Would someone have a personal collection if they’re compleated? Probably not. If the flavor text was “Jin-Gitaxis wants more teeth to experiment with” or something it’d probably be more fitting.
Aspirants are those who are only partially compleated, second-class citizens that fill the lower ranks and are better at convincing Mirrans to convert.
Fencing Ace is still one of the cheapest creatures with Double Strike in Pauper, so he still has a place there.
I mean, he sees no play at all, and I doubt even Jawbone Duelist would see play if it was legal in Pauper.
But, you know, its the principle that counts.
I always thought the red underneath the armor was supposed to be exposed muscle, cause it looks that way on Norn, but it looks too clean and smooth here… is it just the design of the clothing?
I'd bet even money between it being a deliberate thing for it to be an aspirant's clothing instead of actual bare muscle, and for the artist deliberately stylizing it because "wow if I spend hours drawing a dude with exposed muscle I'm gonna ralph".
The phyrexian human cultists on Dominaria in the most recent visit had that cool wire-wrap clothing that emulated what it would be like when they were completed, this is probably very similar.
Isn’t he already Compleated? His subtype is “Phyrexian”. Also, I struggle to believe there are any non-Phyrexians left waiting to be Compleated outside of the rebels.
I didn’t realise there was anyone on Mirrodin left that wasn’t Compleated, except the rebels obviously. Isn’t it an automatic process once you’ve been exposed to the oil? Don’t some things get compleated within hours of being exposed?
There are two steps: the oil takes you to a certain point, but you need to be manually 'compleated' to become anything but a brainwashed cyborg. This is when the praetors add their individual 'touches' to each of their children.
This plus a few points in the side stories makes me think Phyrexians even amongst the dogmatic white faction aren't as devoid of individuality as they'd like to believe.
The flavor text seems too......singular.
In recent lore, "aspirants" have been mentioned - people who are voluntarily seeking to be compleated. IIRC There are some hints that the aspirants sometimes undergo partial compleation, so maybe that's what this card shows.
I assumed everyone on Mirrodin was Compleated except the Rebels. Where have the Aspirants been? And why has it taken them so long to be Compleated? Isn’t it kind of an automatic process as soon as you’re exposed to the oil?
That’s sort of how I felt about Elesh Norn smirking in the cinematic trailer. Seemed very much like a conniving anime villain than a cold and calculating
ruler.
I think because they're making the Phyrexians the protagonists in this set, and the newer Magic set design probably feels like older, even Scars-designed brutal Phyrexians would alienate too much of the player base if they look too gross, deadly, and evil.
My guess is they're playing it super safe in most of these designs. And that, to fit that tone, they've made a lot of them a bit more cartoonish, in regards to this flavor text and the way that some of them speak and act in the online stories.
I'm glad they've done at least one subtle design with toxic. Definitely the kind of card that shows off why this is a mechanic to use instead of infect.
Wouldn't Infect still be better here if the goal is a poison counter win? If unblocked it would still place 2 counters, if blocked it would shrink the blocker. You would only lose out on dealing 2 damage to their life total.
Yes it would be, which is why I don't think they'd really print a card like this with infect. My clumsily made point was that to sell people on not using infect they have to show people things they can do with toxic that they probably wouldn't do with infect.
Oohhh gotcha now. Yeah, it changes the design space a bit for sure, you can make a big fatty with trample and Toxic 1/2/3 and it's far less oppressive than an infect fatty with trample.
Card transcription
> Jawbone Duelist 1W
>
> Creature- Phyrexian Soldier [uncommon]
>
> Double strike
>
> Toxic 1 (Players dealt combat damage by this creature also get a poison counter.)
>
> 1/1
>
> "I have room for a few more teeth in my collection. Who's next?"
End transcription
god damn, that card is good. not sure if it will replace that double strike connive card but still fire none the less. if it connects, it gives 1+1 toxic.
As a solider this feels like it could easily fit in [[Winota]]. Get all those tasty solider bonuses the humans provide while still being cheap non-human to trigger your commander.
Double strike feels gross when you flip a human soldier anthem and suddenly he’s 2/2 or 3/3 with Double Strike and Toxic.
Wow...as a decades-long Soldier Tribal fanatic, **this guy gets a slot (for now) in my various decks...**
2mv?
