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Phyrexia arrives, in gold
What this set is
Invasion begins the Invasion block, in which Phyrexia invades Dominaria and the Weatherlight Saga reaches its end. It is Magic's first set built around multicolor cards: 118 of its 335 different cards are gold, and many of the rest reward playing more than one color.
It introduced kicker, an optional extra cost that makes a spell stronger, and domain, which counts the basic land types among your lands. It also printed the first five split cards, two half-spells on one card, such as Stand // Deliver. Kicker has returned in many sets since, and Dominaria (2018) brought it back as a main mechanic.
For Commander it is a deep set: Phyrexian Altar, Fact or Fiction, Harrow, Opt, Aura Shards and Sterling Grove, plus 15 legendary creatures, Captain Sisay and Reya Dawnbringer among them.
Themes
Every mechanic in Invasion
Kicker
An optional additional cost. Pay it as you cast the spell and it does something extra; skip it and you get the base effect. 35 Invasion cards have it.
Domain
An ability word for effects that count the basic land types among lands you control, from one to five. It rewards playing all five colors, which the block's fixing made possible.
Split cards
Two spells printed side by side on one card. You cast one half or the other, and each half has its own cost. Invasion printed five, one per allied color pair.
Where You Can Play It
Format legality
Invasion is a single code, and none of its cards is banned anywhere.
Not Standard-legal, and not Modern-legal as a set: Modern starts at Eighth Edition (July 2003). A card from here that was reprinted in a later Modern-legal set is Modern-legal in this printing too, because legality follows the card, not the printing. None of its cards is banned or restricted in Legacy, Vintage or Commander. It is also legal in Premodern, the community format built on Fourth Edition through Scourge. Commons from any set are Pauper-legal; that isn't listed per set here.
Commanders
The most played commanders from Invasion
The legends this set is best known for. Tap one for its printings and what it costs.
Boosters, precons and singles from Invasion are on TCGplayer.
FAQ
Common questions
Where can I play Invasion cards?
In Legacy, Vintage and Commander, minus the cards each format bans. Invasion is too old for Standard, Pioneer or Modern as a set, though any card that was later reprinted in a Modern-legal set is Modern-legal in every printing. It is also legal in Premodern, a community format built on Fourth Edition through Scourge.
Did kicker start in Invasion?
Yes. Invasion introduced kicker on 35 cards. It has returned many times, most prominently in Dominaria (2018) and Zendikar Rising.
What are split cards?
Two spells on one card, each with its own cost. You cast one half or the other. Invasion printed the first five.
What does domain count?
The basic land types among lands you control: Plains, Island, Swamp, Mountain and Forest, so it runs from zero to five.
All card names, art, and mechanics belong to Wizards of the Coast. Invasion released on Oct 2, 2000; details reflect the set as published. Sources: Wizards of the Coast set pages and release notes, Draftsim, Untapped.gg.
Playing Invasion in Commander?
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