Urza's Destiny
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| Urza's Destiny | ||
|---|---|---|
| Expansion symbol |  |
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| Release date | June 23, 1999 | |
| Mechanics | "Cycling from play" creatures, "Reveal" mechanic, "Lobotomy" cards | |
| Keywords | Echo, Cycling | |
| Size | 143 cards | |
| Expansion code | UDS | |
| Development codename | Chimichanga | |
| Sets in Urza Block | ||
| Urza's Saga | Urza's Legacy | Urza's Destiny |
| Magic: The Gathering Chronology |
||
| 6th Edition | Urza's Destiny | Portal Three Kingdoms |
Urza's Destiny is a Magic: The Gathering set, third in the Urza Block. Urza's Destiny was released on June 23, 1999. It is widely considered one of the most powerful sets ever printed, spawning some of the most feared decks of all time.
Contents |
[edit] Storyline
With the skyship Weatherlight completed, Urza now works on a eugenics program to create a perfect crew for it, as well as engineering a race of soldiers to fight the Phyrexian invasion. One of his geneticists, Gatha, defects, and uses his knowledge to improve the Keldon race. Meanwhile, the Phyrexians create the plane of Rath as a staging ground for the invasion.
[edit] Mechanics
Urza's Destiny expanded further on some of the mechanics introduced in Urza's Saga.
Several creatures and enchant creatures trigger various abilities when put into a graveyard from play.
Some permanents have the ability to be sacrificed for 2 mana to draw a card, like a cycling ability for cards in play that are no longer useful. Three creatures have this ability in addition to a "graveyard from play" ability. Yavimaya Elder is the most popular, a small green creature that can put three cards in its controller's hand (1 for the sac to draw, 2 lands when put into graveyard).
There is a class of spells that become more effective as a result of the number of cards of a certain color the caster reveals from his/her hand, as well as a cycle of creatures with abilities that emulate those spells.
Urza's Destiny also introduced a cycle of cards that remove a card of a certain type from the game, and then also remove all copies of that card not in play from its controller's deck. Called "Lobotomy" cards due to their resemblance to the card of that name, they were later reprinted in Betrayers of Kamigawa.
Yet another noteworthy aspect is that Urza's Destiny was the first Expert-level set to be printed under the then-new 6th Edition rules changes; the most notable change seen on cards is the text of creatures. Whereas a card like Llanowar Elves would be given "Summon Elf" in previous sets, it would now be given "Creature - Elf".
[edit] Notable cards
- Academy Rector -- The most powerful of the creatures with a "leaves play" effect, Academy Rector allowed you to search your library for any enchantment and put it directly into play, even if your deck is normally incapable of casting it. This was a common method of getting Yawgmoth's Bargain and Illusions of Grandeur (for donating) into play, though there were of course other targets.
- Rofellos, Llanowar Emissary -- An elf which later joins Gerrard's crew in the Weatherlight. He has the power to give you an amount of green mana equal to the number of forests you control (a bargain at two green mana).
- Replenish -- Another method of getting enchantments into play, Replenish decks would fill their graveyard with large numbers of enchantments, until Replenish would finally put them all into play. If one was Opalescence, the enchantments turned into creatures, and large ones at that.
- Donate -- A no-questions-asked way to give your opponent something they normally would not want to have. A few cards can be Donated to great effect, especially the Ice Age card Illusions of Grandeur, which was the basis of the infamous Trix deck.
- Yawgmoth's Bargain -- A supposedly 'fixed' version of the Ice Age card Necropotence, Yawgmoth's Bargain not only improved on the format-warping card, it did so in a set that provided several ways to get it into play without paying its higher cost. Like many other cards from Urza Block, Yawgmoth's Bargain was inevitably banned.
- Powder Keg -- In the style of the 'growing' enchantments, Powder Keg was much more popular due to its cheap cost to cast and use and powerful ability. Originally seen as a replacement to Nevinyrral's Disk, Powder Keg made a name for itself, as it can be used to destroy a specific swathe of permanents to the greatest benefit of its user.
- Masticore -- Consistently ranks as one of the most powerful creature cards ever printed. While it tied up your hand, an operational Masticore was usually powerful enough to win games on its own--it is big, difficult to kill, and can quickly clear the board of opposing creatures.
- Metalworker -- Though potentially fragile and taking a turn to use, Metalworker utilised the "reveal" mechanic to make such massive amounts of mana that it, too, had to be banned. This, and the other numerous methods Urza Block provided for large amounts of mana quickly, made it the fastest, most abusive, and most non-interactive block in the history of the game, and set the all-time high-water mark for power level.
- Opposition -- At first glance, it was clearly obvious to all experienced players that the card was made for its own deck. Coupled with Deranged Hermit, tapping an opponents lands during his/her upkeep would lock the player completely. If they managed to cast an instant in response, the Opposition deck would have a handful of Counter magic to ensure complete control.
- Phyrexian Negator -- The ultimate in black's pain-for-gain philosophy, this 5/5 trampler had the potential of coming into play on the first turn via Dark Ritual, and wreak havoc despite its harsh drawback. A popular card in the Suicide Black archetype.
- Plow Under -- This is a green sorcery that can easily frustrate opponents by denying them 2 lands and 2 useful draws, especially when players find ways to copy the spell.
- Yavimaya Elder -- Many experienced players still consider the card one of the most powerful and useful commons ever printed. The ability to fetch two lands, draw a card, and having a 2/1 creature created automatic adoration for the card.
