MTG - Top 5 Ixalan Predictions for Magic: The Gathering (no leaks)

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Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0

Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0

Since Hour of Devastation has barely just had its prerelease, Wizards of the Coast is already hyping the next Ixalan, Rivals of Ixalan, Unstable, Iconic Masters, Dominara, Masters 25, Core 2019….seven sets taking us into 2019, so that means there’s no time to lose when it comes to making predictions for the next set.

Please note: I have not read nor am I just personally interested in the massive leaks that have already happened for Ixalan. Don’t care if you read them, they’re just not interesting to me. Eh. For all I know some of my predictions will be confirmed or denied by these leaks, but just know that these predictions were made without my having read them.

BUT Before I get to my preposterous predictions, let take a look at my score from Amonkhet block…

So what do I predict for Ixalan? How about this for a start: no world in peril. Considering we just came from the Hour of Devastation, the depressing misery of destruction where even the gods themselves died in pain, I think Ixalan is going to finally, finally, be the set where THE ENTIRE WORLD is not at stake, and we can focus on characters, exploration, and adventure.

[ScarletSpartan_]

I want Birds of Paradise printed as Parrot

[CM]

i wanna see dinosaurs with a mounting mechanic

[TheNerindil]

Aww, what's with the Theros hate? Am I the only one who really liked that block thematically and mechanically? One of my favorite blocks since Zendikar.

[engilaru]

fine, I'll bite. Why are you packing up?

[BOBSMITH-YouTubeStoleMyHandle]

What I was thinking a cool mechanic would be a reverse poison counters for treasure. With poison you get 10 counters and you loose. With my idea, you get 10 treasures and you win the game. The opponent tries to kill you with the traditional damage loss, but also with preventing you form acquiring your 10 treasure points/cards/tokens. I think it would fit the idea of pirates and put a twist in game-play. Personally I like my idea and hopes it happens. :)

[ImOnlySalt]

I miss Lorwyn/Shadowmoor man :( i hope they go back sooon!!!

[Kozzuz]

if New Phyrexia is comming, colorless mana stuff will be going there i guess.

[dimensionalnomadgames]

The return to the tribal mechanics is the prediction I'm most excited for. As a primarily EDH player, tribal has always been a fun theme when it comes to designing and building decks. Let's hope that things harken back to the days of Onslaught block.

[hart]

All I want is a Villainous Wealth return to standard again!

[smoothorama]

Ixalan is vibrating with Life! Wastes are more tied to a devasted plan, like dominaria.

[manifist]

Professor is finally getting an office?!

[KaiserChef]

Honestly want to see a tribal on Krakens, Octopuses, Leviathan. Bring Kiora back, I'm sure she's ready after all this time to hit mainstream, but Vraskan Pirates vs Kioran Krakans sounds like a great versus deck. You don't have to make Krakens huge. Maybe Simic style grow into value with ways to ramp quick. That's what pirates need in this block. Something other than Dinosaurs. But Dinosaurs and Pirates seen great too. Also maybe Dino Master Garruk. That would be pretty fun.

[IcyHaze]

I would like to see a return of trap cards. I don't think that they will return, I would just like to see them.
I think there will be a good amount of "Search for X card, reveal it and put it into your hand" or "Look at the top X cards of your library, reveal a Y or Z card, put it into your hand and the rest on the bottom of your library in any order" kind of cards. Or I guess I could just say Tutor or Dig cards.
I think the Professor is right about more less-common tribal cards.

[elesh.n]

"Were not gonna see merfolk"


Aaaahhhh funny story prof...

[zethrilzethril]

Pirate ship cards as vehicles anyone? Crew cost 4? Has to happen.

[KostasTheDark]

Amonkhet predictions are 4.5/5. Yes, we get to see the undead of Egyptian mythos, but we DO get to see slaves building pyramids as well. We implemented a whole new type of counter specifically for those cards, even. So as much as I want to pat the professor on the back for high accuracy, let's also be objective about what he did miss. Even if it wasn't the focus of the set.
As for the treasure bit, I feel someone's really dancing around the idea of Gold tokens just because said someone just said he doesn't want to go back to Theros. Treasure, Eldrazi Scions, Investigate (aka tokens), Gold ingots and mana acceleration all were mentioned and yet no mention of Gold tokens from King Macar and Gild? Mui suspicioso.
Colorless Mana... As much as I would like it to return (yes, I actually like colorless mana. sue me.) it wouldn't be surprising to be a one block gimmick such as... Phyrexian Mana? Snow Mana? It's a shame to see good mechanics kept on a single block, but the fact of the matter is that some things are tied so strongly to flavor that they can't be used anywhere else. So unless we see a return of the Eldrazi (maybe a 4th, bigger daddy titan?) then I doubt there is much hope for colorless mana.

[michioeinstein]

I predict that a similar mechanic such as crew will be featured in Ixalan, but it will be called mount; seeing that pirates are going to be riding dinosaurs. It will be a bit different knowing that dinosaurs will already be creatures, not artifacts that turn into vehicles. Any other creature that mounts it (i.e. a pirate) become bonded until end of turn and their power and toughness will become equal to both of theirs combined. It sounds a little op, but there could be another condition that comes afterwards, such as they stay tapped like exert.

[uginthespiritdragon]

I think Alara is pretty board room safe. But New Phyrexia WOULD require some serious attention from the gatewatch which might justify the 3 pack sets. Koth can also return and join the gatewatch which seems like something in his character. I would hope Karn would stay out of the gatewatch though. But really why are you packing up? New office?

[colbynelson]

I'd hope to see 3 color cards come back like Shards & Khans. I'd expect suspend or quest counters to make a comeback/reprint.
Also gold nuggets sounds like a great idea. Gold Nugget: Tap to gain 1 mana of any color to your mana pool. Sacrifice Gold Nugget: Draw a card.

[erebos]

Even though the Professor just implied that he didn't like the block, I'm going to talk about something from Theros for a second here. Gold tokens do exist (albeit only produced by a bulk legend and a C15 Theros based kill spell) that sac for 1 mana of any color. This plays into the flavor of using the gold to "buy" a spell or ability. I believe that these tokens will return and be a centerpieces among pirate cards. Maybe with a mechanic with a thieving kind of name, like "Pillage".