Scars of Mirrodin

Scars of Mirrodin is a Magic: The Gathering block, consisting of the expansion sets Scars of Mirrodin (October 1, 2010), Mirrodin Besieged (February 4, 2011) and New Phyrexia.[3][4] This block marked the return to the plane of Mirrodin. This plane was last visited in the Mirrodin block that concluded in 2004.[5] The interim tagline for the set was "The Corrosion Begins October 1, 2010." The plans for this set were first made public by mananation.com when it was discovered that "Scars of Mirrodin", as well as "Mirrodin Pure" and "New Phyrexia" had been registered as trademarks with the US Patent and Trademark Office by Wizards of the Coast.[6] As with the original Mirrodin block, artifacts make up the overarching theme of Scars of Mirrodin; Nearly half of all cards in the set are artifacts. In his May 24 column, Mark Rosewater confirmed that the "Infect" game mechanic in Scars of Mirrodin would bring poison counters back to Magic. All cards (other than basic lands) in the Scars of Mirrodin block carried a watermark, either Mirran or Phyrexian.[7][8]

Scars of Mirrodin
A hexplate beginning to corrode
ReleasedOctober 1, 2010
Size249 cards (101 Common, 60 Uncommon, 53 Rare, 15 Mythic Rare, and 20 Basic Land)
KeywordsMetalcraft, Imprint, Infect, Proliferate
MechanicsMetalcraft, infect, proliferate [1]
DesignersMark Rosewater (lead), Mark Gottlieb, Alexis Janson, Erik Lauer, Matt Place, Mark Globus, Nate Heiss
DevelopersMike Turian (lead), Aaron Forsythe, Erik Lauer, Mark Purvis, Matt Place
Development codeLights
Expansion codeSOM
First set in the
Scars of Mirrodin block
Scars of Mirrodin Mirrodin Besieged New Phyrexia
← Magic 2011 Mirrodin Besieged →
← Zendikar Block Innistrad Block →
Mirrodin Besieged
Mirran/Phyrexian symbols combined
ReleasedFebruary 4, 2011
Size155 cards (10 Mythic Rare, 35 Rare, 40 Uncommon, 60 Common, 10 Basic Land)
KeywordsBattle Cry, Infect, Proliferate
MechanicsLiving Weapon
DesignersMark Gottlieb (lead), Gregory Marques, Ken Nagle, Mark Rosewater, Mike Turian
DevelopersErik Lauer (lead), Ryan Dhuse, Tom LaPille, Zac Hill, Mike Turian
Development codeCamera
Expansion codeMBS
Second set in the
Scars of Mirrodin block
Scars of Mirrodin Mirrodin Besieged New Phyrexia
← Scars of Mirrodin New Phyrexia →
← Zendikar Block Innistrad Block →
New Phyrexia
Phyrexian Symbol
ReleasedMay 13, 2011
Size175 cards (10 Mythic Rare, 35 Rare, 60 Uncommon, 60 Common, 10 Basic Land)
KeywordsInfect, Metalcraft, Proliferate, Imprint
MechanicsPhyrexian Mana, Living Weapon
DesignersKen Nagle (lead), Dave Guskin, Joe Huber, Matt Place, Mark Rosewater[2]
DevelopersAaron Forsythe (lead), Dave Guskin, Zac Hill, Tom LaPille, Erik Lauer[2]
Development codeAction
Expansion codeNPH
Third set in the Scars of Mirrodin block
Scars of Mirrodin Mirrodin Besieged New Phyrexia
← Mirrodin Besieged Magic 2012 →
← Zendikar Block Innistrad Block →

Storyline

The origins of New Phyrexia date back to the early design stages of the original Mirrodin set. The idea of Phyrexian oil influencing Mirrodin's evolution was included in the storyline for future use.[9]

New Phyrexia was originally planned to be the first set of the "Lights" block, with the storyline being set after the Phyrexians had already conquered Mirrodin. Eventually, designer Mark Rosewater made the decision to build the block around the war between the Mirrans and the Phyrexians, leading up to New Phyrexia after Scars of Mirrodin and Mirrodin Besieged.[10]

In the original announcement from December 9, 2010 it was left open whether this set would be named New Phyrexia or Mirrodin Pure. On March 29, 2011 Wizards of the Coast announced that New Phyrexia was going to be the name of the set.[11] The tagline for Mirrodin Pure would have been "The Sharpest Steel is Tempered in Fire".[2]

