What Is The Best MTG Novel To Start With?

Okay, this is one of those little community mysteries I love digging into. After poking around, what I keep finding is that there isn't a single canonical creator credited with a character named 'Professor Onyx' in official 'Magic: The Gathering' lore. Instead, the name tends to pop up in fan-made cards, custom art pieces, and as handles for streamers and forum personalities. That means the origin usually traces back to an individual artist or player who invented the persona for a deck, a piece of fanfiction, or a Twitch/YouTube identity. Whenever I've tracked these kinds of things down, the creator is often visible in the image metadata, a watermark, or an upload profile on sites like Reddit, Twitter/X, or DeviantArt. For custom cards you’ll frequently see them made on tools like MTG Cardsmith or Untap.in, and the author will put their handle in the card description. So if you want the true creator, start with the image or the URL where you first saw 'Professor Onyx' and follow the credits there. If you’re asking about backstory, the most common version floating around is delightfully gothic: a retired scholar who turned to forbidden ink and obsidian bones, teaching at a hidden academy that studies planar shadows. But remember, that’s fanon and varies wildly. If you can point me to the exact image or link you saw, I’d happily help sleuth the original creator of that specific 'Professor Onyx'.

I get really excited talking about 'Professor Onyx' because that card feels like a personality—mischievous, clever, and built for getting value off unusual lines. If you want to pair them, first thing I always tell friends at FNM: check the color identity and what you want to do. If you’re leaning into spells and tempo, a commander that lets you replay or cheat spells from graveyards or exile is gold. For a spellslinger vibe, something that recurs your instants and sorceries or copies them will make the sneaky bits of 'Professor Onyx' pop. On the flip side, if you want a grindier, value-oriented game, pairing with a commander that turns every small advantage into inevitability—like a general that recurs permanents or squeezes extra draws from the graveyard—feels really satisfying. I’ve pilot-tested builds where 'Professor Onyx' acts as a tempo engine while the partner wheels back resources, and the games feel like a clever heist rather than a brawl. Whatever you pick, tune the rest of the deck for synergy: tutors, cheap discard outlets, and ways to protect your combo pieces. If you tell me your meta or whether you want chaos, combo, or control, I can suggest a narrow list that’ll actually win you games rather than just look cool.

I've been digging through my collection and the online databases for this exact question, and here's what I can tell you about 'Professor Onyx'. It really depends on the printing: if 'Professor Onyx' was printed in a modern set (or reprinted later) then there very likely is at least one foil variant. Most sets from the last decade include foil cards in booster runs, and special printings — like showcase, borderless, or promo versions — often come in foil treatments too. If you want to be sure, run a printing check on sites like Scryfall or the official Gatherer, where every printing and its foil status is listed. Search for 'Professor Onyx' and look at the printings panel — if you see entries labeled as foil, etched foil, or promo, those are legitimate. When I buy foils I always cross-reference TCGplayer and Cardmarket to compare images and seller notes, because names can be shared by multiple alternate-art or promo releases. Also be careful with condition and counterfeits; inspect photos closely and prefer sellers with return policies. Happy hunting — foils always gleam nicer in person and it's satisfying to track down a specific variant I want.

I get curious about card prices the way some people check stock tickers, and 'Professor Onyx' is no exception — its price history tends to follow the classic collector/player-cycle more than anything mysterious. When a card like 'Professor Onyx' first hits the market (new set, prerelease hype), you usually see a launch spike driven by bulk speculation, blind buys, and hype videos. After the first month the price often settles as the real supply hits TCGplayer/Cardmarket and people test the card in decks. If it proves playable in a popular format or becomes a Commander staple, expect slow, steady growth; if it gets reprinted or loses relevance, you'll see a sharp drop. I always cross-check several sites when tracing a card’s history: MTGStocks for long-term charts and percent changes, TCGplayer for current market listings, Cardmarket for EU trends, and eBay completed listings if I want real sale prices. Don’t forget to separate foil vs nonfoil and promo prints — foils often chart a different path. Also consider condition and language: Near Mint Japanese foil promos from events can behave like completely different products. Those nuances explain why a single name can have multiple price curves, and why relying on one source can mislead you. For my buying decisions I watch the 30- and 90-day moving averages and set alerts rather than trying to time the absolute bottom.

