Saviors of Kamigawa
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Saviors of Kamigawa | ||
|---|---|---|
| Expansion symbol |  lantern |
|
| Release date | June 3, 2005 | |
| Mechanics | Channel, Sweep, Hand size (wisdom) | |
| Keywords | Epic | |
| Size | 165 (55 rares, 55 uncommons, 55 commons) | |
| Expansion code | SOK | |
| Development codename | Fire
|
|
| Sets in Kamigawa Block | ||
| Champions of Kamigawa | Betrayers of Kamigawa | Saviors of Kamigawa |
| Magic: The Gathering Chronology |
||
| Betrayers of Kamigawa | Saviors of Kamigawa | 9th Edition |
Saviors of Kamigawa (also Saviors or SoK) is a Magic: The Gathering set, third and last in the Kamigawa Block. Saviors of Kamigawa was released on June 3, 2005 (prerelease on May 21, 2005). Its expansion symbol is a Japanese lantern.
[edit] Mechanics
Saviors of Kamigawa introduces several new mechanics to the game.
- Epic Spells are powerful cards with effects so big that once played their controller can't play spells for the rest of the game. In exchange, that player gets a copy of the spell again for free during each of his or her upkeeps. Ideally, these spells are used when a sort of control of the game has been established, to offset the Epic ability. Notably, Enduring Ideal had become a semi-popular deck, while being able to fetch any enchantment every turn (it usually wins by fetching Form of the Dragon and Zur's Weirding to gain control of the game).
- Channel represents the fading barrier between the spirit world and reality. Spirits now have the ability to concentrate their physical form into a one-shot instant-effect. Channel is an activated ability not unlike cycling; a 'Channel' cost is played, and the card is discarded with an effect.
- Sweep Spells, following in the sudden burst of spell power, allows players to determine how devastating they want the spell to be, in exchange for returning lands of a required type to your hand.
- Five new flip cards - These flip cards are different from previous flips. Saviors of Kamigawa's cycle of flip creatures, once their conditions are met, change into Legendary global enchantments with big effects, symbolizing that creature's Essence.
- Wisdom isn't a keyword mechanic, but a Saviors of Kamigawa theme. Cards with wisdom get bigger and better depending on the number of cards in players' hands. Typically, the magic number is 7.
- Saviors also features the first intentional (see Alpha's Cyclopean Tomb) literally unplayable spell, Evermind. Its effect can only be achieved through the use of the Splice mechanic introduced in Champions of Kamigawa. However, new rules from Time Spiral now allow these kinds of cards (the ones without mana cost) to be played as long as the player can bypass paying the non-existing mana cost, thus adding more ways to use Evermind.
