MTG SCOURGE REGULAR MOL FACTORY SET

Scourge contains 143 black-bordered cards (44 rare, 44 uncommon, and 55 commons; 1 rare and 1 uncommon less than Legions). Its expansion symbol is a dragon skull to reflect its dragon theme. Like its preceding expansions, Onslaught and Legions, the set featured a theme that focused heavily on "tribal" cards, or cards that are concerned with creature types. Scourge was notable for having a focus on cards with high converted mana costs ("cost matters" or "size matters") and dragon/dragon-related cards. With Bladewing the Risen, the set even featured a dragon lord. Scourge was the last set to feature the old-style card faces or a storyline set in Dominaria until the release of the Time Spiral block.

Themes

Tribal and creature types were the main theme of Onslaught.

The set featured a prominent dragon subtheme, as reflected by the higher-than-usual number of dragons cards, auxiliary or support cards, and other dragon-related cards. In addition, Scourge featured a theme dealing with high converted mana costs ("cost matters") and, specifically, mana-cost-6-or-more, and various cards were printed to support this theme and reward players for utilizing costly cards, while other cards punished players for utilizing cheaper cards.

Mechanics

Scourge introduced the novel keyword abilities landcycling and storm. Landcycling, a variation upon cycling, is an activated ability that allows the owner of a card with landcycling to discard the card and pay a cost to search their library for a card with a specific land type. Landcycling is itself a specific case of typecycling, which was featured on cards in Future Sight, as Slivercycling on Homing Sliver and Wizardcycling on Vedalken Æthermage, and the Alara block, as landcycling and, more generally, basic landcycling.

Cost matters was a theme that encouraged players to use spells with high mana costs. In addition to providing numerous creatures and other spells with converted mana cost 6 or greater, several cards were printed that enhanced or facilitated them.

Storm, designed by Brian Tinsman, is a triggered ability on instant and sorcery cards that triggers when the spell is cast. It allows the controller of a spell with storm to put copies of the spell on the stack (with new targets). Several cards with storm in Scourge were so powerful, particularly with 0-CMC spells, virtually free spells, and other cheap spells, that they essentially formed the crux of a deck archetype that dominated the competitive Magic. In retrospect, Head Magic Designer Mark Rosewater, amongst others, have regarded storm as one of the most, if not the most, "degenerate" or "broken" abilities or mechanics thus printed.

Notable cards

• Brain Freeze - An alternative Finisher for storm-based decks. It has the disadvantage of not killing the opponent before their next draw step.
• Carrion Feeder - featured in some builds of Hulk Flash in Legacy as a means to sacrifice Kiki-Jiki, Mirror Breaker to set up a loop with Kiki-Jiki and Karmic Guide.
• Decree of Justice - Primarily used in Astral Slide decks, but also saw play in many other white decks.
• Dragon Breath - used in Cephalid Breakfast decks to give Sutured Ghoul haste.
• Eternal Dragon- a powerful win condition in white control decks, including Astral Slide, whose plainscycling and ability to recur itself from the graveyard kept it relevant all game.
• Goblin Warchief
• Dragonstorm - initially overshadowed by the other storm cards, it became a key part of a top-tier Standard deck when it was reprinted in Time Spiral.
• Forgotten Ancient - the first card created through the "You Make the Card" online promotion. Known affectionately as Mr. Babycakes.
• Mind's Desire - A card preemptively restricted in Vintage due to concerns over its power in that format.
• Siege-Gang Commander - A powerful top-end finisher for Goblin decks in Standard.
• Silver Knight - A counterpart to White Knight, this was a strong answer to aggressive red decks such as goblin tribal.
• Stifle - used a lot since new rulings made the combo with Phyrexian Dreadnought viable. Also used a lot on Onslaught 's fetch lands, acting as an unexpected Stone Rain for 1 mana.
• Tendrils of Agony - The Finisher of choice for most storm-based decks.
• Xantid Swarm - Sees play in Vintage and Legacy. Its ability was a rejected idea from "You Make the Card".