Damia, Sage of Stone is a spicy addition to the legendary women in Magic
The same artist who provided the beautiful full art Emeria Angel and Slave of Bolas, Steve Argyle did a fantastic job on this gorgon. So much for “Ask your query and be on your way. Just don't look her in the eye,” when that's the first thing I did! And what of her pose? Do her hands betray action or patience? Such well-tuned tension is only the beginning of flavor. (Not to mention the Everflowing Chalice on the bottom left corner, just as the full art Emeria Angel is referenced in the stained glass window for Admonition Angel. I see what you're up to, Steve!)
Damia's wedge loyalty is depicted as orbs of black (B), blue (U), and green (G) mana (from left to right) hanging about her graven throne, though you also find her in a scaly attire to match her green hair, the centerpiece between black and blue mana. Ramp is important in Commander to power out expensive spells and having access to green, the go to colour for ramp, caters well to her converted cost of 7. Take the hint to go green: be prepared to cast her multiple times (you know, for all the Perseus wanna-be's out there).
If you're still alive because you haven't looked at her, you'll find she's surrounded by mysterious flasks and an arsenal of equipment behind her. She'll help you to learn those spells as long as you obey her rule: “You've got to do something to get something.” You'll have to skip your draw step and leave your library alone if you don't play her game. Eager scholars see “if you have fewer than seven cards in hand, draw cards equal to the difference” as an incentive to unload their hand, which I have to agree is one way to achieve “maximum value.”That's assuming she makes it around to your upkeep to refill a mostly empty hand. To me, she presents an opportunity to learn to optimize between choosing high cost, deep impact spells that lend themselves to a deck that bides its time against a barrage of cheaper, decent spells that could encourage a faster style.
For a gorgon wizard, Damia has a decent body at 4/4, being bigger than most wizards and the first gorgon to feature the static ability deathtouch. In comparison with the rest of the creatures showing up to the mosh pit of a battlefield, she won't tango so well, not even against Indrik Stomphowler. Should your army crumble, at least she can trade with a much more threatening creature for your sake.
Now, you did notice she brought a pillow along for her seat, right? She expects to stick around for a bit, and you'd best not disappoint! While there are plenty of horrible fates awaiting outside of combat, there's also much you can do against them. A fashionable pair of Lightning Greaves comes recommended by Wizards to ward off point removal. With access to the flexible colour blue, you can seek spells that work hard to protect her, creatures like Kira, Great Glass-Spinner or a timely Pact of Negation when you bring her to the table early. Some may prefer the darker, proactive strategy of a mass discard theme rooted in black mana to rid their opponents' hands of cards that could jeopardize Damia.
All in all, Damia is a solid new commander for the BUG wedge, positioning herself as potent card advantage and a rewarding experience for players who treat her well. Thanks for reading my first post! There are more Commander spoilers on their way, so keep your eyes open!
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