MTG Phyrexian elder dinosaur poisons Commander opponents with game-ending ability

Wizards of the Coast is continuing to support alternative win conditions in Magic: The Gathering through an elder dinosaur in the upcoming March of the Machine set. 

Etali, Primal Storm is a popular commander in the MTG format that’s been reprinted in at least half a dozen Commander sets. With the release of March of the Machine (MOM), Etali is getting an upgrade in power and colors. The Phyrexian elder dinosaur has a Transform ability that contains a Green Phyrexian mana, turning the Etali, Primal Conqueror into Etali, Primal Sickness. 

Etali, Primal Conqueror//Etali, Primal Sickness

Etali, Primal Conqueror sticks to its roots as a card advantage engine in the MOM set, exiling the top card of each player’s library upon entering the battlefield. The Mono-Red dinosaur costs 5RR to cast, has Trample, and baseline stats of 7/7. Upon Transforming, the elder becomes a Phyrexina Dinosaur that applies at least 11 Poison counters through combat damage, defeating the opponent who was dealt the damage. 

Etali, Primal Conqueror

• Mana cost: 5RR
• Type: Legendary Creature—Elder Dinosaur
• Rarity: Rare
• Stats: 7/7
• Keyword: Trample
• Ability: When Etali, Primal Conquerer enters the battlefield, each player exiles cards from the top of their library until they exile a non-land card. You may cast any number of spells from among the non-land cards exiled this way without paying their mana costs.
• Transform: Pay 9G/P—Activate only as a Sorcery. 

Etali, Primal Conqueror is a solid Mono-Red MTG card, especially in the Commander format that has potential in other Magic formats too. The true power of Etali is on the backside of the card, able to apply at least 11 Poison counters through combat damage on an 11/11 Phyrexian dinosaur that has Indestructible and Trample. 

Etali, Primal Sickness

• Type: Legendary Creature—Phyrexian Elder Dinosaur
• Stats: 11/11
• Keywords: Trample and Indestructible
• Ability: Whenever Etali, Primal Sickness deals combat damage to a player, they get that many poison counters. 

One attack that deals combat damage from Etali, Primal Sickness ends the match, as a player with 10 or more Poison counters loses the game. Spending nine to 10 mana to Transform Etali isn’t practical within the Standard format at time of writing. Players who can achieve the high cost, though, are destined to win games. 

Etali, Primal Conqueror//Etali, Primal Sickness becomes available to play with the start of MOM prerelease events on April 14. A global launch is scheduled for April 21.