Update 12/05/2016: Since the posting of this article earlier today, Wizards of the Coast has released an article concerning Aether Revolt packaging, promotional cards, and Planeswalker decks. The first thing to note is that Wizards of the Coast has confirmed the legitimacy of four Magic: The Gathering promotional cards that were leaked on November 29, 2016, and give high-resolution scans of their promotional card variants (while also affirming that these were leaked ahead of Wizards of the Coast's preview schedule).
Wizards of the Coast has also revealed the face card of the second Planeswalker Deck (and presumably the final Planeswalker to appear in Aether Revolt and the Kaladesh block), Tezzeret, Master of Metal. They've also confirmed fan translations for the Planeswalker Deck variant of Ajani (Ajani, Valiant Protector), and the Ajani of Aether Revolt proper (Ajani Unyielding, previously translated as Ajani, the Unshakable).
Tezzeret, Master of Metal has a casting cost of four generic, one blue, and one black mana, comes into play with five loyalty counters and has the following abilities:
- +1: Reveal cards from the top of your library until you reveal and artifact card. Put that card into your hand and the rest on the bottom of your library in a random order.
- -3: Target opponent loses life equal to the number of artifacts you control.
- -8: Gain control of all artifacts and creatures target opponent controls.
The original article follows below.
Yesterday, Wizards of the Coast gave Magic: The Gathering players their first official taste of what's to come in Aether Revolt, the next Magic: The Gathering set and the second half of the Kaladesh block. On their Brazilian YouTube channel, they showed off this sets rendition of the leonin Planeswalker Ajani Goldmane, who is aligning with the Gatewatch in their fight against the Kaladesh Consulate and the Planeswalker Tezzeret.
Late last night, however, a completely different rendition of Ajani surfaced on the official Korean Magic: The Gathering Facebook page - this one, however, will be found in the Planeswalker Decks - the product that has replaced the Intro Decks of sets past - as evidenced by its collector number being designated 185/184. This card, translated as Ajani, Valorous Protector by twitter user @kimhn1198 and refined by reddit user dnspartan305, will be Standard legal (and thus legal in other formats as well), but will not be considered a part of Aether Revolt proper.
Much like his proper printing in Aether Revolt, Ajani, Valorous Protector has the same converted mana cost (four generic, one green and one white mana) and the same starting number of loyalty counters (four). Where things differ is in their abilities - Ajani, Valorous Protector has the following abilities:
- +2 : Put two +1/+1 counters on up to one target creature.
- +1 : Reveal the top card of your library until a creature card is revealed. Put it into your hand and put all other cards revealed this way onto the bottom of your library in a random order.
- -11 : Put X +1/+1 counters on target creature, where X is equal to your life total. That creature gains trample until end of turn.
What are your thoughts on this secondary rendition of Ajani? Do you think it will see any play, and if so in what formats? Let us know in the comment section below.