whenever she attacks, create a legendary 2/1 red Monkey creature token named Ragavan that's tapped and attacking. Exile that token at end of combat.
- Kari Zev's Expertise: Sorcery, casting cost of one generic and two red mana. Gain control of target creature or vehicle until end of turn. Untap it. It gains Haste until end of turn. You may cast a card with converted mana cost two or less from your hand without paying its mana cost.
The final five cards previewed on Thursday, January 06, 2017 are from Wizards of the Coast employee Benjamin Hayes, who Tweeted out a complete cycle of common-rarity "Aether" creature cards.
- Aether Inspector: Creature (Dwarf Artificer), casting cost of three generic and one white mana, 2/3. Aether Inspector has Vigilance and "When Aether Inspector enters the battlefield, you get two energy counters". Whenever Aether Inspector attacks, you may pay two energy counters. If you do, create a 1/1 colorless Servo artifact creature token.
- Aether Swooper: Creature (Vedalken Artificer), casting cost of one generic and one blue mana, 1/2. Aether Swooper has Flying and "When Aether Swooper enters the battlefield, you get two energy counters". Whenever Aether Swooper attacks, you may pay two energy counters. If you do, create a 1/1 colorless Servo artifact creature token.
- Aether Poisoner: Creature (Human Artificer), casting cost of one generic and one black mana, 1/1. Aether Poisoner has Deathtouch and "When Aether Poisoner enters the battlefield, you get two energy counters". Whenever Aether Poisoner attacks, you may pay two energy counters. If you do, create a 1/1 colorless Servo artifact creature token.
- Aether Chaser: Creature (Human Artificer), casting cost of one generic and one red mana, 2/1. Aether Chaser has First Strike and "When Aether Chaser enters the battlefield, you get two energy counters". Whenever Aether Chaser attacks, you may pay two energy counters. If you do, create a 1/1 colorless Servo artifact creature token.
- Aether Herder: Creature (Elf Artificer Druid), casting cost of three generic and one green mana, 3/3. When Aether Herder enters the battlefield, you get two energy counters. Whenever Aether Herder attacks, you may pay two energy counters. If you do, create a 1/1 colorless Servo artifact creature token.
Final Analysis
January 06, 2017 marks the final day of an abbreviated preview season for Magic: The Gathering‘s newest expansion set, Aether Revolt; usually Wizards of the Coast releases preview cards over the course of two weeks, but for this set they’ve chosen to use an accelerated schedule that puts information on all of the cards into the hands of players in the course of a week - see our coverage articles from January 02, January 03, January 04, and January 05 for information on what Magic: The Gathering cards were a part of this preview season.
Wizards of the Coast has published the full Aether Revolt spoiler in their card image gallery, releasing the artwork and card names for the eighty cards not previewed by content creators, news outlets, and Wizards of the Coast employees over the past four days. Additionally, one content creator got a chance to preview a card before the full spoiler was published - the YouTube channel ZiggyD Gaming.
The full spoiler has confirmed a few cards which had been previously leaked or previewed but not verified by Wizards of the Coast as legitimate - specifically, the non-masterpiece version of Paradox Bridge (from our December 28, 2016 article) and four of the five Story Spotlight cards (from our December 06, 2016 article).
I don't know about the rest of the Magic: The Gathering community, but I definitely did not like the accelerated preview schedule used by Wizards of the Coast for Aether Revolt. I felt that there wasn't enough time for new cards to sink in for players and that the hype and timing of the previews was much less effective compared to previous preview seasons. I seriously hope that this was a one-off schedule from Wizards of the Coast and that it doesn't become the norm for how new sets are introduced to players.
Our previous coverage of previews and leaks for Aether Revolt cards can be found in our coverage from November 29, December 4, December 5, December 6, and December 12, 2016.