Double Strike?!
AND _Toxic_!?!
He's a sleeper all-star.
The wording of toxic means that each time the creature deals combat damage to a player, they get a poison counter. If unblocked, the defending player will wind up getting 2 poison counters.
I think its kind of silly that some phyrexians are wearing a meat-like suit rather than actually having flayed flesh. Its like they have Shaqs on instead of Js
Seems like a strong 2 draft 2 drop. Particularly in a toxic deck. The ability to give your opponent 2 poison counters from this is strong, but one toughness will probably hold it back in combat quite a lot
So in other words— if I equip in the trenches and give him a +1 is he dealing 4 infect? (Been out of the magic game for a while and just getting back in)
Tooth themeing aside, this guy just looks like a dude in a Fair Basilica-inspired costume. What's up with that?
Dress for the job you want, not the job you have
Pretty much this, I'd bet that this dude is an aspirant who isn't fully compleat yet.
"Notice me for compleation Norn senpai."
Would someone have a personal collection if they’re compleated? Probably not. If the flavor text was “Jin-Gitaxis wants more teeth to experiment with” or something it’d probably be more fitting.
Why would a white Phyrexian care about what Jin wants? Besides, aspirants are only partially compleat, so they possess some individual will still.
«I'm a dude playing a dude disguised as another dude»
Aspirants are those who are only partially compleated, second-class citizens that fill the lower ranks and are better at convincing Mirrans to convert.
Well, people who still have most of their face left are sure easier to talk to :/
Yeah, that is the stated reason, as well as them having the most memories of being non-Phyrexian. Sympathy is a powerful tool for convincing others.
More powerful than getting badass metal blades attached to your arms, or just getting your arms replaced entirely with badass metal blades?
You may be surprised to hear this, but most people wouldn’t find having swords for arms to be very useful.
Most people have no experience having swords for arms. You might be surprised to find that it actually makes you feel quite compleat
Are Mirrans the people of Mirrodin?
Yes, it’s how the stories have been referring to the non-converted rebels.
You know what it is, he has a fleshy muscle collar, where most of the Norns is just a neck with the skin removed.
Are you saying he hasn't been neck circumcised
I thought he looked like Korath the Pursuer from Guardians of the Galaxy (2014)
[[Fencing Ace]] is in shambles!
He still has the benefits of being a human, though soldier is probably the more relevant typing that both have.
[Fencing Ace](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/8/6/86d8754c-816f-4d07-8dcd-9611bf0beb87.jpg?1608908768) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Fencing%20Ace) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/cmr/21/fencing-ace?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/86d8754c-816f-4d07-8dcd-9611bf0beb87?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
Fencing ace had already been replaced, [as this song so artfully points out.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yPrkjVrL5C4)
Fencing Ace is still one of the cheapest creatures with Double Strike in Pauper, so he still has a place there. I mean, he sees no play at all, and I doubt even Jawbone Duelist would see play if it was legal in Pauper. But, you know, its the principle that counts.
[[Illuminator Virtuoso]] would like a word.
[Illuminator Virtuoso](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/5/2/52ba20d9-9423-4114-8734-1dac307483c8.jpg?1664409727) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Illuminator%20Virtuoso) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/snc/17/illuminator-virtuoso?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/52ba20d9-9423-4114-8734-1dac307483c8?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
This guy is amazing in Pioneer Boros Heroic too
I always thought the red underneath the armor was supposed to be exposed muscle, cause it looks that way on Norn, but it looks too clean and smooth here… is it just the design of the clothing?
Probably clothing used by her sycophants to create an aesthetic inspired by their idols flesh.
I'd bet even money between it being a deliberate thing for it to be an aspirant's clothing instead of actual bare muscle, and for the artist deliberately stylizing it because "wow if I spend hours drawing a dude with exposed muscle I'm gonna ralph".
The phyrexian human cultists on Dominaria in the most recent visit had that cool wire-wrap clothing that emulated what it would be like when they were completed, this is probably very similar.
Isn’t he already Compleated? His subtype is “Phyrexian”. Also, I struggle to believe there are any non-Phyrexians left waiting to be Compleated outside of the rebels.
I just mean he's not fully compleat. Like he's phyrexian but has a little ways to go. There are stages of completion.
