Editing Urza's Saga

{{SubTabs
|sub1 = Card comparisons
|sub2 = Theme decks
|sub3 = Official Guide
}}
{{Infobox set
  |image = Urzas Saga logo.png
  |symbol_description = Gears
  |design = [[Mike Elliott]] (lead)<br/>[[Richard Garfield]]<br/>[[Bill Rose]]<br/>[[Mark Rosewater]]
  |development = Mike Elliott (lead)<br/>[[William Jockusch]]<br/>Bill Rose<br/>Mark Rosewater<br/>[[Henry Stern]]<br/>with contributions from [[Beth Moursund]]
  |art = [[Ron Spears]]
  |release = October 12, 1998
  |plane = [[Dominaria (plane)|Dominaria]]<br />[[Phyrexia]]<ref name="FAQ">{{WebRef|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030218051826/http://www.wizards.com:80/magic/generic/storyline/faq.asp|title=Dominian FAQ (archived)|author=[[Wizards of the Coast]]|publisher=wizards.com}}</ref><br />[[Serra's Realm]]<ref name="FAQ"/>
  |mechanics = [[Free spell]]s, [[Sleeping enchantment|Sleeping]] and [[Growing enchantment]]s
  |keywords = [[Cycling]], [[Echo]]
  |size = 350 cards<br/>{{curmb|110|110|110||20}}
  |code_expansion = USG 
  |code_expansion_ref={{DailyRef|ask-wizards-august-2004-2004-08-02|Ask Wizards - August, 2004|[[Wizards of the Coast]]|August 02, 2004}}
  |code_development = Armadillo <ref>{{DailyRef|arcana/armadillos-2002-06-21|Armadillos|[[Magic Arcana]]|June 21, 2002}}</ref> 
  |series = [[Urza's block]]
  |first = Urza's Saga
  |second = Urza's Legacy
  |third = Urza's Destiny
  |previous = Unglued
  |next = Anthologies
}}
'''''Urza's Saga''''' is the fifteenth ''[[Magic]]'' [[expansion]] and was released in October 1998 as the [[Large expansion|first set]] in the [[Urza's block]].

==Set details==
''Urza's Saga'' is a 350-card black-bordered set containing 110 commons, 110 uncommons, 110 rares, and 20 basic lands. Its [[expansion symbol]] is a set of gears, highlighting the [[artifacts]] theme of the set, and is meant to symbolize Urza’s experiments in finding a means to defeat Phyrexia.<ref>{{DailyRef|ask-wizards-october-2006-2006-10-02|Ask Wizards|[[Brady Dommermuth]]|October 31, 2006}}</ref> [[R&D]] originally envisioned ''Urza's Saga'' (and the ''Urza'' block as a whole) to be centered on an [[enchantment]] theme,<ref>{{DailyRef|making-magic/disadvantaged-2010-06-07|Disadvantaged|[[Mark Rosewater]]|June 07, 2010}}</ref> but the creative team had already decided that the block should be all about [[Urza]], the greatest [[artificer]] of all time. By further referring to the block and the companion books as the "[[Artifacts Cycle]]", the original idea disappeared from view. It didn't help that the set contained some very powerful artifacts and artifact-themed cards like <c>Fluctuator</c> and <c>Tolarian Academy</c>. In fact, with so many cards in the set that were considered by many to be "[[broken]]," the following period became known as "[[Combo Winter]]," with many such "broken" cards and combos filling all tournament formats.<ref>{{DailyRef|making-magic/make-no-mistake-2003-11-10-0|Make No Mistake|[[Mark Rosewater]]|November 10, 2003}}</ref> This led the [[DCI]] to ban a large number of cards in December 1998. 

