Tarkir's Dragonstorm Unveiled in Magic: The Gathering Preview

The much-anticipated Magic: The Gathering set, Tarkir: Dragonstorm, is set to launch on April 11 and is now available for pre-order. This thrilling addition to the Magic universe takes players back to the plane of Tarkir, a realm teeming with powerful new creatures, familiar faces, and innovative mechanics that promise to revolutionize deck-building. As a proud owner of a Scion of the Ur-Dragon Commander deck, I can't wait to see how these new elements will enhance my gameplay and potentially unsettle my friends.

What to Expect From Tarkir: Dragonstorm

For newcomers, Tarkir is a battleground where five clans—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)—clash amidst ancient dragons. Each clan, led by a Khan, brings a unique playstyle to the table. Wizards of the Coast has begun unveiling the mechanics each clan will wield, but the real excitement comes from the powerful dragons that are poised to dominate the battlefield.

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To ensure each clan feels distinct, Wizards has crafted exclusive mechanics tailored to their three-color identities. Jeskai's Flurry 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 to grant various counters to surviving creatures. Mardu's Mobilize conjures temporary creatures that vanish at the end of the turn, bolstering their aggressive swarm tactics. Temur's Harmonize, reminiscent of Flashback, lets players replay cards from the graveyard at a reduced cost by tapping creatures. Lastly, 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.

But let's not forget, this is Tarkir: Dragonstorm, and dragons are the stars of the show. Introducing Omen and Behold, two new mechanics that expand the dragons' arsenal. Omen works similarly to Adventure cards, allowing you to cast the card as a creature or as an instant or sorcery. The catch? If you cast it as a spell, it shuffles back into your deck, giving you another chance to draw it later. If you play it as a creature, that option is gone. Behold, on the other hand, 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 triggers Behold. Since these mechanics aren't tied to a specific clan, they can appear across multiple colors, making them particularly intriguing for deck-building.

MTG - Tarkir: Dragonstorm Preview - Art

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The dragons are the main attraction, and one standout so far is Betor, Kin to All (2WBG), a powerhouse that triggers different effects at the end of your turn based on the total toughness of creatures you control. These effects range 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 at least the extra card draw trigger, and with heavyweights like Utvara Hellkite or Ancient Gold Dragon in play, the life loss effect becomes a terrifying reality.

Ugin also makes a return, once again as a colorless planeswalker. Ugin, Eye of the Storms (7) is poised to be 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 downright absurd: 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: The Gathering 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 blast when it lands on April 11.