Locations
Welcome back to part three of our exciting Edge of Eternities picks. I'm going to be talking about all the colors in Edge of Eternities, so be sure to check out the previous colors by clicking on my byline above.
Today we're continuing with the Black cards that caught my eye. I usually try and select around eight cards for lists like this, but as with the previous colors, I may err on the side of shorter descriptions while cramming in more cards if the selection warrants it.
Let's begin!
Alpharael, Stonechosen
As a 3/3 for five mana, I'm not entirely on board with this guy. He may just be a Commander guy, but the ward is good, and the void ability is good as well. The problem is that you have to actually trigger void somehow, then also attack with your 3/3 creature. If you manage to do that, Alpharae can take the opponent down to seven life on turn six.
I feel like with a void ability like this, Alpharael really wants deathtouch to ensure trading. Either way, this is too unique of an ability not to mention, but the main problem with "halve their life" abilities is that they can never outright kill a player.
Archenemy's Charm
Really love to see the third Charm in the Arch-Charm cycle. Now all we need is a White and a Red Charm. Thankfully, I think this Charm is very playable.
The first mode is your typical Black removal spell that takes care of a creature or a planeswalker, only we get to exile them, which is a nice perk. Second mode is great as it's basically a draw two at instant-speed. The last mode is the least impressive in my opinion, but it's a nice permanent combat trick that can really recover a good amount of life when needed. All in all, this is a great set of options for three mana.
Elegy Acolyte
A 4/4 for four mana with lifelink? Okay, I'm in. Then I get to draw a card every time any creature or creatures deal combat damage? Okay, I'm still in. But then I also get a 2/2 Robot on every one of my turns where a permanent left the battlefield or a card was warped? I already said I was in!
Elegy Acolyte is another card that is doing a lot of work across a lot of effects, and I'm surprised it's not a mythic. It's also a card that can have an effect the turn it comes into play by drawing you a card from another creature's attack or making you a 2/2 at the end of the turn.
Requiem Monolith
I have no idea what to make of the Monolith. Is it good? I don't know. Black typically loves three-mana enchantments that can draw you an extra card every turn. This time it's an artifact, and there needs to be a creature in play, but you are able to ping your own creatures with this and draw a card each turn - assuming they survive.
Activating this only as a sorcery makes me sad, because it gets around any blocking trickery that might allow you to draw a butt load of cards, but maybe that's for the best.
Sothera, the Supervoid
Sothera is just an updated Grave Pact that had a baby with Pestilence: a four-mana enchantment that gets rid of an opposing creature when one of yours dies and that stops sticking around once there are no creatures in play. The rare, blinged out versions of these are also going for beaucoup bucks.
Unlike the previously referenced cards, Sothera is also reanimating one of the creatures exiled with it, and giving them a pair of counters. This is a solid bonus, and really makes Sothera The Meathook Massacre of the set. (Or would that be "the The Meathook Massacre" of the set? I don't know, man, Magic grammar is hard.)
Sunset Saboteur
Giving your opponent's creatures a +1/+1 counter every turn is not nothing, but this is a really powerful creature for a really low cost, with both menace and a great ward cost. So, I dunno, maybe he does a ton of damage before the counters matter?
Umbral Collar Zealot
Don't sleep on this guy. This is a two-mana creature with great stats and a zero-cost sacrifice outlet. That's a great deal and not something you often see.
Zero Point Ballad
This is basically a modern Black Sun's Zenith for one less mana, but there are no counters, so it has no effect on any creature you don't kill. Also, if you spend more than six mana on X, you get a creature back, which is similar to the Finale cycle. The Ballad is also like Zenith and Black Sun's Twilight had a baby. You'd think the Ballads would be a cycle because of that, but no.
Anyway, thanks for reading and I'll catch ya next time!
Frank Lepore
