Compleated in MTG: Rules, History, and Best Cards

Last updated on April 16, 2024

Ajani, Sleeper Agent | Illustration by Thomas M. Baxa

Compleated is an unusual mechanic that involves Phyrexian mana symbols appearing on planeswalkers. One of the most odd parts of this mechanic is that it appeared on so few cards in a very limited number of sets.

It’s a fantastic flavor addition, and it’s one that we do not expect to see again for a while since many planes continue to work through the MOM aftermath of the events in March of the Machine. You can never fully count out the Phyrexians, since they are a recurring villain in many sets. It's time to take a deep dive to look at how the mechanic works and how you can best use it in your Magic matches, so let's ignore spellcheck for today and get to it!

How Does Compleated Work?

Tamiyo's Compleation | Illustration by Dominik Mayer

Compleated is a static ability that only appears on planeswalkers, specifically ones with Phyrexian mana as part of their casting cost. If life is used to pay for this Phyrexian mana then the planeswalker enters the battlefield with two less loyalty counters for each Phyrexian mana that was paid for with life.

The History of Compleated in MTG

Compleated first appeared in Kamigawa: Neon Dynasty in 2022 with the reveal that Tamiyo had been compleated in the card, Tamiyo, Compleated Sage. The second appearance was on Dominaria United’s Ajani, Sleeper Agent. Five more planeswalkers were compleated in Phyrexia: All Will Be One, and it would require some powerful magic to allow more compleation in the future.

The mechanic is unusual in that only appears on mythic rares. While it's not evergreen, there’s now some precedent for it to show up without being a main feature of the set. That said, I’d be surprised to see it in future sets beyond the “Phyrexian arc” that concluded in March of the Machines which brings in four planeswalkers.

What Is Compleation in MTG?

Compleation is the process through which the Phyrexians replace the organic matter of a living being’s body with mechanical components, or artifice, and infect it with Glistening Oil. The compleated being keeps their memories and personality. Machines can also be compleated by infecting them with Glistening Oil, as seen in Kaldra Compleat and Weatherlight Compleated.

This process also removes the being’s soul, so for much of Magic’s history planeswalkers were immune to compleation. But in Neon Dynasty, Jin-Gitaxias learned how to compleate planeswalkers without removing their souls, allowing them to keep their spark. This is what gave rise to the compleated mechanic seen on certain planeswalkers. The process of compleation is also shown on cards like Phyresis and Tamiyo's Compleation.

Compleated vs. Phyrexian Mana

Compleated is a separate mechanic from Phyrexian mana. A planeswalker could theoretically have Phyrexian mana without having the completed mechanic.

You can flavorfully do it with K'rrik, Son of Yawgmoth, and a planeswalker with in its cost. But keep in mind that if you do this with a compleated planeswalker that it won’t interact with the compleated rules because it doesn’t actually give the planeswalker Phyrexian mana symbols.

How Does Compleated Work with Other Loyalty Counter Effects?

Doubling Season | Illustration by Richard Wright

While compleated is a replacement effect that affects the number of loyalty counters that the planeswalker enters with, it also allows other replacement effects to take place.

For example, if you cast Ajani, Sleeper Agent and choose to pay life for its Phyrexian mana but you also have Doubling Season out (which doubles the loyalty counters it enters with), Ajani enters with four loyalty counters on it. The two that it enters with by paying its compleated cost are doubled by Doubling Season.

What If You Pay Life for Another Spell While Casting a Compleated Planeswalker?

If you pay life for another spell while your planeswalker is on the stack, like casting Dismember at instant speed, it does not affect the number of loyalty counters that your planeswalker enters with.

How Did Ajani Become Compleated?

Ajani was ambushed by some Phyrexian sleeper agents when separated from Karn during the Dominaria United story. He was kept as a sleeper agent as depicted on Ajani, Sleeper Agent. His fate was revealed when he killed Jaya and captured Karn during the battle of the Mana Rig in the same set’s story.

How Many Planeswalkers Are Compleated?

So far seven compleated planeswalker cards have been officially released. There are hints that more planeswalkers could be compleated in the future. For example, Wizards released an image showing a compleated Tibalt fighting Tyvar on the official MTG Twitter that shows up on Tyvar's Stand:

Gallery and List of Compleated Cards

• Ajani, Sleeper Agent
• Jace, the Perfected Mind
• Lukka, Bound to Ruin
• Nahiri, the Unforgiving
• Nissa, Ascended Animist
• Tamiyo, Compleated Sage
• Vraska, Betrayal's Sting

The Best Compleated Cards

Ajani, Sleeper Agent

The superfriends tendencies of Ajani don't miss a beat even as Ajani, Sleeper Agent turns to the dark side. And when white and green come together, you usually get plenty of creatures, so the +1 ability feels like card draw. Compleating this sleeper agent makes it much harder to add the +1/+1 counters and get to the ultimate ability which is an incredibly inevitable game-winning emblem.

Nissa, Ascended Animist

Rarely do planeswalkers get to create their own blockers as well as Nissa, Ascended Animist. If your opponent has no artifacts or enchantments that need natrualizing, chances are they are going to lose in a hurry. It's easy to put down four Forests, and that means the third ability will already do better than an Overrun. It's pretty awesome that as long as you didn't compleat Nissa, you can use the ultimate ability immediately without needing its loyalty counters doubled.

Vraska, Betrayal's Sting

It's hardly news that Phyrexians disregard life in general, so, that said, Vraska, Betrayal's Sting gives you a free Steady Progress or Contentious Plan each turn (or a better Phyrexian Arena, and we haven't even gotten to the second loyalty ability. Let's discuss the gorgon's gaze ability that I just named. This is tasteful removal! It feels like a rebalanced Oko, Thief of Crowns ability, and if it were positive rather than negative loyalty, would have landed this Vraska on the fastest card to get banned list. Thankfully this black card is about as legal as they get. Black legends have fun all the way to their wins and wouldn't you say that Vraska, Betrayal's Sting is poison's Master of Cruelties?

Compleating This Article

Tamiyo, Compleated Sage | Illustration by Chris Rahn

Compleation gives something rarely seen in planeswalkers: flexibility in casting cost (and you thought we'd say oil slick foil). We’re unlikely to see this again since the Phyrexian story arc is complete (compleate?), but I think it would be great to see something like it in the future. It’s also very possible we’ll see this in a Horizons set or a Commander deck as a one-off.

Do you like compleate? Does it represent the flavor of planeswalker compleation well to you? Are there any planeswalkers you’d like to see compleated? I’d love to hear from you in the comments or over on Draftsim's Twitter.

Until next time, don’t forget; flesh is weak!