Phyrexia: All Will Be One is the latest set release for Magic The Gathering and focuses on the spreading corruption and assimilation of one of the series’ oldest collections of foes. Say hello to Elesh Norn, the carapaced fleshy leader of legions of Giger-esque machines.
Released as of Friday, the release is the third of a four-part ongoing storyline. If you are like me and still struggle to wrap your head around the burgeoning canon, know that this set tastefully (grotesquely) wraps its art and flavour text up in a tightly themed package that weaves a toxic spell all of its own.
Speaking of toxic, this is also the returning mechanic that is the focus of Phyrexia: All Will Be One. Being able to summon forth mite minions when playing other cards, these creatures can quickly build up and overwhelm enemy players with poison counters. Ten points on an opponent, and they’re eliminated. It makes for a tense and delightfully overwhelming back-and-forth between players building up toxicity while also managing their board-state menagerie.
Par the course, Wizards have made sure to incorporate a surprising subset of cards with art that is guaranteed to reel in a few lapsed collectors. A slew of monochromatic, super-stylised cards featured an “ichor” art style with a noted contribution from famed horror mangaka Junji Ito. This stylised art makes for one of the most iconic sets I’ve yet seen, with corrupted basic lands further cementing the theme.
You can see more on the latest with Phyrexia: All Will Be One here, and go to your local EB Games or JB Hi-FI to get the latest dose of corruption via boosters, JumpStart packs, or the new pair of Commander Decks. There is even a pretty fancy, foil-packed Compleat Bundle worth a glance.
I make no apologies for being a sucker for interesting art and am guilty of dropping a dollar or two on Magic sets for this reason. Phyrexia: All Will Be One may be among my favourites. Is the biomechanical body horror of this latest release going to tempt you to bust open a pack? Let us know in the comments or on social media.
