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The titans wake up
What this set is
Rise of the Eldrazi is the third set of the Zendikar block, and it is built so differently from the first two that it was drafted on its own. The Eldrazi, ancient colossal beings, break free, and the set gives them mana costs of ten, eleven and fifteen and a draft format slow enough to cast them.
Annihilator is the Eldrazi keyword: whenever the creature attacks, the defending player sacrifices that many permanents. Eldrazi Spawn tokens, 0/1s you sacrifice for one colorless mana, are how the format ramps toward them. Level up and rebound give the non-Eldrazi cards something to do while the game builds.
Kozilek, Butcher of Truth and Ulamog, the Infinite Gyre are both Commander-legal and still played. Emrakul, the Aeons Torn is banned in Commander. Wall of Omens, Evolving Wilds and All Is Dust are also from here.
Themes
Every mechanic in Rise of the Eldrazi
Annihilator
Whenever this creature attacks, the defending player sacrifices that many permanents. Annihilator 4 on Kozilek means four permanents every attack, which ends multiplayer games quickly.
Eldrazi Spawn
0/1 colorless tokens with "Sacrifice this creature: Add {C}." They chump block and ramp at the same time, and they are what made ten-mana creatures castable in draft.
Level up
Pay the level up cost at sorcery speed to put a level counter on the creature, and it gains new stats and abilities at set levels. A cheap creature you keep investing in.
Rebound
If you cast the spell from your hand, exile it as it resolves and cast it again for free at the start of your next upkeep. One card, two uses.
Umbra armor
Printed as totem armor and since renamed in Oracle text. If the enchanted creature would be destroyed, remove all damage from it and destroy the Aura instead.
Where You Can Play It
Format legality
Rise of the Eldrazi shipped under a single code. It predates Pioneer, so the set is legal in Modern and the eternal formats, with one Commander ban.
Not Standard-legal; Standard only ever holds the last few years of sets. Rise of the Eldrazi cards are playable in Modern, Legacy, Vintage and Commander, except that Emrakul, the Aeons Torn is banned in Commander. Kozilek and Ulamog are both Commander-legal. Commons from any set are Pauper-legal; that isn't listed per set here.
Limited
The draft format
One of the slowest draft formats ever built, on purpose. Defenders, Spawn tokens and level up creatures hold the ground until someone casts an Eldrazi.
Eldrazi ramp
Big mana
Spawn makers and green ramp toward the colossal Eldrazi, with defenders to survive until then. The format's signature deck.
Level up and auras
Midrange
Level up creatures and umbras give a non-ramp deck something to invest mana in each turn, so it can pressure the ramp decks before they get there.
Commanders
The most played commanders from Rise of the Eldrazi
The legends this set is best known for. Tap one for its printings and what it costs.
Boosters, precons and singles from Rise of the Eldrazi are on TCGplayer.
FAQ
Common questions
Is Emrakul, the Aeons Torn banned in Commander?
Yes. Emrakul, the Aeons Torn is on the Commander banned list. Kozilek, Butcher of Truth and Ulamog, the Infinite Gyre from the same set are legal.
What does annihilator do?
Whenever a creature with annihilator attacks, the defending player sacrifices that many permanents of their choice. It debuted in Rise of the Eldrazi.
What is umbra armor?
The current Oracle name for totem armor, which Rise of the Eldrazi printed on its Umbra Auras. If the enchanted creature would be destroyed, you remove all damage from it and destroy the Aura instead.
Was Rise of the Eldrazi drafted with Zendikar?
No. It was drafted on its own, three packs of Rise of the Eldrazi, even though it is the third set of the Zendikar block.
All card names, art, and mechanics belong to Wizards of the Coast. Rise of the Eldrazi released on Apr 23, 2010; details reflect the set as published. Sources: Wizards of the Coast set pages and release notes, Draftsim, Untapped.gg.
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