#ugin the spirit dragon

[mythicalwater]

some more old art! here's Atarka, Ugin and Nicol Bolas going on a little synthwavey roadtrip!

[almostunbrokenarts]

Ugin the Spirit Dragon

[littlegoldenbirdie]

Two more small headcanons

Nicol Bolas is mildly claustrophobic. Given how his life started, how could he not be?

Ugin has severe trust issues after how many times his brother and his brother's pawns messed with him.

[oops-prow-did-it-again]

exact same vibes

[dimestoretajic]

THE MAGIC PLANESWALKER ULTIMATE BRACKET, SEMIFINALS!

A fascinating battle from a lore perspective! Sarkhan is the reason Ugin is alive today! Will he take him out of the world of the living as well with his army of dragons? Or will Ugin hit the jackpot? That's your call!

Make your choice!

[thepostmoogle-draws-twice]

Summons: Spirits?

Summons are some of the most iconic part of Final Fantasy. From the mighty king of dragons Bahamut (you can tell the D&D roots of the game, since he has been on the franchise since 1) to the staples like Ifrit and Shiva, they haven’t been in the franchise from the start, but they are always present since their appearance in 3, in one way or another.

While they might come across as different in each game, each using different terms like Esper, Eidolon, Eikon, in Japanese they usually have similar terms, often using one that translates to Summoned Beasts, and similar terms like Phantom Beasts or Summoned Monsters.

In most games they’re essentially big spells that damage all enemies, or buff your party. When they’re not, they’re allies that wade into the fray along your characters - XVI being an exception where the characters turn into them. They’ll definitely show up in the MtG set - but how?

Given their nature as otherworldy beings, my guess is that, if they are simply creatures that you can play, they’ll have the spirit subtype. It helps represent their status as supernatural beings, and it would give them synergy with other spirit themed cards already in the game. Since the set with be Standard legal, WotC will want them to be useful beyond just the one set.

That is, assuming it won’t be a special new mechanic unique to MTG FIN! If it was focused on a single FF I could see it, but having to represent all games means they need to be more general about characters that appear across multiple games.

[kelogsloops]

A painting I did last year for Magic the Gathering of Ugin, the Spirit Dragon! Honestly such an honour to work on this piece, and such a challenge to draw such a huge fantasy creature!

#brbchasingdreams

prints | tutorials

[madamrynodm]

Doodlin' a demon Reader with horns inspired by Ugin the Spirit Dragon from MTG

[mtg-cards-hourly]

Perilous Vault

The spirit dragon Ugin arranged the hedrons of Zendikar to direct leylines of energy. To disrupt one is to unleash devastation and chaos.

Artist: Sam Burley TCG Player Link Scryfall Link EDHREC Link

[fuckabledragonoftheday]

Today's fuckable dragon of the day is...

UGIN THE SPIRIT DRAGON from MAGIC: THE GATHERING

[danco110]

"In the Tarkir I once knew, the Abzan revered their ancestor trees. Now, as Dromoka, they cut their finest groves to make weapons…What?”

Sarkhan glanced over at the Abzan spirit glaring daggers at him. Obliviously, he continued to question Anafenza’s ire.

“What?”

“You sound almost troubled,” growled the spirit, her gravelly tone clashing with its ethereal echo.

“I…I am? I mean, it’s a shame that they’ve abandoned their roots.”

“Indeed it is. And whose fault was that?”

“Er…” Sarkhan swallowed, finally realizing the source of Anafenza’s anger. “That was an unintended consequence of-”

“*Why do you think my ancestors fought dragons?*”

“Well…I don’t really know.”

“Forget it.” Anafenza sighed, a breath of sudden chill that made Sarkhan shiver. “Ugin, I can understand. A scholar and…not quite as much a tyrant as his brethren. Wise beyond his years - yes, even his years - and admittedly a victim of the khans before us cutting too wide. But for the others, again, there’s a reason they fought.”

“But to wipe out every last dragon?”

