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commandertheory · 5 years

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M20 Commander Set Review

For each new set, I write an article discussing the new legendary creatures and the nonlegendary cards that I think will be relevant in Commander.

The Commanders of Core Set 2020

There are a lot of cheap multicolor creatures that generate value (Harmonic Sliver, Knight of Autumn, Qasali Pridemage, Renegade Rallier) in these colors, as well as a ton of strong sac outlets like Evolutionary Leap, Birthing Pod, and Greater Good. Basically, you’ve got everything you need to make a sweet recursion engine, plus you can use all the sac outlets you’re already running to enable sac fodder combos like Karmic Guide/Reveillark, Karmic Guide/Saffi, Reveillark/Saffi, Sun Titan/Saffi, Sun Titan/Gift of Immortality, Boonweaver Giant/Gift of Immortality, Renegade Rallier/Saffi, etc etc etc.

Sample list: Rienne, Angel of Rebirth

I’m really not a fan of ETB commanders since they all run the same cards (blink engines, sacrifice+reanimation engines) and if you don’t draw your engines they don’t do anything. Say what you will about the original Kaalia, but at least she fixed the weaknesses of her tribe; this Kaalia just gives you a handful of cards you can’t cast.

She is, however, quite good in the maindeck of a Kaalia 1.0 deck.

Self-mill is super important in this deck. The more you mill, the more likely it is you’ll have some fodder to exile, so I’d run Mesmeric Orb, Hermit Druid, Deadbridge Chant, Life from the Loam, Undercity Informer, and Altar of Dementia, for sure.

Legendary lands are great in this deck, and there are a ton of cheap legends in these colors that interact with the graveyard, like Storrev, Teshar, and Meren. There are also some great sac outlets on legendary creatures, like Yawgmoth, Krav, the Unredeemed, Sidisi, Undead Vizier, God-Eternal Bontu, and Izoni, Thousand-Eyed. Finally, there are just a ton of value commanders in these colors like Azusa, Captain Sisay, Reki, Tymna, The Gitrog Monster, as well as a ton of powerful planeswalkers like Elspeth 3.0, Ugin 1.0, Liliana Dreadhorde General, etc.

Sample list: Kethis, the Hidden Hand

Cheap red cantrips and looting spells are very good here, since they’re card neutral and usually mana-neutral. Other cards that trigger when you cast noncreatures, like Monastery Mentor, Saheeli Sublime Artificer, and Young Pyromancer are also solid. I really like Bident of Thassa, Coastal Piracy, and Kindred Discovery in a deck with so many evasive tokens, and Cathars’ Crusade, Coat of Arms, and Shared Animosity will help you kill people really quickly.

There are a couple of Spirit token generators that are worth running because they’re so efficient that they are either mana neutral or mana negative, like Midnight Haunting and Promise of Bunrei. Tectonic Reformation is good for dumping excess lands and helping you find more gas.

Jeskai Ascendancy does literally everything.

Sample list: Kykar, Wind’s Fury

These rewards are not good enough to incentivize committing to Elementals. Shooting something once and a Retreat to Kazandu will not make you feel smart for forsaking the other 300 creature types in Magic.

It doesn’t help that the most powerful part of the card has nothing to do with Elementals, as the smart way to build this guy seems to be Tatyova + Red. It’s also a little weird that the best reason for adding Red to this deck’s color identity is Omnath, Locus of Rage; if you really want to make 5/5s, why not run that Omnath as your commander?

I think this is a combo commander masquerading as a value commander. You can spin your wheels for a while by controlling the board with Reclamation Sage and Shriekmaw, but eventually you’re going to draw some combination of Peregrine Drake/Great Whale/Aluren/Cloud of Faeries and Shrieking Drake/Cavern Harpy/Dream Stalker/Cloudstone Curio/Deadeye Navigator and get infinite mana and bounces for your other ETB creatures. Or you can just draw Palinchron.

Sample list: Yarok, the Desecrated

There are some solid flying token generators in monowhite (although probably not as many as you’d expect), as well as hate bear flyers like Hushwing Gryff, Linvala 1.0, Aven Mindcensor, Remorseful Cleric, Selfless Spirit, flyers that generate value like Pilgrim’s Eye, Bygone Bishop, Skyscanner, and anthem flyers like Archangel of Thune, Celestial Crusader, and Angel of Jubilation.

Because Sephara has 7 power, you also have the option to try to go for a Voltron win using haste granters and cards that grant double strike.

The 6 CMC, 5 toughness, 4 power, 3-cost activation, draw 2, discard 1 is super cute. I think this deck is mostly counterspells, cheap cantrips to sculpt your hand, mana acceleration, and ways to grant him haste, and I don’t think it’s that hard to fix the list so that the proportions of different mana costs make it easy to find Exodia without gumming up your development.

Black has 15 ways to pay life without restriction (i.e., without requiring you to pay mana, tap the card, or do anything else), most of which you could justify playing in this deck.

You don’t even have to worry about protecting this guy, as once he resolves and turned your life outlet into a Yawgmoth’s Bargain, he’s done his job and you will probably win that turn.

Sample list: Vilis, Broker of Blood

Like Sephara, the 7 power pushes me towards a Voltron strategy, and Red has waaay more haste granters than White does. The free board control is a nice way to help your deck interact with your opponents even as you devote most of your resources to the Voltron plan.

The combination of 17 life per swing and the ability to kill anything with Drakuseth’s flame breath makes Basilisk Collar an attractive addition to this deck, but I’m not sure I’d run equipment that only granted deathtouch or only granted lifelink.

