Myth-Direction - Ixalan

Admiral Beckett Brass

A lord, lord in this case meaning a creature that pumps other creatures of the same type, doesn't usually make it to Mythic status, unless there is something else big on it, maybe I don't know, like being able to steal your opponent's stuff. As a four mana 3/3 the Admiral isn't particularly shining in combat phases plus she does require three colours of mana to cast meaning that dropping her on turn four may be difficult. However, she is exactly what you want if you're planning on building a pirate tribal deck because Beckett Brass brings the whole thing together. Her theft effect can really start to snowball if you get in once or twice with the necessary three Pirates but as big as that effect may be or have potential to be, three pirates is asking a little much for me, this is a tricky one to template though, if she only required two Pirates then the ability would be absurd. Overall I do like the flavour of Admiral Beckett Brass but as a Mythic goes I think the power level could have been pushed a little more, not as in asking for less Pirates to deal damage but maybe giving them more power or making the Admiral herself cost one less and leaving it at Grixis casting cost.

Axis Of Mortality

The only reason Axis Of Mortality is mythic is because it's a permanent, reusable effect, if it were a one shot sorcery then it would be a rare and a junk rare at that. As it stands, it's a junk Mythic that may find a home in commander but even there players have much better, splashier things to do. I don't like Axis Of Mortality as a Mythic and even with the enchantment type could have probably been just a normal rare.

Boneyard Parley

This is the type of spell Mythic rares should be; high costed, high reward, big, splashy, possible game winning effects. Yes seven mana is a lot but when you could get a mass of power easily eclipsing the cost of Boneyard Parley it's a no brainer, and it doesn't just take them from your graveyard you have access to your opponent's as well. I'll also remind you that making a split with a spell like this isn't always an easy task and under pressure players can easily make mistakes so the potential to get three or even four creatures out of this is a possibility. This is definitely a Mythic for me, it hits high on both flavour and power.

Carnage Tyrant

When designing a card in Magic there may be a temptation to slap a few powerful keywords on it to increase its power or playability, it happened with Samut in Amonkhet and to a degree here with Carnage Tyrant. I love this card but there are more expensive dinosaurs with less powerful abilities/power and toughness/both so it feels that design needed a big Mythic dinosaur to fill a hole and what once could have been an uncommon with Trample turned into a mythic with "cannot be countered" and hexproof. Maybe Carnage Tyrant was designed to play against those counter/removal heavy decks but the fact that it carries so much sheer power I think could push it over the edge with metagames to come. This is definitely a Mythic Rare to me.

Dire Fleet Ravager

Everything about this creature isn’t good enough to hit Mythic for me; five mana 4/4, Menace, Deathtouch. This good enough to be a semi decent rare, right up until the enter the battlefield effect. The ability to instantly hit your opponent for a third of their life as a result of Dire Fleet Ravager coming into play is pretty swingy as effects go, for example if you’re opponent is on 20 like suddenly your five mana 4/4 has just dealt them 7 as it enters the battlefield which then puts them on a five turn clock, four turn clock if you have literally any other damage. The problem is that the Ravager isn’t particularly impressive in a constructed capacity, it’s obviously nuts in limited but in my opinion a Mythic Rare should feel swingy and immensely powerful in almost all situations, not being a player in constructed right off the bat outs this out of the running for me.

Gisharth, Sun’s Avatar

Boom! This is what a Mythic Rare should be, it’s costly but effective and incredibly powerful. Landing this in limited pretty much wins you the game on the spot and if you do get to attack with Gisharth and reveal any number of Dinosaurs then you’re living the dream. The best part is that you could viably run Gisharth in standard and get there with the threat of a 7 power attacker or get back into a game by hitting with Gisharth once and possibly being able to flood the board with a few dinosaurs to block and keep you alive for a few more turns. Gisharth is certainly a Mythic Rare in power and flavour.

Huatli, Warrior Poet

First off, the flavour on this planeswalker is on point; communing with the Dinosaurs (not the actual card) is Huatli’s thing and the first ability, and the second to an extent, plays into that nicely. Her last ability can be a game winning powerhouse, if you can get off to a fast start and flood the board with creatures there is a chance that dropping a turn five Huatli and choosing to -3 targeting three opposing blockers could just win you the game. I think she’s got potential as the power level is there but the playability might not be right now, on this occasion I’m going to give her a pass and say she’s hit the Mythic criteria but it was mainly on flavour so it was close.

