Legacy: Through the Omenpaths (Spider-Man) Review

Welcome to the Spider-Verse, Legacy community (unless you're playing online, as we'll discuss soon)!

We finally have full access to one of the most exciting sets of the year: Marvel's Spider-Man, which, from the looks of it, in terms of popularity, should probably rival the Final Fantasy set. And, considering this set was inspired by perhaps the biggest Marvel hero, all eyes (eight of them, if you're a spider!) should be turned to it.

But, before, we need to go over a small multiverse matter.

In a bizarre turn of events, when Wizards of the Coast and Marvel signed on for this Spider-Man partnership, WotC only got the rights to use the Spider-Man franchise on tabletop MTG. So, they couldn't bring Spider-Man to Magic Arena or Magic Online.

"So we won't get any cards?", you might ask yourself. To solve this giant mess, Wizards of the Coast did something unusual but not entirely new. In the past, they have created alternative versions of cards, with other names, to represent cards that were originally released in The Walking Dead Secret Lair. This let them go around their own restrictions regarding reprinting these cards.

So, to release the new Spider-Man cards online, WotC created a parallel set. All Marvel's Spider-Man cards are included in this parallel set with different names and artworks (and in the regular MTG universe) but the same effects and stats. This set is called Through the Omenpaths and will only be released digitally.

So, when we review these cards, we'll go through the original versions but list their online versions as well, as they're functionally the same card. Well, with that out of the way, let's get right into it.

Our house judge, Antônio Carlos, as always, released another excellent article explaining each new rule and mechanic in the new set. Click here to check it out!

Marvel's Spider-Man includes 3 new mechanics and 3 returning mechanics. The new ones are Web-Slinging, Mayhem, and Harness.

Web-Slinging lets you pay an alternative cost to cast some cards as long as you also return a tapped creature to its owner's hand. Mayhem is an updated version of the old Madness: it lets you play, from your graveyard, cards you discarded that turn. And Harness only appears in one card, The Soul Stone. It is a status that, once you get it, lets you activate one of its abilities.

As for the returning mechanics, they are Modified, Connive, and Modal Double-Faced cards.

White

Arachne, Psionic Weaver (Yera and Oski, Weaver and Guide)

Arachne is like a Thalia, Guardian of Thraben, but made for Stompy lists and immune to Orcish Bowmasters. Mono White Stompy has been gaining some traction recently and should welcome this hero nicely. Her Web-Slinging ability is also useful if you use it with cards like Seasoned Dungeoneer and Palace Jailer.

Peter Parker (Surris, Spidersilk Innovator)

This card's Spider-Man side is incredibly interesting because it lets you save a lot of mana, which will be great in Legacy considering the number of cards in this format that can take advantage of this. Fortunately (or unfortunately), you can't use its effect to cheat Emrakul, the Aeons Torn into play, but you can still use it to cheat Atraxa, Grand Unifier or Valgavoth, Terror Eater into play. Its other side is a Web-Slinging target. It's a pity it is also a bit vulnerable to Orcish Bowmasters.

Blue

Hide on the Ceiling (Spectral Restitching)

This type of effect usually shows up in white cards and is quite powerful - remember Yorion, Sky Nomad? On top of it all, Hide can also target enemy cards, so it's an excellent way to deal with tokens and Chrome Moxes. An Esper Human shell could create a truckload of value with this card and a few tools from the new Orzhov Flickers.

Hydro-Man, Fluid Felon (Belion, the Parched)

Hydro-Man is unique: it is blue acceleration that only accelerates mana on the opponent's turn. On one side, it will be aggressive in decks that cycle through their cards quickly. On the other side, though, it will give you extra mana to cast Brainstorms or Considers on the opponent's turn just after you put it in play. This is particularly interesting for Tempo lists.

Another sort of forgotten archetype that can use this card is the High Tide / Reset archetype, which plays its combo on their turn and should enjoy some acceleration on the opponent's turn.