Most Green hydras become playable when they cost four less, so it’s not hard to fill out the tribal theme. The rest of the deck is ramp to help you get Gargos down early and effects that target your creatures to enable Gargos’s trigger. Effects that grant Gargos hexproof or indestructible are great because they protect him from spot removal while also getting you a fight trigger, and cards like Hunter’s Insight, Hunter’s Prowess, and Soul’s Majesty, while normally great when you have an 8-power commander, get even better when they also let you eat an opponent’s creature.

Sample list: Gargos, Vicious Watcher

This guy is useful if there’s a specific land you want access to every game. Imo, the best lands to build a deck around are Volrath’s Stronghold, Academy Ruins, and Hall of Heliod’s Generosity, but the one people seem to be most interested in is Maze’s End.

In addition to helping you get to the End every game, Golos can help you hit 10 gates pretty quickly if you run a bunch of blink effects (in this case, I think I would run the instant-speed ones, rather than build around repeatable blink engines). Note that although there is a danger of hitting multiple Gates if you activate his ability, potentially preventing you from winning with Maze’s End, you do get to be unlucky once, thanks to the 11th Gate, Gateway Plaza. You can also reduce the danger by running additional land drop effects or by waiting to activate him until you’ve blinked him, activated the Maze, or otherwise thinned your deck of Gates to reduce your odds of a bad flop.

I’m not sure what the rest of the deck will look like once you fill out the blink spells and extra land drop effects. Bog standard 5C control with a little bit of land recursion?

The Maindeck Cards of Core Set 2020

In this set review, I’ll be using two five-point rating scales to evaluate the nonlegendary cards, one that measures how many decks a card is playable in (we’ll call that “spread”), and one that measures how powerful it is in those decks (”power”). Here’s a brief rundown of what each rank on the two scales means:

Spread

1: This card is effective in one or two decks, but no more (ex: The Gitrog Monster).

2: This card is effective in one deck archetype (ex: self-mill decks).

3: A lot of decks will be able to use this card effectively (ex: decks with graveyard interactions).

4: This card is effective in most decks in this color.

5: Every deck in this color is able to use this card effectively.

Power

1: This card is always going to be on the chopping block.

2: This card is unlikely to consistently perform well.

3: This card provides good utility but is not a powerhouse.

4: This card is good enough to push you ahead of your opponents.

5: This card has a huge impact on the game.

Spread: 2

Power: 3

The 0 ability will not be that hard to pull off in Karlov or Kambal or Oloro, but even in those decks, it’s not that much better than a Tragic Arrogance or an Hour of Revelation, and those cards will always work.

Spread: 1

Power: 2

At first, I was ready to dismiss this guy, but then I realized that he’s joining the ranks of a very strange sort of combo enabler. Most things that produce tokens when things die say “nontoken”, but Bishop is one of a handful of cards that specify a creature type (the others being Rotlung Reanimator, Xathrid Necromancer, and Requiem Angel). This means that if you can overwrite the type of the token (via Conspiracy, Xenograft, Arcane Adaptation, or by editing the token maker’s text with Artificial Evolution), you get infinite sac fodder (note that xenograft and arcane adaptation don’t work with Requiem Angel). It’s also worth noting that Divine Visitation serves as an additional overwrite effect for both Bishop of Wings and Requiem Angel, although it doesn’t combo with the Reanimator or Necromancer.

Unfortunately, we don’t currently have a critical mass of this type of creature converter, nor do we have a critical mass of the creature overwriters, but both categories are worth paying attention to because they bring this creature sacrifice combo deck closer to viability.

Spread: 2

Power: 3

This isn’t worth it if you are just holding up two white to save some guys in case someone wraths, but it could be good if your deck has easy access to a sac outlet. G/W decks can combine it with Eternal Witness for a recursive loop, while W/U decks can use Archaeomancer.

Spread: 4

Power: 3

Love seeing White getting ways to remove things that aren’t just more O Ring variants. I’ll happily play this for the ETB trigger in many White decks, but it’s especially good if you have a way to blink or reanimate it; it’s especially good in B/W with Animate Dead, Dance of the Dead, and Necromancy. When Cavalier dies, get back your reanimate enchantment from graveyard, use that to bring this guy back, get his ETB trigger again, rinse and repeat. With a sac outlet, it’s 1B: Beast Within.

In monowhite, it also works pretty well with Gift of Immortality and a sac outlet, since you can keep sacrificing it and returning it with the Gift to Beast Within a ton of permanents and recur a bunch of artifacts/enchantments. Then if your opponents ever kill it for real before the Gift returns itself, you can get back the Gift to use on another creature.

Spread: 1

Power: 1

Kynaios and Tiro of Meletis have huge asses relative to their mana cost, and might be interested in trying for big butt voltron. They’re also on color for Assault Formation, High Alert, uncommon Huatli, Treefolk Umbra, and Arcades, the Strategist.

Spread: 4

Power: 2

If you’re running enough steal effects to reliably get the end step trigger, you can go ahead and run this guy (Thada Adel seems especially good, since stealing Sol Rings helps you cover this guy’s huge mana cost). He also works really well with blink/reanimation engines. However, if you’re not running any engines and he’s one of your only steal effects, then I dislike him because he compares so poorly to Gilded Drake.