“Yes. Because this is, and always has been the only alternative.” Anafenza gestured to the ballista Sarkhan had been watching.

“I hear at least the Ojutai monks have found some solace in their dragonlord.”

“Yes. And I would have advocated for my people to go there…if Ojutai had not made the monks xenophobic and pompous, and hostile to all outsiders…even more than before, anyways.”

Sarkhan’s expression steeled. “I stand by my decision.”

“No need. Nothing I can do about it now, nor you, nor any of the dragonlords’ servants.”

Sarkhan’s defiance being left unanswered caused him to deflate. The planeswalker departed without another word, disappearing into the Blind Eternities. As such, Anafenza’s last words reached only herself:

“You won.”

[It does bring me some satisfaction to know that Sarkhan experienced some buyer’s remorse for his actions, albeit inconsistently according to different flavor texts. I really love the flavor of the khans, and idk, but it feels like a lot of it was lost jumping over to the Dragons timeline, as seen here.]

[zwoelffarben]

Hey Rules Committee,

If you're listening, I wish for further bloodshed and have made for you two lists.

Ordered by EDHREC ranking (not necessarily preference) circa posting,

Cyclonic Rift Reason: It's fuckin bullshit.

Rhystic Study Reason: See above.

Smothering Tithe Reason: See above.

Teferi's Protection Reason: All-in-one-anwser to any problem, it's too good at protecting a player in an advantageous position from the table's ire for not just one answer, but an entire turn rotation's worth of answers.

Sylvan Library Reason: Meh, it's much higher on EDHREC than my personal dispises, but it's still on that list.

Bolas's Citadel Reason: Bushshit finisher.

The Great Henge Reason: I just don't like it.

Aetherflux Reservoir Reason: See Bolas's Citadel

Drannith Magistrate Reason: The format is called commander; you should be allowed to cast your commander. The fact this card stops everyone from doing that makes it antithetical to the spirit of the format.

Sheoldred, the Apocalypse Reason: Too good. I don't want to put sheoldred apoc in my nekusar deck. Please ban it so I don't feel like I have to.

Dramatic Reversal Reason: Of the isochron sceptor + dramatic reversal infinite combo, isochron sceptor is the actually problem piece and this is an innocent victim, but I like Isochron sceptor as a concept.

Narset, Parter of Veils; +Notion Theif. Reason: She's just not fun to play against. Narset into wheel is just toxic.

Torment of Hailfire Reason: This is too strong a finisher, cause even if it fails to kill it puts all your opponents in such a bad position to stablize and recover. It really homogenizes the Black deck play-space. I don't think I've played against a black deck that wasn't running hailfire since it was printed.

Aura Shards Reason: This shouldn'ta said may. If it didn't say may it would be a fair and balanced, if powerful card. But it says may, and that pushes it over the edge.

Ugin, the Spirit Dragon. Reason: I don't like him.

Jin-Gitaxias, Progress Tyrant Reason: I understand that Erayo, Soratami Ascendant // Erayo's Essence is banned because it's too oppressive. Jin-Gitaxias Progress Tyrant is significantly worse, and yet, still just as oppressive. Have you ever played against somone who turn 1: discarded Jin-Gitaxias Progress Tyrant, turn 2 reanimate targeting jin-gitaxias progress tyrant. Y'all, my hand was land and mana rocks. I scoped and said, "go next."

Moraug, Fury of Akoum Reason: Too good, next question.

Cards which should be banned for cost consideration.

The entire reserve list. Clarification: Yes, the whole thing. Even the bad cards. Especially the bad cards. Reason: If Wotc will apparently never "print the card again," it should no longer be considered a valid game piece. The collectors can cry about it if they want, but I'm out for blood.

Any card for which the cheapest available version cost more than $100 (standard legal cards exempt) A causal format doesn't need $100 cards in it. If WOTC wants it to be legal in the flagship casual format, they better reprint the fuckin' card into a casual's definition of affordability.

