MTG Tyvar, Jubilant Brawler powers into Golgari 3-drop slot

Tyvar the elf Magic: The Gathering planeswalker from Kaldheim returns to Standard in Phyrexia: All Will Be One, showcasing powerful abilities as a three-drop legendary planeswalker.

Many of the MTG Gatewatch planeswalkers have fallen to Phyrexian oil but a few remained unscathed. One of the planeswalkers putting up a solid fight is Tyvar Kell, last seen as a Mono-Green planeswalker. But the elf’s MTG colors have expanded to include Black, as seen in today’s Phyrexia: All Will Be One (ONE) spoiler that was revealed by Seanan McGuire on Twitter. 

Tyvar, Jubilant Brawler

The MTG colors Black and Green thrive on reanimation synergies but often fall short of ever becoming meta within the Standard format. Tyvar, Jubilant Brawler has the potential to change that through the upcoming release of ONE. 

• Mana cost: 1BG
• Type: Legendary Planeswalker—Tyvar
• Rarity: Rare
• Starting Loyalty: Three
• Passive ability: You may activate abilities of creatures you control as though those creatures had Haste
• Plus-one: Untap up to one target creature
• Minus-two: Mill three cards, then you may return a creature card with a mana value of two or less from your graveyard to the battlefield

Reanimation on a self-mill MTG card has always been a powerful effect that slots into a variety of Golgari decks. The creatures Tyvar can return to the battlefield are narrow in scope, as they can’t cost more than two mana to cast. But the effect is nonetheless a powerful one that can easily get out of hand when Tyvar, Jubilant Brawler is played on curve. 

The plus-one ability is a minor way to add protection to Tyvar while his passive may have serious implications on the Standard meta like his minus-two ability. Activated abilities often don’t occur at Haste speed as they can become difficult to respond to. With Tyvar able to give all activated abilities Haste, the power of elves may overtake soldiers with the release of ONE. 

Players can test out Tyvar, Jubilant Brawler when the Phyrexia: All Will Be One prerelease event begin on Feb. 3 or through the digital launch on Feb. 7.