Spread: 4

Power: 2

The fact that Blue has other cards that do the same thing without preventing sac outlet recursion makes me low on this card. Also, unlike the other Cavaliers, abusing its ETB trigger doesn’t do much unless you also have access to some shuffle effects, since you’re going to be seeing a lot of the same cards over and over.

However, this is decent in Yennett, since it can set up the top of your library and is itself an odd card.

Spread: 2

Power: 1

I’d probably run this in Naban, might run it in Azami, wouldn’t run it in Inalla.

Spread: 4

Power: 3

This card seems pretty sweet. Getting to drop the first card after a board wipe is a huge upside, and although it’s no Cyclonic Rift, it seems like a decent way to reset the board while putting you a little ahead of everyone else.

Spread: 2

Power: 2

The first option is terrible, but the second could be useful. March of the Machines is a liability on your opponents’ turns because it opens them up to board wipes, but this card offers a one-shot March by turning all your mana rocks and crappy tokens into copies of your biggest artifact creature. Also, if your Urza deck is having trouble winning the game, you could use this to make all your 0-mana artifacts into Karnstructs and kill everyone.

Spread: 2

Power: 2

Crystal Shard/Erratic Portal redundancy for bounce combos (e.g., Archaeomancer variant and Time Warp variant).

Spread: 2

Power: 1

The main purpose of running an Archaeomancer variant is so you can combo off with Time Warp effects; adding extra value and P/T for extra mana does not make the card better; it makes it significantly worse because the cost of operating a bounce engine loop goes up significantly.

However, this can itself be the engine if you have a cheap blink spell like Essence Flux. Rasputin Dreamweaver and Lavinia of the Tenth sometimes run these types of cards and it’s not a huge burden to run extra turn effect, so there may be a pretty low-cost way to set this combo up.

Spread: 1

Power: 2

A cheap, evasive Pirate works well in both Edric and Beckett Brass.

Spread: 2

Power: 2

Although this can always hit commanders, I still think this is a bit too situational to be worth running in most decks. However, if your commander needs Stifle effects really badly (Lord of Tresserhorn, for example), it’s nice that there’s extra utility stapled to this one.

Spread: 2

Power: 2

It’s not a very interesting card, but the rate is good; I’d run this if I had a cheap blue commander with flying.

Spread: 4

Power: 3

So the base case is really good, as there is lots of sac fodder (and ETB floaters) in black, as well as some powerful creatures with CMC 3 or less (such as Fleshbag/Merciless Executioner/Plaguecrafter).

If you’re in Blue/Black, there’s also combo potential with Phantasmal Image or Mirror Image, since these creatures can enter the battlefield as the Cavalier, get sacrificed to a sac outlet, then bring themselves back with their own death trigger. Repeat for infinite of whatever your sac outlet generates (as well as infinite free Bone Splinters).

Spread: 2

Power: 3

If this were just swampfall - draw a card it would be quite playable, but the ability to control the board really pushes this over the top. I would happily run this in any monoblack deck.

Spread: 1

Power: 1

I’ve considered running Necromancer’s Assistant in Hogaak as a way to get delve fodder while providing a body for convoke; this is a solid upgrade for that role.

Spread: 1

Power: 4

Sorcery speed all but guarantees your opponent is going to draw the card they tutored for before you get the thing you wanted, which is a nightmare scenario.

Fortunately, reader stormcrowlegend pointed out that this card is awesome in my Circu Citadel Combo list, since top-of-library tutors are actually better than tutors that put cards into your hand if you’re in the middle of comboing off with Bolas’s Citadel. Plus, you can use Circu to mill your opponent’s top card once they stack it with Scheming Symmetry.

Spread: 1

Power: 2

I’m a little skeptical that this is going to be good in Edgar because that deck favors a low curve and this is one of the most expensive Vampire lords, but it could push out a worse 4-drop.

Spread: 1

Power: 2

I don’t like this in Horde of Notions or Omnath, Locus of Rage, since they have better options for ramp and their elementals are big enough that they don’t care that much about the anthem. Marath is better at going wide with elementals, but I’m still skeptical that you would play this card when your deck has access to all the great anthems in Naya colors.

However, I think this card could make sense in Valduk, since he doesn’t have access to green, and he ideally makes a bunch of elementals each turn, so the buff could go pretty wide.

Spread: 1

Power: 2

There aren’t that many elemental token generators out there, and this card is cheap, makes elementals every turn, and kills them off. I think Omnath, Locus of Rage might play her just for the double Bolt action, and the -2 won’t be totally dead in a deck that favors land ramp spells over permanent-based ramp.

Spread: 1

Power: 2

Six mana is a lot, and although the -3 is nice, the -X is not very relevant and the emblems are more annoying than powerful in a 40-life format. I think she’ll create a lot of ill will among your opponents without being strong enough to adequately protect you from them.

Spread: 3

Power: 3

This card rips. It sculpts your hand on the way in so you can avoid flood and dump reanimation targets, grants itself and the rest of your team haste if you’ve got extra mana lying around, casually hoses planeswalkers, and burns the heck out of your opponents. This card is going to be best in decks that can abuse both the ETB and dies trigger (Feldon of the Third Path being the deck it is most suited to), but I think I’d happily run this card for the ETB and activated ability in most monored and Red/White lists.

Spread: 3

Power: 2

Only discarding mountains and red cards means that I would only be comfortable running this in monored decks, but I’d probably run it in every monored deck. It prevents you from flooding out, it’s a discard outlet for decks that care about it (such as Feldon of the Third Path), and it gets rid of worse rummaging effects that you’re probably running, like Tormenting Voice and its ilk or Throes of Chaos.