===Marketing===
''Urza's Saga'' was the first set to replace 60-card starter decks with 75-card [[tournament deck]]s, the idea being that this would make it easier to run [[Sealed deck]] tournaments. Cards were also sold in 15-card [[boosters]] and four [[preconstructed theme deck]]s. Each [[booster pack]] contained 15 cards: 11 commons, 3 uncommons, and 1 rare. The boosters featured artwork from <c>Herald of Serra</c>, <c>Chimeric Staff</c>, and <c>Phyrexian Colossus</c>. The [[prerelease]] [[promo]] for ''Urza's Saga'' (September 26, 1998) was a [[foil]] <c>Lightning Dragon</c>; this was the first time a ''Magic'' card was released in foil, though the next set in the block, ''[[Urza's Legacy]]'', had foil cards inserted randomly into booster packs.<ref>{{DailyRef|arcana/first-foil-prerelease-card-2004-07-26|The first foil prerelease card|[[Magic Arcana]]|July 26, 2004}}</ref>

Written by ''[[Duelist]]'' Executive Editor [[Will McDermott]], the ''[[The Official Guide to Urza's Saga]]'' takes a card-by-[[card]] look at [[spells]], [[artifacts]] and specialty [[lands]] in set. In addition to the card analysis, the Guide includes images of every card in the expansion and presents a unique look at [[Urza]]'s story from the explosive end of the [[Brothers' War]] to his discovery of the [[Thran]] [[Mana Rig]].

===Storyline===
From the perilous domains of [[Phyrexia]] and [[Shiv]] to the splendor of [[Serra's Realm]], [[Argoth]], and [[Tolaria]], he travels the planes seeking weapons to destroy the dark forces that stalk him.<ref>{{DailyRef|feature/ground-2011-03-21|From the Ground Up|[[Scott McGough]]|March 21, 2011}}</ref> New magic discovered. New power revealed. [[Urza]]'s Saga has begun.

Hundreds of years have passed since the [[Brothers' War]], but many things that started there are only now coming to fruition. ''Urza's Saga'' departs from the story of [[Gerrard]] and [[Volrath]] in a flashback, showing the origins of [[the Legacy]]. The readers meet [[Teferi]] in his student days and [[Serra]] at the peak of her power.

==Mechanics and themes==
Like many earlier blocks, Urza's Saga did not have an overarching theme, though it did have an emphasis on [[enchantment]]s and [[artifact]]s. The popular [[cycling]] keyword, which allowed players to discard unwanted cards to draw new ones, was introduced in this set. [[Echo]], a keyword requiring a second mana payment on a permanent in exchange for higher than usual stats, also debuted in ''Urza's Saga''.<ref>[[Wizards of the Coast]] (1998) [http://www.wizards.com/magic/expert/urzas_saga/uz_rules.asp "New Features of ''Urza's Saga''"]</ref>

Non-keyworded abilities appearing in Urza's Saga include [[free spell]]s, [[growing enchantment]]s and [[sleeping enchantment]]s.
===Misprints===
*<c>Phyrexian Colossus</c> was printed with a [[Collector numbers|collector number]] of 306/350 when it should be 305/350.  306 is the number for <c>Phyrexian Processor</c> which is printed correctly.

==Creature types==
No new [[creature type]]s were introduced in this expansion, although <c>Hidden Stag</c> was later retroactively changed to produce [[Elk]] Beast tokens, making this the earliest set with this creature type.

The following creature types are used in this expansion but also appear in previous sets:  [[Ape]], [[Avatar]], [[Beast]], [[Bird]], [[Boar]], [[Cat]], [[Centaur]], [[Cleric]], [[Crab]], [[Djinn]], [[Dragon]], [[Drake]], [[Elemental]], [[Elf]], Enchantress (later changed to [[Druid]]), [[Giant]], [[Goblin]], [[Hippo]], [[Horror]], [[Illusion]], [[Imp]], [[Insect]], [[Knight]], [[Lizard]], [[Merfolk]], [[Pegasus]], [[Shade]], [[Shapeshifter]], [[Skeleton]], [[Snake]], [[Soldier]], [[Spirit]], [[Thrull]], [[Treefolk]], [[Troll]], [[Viashino]], [[Wall]], [[Whale]], [[Wizard]], [[Worm]], [[Wurm]], [[Zombie]].

