What is Momir in Magic: the Gathering Arena?

One of the great things about Magic: the Gathering is that there’s so many different ways to play the game. There’s multiple competitive, constructed formats, such as Standard, Modern, Historic, and more. But then there are also really fun casual experiences as well like Commander and 2-Headed Giant. One of these casual experience that has become more prevalent with Magic Arena is Momir. What is Momir, and how do we play it?

What is Momir?

Momir is a causal random format that originated on Magic Online. Each player starts the game with one of these emblems, and your entire 60 card deck is all basic lands. The games go about as simple as you expect on it’s face. You activate the emblem, and get a creature equal to the amount of mana spent. Pretty Easy right? Well, yes and no. There is some strategy to go along with Momir, despite it being heavily RNG heavy.

Tips for Momir

Pass the Early Game

Since our deck is entirely basic lands and we don’t have reliable ways to draw cards, we have to plan out our turns so that we don’t run out of steam. Generally, we want to start using our emblem when we have 4 mana if we’re on the play, or 3 mana if we’re on the draw. Starting on these turns ensures that we will be able to our 9 mana and 10 mana turns pretty easily. Also, the 1 and 2 mana creatures are pretty weak so they’re going to serve more as chump blockers than anything.

Be Selective on Lands

This may be a cryptic tip, but it’s one that’s pretty straight forward. When you have your full grip of basic lands, picking which ones you play and which ones you discard can matter. Some of the most powerful activated abilities of creatures cost Red, White and Green mana. The main example that I’ll give is Zacama, Primal Calamity Zacama, Primal Calamity Reach, vigilance, trample
When Zacama enters, if you cast it, untap all lands you control.
{2}{R}: Zacama deals 3 damage to target creature.
{2}{G}: Destroy target artifact or enchantment.
{2}{W}: You gain 3 life. . This is one of the most powerful creatures that you can get, and it’s activated ability set can help you stabilize a board state. There are other creatures that give +1/+1 counters in green and white, haste enablers in Red, so generally we recommend playing your plains, mountains and forests before islands and swamps.

Big Mana Turns

There’s a lot of creatures that we can hit from our emblem effect, but there are some turns where some of the most impactful creatures live, so here’s some of the big hits that you’ll want to look for.

6 Mana

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• Dream Eater Dream Eater Flash
  Flying
  When this creature enters, surveil 4. When you do, you may return target nonland permanent an opponent controls to its owner's hand. (To surveil 4, look at the top four cards of your library, then put any number of them into your graveyard and the rest on top of your library in any order.)
• Phylath, World Sculptor Phylath, World Sculptor When Phylath enters, create a 0/1 green Plant creature token for each basic land you control.
  Landfall — Whenever a land you control enters, put four +1/+1 counters on target Plant you control.
• [/tooltips]Inferno of the Star Mounts[/tooltips]
• [/tooltips]Moraug, Fury of Akoum[/tooltips]

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7 Mana

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• Elesh Norn, Grand Cenobite Elesh Norn, Grand Cenobite Vigilance
  Other creatures you control get +2/+2.
  Creatures your opponents control get -2/-2.
• Agent of Treachery Agent of Treachery When this creature enters, gain control of target permanent.
  At the beginning of your end step, if you control three or more permanents you don't own, draw three cards.
• Angrath’s Marauders Angrath’s Marauders If a source you control would deal damage to a permanent or player, it deals double that damage to that permanent or player instead.
• Drakuseth, Maw of Flames Drakuseth, Maw of Flames Flying
  Whenever Drakuseth attacks, Drakuseth deals 4 damage to any target and 3 damage to each of up to two other targets.
• Terror of Mount Velus Terror of Mount Velus Flying
  Double strike (This creature deals both first-strike and regular combat damage.)
  When this creature enters, creatures you control gain double strike until end of turn.
• Thorn Mammoth Thorn Mammoth Trample
  Whenever this creature or another creature you control enters, this creature fights up to one target creature you don't control.

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8 Mana

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• Griselbrand Griselbrand Flying, lifelink
  Pay 7 life: Draw seven cards.
• Zetalpa, Primal Dawn Zetalpa, Primal Dawn Flying, double strike, vigilance, trample, indestructible
• Hoverguard Sweepers Hoverguard Sweepers Flying
  When this creature enters, you may return up to two target creatures to their owners' hands.

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9 Mana

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• Zacama, Primal Calamity Zacama, Primal Calamity Reach, vigilance, trample
  When Zacama enters, if you cast it, untap all lands you control.
  {2}{R}: Zacama deals 3 damage to target creature.
  {2}{G}: Destroy target artifact or enchantment.
  {2}{W}: You gain 3 life.
• Blazing Archon Blazing Archon Flying
  Creatures can't attack you.
• The Tarrasque The Tarrasque The Tarrasque has haste and ward {10} as long as it was cast.
  Whenever The Tarrasque attacks, it fights target creature defending player controls.

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10 Mana

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• Ulamog, the Ceaseless Hunger Ulamog, the Ceaseless Hunger When you cast this spell, exile two target permanents.
  Indestructible
  Whenever Ulamog attacks, defending player exiles the top twenty cards of their library.
• Dragon Tyrant Dragon Tyrant Flying, trample
  Double strike (This creature deals both first-strike and regular combat damage.)
  At the beginning of your upkeep, sacrifice this creature unless you pay {R}{R}{R}{R}.
  {R}: This creature gets +1/+0 until end of turn.
• Impervious Greatwurm Impervious Greatwurm Convoke (Your creatures can help cast this spell. Each creature you tap while casting this spell pays for {1} or one mana of that creature's color.)
  Indestructible
• Jin-Gitaxias, Core Augur Jin-Gitaxias, Core Augur Flash
  At the beginning of your end step, draw seven cards.
  Each opponent's maximum hand size is reduced by seven.

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There are no 11 mana creatures, and only 2 creatures to hit at 12 mana, so really your game plan should be to get to 9 or 10 mana by the end of the game.

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Momir is a great expression of chance and randomness in Magic: the Gathering, and it’s always a fan favorite. Hopefully you can go forth with these tips and have a good time playing Momir!