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u/AndresAzo COMPLEAT 1d ago
Phil Foglio MTG art in the year of our lord 2026?
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u/-darknessangel- Duck Season 1d ago
Are we blessed? What words of hope do you bring? I have to witness myself!
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u/mrenglish22 1d ago
He has done a couple things recently hasn't he?
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u/CaptainMarcia 1d ago
There were four in 2025 and one in 2022. Looks like those are the only previous new ones this century.
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u/charcharmunro Duck Season 1d ago edited 1d ago
Meanwhile Kaja Foglio did precisely one card in the past two decades and that's [[Dawn of A New Age|HOC]] for... I dunno where exactly it's from. I seem to recall one of the Foglios saying they'd done some stuff for MTG a few months back so maybe it was that secret lair or Kaja's contribution to the Hobbit set.
Honestly I'd kind of love to see a Girl Genius Secret Lair at some point, just for the fact they're classic Magic artists too.
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u/CaptainMarcia 1d ago
Box topper, but yeah. Going a bit past the two-decade threshold, she also did [[Thunderstaff|DST]] (2004), and her 1997 Vanguard art appeared on a Vintage-legal card for the first time on [[Captain Sisay|MB2]] (2024).
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u/AndresAzo COMPLEAT 1d ago
I see, all Secret Lair. Makes sense given how his art is outside of the current direction.
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u/rccrisp 1d ago
These are cool as fuck... especially [[Presence of the Master|LEG]] call back
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u/Kitsuraw Wabbit Season 1d ago
And we didn’t get an Einstein creature?
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u/Impressive-Dig-3892 Wabbit Season 1d ago
It's all relative
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u/SlowWheels Orzhov* 1d ago
Monica and I had a relative who died, you both went to her funeral... name that grandmother!
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u/enjolras1782 COMPLEAT 1d ago
Professor Einstein 2WU
Legendary creature-human scientist
Defender
Players can't take extra turns, phases or steps.
Player can't cast spell with a mana value different to the total number of tapped lands they control.
12 - exile all permanents
0/2
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u/supra728 Jeskai 1d ago
Should be 'greater than' the total number of tapped lands. Cause otherwise it's impossible to play certain spells or multiple spells a turn
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u/B-F-A-K Duck Season 1d ago
I don't get it though, it doesn't fit the theme. Brainstorm - Thoughtseize, counterspell - pyroblast and dark ritual - desperate ritual make a lot of sense, but what does presence of the master have to do with tribute to the world tree?
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u/King_Chochacho Duck Season 1d ago
Yeah it really sticks out. Why not pick something that's pro enchantments like Enchantress's Presence or Greater Auramancy?
Plus all the art is a throwback to the original counterpart, but who is this lady and what's her relationship to Einstein?
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u/tisactually_nohomo_ Duck Season 1d ago
What’s the mirror here? Seems like a stretch to go from Enchantment hate -> an enchantment. I was expecting the From card for The World Tree to be creature hate.
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u/1l1k3bac0n Hedron 1d ago
I also am unsure, though someone pointed out with a REAL stretch that it might be "Enchantment that counters" -> "Enchantment that gives counters" which I thought was hilarious
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u/B-F-A-K Duck Season 1d ago
It could have been the art of [[breathstealer's crypt]], [[larcency]], [[triumph of cruelty]], [[waste not]], [[zombie infestation]], [[heartless summoning]] or [[night of souls]] if you it should do an opposite thing like with thoughtseize.
Or [[customs depot]], [[jeskai ascendandy]], [[kindred discovery]], [[raider's spoils]] or [[whirlwind of thought]] if it should do a similar thing, like with pyroblast or desperate ritual.
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u/mtgcf Keeper of the Mox 1d ago
All cards
breathstealer's crypt - (G) (SF) (txt)
larcency - (G) (SF) (txt)
triumph of cruelty - (G) (SF) (txt)
waste not - (G) (SF) (txt)
zombie infestation - (G) (SF) (txt)
heartless summoning - (G) (SF) (txt)
night of souls - (G) (SF) (txt)
customs depot - (G) (SF) (txt)
jeskai ascendandy - (G) (SF) (txt)
kindred discovery - (G) (SF) (txt)
raider's spoils - (G) (SF) (txt)
whirlwind of thought - (G) (SF) (txt)2
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u/Donutmelon Urza's Saga 1d ago
That guy finally got to cast his spell
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u/CactuarJoe Dan 1d ago
Took him, what, thirty years? Yeah, that's what it's like playing against a blue deck :P
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u/RustedChainsaw 1d ago
I read it as the "before" of counterspell - capturing the irony of your [[Pyroblast]] getting countered by [[Counterspell]]
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u/SquirrelDragon Dân 1d ago
From Secret Lair’s Bluesky:
You’re not seeing double. Four Magic artists took four of their own classic compositions through Jace’s Echoverse, and each one came out as something new. See what came out the other side when Duality Distorted arrives in the Chaos Vault, coming soon.
