Tarkir's Dragonstorm Unveiled in Magic: The Gathering Preview

Get ready, Magic: The Gathering fans! The upcoming set, Tarkir: Dragonstorm, is set to release on April 11 and is now available for pre-order. This set transports players back to the tumultuous plane of Tarkir, where the iconic struggle between the five clans and ancient dragons continues. As a proud owner of a Scion of the Ur-Dragon Commander deck, I'm excited about the potential upgrades this set could bring to my collection.

What to Expect From Tarkir: Dragonstorm

Tarkir is a plane divided into five distinct clans, each with their own unique strategy and color combination: 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). These clans are led by their respective Khans and are constantly battling the ancient dragons that roam their land. Wizards of the Coast has begun unveiling the new mechanics these clans will utilize, along with some tantalizing dragon cards that promise to shake up the game.

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To ensure each clan stands out, Wizards has introduced mechanics exclusive to their three-color identities. Jeskai's Flurry rewards casting a second spell in a turn, enhancing their tempo-based gameplay. Sultai's Renew allows players to exile a card from their graveyard to grant various counters to surviving creatures, fitting their manipulative strategy. Mardu's Mobilize creates temporary creatures that vanish at the end of the turn, supporting their aggressive tactics. Temur's Harmonize, similar to Flashback, lets you replay cards from the graveyard at a reduced cost by tapping creatures. Lastly, Abzan's Endure triggers when a non-token creature dies, providing +1/+1 counters and other benefits, exemplified by Anafenza, Undying Lineage, who creates a 2/2 flying Spirit token or grants additional counters.

But let's not forget the stars of Tarkir: Dragonstorm—the dragons. They're getting new mechanics too, with Omen and Behold expanding their arsenal. Omen works like Adventure cards, allowing you to cast a card as a creature or as an instant or sorcery. If you cast it as a spell, it shuffles back into your deck for a future draw; if as a creature, that option is gone. Behold activates 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 triggers Behold. Since these mechanics aren't clan-specific, they can be integrated across multiple colors, making them intriguing for deck-building.

MTG - Tarkir: Dragonstorm Preview - Art

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The dragons are the main attraction, and one standout is Betor, Kin to All (2WBG). This powerhouse triggers different effects at the end of your turn based on the total toughness of creatures you control, ranging from drawing a card to untapping all your creatures or even forcing opponents to lose half their life. With a base toughness of 7, Betor makes it easy to hit the extra card draw trigger, and with heavyweights like Utvara Hellkite or Ancient Gold Dragon in play, the life loss effect becomes a terrifying prospect.

Ugin also makes a return as a colorless planeswalker. Ugin, Eye of the Storms (7) is set to become a staple in colorless decks, especially Eldrazi builds, thanks to his passive ability that exiles target permanents whenever you cast a colorless spell. His -11 ability is exceptionally powerful: 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, he can reach that threshold quickly if properly defended.

Magic: The Gathering - 5 New Cards from Tarkir: Dragonstorm

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Aside from the Final Fantasy crossover set, Tarkir: Dragonstorm is my most anticipated Magic release this year. With just under a month until launch, most of the set remains under wraps, but my Scion deck is already due for a serious upgrade. I'm holding out hope for the return of legendary dragons like Atarka and Ojutai, or perhaps an exciting new five-color dragon. Either way, Tarkir: Dragonstorm is shaping up to be a thrilling addition to the Magic: The Gathering universe when it lands on April 11.