Lady Octopus, Inspired Inventor (Merata, Neuron Hacker)

Lady Octopus should be a lot of help in Artifact Blue lists. They can put a lot of counters on her, and she'll give back by letting you play cards from your hand for no cost at all. This deck might even start playing more copies of Simulacrum Synthesizers and Uthros, Research Crafts as a result.

Norman Osborn (Goben, Gene-Splice Savant)

Grixis Control isn't that popular nowadays, but it could see some value in Norman and, particularly, Green Goblin. It could be great with Faithless Looting, Careful Study, and similar, and might even change the way we build this list.

Spider-Byte, Web Warden (Argyr, Tidal Spinner)

This card could very well replace Venser, Shaper Savant in Esper Vial lists. Some might even argue it can steal Reflector Mage's spot in Human lists, as it can target any permanent.

Spider-Sense (Detect Intrusion)

This card is super flexible. You can use it to counter most cards in the format, cheat out Phyrexian Dreadnought's ability, or even reuse any creature with a Web-Slinging ETB.

Black

Eddie Brock (Viggo, Enforcer of Ig’s Crossing)

To me, Eddie seems great for Jund Midrange. It is a pity that this deck, which was once relevant, has been pushed off the meta lately, but I'm still hopeful we'll see it in action again with this card.

Parker Luck (Duskmourn’s Claim)

Lately, I've been seeing some Dimir/Grixis Show and Tell lists online. In a deck like that, both Ponder and Brainstorm can make Parker Luck lethal with Emrakul, the Aeons Torn. There's definitely an engine we can explore with these cards.

Red

Electro, Assaulting Battery (Bayo, Irritable Instructor)

We covered Electro in a recent article. It is both an engine and a finisher in red Combo lists and could significantly improve Ruby Storm.

Gwen Stacy (Nia, Skysail Storyteller)

This card has some potential, but it probably won't see play because Orcish Bowmasters just eats up any /1 creature in Legacy.

J. Jonah Jameson (Lazlo, Enthusiastic Accuser)

This card's mana cost and its nice interaction with Broadside Bombardiers could make it interesting in Red Stompy, but I don't believe it will make the cut.

Masked Meower (Skittering Kitten)

This is basically an extra copy of Insolent Neonate. If Vampire decks make a comeback, this new Cat could give them enough of a boost to make them work.

Spider-Punk (Kraza, the Swarm as One)

We also discussed Spider-Punk in an article recently, as it simply affects Legacy in too many ways for us not to. Though it doesn't fit Red Stompy's current structure (because it goes against Chalice of the Void), we can build this deck in other ways. For instance, we can build lists that accelerate Karn, the Great Creator and would be interested in some extra protection. This card should make some noise soon.

Wisecrack

Cut Propulsion started popping up in some Red Stompy sideboards as an answer to two of its greatest issues: Murktide Regent and Barrowgoyf. Wisecrack is similar. It could potentially be even better than Cut Propulsion when it deals extra damage, but worse if it doesn't kill Nadu, Winged Wisdom. I'm not even sure we could sideboard this card against this cursed bird. The meta should decide which of these two cards, Cut Propulsion or Wisecrack, will hold the spot.

Green

Lizard, Connors's Curse (King of the Coldblood Curse)

Lizard is interesting in Green Sun's Zenith lists: it can both boost little creatures like Dryad Arbor or Birds of Paradise so you can attack with them or make creatures they brought back from the dead or summoned with Show and Tell a bit sturdier.

Sandman, Shifting Scoundrel (The Scouring Stormsoul)

Sandman will be a recursive threat in Lands or Knight of the Reliquary / Wight of the Reliquary lists. In them, it will be tough to deal with and create extra value whenever it returns to play. Furthermore, by itself, it is already a resource, even if it ends up milled or discarded.

