The excitement is palpable as the upcoming Magic: The Gathering set, Tarkir: Dragonstorm, gears up for its April 11 release, now available for pre-order. This set plunges players back into the tumultuous world of Tarkir, where five clans clash with ancient dragons, introducing a wave of powerful new creatures, familiar characters, and innovative mechanics that promise to revolutionize deck-building. As a proud owner of a Scion of the Ur-Dragon Commander deck, I'm already envisioning the chaos I'll unleash on my friends with the new additions from Dragonstorm.
What to Expect From Tarkir: Dragonstorm
Tarkir, a realm of relentless conflict, is home to five clans each with their distinct strategies: the Abzan Houses (White, Black, Green), Jeskai Way (Blue, Red, White), Mardu Horde (Red, White, Black), Sultai Brood (Black, Green, Blue), and Temur Frontier (Green, Blue, Red). Led by their respective Khans, these clans are about to get a fresh set of mechanics unveiled by Wizards, alongside tantalizing glimpses of the formidable dragons that will shape the game's meta.
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To enhance the uniqueness of each clan, Wizards has crafted exclusive mechanics tied to their three-color identities. Jeskai's Flurry mechanic rewards players for casting a second spell in a turn, regardless of whose turn it is. Sultai's Renew allows players to exile a specific card from their graveyard, granting various counters to surviving creatures. Mardu's Mobilize creates temporary creatures that vanish at the end of the turn, perfectly aligning with their aggressive swarm strategy. Temur's Harmonize, reminiscent of Flashback, enables cards to be replayed from the graveyard at a reduced cost by tapping creatures. Finally, Abzan's Endure triggers upon the death of a non-token creature, distributing +1/+1 counters and other benefits, as demonstrated by Anafenza, Undying Lineage, who either spawns a 2/2 flying Spirit token or grants additional counters.
In the world of Tarkir: Dragonstorm, dragons aren't left behind; they're getting new mechanics too. Omen and Behold are the latest additions to their arsenal. Omen works similarly to Adventure cards, allowing you to cast the card either as a creature or as an instant or sorcery. Casting it as a spell shuffles it back into your deck for a future draw, while playing it as a creature removes that option. Behold triggers when you reveal a dragon from your hand or already control one on the battlefield. An example is Sarkhan, Dragon Ascendant, who generates a Treasure token upon being played and activates Behold. These mechanics, not bound to a specific clan, offer versatile deck-building options across multiple colors.
MTG - Tarkir: Dragonstorm Preview - Art
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The dragons of Tarkir: Dragonstorm are the real stars, with Betor, Kin to All (2WBG) standing out as a powerhouse. Betor triggers different effects at the end of your turn based on the total toughness of creatures you control, ranging from drawing cards to untapping all your creatures or even forcing opponents to lose half their life. With a base toughness of 7, Betor easily hits at least the card draw trigger, and with heavy hitters like Utvara Hellkite or Ancient Gold Dragon, the life loss effect becomes a formidable threat.
Ugin, a fan-favorite, returns as a colorless planeswalker with Ugin, Eye of the Storms (7). His passive ability exiles target permanents when you cast a colorless spell, making him a staple in colorless decks, especially Eldrazi builds. His -11 ability is game-changing: search your library for any number of colorless non-land cards, exile them, then cast them for free until end of turn. With seven starting loyalty and a +2 ability, Ugin can reach that threshold quickly if properly defended.
Magic: The Gathering - 5 New Cards from Tarkir: Dragonstorm
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Aside from the highly anticipated Final Fantasy crossover set, Tarkir: Dragonstorm is my top pick for Magic releases this year. With less than a month until its launch, much of the set remains a mystery, but my Scion deck is already poised for a significant upgrade. I'm eagerly awaiting the return of legendary dragons like Atarka and Ojutai, or perhaps the introduction of a new five-color dragon. Whatever unfolds, Tarkir: Dragonstorm is set to be an exhilarating experience when it hits shelves on April 11.