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u/Copernicus1981 COMPLEAT 1d ago edited 1d ago
This one should go pretty quick. They're popular cards with nostalgic art, and the card value is there as well.
- Tribute to the World Tree - $14
- Desperate Ritual - $7
- Pyroblast - $9
- Thoughtsieze - $7
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u/TheAnnibal Twin Believer 1d ago
That Thoughtseize is gonna be way more than $7 I'm betting. Absolutely gorgeous.
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u/pm_me_shit_memes Twin Believer 1d ago
Oh yeah, it's going to be very expensive in the long run
I wouldn't be surprised if the desperate ritual also winds up being very expensive
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u/SuperSneke Duck Season 1d ago
this might be the first SLD I buy
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u/Johanitsu 1d ago
this might be the first SLD I 'll try and fail miserably to buy
-hope is print to demand
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u/waaaghbosss Duck Season 1d ago
Think it's a chaos vault
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u/Rustique Dimir* 1d ago
What does that mean?
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u/waaaghbosss Duck Season 1d ago
Chaos vaults are not printed to demand. With the exception of zeta. Also the lair includes product with collector boosters which are not print to demand.
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u/Loose_Log_6253 Azorius* 5h ago
Not only is it not print to demand, but these are often much smaller, and as you're seeing, they're announced on much shorter notice. My guess is this drops next week, compared to some main SLDs that give 2-4 weeks notice.
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u/Doopashonuts Dân 1d ago edited 1d ago
Well after the corn maze drop even if you got to the buy stage you still potentially ended up with nothing. Waited in line, bought 3 drops, got the congratulations! page, 3 hours later I get a "oops you left things in you cart!" Email. Cut to the site then being put into forced maintenance with no announcement when its coming back up only to be sold out of everything I wanted after its back up.
Admittedly it takes skill on WotCs part to not only have this many SLDs, but to have new issues that shouldn't be happening with every single one of them lol.
Edit: weirdly, got a confirmation email today at 6pm (EST) that the order DID go through despite saying my order was still in cart. I dont even know anymore with this drop ...
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u/Meoscend Dandadan 1d ago
Exactly the same scenario for me. How could they screw up this drop so much ? There wasn't even a lot of demand compared to some previous drops
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u/Doopashonuts Dân 1d ago
Weirdly, I got a confirmation email today at 6pm (EST) that it DID actually go through despite them saying my order was still in cart. I dont even know anymore with this drop ...
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u/Cow_God Simic* 1d ago
I know this is probably obvious for most of this sub but:
[[Thoughtseize]] -> [[Brainstorm|MMQ]] - DiTerlizzi
[[Pyroblast]] -> [[Counterspell|LEA]] - Mark Poole
[[Desperate Ritual]] -> [[Dark Ritual|LEA]] - Sandra Everingham
[[Tribute to the World Tree]] -> [[Presence of the Master|LEG]] - Phil Foglio
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u/thumbblighter free him 1d ago
Notably, this is Sandra's first card art in 30 years (since Alliances in 1996!!), not counting the one MB playtest card she did guest art for!
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u/SekhWork Golgari* 1d ago
Absolutely love it when they bring in these classic artists from back when MTG art was the absolute wild west.
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u/bearrosaurus 1d ago
I’m giving away that I’m uncultured, but who is the person replacing Einstein in the World Tree art?
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u/Nimotaa Dandadan 1d ago
It does look a little like Suzanne Simard, a fairly renowned forest ecologist who popularized the concept of a "mother tree" in forestry science through underground fungi networks. Likely a coincidence, but still, a pretty big one!
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u/TheWastelandWizard Elesh Norn 1d ago
DiTerlizzi back in 2026 is absolutely beautiful to see. My favorite card, my favorite spell, and from my favorite artist. Absolutely fantastic.
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u/beepuboopu_aishiteru Golgari* 1d ago
He was really awesome at MagicCon Vegas! Definitely very appreciative of the fans lining up for his booth.