Spread: 3

Power: 2

This card seems generally good in monored lists, and specifically good in Neheb 3.0, where you can farm the discard trigger pretty easily. I’d also run this in both Beckett Brass and Neheb 1.0, since he’s one of the best Pirates and one of the best Minotaurs.

Spread: 1

Power: 2

It might be solid in Omnath 2.0 since it represents 3 lightning bolts in addition to the 1/1s. It could also be good in Zada, Purphoros, and other Red decks that just need a lot of bodies.

Spread: 1

Power: 2

There are only 10 guys that are really worth getting back in Horde of Notions, but Omnath 3.0 can easily grow this guy big enough that he can get back practically anything.

Spread: 4

Power: 2

A five-mana ramp spell is pretty far below the curve for Green, and I still don’t understand why it exiles itself for its Reclaim effect when the White and Black members of the cycle are way more combo-riffic but aren’t similarly nerfed. The self-mill is nice, but it’s not enough to bridge the gap between this card and the many more powerful Green value creatures at a similar price point.

Spread: 3

Power: 3

It’s no Weathered Wayfarer, but this card still kicks ass. If your deck has any lands that are important to its functioning (e.g., Gaea’s Cradle, Volrath’s Stronghold), this card is a must-have. It’s especially good in decks like Gitrog and Lord Windgrace that can recur lands from the graveyard or get value when they go there.

Spread: 1

Power: 2

I think I like this guy in Sidisi 1.0 and Tana, since he can help you get them down on turn three and then, conditions permitting, taps for two on turn four.

Spread: 1

Power: 2

Until Wizards atones for Ulrich, the only deck that will want this is Tolsimir, Friend to Wolves.

Spread: 2

Power: 2

Most token decks and elfball decks ought to be able to make use of the first ability. As for the second, Anthousa and Gargos explicitly reward you for targeting your creatures with spells, and Rhonas the Indomitable decks tend to run lots of fight/punch spells to make use of his deathtouch and indestructbility.

Spread: 2

Power: 3

This card is really useful for assembling combos, but the rate is not great. If you’re just trying to toolbox, I’d run one of the many more efficient green creature tutors instead.

Spread: 3

Power: 2

This may be a good option for monogreen decks that can’t easily deal with creatures, and of course you’ll run it in Gargos.

Spread: 1

Power: 2

Bird tribal is terrible and Spirit tribal doesn’t exist, so there’s not much room for this card. If we ever get an apology commander for Kangee, this card will probably make the cut.

Spread: 2

Power: 2

The format has gravitated away from 5-mana do-nothing enchantments over the years, but there are certainly a lot of BG decks that can farm its trigger.

Spread: 1

Power: 3

I think it may be good enough for the Everything Tribal deck I cooked up recently. It generates value by itself and the deck has a ton of other Elementals in the form of changelings.

Spread: 2

Power: 2

This could be sick nasty in commanders that can easily discard a ton of cards, like Neheb 3.0, Varina, Malfegor, Borborygmos 2.0, and Kozilek 2.0.

Spread: 2

Power: 2

Nahiri the Lithomancer, Balan, and Nazahn will probably run this because they can cheat it onto something. Sram might want this because it’s a cheap equipment, and he draws so many cards that eventually you’ll find your Puresteel Paladin or Sigarda’s Aid to cheat the equip cost.

Spread: 3

Power: 3

I’ve enjoyed using Voltaic Key as an additional mana rock in decks with lots of rocks that tap for two or more mana; this provides some redundancy and the second ability may be useful in decks built around the Kozileks and Ulamogs.

Spread: 2

Power: 3

Amazing in mono-brown lists, and rad in mono-white/red lists trying to fill in the gaps with artifacts. It also seems very good in Jhoira, Weatherlight Captain, since it drops your chance of whiffing down to almost zero.

Spread: 1

Power: 2

Combos with Teshar, a sacrifice outlet, and a 0-CMC artifact creature.

Spread: 4

Power: 3

I would find room for this in any monocolor deck and in select other decks that care about lands (such as the Gitrog Monster or Lord Windgrace).

Spread: 1

Power: 2

Monocolor decks are running too many basics to get 7 lands with different names, and the heavy multicolor decks that have lots of different lands are going to be unwilling to give up a land slot for something that only produces colorless. Monobrown decks, which run almost 100% utility lands and don’t care about colored mana, are in the best position to use this.

Spread: 2

Power: 3

Lotus Vale sees play in a surprising number of decks, including Titania; Hokori; Gitrog; Teferi, Temporal Archmage; Lord Windgrace; Muldrotha; and Derevi. Estrid the Masked can also get extra value out of her untap ability if she’s masked a land that taps for a bunch of mana,

This card is mostly an upgrade, so I imagine it’ll replace or complement Vale in those decks.

Wrapping Up

Please let me know if you think I missed any relevant cards or if you disagree with any of my ratings. Thanks for reading!

#set review #edh #commander #mtg #m20

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adashofstarshine · 5 years

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“The Reunion” - Jace/Vraska War of the Spark AU.

Commissioned by @mygogglesdosomething

Find my commission details here!

Summary:

Not one, but two, undead armies ravage Ravnica's Tenth District, intent on raising the proud city-plane to the ground. With no memories of her plans for sabotage, can Jace reach his Captain before her Erstwhile army destroys the very city she once swore to protect?

