I still feel a little odd looking at this guy's
text box and not seeing a Phyrexian watermark.
Other than that, though, this guy is nothing to
be underestimated - like all the various Magi
from the Time Spiral block before him, being an
efficient creature means he can do creature
things if you don't need his effect at this
exact moment. On the other hand, it does mean
your opponent will most likely see it coming
from further off than the original. In some
sense, I know they wouldn't have put him
literally in New Phyrexia because that'd have
been just about the most dangerous thing
imaginable for Standard, but he's going to do
some pretty scary things in formats where he can
appear.
And can you imagine if this is actually the
start of some sort of mega-cycle? I shudder to
consider the possibility of Magi who reproduce
cards like Balance, Price of Progress, Impulse,
or Plow Under.
Yawgmoth’s Will is one of Magic’s most infamous
cards, part of what made the Urza’s Saga block
so unbelievably busted (among other
cards). Being able to play out your graveyard
makes the card really potent, and it enables a
lethal turn in a deck built for it.
So, when you put Yawgmoth’s Will on a body, the
result is…less broken than the original card. It
costs 3 to cast the creature and then 3 to
activate it on your next turn. If you have the
set-up to abuse it, this card can pretty much
turn your turn into a game-ending free-for-all,
but you only get one shot (since the Magus, like
the spell, self-exiles).
I think it’s maybe too slow for Constructed
(Legacy actually might be able to use it in a
combo deck, like Tendrils of Agony Storm, but
having to wait a turn to go off really kills
it), but it’s crazy good everywhere else. If
you're in black, consider this card.
