Magic Origins

Magic Origins is the seventeenth Magic core set. At the time of its release, it was thought to be marketed as the last core set. It was grouped as a two-set block with Dragons of Tarkir for Standard rotation under the Two-Block Paradigm. It was released on July 17, 2015. The set was strongly integrated with its digital counterpart Magic Duels: Origins.
==Set details==
Magic Origins was announced February 8, 2015 during Pro Tour Fate Reforged. The set contains 272 cards, which is 3 more than the current default for large sets (101 Commons, 80 Uncommons, 55 Rares, 16 Mythic Rares, 20 Basic Land). An additional 16 cards appear in the sample decks (7 Common, 4 Uncommon, 5 Rare). As a first since Alpha, this Core Set features two new mechanics. R&D considers Magic Origins not to be the "last core set", but a "new beginning" relating to the start of the Two-Block Paradigm and a new treatment of the storyline. The latter involves telling coherent, in-depth stories about the characters and carrying those out over story arcs across multiple sets. To enable this storytelling, there are more new cards in this set than in previous Core Sets. More than ever, Magic Origins is strongly integrated with its digital counterpart, Magic Duels. We see the main characters depicted before and after their planeswalker's spark ignites. The design of the cards and mechanics mirrors this for the players, as a kind of "leveling up" to their full potential. This is achieved by double-faced cards with one side featuring a legendary creature, and the other side featuring its planeswalker incarnation. The basic lands feature basic land art from all the planes which are included in the set. Some are recreations of original artworks from those sets, showing the passage of time.
With Magic Origins, Wizards of the Coast experimented with a new mulligan rule: any player whose opening hand has fewer cards than their starting hand size may scry 1. After Pro Tour Vancouver, it was positively evaluated and implemented everywhere else. 
===Storyline===
The set tells the origin stories of several planeswalkers - Gideon Jura, Jace Beleren, Chandra Nalaar, Liliana Vess and Nissa Revane - who became the lead characters in The Gatewatch and the Bolas Arc. We see these characters' home worlds, learn about the joys and crises of their early lives, and discover how they became the multiverse-traveling planeswalkers we know today.ICV2 (February 9 2015) M: TG--Magic Origins’ Core Set These are nicknamed the "Origins Five" in contrast to the original "Lorwyn Five", with Ajani and Garruk replaced by Gideon and Nissa respectively.
Planeswalker 	Plane of birth	First walk
Gideon Jura 	Theros 	Alara (Bant)
Jace Beleren 	Vryn 	Ravnica
Liliana Vess 	Dominaria 	Innistrad
Chandra Nalaar	Kaladesh 	Regatha
Nissa Revane 	Zendikar 	Lorwyn
With ten planes to visit, there was more worldbuilding work than for a normal set. Seven planes were previously visited by premier sets, of which only one (Nissa on Zendikar) was explicitly linked as a planeswalker's home. Kaladesh was first created here, while Vryn and Regatha had no normal cards associated with them until this set - both had a plane card in Planechase 2012. Kaladesh would later be explored in its own eponymous set.
