- For other uses, see Fifth Dawn (disambiguation).
| Fifth Dawn | |
|---|---|
| Set Information | |
| Set symbol | |
| Themes and mechanics | Beacons, "Cogs", "Prismatic" |
| Keywords/ability words | Scry, Sunburst |
| Set size |
165 (55 commons, 55 uncommons, 55 rares) |
| Expansion code | 5DN |
| Development codename | Tomato[1] |
Fifth Dawn is the third set in the Mirrodin block. It is the 32nd Magic: The Gathering expansion and was released on June 4, 2004. [2] The prerelease was May 22–23, 2004. [3]
Set details
Fifth Dawn contains 165 black-bordered cards (55 rare, 55 uncommon, and 55 commons). Like its predecessors Mirrodin and Darksteel, the set has a high artifact count (65). However, the set also has a distinct five-color matters theme. The set introduced a darker frame on artifact cards to help distinguish from white cards, a problem that had occurred since the introduction of the Eighth Edition card frame. [4] Fifth Dawn 's expansion symbol is a small image of the Helm of Kaldra, one of the three Kaldra artifacts. [5]
Marketing
Fifth Dawn was sold in 15-card boosters, four preconstructed theme decks and a fat pack. The booster packs featured artwork from Etched Oracle, Fist of Suns and Bringer of the Red Dawn. [6] The prerelease card was a foil alternate art Helm of Kaldra. The set was accompanied by the novel of the same name, written by by Cory Herndon.
Flavor and storyline
Glissa, Bosh and Slobad journey deep within Mirrodin's core to confront the insidious Memnarch. With them is the Kaldra avatar -- an immensely powerful being of energy summoned when Kaldra's sword, shield, and helm were brought together. But what was supposed to be the world's salvation turns out to be a vile trick. With a single spell, Memnarch seizes the avatar and turns it on Glissa and her companions. Kaldra's avatar relentlessly pursues Glissa into the Tangle, destroying everything in its way. Finally, at the Radix, Glissa's destiny becomes clear. As rage and despair overcome her, Glissa's body calls forth a great column of green mana from Mirrodin's core, annihilating the avatar in the process. Now that mana hangs overhead in a glowing sphere --the green sun at last, Mirrodin's fifth dawn. [7]
Themes and mechanics
Fifth Dawn had a "Machine Feel", with "Cogs", "Engines", "Batteries" "Spouts" and "Stations" [2][8][9][10] "Cogs" are 
and 
cost artifacts with small effects (e.g. Ornithopter, Razorgrass Screen). "Engines" turn one resource into another (e.g. Blasting Station, Clock of Omens), "Batteries" build up resources over time (e.g. Gemstone Array, Krark-Clan Ironworks) and "Spouts" are artifacts that allow you to turn a resource into some effect that will either win you the game or help you control the board (e.g. Avarice Totem, Goblin Cannon). "Stations" formed the "Great Machine" which together can produce infinite mana, infinite life — Blasting Station, Grinding Station, Salvaging Station and Summoning Station. The artwork of the stations forms a mural. [11]
The set sported several cards that were perfectly suited for the casual prismatic format (five-color matters). Some cards got a bonus for different colored mana spent on them, other cards that were specifically to be cast for 
. [12] [13]
Fifth Dawn introduced two new abilities:
- Sunburst — An artifact with sunburst enters the Battlefield with counters on it based on the number of colors of mana you used to pay its cost. The more colors of mana you have in your deck, the better your sunburst cards become. Artifact creatures enter the battlefield with +1/+1 counters while non-creature artifacts gain charge counters instead. [14][15]
- Scry — Some Fifth Dawn instants and sorceries let you look at the top two cards of your library and then decide where you want to put them. You can put both cards on either the top or bottom of your library in any order, or you can put one card on the top and one on the bottom. In Fifth Dawn, the mechanic only let the caster look at the top two cards. At a later revision in Future Sight the template of Scry was changed so a number of cards specified with the ability would be viewed. [16]
Creature types
The creature type Bringer was introduced in this expansion.