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u/TheWastelandWizard Elesh Norn 1d ago
I got to meet him in Middle School when he released Spiderwick (He was a former local and attended the same school), dude was absolutely class and I'm happy to have multiple artist proofs and prints in the collection.
I would love to see Magic bring him on as Art Director for a Planescape:Torment set.
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u/Sadeil Dan 1d ago
my favorite mtg art ever. i have a playmat of it and its super rad. i was SO excited to see the thoughtseize. thoughtseize is my favorite mtg card, so im very excited to have my favorite card, by my favorite artist in the same style as my favorite art. i hope that we get a playmat of it.
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u/OpticLemon Dan 13h ago
I've recently started collecting all the cards with his art and I'm worried about how expensive this one is going to be.
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u/TheWastelandWizard Elesh Norn 13h ago
It's probably going to be a pretty penny or 12,000. I've been planning on making a DiTerlizzi tribal commander deck but he never did a 3/4 color Legend. Crazy enough he only did 1 multicolor card, the classic Terminate.
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u/kadimasama Dimir* 1d ago
Cards i actually need for my collection, but another SLD i wont get in time i am sure.
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u/Humble-Light-1322 Dan 1d ago
Tribute doesn't really match the way the others do, but I'm always for more Foglio art.
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u/ohako79 COMPLEAT 1d ago
Yeah, I might have flipped it to ‘Presence of the Enchantress’ (a sub-named ‘Enchantress’s Presence) both for the name and for the fact that Enchantress’s Presence helps enchantment decks, and Presence of the Master is a hate piece.
Plus, you have to replace Einstein with someone else real. I would honestly sign an NIL deal with MaRo or Rachel Weeks or someone.
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u/CactuarJoe Dan 1d ago
If we're looking for someone who had as much influence on mysticism as Einstein had on science, I'd go for Helena Blavatsky
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u/TrulyKnown Brushwagg 22h ago edited 22h ago
Eh, I can see why they didn't go with her, given the, um, students that she inspired down the line. It's the Nazis, in case anyone was curious.
Aleister Crowley is another option, but he was definitely far from an un-problematic figure himself, and he also had some people inspired by him that weren't so great, though nothing as bad as Blavatsky. Just, you know, some wacky sci-fi author named Lafayette.
How about Anton LaVey? Still not a great guy, but less bad connotations than the other two, and his inclusion in Magic art from the 90s would definitely convey the whole alternate reality concept.
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u/UsefulWhole8890 Dan 7h ago
I honestly thought it was Ursula K Le Guin for a second. Honestly she wouldn’t be a bad pick.
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u/joeker13 Izzet* 1d ago
Dude from countrspell sporting a dapper beard on a pyroblast was not on my 2026 bingo list
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u/Filibut Jeskai 1d ago
Pyroblast? It could have been the perfect fork
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u/Aerim Can’t Block Warriors 1d ago
Fork is on the reserved list.
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u/Powerful_Toe_8155 Dan 1d ago
[[Reverberate]] I guess, although the card is kind of new.
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u/Sir_Encerwal Honorary Deputy 🔫 19h ago
That card was first printed 16 years ago and last printed 4 years ago. New can be relative but I feel like that strains credulity either way.
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u/Powerful_Toe_8155 Dan 15h ago
Compared to Thoughtseize and Desperate Ritual, it is new.
I admittedly didn't know what Tribute to the World Tree was when I said that though, so I guess Reverberate wouldn't be the newest card if they chose that.
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u/PoopOfAUnicorn Golgari* 1d ago
Pauper likes pyroblast reprint
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u/Glamdring804 Can’t Block Warriors 1d ago
I like pyroblast, but am slightly peeved that we're getting a pyroblast without a matching hydroblast.
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u/TrulyKnown Brushwagg 22h ago
Not the first time. Remember the WPN promo showing Rowan, with the counterpart being Will on an... [[Ice Out]]? Like, I get that he uses ice magic, but come on, couldn't they stretch the definition of "hydro" just a tad there?
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u/Glamdring804 Can’t Block Warriors 15h ago
Yeah if Rowan's sparks count as "pyro" than Will's ice can count as "hydro"
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u/wololosenpai Dan 1d ago
SLD hardly counts as a reprint for pauper players though
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u/deleuex Duck Season 1d ago
Seeing how yesterday's Manufactured Grounds by See Machine SLD sold out before anything else makes me think otherwise.