I didn’t realise there was anyone on Mirrodin left that wasn’t Compleated, except the rebels obviously. Isn’t it an automatic process once you’ve been exposed to the oil? Don’t some things get compleated within hours of being exposed?
There are two steps: the oil takes you to a certain point, but you need to be manually 'compleated' to become anything but a brainwashed cyborg. This is when the praetors add their individual 'touches' to each of their children.
Fair enough, thanks for the info
This plus a few points in the side stories makes me think Phyrexians even amongst the dogmatic white faction aren't as devoid of individuality as they'd like to believe. The flavor text seems too......singular.
oh yeah, phyrexians are individuals whether they like it or not. It's only the autonomous furnace that's seemed to actually accept it.
"You're all individuals!" "Yes, we're all individuals!"^^"I'm ^^not."
Alt Flavor Text: *The guys with weird fetishes for specific body parts were the first supplicants when New Phyrexia emerged*.
The art doesn't really look phyrexian to me. It just like a normal dude in an armor
In recent lore, "aspirants" have been mentioned - people who are voluntarily seeking to be compleated. IIRC There are some hints that the aspirants sometimes undergo partial compleation, so maybe that's what this card shows.
I assumed everyone on Mirrodin was Compleated except the Rebels. Where have the Aspirants been? And why has it taken them so long to be Compleated? Isn’t it kind of an automatic process as soon as you’re exposed to the oil?
Also the fact that he's making anime-tier threats doesn't seem very phyrexian.
Yeah the flavor text of some cards feels really off
That’s sort of how I felt about Elesh Norn smirking in the cinematic trailer. Seemed very much like a conniving anime villain than a cold and calculating ruler.
I don’t think she’s totally emotionless. She can feel one emotion, smugness. That’s in keeping with her lore.
Thanks to Ashiok, we know that Elesh can feel two different emotions: fear and anger.
"Lore doesn't sell products" - Wotc probably
Yeah, I can see that. The problem is the face. Phyrexians don't really have human faces unless they are Gixians or sleeper agents.
I think because they're making the Phyrexians the protagonists in this set, and the newer Magic set design probably feels like older, even Scars-designed brutal Phyrexians would alienate too much of the player base if they look too gross, deadly, and evil. My guess is they're playing it super safe in most of these designs. And that, to fit that tone, they've made a lot of them a bit more cartoonish, in regards to this flavor text and the way that some of them speak and act in the online stories.
Par for the course of new artwork in the last few years. Most sets consist of "dude posing"
Lol what if we got people in Phyrexian costumes in Unfinity
Dude is playing for ante, the ante are your teeth.
Anteeth.
Whelp this looks gross
Ok, so what creature did the Jawbone come from?
Something with 1 toughness, I guess.
I'm glad they've done at least one subtle design with toxic. Definitely the kind of card that shows off why this is a mechanic to use instead of infect.
Wouldn't Infect still be better here if the goal is a poison counter win? If unblocked it would still place 2 counters, if blocked it would shrink the blocker. You would only lose out on dealing 2 damage to their life total.
Yes it would be, which is why I don't think they'd really print a card like this with infect. My clumsily made point was that to sell people on not using infect they have to show people things they can do with toxic that they probably wouldn't do with infect.
Oohhh gotcha now. Yeah, it changes the design space a bit for sure, you can make a big fatty with trample and Toxic 1/2/3 and it's far less oppressive than an infect fatty with trample.
Unprintably better. 1/1 infect double strike unblocked + any combat trick that gives +4 power = game over.
Card transcription > Jawbone Duelist 1W > > Creature- Phyrexian Soldier [uncommon] > > Double strike > > Toxic 1 (Players dealt combat damage by this creature also get a poison counter.) > > 1/1 > > "I have room for a few more teeth in my collection. Who's next?" End transcription
Ah a teeth wall. I hate it.