As God-Eternals fill the spark-strewn sky and zombies pour relentlessly from the Undercity, Jace is terrified that his actions may be too little too late.

War of the Spark AU where Jace is the one to give Vraska back her memories.

~ AO3 Link ~

Full Story Under the Cut!

No sooner had Jace tried to summon the power of the Guildpact, he had noticed something was wrong. The Guildpact was an ancient magic built on the cooperation between guilds. If it was to be used against Bolas, then all ten guilds must be in agreement that Bolas needed to be stopped. There lay their problem. Shrouded in illusion, Jace darted up the wreckage of the Transguild Promenade, straight towards Deadbridge. With every step, the consequences of his actions, or lack of action, burdened him ever further. A burden that was only heavier with the knowledge of what he was about to face.

He understood. He knew why Vraska had petrified Guildmaster Isperia. Right here and now, he wasn’t sure if he’d stop her if given the chance again. Who would he be to deny Vraska’s right to assert her personhood over the sphinx that had abused her? She would not be defined by her abusers. As the leader of the Golgari, she would seek justice for all those who had suffered. Isperia had likely been ignorant to all the pain she’d caused. She hadn’t even cared as hundreds of Golgari had been tortured in her name. Sphinxes. They had never ceased to disgust him.

Jace had known Bolas had promised Vraska guild leadership, but he hadn’t stopped to think of the consequences. He’d assumed it was a business transaction of sorts. One Immortal Sun for one Golgari title. But no, Vraska had herself an undead army and she was using it for the very dragon she’d sworn to betray. Not one but two armies now swarmed the streets of the Tenth District.

When he’d heard the screams, Jace’s blood had run cold. Ravnica had already been at war when he’d returned. He hadn’t had time to venture down into the Undercity. There hadn’t even been a spare moment for Vraska and what she might be doing now she had control of the Golgari. He was too late. Vraska was still on Bolas’ side. She didn’t have her memories. He’d failed her. Failed her so badly that she was going to wipe out the very people she’d sworn to protect! The blood on her hands was also on his. The Tenth District was being pincered from above and below. The Eternals didn’t seem interested in civilians but the Golgari’s forces cared not for who they slaughtered.

According to the Izzet scouts, hundreds of troops had emerged from the entrances into the Undercity, helmed by an enormous force, a lich-led procession heading across Deadbridge. That therefore was Jace’s destination. If the Golgari Queen was going to be anywhere, it would be with her nobles and generals. As he approached Deadbridge, he saw a cluster of bodies, all dressed in outlandishly colourful outfits. Planeswalkers, no one else on Ravnica dressed in such exuberant hides and feathers. They had died not from their sparks being torn out, but by a poisonous fungus that was already spreading across their features. The Golgari were nothing but efficient. He had to reach Vraska before she wiped out the precinct.

The realisation was going to be hard on her. Jace could already imagine the pain in her eyes as she realised how much damage she’d caused. Her guilt would be immeasurable. He’d stand by her, no matter what. If she needed hope, he’d be her assurance. If she needed strength, he would be her crutch. If she needed a shoulder to cry on, well, he’d certainly be that too. She was his Captain, and perhaps, something more. Jace found his heart racing at the thought of that book date she’d promised. One step at a time Beleren, he scolded himself. He had a monumental amount of fixing to do before he could consider an ‘after’. He had a very rough idea of a plan. He had assured the others that he would bring the Golgari over to their side within the hour. He was going to have to abuse his power a little. He was going to be the Living Guildpact in a way only he could achieve. It was time. Time for him to step out from his safety blanket of illusions and be the one his home needed.

Just short of Deadbridge, he was forced to stop in his tracks by an almighty boom overhead. Something immense had just been released from the interplanar portal, loud enough to be heard many miles away. Skulking behind a low stone wall, he dared look up at the darkening sky. At first, he thought it was a bird, then he saw it had humanoid legs and the remnants of a robe.

The loud flapping of wings drowned out Jace’s expletives.

It was Kefnet, the ibis god of Amonkhet, or perhaps ex-god was more accurate. He was certainly more skeletal and lazotep-coated than last Jace had seen him. He was heading in exactly the same direction as he was. This was the entire definition of ‘not good’.

Jace took a deep breath. He couldn’t have been the only one to see that. No, he didn’t have time to think about this right now! He had to find Vraska! He had to save her and return her to herself!

His run turned into a sprint, weaving round abandoned bodies and vehicles. Cloaked by five layers of illusion, his feet made no sound against the pavement. He kept glancing upwards as Kefnet glided overhead. Please don’t notice, please don’t notice, Jace found himself chanting in his head. However, his prayers were soon drowned out by a great blast of horns and drums. Kefnet completely ignored this interruption, confirming Jace’s worst fears. The Golgari and Eternals were indeed working in tandem.

The Golgari army had reached the edge of Deadbridge. It was a sight unlike any Jace had seen before. Trolls with drums the size of wagons beat a fanfare as troop after troop of armoured Golgari marched in rank and file out of the Undercity. Flanks of armoured devkarin were interspersed with chittering kraul. Grim flag-bearers, bedecked in skull-like war paint, each led hundreds of fungus-coated zombies. They were unlike any undead Jace had encountered, and their military precision matched the eternals in every respect. He could hear their progress into the city, their arrival at a new road marked with a fresh chorus of screams. There was a crash and suddenly Kefnet joined the fray, ripping apart a nearby rooftop with enormous skeletal hands. The building was promptly swarmed by these horrific new zombies.