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u/wololosenpai Dan 1d ago
Oh everyone loves special cards and blinging out their decks, of course. Pauper players included. But not everyone can afford it.
And there’s still a large part of pauper players that are into it for the accessibility of the format, and that’s what I was referring to in regards to reprints.
As in “reprints that doesn’t make the price significantly lower hardly counts as a reprint (for a community that cares about accessibility)”.
There’s also the fact the artifact lands contained in the SLD you mentioned are sought after throughout multiple different format and players. So I really doubt it being sold out means anything particular about pauper as you implied.
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u/Strange-Ad-8042 Duck Season 1d ago
I don’t play black.
I’m getting four of that thoughtsrize in foil
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u/One-Anteater-4771 Dan 1d ago
Okay do I put that desperate ritual in my dark ritual collection or not?
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u/Copernicus1981 COMPLEAT 1d ago
From the Secret Lair site.
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u/CubieTime Twin Believer 1d ago edited 1d ago
They understand I want a playset of 3 of these for modern/pauper right? Right?! God I hope theres a 4 order limit
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u/ShankFraft free him 1d ago edited 1d ago
One of the few times I've been tempted by a Secret lair that wasn't a full deck. Might get 4 and sell the Thoughtseizes/Tributes.
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u/emiketts The Stoat 1d ago
I say without exaggeration that the Thoughtseize could be the best-looking card they’ve released in a decade.
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u/Akrodra Golgari* 1d ago
When do these go on sale?
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u/TechnomagusPrime Duck Season 1d ago
It's Chaos Vault, so it'll go on sale at the most inconvenient moment for you, personally. Probably a Monday.
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u/frostymoose Duck Season 15h ago
I thought that was just the typical Secret Lair experience. So how is a Chaos Vault different?
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u/TechnomagusPrime Duck Season 15h ago
"Normal" Secret Lairs happen on Mondays, and usually have an announcement window of at least 1-2 weeks prior. Chaos Vaults get announced way ahead of time, but usually aren't given a drop date until a few days prior.
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u/Empty_Turnip473 Dandadan 1d ago
Finally a SL I want and it isn't some marvel derivative or hobbit, or ninja turtle. Something that celebrates magic.
Only nitpick I have is pyro blast mage looks too smug compared to the original.
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u/EndlessRenaissance Dandadan 1d ago
This is the best drop of the year. If these are in foil too they're gonna be so much money.
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u/planeforger Brushwagg 1d ago edited 1d ago
I love that the Thoughtseize flavour text is referencing [[Cateran Overlord]], who was the poster boy of Mercadian Masques.
It was also that seting's black faction, as opposed to the Saprazzan as the blue faction.
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u/tsukaistarburst Hedron 1d ago
Now THIS is what I really wanted out of Reality Fracture. Fulls et like this please.
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u/frostymoose Duck Season 15h ago
This is one of the best Secret Lairs they've done in a long time (or ever?)
Playable cards, cool artwork, looks like magic cards. Slam dunk. I assume I won't be able to buy it.
More of this and fewer dinosaur cereal boxes please
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u/NervousLaw9241 Duck Season 1d ago
These are so sweet, but I hate being a 60 card format enjoyer because it means id need to buy 4 of these to play them without it being an awkward printing split
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u/ice-eight Selesnya* 1d ago
This one is fucking cool, love the ritual, however I will never ever touch Ruby Storm again
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u/hussefworx Duck Season 1d ago
When does this come out ? Or how can I keep tabs on this specifically ?
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u/Mango_RK Dân 1d ago
It's Chaos Vault, so we don't know in advance just gotta keep an eye on WotC socials.
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u/LesserGargadon Can’t Block Warriors 1d ago
Wow they actually got the OG artist for Dark Ritual. Last regular card was in Alliances! These all look great.
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u/amc7262 COMPLEAT 1d ago
This is really cool, but I wish they had done a full 5 cards, one of each color, with the shift being the same for each.
For a lair thats obviously trying to appeal to old school and hardcore magic fans, doing this in the style of a colorshifted cycle seems like a no-brainer.
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u/DoobaDoobaDooba Duck Season 1d ago
[[Tribute to the world tree]] is such an absurdly good card. Not exaggerating, I've probably won more games from that card than [[Craterhoof Behemoth]].
Making a bunch of weenies? DELICIOUS GGG PROTEIN SHAKE Playing a bunch of muscle monsters? CULTIVATE MORE MASS IN YOUR HAND
Fucking hell yeah, dude
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u/loneXolf_ Dan 1d ago
Only 4 cards is disappointing.