====Magic Story====
Title	Author 	Release Date	Setting (plane) 	Featuring
 	Doug Beyer 	2015-06-10 	Kaladesh, Regatha 	Chandra Nalaar, Pia Nalaar, Kiran Nalaar, Dhiren Baral, Oviya Pashiri
 	James Wyatt 	2015-06-17 	Dominaria, Innistrad, Kothophed's homeplane	Liliana Vess, Josu Vess, Raven Man, Ana, Nicol Bolas, Kothophed
 	Kelly Digges 	2015-06-24 	Vryn, Ravnica 	Jace Beleren, Ranna Beleren, Gav Beleren, Tuck, Caden, Jillet, Alhammarret, Emmara Tandris
 	Ari Levitch 	2015-07-01 	Theros, Bant 	Gideon Jura, Hixus, Ristos, Drasus, Olexo, Epikos, Zenon, Heliod, Erebos, Moukir
 	Kimberly J. Kreines & Adam Lee	2015-07-08 	Zendikar, Lorwyn 	Nissa Revane, Numa, Meroe, Mazik, Galed, Dwynen
===Marketing===
Magic Origins was sold in booster packs, Intro packs, a fat pack, a clash pack, the Magic Origins Deck Builder's Toolkit and a Land Station. The boosters feature artwork corresponding to the five planeswalker characters: <c>Kytheon, Hero of Akros</c>, <c>Jace, Vryn's Prodigy</c>, <c>Liliana, Heretical Healer</c>, <c>Chandra, Fire of Kaladesh</c> and <c>Nissa, Vastwood Seer</c>. Prerelease events were held on July 11–12, 2015, Launch Weekend on July 17–19, 2015, and Game Day on August 8–9, 2015. Starting the Monday of each week after the Prerelease, there were five consecutive Planeswalker theme weeks in WUBRG order on DailyMTG.com. Local stores around the world received some unique posters and items to put up to represent these theme weeks.
====Prerelease====
Players were asked to appear at the prerelease with clothes in the color of the favorite planeswalker. Magic Origins prerelease packs allowed players to learn the origin of their favorite Planeswalker. There were five prerelease packs, one for each planeswalker's color. Each came with a 7-card seeded booster pack that corresponded with that color. When registering for the Prerelease tournament, each player chose one. The seeded booster pack assisted players in building a deck by providing a starting point in their chosen color. Each seeded booster pack contained a stamped premium promo card, which players could include in their tournament decks. The prerelease pack further contained 6 regular booster packs, 1 story booklet, and 1 Spindown life counter. 
====Promotional cards====
*Launch promo: <c>Mizzium Meddler</c> 
*Game Day: <c>Conclave Naturalists</c>
*Game Day (Top 8): <c>Languish</c>
*Buy-a-Box: <c>Relic Seeker</c>
*Prerelease, one of forty according to the chosen Planeswalker alignment. The pack's theme does not guarantee a specific Planeswalker card: 
====Tokens / Emblems / Checklist==== 
The sixteenth card in the boosters is a token creature card, an emblem or a checklist card, with advertisements on the back side: 
# 4/4 Angel with flying for <c>Sigil of the Empty Throne</c>
# 2/2 Knight with vigilance for <c>Gideon's Phalanx</c> and <c>Knightly Valor</c>
# 1/1 Soldier for <c>Murder Investigation</c>
# 5/5 Demon with flying for <c>Priest of the Blood Rite</c>
# 2/2 Zombie for <c>Undead Servant</c> and <c>Liliana, Heretical Healer</c>
# 1/1 Goblin for <c>Dragon Fodder</c>
# 2/2 Elemental for <c>Zendikar's Roil</c>
# 1/1 Elf Warrior for <c>Dwynen's Elite</c>
# 4/4 Legendary Elemental named "Ashaya, the Awoken World" for <c>Nissa, Sage Animist</c>
# 1/1 Thopter with flying for <c>Aspiring Aeronaut</c>, <c>Foundry of the Consuls</c>, <c>Ghirapur Gearcrafter</c>, <c>Hangarback Walker</c>, <c>Pia and Kiran Nalaar</c>, <c>Thopter Engineer</c>, <c>Thopter Spy Network</c> and <c>Whirler Rogue</c> 
# 1/1 Thopter with flying
# 
# 
# 
====Sample decks====
The Magic Origins Core Set comes with five thirty-card sample decks. Each sample deck has several cards numbered 273 and higher that do not appear in Magic Origins booster packs. They include classics like <c>Serra Angel</c>, <c>Sengir Vampire</c>, and <c>Mahamoti Djinn</c>. These 16 cards are legal for tournament play in any format that includes the Magic Origins core set. The Magic Origins Deck Builder's Toolkit also contains these cards.