Jace looked up just as another loud boom shook tiles off the roof-tops. His knees almost gave out under him as not one but three more god-eternals loomed over the horizon. No… One self-proclaimed god was enough. How were they to deal with four more? How were they ever going to reach Bolas whilst trying to save the population from these divine monstrosities? Even the Golgari quailed at the sight of the goliaths, but their lich lords and ladies shouted them back into line from atop many-legged beasts - beetles, spiders and other unidentifiable horrors.

“Beleren!” the telepathic shout crackled like static in his brain.

“What?” he replied, in similar frustration.

“What are you doing? Are you seeing this?” demanded Ral Zarek, “The Golgari are massacring out here and now there are these giant…things!”

“They’re zombified gods,” Jace explained, as if knowing made it any better, “And I’m working on the Golgari! Give me a moment!”

“We don’t have many more moments left!”

Jace felt him drop the connection in panic and immediately turned to deal with the problem at hand. He had no idea where in the oncoming army Vraska was. Blood dyed the surrounding moss and fungi a rich crimson as liches raised the slaughtered city folk and sent them shambling off into the district. Jace tore his gaze away and took a deep breath. He didn’t have enough Guildpact power to hurt Bolas, but he could certainly do this.

“CITIZENS OF THE GOLGARI.” His voice boomed telepathically through every mind on the bridge. The procession came to an abrupt halt.

“I am Jace Beleren, Living Guildpact and I am here to tell you that you have been deceived. The end you march towards is the end of Ravnica itself. Not death, but obliteration from which no life will return. I therefore seek an audience with your Queen to put an end to this needless bloodshed.”

He gave a pause to let this information sink in.

“Guildmaster Vraska, as the Living Guildpact, I request your presence at the foot of Deadbridge, this instant. Bring no guards, no assassins, your army will stand by.”

The bridge itself suddenly rippled with green light. Jace felt the surge of power pass through his being, like being hit by immense wave. The leyline leading through the Guildgate had illuminated the brickwork, the power of Ravnica itself summoned forth by the Guildpact’s command. There were numerous cries as a glowing barrier, towering over even the largest beast, formed at the foot of the bridge. Pure mana stopped the army’s advance, walking into it would clearly be suicide.

“You have some nerve Beleren!”

A wide arch formed in the barrier, allowing the irate Guildmaster to come through. It snapped closed immediately behind her, but Jace was too transfixed at what she was wearing to care. The last time they’d met she’d been in full pirate ensemble. She’d looked utterly magnificent then, but now! What was that? Had she come to war in a ballgown? Still invisible, Jace couldn’t help but gasp and stare. It was a ballgown, resplendent with more mushrooms than Jace could possibly name, and many layers of silk that drifted ethereally about her in the wind. The dress was sleeveless, leaving her wide array of scars on display for all to see. She looked tall, proud, regal… and gorgeous beyond belief. He had to take a moment to compose himself before sending out an illusion to address her.

“No offense was meant Guildmaster,” said the illusion, “The need is dire but I am merely here to parley.”

She scowled at him, her eyes already alight with magic. In one swift movement, she pulled a knife from in her skirts and thrust it at the illusion. The blade passed straight through the fake-Jace’s head and clattered onto the pavement. The illusion flickered once and died before another swiftly took its place.

“If you truly wish to parley,” she spat, clearly wondering where he had acquired the term, “Then you will come out here in your own skin.”

It pained him to see her so filled with hatred. This was the Vraska ruled by revenge rather than compassion. He desperately wanted the new Vraska, the Vraska who shown him mercy and not rage. The Vraska who stood proudly at the bow and sung sea-shanties at the top of her lungs, loving life and more importantly, loving herself. However, if he approached her now, he very clearly risked petrification, or a knife to the head.

“I would have your word that I’m not going to be stone the moment I appear,” he informed her.

She let out another angry hiss, her hair unfurling to its fullest extent.

“State your purposes and perhaps I will.”

Here went nothing.

“I am here to return something you lost,” his illusion replied, “You left them behind on Ixalan. I merely wish to give them back.”

His mention of Ixalan had clearly caught her off guard. She pulled another knife out of goodness-knows-where, but did not throw it. As far as she knew, he had never been to Ixalan. He should not know the term ‘parley’ in relation to a pirate’s meeting. He shouldn’t even know she had been a pirate. Her memories showed her a glorious solo victory. An image of herself turning her adversaries to gold. Jace had never been part of that and, as predicted, this was enough to pique her curiosity.

“You have my word. Now come forth and explain yourself.”

Jace stepped out from behind the nearest building. He could just about see the Golgari troops, waiting indignantly behind his barrier. Vraska stood before them, a vision in autumnal hues, gleaming dagger in one hand, a golden glow in her eyes.

Jace dispelled his illusion with a casual wave, walking to the edge of the bridge, keeping his gaze trained on the furious Guildmaster at all times. His eye contact showed he wasn’t afraid of her. The Golgari grew quieter with his every step, as if shocked that he would dare approach their Queen so brazenly.

“Explain yourself Beleren,” she demanded.

“Of course, Captain.”

It was like watching an epiphany in slow motion. First, her eyes widened, their golden glow fading to a dull yellow. Her mouth fell open in a silent scream as she slowly sank to the ground in a ripple of silks and skirts. Her taloned fingers rose, hands clasping over her lips in dawning realisation. Gaze burning blue, memories flooded her consciousness, each raw with emotion, as tender as the last. She drew a rasping breath, as if surfacing from deep water. Her hands falling to the ground to steady herself. As her senses returned, she looked up. Golden eyes swimming with tears, she stared at Jace – not with the rage of only moments ago, but with abject horror.