The following creature types that are not new to Magic are used in this expansion:
- Artificer
- Beast
- Cat
- Cleric
- Crocodile
- Dragon
- Drake
- Drone
- Druid
- Elemental
- Elephant
- Elf
- Giant
- Goblin
- Golem
- Imp
- Insect
- Knight
- Ogre
- Ouphe
- Rat
- Rogue
- Shaman
- Snake
- Soldier
- Spider
- Troll
- Vampire
- Wall
- Warrior
- Wizard
- Zombie
Template:Div col end
Cycles
Fifth Dawn has three cycles:
- Beacons: Each of these rare sorceries or instants is shuffled back your library after being played — Beacon of Immortality, Beacon of Destruction, Beacon of Creation, Beacon of Tomorrows, and Beacon of Unrest.
- Bringers: Each of these rare creatures has a mana cost of
CC, but can be played for instead of the mana cost. Each has trample and a powerful ability that may be played at the beginning of the owner's upkeep — Bringer of the White Dawn, Bringer of the Blue Dawn, Bringer of the Black Dawn, Bringer of the Red Dawn, and Bringer of the Green Dawn. - Color-aligned equipment: Each of these common equipment artifacts has "CC: Attach [card name] to target creature you control" where C is a specific color of mana. These abilities work just like the equip ability, except that they can be played any time their controller could play an instant — Healer's Headdress, Neurok Stealthsuit, Cranial Plating, Sparring Collar, and Horned Helm.
Reprinted cards
- Circle of Protection: Artifacts, first printed in Antiquities, last seen in 5th Edition
- Magma Giant, first printed in Portal Second Age
- Relic Barrier, first printed in Legends
Functional reprints
- Dross Crocodile, functional reprint of Skeletal Crocodile (Portal) but a Zombie instead of a skeleton
- Sylvok Explorer, functional reprint of Quirion Explorer (Planeshift) save for creature type
- Thought Courier, functional reprint of Merfolk Looter (Exodus) save for creature type
Preconstructed decks
Fifth Dawn has three bicolored and one pentachromatic theme decks. Template:Theme decks Template:MRD theme decks
External links
References
- ↑ Mark Rosewater (August 12, 2002). "Codename of the Game". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
- ↑ a b Paul Barclay, David DeLaney, and Jeff Jordan. (2004.) "Fifth Dawn Frequently Asked Questions", Wizards of the Coast.
- ↑ Brian David-Marshall (May 17, 2004). "Fifth Dawn Prerelease Primer". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
- ↑ Randy Buehler (October 31, 2003). "A Scary Card Frame Story". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
- ↑ Brady Dommermuth (October 31, 2006). "Ask Wizards". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
- ↑ Magic Arcana (May 12, 2004). "Fifth Dawn Booster Package Art". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
- ↑ Rei Nakazawa (May 3, 2004). "The Breaking Fifth Dawn". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
- ↑ Aaron Forsythe (May 21, 2004). "The Keystone of Fifth Dawn". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
- ↑ Mark Rosewater (May 24, 2004). "Cog Wild". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
- ↑ Aaron Forsythe (May 28, 2004). "Deus Ex Machina". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
- ↑ Wizards of the Coast (May 31, 2004). "The Stations Mural". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
- ↑ Mark Rosewater (May 3, 2004). "Dawn of a New Day". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
- ↑ Doug Beyer (July 26, 2004). "Prismatic in the Fifth Dawn Era". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
- ↑ Mark Rosewater (May 10, 2004). "Here Comes the Sunburst". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
- ↑ Scott Wills (June 7, 2004). "Fifth Dawn: Impacts of the New Mechanics". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
- ↑ Mark Rosewater (May 17, 2004). "Scry Me a River". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.