I think I prefer him to the planeswalker version tbh. This one has more nostalgia, gets my Vorthos going more (all-powerful demigods are so just gauche) and seems more reasonably powerful. Nicol Bolas, Planeswalker will either win you the game outright, or lose you the game outright when the opponent mocks you for having put all your eggs in one basket. He's a little subtler here. Well as subtle as a 7/7 flier can be, anyhow!
SuperStuffyDoll
★☆☆☆☆ (1.8/5.0)(6 votes)
He doesn't look very "all-powerful" in this artwork.
Laguz
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.9/5.0)(10 votes)
Worst artwork in magic history. It completely ruins what could have been one of the coolest cards ever. I swore to myself long ago that if I ever happened to meet Edward Beard Jr, I would beat him with a rubber chicken as payback for this travesty.
How can joke art like this "get your vorthos going"? It chews my vorthos up and spits it out.
And of course the killer promo card with the serious art is impossible to obtain.
Weretarrasque
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.5/5.0)(2 votes)
The only worthwhile Elder Dragon, Bolas is awesome. If only he had trample...
And I, for one, wanted to beat up Ed Beard, Jr. just for his name.
Guest57443454
★☆☆☆☆ (1.0/5.0)(6 votes)
Great card, poor artwork, this looks like a dragon that's scholarly and relaxed, not a super powerful dragon, who later became a demi-god...
allmighty_abacus
★★★★☆ (4.3/5.0)(5 votes)
It appears Bolas is studying for exams.
gcilley
★★★☆☆ (3.6/5.0)(10 votes)
Awesome art!!! He's old. He's Legendary. He doesn't need to get up for your quibbles. He doesn't look like every other piece of bland dragon art that's out there.
This is one of those cards that I saw as a kid and realized that MtG was something different and special. Not your over-the-top fantasy game but one with a great deal of imagination.
r-e-meatyard
★★★★☆ (4.4/5.0)(12 votes)
I can't believe people are hating on this art! No, It's not awesome in the sense of firebreathing-teeth baring-huge muscled-roaring explosion nonsense that we've all seen 1000 times. But this shows a monster that's intellectual and calculating while still being clearly evil/sadistic. That seems to me like exactly the sort of being that would become a demi-god. Strangely mature take on a hackneyed theme and the playfulness only enhances it for me.
Neutralion
★☆☆☆☆ (1.0/5.0)(9 votes)
That artwork sucks!
Tackle74
★★★★☆ (4.7/5.0)(5 votes)
Add me to the love the art category, makes the card really stand out. It also reinforces the fact that dragons are not just all flame breath and muscles.
Captain_Haddock
★★★☆☆ (3.8/5.0)(8 votes)
Definitely prefer this art. In fact, this is some of my favorite art, period. Newer card art tends to be so dramatic, and thus becomes quite boring. OG Bolas takes the cake!
midnightvenom
★★★☆☆ (3.2/5.0)(3 votes)
I'd appreciate the art if the old gold card frames weren't so ugly looking.
"Me first? Oh, ok. Uhm...let's see here. How about...you take 7 and uhm, discard your entire hand? Go."
cthulubbq
★★★★☆ (4.6/5.0)(6 votes)
The first card to make me crap my pants with greed as a kid.
Gishra
★★★☆☆ (3.5/5.0)(1 vote)
I kind of like this art as well. The new Nicol Bolas arts have his head way too small for his body, and least for a dragon that's supposed to be as smart as he is.
Teotanek
★★★☆☆ (3.6/5.0)(9 votes)
My god, how could anyone possibly like the horrendous art, made to match the fashion of our time, bolas planewalker has become? magic used to have a lot funny drawings and also cool stuff, orcish librarian for example also had funny books like naked lunch in it, but in the same set you could find necropotence. Magic should also carry fun stuff, and funny drawings (kithking are not funny, but deformed) , now they are scarcer.
Thus how can you be so heretical ?, why in hte world we want yet another fierce, firebreathing dragon? please magic must be something more than just common fantasy art. Anyway if you enjoy this card there a crappy alternative art reprint.
aznxknightz
★★★☆☆ (3.6/5.0)(4 votes)
He's reading books on how to attack opponents in a way that makes them "forget their spells".
SpoonIsMe
★★★☆☆ (3.7/5.0)(7 votes)
Infinitely superior art- not just another bland dragon, but a scholarly one! How unique and cool is that?
This an sets the tone for what Bolas is- an evil, intellectual arrogant dragon- far more than the art that succeeded it.
5/5 for the simple fact that when I first saw this card, it intrigued me.
ShakaUVM
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
or any other cheap ways of having a creature deal damage gives you a creature with tap to discard an opponent's hand.
I actually use both Nicol Bolas cards in my main EDH deck, and brought him out in the last game with the Vedalken Orrery on my opponent's turn to block, then beat him over the head with it on my turn. Then he promptly got control magic-ed all around the battleground. Good times.
switchblade44
★★★★★ (5.0/5.0)(5 votes)
what a nerd. sittin in his dorm room reading books all day. palladia mors knows how to party.
