Fan-favorite Jaya Ballard fell short in the Ravnica Allegiance expansion but has regained that fiery luster in MTG War of the Spark, set to release at the end of April. Containing a total of 36 planeswalkers, the set brings back Pyromancer Jaya as a Legendary Planeswalker card and as an Instant
Legendary Planeswalker Jaya, Venerated Firemage
Red burn is a super strong deck in Standard. In Limited, Jaya, Venerated Firemage will carry on the ultimate burn power. Unlike the five (triple red) mana it cost to cast Jaya Ballard planeswalker in Allegiance, Jaya in War of the Spark is a five-mana with only one red cost. Having a high mana cost makes Jaya, Venerated Firemage too slow of a card for Standard red burn. In Limited (Draft and Sealed), however, she should have a huge impact.
Jaya’s strongest attribute is her static ability: “If another red source you control would deal damage to a permanent or player, it deals that much damage plus one to that permanent or player instead.”
In addition, Jaya has a minus two loyalty counter which deals two damage to any target. Jaya, Venerated Firemage is an uncommon Legendary Planeswalker card and begins with five loyalty counters.
War of the Spark Jaya’s Greeting
Taking form as an instant in the MTG War of the Spark expansion, Jaya’s Greeting only costs two mana (one red) to cast. She deals three damage to any target creature and then allows the player to Scry one.
Jaya’s Greeting can’t compete with Lightning Strike (three damage to any target) in Standard. By offering Scry, however, she becomes a must in Limited play where decks are typically only 40 cards as opposed to 60. There might be room for Jaya’s Greeting in Constructed, but probably not.
Jaya’s Greeting and Jaya, Venerated Firemage will be available on April 25, 2019, in MTG Arena. Pre-release of MTG War of the Spark is set to release on April 27, 2019.
