In Unpacking, we go through the cards in a pack without knowing anything beyond that pack. Through this lens, we try to guess themes, mechanics, flavor, and more!
This time we’re looking at Primivir and starting with a single mysterious image of an angular, abstract city scape. The set is by Myrmiredon.
Rastira Fiend (2:30)
The hosts try not to read too much into the first card. Targeting is something that happens in every magic set. The hosts take a look at the art and Tim compares it to the 90s cartoon Reboot.
Security Breach (5:10)
The effect on this spell is a little bit more unique. Crimson Vow featured a similar card called Wash Away that wasn’t a huge player but did have some utility. The host suspect we might see some spells being cast from the grave or command zone. Information on the whales from Avatar 2 can be found here.
Backface Culling (8:25)
This is a backup-esque mechanic that grants abilities from one permanent to another. The references on the card show the intentionality of the art. Both baking and back-face culling are programing terms for rendering 3D graphics.
Erfex Cartographer (12:45)
The word Texture raises some eyebrows from the hosts. Tim thinks the word fits with the idea of an Aura while MDub thinks Erfex Cartographer makes it sound like a land. The card itself is solid and might indicate Textures are a bigger theme. (You can also hear some thoughts from Tahani, MDub’s dog, in the background.)
Chronicler of the Obsolete (15:30)
This is a spin on the classic Heliod’s Pilgrim style card. You lose a toughness for the benefit of being able to tutor an equipment. Both auras and equipment might help the targeting requirement on our bear from earlier in the pack. The hosts take some time to theorize about what happened to this plane.
Elder Gigantops (18:50)
The next card in the pack introduces another new mechanic. Complexity initially looks a little difficult to achieve but it’s a solid payment if you can pull it off. Backface Culling is a card that would help a lot to achieve complexity so maybe abilities will be important moving forward.
Emerging Wildlife (22:30)
Another programing term for Tim to breakdown. It’s hard to tell how this mechanic will fit into the set. It could easily be a large part of it or be something that appears on a handful of cards. Both hosts think there will probably be a cycle of lands to help cast these cards.
Hellish Inferngon (25:50)
Peter and Tim find a new symbol that they deem a Trigon, but that’s the only answer they can get from this card. They guess that it’s an energy like mechanic that you store and spend on something, but they don’t have any ideas what a vertex might be.
Sun Pouncer (29:30)
This type of cheap red creature with a ping effect is becoming a staple of red in limited. In this set, Sun Pouncer has some additional utility helping you ramp up complexity. Three appears to be the key number for that mechanic and the dream of drafting three Sun Pouncers is alive.
Cruel Condor (32:00)
The first uncommon is a creature that gives us more Trigons. This card makes it seem easy to get a trigon which makes the host think that you’r going to have to spend multiple to get an effect. Both hosts continue to wonder what a Vertex is. Peter thinks maybe they won’t be very common.
Heart of Harsurfir (34:00)
Next the hosts find an enchantment. This card helps with the complexity deck that might be appearing in red and green by both enabling and rewarding complexity.
Boolean Lake (36:10)
A point for MDub! It turns out that textures are a land type. This is a unique source for retopology to maybe enable that mechanic a little easier. Being at uncommon the hosts think these might be a high draft pick if retopology is important in the set.
Sacred Signs (4:40)
Another red complexity enabler. This card gives you a spell and an activation to raise your complexity. It also lets you dig for another spell to cast. This card can serve multiple roles though by giving you a unique source of mana for retopology as well.
Replica of Haxilir (44:00)
An Air Elemental for just 10 extra colorless mana; however, this card can reduce its cost. MDub wonders if there is a five color theme, but our pack doesn’t have a lot to enable that strategy. As a big finish to the pack this is interesting but doesn’t give a lot of answers.
Vertex Sorceries Reminder (45:30)
This is more of a big finish. The hosts get an answer to their questions about Vertexes. This mechanic really helps bring some clarity to the pack. The vertex spells enable both complexity and retopology. If you’ve been stockpiling trigons you can also turn them into large X/X creatures.
The hosts took a look through the planesculptors after the pack. If you want to see the whole pack you can check out the link below.
Planesculptors: https://www.planesculptors.net/set/primivir
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