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September 3, 2008 | mtg, humor
Jumping Through 'Hoops'
by Vandermonde
(Due to the new MagicTheGathering.com being unnavigable, Wizards of the Coast has teamed up with Good Gamery to provide Magic fans with the latest research and development news and features straight from the source. The following was handwritten, mailed, and arrived at our desks this morning. - Paz)
Multicolor-themed blocks have always been well received, from the recent Shards of Alara all the way back to Legends. So we're proud to say we've taken the next big step in multicolor with Hoops of Alpaca.
First some notes on changes to the pre-release structure. Instead of 6 days before the standard release date, pre-releases will occur on the second Tuesday after the standard release date. Events will be sealed deck format run in a modified Swiss style, followed by a top 8 single-elimination hopscotch showdown. Each player will need to register a deck allied with a single hoop, or two if you affix a 20-dollar bill to your registration sheet and surreptitiously wink while handing it to the tournament organizer.
Now what you've been waiting for, a preview of each hoop:
The Ghatoss Alliance, the RGWUB hoop, are a catlike culture of barbarians that hail from the Djorgia Savannah. They demonstrate red's love of chaos and confusion by mixing all the colors together. You'll see the theme of colored artifacts expanded with treats like our first preview:
Mr. Whiskers' Deathgolem
RGWUB
Artifact Creature Enchantment � Cat Golem Warrior
8/8
Instead of paying Mr. Whiskers' Deathgolem's cost you may pay WUBRG.
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The T'bbie Brotherhood, the GWUBR hoop, is a leonine race (not to be confused with the Leonine race or The Amazing Leonine Race) of gladiators that prowl the Latte Steppe. Green has always been about natural balance, and now in the T'bbie it finds itself perfectly balanced with every other color. Its preview card gives a new twist on the always-popular lord mechanic:
T'bbie Liege
GWUBR
Creature � Cat Warrior
6/6
Green creatures you control get +1/+1. White creatures you control get -1/+1. Blue creatures you control get +0/+0. Black creatures you control get +1/-1. Red creatures you control get -1/-1.
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The Mowsur Legion, the WUBRG hoop, is a stealthy, graceful, curious group of professional fighters from a level, woodless area who always land on their feet. They champion white's need for rule and order by uniting all colors in solidarity under their banner. The Mowsur preview card has strong implications in the hoop block but could also be put to any number of unexpected uses:
Chromatic Ball of Prismatic Twine
WUBRG
Artifact
WUBRG, T: Target permanent's colors appear in the order of your choice until end of turn.
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The Qat Symposium, the UBRGW hoop, is an ancient species steeped in mystery. So thoroughly steeped that even the members of R&D were unable to learn anything about their cards in time for this spoiler. The closest we could get was their part of the new filter land cycle:
[UNKNOWN CARDNAME]
Land?
T: Add 1 to your mana pool
(U/B/R/G/W) (U/B/R/G/W) (U/B/R/G/W) (U/B/R/G/W), T: Add (please refer to the Hoops of Alpaca rules primer appendix b for a full list of what you may add to your mana pool) to your mana pool.
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The Pan-Tharr Cabal, the BRGWU hoop, is a race of feline warriors that rule the Mnolpf Veldt with an iron paw. They exemplify the fact that black will do anything, up to and including joining forces with all of their competitors, to win. Nowhere is this clearer than in its preview card:
Snugglepuss the Conqueror
BRGWU
Creature � Cat Warrior
5/5
Do anything, 2: Win
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We hope you've enjoyed this preview. We think Hoops of Alpaca will present you with a lot of complex dilemmas when deciding which hoop to ally yourself with. But no matter which way you go you're sure to have a fun experience. As one tester excitedly proclaimed, "With Hoops of Alpaca, every choice is 5!/5!"
(Discuss this item in the forum!)
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