Compleated in MTG: Rules, Lore, and FAQs

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 often only appears on a single card per set.

It’s a fantastic flavor addition, and it’s one that we expect to see a lot more with the upcoming Phyrexian-focused sets. The time is ripe to take deep dive to look at how the mechanic works and how you can best use it in your Magic matches, so let’s get to it!

How Does Compleated Work?

Tamiyo's Compleation | Illustration by Dominik Mayer

Compleated is a static ability that can 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.

So far there have only been planeswalkers with a single Phyrexian mana symbol in their casting cost, but the rules leave the possibility open for those with more that could enter with significantly fewer counters on them.

The History of Compleated in MTG

Completed first appeared in Neon Dynasty in 2022 with the reveal that Tamiyo had been compleated with the preview of Tamiyo, Compleated Sage. It’s only appeared once more on Dominaria United’s Ajani, Sleeper Agent since then. But we know that five planeswalkers are going to be compleated in the upcoming Phyrexia: All Will Be One, and there’s good reason to believe that more compleation could follow in March of the Machines.

The mechanic is unusual in that it’s only been used on a single card in each set it’s been in so far, not to mention that those cards were mythics. 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 once the current “Phyrexian arc” comes to its conclusion in March of the Machines.

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 a black mana symbol 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 is 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 the planeswalker is on the stack, like casting Dismember at instant speed, it won’t affect the number of loyalty counters that the planeswalker enters with.

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 planeswalkers.

List of Compleated Planeswalkers

• Tamiyo, Compleated Sage
• Ajani, Sleeper Agent

What Planeswalkers Will Be Compleated?

Just a warning, this bit contains unofficial spoilers for the cards in Phyrexia: All Will Be One.

In their initial preview stream for Phyrexia: All Will Be One, Wizards announced that the set will feature 10 planeswalkers across both rare and mythic. Five of them will be compleated while the other five are “safe.” The planeswalkers in Phyrexia: All Will Be One are Jace, Kaito, Kaya, Koth, Lukka, Nahiri, Nissa, Tyvar, Vraska, and The Wandering Emperor. Wizards also confirmed in that stream that Koth is safe from compleation.

Since then there have been a number of leaks of the set, and we’ve found out that Kaito, Kaya, Tyvar, and The Wandering Emperor are all safe from compleation as their cards have been spoiled. We’ve also seen some other leaked cards showing the “oil slick raised foil” versions of the compleated versions of Jace, Vraska, and Nissa, leaving Lukka and Nahiri unaccounted for but assumed compleated.

It’s also worth mentioning that it’s not expected that there are any mono red planeswalkers other than Koth with the numbering of the spoiled compleated planeswalkers. Both Nahiri and Lukka are expected to be multicolored.

What Does Being Compleated Mean in MTG Lore?

Blightsteel Colossus | Illustration by Chris Rahn

Compleation is the process used by Phyrexians to infect something (either a living being or an artifact) with Glistening Oil to control it. With living beings this also involves replacing all their organic matter with mechanical parts, or “artifice” in the language of MTG lore, and removing the soul of that being.

A number of creatures were compleated in the older Phyrexian sets, like Blight Mamba and Ertai, the Corrupted. Artifacts have also become corrupted, like Blightsteel Colossus. The process of compleation is also shown on cards like Phyresis and Tamiyo's Compleation.

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 only two compleated planeswalker cards have been officially released. We expect five more in Phyrexia: All Will Be One, and there’s potential for more when March of the Machines drops in the spring.

There’s also been hints that more planeswalkers will be compleated in the future. For example, Wizards released an image showing a compleated Tibalt fighting Tyvar on the official MTG Twitter:

Compleating this Article

Tamiyo, Compleated Sage | Illustration by Chris Rahn

Compleated gives something rarely seen in planeswalkers: flexibility in casting cost. We’re unlikely to see this again once the current 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, or others you’re hoping are safe? 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!