Timeless Set Review - Avatar: The Last Airbender

Avatar is knocking on the door. The latest Magic: The Gathering expansion brings with it the famous universe of the Nickelodeon animation with iconic characters like Aang, Katara, Zuko, Toph, and Sokka, as well as mechanics inspired by the series' famous bendings.

In Timeless, the set could revolutionize the format. The addition of Force of Negation brings balance to the Metagame, but it was far from the only novelty: Entomb could consistently bring Reanimator to the format, Dark Depths enables new archetypes, and cards like Mystical Tutor increase the consistency of both combos and potential Tempo decks that become the answer to them.

But this set brought a problem: as of the time of writing this article, it's still not perfectly clear which Avatar cards will enter Magic Arena or be Timeless-legal. While the Borderless Source Material is guaranteed and some JumpStart cards as well, other options like the Commander Bundle cards are still uncertain.

For clarity, we evaluated the possibilities of all cards in all Avatar releases that have any chance of appearing on Magic Arena, even if their legality on Timeless or the digital platform has not yet been defined.

Teferi’s Protection can function as a means of preventing potential one-hit kills and game-winning combos, such as Goblin Charbelcher, but it doesn't do much against Thassa’s Oracle or Approach of the Second Sun.

It might be useful in the sideboard at some point, but it doesn't seem like we're in a scenario where this card will be relevant.

I'm not sure if there's room for Enlightened Tutor in Timeless today (or even if it will enter the format), but we can't ignore the potential of a one-mana tutor to search for The One Ring, Goblin Charbelcher, among others. Not to mention the possibility of adding a "toolbox" for archetypes more focused on artifacts like Affinity for the small cost of .

Cori-Steel Cutter decks with Emry, Lurker of the Loch haven't received much attention in Timeless, and perhaps that's even overlooked, but Boomerang Basics is an important tool for this strategy in Modern, and I believe there are similar applications for it in Timeless as a tool against specific hate cards that also allows reusing Mox Amber / Mox Opal.

Timeless exists in a middle ground between Modern and Legacy, with legalities that are restricted even in Vintage, and the utility of Wan Shi Tong, Librarian in the format is quite similar to its use in Legacy since Strip Mine is one of the most played lands, and just like in the tabletop format, players tend to save Fetch Lands for when they need them most, risking losing a land if they trigger it too quickly, or also because of the potential to "negate" a Mine activation.

Its challenge, however, is that blue isn't one of the hottest colors in the format without being part of a combo base like Show and Tell, which could change with the reprint of Force of Negation. Flash also matters in this equation for the same reason.

Wan Shi Tong also allows you to save Mana Drain, see what your opponent does, and then cast it. Even though a 1/1 with Flying and Vigilance doesn't do much, its potential to grow and generate extra draws with such a common effect in the format can, in part, be compared to Orcish Bowmasters, except for the cost restrictions and legendary subtype that doesn't allow stacking copies on the board.

The most important card for Timeless.

Force of Negation finally offers an effective way to interact with combo archetypes and/or explosive plays while allowing you to be proactive and still have resources to deal with your opponent's turn, opening up a range of possibilities in how to interact with combos in the Metagame.

From decks like Dimir Frog to variants of Reanimator, and perhaps even as a safety valve in Show and Tell lists, not to mention the possibility of other Tempo or even Control decks emerging, FoN offers Timeless something the format has lacked since its inception and opens up space for greater archetype diversity in the medium term, since, like Force of Will, the card will serve as a barrier against unfair strategies.

Standstill had a defined archetype in Legacy in the past, using Mishra's Factory to pressure the opponent while forcing them to cast a spell to draw three cards. The strategy became obsolete over the years, and the enchantment appears as a sideboard piece in a few lists in the format.

With the absence of Urza's Saga in Timeless and the overall speed of the format, it's difficult to imagine the enchantment having a place in the metagame, but the pieces are there among Shark Typhoon and even some combination of Dark Depths with Thespian’s Stage using effects like Expedition Map or Urza’s Cave.

Mystical Tutor for Show and Tell or for Entomb / Reanimate or even Whir of Invention is part of the proof of the risks this card can bring to Timeless, and we must also consider the reactive possibilities of the card in finding a Force of Negation or Mana Drain with the trigger of Psychic Frog on the stack, or as a means of using Brainstorm more efficiently in the medium term.