Okay, diving in with a curious brain first: I couldn’t find a clear, authoritative list that says ‘Professor Onyx’ was a headline player at big sanctioned events like the Pro Tour/Players Tour, Mythic Championships, or paper Grand Prix. That’s not unusual — a lot of creators and community figures float between streamed invitational events, MTG Arena community tournaments, and local MagicFests without a single centralized index. From what I’ve seen, people with a handle like Professor Onyx tend to show up most often in streamed community tournaments, creator invitational brackets, and Arena Challenges or Arena Open-style events rather than being permanent fixtures in top-level, sanctioned pro circuits. If you want specifics, I’d start by checking their Twitch and YouTube channels for VODs titled ‘tournament’, ‘challenge’, or ‘invitational’, and then cross-reference those video titles with the event names shown in the stream overlay. That usually reveals whether it was an official ‘Arena Open’ or a fan-run cup.

Prof. Onyx has made quite a splash in competitive Magic: The Gathering lately. A lot of players are harnessing her dark academia vibes in various iterations, especially in black control and midrange decks. I’ve seen her paired with great synergies in decks that latch onto her ability to draw and create value through life drain. For instance, in a Standard control setup, she complements cards like 'Shambling Ghast' or 'Blood on the Snow,' allowing for substantial card advantage while managing the board. Interestingly, I’ve also noticed her presence in Commander formats, where she fits seamlessly in black-themed strategies. Her ability to serve as both a powerful planeswalker and a spellslinger can shift the game in different ways. Some folks love pairing her up with creatures that can sacrifice themselves for additional advantage, making her an interesting choice for decks focusing on sacrifice mechanics. Honestly, it’s quite exciting to see her versatility expand across formats, creating more avenues for strategy. Whether you’re looking to take down opponents with surgical strikes or drain them dry, she’s a fantastic addition! Plus, her lore and character background bring depth to the game, adding an extra layer of fun when players bring her to the table. It feels rewarding to weave her story into every match, enriching gameplay beyond just the technical aspects.

Professor Onyx is one of those characters that feels like they stepped right out of a gritty fantasy novel, and the theories surrounding her backstory are fascinating! Some fans speculate that she’s actually a twisted version of former planeswalker Liliana Vess, considering how she embodies the darkness and cunning that Liliana is known for. This shadowy persona aligns with the storyline hinting at her sinister motivations. Many discussions center on how her rise in power could be tied to a desire for revenge against those who wronged her in the past. It sparks this thrilling debate about whether she was once a heroic figure who fell from grace or a villain who was biding her time, patiently plotting a move in the Multiverse. Moreover, causally exploring her connections with other characters, enthusiasts theorize that she might be manipulating the lesser-known wizards of the Multiverse to do her bidding. It adds an extra layer of intrigue when you think about how she uses scholars and students to further her arcane ambitions. This reminds me of a serial killer’s masterclass, where the cunning mind uses underlings to do their bidding while enjoying the chaos they create. The complexity of her motivations invites a further discussion about morality within the Multiverse. People also suggest that her transition from light to shadow could have roots in a significant event—some even hinting at the War of the Spark as a catalyst for her darker transformation. Could that cataclysmic event have pulled her to the dark side? It opens up pathways to a vibrant narrative filled with insiders’ knowledge of magic. These theories lead to such engaging discussions in the community, and I just love diving into each and every one of them, dissecting clues from lore and card texts, which honestly gives a magical thrill like few other things can!

As a longtime 'Magic: The Gathering' lore enthusiast, I've spent countless hours diving into the novels and stories that expand the Multiverse. Niv-Mizzet, the brilliant and egotistical dragon, is one of my favorite characters, and he takes center stage in several key novels. The most notable is 'The Gathering Storm' by Django Wexler, which delves into Niv-Mizzet's scheming and his role in the guild conflicts of Ravnica. This book is a must-read for fans of his character, as it showcases his intelligence, arrogance, and the lengths he'll go to protect his interests. Another great read is 'War of the Spark: Ravnica' by Greg Weisman, where Niv-Mizzet plays a pivotal role in the battle against Nicol Bolas. While not the sole focus, his strategic mind and fiery personality shine through. For those who enjoy Niv-Mizzet's wit and cunning, these novels are essential. They also provide deeper insight into Ravnica's politics and the dynamics between the guilds. If you're a fan of dragons with brains and bravado, these books won't disappoint.