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New Phyrexia

The New Phyrexia set

New Phyrexia is the third Magic the Gathering edition in the Scars of Mirrodin Block. Its release date was May 13, 2011. It has 175 black-bordered cards, consisting of 10 mythic rares, 35 rares, 60 uncommons and 70 commons.

New Phyrexia is dominated by Phyrexian cards, because according to the story, Phyrexia defeated Mirrodin in battle and with this victory come new abilities.

New Phyrexia introduces new creatures called Praetors, which have extreme abilities potentially capable of ending the game when played. Some of them have been around since the beginning of the Mirrodin-Phyrexian battle, like Jin-Gitaxias, Core Augur and Sheoldred, Whispering One.

New Phyrexia also introduces a new way to cast spells - the Phyrexian mana symbol allows the player to pay 2 life instead of paying mana to cast cards. The player can always pay mana normally instead, though using this tool, spells may be cast for much less mana.

Infect is also an ability in New Phyrexia, with an unblockable infect creature (Blighted Agent), a 1 mana cost infect creature (Glistener Elf), and one big blue horror infect creature (Chained Throatseeker). While Phyrexia no longer is mainly infect, like it was in Scars of Mirrodin, it still has some great infect sources available.

Mirrodin Beseiged introduced the Equipment ability "Living Weapon," which puts a 0/0 Germ token creature with the equipment attached to it. New Phyrexia backs up this abilitiy with "Batterskull", a devastating new equipment with Living Weapon. Other "Living Weapon" equipment in New Phyrexia include Lashwrithe, Necropouncer and Sickleslicer.

Jin-Gitaxias, Core Augur is one of the most powerful Praetors.

New Phyrexia also has many cards with interesting (and new) abilities. Myr Superion costs 2 to cast for a 5/6, but can only be cast using mana generated from creatures. Another card, Darksteel Relic, a 0 casting cost for ... well, nothing, except that it is indestructible and it's an artifact (to help with Metalcraft, apparently). Birthing Pod, Phyrexian Obliterator and Puresteel Paladin are the more interesting cards in New Phyrexia with new abilities.

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