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Mirran against Phyrexian
What this set is
Mirrodin Besieged is the middle set of the Scars of Mirrodin block and the point where the war is out in the open. Every card carries a Mirran or Phyrexian watermark, and the booster packs themselves came in a Mirran version and a Phyrexian version.
It added two mechanics, one for each side. Battle cry, on Mirran cards, gives each other attacking creature +1/+0 whenever this one attacks. Living weapon, mostly on Phyrexian Equipment, creates a 0/0 black Phyrexian Germ token and attaches the Equipment to it when it enters.
Several of its cards are still played well outside the block. Blightsteel Colossus, Sword of Feast and Famine, Green Sun's Zenith, Consecrated Sphinx, Inkmoth Nexus and Go for the Throat are all from here.
Themes
Every mechanic in Mirrodin Besieged
Battle cry
Whenever this creature attacks, each other attacking creature gets +1/+0 until end of turn. A Mirran mechanic that rewards attacking with everything at once.
Living weapon
When the Equipment enters, create a 0/0 black Phyrexian Germ creature token and attach the Equipment to it. The Germ survives on the Equipment's bonus, and you can move the Equipment later.
Infect
Damage to creatures as -1/-1 counters and to players as poison counters. Back from Scars of Mirrodin on seventeen cards, more than the first set had.
Metalcraft
Works while you control three or more artifacts. The Mirran ability word from the first set.
Where You Can Play It
Format legality
Mirrodin Besieged shipped under a single code. It predates Pioneer, so the set is legal in Modern and the eternal formats.
Not Standard-legal. Standard only ever holds the last few years of sets, so everything this old has long since left it. These cards are still playable in Modern, Legacy, Vintage and Commander. Commons from any set are Pauper-legal; that isn't listed per set here.
Limited
The draft format
Drafted as Mirrodin Besieged, Scars of Mirrodin, Scars of Mirrodin. The faction split carried over, and infect got deeper with the new pack.
Phyrexian infect
Poison aggro
Seventeen infect cards in the new pack made poison a real draft plan, especially in green and black.
Mirran battle cry
Go wide
Battle cry pays off for attacking with many creatures, which pairs with the token makers and cheap artifacts the Mirran side already had.
Commanders
The most played commanders from Mirrodin Besieged
The legends this set is best known for. Tap one for its printings and what it costs.
Boosters, precons and singles from Mirrodin Besieged are on TCGplayer.
FAQ
Common questions
What is living weapon in Magic?
When an Equipment with living weapon enters, you create a 0/0 black Phyrexian Germ token and attach the Equipment to it. The Germ lives on the Equipment's stat bonus. The mechanic debuted in Mirrodin Besieged.
What does battle cry do?
Whenever a creature with battle cry attacks, each other attacking creature gets +1/+0 until end of turn. It debuted in Mirrodin Besieged on Mirran cards.
Is Mirrodin Besieged legal in Pioneer?
No. Pioneer starts at Return to Ravnica (October 2012). Mirrodin Besieged is legal in Modern, Legacy, Vintage and Commander.
All card names, art, and mechanics belong to Wizards of the Coast. Mirrodin Besieged released on Feb 4, 2011; details reflect the set as published. Sources: Wizards of the Coast set pages and release notes, Draftsim, Untapped.gg.
Playing Mirrodin Besieged in Commander?
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