Part 21

Part 21 of Magic: The Gathering Arena covers the Aggressive Mining AI hiccup and Zendikar cards like Blood Tribute and Hedron Crab.

The AI opponent in Magic: The Gathering Arena may play Aggressive Mining early, depleting its lands and leaving it with a full hand but no mana to play cards. This AI error often results in an easy win for the player, regardless of difficulty. Occasionally, the opponent may even target itself with Shocks for no clear reason.

For those who prefer not to rely on the Aggressive Mining AI's mistakes, a noncombat damage strategy is effective. This approach involves eliminating small creatures before larger threats like Bloodthirsty brutes appear. Tactics used in previous matches, such as dealing damage through various means, remain viable here.

Examples of cards that deal noncombat damage:

• Agent of the Fates (forces opponent to sacrifice when targeted by a friendly spell)
• Auger Spree (grants target +4/-4)
• Anger of the Gods (deals 3 damage to all creatures in play)
• Ground Assault (deals land-based damage, useful against Megantic/Groundshaker)
• Inferno Titan (inflicts and can split 3 damage when attacking or entering the battlefield)
• Prey Upon (can remove flying creatures)
• Skymark Roc (bounces low-power slivers to hand)
• Siege Dragon (a 5/5 flyer that deals 2 damage to enemy creatures when attacking)
• Spider Spawning (summons 1/2 tokens with reach, has a flashback cost)
• Undying Evil (useful for aggressive or defensive plays)

Multiplayer boosters that may help:

• Phantasmal Dragon (a 5/5 flyer)
• Pharika's Chosen (a 1/1 with deathtouch)
• Vapor Snag (bounces a creature, causing it to lose Bloodthirst counters)
• Vicious Hunger (deals 2 damage and heals 2 life)

Zendikar-specific cards available:

Creatures [87]: [×3] Banisher Priest, [×2] Bloodghast, [×3] Cunning Sparkmage, [×4] Death Cultist, [×4] Devouring Swarm, [×4] Elvish Pioneer, [×4] Giant Scorpion, [×4] Glory Seeker, [×4] Goblin Arsonist, [×4] Grazing Gladehart, [×3] Guard Gomazoa, [×3] Hedron Crab, [×2] Indulgent Tormentor, [×4] Kiln Fiend, [×4] Kor Cartographer, [×4] Kraken Hatchling, [×4] Lone Missionary, [×3] Pelakka Wurm, [×2] Roil Elemental, [×3] Skeletal Wurm, [×1] Soul of Zendikar, [×4] Stomper Cub, [×4] Surrakar Banisher, [×2] Terra Stomper, [×4] Vent Sentinel, [×4] Wind Drake.

Enchantments [29]: [×3] Armored Ascension, [×2] Beastmaster Ascension, [×2] Burning Anger, [×4] Demonic Appetite, [×4] Ior Ruins Expedition, [×4] Nimbus Wings, [×3] Quest for the Goblin Lord, [×3] Quest for the Gravelord, [×4] Raid Bombardment.

Instants [18]: [×4] Living Destiny, [×4] Negate, [×3] Primal Bellow, [×4] Shock, [×3] Suffer the Past.

Sorceries [16]: [×2] Blood Tribute, [×4] Covenant of Blood, [×2] Planar Cleansing, [×3] Tectonic Rift, [×1] Time Warp, [×4] Triplicate Spirits.

Artifacts [9]: [×4] Adventuring Gear, [×2] Sphinx-Bone Wand, [×3] Warmonger's Chariot.

Overview of Zendikar Cards:

Black: Notable black cards include Bloodghast and Indulgent Tormentor, which forces opponents to draw or pay costs. Skeletal Wurm is a 7/6 with regeneration. Demonic Appetite offers a significant boost but requires sacrifices. Covenant of Blood and Blood Tribute damage opponents while healing the player. Blood Tribute has a potent combo with Sanguine Bond: if the opponent has 20 life and Sanguine Bond is active, using Blood Tribute for 10 life triggers Sanguine Bond to deal the opponent's remaining life.

Blue: Guard Gomazoa is a flying defender immune to combat damage. Hedron Crab mills the opponent's library with its Landfall ability; three Hedron Crabs can mill a significant portion of an opponent's deck. Roil Elemental can steal creatures. Ior Ruins Expedition provides card draw at a low cost, and Time Warp allows for an extra turn.

Green: Elvish Pioneer aids in land acquisition, Soul of Zendikar creates tokens, and Terra Stomper offers low-cost beatdowns. Grazing Gladeheart, Pelakka Wurm, and Living Destiny contribute to life gain. Beastmaster Ascension and Primal Bellow enhance creature power.

Red: Kiln Fiend and Vent Sentinel are useful in spell- and defender-based decks, respectively. Burning Anger can turn any creature into a burn source, and Quest for the Goblin Lord synergizes with goblin decks. Shock is a common two-damage instant. Tectonic Rift destroys lands, though Demolish might be a preferable alternative.

White: Banisher Priest temporarily exiles creatures, clearing the way for attacks. Kor Cartographer searches for Plains. Lone Missionary grants 4 life upon entering the battlefield, benefiting life-gain strategies. Armored Ascension provides flying and +1/+1 bonuses based on Plains, and Triplicate Spirits generates three Spirit creature tokens.