Tamiyo reaches a new form in Kamigawa: Neon Dynasty

Tamiyo is a Moonfolk Planeswalker that first appeared in Avacyn Restored in 2012. She’s a truth-seeker from Kamigawa who’s appeared throughout the multiverse, conducting research and seeking truth.

Tamiyo, Compleated Sage is her latest Magic: The Gathering card in Kamigawa: Neon Dynasty and represents her new form. Compleation is the state of perfection for Phyrexians, where their complete physical being is replaced by metal.

Featuring a new mechanic and a modernized Phyrexian mana cost ability, Tamiyo is a combination of old and new designs and further portents the looming Phyrexian presence in the multiverse.

Tamiyo, Compleated Sage 

• Mana value: 2G[G/P/U]U
• Type: Legendary Planeswalker Tamiyo
• Rarity: Mythic Rare
• Starting loyalty: 5
• Keyword: Compleated
• First ability: +1: Tap up to one target Artifact or Creature. It doesn’t untap during its controller’s next untap step.
• Second ability: -X: Exile target nonland permanent card with mana value X from your graveyard. Create a token that’s a copy of that card.
• Third ability: -7: Create Tamiyo’s Notebook, a legendary colorless Artifact token with “Spells you cast cost two less to cast” and “Tap: Draw a card.”

The Compleated keyword asks interesting questions of the player while alleviating the historical issue of abilities that cheat mana costs being too good. If two life is paid instead of U or G, Tamiyo enters the battlefield with two fewer loyalty counters.

It seems like the key to Tamiyo’s power comes from the -X ability. This is a solid pseudo-reanimation effect that can recover a key Creature or Artifact, which will be relevant in the upcoming Standard format. Look for Artifacts that sacrifice themselves for value. These are perfect targets for Tamiyo’s -X ability.

The +1 is the bread-and-butter ability that turns Tamiyo into a bomb in Limited and a solid midrange or tempo piece in Constructed formats. This kind of tapping effect is always relevant in midrange matchups.

It won’t be as effective if Mono-White Aggro and Mono-Green Aggro remain at the top of Standard, however.

Tamiyo’s ultimate isn’t difficult to reach. It requires two +1 activations and that ability combined with Green and Blue decks’ Creature-centric game plan provides Tamiyo with plenty of protection.

The ultimate doesn’t immediately win the game, but making every spell cost two less and having a source of repeatable card draw should be enough to close it out quickly.

Kamigawa: Neon Dynasty hits Magic Arena and Magic Online on Feb. 10. A full tabletop release is set for Feb. 18.

ncG1vNJzZmicn6mytLzOq6usZpOkunC506Bmp52nqHy1rcyisKhlopqupLTErGSaZZ6axG6yzqukZqGeYriiucigmLCZXaOysLqMnbCnmaOpxg%3D%3D