Theros Beyond Death spoilers bring Ash Phoenix & Haktos the Unscarred

A new day means new Magic: The Gathering Theros Beyond Death spoilers. Today we’re looking at a powerful red creature that just won’t die, tentatively called “Phoenix of Ash” or “Ash Phoenix.” But in a set where everything just won’t die, is it good enough? We’ll see! There is also Haktos the Unscarred.

Phoenix of Ash / Ash Phoenix

Creature – Phoenix

Flying, haste 2R: Phoenix of Ash gains +2/+0 until end of turn. Escape – 2RR, exile three other cards from your graveyard. Phoenix of Ash escapes with a +1/+1 counter on it.

Phoenix of Ash is a three mana 2/2 that hits all the points that a phoenix creature are expected to in Magic. Phoenix of Ash has flying and haste and comes back from the graveyard for a cost. For four mana and by exiling three cards from your graveyard, Phoenix of Ash escapes with a +1/+1 counter on it. There is also a line of text on the Phoenix that gives it +2/+0 until end of turn for three mana.

For Standard, at first glace Phoenix of Ash is a cheap flyer that has a good mana sink ability to kill your opponents with. However, we already have one of the best phoenixes Magic has ever printed with Arclight Phoenix. Izzet Phoenix can trigger Arclight Phoenix’s ability just by casting three instants or sorceries, and it can bring back up to four at one time. It is also competing against other powerful red 3-drops in Mono-Red Aggro lists like Bonecrusher Giant and Legion Warboss. Phoenix of Ash’s role in competitive play will become more clear when the set drops in a couple of weeks.

Haktos the Unscarred

Haktos the Unscarred being a powerful four-mana 6/1 that has to attack each turn is already off to a good start. And then we get to it’s Achilles’ heel, the numbers 2, 3, or 4. When Haktos enters the battlefield, its controller must pick one of those three numbers at random. Haktos has protection from every spell of every converted mana cost except that of the chosen number. That means if you want to kill this mostly invincible creature, you better hope you have a board wipe or hold up a specifically costed removal spell. Protection is a powerful keyword that Wizards of the Coast brought back recently, and having a creature with protection from everything but a specific converted mana cost is unique.

However, Haktos notably does not have protection from one of the most played spells in standard right now, Bonecrusher Giant, two-thirds of the time it chooses a number. If the number two is chosen, you can hit Haktos with the Stomp side of the spell, since its converted mana cost is two while it is on the stack. If three is chosen then you just block with the Bonecrusher Giant.

Theros Beyond Death spoilers won’t die

What do you think of the new Theros Beyond Death spoilers? Think you want to play Haktos in Commander or Brawl? Let us know, and for more Magic: The Gathering news, follow us at Daily Esports.