Tarkir's Dragonstorm Unveiled in Magic: The Gathering Preview

Get ready, Magic: The Gathering fans—the plane of Tarkir is set to ignite with the release of Tarkir: Dragonstorm on April 11, now available for pre-order. As a proud owner of a Scion of the Ur-Dragon Commander deck, I'm buzzing with excitement to see what new dragons and mechanics I can add to my arsenal, much to the chagrin of my fellow players.

What to Expect From Tarkir: Dragonstorm

If you're new to Tarkir, it's a world where five clans, each with their unique blend of colors and playstyles, battle against ancient dragons. 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) are led by their respective Khans. Wizards of the Coast is rolling out the red carpet for the new set, revealing exciting mechanics for each clan and teasing some truly fearsome dragons.

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To give each clan its own flavor, Wizards has introduced unique mechanics exclusive to their three-color identities. Jeskai's Flurry rewards you for playing 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 summons temporary creatures that vanish at the end of the turn, aligning with their aggressive swarm tactics. Temur's Harmonize, reminiscent of Flashback, allows you to replay cards from your graveyard at a reduced cost by tapping creatures. Finally, Abzan's Endure triggers whenever a non-token creature dies, placing +1/+1 counters and other benefits on your creatures, as seen with Anafenza, Undying Lineage, who can either spawn a 2/2 flying Spirit token or grant additional counters.

But let's not forget, this is Tarkir: Dragonstorm, and the dragons are getting their share of the spotlight. Omen and Behold are two new mechanics that are set to enhance the dragon's power. Omen, similar to Adventure cards, allows you to cast the card as a creature or as an instant or sorcery. If you choose the spell, it shuffles back into your deck for another chance to draw it later. If you opt for the creature, that option is gone. Behold triggers when you reveal a dragon from your hand or already have one on the battlefield. For instance, Sarkhan, Dragon Ascendant, generates a Treasure token upon being played and triggers Behold. These mechanics aren't tied to specific clans, making them versatile and exciting for deck-building across multiple colors.

MTG - Tarkir: Dragonstorm Preview - Art

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The dragons are the stars of the show, and one dragon that's already turning heads 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, 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 easily triggers at least the extra card draw, and when combined with heavyweights like Utvara Hellkite or Ancient Gold Dragon, the life loss effect becomes a formidable threat.

Ugin is also making a comeback, this time as a colorless planeswalker. Ugin, Eye of the Storms (7) is set to be a staple in colorless decks, particularly Eldrazi builds, thanks to his ability to exile target permanents whenever you cast a colorless spell. His -11 ability is game-changing: 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, reaching that ultimate ability is achievable if he's well-protected.

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 a mystery, but my Scion deck is eagerly awaiting its upgrades. I'm keeping my fingers crossed for the return of legendary dragons like Atarka and Ojutai, or perhaps the introduction of a thrilling new five-color dragon. Whatever happens, Tarkir: Dragonstorm is gearing up to be an explosive addition to Magic: The Gathering when it hits the shelves on April 11.