==Themes and mechanics==
Double-faced cards / transform return with this set, showcasing the five planeswalkers. As for Innistrad and Dark Ascension a special checklist card is provided to facilitate play with the double-face cards.
Magic Origins features the new evergreen keyword ability Menace, as a replacement for Intimidate. Menace stands for This creature can't be blocked except by two or more creatures. The mechanic has existed since <c>Goblin War Drums</c> from Fallen Empires and will be primary in black and secondary in red.
Prowess (primary blue and secondary red) and Scry are promoted to evergreen status, while protection loses that status, and Intimidate and landwalk are retired entirely.
 
A new keyword ability is Renown (primary white and secondary green) - Renown N1 (Whenever this creature deals combat damage to a player if it isn't renowned, put N +1/+1 counter on it and it becomes renowned.) 
A new ability word is Spell mastery - if there are two or more instant or sorcery cards in your graveyard, [effect].
Magic Origins features ten limited archetypes, each linked to one of the featured planes: 
*: Vryn — Control/Skies/Spell mastery (<c>Thunderclap Wyvern</c>)
*: Innistrad — Graveyard (<c>Possessed Skaab</c>) 
*: Regatha — Sacrifice (<c>Blazing Hellhound</c>)
*: Zendikar — Midrange Beatdown/Creature ramp (<c>Zendikar Incarnate</c>)
*: Alara (Bant) — Renown/pump spells (<c>Citadel Castellan</c>)
*: Dominaria — Auras (<c>Blood-Cursed Knight</c>)
*: Kaladesh — Tempo aggro/Artifacts (<c>Reclusive Artificer</c>)
*: Lorwyn — Midrange attrition/Elves (<c>Shaman of the Pack</c>)
*: Theros — Go wide (<c>Iroas's Champion</c>)
*: Ravnica — Tempo (<c>Bounding Krasis</c>)
==Cycles==
Magic Origins has nine cycles, one of which contains seven cards. 
Cycle name 	 	 	 	 	
Gatewatch Flipwalkers 	// 	// 	// 	// 	//
Gatewatch Flipwalkers 	Five double-faced mythic creatures that transform into a planeswalker when a certain condition is met that represents the event that caused that character's planeswalker's spark to ignite. These 5 flipwalkers eventually become the first 5 members of the Gatewatch and the protagonists of the Bolas Arc.	Five double-faced mythic creatures that transform into a planeswalker when a certain condition is met that represents the event that caused that character's planeswalker's spark to ignite. These 5 flipwalkers eventually become the first 5 members of the Gatewatch and the protagonists of the Bolas Arc.	Five double-faced mythic creatures that transform into a planeswalker when a certain condition is met that represents the event that caused that character's planeswalker's spark to ignite. These 5 flipwalkers eventually become the first 5 members of the Gatewatch and the protagonists of the Bolas Arc.	Five double-faced mythic creatures that transform into a planeswalker when a certain condition is met that represents the event that caused that character's planeswalker's spark to ignite. These 5 flipwalkers eventually become the first 5 members of the Gatewatch and the protagonists of the Bolas Arc.	Five double-faced mythic creatures that transform into a planeswalker when a certain condition is met that represents the event that caused that character's planeswalker's spark to ignite. These 5 flipwalkers eventually become the first 5 members of the Gatewatch and the protagonists of the Bolas Arc.
Mentors 	 	 	 	 	
Mentors 	Five rare legendary creatures linked to the planeswalkers in their youth. 	Five rare legendary creatures linked to the planeswalkers in their youth. 	Five rare legendary creatures linked to the planeswalkers in their youth. 	Five rare legendary creatures linked to the planeswalkers in their youth. 	Five rare legendary creatures linked to the planeswalkers in their youth.