==Cycles==
''Urza's Saga'' has seven [[cycles]]:
{| class="wikitable" 
! Cycle name 
! {{W}}
! {{U}}
! {{B}}
! {{R}}
! {{G}}
|-
|rowspan="2"|'''Cycling lands'''
|{{card|Drifting Meadow||USG}}
|{{card|Remote Isle||USG}}
|{{card|Polluted Mire||USG}}
|{{card|Smoldering Crater||USG}}
|{{card|Slippery Karst||USG}}
|-
|colspan="5"|These [[common]] [[land]]s come into play tapped and add one mana of the appropriate color, but can also be cycled. The related [[uncommon]] cycling land {{card|Blasted Landscape||USG}} adds only [[colorless]] mana, but comes into play untapped.
|-
|rowspan="2"|'''Embraces'''
|{{card|Serra's Embrace||USG}}<br/>({{card|Serra Angel||LEA}})
|{{card|Zephid's Embrace||USG}}<br/>({{card|Zephid||USG}})
|{{card|Vampiric Embrace||USG}}<br/>({{card|Sengir Vampire||LEA}})
|{{card|Shiv's Embrace||USG}}<br/>({{card|Shivan Dragon||LEA}})
|{{card|Gaea's Embrace||USG}}<br/>({{card|Child of Gaea||USG}})
|-
|colspan="5"|To get more people to play enchant creature Auras, this cycle was made which combined several abilities onto a card with a mana cost of {{2}}MM. Each card refers to a rare creature from either ''[[Alpha]]'' or ''Urza's Saga''.<ref>{{DailyRef|making-magic/magic-design-z-part-3-2022-07-25|Magic Design A to Z, Part 3|[[Mark Rosewater]]|July 25, 2022}}</ref>  <c>Verdant Embrace</c> in ''[[Time Spiral]]'' referenced this cycle, mimicking <c>Verdant Force</c>.
|-
|rowspan="2"|'''Legendary lands'''
|{{card|Serra's Sanctum||USG}}<br/>([[Enchantment]]s)
|{{card|Tolarian Academy||USG}}<br/>([[Artifact]]s)
|{{card|Phyrexian Tower||USG}}
|{{card|Shivan Gorge||USG}}
|{{card|Gaea's Cradle||USG}}<br/>([[Creature]]s)
|-
|colspan="5"|[[Rare]] [[legendary]] lands.
*Three of the lands provide one colored mana of the listed color for each card you control of the listed type. 
*The other two lands produce {{C}} instead of colored mana and have a second ability which they can be tabbed for.
|-
|rowspan="2"|'''Perpetual enchantments'''
|{{card|Brilliant Halo||USG}}
|{{card|Launch||USG}}
|{{card|Despondency||USG}}
|{{card|Fiery Mantle||USG}}
|{{card|Fortitude||USG}}
|-
|colspan="5"|When these [[common]] [[Aura]] [[enchantments]], each with a converted mana cost of 2, go to the graveyard, they are returned to their owner's hand.
|-
|rowspan="2"|'''Rare growing enchantments'''
|{{card|Serra's Liturgy||USG}}
|{{card|Recantation||USG}}
|{{card|Discordant Dirge||USG}}
|{{card|Rumbling Crescendo||USG}}
|{{card|Midsummer Revel||USG}}
|-
|colspan="5"|Each of these rare [[growing enchantment]]s has a mana cost of {{3}}MM except for the white one that costs {{2}}{{W}}{{W}}. Each can be sacrificed by paying one mana of the appropriate color for an effect that grows with the number of verse counters on it.
|-
|rowspan="2"|'''Uncommon growing enchantments'''
|{{card|Serra's Hymn||USG}}
|{{card|Lilting Refrain||USG}}
|{{card|Vile Requiem||USG}}
|{{card|Torch Song||USG}}
|{{card|War Dance||USG}}
|-