Does it seem like a combo tool? Yes, but it also seems like the kind of card that could, in the long run, help create new versions of Control that are currently nonexistent in the format if other tools—such as Sensei's Divining Top and Counterbalance—are released next year.

Mai, Scornful Striker may deserve sideboard slots if, at some point, the format has more consistent spellslinger archetypes that struggle to find answers to a creature before sequencing their spells.

Recently banned from Legacy, Entomb arrives in Timeless where it can team up with Grief, Reanimate, Mystical Tutor, and Psychic Frog to create its own version of Reanimator in the format, while also benefiting from Force of Negation to protect itself from other combos.

Despite the lack of Archon of Cruelty, cards like Troll of Khazad-dûm can also work if we want to add more consistency using Persist, while Reanimate takes care of primary targets like Atraxa, Grand Unifier.

A potential staple, or at least it will be popular for a few weeks due to the hype that playing with so many banned cards can offer.

Firebender Ascension deserves an honorable mention for easily gaining counters with Voice of Victory and Gut, True Soul Zealot in Boros Energy, but it seems more like a win more card than something the archetype needs today.

Price of Freedom is an efficient sideboard option against lands and artifacts that replenish itself in its owner's hand and benefit from the low usability of basic lands in many lists. Despite its relatively low-power level for Timeless, it deserves mention for its versatility.

Redirect Lightning has some functions against specific combos, since it can change the target of some spell or key ability. For example, we can use Goblin Charbelcher against the opponent, or change the target of Reanimate to a sub-optimized creature instead of a bomb like Atraxa, Grand Unifier, as well as divert an important spell from Counterspell or Mana Drain.

Potential staple for the sideboard, but will only see play in the main deck if the metagame heavily demands this kind of card.

Zhao, the Moon Slayer is an easier card to cast on the first turn from a Chrome Mox than Magus of the Moon or Blood Moon, and we can use a Strip Mine to pay the colorless cost, forcing the opponent to play a tapped land that we can use Mine to destroy on the next turn.

The problem is that there are some archetypes that don't care if lands enter tapped if Zhao isn't cast early in the game: a Deathrite Shaman or Chrome Mox is enough to negate the resource negation it offers and maintain the opponent's game progression, making it a somewhat limited card for Timeless.

Badgermole Cub interacts with Strip Mine and other lands that can be sacrificed while turning Deathrite Shaman into a more efficient ramp. It may be worth testing in Golgari Midrange/Jund decks if we want to further invest in the Ramp + Mine Lock potential.

Green Sun’s Zenith sees little to no play in Timeless, and Worldly Tutor struggles to find a place in Legacy because Zenith is usually a better card due to putting the chosen creature directly into play.

It might warrant some testing, and it's even possible to imagine archetypes like Sneak & Show wanting more consistency in finding Emrakul, The Aeons’ Torn, or even being used to complement Eladamri’s Call, Birthing Ritual, and other cards in creature-based decks.

Eladamri’s Call costs one extra mana to put the creature directly into your hand instead of on top of the deck. Perhaps this will make a difference in some creature-based archetypes and/or decks with Nadu, Winged Wisdom if we ever get Nomads en-kor or a similar creature, but today, I believe Worldly Tutor would still be a more efficient option for most archetypes as if has a lower color requirement.

No, just no.

If Sol Ring enters Timeless, forget the Metagame as you know it. The entire format will change far beyond what is imaginable when every deck has access to an artifact that accelerates mana at no additional cost, especially with four copies.

Honestly, I hope its inclusion in the Magic Arena client is a bug or an unusable card in Timeless.

Meteor Sword is a potential target for Stoneforge Mystic as a Vindicate that can be played over two turns, and can be blinked with Phelia, Exuberant Shepherd for recurring removal on the board.

Like Badgermole Cub, Ba Sing Se interacts with Strip Mine while also functioning as a "Ramp" alongside Fetch Lands and a slow win condition.

Currently, there isn't a "Lands Control" in the format like there is in Legacy, and relevant pieces are still missing to establish this archetype, but the new land is a win condition option alongside Wrenn and Six as this strategy takes shape.

Potential enabler of new archetypes.

Dark Depths was one of our our highlights for Timeless during the Avatar previews. Whether with Primeval Titan, Wrenn and Six, or a Turbo Depths version using Vampire Hexmage, Grief and other cards, there are many possibilities for the land, and it will likely be a staple in the near future.

That's all for today!

If you have any questions, feel free to leave a comment!

Thank you for reading!