TL;DR Summary

Lingering Souls is a powerful sorcery that creates two 1/1 white Spirit creatures with flying, while also offering the option to revive and re-activate itself through flashback. This card can be used in various deck archetypes, including control decks, artifact-heavy strategies, and spirit-focused combos.

A Comprehensive Analysis of Lingering Souls

Lingering Souls is a standout card in Modern Magic: The Gathering, boasting a unique combination of effects that make it a formidable addition to any deck. On one hand, its sorcery ability creates two 1/1 white Spirit creature tokens with flying, providing a significant tempo advantage in combat and allowing the player to interact with other creatures that have flying or other abilities tied to them.

On the other hand, Lingering Souls' flashback ability is one of the most powerful aspects of this card. When cast from the graveyard for its flashback cost (1B), Lingering Souls can be re-activated with its full power intact, making it difficult for opponents to remove it from play using removal spells or board wipe effects.

Understanding the Flashback Mechanic

Lingering Souls' flashback ability is a complex mechanic that requires careful consideration. When cast as a sorcery, the card exiles itself at the end of the turn. However, because its flashback ability is tied to the graveyard, the exiled card's state remains unchanged, allowing for a re-activation on the next turn.

This effect creates an interesting dynamic where Lingering Souls can be used in a "graveyard recursion" loop. By using this mechanic, players can create a powerful cycle of token generation and removal that can be difficult to break.

Synergies and Strategic Uses

One of the most powerful aspects of Lingering Souls is its ability to create an army of Spirit creatures with flying. By pairing this effect with other flyers or creature tokens, deck builders can create complex combos that provide a significant advantage in combat.

For example, when paired with Sword of Light and Shadow, which allows a player to create an additional 1/1 creature token when they cast a spell, the two cards create a potent combo that produces multiple Spirit creatures at once. Additionally, the flying ability can also be used to interact with other flyers or creature tokens that have abilities tied to them.

Lingering Souls can also be paired with artifact-heavy strategies to create more complex combos. By pairing it with cards like Doomsday or Time Ebb, which allow a player to draw extra cards, deck builders can create an artifact-based strategy that relies on creating multiple Spirit creatures at once and then using those creatures to attack.

Another strategic use of Lingering Souls is in controlling decks. When paired with spells like Counterspell or Bolt, the two cards can be used together to create a more aggressive tempo advantage, while also providing protection for the player's board through card draw effects from spells like Estrid's Invocation.

Deckbuilding Roles and Archetypes

Lingering Souls has multiple deckbuilding roles due to its powerful effects on both sides of the battlefield. One role it serves is that of a removal spell. Because of its flashback ability, players can use Lingering Souls as a way to remove an opponent's creatures from play without tapping into their mana pool.

Another key role Lingering Souls plays is in artifact-based strategies. By creating Spirit creatures with flying and attacking them with other flyers or artifacts, deck builders can create complex combos that provide an advantage over opponents.

Lingering Souls also serves a utility role as a tool for controlling the board. Its ability to flashback its cost makes it easy to activate when needed, providing flexibility in tempo adjustments throughout a game.

Format Viability and Competitive Context

In the current format (Modern), Lingering Souls is considered one of the most powerful cards due to its ability to create a swarm of flying creatures, which can be difficult for opponents to handle. Its ability to flashback and re-activate itself adds an additional layer of complexity and flexibility.

While it has seen power creep in the past, Lingering Souls' impact remains strong across all formats, including Standard (set-specific) and Modern. In Standard, it is typically used with other flying creatures or artifact tokens to create a board presence that opponents struggle to handle.

In terms of specific matchups and deck archetypes, Lingering Souls pairs well with control decks like Abzan Control, which focus on removing an opponent's creatures from play and using spells like Counterspell.

Rules Interactions and Technical Notes

One interesting interaction between Lingering Souls and its ability is that it can only be cast as a sorcery. Because of this, players must carefully consider the timing of their removals or board wipes when playing against an opponent with Lingering Souls.

Additionally, because the flashback ability requires exiling the card, players need to make sure they understand how to properly handle graveyard recursion with cards like Soul Warden, which can potentially lead to infinite recursion if not used correctly.

Art, Flavor, and Historical Context

The artwork for Lingering Souls shows a female angelic figure holding up a lantern that radiates an ethereal light. The color scheme is predominantly white, symbolizing her divine nature. This artwork perfectly captures the card's themes of creation and protection.

The flavor text reads, "The memories of the past linger on." It emphasizes the idea that even though Lingering Souls can create creatures with flying, it also reminds us to respect and honor the memories of what came before, providing a deeper connection between the game mechanics and its thematic role in the Magic universe.

Conclusion Summary

In conclusion, Lingering Souls is an incredibly powerful card that brings numerous strategic options for players due to its ability to create flying creatures with an added re-activation mechanism through its flashback effect. Its versatility and effectiveness across multiple deck archetypes have solidified its place as an extremely powerful card in Modern Magic: The Gathering.

Conclusion

Lingering Souls is a game-changing addition to any deck, providing a unique combination of effects that make it a formidable opponent on the battlefield. Its ability to create flying creatures with an added re-activation mechanism through its flashback effect makes it a must-have for players looking to take their gameplay to the next level.

Synergies and Recommendations

• Sword of Light and Shadow: This card creates a potent combo when paired with Lingering Souls, producing multiple Spirit creatures at once.
• Doomsday: Pairing this artifact with Lingering Souls can create an artifact-based strategy that relies on creating multiple Spirit creatures at once and then using those creatures to attack.
• Abzan Control: This deck archetype pairs well with Lingering Souls, providing a solid foundation for controlling the board and removing opponent's creatures.

By incorporating these cards into your gameplay, you can unlock new strategic possibilities and take advantage of Lingering Souls' powerful effects.