|colspan="5"|Each of these uncommon growing enchantments can be sacrificed for an effect that grows with the number of verse counters on it.
|-
|rowspan="2"|'''Runes of protection'''
|{{card|Rune of Protection: White||USG}}
|{{card|Rune of Protection: Blue||USG}}
|{{card|Rune of Protection: Black||USG}}
|{{card|Rune of Protection: Red||USG}}
|{{card|Rune of Protection: Green||USG}}
|-
|colspan="5"|These common enchantments are similar to the Circles of Protection from ''[[Alpha]]'', but their activation cost requires {{W}} rather than {{1}}, unlike the Circles which allowed for merely splashing white. Their cycling ability, however, gives them extra utility. Two other runes exist complementing the cycle: <c>Rune of Protection: Artifacts</c> (uncommon) costs only one {{W}} mana to activate, as opposed to <c>Circle of Protection: Artifacts</c>, which costs {{2}} to activate. Finally, <c>Rune of Protection: Lands</c>, printed at rare, prevents damage from lands. All 7 of the runes were illustrated by [[Scott M. Fischer]] and featured the same woman in the art.<ref>{{DailyRef|cycling-art-mystery-2004-03-22|Cycling art mystery|[[Magic Arcana]]|March 22, 2004}}</ref>
|-
| rowspan="2" |'''Uncommon enemy color hate'''
|{{card|Absolute Grace||USG}}, {{card|Absolute Law||USG}}
|{{card|Douse||USG}}, {{card|Hibernation||USG}}
|{{card|Yawgmoth's Edict||USG}}, {{card|Bereavement||USG}}
|{{card|Disorder||USG}}, {{card|Scald||USG}}
|{{card|Carpet of Flowers||USG}}, {{card|Spreading Algae||USG}}
|-
| colspan="5" |Each color contains an uncommon card that viciously attacks one of that color's two enemy colors. This is a throwback to a similar cycle from [[Revised Edition]].
|}
===Vertical cycles===
{| class="wikitable"
!Cycle name
!{{keyrune|USG}}
!{{keyrune|USG|rarity=u}}
!{{keyrune|USG|rarity=r}}
|-
| rowspan="2" |'''"Free" Spells'''
|{{card|Rewind||USG}}
|{{card|Peregrine Drake||USG}}
|{{card|Great Whale||USG}}, {{card|Time Spiral||USG}}
|-
| colspan="5" |Each of these [[blue]] spells has an effect that untaps lands equal to their mana value. For the creatures, this untap happens as an enters the battlefield effect, and for the spells, they are part of the resolution of the ability.
|}
=== Mega-mega cycle ===
{| class="wikitable" 
! Cycle name 
! {{W}}
! {{U}}
! {{B}}
! {{R}}
! {{G}}
|-
|rowspan="2"|'''Voices'''
|{{card|Voice of Truth|Nemesis}}
|{{card|Voice of Reason|Urza's Destiny}}
|{{card|Voice of Grace|Urza's Saga}}
|{{card|Voice of Law|Urza's Saga}}
|{{card|Voice of Duty|Urza's Destiny}}
|-
|colspan="5"|{{card|Voice of Grace||USG}} and {{card|Voice of Law||USG}} are the first and second cards in this mega-[[mega cycle]]. These are uncommon white 2/2 [[Angel]]s that have a mana cost of {{3}}{{W}} and have [[protection]] from a different color. {{card|Voice of All||PLS}}, who has protection from a color chosen as it enters the battlefield, would be released in [[Planeshift]] as an homage to the mega-mega cycle.
|}