Honorable mentions:

The entire Ancient Dragon cycle from CLB Reason: Theyr not really a problem in the format, I just don't like them because of how swingy they are.

Every Spell that says, "Take an extra turn after this one." Clarification: Yes, even the bad ones in mono-red. I don't care. Reason: My friend's Riku deck traumatized me, okay.

Sol Ring, Command Tower, Arcane Signet. Reason: Theyr such a staples in the format as to be iconic, and they ain't problems persay, but banning cards which are in 90-95% of decks would make the format more diverse.

Swiftfoot boots or lightning greaves Reason: Same as above, but either one of them rather than both.. I don't care which one stays or goes, but having escentially two copies of this effect is a bit much imo.

[aflo]

gee bill, how come you get to play 8 eldrazi temples?

this could make waves outside of just eldrazi decks, as staple cards like ugin, the spirit dragon and world breaker can be pitched to this. it doesn't even keep the card forever, you can just take your card back anytime you need it. just try not to get ghost quartered.

[littlegoldenbirdie]

A moment in the life

How do we know something like this didn't happen?

Night had fallen, and Ugin was sound asleep, curled up like a kitten with his nose tucked under his tail as he dreamed quietly. Nicol Bolas was still awake, however, and making battle plans. “If they come in through here, I’ll have my forces meet them there,” he murmured to himself, tracing diagrams in the dust as he plotted his next move.

A soft little whimper escaped Ugin as the little dragon twitched in his sleep, dreaming of something unpleasant for the moment. Bolas paused his scheming and began to preen his brother’s wings; his favorite thing, he knew. “…I’m a terrible brother to you, aren’t I, Ugin?” he mused to himself before sighing. “You love me so much, but I…” Hearing his brother begin to purr as his dreams calmed, he smiled to himself. “I want to be a better brother to you, Ugin. I do. But I can’t. Not yet.” A second sigh escaped him. “When my war is over… when the enemy have been dealt with… then I’ll be the brother you deserve. I promise.” Erasing his diagrams and curling up a bit, he settled down to stare at the night sky. “If that day ever comes, that is…” Pushing his doubts away, he reaffirmed his vow. “I will win someday. My enemies will be dealt with. And then we can just be brothers.” He smiled. “That’ll be wonderful, won’t it?”

---

Yeah, I think there may have been a time when Nicol Bolas wasn't a complete monster... or an asshole.

[oops-prow-did-it-again]

Ugin didn’t know what it all meant. Sorin had not arrived, and neither had Nahiri, and now, an Eldrazi titan was missing. It couldn’t have been coincidence, but what did it mean instead?

“I have to repair this hedron,” Ugin said, shaking the thoughts away. “With that, once Nahiri and Sorin arrive, we can bind the Eldrazi—”

Impatiently, Jace cut him off. “Why?” he countered. “Binding them clearly didn’t work out so well the last time.”

Growling, Ugin narrowed colorless, voiding eyes down at the human that had suddenly grown too bold for his liking. “They were caged for thousands of years,” he hissed. “I think the system otherwise worked quite—”

“Then, where is their keeper?”

Ugin growled again, a deep, rumbling noise that made the walls around them shake. “She will come.”

“How do you know?”

Ugin flicked his tail.

He didn’t. That was the problem.

“She will,” he insisted, more annoyed. “She would never have abandoned her post intentionally. Whatever quarrel has become of her, she will get over it, and she will come home.”

----

not to brag but yall should totally read this story of mine if you like mtg and haven't already - I'm so normal about nahiri & sorin & ugin & avacyn you have no idea (shaking like a chihuahua)

[dimestoretajic]

THE MAGIC PLANESWALKER ULTIMATE BRACKET QUARTERFINALS!

And Vraska, the clear winner in terms of overall success in this bracket period, is taking on her old boss's less awful (but still awful) brother! Will Seath The Scaleless' value train stand up to Vraska's stabby boys? Let's find out!

Make your choice!