Same named 	 	 	 	 	
Same named 	Five common cards that get stronger when having cards with the same name on the field, graveyard, or library. 	Five common cards that get stronger when having cards with the same name on the field, graveyard, or library. 	Five common cards that get stronger when having cards with the same name on the field, graveyard, or library. 	Five common cards that get stronger when having cards with the same name on the field, graveyard, or library. 	Five common cards that get stronger when having cards with the same name on the field, graveyard, or library.
Common spell mastery 	 	/ 	/ 	 	
Common spell mastery 	Seven common spell mastery cards with small effects, showing the Planeswalkers casting magic on their home world. 	Seven common spell mastery cards with small effects, showing the Planeswalkers casting magic on their home world. 	Seven common spell mastery cards with small effects, showing the Planeswalkers casting magic on their home world. 	Seven common spell mastery cards with small effects, showing the Planeswalkers casting magic on their home world. 	Seven common spell mastery cards with small effects, showing the Planeswalkers casting magic on their home world.
Uncommon spell mastery 	 	 	 	 	
Uncommon spell mastery 	Five uncommon spell mastery cards with small effects, showing the Planeswalkers casting magic on the plane they traveled to. 	Five uncommon spell mastery cards with small effects, showing the Planeswalkers casting magic on the plane they traveled to. 	Five uncommon spell mastery cards with small effects, showing the Planeswalkers casting magic on the plane they traveled to. 	Five uncommon spell mastery cards with small effects, showing the Planeswalkers casting magic on the plane they traveled to. 	Five uncommon spell mastery cards with small effects, showing the Planeswalkers casting magic on the plane they traveled to.
Rare spell mastery 	 	 	 	 	
Rare spell mastery 	Five rare spell mastery cards with larger splashier effects, showing the Planeswalkers at the height of their current power. 	Five rare spell mastery cards with larger splashier effects, showing the Planeswalkers at the height of their current power. 	Five rare spell mastery cards with larger splashier effects, showing the Planeswalkers at the height of their current power. 	Five rare spell mastery cards with larger splashier effects, showing the Planeswalkers at the height of their current power. 	Five rare spell mastery cards with larger splashier effects, showing the Planeswalkers at the height of their current power.
Pivotal moments 	 	 	 	 	
Pivotal moments 	Five uncommon, rare, or mythic cards depicting the big story moment for the planeswalker's narrative arc. 	Five uncommon, rare, or mythic cards depicting the big story moment for the planeswalker's narrative arc. 	Five uncommon, rare, or mythic cards depicting the big story moment for the planeswalker's narrative arc. 	Five uncommon, rare, or mythic cards depicting the big story moment for the planeswalker's narrative arc. 	Five uncommon, rare, or mythic cards depicting the big story moment for the planeswalker's narrative arc.
Home planes 	 	 	 	 	
Home planes 	Five uncommon build-around enchantments that represent the characters' home planes. 	Five uncommon build-around enchantments that represent the characters' home planes. 	Five uncommon build-around enchantments that represent the characters' home planes. 	Five uncommon build-around enchantments that represent the characters' home planes. 	Five uncommon build-around enchantments that represent the characters' home planes.
Cycle name 	 	 	 	 	
Enemy colored painlands	 	 	 	 	
Enemy colored painlands	Five rare dual lands with ": Add . : Add M or N. [This] deals 1 damage to you." Here, M and N are enemy colors of mana.(reprinted from Magic 2015) 	Five rare dual lands with ": Add . : Add M or N. [This] deals 1 damage to you." Here, M and N are enemy colors of mana.(reprinted from Magic 2015) 	Five rare dual lands with ": Add . : Add M or N. [This] deals 1 damage to you." Here, M and N are enemy colors of mana.(reprinted from Magic 2015) 	Five rare dual lands with ": Add . : Add M or N. [This] deals 1 damage to you." Here, M and N are enemy colors of mana.(reprinted from Magic 2015) 	Five rare dual lands with ": Add . : Add M or N. [This] deals 1 damage to you." Here, M and N are enemy colors of mana.(reprinted from Magic 2015)
==Card comparisons==
==Notable cards==
*Nearly the entire cycle of "flipwalkers" has had an impact on competitive constructed play.