Captain-Chemosh
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
I'm intrigued how this art, spawned the art on bolas planeswalker. Oh! And why anyone really gives a damn about perhaps the most stereotypical dragon to ever exist. He is greedy, self-serving, had a god-complex, and runs away like a little whelp when a real opponent (Phyrexia) is present.
PastProphet
★★☆☆☆ (2.0/5.0)(1 vote)
In Soviet Russia, Nicol Bolas taps you
NeoKoda
★★☆☆☆ (2.5/5.0)(3 votes)
Fantastic dude, bad art (I like hardcore fantasy stuff, OK?), and unplayable cost. But for the classicness of Nicol moosing Bolas, I'd run him anyway. For extra points, play him with Ramses Overdark.
Goatllama
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
So many butthurt comments about the art! XD
DarthParallax
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.5/5.0)(1 vote)
Scion of the Ur-Dragon as your general. -> Dragons Enabled
Kaalia of the Vast in your 99. -> Angels Enabled
some enchantment that allows you to break Rakdos by turning all into Demons -> Demons Enabled.
Yep. there is more than enough support to run 'the most powerful Timmy dorks ever printed' all in the same deck. wow.
Arachnos
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
@Captain-Chernosh: I wouldn't call him the most stereotypical dragon ever to exist. Your average dragon tends to hang out in a cave sitting on treasure, not plan world domination.
On the card: probably the best of the Elder Dragons from Legends, but still overcosted.
psychichobo
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
First thing to search for in a Scion of the Ur-Dragon EDH. Slapping their hand away quickly really catches them off guard.
Conservator
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
This card is awesome. End of Story.
The_Murderauder
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
Hate the re-design of Bolas. Now he's just some random-ass dragon. Seriously, take the FtV art, slap it on any other dragon, and see if you can't tell the difference. And be honest.
So maybe he doesn't look like an angry, stupid, fire-breathing monstrosity. He sure doesn't look like one of the most powerful beings in the multiverse. But he is. And that's the power of Bolas. He doesn't give a *** what you think of him. He eats *** Kokushos and Scourge of Kher Ridges for breakfast and nobody says shit.
O0oze
☆☆☆☆☆ (0.0/5.0)
"Nicol, whats the secret of your power?" "What do you mean?" "I mean, you are one of the most powerful, ancient, destructive and mercyless planeswalkers. Your evil schemes span across millenia, you have 2 other planeswalkers serving you, and even after time spiral block, your card has gotten even better." "oh, that. I read books." "WHAT?! You mean all of your power comes from reading books? How can books give so much power?" "Have you ever seen Jace, The Mind Sculptor?"
Comments (30)
How can joke art like this "get your vorthos going"? It chews my vorthos up and spits it out.
And of course the killer promo card with the serious art is impossible to obtain.
Of course, he's no match for his planeswalker form.
And I, for one, wanted to beat up Ed Beard, Jr. just for his name.
This is one of those cards that I saw as a kid and realized that MtG was something different and special. Not your over-the-top fantasy game but one with a great deal of imagination.
"Me first? Oh, ok. Uhm...let's see here. How about...you take 7 and uhm, discard your entire hand? Go."
Thus how can you be so heretical ?, why in hte world we want yet another fierce, firebreathing dragon? please magic must be something more than just common fantasy art. Anyway if you enjoy this card there a crappy alternative art reprint.
This an sets the tone for what Bolas is- an evil, intellectual arrogant dragon- far more than the art that succeeded it.
5/5 for the simple fact that when I first saw this card, it intrigued me.
I actually use both Nicol Bolas cards in my main EDH deck, and brought him out in the last game with the Vedalken Orrery on my opponent's turn to block, then beat him over the head with it on my turn. Then he promptly got control magic-ed all around the battleground. Good times.
Kaalia of the Vast in your 99. -> Angels Enabled
some enchantment that allows you to break Rakdos by turning all into Demons -> Demons Enabled.
Yep. there is more than enough support to run 'the most powerful Timmy dorks ever printed' all in the same deck. wow.
On the card: probably the best of the Elder Dragons from Legends, but still overcosted.
End of Story.
So maybe he doesn't look like an angry, stupid, fire-breathing monstrosity. He sure doesn't look like one of the most powerful beings in the multiverse. But he is. And that's the power of Bolas. He doesn't give a *** what you think of him. He eats *** Kokushos and Scourge of Kher Ridges for breakfast and nobody says shit.
"What do you mean?"
"I mean, you are one of the most powerful, ancient, destructive and mercyless planeswalkers. Your evil schemes span across millenia, you have 2 other planeswalkers serving you, and even after time spiral block, your card has gotten even better."
"oh, that. I read books."
"WHAT?! You mean all of your power comes from reading books? How can books give so much power?"
"Have you ever seen Jace, The Mind Sculptor?"