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Magic: The Gathering’s upcoming expansion, Dominaria United recently revealed a new set of five cards, one for each color. These new cards, Phyrexian Defilers, range in mana value from 4-5, and each has a useful power that fits their particular color identity.
Whether these will be played in Standard or perhaps other formats remains to be seen, but they are certainly interesting cards that can make particular colored spells easier to cast. This article will go into further detail about what these cards are capable of.
What do these Phyrexians offer Magic: The Gathering players in Dominaria United?
In Magic: The Gathering, it’s not uncommon to see such a collection of cards. A good example were the Initiates in the Streets of New Capenna expansion. Each color receives a card, based on that color’s identity. They vary in power and utility, but this sort of card design philosophy is pretty common in the game.
In this particular case, there is 1 Phyrexian per color, and they all have one thing in common. All of them allow players to pay 2 life, whenever they cast a permanent of the color they represent. If they pay this life total, the amount of that color mana (EG: green) will be reduced by 1.
However, it must be noted that these cards cannot reduce the colorless mana required to cast spells. All in all, it's a pretty unique way to build these cards. Additionally, when players cast a spell of the color identified with these cards, they have another ability. It’s also worth noting that each of these has a keyword that is commonly identified with that color.
5) Defiler of Faith (White)
The 5-cost Defiler of Faith is expensive, but will certainly be very potent for token/soldier decks. This 5 power, 5 toughness card with Vigilance reduces the cost of white spells if you pay 2 life for them.
However, as your reward for casting white permanent spells, you create a white Soldier creature token with 1 power, 1 toughness. This could make Mono-White aggro decks ramp wildly out of control in the mid-game.
4) Defiler of Dreams (Blue)
As the image depicts, this is a Phyrexian Sphinx that costs 5 mana. This 4 power, 3 toughness Flyer isn’t a very safe cast with its low defense in comparison to its power, but it still has some incredible synergy on offer.
Whenever you cast a blue permanent, you draw a card. Keeping that in mind, it could be a fun inclusion in Dimir or Izzet decks, both of which require a lot of card draw to be successful.
3) Defiler of Flesh (Black)
A 4 power, 4 toughness with Menace, this 4-cost Phyrexian Horror feels strangely mediocre. In addition to its ability to make black permanents cost less, it can briefly grant a temporary buff to a creature that you control.
Casting a black permanent gives a creature you control +1/+1 and Menace. Menace means that a creature has to be blocked by 2 or more creatures, or it’s unblockable. This card is a decent addition, but unless your goal is to get creatures in your graveyard, it can be skipped for your Magic: The Gathering decks.
2) Defiler of Instinct (Red)
Defiler of Instinct could certainly have a home in certain Historic or Commander decks. It’s a 4 attack, 4 toughness First Striker creature for 4 mana, making it quite decent in terms of value.
However, when you cast a red permanent, this creature deals 1 damage to any target. Thane of Red Fell increases this number, and if you can give the creature Deathtouch, it can defeat virtually any creature. It can also be used as a way to directly damage players safely as you continue to cast cheap, disposable creatures.
1) Defiler of Vigor (Green)
Last but certainly not least, green receives a 6 power, 6 toughness Trampling Wurm, for 5 mana, an absolutely ridiculous card in Magic: The Gathering. This creature is going to be a must-include for Mono-Green Stompy decks, and perhaps Blue/Green ramp decks to get it in play early.
Anytime you cast a green permanent, this creature puts a +1/+1 counter on each creature you control, making it an excellent game-winning condition. Simply cast tons of low-cost creatures and turn them into high-value engines of destruction.
While not all of these Defilers are excellent in Magic: The Gathering, some of these are bound to see play in certain decks. Dominaria United releases digitally for Magic: The Gathering fans on September 1, 2022, while the physical release is scheduled for September 9, 2022.