== Preconstructed decks ==
{{Main|Urza's Saga/Theme decks}}

''Urza's Saga'' has four theme decks. The expansion was the first one to feature a three-colored theme deck.<ref>[http://www.wizards.com/magic/expert/Urzas_Saga/UZ_PCDs.asp ''Urza's Saga'' Preconstructed Decks] {{-}} Wizards of the Coast</ref>

{{Decks|theme
  |Sleeper|W
  |Special Delivery|RG
  |The Plague|WB
  |Tombstone|WUB
}}

==Notable cards==
*<c>Back to Basics</c> sees play as a mana prison piece in Legacy, targeting the many nonbasic lands.
*<c>Defensive Formation</c> is the last spell to change damage assignment amongst several creatures, similarly to how [[banding]] worked. 
*<c>Duress</c> was for a long time the best precision discard spell, now generally third behind <c>Thoughtseize</c> and <c>Inquisition of Kozilek</c>. However, its power level is modest enough (and name generic enough) to warrant continual reprints.
*<c>Gamble</c> is a strong but risky red tutor that red graveyard decks often use.
*<c>Morphling</c> nicknamed [[Magic slang#Card Nicknames and Abbreviations|Superman]], it was the control finisher of choice for the era, being nigh-unkillable and could defeat creatures with up to five toughness with damage on the stack. It inspired a series of cards that have a long list of activated abilities, characterized by the +1/-1 and -1/+1.
*<c>Priest of Titania</c> supplemented <c>Gaea's Cradle</c> in Elfball decks.
*<c>Smokestack</c> was the basis of many "Stax" prison decks, like the old vintage UbaStax, or Legacy's RedStax (MoonStax),  WhiteStax (AngelStax, ArmageddonStax).
*<c>Show and Tell</c> and <c>Sneak Attack</c> form the backbone of the Legacy Sneak and Show deck, being [[reanimator]]-like without using the graveyard.
*<c>Waylay</c> had a curious timing issue in which casting them on the opponent's end step let a white player create six power worth of creatures with functional haste, giving it the name "White Lightning". Revising the wording of the cleanup step returned the card to the intended functionality of a defensive ambush.

===Banned and restricted cards===
''Urza's'' block was notorious for the number of cards banned for power level, given the amount of combo potential and fast mana amongst their cards.
*<c>Serra's Sanctum</c>, <c>Gaea's Cradle</c> and <c>Tolarian Academy</c> all can generate copious amounts of mana, the latter of which is still banned in Legacy as playable 0-mana artifacts outnumber the other two significantly. All were banned in Block Constructed.
*<c>Stroke of Genius</c> was a simple X spell that drew cards, which let it be both a card advantage spell and a kill condition when the infinite mana combo was assembled.
*<c>Time Spiral</c> functions like <c>Timetwister</c> but also gives back a mana rebate. However, the six mana down payment made it difficult to reach, letting it be unbanned in Vintage in September 2008 and Legacy in December 2010.
*<c>Voltaic Key</c> created infinite turns with <c>Time Vault</c>, a combo with various other artifacts over the years, and so was restricted early in its lifetime. It was later released as more cards were released.
*<c>Windfall</c> generates most of the value that <c>Timetwister</c> did, and so was restricted and banned from Legacy and Vintage the year it was released; it hasn't been revisited since.
*<c>Great Whale</c> and <c>Peregrine Drake</c> are part of the "free spell" mechanic, which resulted in combos in Legacy and bans for Pauper by producing infinite mana.
*<c>Yawgmoth's Will</c> allows a player to recast every spell in their graveyard, which with rituals and the "free spells" often resulted in Storm kills.
*<c>Fluctuator</c> could let a player cycle for free and was banned in Standard in 1999.
*<c>Goblin Lackey</c> was one of the scariest Goblins to see on the draw from the many options it could cheat out and was banned in Extended in 2005.

