In 2014, Magic: The Gathering (MTG) and Wizards of the Coast released Khans of Tarkir, a wild frontier full of clans, dragons, and ravaged by war. This three-set block told the story of the five Dragonlords, their history on the plane, and how they came to be eradicated. Now, with Tarkir: Dragonstorm, we return to the fan-favorite Plane April 11, with new cards, mechanics, and a new story that brings more of its lore to life. This is the latest in-universe set with original MTG lore and characters.
Continuing the Story
On Tarkir, dragons are born and manifested inside raging elemental storms. They terrorize the skies and lands, but they’re not all wild. Some dragons work alongside the five ruling clans (Mardu, Jeskai, Sultai, Temur, and Abzan), and are powerful allies.
In Tarkir: Dragonstorm, citizens of the plane are dealing with the fallout of the Phyrexian invasion, which saw the iconic Dominarian villains take over much of the vast Multiverse. This resulted in the death of many of Tarkir’s dragons. As a desperate attempt to overthrow the five previous ruling Dragonlords Kolaghan, Ojutai, Silumgar, Atarka, and Dromoka, the Khans of each clan performed a ritual to summon the Spirit Dragons. While successful, they unknowingly made the Dragonstorms stronger and created a newer, more daunting type of dragon.
New Mechanics and Abilities
In the original Khans block, the five clans each had their own unique mechanics. While it’s likely that these will return (and almost confirmed, with some cards already having the Jeskai Prowess ability), in Tarkir: Dragonstorm the clans get new abilities as well. From a lore perspective, these abilities represent their respective clans characteristics and values.
- Mardu: Mobilize
- Jeskai: Flurry
- Sultai: Renew
- Temur: Harmonize
- Abzan: Endure
Additionally, the dragons are getting their own unique mechanic this time around: Omen, which allows you to cast an instant or sorcery spell attached to the dragon creature, then shuffle the card back into your library for future use.
Returning Characters
Tarkir is home to many fan-favorite characters from throughout Magic’s history. This set promises to bring some back, along with other familiar faces from around the Multiverse. Narset, Khan of the Jeskai and longtime protagonist in the overarching Magic story returns. Sarkhan Vol, Ugin the Spirit Dragon, and newly-christened Archangel Elspeth are all here and have shiny new cards to boot.
Crack packs both in person and on Magic: The Gathering Arena
This set follows other recent MTG releases by offering a wide variety of available products at launch. You have the main booster set, collector boosters, commander decks, and so much more. For the set’s prerelease event at your local game store, you can choose from one of the five different clans. Each box contains cards tailored to those colors and mechanics.
Additionally, on Magic: The Gathering Arena (a digital client to play Magic separate from Magic Online), updates are coming that include the full set, new sleeves, avatars, battle arenas, and more.
Finally, many cards in the main set will be available with brand new full art and alternate frames. Be on the lookout – you might be one of the lucky 500 to open a serialized version of the new card Mox Jasper from collector booster’s!
Tarkir: Dragonstorm releases April 11 in paper and April 8 on MTG: Arena and Magic Online. Thanks to Wizards of the Coast for our sneak preview.
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