A History of Phyrexians 

My favorite Phyrexia Phact is that the first attempt at sleeper agents failed because they were all identical and arrived all at once

Calling Yawgmoth a 'Misguided Doctor' might be one of the most generous descriptions of anything ever, haha

How to make a video on the phyrexians without getting demonetized for talking about eugenics.

Now that you’ve officially been disappointed that there was no Phryxians in Strixhiem, here is the complete history of Phryxia.

One of the best magic games I ever played was my blue/green infect (Phyrexian) deck vs. my opponents red artifact (mirrodin) deck. The game ended after 14 turns, I took exactly 21 damage and lost, with my opponent at 9 poison tokens and I had enough infect monsters/proliferate abilities to ensure he died twice over next turn. I wasn't even mad, just impressed he'd managed to use 4 artifact 'bombs' to stack counters and last ditch nuke me. Frankly, it was the most cinematic thing I could've hoped for.

Something I've always remembered from one of the MTG books was the internal phyrexian politics, where we get the phyrexians' point of view. It was so alien, and yet so understandable. I wish we had more of that. Reading a paragraph of a robot demon meditating in a pool of oil, contemplating his religion is an experience that new magic simply can't deliver anymore.

Phyrexians believe in a Steel Flower; it is beautiful and perfect, no imperfections. But it's delicacy, it's life, the thing that makes it so beautiful has been replaced with cold, unloving metal. They're so freaking cool.

My first memory of MTG is getting destroyed by my cousin's infect deck so phyrexia has always been one of my favorites parts of the game

While I have no love for Phyrexia, I have much love for Myr. And, since Mirrodin is now called New Phyrexia, I am being towed along. Here's to hoping the Myr can break free of servitude.

Phyrexian Unlife was the first phyrexian card I've ever seen and it's picture has been carved into my brain permanently. The image seems falsely simple, but the longer you look at it, the more disturbing details you see. The worst one I think is a look of total despair and terror the person on it gives you.

Elesh Norn is iconic but after learning more about the lore, Urabrask takes it. Sheltering natives and hating the other factions anyone?! Would love you to do a more in-depth video about the praetors, such an interesting piece of the magic story.

The story for New Phyrexia actually notes that Venser's journal is left behind. The same one that Koth got angry over for it having Phyrexian portal designs in it. Hoping they call back to that, but with Wizards who knows if they bother with a consistent story.

Here's the link to the Yawgmoth video in case you missed it: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-U6LnVOV1SX8.html Edit: Gotta say, I'm amazed at how many people are challenging my use of "compleat" in the thumbnail, when I take the time to explain it in the video and even put Phyresis on screen as an in-game example of how the Phyrexians use it to describe their version of perfection. It's a real word, friends, I promise! :-) Also, yes, Nicole got married, and we talked about that briefly in "So I'm Making A Card Game," so make sure you go back and watch that too, my little Lore Mages!

This is so weird. Yesterday I found your channel and watched about 4 vids. I scrolled through and looked for a video on the phyrexians and was like “surprised they don’t have one”. Come back today. Boom it’s there. Magic arcanum can read the minds of its viewers.

Surprised you didn’t mention Atraxa, but perhaps you’re saving her for the lore video

Congratulations to Nicole on the change in last name!

My favorite poem of all time comes from an old phyrexian card 'Phyrexian Hulk' "It doesnt think, it doesnt feel. It doesnt laugh or cry. All it does from dusk til dawn, is make the soldiers die" and this was also my first experience with the phyrexians in the card game.

Oh also Ashiok learned about the Phyrexians when they were torturing Elspeth in Theros Beyond Death and promptly planeswalked away afterwards, I think Ashiok may show up in the near future again!

Great video. I love the Phyrexians as villains, they're creepy, threatening, and manage to still raise philosophical questions. If I had the power to make WotC release a single product from all of their lines, it would be a Phyrexian supplement for DnD. I've absolutely adored getting Ravnica and Theros and I've appreciated the Plane Shift articles even if all they did was leave me wanting more, but the absence of the nightmare engines of Yawgmoth leaves a hole in any MtG campaign I might try to run.

Phyrexians! Finally, the original big baddies of the story! (And maybe the best returning big bads???) Edit to answer the end video question: Sanguine Guard. Back in high school with kitchen table magic, the first strike and regenerate combination slowly cleared a lot of boards for me.

Atraxa is my favorite Phyrexian. To begin with, I already had a "thing" for Angels. And Atraxa is a "Phyrexian Angel." A legend, no less. Which makes her a very handy COMMANDER.

It doesn't think. It doesn't feel. It doesn't laugh or cry. All it does from dusk till dawn Is make the soldiers die. -Onean children's rhyme

The video i have been waiting for. Thank you Ryan and Nicole for the wonderful video as always!

I literally said "Oh fuck yeah" when I saw this in my subscription feed

Hopefully, we're going to see a confrontation that makes War of the Spark look like a slap fight.

Am I the only one who thinks that Ryan, and Spice could do a co-lab in regards to the phyrexian story? :)

New Spice video today too! #VorthosEmpire

The mustache is expanding!