**<c>Jace, Vryn's Prodigy</c> proved to be an incredibly strong creature that could easily flip into a Planeswalker, dominating Standard and continuing to see play in Vintage.
**<c>Chandra, Fire of Kaladesh</c> takes effort to flip but can become a fast clock of a Planeswalker and is often played in Red Deck Wins decks across Pioneer and Standard.
**<c>Kytheon, Hero of Akros</c> was played in White Weenie aggro decks in Standard but has become especially strong in Pioneer where he is joined by Human payoffs like <c>Coppercoat Vanguard</c> and <c>Thalia's Lieutenant</c>.
**<c>Nissa, Vastwood Seer</c> was a staple midrange card for the green-heavy decks in Standard.
*The minor artifact theming overrepresented the set in larger formats, along with some other combo-centric effects:
**<c>Hangarback Walker</c> has become a crucial part of numerous artifact-focused decks in Modern, primarily decks built around <c>Hardened Scales</c>.
**<c>Chief of the Foundry</c> is a valuable lord for MUD aggro decks in Vintage which can easily be cast with <c>Mishra's Workshop</c>.
**<c>Caustic Caterpillar</c> has seen play in numerous creature toolbox decks in Standard, Modern, and Pioneer as main against artifacts and enchantments.
**<c>Ghirapur Aethergrid</c> is a powerful payoff for artifact decks in multiple formats, especially Modern and Legacy.
**<c>Dark Petition</c> is a tutor that can potentially be close to <c>Demonic Tutor</c> if you have spell mastery enabled, and see play in combo decks like Pioneer Lotus Field and Legacy Storm that can both cast lots of spells and generate large amounts of mana in a single turn.
**<c>Day's Undoing</c> is a unique wheel effect that costs the same as the original <c>Timetwister</c>. Although it has a major downside, Legacy control decks have been able to mitigate it by playing at instant speed or with <C>Narset, Parter of Veils</c>.
**<c>Vryn Wingmare</c> is a strong hate-bear effect for tax-style decks from Standard to Vintage.
**<c>Scab-Clan Berserker</c> had a short run as a Legacy and Vintage playable in Moon Stompy decks.
*<c>Demonic Pact</c> is an alternate-loss card. It was in Standard with <c>Harmless Offering</c>, a deck that put pilot Chris Botelho on the map by making a Grand Prix Top 8.
*<c>Pia and Kiran Nalaar</c> is a versatile card used in several tournament decks. It represents Chandra's parents.
*<c>Tragic Arrogance</c> was a staple board-wipe in Standard that had multiple green creature decks and few control decks and the ability to control most of the outcome.
*<c>Languish</c> is a cheap but limited board-wipe that has seen play in numerous control decks in Standard and Pioneer.
*<c>Shaman of the Pack</c> and <c>Dwynen's Elite</c> are a key payoff and enabler, respectively, for Elf decks in Pioneer.
*<c>Faerie Miscreant</c> is a source of major card advantage for Faeries decks in Pauper.
*<c>Enthralling Victor</c> is a new flavor treatment for stealing effects and generated memes on various aspects of the card, the least risqué of which were that the man depicted was not a champion but was merely named "Victor".
==Preconstructed decks==
===Intro packs===
The intro packs are: 
===Clash pack===
Magic Origins comes with a clash pack which contains two ready-to-play, 60-card decks. The cards can combine into a single 60-card Standard deck perfect for FNM. The pack contains 6 premium cards with alternative art.
==Core set changes==
==References==
==External links==
*Mark Purvis and Ian Duke Announcing Magic Origins
*Magic Origins Facebook Announcement
*Official trailer
Category:Magic core sets