Mercadian Masques
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Mercadian Masques | ||
|---|---|---|
| Expansion symbol |  |
|
| Release date | September 1999 | |
| Mechanics | Alternative Play Costs, Spellshapers, Rebels & Mercenaries | |
| Keywords | None | |
| Cycles | Storage lands, enmity spells | |
| Size | 350 cards | |
| Expansion code | MMQ | |
| Development codename | Archimedes | |
| Sets in Masques block | ||
| Mercadian Masques | Nemesis | Prophecy |
| Magic: The Gathering Chronology |
||
| Starter | Mercadian Masques | Battle Royale |
Contents |
[edit] Set history
Mercadian Masques is the first set in the Masques block of cards of Magic: The Gathering, along with the expansions Nemesis and Prophecy. Its expansion symbol is a mask. It is largely considered to be one of the most underpowered blocks ever, designed that way in order to balance out the huge power of the Urza's block.
[edit] Storyline
Mercadian Masques begins where Exodus ends, with the skyship Weatherlight making a hasty escape from Rath. The portal takes them to the plane of Mercadia, which is dominated by a bizarre city on an upside-down mountain. Weatherlight is captured by the Cho-Arrim, a spiritual people of the plains, and Gerrard and the crew must negotiate with the city's corrupt politicians to get the ship back and find a new power source.
[edit] Mechanics
Several cards have Alternative Play Costs, in which the caster may play the spell in a way that doesn't involve a mana cost.
Spellshapers are a class of creatures that have a mana and discard cost to play useful abilities. These abilities typically resemble popular instants and sorceries. With a spellshaper, a player can pitch useless cards in order to Disenchant or Stone Rain turn after turn.
The Rebel and Mercenary creatures have the ability to allow you to search your library for a creature with that type and a certain mana cost, and put it directly into play.
The enmity spells were overcosted cards that you could play for free if an opponent were playing with an enemy color.
[edit] Notable cards
Bribery -- The unique effect of putting a creature from opponent's library into play under your control has made this card popular in casual Magic. It has also seen some tournament play as a sideboard card against decks which rely on costly, powerful creatures (most notably Tooth and Nail decks).
Food Chain - One of many cards to be initially overlooked and then see a rise in play and market value after new card interactions were discovered; Food Chain became a staple of Type 1 and Extended Goblin Decks after the release of Onslaught
Misdirection -- This new version of Deflection could change the target of opposing spells and to (essentially) counter counterspells. The key to its power and popularity was its alternate casting cost, which allowed it to be cast without having to spend any mana.
Rishadan Port -- This land has the ability to tap another land, which can be used to slow your opponent down a turn. When Mercadian Masques was released it was a very overlooked card. When players started to understand its potential strength in control decks, the land instantly shot up in value and became the highest value card in the set at the time.
Squee, Goblin Nabob -- The only card that returns from its owner's graveyard to hand every upkeep without condition, Squee was frequently useful to the discard-hungry Masticore.