He offered her his hand. After a moment’s hesitation, she took it and somewhat clumsily got to her feet.

“Jace,” her voice was softer but not devoid of anger. He had the distinct feeling this was not directed at him, but inwards

He didn’t need to be in her thoughts to know how she felt. One look spoke louder than words. What have I done?

“I’m sorry Captain,” he said, “For not being here sooner. You needed me and I was absent. I will apologise a thousand times over when we have time, but now, we are at war.”

Vraska blinked, confused perhaps by the fact that he was the one apologising. She straightened up a little and nodded.

“We are at war,” she agreed, “I need to make up for what I’ve done.”

She still sounded a little breathless.

“Can you project my voice?”

Jace nodded as she took a shaky step back towards her army. Then another more confident stride, then another. Jace took a step back, and slowly lowered the barrier.

“Golgari!” Vraska exclaimed, her voice booming out over Deadbridge, “Though it pains to say this, the Living Guildpact is right. We have been deceived!”

There was instant uproar from the assembled masses. Cries, shouts, a few bellowing roars but Vraska instantly called for silence.

“There will be no Kingdom of Rot! No land for the Golgari left to claim if the dragon has his way with our world! Today we fight to show Ravnica what glory grows forth from the Undercity! Not through destruction, but to bring the world into our debt! Today we turn the tides. Today we fight for Ravnica!”

Jace watched on as Vraska shouted orders at her troops. He stepped to one side as phalanx after phalanx of elf, kraul and zombie departed Deadbridge with a new resolve burning in their eyes. They marched in rank and file, through the streets, their numbers swollen by the soldiers once rampaging through people’s homes.

“If I find that any more citizens have been harmed!” Vraska called, “I will petrify every person responsible, starting with the highest chain of command! Spread the news throughout the city! The Golgari will be Ravnica’s saviour, not its doom!”

Soon only a small contingent of liches were left on Deadbridge. They seemed to be standing guard over the Undercity entrance, standing tall on their beetle mounts. Vraska turned to Jace, joining him at the foot of the bridge and gesturing for him to cut his enhancement of her voice. Once she was out of earshot of her gentry, she seemed to shrink a little, exhaustion evident in her posture.

“Jace, I-“ She shook her head. Her hair fell limp about her face as she looked at him, seemingly struggling for words.

“It’s not your fault,” he assured her, “The fault lies with Bolas, for deceiving you. And with me, for not being there in time.”

“No,” she replied, “No, I fell straight into his trap. He saw my weakness and abused it. Killing Isperia, it fell directly into his plans. And now, look what happened because I was weak.”

She gestured at the piles of bodies that littered the edge of Deadbridge. Those were undeniable, but still, not her fault.

“Someone once told me,” Jace stated, “That you aren’t weak because you were taken advantage of. The cruelty of what they made you do reflects on them, not you.”

She gave a funny little hiccup at the sound of her own words being repeated back to her. She smiled, but the guilt was plain in her eyes.

“Beleren!” the static was back and so was the Izzet Guildmaster.

“Yes,” Jace replied, “What is happening?”

“The Golgari have changed sides!” Ral exclaimed, “How the hell did you do it?”

Jace glanced at Vraska and made a silent motion, tapping the side of his head with one finger. She nodded and he linked her telepathically into the conversation.

“I spoke with their Guildmaster. Her mind was under the control of Bolas, I managed to find the root of his corruption and set her free.”

Vraska stared at Jace with wide eyes at his blatant deception.

“She was being controlled?!” Ral replied, “So this army, Isperia…”

“Bolas’ doing,” Jace lied, “To put his minion in control of the Azorius and trap us from both sides. However, the Golgari have returned to us. Their armies are taking on the Eternals as we speak.”

“Guildmaster Zarek,” Vraska’s thoughts felt cool, like shadows upon cold stone, “I know that no words will make up for my actions under the dragon’s influence.”

“You’re right there,” growled Ral.

“However,” Vraska continued, “In the Golgari deeds speak larger than words. So, let me show you how committed my guild is to ending this tyrant’s reign.”

Vraska turned towards her assembled lich lords. Though the barrier was gone, they had remained respectfully at the foot of the bridge.

“Lords and Ladies of Korozda!” Vraska called out to the assembled liches, broadcasting her words telepathically as well as audibly, “Contact your brethren! Now is the time to prove your loyalty to our Great City! Those undead who tower over us are weapons of the enemy. Bring them to heel! Now!”

Jace wasn’t sure quite what to expect. He could feel the necrotic energy in the air like water vapor. Humid with power, the air itself took on a green tint, distorting the world around them in a way that made his head spin. Vraska stood strong, pointing at the rampaging Kefnet, who was now batting off attacking Golgari undead.

“NOW!” she screamed.

There was a release. Like a bubble of pure energy being burst. Jace found his vision clearing, able to breathe easy once more as a great fountain of energy soared into the sky. More beams, like green beacons, shot off distant rooftops, Dozens of green rays struck the heavens, before turning, focussing. Golgari from all over the city, necromancers all, funnelled their power, directing it at the God-Eternals.

