It was only a matter of time, really.
Wizards of the Coast (@WizardsMagic) and Magic Online (@MagicOnline) have finally figured out how to implement the Power Nine and several other cards often included in the same vein as Power (like Sol Ring and Library of Alexandria). This is big news, people.
Step one is going to be the introduction of the Powered Cube, a juiced-up 540-card list with Mind Twist, Mana Drain, and the whole gang. Max McCall (@m_mccall) announced the Holiday Cube extravaganza in an article on the mothership found here, and the official announcement is here. Yeah, yeah, they also added Signets, bouncelands, Goblin Vandal, and some other interesting ones, but the big news is you'll now be able to pick the game's most iconic Magic card (Black Lotus) in one of the game's most popular formats (Cube) in an official Magic capacity.
Now, I'm not a fan of Power in Cube. I've had my fair share of swingy turn 1s courtesy of a free basic land. But for those who have never had the opportunity to cast Mox Ruby (not to be confused with @MoxReuby) and its kin in any capacity, this is huge news. And it's only a few weeks away!
Perhaps bigger news is the fact that the good folks at Magic Online are hoping to make the Magic Online Digital Object versions of Power available to actually own by the end of 2013! The oft-maligned decks #InVintage will be available on a scale never seen before. The shift in popularity of the format (not to mention the price of cards) will likely be drastic.
Of course, the vibrant community discussion spilled immediately over onto Twitter. Here's a reduction of the conversation when we learned this week that Wizards would soon be giving #PowerToThePeople:
ICYMI: The 2012 Holiday Cube has been announced! Featuring the Power Nine, playable for the first time on #MTGO ow.ly/fB3bY
— Magic: The Gathering (@wizards_magic) November 27, 2012
Curious about the "Power Nine"? Think it sounds like an 80's rock band? Well you're right, but here's more info: ow.ly/fB3Ka
— Magic Online (@MagicOnline) November 27, 2012
@m_mccallMAX POWER!
— Justin Treadway (@GriffnValentine) November 27, 2012
Power coming to #mtgo #cube is pretty sweet. A pretty nice change overall, reflects the real life cube I play much better.
— Max Sjblom (@thebloom_) November 27, 2012
Out: Tibalt In: Emrakul ok, I'm good.
— Greg (@uselessend) November 27, 2012
I love the Power 9 mostly because their Oracle texts are noncontroversial. #AncestralRecallTargetingMyTeammate #waitwhat
— Matt Tabak (@TabakRules) November 27, 2012
Also, I ADORE the new Black Lotus art. They rarely nail the re-makes of classics this jaw-droppingly. I'm speechless
— Bill Boulden (@Spruke) November 27, 2012
Also: the artist for the Vintage Champs Time Walk did that Lotus.I'd say that makes the Lotus the odds on favorite for this year's prize.
— Stephen Menendian (@SMenendian) November 27, 2012
As the owner of a powered #mtgcube , the #MTGO cube adding power is mind bogglingly stupid. I look forward to the kids raging and cussing
— Kyle (@Kyle2Plowshares) November 27, 2012
Not exactly excited about power in MTGO cube as I'm still smarting from some turn 1 Sol Rings in ME limited. I'll get over it, probably.
— Inkwell Looter (@inkwell_looter) November 27, 2012
At least they're only making the MODO cube unplayable for one session!#mtg
— Kyle Engleson (@Kengy5) November 27, 2012
They've done it again! The cube is somehow worse than the last time! #mtgo
— Michael Hetrick (@theshipitholla) November 27, 2012
Can't wait til someone has to make the extraordinarily tough decision between Gloom Surgeon and Black Lotus. #lol
— Phil Samms (@psamms) November 27, 2012
Mother of god! Is it just me or is the last part of that p9 cube article the much more important one for #mtg in general long-term?
— Sonoda (@Sonoda_Cards) November 27, 2012
I just bought Vintage on #MTGO ! #power9 #letsdothis
— Jonathan Medina (@mtgmedina) November 27, 2012
The BEST thing about WotC announcing P9 by end of 2013 is that we'll see it by 2015 at least.
— Neale (@wrongwaygoback) November 27, 2012
I think that life's too short for this. I'll pack my ignorance and bliss. I think I've had enough of this, Tweet me on last Tweet!
Coverage Coordinator and Twitter Admiral for StarCityGames.com
Listen to the @InContention podcast! It's the official podcast of the StarCityGames.com Open Series with @kstube, @affinityforblue, and myself. Our most recent episode, Reservations For 572, can be found here.
About Reuben Bresler
Reuben Bresler is a Coverage Coordinator for SCGLive who lives in Roanoke, VA. When he's not doing coverage, he works on various video projects for StarCityGames.com, like The Newsening.