Well met, Loremages.

I love how Ryan can recite all this material with mostly a straight face.

I have waited for this video for so very very long; I started during the era of the Rath Cycle and this brings back so many great memories!! THANK YOU!!

Normal people, looking at another: You complete me, happy Valentine's Day. Me, looking in the mirror: Another day of Great Work. You compleat me!

man I was waiting for this video for so long! I’m also waiting for a massive Phyrexian type change and actual Phyrexian tribal support 😭 _LONG LIVE PHYREXIA, PRAISE THE FATHER OF MACHINES AND ELESH NORN’S MACHINE ORTHODOXY!_

guessing this is nicole's wedding gift?

i started playing magic 19 years ago in the invasion block and i since i found your wonderfull channel i have waited for this! Thanks and keep up the good work u 2!

Dont let anyone get you down, Scarlett's bath water is amazing

Thanks Ryan (and Nicole)! Have always been curious about the phyrexians but never had the time to read up on them. Hopefully you can...complete...the series on them soon!

I didn’t know how much I needed this art of the cards comparison and contrast video for Phyrexians. Thank you 🙏

Can't wait for the lore on the Phyrexians. as a fan of magic that has regular wikidives to learn the lore, the phyrexians is definitely the one topic i've always wanted to learn the most about.

I just got into Magic and these guys are my favorite part of the lore. Setting up a page in my collection binder dedicated to them.

I can now die happy. Finally thank you so much for covering them.

Phyrexian Scriptures is one of my favorite cards ever printed. Art is gorgeous. Flavor is spot on. Sagas are awesome. And a board wipe! Count me in

Love the lore series! So glad to see another episode ❤️ keep up the great work and effort!

Just finished watching the history of Yawgmoth video, and now I'm almost finished with this one. I'm beginning to understand why some of my favorite cards, are also some Magics' scariest cards. I've been playing this game now for 10 years, just got back into it after a four-year hiatus, and I never bothered to really look into the lore of sets and characters that much. I'm so glad I decided to start learning about Magic lore through this and Yawgmoth's lore videos. I would be lying if I said I didn't want to create decks, even if they were 'bad', and give them their own lore based on the lore from the original cards, sets, and characters within. Based on that description, why not just play DND? I like DND, but I like the idea of creating a world in front of me with the possibility of different stories to emerge. Typing that out last sentence honestly makes me realize that Magic and DND are very similar beasts in terms of function, but not in terms of how they are played. To sum up this pastebin of a comment, thank you for helping me to better appreciate and enjoy my favorite game.

Zombie Cyborg Alien Eugenisists. It's like you used a random spooky monster generator and made some of the coolest villains of all time.

I remember asking you for a video like this months ago... you delivered and it's awesome, thanks a lot buddy, keep it up 😊

Love it guys! I started playing Magic in Scars of Mirrodin block.

Thanks for the video, I've started playing Arena about a year ago, and I really like the story and flavor on the cards. I see Phyrexians being mentioned a lot and it's great to learn more about them.

I have no idea why this didn't pop up on my sub feed when it came out, I have it set to give me a notification every time yall post a vid. Love the work yall do, hope you're doing well in quarantine

I feel like this has been the most requested topic for your videos for years now. Congrats on scratching this one off the bucket list!

The nostalgia is heavy with this one. Thanks for doing what you do.

Let's get that Return to Phyrexia set going already

Phyrexia isn't a cult, its the only true way to become perfection

Love the reference to spice. Their video was stunning. Great content as always on this video.

One day I'll have a Phyrexian Commander Deck.

Yes! At long last! Thank you Ryan the Loremage! Glory to Phyrexia!

new phyrexia is easily one of my favorite sets, it's one of the ones i started with when i first got into magic and the art is just so amazing

I've been waiting for this story time, finally I was able to achieve perfection!

I'm so excited i've been WAITING for this!

As a long time fan of Phyrexia, I'd say your video was spot on, also, my favorite card is the Obliterator, cause aside from being a giant, mechanical eldritch horror, it's maw is full of the teeth and canines of the meat creatures used to make it, truly an inspired design, that wastes not a scrap of inferior flesh!

Always look forward to your content! Happy regards to Nicole!!

Just want to say firstly, I love your hard work you two. And secondly, phyrexians!

Thanks for the upload Arcanum Crew. You guys keep my spark going while the hasbro machine has been quashing it.

A threat so great, even Nicol Bolas (in a web comic) worried about them. Given Tezzeret's minglings before, It would be interesting if he is why Vorinclex was on Kaldheim. Even the description that Vorinclex arrived without flesh amd had to rebuild sounds like the Planar Bridge mode of transport. As for a favorite Phyrexian card, I'm tied between Crazed Skirge (my first card depicting Phyrexians, and the start of a small Skirge collection in my early MtG career) and Urabrask who I find super fascinating from a Lore standpoint, hope to see again in future Lore, and whose card I own in Foil thanks to a good friend.

thanks a lot! been waiting for Phyrexians for a while!