Jace, Cunning Castaway

I’m disappointed by this Jace. I remember his first outing, he had the same casting cost and the same starting loyalty but seemed much more effective in his first two abilities; drawing cards without any hitches, except that your opponent got one some times. Having a conditional card draw ability feels really weak for the poster boy of Magic and the fact that it’s only a loot effect for one card no matter how many creatures you hit with just takes it further down in my estimation. The Illusion creature token is fine but again I feel like it could be more than it is and as far as his ultimate goes, well that’s all this card is, a way to show off the new legendary status of Planeswalkers and fiddle with the rules. All in all I’m underwhelmed and even though Jace, Cunning Castaway is a Planeswalker I don’t think he’s hit the Mythic Rare Status.

Overflowing Insight

There isn’t much to Overflowing Insight but what is there makes it pretty tempting. Seven mana for seven cards is good value considering a lot of the time you’re paying more than one mana per card on other spells, it is a sorcery which may bring it down in estimation for some people but the fact that you can target your opponent makes it a possible win condition in limited if you can get to the late game. All that said I don’t think it’s a Mythic Rare, Rare at best. It’s flavourful sure but as power to playability goes it’s not up there with the best, it’s a fun commander and limited card but I don’t think it will hit the competitive play scene and that’s really where you want a Mythic Rare or at least to try it and I don’t think Overflowing Insight gets there.

Rowdy Crew

I really like Rowdy Crew, it’s a cheap, aggressive creature and great for limited. I like how flavourful it is depicting pirates reckless with both the loot they’ve pilfered and each other, if you happen to discard any other pirates from the ability. The potential power level is up there and I feel that it walks the line of Mythic Rare just enough to get there, however if it costed one more mana or had one less power it probably wouldn’t so in a sense Rowdy Crew is a very well designed card with great balance.

Star Of Extinction

This is certainly the most flavourful cars in the whole set, everyone knows of the comet that wiped out the dinosaurs and this is that in card form. In addition it also wipes out any Planeswalkers that happen to be in play, it’s costly but effective and immensely thematic which ticks all the boxes for a Mythic Rare, slam dunk.

Tishana, Voice Of Thunder

Not only does she have the potential to be huge, not only does she un-restrict your hand size but she also gives you a massive card advantage boost to go with her other abilities. I like Tishana because she’s what a Mythic Rare invokes; costly, powerful and flavourful. I have talked about constructed playability with previous Mythic Rares and even though Tishana probably isn’t constructed playable she’s still hitting that Mythic Rare status purely based on design and flavour.

Vona, Butcher Of Magan

It’s typical of a vampire to have Lifelink, the whole sucking blood thing and all, but I think it’s a nice flavour twist to drain life from the player that controls this particular vampire. In exchange for this life, Vona gives you the ability to blow up whatever nonland permanent you want and couple that with the Vigilance and in no time Vona can become an incredible threat while still taking out whatever blockers or threats your opponent controls. I love the flavour on this card, the power level is more than enough and it’s definitely constructed playable which is why I feel it has hit the Mythic Rare status on every account.

Vraska, Relic Seeker

Now this is what a planeswalker should be. It’s powerful and effective on all abilities from making a lowly 2/2 pirate with Menace, destroying almost anything of relevance and giving you a mana advantage or putting your opponent to one life. This six mana planeswalker is full of flavour and the potential power is up there, obviously as a planeswalker she hits the Mythic Rare status automatically in a sense but as with Jace, Cunning Castaway sometimes they can be virtual Rares, Vraska is not the case and I’m glad to say she sits at Mythic Rare nicely and cleanly.

Wakening Sun’s Avatar

Big dinosaurs are always fun to have about and they get so much better when they can deal with all other non dinosaurs. Eight mana is a lot but with an effect like this you need to split the mana cost between the effect and the body Wakening Sun’s Avatar is providing; so you’re getting a 7/7 and a sudo Wrath Of God for Eight mana which means you’re paying four mana each and that’s great value. The power is definitely there however the flavour is a tad off, for example I’m not sure how a dinosaur can destroy other non dinosaur creatures but I guess it is an Avatar which will give it some more, slightly weird abilities, but now I’m just nitpicking because Wakening Sun’s Avatar is splashy and powerful and big and exciting and everything you could want from a Mythic Rare.

So that’s my look through all of the Mythic Rares in Ixalan, I hope you’ve enjoyed it and make sure to join me again for our Rivals Of Ixalan Myth-Direction. Until then though, keep checking back to Game Changers for more gaming news and updates.