Urza's Destiny
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| Urza's Destiny | ||
|---|---|---|
| Release date | June 23, 1999 | |
| Mechanics | "Cycling from play" creatures, "Reveal" mechanic, "Lobotomy" cards | |
| Keywords | Echo, Cycling | |
| Size | 143 cards | |
| Expansion code | UDS | |
| Development codename | Chimichanga
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| Sets in Urza Block | ||
| Urza's Saga | Urza's Legacy | Urza's Destiny |
| Magic: The Gathering Chronology |
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| 6th Edition | Urza's Destiny | Portal Three Kingdoms |
Urza's Destiny is a Magic: The Gathering set, third in the Urza Block. Urza's Destiny was released on June 23, 1999. It is widely considered one of the most powerful sets ever printed, spawning some of the most feared decks of all time.
[edit] Storyline
With the skyship Weatherlight completed, Urza now works on a eugenics program to create a perfect crew for it, as well as engineering a race of soldiers to fight the Phyrexian invasion. One of his geneticists, Gatha, defects, and uses his knowledge to improve the Keldon race. Meanwhile, the Phyrexians create the plane of Rath as a staging ground for the invasion.
[edit] Mechanics
Urza's Destiny expanded further on some of the mechanics introduced in Urza's Saga.
Several creatures and enchant creatures trigger various abilities when put into a graveyard from play. Famous examples of this mechanic include Pattern of Rebirth, Academy Rector, and Gamekeeper.
Some permanents have the ability to be sacrificed for 2 mana to draw a card, like a cycling ability for cards in play that are no longer useful. Three creatures have this ability in addition to a "graveyard from play" ability. Yavimaya Elder is the most popular, a small green creature that can put three cards in its controller's hand (1 for the sac to draw, 2 lands when put into graveyard).
There is a class of spells that become more effective as a result of the number of cards of a certain color the caster reveals from his/her hand, as well as a cycle of creatures with abilities that emulate those spells.
Urza's Destiny also introduced a cycle of cards that remove a card of a certain type from the game, and then also remove all copies of that card not in play from its controller's deck. Called "Lobotomy" cards due to their resemblance to the card of that name, they were later reprinted in Betrayers of Kamigawa.
Yet another noteworthy aspect is that Urza's Destiny was the first Expert-level set to be printed under the then-new 6th Edition rules changes; the most notable change seen on cards is the text of creatures. Whereas a card like Llanowar Elves would be given "Summon Elf" in previous sets, it would now be given "Creature - Elf".