==Reprinted cards==
The following cards have been [[reprint]]ed from previous sets and included in ''Urza's Saga''.
*<c>Anaconda</c> {{-}} was last seen in ''[[Portal]]''.
*<c>Bog Raiders</c> {{-}} was last seen in ''Portal''.
*<c>Bull Hippo</c> {{-}} was last seen in ''Portal''.
*<c>Dark Ritual</c> {{-}} was last seen in ''[[Tempest]]''.
*<c>Disenchant</c> {{-}} was last seen in ''Tempest''.
*<c>Enchantment Alteration</c> {{-}} was last seen in ''[[Chronicles]]''.
*<c>Exhaustion</c> {{-}} was last seen in ''[[Portal Second Age]]''.
*<c>Goblin Matron</c> {{-}} was last seen in ''Portal Second Age''.
*<c>Goblin Raider</c> {{-}} was last seen in ''Portal Second Age''.
*<c>Gorilla Warrior</c> {{-}} was last seen in ''Portal''.
*<c>Healing Salve</c> {{-}} was last seen in ''[[5th Edition]]''.
*<c>Jagged Lightning</c> {{-}} was last seen in ''Portal Second Age''.
*<c>Pacifism</c> {{-}} was last seen in ''Tempest''.
*<c>Path of Peace</c> {{-}} was last seen in ''Portal Second Age''.
*<c>Pestilence</c> {{-}} was last seen in ''5th Edition''.
*<c>Pit Trap</c> {{-}} was last seen in ''[[Ice Age]]''.
*<c>Power Sink</c> {{-}} was last seen in ''Tempest''.
*<c>Presence of the Master</c> {{-}} was last seen in ''[[Legends]]''.
*<c>Rain of Salt</c> {{-}} was last seen in ''Portal''.
*<c>Seasoned Marshal</c> {{-}} was last seen in ''Portal''.
*<c>Wildfire</c> {{-}} was last seen in ''Portal Second Age''.

===Functional reprints===
''Urza's Saga'' has eight [[functional reprint]]s:

*<c>Argothian Swine</c> is a functional reprint of <c>War Mammoth</c> from ''[[5th Edition]]'' and <c>Wild Elephant</c> from ''[[Mirage]]'', save for creature type.
*<c>Blanchwood Treefolk</c> is a functional reprint of <c>Plated Wurm</c> from ''[[Portal Second Age]]'', save for creature type.
*<c>Dromosaur</c> is a functional reprint of <c>Raging Gorilla</c> from ''[[Visions]]'', save for creature type.
*<c>Hollow Dogs</c> is a functional reprint of <c>Charging Bandits</c> from ''[[Portal]]'', save for creature type.
*<c>Mobile Fort</c> is a functional reprint of <c>Walking Wall</c> from ''[[Ice Age]]''.
*<c>Serra Zealot</c> is a functional reprint of <c>Tundra Wolves</c> from ''5th Edition'', save for creature type.
*<c>Spire Owl</c> is a functional reprint of <c>Sage Owl</c> from ''[[Weatherlight]].''
*<c>Unworthy Dead</c> is a functional reprint of <c>Drudge Skeletons</c> from ''5th Edition'', <c>Walking Dead</c> from ''[[Legends]]'' and <c>Restless Dead</c> from ''Mirage''.

==Card comparisons==
{{main|Urza's Saga/Card comparisons}}

==Trivia==
*The original planned name for the set was ''Urza's Odyssey''.<ref>{{YouTubeRef|jofyGSFDq8M|How Trivial with Mark Rosewater|channel=Magic: The Gathering|creator=[[Mark Rosewater]]|date=August 4, 2023}}</ref> It was rejected on legal advice at the time.
*{{card|Morphling||USG}} was originally intended to be a reprint of <c>Clone</c>. It had to be redesigned after the art had been finalized because at the time the [[Comprehensive Rules|game rules]] couldn't properly handle [[clone]] effects.<ref>{{YouTubeRef|jofyGSFDq8M|How Trivial with Mark Rosewater|channel=Magic: The Gathering|creator=[[Mark Rosewater]]|date=August 4, 2023}}</ref>
*Cycling was originally created by [[Richard Garfield]] during ''[[Tempest]]'' design. <ref>{{EzTumblr|http://markrosewater.tumblr.com/post/159870087413/hello-mark-just-wanted-to-say-that-amonkhet-was|title= I had never played in a limited environment with Cycling and now I'm in love.|April 22, 2017}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*{{Oldprodpage|Urzas_Saga|Urzas_Saga|Urza's Saga}} (old)
*{{Prodpage|urzas-saga|Urza's Saga}} (new)

{{Sets|state=collapsed}}
{{Dominaria|name=Urza's|block}}