Mechanics

Scars of Mirrodin introduced the Phyrexian mechanics Infect and Proliferate, and the Mirran mechanics Metalcraft and Imprint. A creature with infect deals damage to creatures in the form of -1/-1 counters (much like Wither) and to players in the form of poison counters. A player with 10 or more poison counters loses the game.[12] Proliferate allows players to give additional counters to any number of permanents and/or players they so choose who already have them.[13] Imprint was a returning keyword from the original Mirrodin block, and allowed an artifact to gain additional effects if another card is exiled and imprinted on that artifact. Metalcraft rewards a player for having three or more artifacts in play.[14] As with the original Mirrodin block, artifacts that were Equipment and/or were indestructible were printed.

Besides expanding on mechanics from Scars, Mirrodin Besieged introduced the Mirran mechanic Battle Cry, and the Phyrexian mechanic Living Weapon. Whenever a creature with battle cry attacks, all other attacking creatures that player or team controls get +1/+0 until the end of the turn. Living weapon is found only on Equipment. When a piece of Equipment with "Living weapon" enters the battlefield, it creates a 0/0 Black Germ creature token and the Equipment is immediately attached to that token. It expanded on the poison counters mechanic by making certain things happen if players were poisoned.

The four mechanics from Scars and living weapon returned for New Phyrexia. New Phyrexia introduced also Phyrexian Mana Symbols. Mana costs containing Phyrexian mana symbols can be paid with either the given color or two life per Phyrexian Mana symbol. In New Phyrexia, all permanent cards with Phyrexian Mana in their costs are colored artifacts.

Notable cards

Notable cards from Scars of Mirrodin include Mox Opal and Memnite

Notable cards from Mirrodin Besieged include Blightsteel Colossus, Sword of Feast and Famine and Green Sun's Zenith.

Notable cards from New Phyrexia include Elesh Norn, Grand Cenobite, Birthing Pod,[15] Dismember,[16][17] Mental Misstep,[18] Gitaxian Probe, Karn Liberated and Sword of War and Peace, which completed the Swords cycle begun in the Mirrodin block.

Notes and references
  1. "Scars of Mirrodin Visual Spoiler".
  2. Ashley, Monty. "Announcing Action". Wizards of the Coast. Retrieved February 4, 2011.
  3. "Announcing Scars of Mirrodin". Wizards of the Coast. Retrieved March 18, 2010.
  4. "Announcing Mirrodin Besieged". Wizards of the Coast. August 3, 2010. Retrieved October 14, 2010.
  5. "Announcing Scars of Mirrodin". Retrieved March 18, 2010.
  6. "Next block: New Phyrexia, Scars of Mirrodin and Mirrodin Pure?". Retrieved March 18, 2010.
  7. ertaislament (January 3, 2012), Scars Block, retrieved October 4, 2013
  8. Morgan, Matt (April 19, 2011), New Phyrexia Shakes Up Magic: The Gathering, retrieved October 6, 2013
  9. Rosewater, Mark (March 21, 2011). "Looking in the Mirrodin". Wizards of the Coast. Retrieved April 13, 2011.
  10. Rosewater, Mark (April 4, 2011). "The Untold Story (Well, Until Today)". Wizards of the Coast. Retrieved April 16, 2011.
  11. Ashley, Monty (March 29, 2011). "Action Is New Phyrexia". Wizards of the Cost. Retrieved March 29, 2011.
  12. "On The Rebound". Retrieved May 24, 2010.
  13. "Something Wicked This Way Comes, Part 3". Retrieved September 20, 2010.
  14. "Something Wicked This Way Comes, Part 2". Retrieved September 13, 2010.
  15. Top 8 Decks featuring Birthing Pod
  16. "Debating Dismember in Standard". TCGplayer.com. April 10, 2011. Retrieved November 3, 2011.
  17. Erwin, Evan (August 26, 2011). "The Magic Show #241 - The Mistakes of New Phyrexia" (Video). Retrieved November 3, 2011.
  18. LaPille, Tom (August 12, 2011). "Welcome to the Modern World". Wizards of the Coast. Retrieved November 3, 2011.
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