Home Tabletop Magic: The Gathering Core Set 2012 preview – Grab for Power

Magic: The Gathering Core Set 2012 preview – Grab for Power

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I used to play a fair bit of Magic: The Gathering, Wizards of the Coast’s seminal trading card game in my youth – but stopped, probably because I’d discovered the joys of tapping ass over tapping mana. We recently got our hands on one of the intro packs to the new Magic 2012 Core Set that releases worldwide at the end of this week. The set we got, Grab for Power, is a blue and black deck that packs some surprising punch for its price. Here’s a look at what’s new in the Magic 2012 Core Set – and what you can expect to find amongst the 60 cards you’ll find in Grab for Power.

The biggest change or addition that immediately noticeable in Magic 2012 (M12)is the rewording of some of the terminology. Creatures are no longer “put into the graveyard from the battlefield” – but, more to the point, “die.” A creature, whether it’s been it’s sacrificed, destroyed, or cleft in twain with your Lava axe is now “dead” – although regenerative interrupts, instants and the like still apply. M12 also introduces the “Hexproof” keyword. Creatures with Hexproof are invulnerable to your opponents spells and abilities, but are still open to receive your own life-giving or buffing spells and abilities.

Two elements that return are Bloodthirst from Guildpact, and the loyalty-counter addled source of confusion, Planeswalkers. If a player was dealt damage in the same turn as casting a creature with Bloodthirst, that creature enters the battlefield with a pre-determined number of +1/+1 counters bolstering its offensive and defensive capabilities. Planeswalkers, introduced in 2007, are akin to other wizards aiding you – they have specific abilities that can be used by adding and subtracting loyalty tokens. they’re permanent, but not creatures – and they’re back in M12.

That’s it for changes and additions. Sow hat’s in that Grab for Power intro pack then?

Grab for power contains Two rares;  A sexy, premium foil Rune-Scarred Demon ( a 6/6 flying nightmare that allows you to search your library for a card when its played) and Throne of Empires.

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It also includes the other “Empires” cards, the uncommon Crown of Empires and Scepter of Empires that all work together to increase damage. As with all intro packs, it also includes a 15 card booster pack – a sort of trading card lucky packet, necessary for tuning pre-made decks such as this. You’ll also get a “learn to play” guide and an insert detailing some useful strategies.

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Hardcore players might shun these pre-constructed decks but they’re fantastic for people like me who’re trying to get back in to the game, or as a gift for absolute newcomers so you can teach them the finer points of a fine TCG. Magic: The Gathering 2012 Core set is available from 15 July 2011.

Here’s the full Grab for Power deck list :

Lands (25)
14 Swamp
10 Island
1 Buried Ruin

Creatures (19)
3 Warpath Ghoul
2 Child of Night
2 Reassembling Skeleton
2 Azure Mage
2 Merfolk Looter
2 Zombie Goliath
2 Belltower Sphinx
1 Devouring Swarm
1 Drifting Shade
1 Gravedigger
1 Rune-Scarred Demon

Other Spells (16)
3 Doom Blade
2 Crown of Empires
2 Scepter of Empires
2 Divination
1 Disentomb
1 Ponder
1 Sorin’s Thirst
1 Frost Breath

1 Throne of Empires
1 Brink of Disaster
1 Diabolic Tutor

Last Updated: January 3, 2017

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