Jace watched in open-mouthed shock as Kefnet stopped in his tracks. Fungi, bright green and luminescent, was growing about the ex-god’s limbs at a speed unlike any Jace had seen before. Enormous orange shelf-mushrooms bloomed through his eye-holes, as roping vines wrapped about his beak. Blue lazotep was swiftly and utterly coated in a thick rainbow of fungi, glowing, undulating, writhing as they consumed the bird-god whole. There was a moment in which Jace stood, breath held, before Kefnet rose above the rooftops like a phoenix emerging from the ashes. His shape was recognisable but his form was entirely fungal, no trace of gleaming metal remained. The Undercity had consumed him. The Golgari had taken control.

“Strike down the invaders!” Vraska cried, “Take their mockery of our ways and grind them to dust! We are the Golgari and Ravnica is ours!”

There was an almighty cheer. Jace hastily stepped away from the bridge as the liches split into two parties. Those riding great spiders and beetles came charging onto the city streets, ready to join in the fray.

“Did they just-“ came Ral’s shocked thoughts in both their heads, “Did you just take all the-“

“Take command of those monstrosities?” Vraska replied, “Do not fight the Golgari with undeath as your only weapon. We will master you.”

She spoke with such power and conviction, Jace was feeling a little weak at the knees. His Captain was back and she was glorious.

“We’re still telepathically linked you know,” she thought at him. He went rather pink

“Well…you have certainly proved yourself,” Ral sounded immensely relieved, “I’ve powered down the Beacon, but we need to discuss what to do about the dragon. Meet me. Nivix. Now.”

He shut off his mental connection as if his words were final. The buzz of static faded from Jace’s ears and he turned back to Vraska, meeting her gaze once more.

“You lied to him,” she said, though she lacked any sort of accusation in her tone. On the contrary, she seemed a little impressed.

Jace shrugged.

“A little. I don’t think I regret it though.”

“That’s not very Guildpact-ly behaviour,” she teased. Her smile was contagious and he found himself blushing a little as he grinned back.

“I know, must have spent too much time around those good-for-nothing pirates,” he replied, before growing a little more serious.

“If I hadn’t lied, well, perhaps I was being selfish. But I know you.” He met her gaze, willing her to believe in his complete sincerity.

“As the Guildpact, I would much rather have you ruling the Golgari. As a friend, I know how wonderful a leader you can be. I believe the Golgari, and the whole of Ravnica, can only benefit from that.”

There was a crash in the distance as fungal-Kefnet flew through the air, colliding with a mass of winged eternals. Jace momentarily glanced skywards, but then focussed his attention back on her.

“I won’t be the one to take away your chance to reinvent who you are. You are who you decide to be. I believe, now you’re wholly yourself again, you can show Ravnica that you’re as amazing as I see you.”

Now it was her turn to blush, the green glow of her cheeks partially obscured by her hair, curling about her face in an endearing display of bashfulness. She took a step closer, and reached forward. Jace waited patiently, knowing how much of a trial this was for her, to reach out and voluntarily make physical contact with another person. Yet she did, long fingers gently brushing against his cheek. She drew closer still, cupping the side of his face with a smile that warmed the golden hue of her gaze.

“You’re still you,” she murmured, “You’re still the remarkable man I left on Ixalan. I missed you, somehow. There was always something gone, something missing. Now I know what that was.”

She traced over his tattoos with one calloused finger. Jace’s heart was beating far too fast. The fact she was touching him was exhilarating, but the fact she was comfortable enough to do so was a thrill in itself.

“I have a lot to make up for,” he replied, “To Ravnica, to you, I-“

She cut him off with a kiss. So light and gentle, but it stole his breath away.

“We’ll have time for regrets after we defeat Bolas,” she whispered, still so close, “You’re right, we are at war.”

Jace wondered if she felt like he did – like he’d swallowed an entire apple and it had lodged itself in his throat. Ever so gently, he kissed her in return. Her hair curled in delight.

“We’ll have time for plenty of things once we’re safe,” he replied, before realising how that might be interpreted

“I meant, you know for talking, planning, catching up, though I-I suppose there’s time for more kissing too. I didn’t mean it that way. But if you want there to be more kissing, or other things, I would be more than-“

She laughed, cutting off his nervous babbling with a simple:

“I would like that.”

“Talking? Or-or more kissing, I didn’t-“ Jace’s mind had spiralled off into what-ifs and maybes.

“You know what I mean.” Her enigmatic smile sent shivers down his spine, silencing him instantly. Gods, why did she have to be so beautiful?

One hand disappeared into the skirts of her dress and, to his immense surprise, she pulled out a sword. Was that why she was wearing so many layers? Were her skirts just packed with blades?

“Come, we’re meeting Zarek at Nivix are we not?”

Jace was thrust back into the here and now. Yes, there would be time for talking, (and maybe kissing), later. Now they had to fight a dragon.

“Yes Captain!”

There was a ripple of mana as he cast an illusion over them both. They exchanged one last look before starting the long trek back down the Transguild Promenade. They had a meeting to attend, a plan to make, and a multiverse to save. Even after this little triumph, the turning of the Golgari, the controlling of the God-Eternals, they would surely have their work cut out for them. They would need every last Guildmaster and planeswalker on their side, but maybe, if they fought long and hard enough, the day would be theirs. Jace couldn’t help but silently beg the spark-strewn sky for victory. Give them this. Give them their home. Years of pain and suffering had brought them both, here, at this moment. Please, let the day be theirs. Let them enjoy their new lives, their new selves, together.

#mtg #mtg fanfic #jace #jace beleren #vraska #war of the spark

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