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Main Magazine Page: The Duelist #31

By Scott McGough

There’s no shortage of things to distract you from a new column in the Duelist. In addition to the new card sets (and the new mechanics, cool art, and power cards therein), there’s also an entire line of integrated novels that give you the full story behind the characters and situations found in Dominia. To help you keep it all straight, we’ve developed this column.

Forgotten Lore will showcase a new card and the story behind the card. We’ll also give you a decklist as a head start on some viable theme decks that go with our showcased card. We’re going to start things off with a bang (admittedly, a subtle and spooky kind of bang): Sleeper Agent from Urza’s Saga.

I Read Your Book, Pal

Anyone who’s read The Brothers’ War novel (and if you haven’t, do so: Jeff Grubb’s tale of Dominaria’s most cataclysmic sibling rivalry is a must-read) knows the reasons behind Urza’s hatred of Phyrexia. His hatred turns to obsession in Lynn Abbey’s Planeswalker.

Planeswalker begins with Urza still reeling from the devastating conclusion to his war with Mishra. Trying desperately to focus on something constructive, the newly ascended planeswalker finds it hard to keep a clear head after committing fratricide. His obsession slips into madness as he shifts the blame for his brother’s downfall onto the Phyrexians and hatches a plan to make them pay for it. Urza searches tirelessly for his sworn enemy, but he can’t even find Phyrexia, much less punish it.

Enter Xantcha.

Sleeping with the Enemy

Under the direction of the foul praetor Gix, Phyrexia has begun to manufacture sleeper agents, or camouflaged spies who look and act human, but are wholly loyal to their creators. One of these constructed infiltrators is called Xantcha (ZAN-cha), and though she’s physically exemplary of her caste, she also has what Phyrexians consider an unforgivable defect: a sense of self. The nightmares she endures on the First Sphere of Phyrexia strengthen young Xantcha’s will rather than breaking it, and as she matures she begins a subtle campaign of sabotage against her own people. When her treason is discovered, she is seized for immediate execution.

Still searching for his target, Urza is drawn to the scene of the execution by the Phyrexians themselves and the mechanical portal they employ. Spotting obviously Phyrexian monsters about to slaughter a seemingly human woman, Urza intercedes and rescues her. Xantcha is unsure of her benefactor’s intentions, but his agenda of tearing Phyrexia down brick by brick is perfectly aligned with her own.

Although Urza doesn’t trust any Phyrexians, he believes Xantcha’s hatred of her former masters is genuine so accepts her offer to lead him there and aid him as she can. With their shaky alliance in place (one is staggeringly powerful and possibly mad; the other designed to be duplicitous), these two unique warriors prepare to storm Phyrexia.

Next Up: Follow Urza and Xantcha’s progress in Planeswalker, on sale now. Then in 1999, Urza tries to make some time, with predictably unpredictable results. Watch for Urza’s Legacy cards in February, and J. Robert King’s novel Time Streams in April.

The Deck

Sleeping into Oblivion

By Mike Elliott

This Urza’s Saga deck definitely relies on a few combos. The basic trick in the deck involves Rune of Protection: Black. Once you have a Rune in play, several tricks become available. You can give your opponent a Sleeper Agent or two and watch them slowly suffer. The deck is also filled with defensive creatures like Unworthy Dead and Wall of Junk, so you needn’t fear giving your opponent a 3/3 creature even if you don’t have a Rune in play.

In addition, you have a number of creatures with protection from black which defend well against your “bleeder” agents, These also make a formidable defense against other attackers if you succeed in playing Darkest Hour, which turns all creatures black.

Since you can’t put all your eggs in one basket, the deck has a few other tricks up its sleeve. Lifeline and Diabolic Servitude can recycle your Sleeper Agents, and Worship will keep you alive long enough to get your combinations in play. Combine these spells with a few defensive cards like Pacifism and Despondency and your opponents will soon sleep their way into oblivion.

—Mike Elliott

Black (19)

2 Darkest Hour
1 Despondency
1 Diabolic Servitude
2 Flesh Reaver
1 Parasitic Bond
3 Pestilence
1 Sanguine Guard
4 Sleeper Agent
4 Unworthy Dead

White (13)

2 Disciple of Grace
2 Disenchant
2 Pacifism
2 Rune of Protection: Black
2 Voice of Grace
1 Worship

Artifacts (4)

1 Lifeline
3 Wall of Junk

Lands (24)

4 Drifting Meadow
5 Plains
15 Swamp