Legacy Review: Warhammer 40,000

This week we're going to review the new Commander set release Warhammer 40,000 for Legacy. Traditionally, while not geared towards this format, Commander sets always bring something capable of impacting it, such as True-Name Nemesis, Council's Judgment or the latest Minsc & Boo, Timeless Hero.

But before I discuss the cards, I'd like to make a remark about the franchise: one of the most brutal and dystopian settings ever released, Warhammer 40,000 spans books, video games, animation and, in its most popular incarnation, miniatures games.

Set some 38,000 years in the future, the premise is that our galaxy has plunged into the deepest environment of horror, where absurdly powerful genocidal factions clash for absolute dominance.

The Imperium of Man, the closest to the "good guys" in the series, is a paranoid, fascist, theocratic state led by the God-Emperor of Humanity, once one of the most powerful psychics in the Universe, is nothing more than a rotting body sustained in a vitality system, fueled by thousands of souls sacrificed every day to keep its spirit active as a beacon for humanity's interstellar navigation through Hyperspace.

And the other guys are even worse: the Tyranid Swarm, a race of extragalactic monstrosities that consume every biomass in their path to feed their eternal hunger and desire to evolve and become stronger, guided by a super-intelligent Hivemind.

The Necrons, the remnant of an ancient alien race transformed into immortal warriors made of living metal to retake the galaxy they rightfully claim and purge the taint that is organic life forms.

And if that wasn't bad, there are also the Chaos Gods, destructive deities that exist in Hyperspace and are the main source of obliteration in the galaxy. Sustained by the emotions of their worshipers, the Gods exude deadly energy that corrupts everything it touches—bodies, minds, and the very ground.

Their forces create rips in reality itself through portals on the material plane, from which they emerge for war. Its main agents are the Chaos Space Marines, superhuman soldiers who gave themselves to the Gods in exchange for power.

There are also factions not represented on the cards, such as the depraved Aeldari, a race of space elves who regard all other species as inferior and expendable; the Orks, a species genetically engineered to wage war, even among themselves, if nothing better comes their way.

And the T'au, who seek through diplomacy to unify all other species in the galaxy under their benevolent yoke. IF diplomacy fails, they can always resort to orbital bombardments, genocide, or massive mind control to achieve their goals. As I said, benevolent.

And it's this universe of destruction and death and no hope that we're going to break through!

Triumph of Saint Katherine

Don't be fooled by the official 5 mana cost, this warrior is a persistent threat to cast for just two mana. Much more versatile than Entreat the Angels, this is a game-stabilizing card for UW Miracle.

It's a valid option for lists that want to maintain a more stable mana base and not use a third color for cards like Uro, Titan of Nature's Wrath.

Sicarian Infiltrator

This soldier is quite interesting: it's the right color to be exiled by Force of Will, cycles at the end of turn with the potential to generate card advantage in flooded games, and interacts well with Teferi, Time Raveler — casting it at end of turn to draw several cards and returning it to hand for one more round of drawing.

Biotransference

Turning everything you have into artifacts makes room for very creative combos. For example, this combined with Leonin Relic-Warder generates infinite triggers.

Any token-generating creature (allied with the enchantment's own tokens) can spawn evil interactions with Time Sieve. It's just waiting to be broken.

Out of the Tombs

Another combo engine waiting to happen, this card can see play with Thassa's Oracle, perhaps as an alternative to Dread Return or as a new engine.

Poxwalkers

The first card that comes to mind when I see this Zombie is Gravecrawler. Add in some sacrifice engine, and suddenly, you've just filled your fuel tank. Particularly interesting with Cabal Therapy and other flashback cards.

Old One Eye

An extra Phantasmagorian for Manaless Dredge that can be exiled to Force of Vigor and still offers plenty of board presence in case of an eventual reanimation

Toxicrene

A green Blood Moon? One that can be tutored by Green Sun's Zenith? This type of effect was never part of Green, so there might be space for this card.

Chaos Defiler

It's not a card you want to cast, but rather do absurd stuff with Goblin Welder.

Commissar Severina Raine

An interesting addition to Esper Humans, Severina is capable of hitting for a lot and even offers the possibility to recover some cards. Particularly potent with Aether Vial.

Drach'Nyen

Did you know that Stoneforge Mystic could exile creatures? Well now you can.

Ghyrson Starn, Kelermorph

This three-armed fellow has a lot of potential allied to Grapeshot, needing a very low Storm count to be lethal. Usually Storm decks end up being UB-based to make use of Dark Ritual and Infernal Tutor, but here we can see a UR version, similar to the Modern list, emerging.

Mawloc

A potential target for Green Sun's Zenith — can serve as a removal for troublesome creatures early in the game, while it can become a respectable threat later on.

Night Scythe

A vehicle that already comes with a pilot, has evasion, generates 2 artifacts at once, and adds value alongside Goblin Welder or Goblin Engineer. Looks cool to me, but probably not good enough.

Well, I don't think the set will revolutionize Legacy, but there are some cool things to try out there! For me, the most promising cards are Triumph of Saint Katherine, Poxwalkers and Ghyrson Starn, Kelermorph.

Is there a card that I missed on the analysis? Leave your comment there.

Thanks for reading!