Magic: The Gathering - Tarkir: Dragonstorm Preview

Get ready for an epic return to the tumultuous plane of Tarkir with the new Magic: The Gathering set, Tarkir: Dragonstorm, set to launch on April 11 and now available for pre-order. As a proud owner of a Scion of the Ur-Dragon Commander deck, I'm buzzing with excitement over what this set might bring to my arsenal, and my friends better brace themselves for the upcoming upgrades.

What to Expect From Tarkir: Dragonstorm

If you're new to the saga, 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)—are constantly at odds with the ancient dragons that roam the land. Each clan is led by a Khan and boasts a unique playstyle, which Wizards of the Coast has begun to reveal through new mechanics tailored specifically to enhance their strategies.

But let's not forget the stars of the show—the dragons. Wizards has teased some of the powerful dragons that are sure to shake up the meta and bring new life to your deck-building adventures.

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To ensure each clan stands out, Wizards has crafted exclusive mechanics for each. Jeskai's Flurry mechanic rewards you for casting a second spell in a turn, enhancing their dynamic playstyle. Sultai's Renew lets you exile a card from your graveyard to boost your creatures with counters. Mardu's Mobilize creates fleeting creatures that vanish at turn's end, perfect for their aggressive tactics. Temur's Harmonize, akin to Flashback, allows you to replay cards from your graveyard at a reduced cost by tapping creatures. And Abzan's Endure triggers whenever a non-token creature dies, granting +1/+1 counters and other benefits, as exemplified by Anafenza, Undying Lineage, who either spawns a flying Spirit token or adds extra counters.

But dragons are the true highlight of Tarkir: Dragonstorm, and they're getting some innovative mechanics too. Omen lets you cast the card as either a creature or an instant/sorcery, with the spell version shuffling back into your deck for another draw chance. Behold activates when you reveal a dragon from your hand or control one on the battlefield, as seen with Sarkhan, Dragon Ascendant, who generates a Treasure token upon being played. These mechanics, not tied to specific clans, add versatility to your deck-building strategies.

MTG - Tarkir: Dragonstorm Preview - Art

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The dragons themselves are nothing short of spectacular. Betor, Kin to All (2WBG), for instance, triggers various effects at the end of your turn based on your creatures' total toughness, from drawing cards to untapping your creatures or even making opponents lose half their life. With a base toughness of 7, Betor is a formidable force, especially when paired with heavy hitters like Utvara Hellkite or Ancient Gold Dragon.

Ugin also makes a return as a colorless planeswalker with Ugin, Eye of the Storms (7). His passive ability exiles target permanents when you cast a colorless spell, and his -11 ability lets you 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, Ugin can quickly reach that game-changing threshold if protected well.

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 eagerly awaited 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 poised for a major overhaul. I'm keeping my fingers crossed for the return of legendary dragons like Atarka and Ojutai, or perhaps the introduction of an exciting new five-color dragon. No matter what, Tarkir: Dragonstorm is shaping up to be an exhilarating addition to the Magic: The Gathering universe when it hits shelves on April 11.