Subject: Urza's Pre-release Date: Mon, 28 Sep 1998 09:55:17 -0500 (CDT) From: "Forrest M. Lee" To: fkusumot@ix.netcom.com I recently attended the URza pre-release in stl. mo. I stayed for one round than dropped immediately ( I had Cardinal tickets, mac hit 67 & 68) I got an awesome pre-release lighning dragon card, seriously one of the best pre-release cards I have seen (especially because I collect non-welp dragons) The tourney drew as usual a rather large crowd. Some thoughts on individual cards: Race support: thrulls, merfolk, pegasi, goblins, treefolk all present R Chimeric Staff 4 X:chimeric staff becomes an x/x creature until end of turn. THis card is great because you can store up mana and make a huge creature, attack, then fling it! un Voltaic key 1 1-tap untap target artifact. Thier are so many cool artifacts around, were to start. Yes, cursed scroll take a couple extra damage, or null- up an extra counter per turn. un Serra's Hymn -enc W-During upkeep put hymn counter on SH, sac and remove counters to prevet # of counters in damage. Angelic blessing is reprinted, in better form. sure it can be disenchanted and is not so much a surprise, but still a longer route to the same desireable affect! C Runes of protection (w,g,r,b,U) 1w w: prevent all damage from a x source cycling 2 Ok we may see more cops erm i mean rops in decks, the ability to pitch it away was obvously whjat was keeping them out of so many decks. common dispiple law/grace nice prtoection 1/2 creatues to hose red and black for mere ww castning cost. 3B crazed skirge un flying, celerity 2/2 this could be nice and fast surprise for other decks to deal with. vampiric embrace 2bb enc. creature gains +2/2 and flying and gains counter for every creature is places in graveyard. Now every black creature is a viable vampire, great for theme decks. @ new zombies Phyrexian ghoul /cackling fiend keep your zombie decks fresh for casual play. Cack fiend even has bouncy discard affect, hmmm might apear in some bounce decks. Blood vassal 2b sac bb 2/2 Another thrull, fun for casual decks or ones wich need mana later duress B discard non land, non creature card of my choice! ok this could be fun as smaller version and lesser version hymn to tourach...though I'm not sure how viable one card to one card loss is in tourney play... unerve 3B another discard theme card (2 discarded) exhume 1b each player puts card from graeyard into play. another raise dead, only opponent get benefit and you pay more expunge 2b: destry non black/artifact creature cycle 2 great creature removal for when you need it child of gaea (lord of the phatness) 3ggg trample durring upkeep pay gg 1g:regen 7/7 almost if not as cool a verdent force, godzilla is gonna be given a run for his money, now how about making a mothra? symbiosis ins 1g two target creatures get +2+2 another version of giant growth only for two creatures-good beat down ratio hush 3g destry all enc green once again control enc with ease elven lyrist g g, tap sac destroy enc 1/1 again more removal of enc elvish hereder g G: target cxreature gets trample until end of turn. 1/1 a lot of fun, who said mamoths are only ones who deserve this. How about my insects from alliances- can you say ball ball lightning! blachwood treefolk/cradle guard phatties pound for pound ! pouncing jaguar g 2/2 echo another ghazban....or limited upkeep creature, nice! hermetic study cont. later thanks