Magic: The Gathering - Modern Masters 2017 Spoilers 02/28

Yesterday, TechRaptor began coverage of Modern Masters 2017, the next iteration of the Modern Masters Magic: The Gathering line from Wizards of the Coast. This set is composed entirely of reprints from sets that are Modern format legal, with a particular focus on cards from the Zendikar, Alara, Return to Ravnica and Innistrad blocks.

Today's first spoilers feature one of the cards making an appearance on Modern Masters 2017 booster pack artwork, the demon Griselbrand.

• Griselbrand: Four generic and four black mana, Legendary 7/7 Demon, flying and lifelink. Pay 7 life: draw seven cards.
• Primal Command: Three generic, two green mana, Sorcery. Choose two: Target player gains 7 life; or, put target noncreature permanent on top of its owner's library; or, target player shuffles his or her graveyard into his or her library; or, search your library for a creature card, reveal it, put it into your hand, then shuffle your library.
• Molten Rain: One generic, two red mana, Sorcery. Destroy target land. If that land was nonbasic, Molten Rain deals 2 damage to the land's controller.
• Harmonize: Two generic, two green mana, Sorcery. Draw three cards.

The next round of spoilers includes the final card featured on Modern Masters 2017 booster packs, Snapcaster Mage, which has had its artwork changed.

• Snapcaster Mage: One generic, one blue mana, 2/1 Human Wizard, flash. When Snapcaster Mage enters the battlefield, target instant or sorcery card in your graveyard gains flashback until end of turn. The flashback cost is equal to its mana cost. (You may cast that card from your graveyard for its flashback cost. Then exile it.)
• Thragtusk: Four generic, one green mana, 5/3 Beast. When Thragtusk enters the battlefield, you gain 5 life; when Thragtusk leaves the battlefield, put a 3/3 green Beast creature token onto the battlefield.
• Venser, Shaper Savant: Two generic, two blue mana, 2/2 Legendary Human Wizard, flash. When Venser, Shaper Savant enters the battlefield, return target spell or permanent to its owner's hand.
• Ranger of Eos: Three generic, one white mana, 3/2 Human Soldier. When Ranger of Eos enters the battlefield, you may search your library for up to two creature cards with converted mana cost 1 or less, reveal them, and put them into your hand. If you do, shuffle your library.

Continuing with the theme of three-color Limited archetypes introduced yesterday, Magic: The Gathering player and commentator Marshall Sutcliffe walks players through a cycle of five three-color Uncommon-rarity cards players can expect to find in their booster packs.

• Woolly Thoctar: One red, one green, and one white mana, 5/4 Beast.
• Rhox War Monk: One green, one white, and one blue mana, 3/4 Rhino Monk, lifelink.
• Sprouting Thrinax: One black, one red, and one green mana, 3/3 Lizard. When Sprouting Thrinax dies, create three 1/1 green Saproling creature tokens.
• Tower Gargoyle: One generic, one white, one blue, and one black mana, 4/4 Gargoyle, flying.
• Sedraxis Specter: One blue, one black, and one red mana, flying. Whenever Sedraxis Specter deals combat damage to a player, that player discards a card. Unearth for one generic and one black mana.

Up next is a series of spoilers from accounts associated with Wizards of the Coast, as well as the Commanderin' MTG Podcast.

• Deadeye Navigator: Four generic and two blue mana, 5/5 Spirit, soulbond. As long as Deadeye Navigator is paired with another creature, each of those creatures has "Pay one generic and one blue mana: Exile this creature, then return it to the battlefield under your control."
• Bonfire of the Damned: Double X generic and one red mana, Sorcery. Bonfire of the Damned deals X damage to target player and each creature he or she controls. Miracle for X generic and one red mana.
• Might of Old Krosa: One green mana, Instant. Target creature gets +2/+2 until end of turn. If you cast this spell during your main phase, that creature gets +4/+4 until end of turn instead.
• Grafdigger's Cage: One generic mana, Artifact. Creature cards can't enter the battlefield from graveyards or libraries. Players can't cast cards in graveyards or libraries.

Two of the most iconic single mana staples in Modern were announced as part of Modern Masters 2017 as well; Path to Exile, which has seen numerous reprints as promotional cards, and Inquisition of Kozilek, which was recently reprinted in Conspiracy: Take the Crown.

• Path to Exile: One white mana, Instant. Exile target creature. Its controller may search his or her library for a basic land card, put that card onto the battlefield tapped, then shuffle his or her library.
• Inquisition of Kozilek: One black mana, Sorcery. Target player reveals his or her hand. You choose a nonland card from it with converted mana cost 3 or less. That player discards that card.
• Temporal Mastery: Five generic and two blue mana, Sorcery. Take an extra turn after this one. Exile Temporal Mastery. Miracle for one generic and one blue mana.
• Zur the Enchanter: One generic, one white, one blue, and one black mana, 1/4 Legendary Human Wizard, flying. Whenever Zur the Enchanter attacks, you may search your library for an enchantment card with converted mana cost 3 or less and put it onto the battlefield. If you do, shuffle your library.

Modern Masters 2017 is set for release on March 17, 2017, with the digital release for Magic: The Gathering Online coming on March 23, 2017.

Stay tuned to TechRaptor for more news on Modern Masters 2017 and all things Magic: The Gathering.

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Quick Take

From the look of what's been spoiled thus far, the set is shaping up to be a very good one, and potential the best of the three Modern Masters sets to date. Wizards of the Coast has seemingly learned from the mistakes of Modern Masters 2015 and is including cards that see actual Modern play, and have high secondary market value.

What are your thoughts on today's spoilers? Let us know in the comment section below.