Friends/Romans/Countrymen finally revealed! PAX East 2013

[Lemnear]

The upcoming block got their final names on PAX East 2013

Friends - Theros
Romans - Born of the Gods
Countrymen - Journey into Nix

This is pretty much the confirmation for an greek-mythology-block.



Official Arcana Info

Set Name Theros
Block Set 1 of 3 in the Theros block
Number of Cards 249
Prerelease Events September 21-22, 2013
Release Date September 27, 2013
Launch Weekend September 27-29, 2013
Pro Tour Theros Dates October 11-13, 2013
Game Day October 19-20, 2013
Pro Tour Theros Formats Swiss:

Standard Constructed
Theros Booster Draft

Top 8:

Standard Constructed

Official Three-Letter Code THS
Twitter Hashtag #MTGTHS
Initial Concept and Game Design Mark Rosewater (lead), Ethan Fleischer, Ken Nagle, Zac Hill, and Jenna Helland
Final Game Design and Development Erik Lauer (lead), Zac Hill, Dave Humpherys, Doug Beyer, Shawn Main, and Tom LaPille
Languages English, Chinese Simplified, Chinese Traditional, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish
Available in Booster Packs, Intro Packs*, Event Deck*, Fat Pack*

Are you fucking kidding me?!?!

[Koby]

The upcoming block got their final names on PAX East 2013

Friends - Theros
Romans - Born of the Gods
Countrymen - Journey into Nix

This is pretty much the confirmation for an greek-mythology-block.

Romans? Greeks? Even my faint memory of ancient history is groaning at the faux-pas. Ugh.

Cool theme tho, are we expecting more Dryad Arbors then? Thunderbolt? Hammer of Olympus (Hammer of Bogardan look alike)?

[trivial_matters]

I'm trying to come up with a "Wrath of God" joke and failing.

[.dk]

Maybe we get the Storm mechanic back? Jupiter = God of the Sky/Thunder = Storms...?

(joking obv)

[Lemnear]

Romans? Greeks? Even my faint memory of ancient history is groaning at the faux-pas. Ugh.

Cool theme tho, are we expecting more Dryad Arbors then? Thunderbolt? Hammer of Olympus (Hammer of Bogardan look alike)?

Yeah, sounds like WotC's head designers does not only recruit same-minded employees but obviously all have had to fail at History class as well /rant

Wouldn't give much about codenames in general. They could not name them Zeus, Poseidon, Hades after all. The title "Romans" could be an accident

[Megadeus]

Storm coming back would make me wet my pants with excitement and I would buy all of the shocks to play standard.

[AEnesidem]

I love greek mythology, can't wait to see that set.

[Lord Seth]

Names seem pretty meh. I'm assuming Theros is the name of the new plane, but it just doesn't have a particularly good ring to it. Innistrad, Mirrodin, Zendikar...those are cool names. Theros? Meh. Born of the Gods and Journey Into Nix sound just plain cheesy and a bit of a mouthful.

Doesn't really tell us much though. I'm more interested in what the theme(s) of the block will be. I was hoping for a tribal block, but the pattern seems to be to have a tribal block be the SECOND block after a multicolor block (see: Invasion and Onslaught, Ravnica and Lorwyn). Best guess I can venture based on the names is that this might be another Legendary one like Kamigawa.

[Malchar]

I'm more interested in what the theme(s) of the block will be. I was hoping for a tribal block, but the pattern seems to be to have a tribal block be the SECOND block after a multicolor block (see: Invasion and Onslaught, Ravnica and Lorwyn). Best guess I can venture based on the names is that this might be another Legendary one like Kamigawa.

If it is Greek themed, I can't imagine that it will be a tribal block. I don't see the classic creature types like goblins and elves fitting into Greek mythos very well. Maybe they could do it with classes instead of races? Alternatively, it could be an enchantment theme since they haven't done that for a while. They could even do a land theme since Zendikar was a pretty long time ago.

I like the idea of revisiting the legendary theme. Kamigawa had a lot of problems, but I think that the legendary theme deserves another chance. It would work perfectly with the Greek theme, and it could even be combined with a land or enchantment theme if they need more depth. To take it full circle, maybe it will be tribal and we'll be revisiting arcane spells (although I have to believe that they will probably be called something else).

[GradStudentGuy]

There is so much unexplored space in Greek/ Roman mythology, I can wait to see the new mechanics. I am just hoping they are not as simplistic as the ones in RTR and Gatecrash.

[Lemnear]

There is so much unexplored space in Greek/ Roman mythology, I can wait to see the new mechanics. I am just hoping they are not as simplistic as the ones in RTR and Gatecrash.

My bets on more creature-only mechanics ... as usual -.-

[Esper3k]

We'll probably get more Merfolk (Poseidon dudes).

Maybe a badass Kraken (another Show & Tell dude to drop).

Possibly new Avatars and Titans?

[TkDodo]

Buy your Didgeridoos as long as they are cheap ;)

[Nihil Credo]

Romans? Greeks? Even my faint memory of ancient history is groaning at the faux-pas. Ugh.

The code names are made for reference way before any work on the set starts, and have no creative meaning at all. I mean, the block after Theros is called Huey/Dewey/Louie and I doubt it will be a Disney tie-in.

Greek mythology is a pretty safe area to explore. I don't think there really is much to be guessed since they could do like they did with Lorwyn/Celtic and Ravnica/Slavic and just crib some names, creature types, and aesthetic while making a pretty much original world.

It would be fun if the third set has a major free spells theme, though.

[Rocco111]

TkDodo
Buy your Didgeridoos as long as they are cheap ;)

Thing is that with a Greek/Roman mythology-based plane, there's quite a big chance to see forgotten tribes back on stage, like Minotaurs, Harpies, Medusas, Krakens, Titans, Birds, etc. That's pretty sweet.
The whole block may have a Antiquities touch to it & that'd be nice. :)

[Barook]

Thing is that with a Greek/Roman mythology-based plane, there's quite a big chance to see forgotten tribes back on stage, like Minotaurs, Harpies, Medusas, Krakens, Titans, Birds, etc. That's pretty sweet.
The whole block may have a Antiquities touch to it & that'd be nice. :)

Pegasi might be prominent as well.

I can see a legendary block coming. Greek mythology had lots of heroes and prominent figures they can base their stuff on.

And since Wizards already neutered the power level of GTC, maybe this block isn't going to suck like Kamigawa?

[Lemnear]

Get your Quests for Ula's Temple and Sacred Mesas now!

[phazonmutant]

Romans? Greeks? Even my faint memory of ancient history is groaning at the faux-pas. Ugh.

Cool theme tho, are we expecting more Dryad Arbors then? Thunderbolt? Hammer of Olympus (Hammer of Bogardan look alike)?

Clearly the code names were trying to incite us to mutiny and rage about the mixed references! (If you're not sure what I'm talking about, check out http://www.shakespeare-navigators.co....html#speech30. It's an incredible, classic speech)

Hopefully they'll do some Human Advisors tribal (obviously featuring Filibuster counters). What could be more appropriate for a Greek-themed plane than summoning windbag sophists?

[Lemnear]

Update OP with VERY BAD news

[Barook]

Update OP with VERY BAD news

Tom LaPille is kinda obvious, but what has Erik Lauer done?