Wizards of the Coast shifted from Commander 2020 to Ikoria: Lair of Behemoths spoilers yesterday with a few Magic: The Gathering Mutate cards that stand out from the pack.
Set to release digitally on April 16, the new IKO set swung into full spoiler territory yesterday. Several cards featuring the new Mutate mechanic seem promising, along with an eludha-themed Wolf Bear.
Lore Drakkis
Izzet builds received some love yesterday in the IKO spoilers from Lore Drakkis, a lizard beast creature with Mutate who returns Instant and Sorcery cards from the graveyard to a player’s hand.
- CMC: 1UR
- 2/3
- Mutate [U/R][U/R] (If you cast this spell for its mutate cost, put it over or under target non-Human creature you own. They mutate into the creature on top plus all abilities from under it.)
- Whenever this creature mutates, return target instant or sorcery card from your graveyard to your hand.
Lore Drakkis has the potential to be a solid Limited card and may also prove worthy in other MTG formats.
Cubwarden
White continues to thrive off life gain with Cubwarden, a four-cost creature with Mutate that produces cat tokens with Lifelink.
- CMC: 3W
- 3/5
- Lifelink
- Mutate 2WW (If you cast this spell for its mutate cost, put it over or under target non-Human creature you own. They mutate into the creature on top plus all abilities from under it.
- Whenever this creature mutates, create two 1/1 white Cat creature tokens with Lifelink.
Exuberant Wolfbear
Diving into the theme of eludha, a bond between humans and monsters featured within IKO lore, Exuberant Wolfbear buffs a Human’s power and toughness until the end of turn when it attacks.
- CMC: 3G
- 4/4
- Whenever Exuberant Wolfbear attacks, you may change the base power and toughness of target Human you control to Exuberant Wolfbear’s power and toughness until end of turn.
Exuberant Wolfbear has potential in Selesnya builds. But even if it didn’t, it still earns a slot as a “best IKO spoiler” due to its flavor text.
“Sometimes the eludha is a sacred harmony of souls,” the card reads. “Sometimes the bonder grabs some fur and holds on tight.”
Frondland Felidar
Cats have taken over MTG in the new IKO set. Frondland Felidar seems like a solid card in Standard, with an ability that allows creatures with Vigilance to tap a target creature for the cost of one mana.
- CMC: 2WG
- 3/5
- Vigilance
- Creatures you control with vigilance have “1, T: Tap target creature.”
Blitz of the Thunder-Raptor
Fueling Izzett and Mono-Red Burn builds, Blitz of the Thunder-Raptor is a cheap-costing Instant that destroys planeswalkers.
- CMC: 1R
- Instant
- Blitz of the Thunder-Raptor deals damage to target creature or planeswalker equal to the number of instant and sorcery cards in your graveyard. If that creature of planeswalker would die this turn, exile it instead.
Published: Apr 7, 2020 09:40 am