5 Things About the Next Magic Set That Will Get You Excited to Face Off with Fairytales

Your carriage to the wilds awaits!

Magic: The Gathering, the incredibly popular trading card game, is releasing a new set, returning to the world of Eldraine following the plane’s first set release in 2019. The Phyrexian Arc has come to an end, giving opportunities for new stories to tell as planes recover from the invasion. Now, as Omenpaths open the planes to more than just Planeswalkers, there are more possibilities than ever!

What can Planeswalkers who are ready to fight in their favorite format expect from this new set in a new era of Magic? A press briefing from Wizards of the Coast, featuring Story Lead Roy Graham and Principle Game Designer Ian Duke, means we have all the goods! And luckily, you won’t need to wish upon any stars to get us to share. Here are five things to get you excited for the upcoming set!

We can’t talk about a new Magic set without digging into some exciting mechanics. New to the game are Role tokens. These enchantment tokens can be created and attached to creature cards. Make your ogre into a young hero if you choose, and get all the bonuses that come with it! Also new to the set is the Bargain mechanic, which will ask players to sacrifice an artifact, enchantment, or token in order to upgrade the spell they’re casting, similar to Kicker. Finally, Celebrate is also a new mechanic, granting bonuses if two or more nonland permanents enter the battlefield.

Returning to this Eldraine set is, of course, the Adventure mechanic, first introduced in the original Throne of Eldraine. A twist this time around is the existence of off-color Adventures, a different color than the creature. Coming back around as well are Food tokens, also introduced in Throne of Eldraine. Finally, Sagas are the perfect mechanical choice to highlight classic tales.

If you want your draft experience to have a story, this will be the set for you! Each two-color pair in Wilds of Eldraine is associated with a story, many twists on classic fairytales. Play out the experience of red/white with a group of refugees from the Phyrexian invasion finding their way to a colony of dwarves mid-celebration, with aggro play for anyone that wants to move quickly. Or, design a deck in white/green and follow along as a knight comes face to face with a group of cursed elves, enchanting your creatures along the way. Whatever your favorite color combo, there’s a story as well as a mechanical theme to keep you hooked.

We couldn’t return to Eldraine without checking in on the Kenrith twins. A lot has happened since the invasion of Phyrexia, and Will and Rowan encapsulate the aftermath of that. With both of their parents and their Planeswalker sparks gone, the two are now trying their best to retain control in their realm — Will, the new king, through peace, and Rowan through force. 

Speaking of Planeswalking sparks, only one Planeswalker will be making an appearance in this set. Eldraine has found itself dealing with a mysterious sleeping curse called the Wicked Slumber and Ashiok, known for their time spent manipulating nightmares, is naturally taking full advantage.

Also coming to this set are a whole pile of new faces. Kellan, the adventurous young human with fae blood is joining the set as a new Legendary Creature. And you might be seeing him sooner rather than later in future sets with Omenpaths opening up. As Roy Graham stated, he’s known for his curiosity and love of adventure. 

Wilds of Eldraine will have plenty of opportunities for collectors that are in it for the art. Borderless, showcase, and foil cards will all be ready to be found by anyone searching for the cards with the best aesthetic.

Full-art Storybook Lands embody the beauty of a fairytale setting. Collectors can find them in draft boosters, set boosters, and collector boosters. Storybook Adventures feature the beautifully-framed cards first seen in Throne of Eldraine, bordered by a showcase frame fit for any card binder. They can be found in draft, set, and collector boosters. Enchanting Tales cards are a lovely non-Standard bonus in boosters featuring favorite Enchantments from the game. A number of them have popping anime artwork. They can be found in draft, set, and collector boosters. 

Commander players will be happy to see two new Preconstructed options hitting shelves with this release. Both feature fun mechanics that embrace the Eldraine aesthetic.

The blue/black Fae Dominion deck will have you stacking your board with fairies as you fly your way to victory. The Commander and a number of other cards featured in the deck give bonuses to fairies on the board. The green/white Virtue and Valor deck highlights the brand new Role mechanic, with a Commander that generates Role tokens for you to enchant your creatures. Other cards in the deck continue the trend, so you’ll have the perfect fairytale story with every role filled.

All this and more is coming with the newest Magic: The Gathering Wilds of Eldraine set release. Magic: The Gathering Arena will also be getting a number of new digital goodies, such as a battlefield, avatars, and companions.

Wilds of Eldraine will be releasing soon, with a full release on Arena Sept. 5 and a full tabletop launch Sept. 8. Make sure to check your local game store for any pre-release events to be one of the first to play with this set! If you can’t wait until then, you can at least catch up with the Magic lore on the official page, where the beginning of the new Eldraine story has already been dropped. Fight with fairies, old friends, and magical mechanics with Wilds of Eldraine!