Get ready, Magic: The Gathering fans, because the Khans and dragons are back in the spotlight with the upcoming set, Tarkir: Dragonstorm. Set to hit the shelves on April 11 and now available for pre-order, Dragonstorm brings us back to the dynamic plane of Tarkir, loaded with powerful new creatures, returning favorites, 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 scheming about how to integrate these new elements to the delight (or dismay) of my friends.
What to Expect From Tarkir: Dragonstorm
For those new to Tarkir, it's a world where five clans—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)—constantly battle against ancient dragons. Each clan is led by a Khan and boasts a unique playstyle. Wizards of the Coast is rolling out new mechanics for each clan, but the real excitement comes from the teased dragons that are set to shake up the meta.
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To ensure each clan's uniqueness, Wizards has crafted exclusive mechanics tailored to their three-color identities. Jeskai's Flurry rewards players for casting a second spell in a turn, no matter whose turn it is. Sultai's Renew lets you exile a specific card from your graveyard to grant various counters to surviving creatures. Mardu's Mobilize creates temporary creatures that vanish at the end of the turn, perfect for their aggressive swarm tactics. Temur's Harmonize, reminiscent of Flashback, allows cards to be replayed from the graveyard for a reduced cost by tapping creatures. Finally, Abzan's Endure triggers whenever a non-token creature dies, placing +1/+1 counters and other benefits, as exemplified by Anafenza, Undying Lineage, who spawns a 2/2 flying Spirit token or grants additional counters.
Given the set's name, it's no surprise that dragons are the stars of the show. New mechanics like Omen and Behold are expanding their capabilities. Omen, akin to Adventure cards, allows you to cast the card as a creature or as an instant or sorcery. If you choose the spell option, it shuffles back into your deck, giving you another chance to draw it later. Play it as a creature, and that option is lost. Behold triggers when you reveal a dragon from your hand or already control one on the battlefield. For example, Sarkhan, Dragon Ascendant generates a Treasure token upon being played and triggers Behold. These mechanics are not clan-specific, allowing for versatile deck-building across multiple colors.
MTG - Tarkir: Dragonstorm Preview - Art
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The dragons are the undeniable highlight of Tarkir: Dragonstorm. Betor, Kin to All (2WBG), is a standout, triggering different effects at the end of your turn based on the total toughness of creatures you control. These effects can range from drawing a card to untapping all your creatures or forcing opponents to lose half their life. With a base toughness of 7, Betor easily triggers the card draw, and when paired with heavyweights like Utvara Hellkite or Ancient Gold Dragon, the life loss becomes a formidable threat.
Ugin returns as a colorless planeswalker, Ugin, Eye of the Storms (7), poised to become a staple in colorless decks, especially those with Eldrazi. His passive ability exiles target permanents whenever you cast a colorless spell, and his -11 ability allows you to search your library for any number of colorless non-land cards, exile them, and cast them for free until the end of the turn. With seven starting loyalty and a +2 ability, he can quickly reach that powerful ultimate if properly defended.
Magic: The Gathering - 5 New Cards from Tarkir: Dragonstorm
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Beyond the Final Fantasy crossover set, Tarkir: Dragonstorm is my most anticipated Magic release this year. With less than a month until its launch, much of the set remains a mystery, but my Scion deck is already in line for a significant upgrade. I'm eagerly awaiting the potential return of legendary dragons like Atarka and Ojutai or the introduction of an exciting new five-color dragon. No matter what, Tarkir: Dragonstorm is poised to be a thrilling addition to Magic: The Gathering when it launches on April 11.
