MTG Legendary transforming creatures return in Lost Caverns of Ixalan

Powerful Legendary creatures in Magic: The Gathering through the upcoming Standard-legal set Lost Caverns of Ixalan have transform abilities, as shown through spoilers Ojer Axonil, Deepest Might//Temple of Power and Huatli, Poet of Unity//Roar of the Fifth People at MagicCon Vegas on Sept. 22.

Players first experienced Legendaries that transformed into Sagas through the five Praetors in March of the Machine (MOM). The same mechanic is returning to Standard but with a few tweaks and new options. Two Lost Caverns of Ixalan (LCI) spoilers were dropped during MagicCon at Vegas for the upcoming Standard-legal set, featuring a God of Ixalan that can transform into a Land and back into a God, along with a former Planeswalker who can transform into a Saga. 

Ojer Axonil, Deepest Might//Temple of Power Ixalan spoiler

Ojer Axonil, Deepest Might is a unique Mono-Red four drop that slots into spell-heavy builds that deal noncombat damage to an opponent, specifically Burn decks. 

Ojer Axonil, Deepest Might

• Mana cost: 2RR
• Type: Legendary Creature—God
• Rarity: Mythic Rare  
• Stats: 4/4
• Keyword: Trample
• Ability: If a Red source you control would deal an amount of noncombat damage less than Ojer Axonil, Deepest Might power to an opponent, that source deals damage equal to Ojer Axonil, Deepest Might’s power instead
• Death trigger ability: When Ojer Axonil, Deepest Might dies, return it to the battlefield tapped and transformed under its owner’s control

The main ability through Ojer Axonil, Deepest Might is potentially a game changer within Mono-Red Burn decks, providing one-drop spells like Play with Fire, Torch the Tower, and Kumano Faces Kakkazan the ability to deal four damage to any target with the Ixalan God on the battlefield. 

Temple of Power

• Cost: Ojer Axonil, Deepest Might transforming
• Type: Land
• Ability: Tap—Add one Red mana
• Activated ability: Pay 2R and Tap—Transform Temple of Power. Activate only if Red sources you control dealt four or more noncombat damage this turn and only as a Sorcery

Ojer Axonil, Deepest Might transforms into a Land upon dying on the battlefield and can transform back into the Legendary God at the cost of only three mana and synergy with Burn spells that are built around it. Temple of Power is essentially a form of ramp, adding Red mana to the pool when the God is destroyed but not exiled. 

Huatli, Poet of Unity//Roar of the Fifth People Ixalan spoiler

Huatli was one of dozens of Planeswalkers who lost their Spark during the events that followed the Multiverse war started by the Phyrexians. 

Huatli, Poet of Unity

Huatli, Poet of Unity at face value is a 2/3 three-drop in Green that can search your library for a land. The human bard is like so many other MTG cards until players can activate her transform cost. 

• Mana cost: 2G
• Type: Legendary Creature—Human Warrior Bard
• Rarity: Mythic Rare
• Stats: 2/3 
• ETB ability: WhenHuatli, Poet of Unity enters the battlefield, search your library for a basic land card, reveal it, put it into your hand, and shuffle
• Activated ability: Pay three and either two of Red or White (hybrid)—Exile Huatli, then return her to the battlefield transformed under her owner’s control. Activate only as a Sorcery. 

Roar of the Fifth People

• Cost: Transformation of  Huatli, Poet of Unity
• Type: Enchantment—Saga
• Chapter One: Create two 3/3 dinosaur creature tokens
• Chapter Two: Creatures you control can tap for either Red, Green, or White mana
• Chapter Three: Search your library for a dinosaur card, reveal it, put it into your hand, then shuffle
• Dinosaurs you control gain Double Strike and Trample unit the end of the turn

Transforming from Hualti, Roar of the Fifth People is a solid Saga that costs five mana to activate. The two dinosaur tokens are nice chump blockers that stall for Chapters Two and Three, with Chapter Five likely ending the game with a wide board of dinosaurs. 

Players can check out the new MTG Legendary creatures that transform in Lost Caverns of Ixalan when the set releases in November.