Spider-Ham, Peter Porker (Tarantusk, Unwisely Awoken)

Spider-Ham is a Lord for a whole bunch of cards and creates extra resources when it enters. Is that enough for Legacy?

Web of Life and Destiny (Through the Omenpath)

This card is expensive, but, in the right deck, the right Convoke (Gaea's Cradle, we're talking about Gaea's Cradle) can accelerate it, and, if it resolves, it will be quite scary.

Gold

Araña, Heart of the Spider (Gloria, the Great Armorer)

Araña costs the right amount of mana and is just big enough to fit Boros Initiative. Its ability itself already modifies your creatures and creates value while it does so, but it also interacts with Seasoned Dungeoneer's Explore and Initiative in a very interesting way.

Carnage, Crimson Chaos (Desecrex, Gift of Servitude)

Can Carnage bring back Jund Madness?

Mister Negative (Withar, Cocoon Keeper)

Swapping your life points with a target opponent is not a common effect in MTG, and WotC still doesn't know how much it should cost. Way back, we had Mirror Universe, which we could only use in our upkeep, but back then we could also have negative life points (your total life points were only calculated at the end of the phase, which means this card could work as a finisher).

We also had Soul Conduit, which we could use at any point, but it cost an absurd 12 mana to play and activate. They made this effect cheaper once again with Profane Transfusion, which cost 9 mana, and now WotC is testing if 7 mana can make it relevant. There are some ways we can take advantage of this effect, and maybe now we finally have a reason to try to make it work.

Scarlet Spider, Kaine (Kvini, Orb Weaver)

Speaking of Madness lists, Kaine is both discard fuel and an enabler.

Spider-Woman, Stunning Savior (Makdee and Itla, Skysnarers)

Spider-Woman is a hatebear that has evasion and also fuels Force of Will. There is a market for that.

Symbiote Spider-Man (Skv’x the Augmenter)

Symbiote does many cool things: it draws cards, fills your graveyard, is resilient to a few Legacy removals, and creates value, even when dead. It has to compete with Barrowgoyf, which could be too much, but it is blue and always adds a card to your hand, whereas Goyf sometimes fails. It could find some space.

Ultimate Green Goblin (Ruzic, Booed but Victorious)

Its size is reasonable considering what it costs, it gives you Treasures in exchange for some resources, activates discard synergies, and also has Mayhem. It could interest even Red Stompy lists, besides just Madness lists.

Artifacts

Peter Parker’s Camera (Phenomena Recorder)

We also covered this card in an article recently. This camera was made to play with Urza's Saga and can target many cards in the many archetypes that use it (except for Cephalid Breakfast).

Steel Wrecking Ball (Temple Trap)

This card's cost and first ability are basically irrelevant. What interests us is that it is a way to destroy Null Rod, and we can tutor it with Karn, the Great Creator. It also can't be countered in the usual ways.

Lands

Multiversal Passage

This land can be interesting in decks that play more than 2 colors but struggle with fetch lands, like Naya Initiative.

Oscorp Industries (Exclusive Nightclub)

It enters play tapped, which is definitely not that great in Legacy, but a land you can discard and still play is quite cool. We hadn't seen anything quite like it before.

Urban Retreat

This land also goes in play tapped but makes up for it because it represents acceleration and lets you reuse creatures with great triggered abilities.

So, this was our review of Marvel's Spider-Man for Legacy. As it often happens in powerful formats like Legacy, only powerful cards can affect it. This set does have some interesting cards that should see play, but nothing that will drastically change the format.

They also gave us some support for less popular decks, like Jund Madness, Esper Vial, and Grixis. I'd like to see Mister Negative in action because we haven't explored this type of mechanic all that much. Spider-Punk should be the strongest card in this set, considering how powerful Legacy is, even though it doesn't have a clear place yet. And Peter Parker's Camera should start seeing play right away because it interacts with Urza's Saga.

What do you think? Tell us your thoughts in our comment section below.

Thank you for reading, and see you next time!