I'm here post kamigawa neon dynasty. With the return of gin gitaxias, you were correct with the return of tez and the planar bridge. The fact the phyrexians now control the planar bridge, AND tamiyo the planes walker really gives me some serious dreams of what lies ahead. Tamiyo still controls the seal that imprisoned Emrakul (Emrakul forced her to do this without her knowledge), what if the now compleated tamiyo released emrakul. Maybe then ugin, with the help of the remaining gatewatch free and partner with Nicol bolas in one last effort to save the multiverse. I mean I'm sure I'm way wrong, buttttt that'd be sick af.

I've been waiting for this!!

Been waiting for this for so long

The thing that worries and excites me is that Tamiyo specifically was compleated. Tamiyo.. you know.. the one who trapped a certain Eldrazi in a moon…. That’s a spicy memory indeed for a phyrexian

Calling it now: They’re going after Kaladesh

I have waited for so long for this!

Good write up on it. And it just. Makes me think again. The Borg.

I started playing magic back in Mirrodin Besieged sothe phyrexians have a special place in my heart for being one of the things that got me in to magic! As for favourite Phyrexian card, Cant look passed the first mythic I ever pulled in Elesh Norn!

Great video! I squealed like a young boy when I opened an Obliterator from a set booster as part of THE LIST!!

Ive been waiting forever for this type of video i cant wait for the phyrexia lore video i love phyrexia

Love the full beard man keep these coming cant wait to watch your strixhaven video

Thank you for your wisdom! I learned a lot today

Phyrexian Arena is my favorite, specially the one where Gerard cuts Urza's Head.

One of my favourite cards was phyrexian hulk. Its lore shows that the oil can hold memories of old phyrexia machines while recreating or repurposing the environment. Also a good common on the prerelease.

My “Golos takes you on a tour of New Phyrexia” commander deck approves

Great video! I pulled a few Phyrexian Text cards in Kamigawa: Neon Dynasty and wanted to learn more about. I played magic heavily from 1993 - 1996 and remember those Gremlins but never made the connection. I want to check out Mirrodin now. I wish Magic made these stories into comic books!

This morning I was just wondering about the Phyrexians, and there I go I have all the information I need

Holy hell i've been waiting for this since i discovered you! YEEES

Couldn't help but notice Nicole's change of lastname. Congratulations are in order? :)

Scars block was my introduction to Magic so I will always have a soft spot for Phyrexians. Also I just love how brutal their art is.

So wanted this video, thanks!!

Thank you I needed this

Started playing during Invasion. Phyrexians will always hold a special place in my heart.

one of my favorite phyrexian cards is porcelain legionnaire just the design and look of it is amazing to me

I started playing magic during original Mirrodin's release and although back then i didn't know anything about the lore and my English was pretty bad i was still really fascinated about the art. You have no idea how much i am longing for the return of the Phyrexia. I also hope that gatewatch actually fails to stop them. I do have a couple questions/requests which may or may not be included in your future video that u mentioned about the full story of the phyrexians. (Obviously if u are to answer them in this video just tell me to be patient) 1. Do we know where phyrexian oil come from or who made it? 2. Do we know of the past of some of the more well-known phyrexians like the Praetors? Thx for all the vids and all the effort and time u put into them btw. Learning the lore of magic is big part of it and definitely what has kept me to the game so i really appreciate it.

This was such a great video. Hopefully it means we will get to see a Who is Urza in the future!

I haven't watched any of your videos in a minute but damn those ending animations are amazing

Nichols last name change hit me harder than the lore. I always mouth along to the intro and felt the proverbial rug pull out from under my feet

Great video, I wish you'd show more of the powerful cards but i'll settle for this!

Thanks for the video! Can’t wait for the lore one! I’d be interested in a Kamigawa lore video IF its lore is interesting. If it’s boring then nvm but ninjas and spirits seem like they would be cool.

I love the Phyrexians, precisely because they present me with an existential crisis. If they were real, and invaded Earth, I don’t know if I would or could reject the allure of compleation. This is solely my opinion, but if given the choice to loose my humanity and become a being with no imperfections, not subject to the chronic pain and insomnia that I endure and freed from my own raging neurosis and imposter syndrome, I don’t know if I have the willpower to deny that.

Started playing in Scars of Mirrodin block! I loved the flavor and the design of both the New Phyrexians and Mirran Pure! I cant wait to see them again, they truly are some of the scariest villains of the story. More than Thano-- I mean *Nicol Bolas* or the spaghetti monster Eldrazi.

Vedalken Anatomist has my favorite artwork from any Phyrexian card. I sometimes forget exactly what the card name is because I don't really play with them so I had to do some searching through the gatherer, but it's consistently been a top contender. I always remember it when I think back to the Scars of Mirrodin trailer, All Will Be One, with the little goblin breathing heavily with his chest opened and the Anatomist readying his instrument. Speaking of trailers, New Phyrexia still has the best trailer for Magic. "Karn... is coming! Savior... D̸̝̾ȅ̴͇s̷͖̕t̸̫̐r̶̥͝o̶̦͒y̶̺͐e̸̟͂r̷͉͠." So good!

Gah! RU-vid didnt even notify me despite clicking the bell. So excited to see this!

love the spice8rack shoutout!!!!