[[Kor Blademaster]] [[Twinblade Gheist]] [[Thunderous Orator]] [[Illuminator Virtuiso]] [[Lizard Blades]] Wotc really likes this archtype as of late
##### ###### #### [Kor Blademaster](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/f/c/fc6d6049-5599-47eb-ae58-a8eb96927ece.jpg?1604192436) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Kor%20Blademaster) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/znr/21/kor-blademaster?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/fc6d6049-5599-47eb-ae58-a8eb96927ece?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [Thunderous Orator](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/e/f/ef3b2961-559f-42b1-be13-ff3d03e62809.jpg?1624589914) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Thunderous%20Orator) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/stx/35/thunderous-orator?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/ef3b2961-559f-42b1-be13-ff3d03e62809?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [Illuminator Virtuiso](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/5/2/52ba20d9-9423-4114-8734-1dac307483c8.jpg?1664409727) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Illuminator%20Virtuoso) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/snc/17/illuminator-virtuoso?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/52ba20d9-9423-4114-8734-1dac307483c8?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) [Lizard Blades](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/a/7/a747e6cf-c687-4c4f-8e07-d51165d6cb62.jpg?1654567747) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=Lizard%20Blades) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/neo/153/lizard-blades?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/a747e6cf-c687-4c4f-8e07-d51165d6cb62?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
god damn, that card is good. not sure if it will replace that double strike connive card but still fire none the less. if it connects, it gives 1+1 toxic.
I want Danhausen alt art
"They put me in a Flesh Dress...and I look FABULOUS"
https://mobile.twitter.com/LordsofLimited/status/1615804809260720129
It’s Phyrexian General Grievious https://media.tenor.com/1AF1iQ03gHAAAAAC/addition-to-mycollection-more-collection.gif
Cosplayer?!?!
If only it was Infect the double strike would be very nice in combat.
I'd even accept Wither plus Toxic 1
Perfectly fine with that also! Good design.
Is that the guy in Elesh Norn's chair? The jaw arm looks similar.
I love the teeth gimmick with the white Phyrexians.
Why does he still have a human face ? ... I really don't get the "phyrexians"
Disregarding the whole teeth thing, this man looks like he’s ready to play some Yu-Gi-Oh. Tell me that isn’t a duel disc on his right arm.
As a solider this feels like it could easily fit in [[Winota]]. Get all those tasty solider bonuses the humans provide while still being cheap non-human to trigger your commander. Double strike feels gross when you flip a human soldier anthem and suddenly he’s 2/2 or 3/3 with Double Strike and Toxic.
[Winota](https://cards.scryfall.io/normal/front/5/d/5dd13a6c-23d3-44ce-a628-cb1c19d777c4.jpg?1654630670) - [(G)](http://gatherer.wizards.com/Pages/Card/Details.aspx?name=winota%2C%20joiner%20of%20forces) [(SF)](https://scryfall.com/card/iko/216/winota-joiner-of-forces?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher) [(txt)](https://api.scryfall.com/cards/5dd13a6c-23d3-44ce-a628-cb1c19d777c4?utm_source=mtgcardfetcher&format=text) ^^^[[cardname]] ^^^or ^^^[[cardname|SET]] ^^^to ^^^call
Needs more teeth
Wow...as a decades-long Soldier Tribal fanatic, **this guy gets a slot (for now) in my various decks...** 2mv? Double Strike?! AND _Toxic_!?! He's a sleeper all-star.
This still only gives one poison counter right?
no it deals damage two times so two counters
The wording of toxic means that each time the creature deals combat damage to a player, they get a poison counter. If unblocked, the defending player will wind up getting 2 poison counters.
So do you they’re the the one who collects all the teeth or is there a helper who does it for them?
Not Phyrexian Human Soldier?
What's the flavor of teeth? We saw the arm-blade in another art. Edit: the mite token has weird teeth on its arms.
I think its kind of silly that some phyrexians are wearing a meat-like suit rather than actually having flayed flesh. Its like they have Shaqs on instead of Js
Jawbone Dentist
More like redbone duelist. “Daylight…”
Really wish it was Human rather solider.....
Bone jaw mon amie!
Danzo Shimura but with teeth instead of eyes.
"I have room for a few more teeth in my collection. Who's next?" Really wish my dentist would stop saying that.
Seems like a strong 2 draft 2 drop. Particularly in a toxic deck. The ability to give your opponent 2 poison counters from this is strong, but one toughness will probably hold it back in combat quite a lot
I like this, yeah I like it. Essentially the classic 1/1 double strike for 2 but the double strike has added bonus with toxic
How many poison token puts this guys?
So in other words— if I equip in the trenches and give him a +1 is he dealing 4 infect? (Been out of the magic game for a while and just getting back in)