The official reveal of Phyrexia: All Will Be One kicked off today, giving players got their first look and a ton of cards coming to the set as well as some of the design concepts behind them. In the debut video, Wizards of the Coast revealed the official details of the Phyrexian planeswalkers, new mechanics and abilities, and the Phyrexian version of what gods look like in Magic.
The Design Behind Phyrexia: All Will Be One
Lead Art Director Ovidio Cartagena detailed what it is like to bring this evolved form of Phyrexia back to the game, specifically with the returning Scars of Mirrodin fast lands. All five of the original fast lands are returning: Seachrome Coast, Darkslick Shores, Blackcleave Cliffs, Copperline Gorge, and Razorverge Thicket.
The fast lands are returning in Phyrexia: All Will Be One—with full-art variants!
Cartagena described the process that went into creating the artwork for these lands. “With Phyrexia, we really get to dive into the dark, surrealism and we had to reimagine and visualize how they could be happening here in Phyrexia,” he said. “We had to create new environments that would express not just the gameplay but also this conflict between factions. And how each faction carries out its influence, with necrogen, with ichor, with molten metal. So we get to see these elements across the lands.”
Cartagena also spoke to the design process that brought about the artwork for each card in the new Twilight cycle, where a monument to each praetor seems to capture one of New Phyrexia’s five suns: White Sun’s Twilight, Blue Sun’s Twilight, Black Sun’s Twilight, Red Sun’s Twilight, and Green Sun’s Twilight. He revealed that Urabrask has received an update to his design, gearing him up for battle, making him sleeker and seemingly more armored.
Red Sun’s Twilight by Julian Kok Joon Wen
Previously, Wizards revealed that there were going to be five massive Phyrexian Domini, one for each Praetor, and we got our first look today at one with Mondrak, Glory Dominus. Described as being the Phyrexian version of Gods, these cards have extremely powerful effects.
The planeswalkers of Phyrexia: All Will Be One was a unique challenge to the design team. While many of these cards were spoiled earlier, seeing them in their official release and after the details of their fall revealed in Magic’s story, is still a sight to behold. These planeswalkers had to be balanced carefully, adding the might of Phyrexia to their abilities and cost while making sure they don’t overpower a game was important.
All of the Phyrexian Planeswalkers have been revealed
While Tamiyo, Compleated Sage was compleated during the story of Kamigawa: Neon Dynasty, and Ajani, Sleeper Agent during Dominaria United, five new Planeswalkers join them in Phyrexia: All Will be One: Nahiri, the Unforgiving, Lukka, Bound to Ruin, Nissa, Ascended Animist, Vraska, Betrayal’s Sting, and Jace, the Perfected Mind.
All Mechanics, New And Old
Toxic is Wizards’ latest attempt to balance the powerful poison counters that players have come to associate with Phyrexia…while trying to avoid the power level of Infect. Found primarily on Phyrexian creatures, when a creature with Toxic deals combat damage to a player, that player gains poison counters equal to the number associated with Toxic. This means that creatures will be dealing both combat damage and adding poison counters when they attack a player.
Poison is back in a big way in Phyrexia: All Will Be One, with several cards gaining extra effects and abilities once an opponent reaches three poison counters. Corrupted abilities trigger once any opponent hits three poison counters and has a wide range of effects. The Seedcore, for example, can tap to give a 1/1 creature +2/+1 until end of turn—but only if Corrupted is active.
The Seedcore And Skrelv’s Hive
Proliferate returns to the game, as well, to help tick up those poison counters—along with any other counter you choose. Just keep in mind that when you choose a card to proliferate counters on, you must do so for all of the different counters on it.
For Mirrodin! is a brand new mechanic that feels heavily inspired by the living weapon ability. Found only on equipment, cards with For Mirrodin! create a 2/2 Rebel creature token and attach it to the token when it enters the battlefield. So far the only card officially released with this mechanic is Blade of Shared Souls, but it follows in the shift in design to have equipment attach as soon as they enter the battlefield.
Commander On Phyrexia
Two new Commander products are coming with Phyrexia: All Will Be One. For the Phyrexians, they have the Corrupting Influence box featuring Ixhel, Scion of Atraxa as the main commander and Rebellion Rising for the Mirrans, with Nyali, Sun’s Vanguard leading it. Details on these decks are light, but more info will come as their release date nears.
We got a sneak peek at what the next “Sword of X and Y” card is going to be during this segment, with the Sword of Forge and Frontier, likely a red/green sword, popping in at the bottom of the screen. Unfortunately, we don’t have more information on what the latest sword does but will likely be impressive given how powerful these cards typically are.
Finally, today’s debut stream ended with a look at the cinematic trailer for Phyrexia: All Will Be One. A terrifying trailer of our favorite planeswalkers and characters, consumed by ichor and attacked from all sides by Phyrexia. Given how good the teaser looked, the final cinematic looks like it would be Magic’s best yet.
Stay tuned to Hipsters of the Coast for more Phyrexia: All Will Be One details as they release and while you’re at it, subscribe to our newsletter for all your Magic news, guides, and more.
Ryan Hay (he/him) has been writing about Magic: The Gathering and video games for years, and loves absolutely terrible games. Send him your bad game takes over on Twitter where he won’t stop talking about Lord of the Rings.