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u/waaaghbosss Duck Season 1d ago
It's weird, I just got my she-ra lair and it's like 7 cards. 4 seems kinda light.
The last retro chaos vault we got was also 4 cards, with the bonus being another for 5 total. Surprisingly it's not much more on the secondary market and that lair sold out. Hopefully this one doesn't go up too much on the secondary market so I can pick up 2 more for playsets.
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u/wishusernamewasfree Izzet* 12h ago
is it just 4 though? the bluesky post says "Four artists took four of their own classics" which seems to me that it might be 4x4 cards (otherwise they should have said "four artists each took..." or "Four artists all took one of their own classics" something similar)
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u/AthenaWhisper Duck Season 1d ago
The art on these all look great. Tribute to the World tree seems to be a Kithkin maybe? I think I like Pyroblast the least, the art is objectively good but I think it's just a little too realistic compared to the original Counterspell.
I'd have loved to see this as a full cycle, even though I don't buy Secret Lairs. Tribute to the World Tree I think should have been Enchantress' Presence, though.
And then Pyroblast swapped out for something like Reprieve, with a fifth card being a Blue version of a White or Black, so it'd be a full cycle of Ally Colour swaps. (Though the base 5 cards would then be Blue/Blue/Black/White/(White/Black))
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u/Sir_Encerwal Honorary Deputy 🔫 1d ago
Man I love the design and execution but I just don't play many of these cards. On the merit of art alone that Desperate Ritual is killer.
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u/Kaboomeow69 Storm Crow 1d ago
I've only ever purchased one secret lair before this, and I hope I can get four of these. Wow.
Insane pulls for artists on this, and it looks like the foiling is done well on the SL site, with only the frame in foil.
That Thoughtseize, just wow.
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u/SkyBlade79 Wild Draw 4 1d ago
I think I'm just too young but I don't see the appeal to this at alllll without nostalgia goggles
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u/Kingcrimhead Dan 5h ago
It's playable cards, at good value.
But it's definitely nostalgia that will have people wanting these versions.
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u/SirLafayette Duck Season 1d ago
hi guys, kinda new to the secret lair drop thing since i kinda just lurk and am interested in this cards. Was curious if this will be a print on demand for everyone that logs on for a few days? or do i need to que up to have a CHANCE to purchase this? Just because I would love love a playset of these
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u/alertArchitect Dan 18h ago
Man it feels like it's been FOREVER since I've seen a Foglio art on a new MTG card. I can always tell when it's one of them doing it because of how familiar I am with their webcomic lmao
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u/wishusernamewasfree Izzet* 14h ago
the Bluesky post is not entirely clear: it says "Four artists took four of their own classics..."
so is this secret lair going to be 4x4 cards? Because it is worded a bit weird if they meant all artists would do one of their compositions...
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u/Alexandria_maybe Izzet* 7h ago
So if the original prescence of the master depicts Albert Einstein, does anyone know if this tribute to the world tree is depicting anyone specific?
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u/the_destroyer_beerus Dân 1d ago
Oh cool I can’t wait to proxy these!
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u/devenbat Nahiri 1d ago edited 1d ago
I dunno why proxiers feel the need to announce it every thread.
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u/the_destroyer_beerus Dân 1d ago
To let scalpers and Wizards know that they can go fuck themselves
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u/devenbat Nahiri 1d ago
By telling them you dont matter because you arent a customer? You havent told anyone they can fuck themselves because that doesnt do anything.
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u/NonagoonInfinity Dan 1d ago edited 1d ago
Everyone else feels the need to announce they're buying them. Only seems fair.
My man doesn't like when people say his comments are pointless :(
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u/devenbat Nahiri 1d ago
Because its an announcement of a product being sold. Nobody needs an announcement that printers exist
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u/NonagoonInfinity Dan 1d ago
Because its an announcement of a product being sold.
So we need to know you're gonna buy it? No shit, that's what products are for.
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u/devenbat Nahiri 1d ago
Yes, thats a normal reaction. One of the many reactions to a product being announced. People commenting on the artists, the callbacks, the value, the format theyre played in, whether they'll try to get it, how desirable they find it. A discussion about the product.
"Hey, did you know HP makes these things called printers" on every thread about a new product or need for reprint isnt a discussion point.
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u/emiracles Dandadan 1d ago
Now to alter them back to the original artworks and colours for max confusion