To Battle! March of the Machine in Modern and Pioneer (Set Review, Part 1)

Season 18, Episode 1: Brewer’s Guide to March of the Machine, Vol. 1

Magic has a brand new card type, and it is a brain bender. Battles (or Sieges … or Invasions…) attach spell effects to a new class of permanent. These permanents may then be attacked or damaged, similar to planeswalkers, to unlock a bonus card on the back side. Clearly each siege represents a large amount of value, but at the cost of time and efficiency. Your initial effect will be slightly below rate, and the reward for defeating the Battle may or may not be worth the progress you could have made on your opponent’s life total in the meantime.

But there’s far more to March of the Machine than just Battles. The Incubate mechanic shakes up the hierarch of Game Objects, and could be significantly more powerful than Clues if you build your deck wisely. Backup is a new twist on ETB triggers that creates some very dangerous attacking sequences, and Convoke returns with some of the strongest payoffs we have ever seen.

Today on Faithless Brewing we kick off our Modern and Pioneer Full Set Review with a close look at these new mechanics, as well as the most promising cards at the lower end of the mana curve. Will Wrenn and Realmbreaker become a multi format staple? Will there be a dedicated Battle deck? Will Knight-Errant of Eos make Morde’s value dreams come true? Find out in part 1 of our Brewer’s Guide to March of the Machine!

Read our mini-primer on Wrenn and Realmbreaker:

Wrenn and Realmbreaker is going to be a MONSTER in #MTGPioneer.

"But the +1 doesn't untap!"
"The static isn't useful."
"It doesn't protect itself."

Doesn't matter. Here are seven decks that should take a hard look at Wrenn, right now.

1/ pic.twitter.com/xKEfvWBjgx
— Faithless Brewing Podcast (@FaithlessMTG) March 24, 2023

Timestamps

[3:02] Mechanic: Battles

[4:07] Invasion of Kaladesh — Aetherwing, Golden-Scale Flagship

[6:22] Invasion of Azgol — Ashen Reaper

[7:56] How to evaluate Battles

[14:33] Interacting with Battles

[16:03] Render Inert

[17:45] Mechanic: Convoke

[19:03] Knight-Errant of Eos

[25:27] Mechanic: Incubate

[26:17] Norn’s Inquisitor

[29:20] Mechanic: Backup

[29:34] Doomskar Warrior

[33:34] Elspeth’s Smite

[34:58] Referee Squad

[36:41] Invasion of Tarkir — Defiant Thundermaw

[42:35] Invasion of Ikoria — Zilortha, Apex of Ikoria

[44:49] Botanical Brawler

[48:03] Invasion of Ergamon — Truga Cliffcharger

[51:46] Bloodfeather Phoenix

[53:36] Wrenn and Realmbreaker

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