Modal dual lands, 4-color Omnath revealed during MTG Zendikar Rising livestream event

Over 20 cards for the upcoming Magic: The Gathering set Zendikar Rising were revealed today during the Zendikar Adventuring Party livestream.

Zendikar Rising’s release also coincides with rotation where Guilds of Ravnica, Ravnica Allegiance, War of the Spark, and Core Set 2020 will be rotated out of Standard. Several powerful cards like Narset, Parter of Veils, and Nissa, Who Shakes the World will be leaving Standard and Zendikar Rising may provide staple cards that will take their place.

Modal dual lands

• Type: Land
• Add (U) or Add (R)

Modal dual-faced cards are a new card style coming in Zendikar Rising. Players can choose which side to play. This can enter the battlefield as Riverglide Pathway and tap for blue mana or as Lavaglide Pathway and tap for red mana. This is a solid dual-land option with shocklands rotating out of Standard on release. Three allied color pairs and three enemy colored pairs are a part of this cycle.

Lotus Cobra 

• CMC: 1(G)
• Type: Creature Snake
• Stats: 2/1 
• First ability: Landfall – Whenever a land enters the battlefield under your control, add one mana of any color

This is a classic landfall reprint. With dual lands that enter the battlefield tapped, this card allows you to get some mana and keep you on tempo. For untapped lands, it essentially doubles what that land can produce the turn it enters. Without any protective abilities like hexproof or deathtouch, the card might have trouble sticking to the board. But if it does, it generates solid value.

Omnath, Locus of Creation

• CMC: (RGWB)
• Type: Legendary Creature Elemental
• Stats: 4/4
• First ability: When Omnath, Locus of Creation enters the battlefield, draw a card.
• Second ability:  Landfall – Whenever a land enters the battlefield under your control, you gain four life if this is the first time this ability has resolved this turn. If it’s the second time add RGWB. If it’s the third time, Omnath deals four damage to each opponent and each planeswalker you don’t control.

Omnath is a powerhouse legendary creature. With landfall being one of the features keywords in the set, it shouldn’t be difficult to get three triggers to get full value from Omnath’s abilities.

Linvala, Shield of Sea Gate

• CMC: 1(WB)
• Type: Legendary Creature Angel Wizard
• Stats: 3/3 with flying
• First ability: At the beginning of combat on your turn, if you have a full party, choose target nonland permanent an opponent controls. Until your next turn, it can’t attack or block, and its activated abilities can’t be activated.
• Second ability: Sacrifice Linvala: Choose hexproof or indestructible. Creatures you control gain that ability until end of turn.

Linvala protects your creatures from boardwipes and targeted removal. She can act as a member of your party with the Wizard creature type. She can lock down an opponent’s most threatening creature. It’s unclear how relevant the ability will end up being, though. Creatures that see significant play often have good enter the battlefield abilities that will already proc before Linvala gets the chance to have an impact.

Valakut Awakening/Valakut Stoneforge

• CMC: 2(R)
• Type: Instant // Land
• First ability: Put any number of cards from your hand on the bottom of your library, then draw that many cards plus one.
• Second ability: Valakut Stoneforge enters the battlefield tapped. Tap to add (R) mana.

This is another interesting double-faced card in the set. It acts as an early land when needed, but most importantly can be cast to cycle your hand and get rid of dead cards.

Zendikar Rising is set to be released in MTG Arena on Sept. 17 and through tabletop booster packs on Sept. 25.