The next expansion of Magic: The Gathering, titled Shadowed Lorwyn, is generating great anticipation among fans of the card game. This new expansion marks the return to the dual planes of Lorwyn and Shadowmoor, two fantasy worlds that coexisted in a 300-year cycle where the illuminated realm of Lorwyn alternated with the dark and gloomy Shadowmoor. This time, both worlds will remain together, but crossing from one to the other transforms the characters into different versions of themselves. A beloved plane for its mix of light and darkness To illustrate this duality, it has been […]
The upcoming expansion of Magic: The Gathering, titled Shadowed Lorwyn, is generating great anticipation among fans of the card game. This new expansion marks the return to the dual planes of Lorwyn and Shadowmoor, two fantasy worlds that coexisted in a 300-year cycle where the illuminated realm of Lorwyn alternated with the dark and gloomy Shadowmoor. This time, both worlds will remain together, but crossing from one to the other transforms the characters into different versions of themselves.
A beloved plan for its mix of light and darkness
To illustrate this duality, a short film titled One Light, One Dark has been produced, resembling a Muppet-style musical and featuring characters designed by Jim Henson’s Creature Shop. In the short film, the characters sing about the differences in their lives depending on which side of the twilight edge they find themselves, shifting from playful situations to quite sinister scenarios. This innovation has sparked speculation about possible collaborations between Magic and the iconic work of Jim Henson.
In terms of gameplay mechanics, Lorwyn Shadowed will introduce a new keyword called Vivid, which will vary its effects depending on the number of different colors the player is using. The concept of Blight will also be included, allowing players to inflict -1/-1 counters on their opponents, reflecting the hostile environment of Shadowmoor. Additionally, the Changeling attribute will return, allowing shapeshifters to benefit from specific bonuses for certain types of creatures.
This expansion is scheduled to launch digitally on Arena on January 20 and physically on January 23, 2026, bringing with it Commander decks and booster packs. With its focus on the rich narratives of its worlds, Lorwyn Eclipsed promises to offer players an exciting and nostalgic experience.
Magic: The Gathering Arena is a free online card game for Windows developed by Wizards of the Coast. Magic is undoubtedly one of the most important and iconic collectible card games, with millions of players worldwide and official competitions with great prizes. Now, thanks to Magic: The Gathering Arena, you can enjoy this card game on your computer for free.
Magic: The Gathering is already 50% its own universe and 50% other licenses. It’s something we already know and that won’t change, at least until 2030. After Spider-Man and Final Fantasy, this year we still had another collection that takes us to another universe. This time, one with more magic than the first, although perhaps a little less than the second. However, that doesn’t mean it’s not filled with elementals, exotic animals, and all kinds of fantasy entities. Because it’s about Avatar: The Last Airbender. This is not the one with the blue aliens
Magic: The Gathering is already 50% its own universe and 50% other licenses. It’s something we already know and that won’t change, at least, until 2030. After Spider-Man and Final Fantasy, this year we still had another collection that takes us to another universe. This time, one with more magic than the first, although perhaps a little less than the second. However, that doesn’t mean it’s not filled with elementals, exotic animals, and all kinds of fantasy entities. Because it is about Avatar: The Last Airbender.
This is not about the blue aliens
If you are not familiar with this Nickelodeon series, it was created by Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko and is an American action and fantasy series inspired by Southeast Asian culture. In it, some people are able to telekinetically manipulate the four elements (water, earth, fire, and air) to blend them with their martial arts. Each nation in the world is represented by one of these elements and people who master it, but only one person in the world can master all four at the same time: this person is called the Avatar.
Avatar: The Last Airbender had three seasons and a sequel, The Legend of Korra, telling us not only about the evolution of the Avatar, Aang, but also how he shapes the world and the conflicts that occur within it. Placing great importance on the characters and their internal conflicts, the series stands out for both its dynamic and vibrant battles and the evolution of the characters, who gain depth with each episode.
All of this materializes in this new collection of Magic cards with a special emphasis on two things: the characters and the elements. The first is something we already expected. All the most beloved characters from both series appear in card form, often in different versions. The second is represented in a new, very peculiar mechanic called bending, with four variants based on each of the four elements.
Airbending allows you to exile any number of nonland permanents and return them to the battlefield for two colorless mana. Earthbending turns a land into a creature with haste with as many +1/+1 counters as the number of earthbending and returns to being a land when it dies or is exiled. Firebending adds red mana until the end of the combat phase if the creature attacked this turn. And waterbending allows you to use different abilities by paying with tapped artifacts or creatures instead of paying the colorless mana cost of the ability. All abilities are closely related to both the series and the logic of Magic: The Gathering.
Also, due to the nature of the series itself, the collection will have numerous sagas. Furthermore, those that return to the battlefield transformed into creatures. And considering that, historically, these have been especially powerful and played, it is to be expected that they will find a place in competitive tables.
In other respects, it’s your classic collection of Magic: The Gathering. Except now there is even more product to choose from. With commander bundles, for those who play Commander, beginner boxes, for those who want to start playing Magic with this collection, and scene boxes, for those who are collectors and want beautiful art, in addition to all the usual products, there is an Avatar product for everyone.
Even so, we will have to wait for that. Avatar: The Last Airbender will not hit stores until next November 21. But we are left with the curiosity of how the collection will be when we finally have it in our hands.
Magic: The Gathering Arena is a free online card game for Windows developed by Wizards of the Coast. Magic is undoubtedly one of the most important and iconic collectible card games, with millions of players worldwide and official competitions with great prizes. Now, thanks to Magic: The Gathering Arena, you can enjoy this card game on your computer for free.
In a recent presentation at MagicCon in Atlanta, Wizards of the Coast unveiled most of its product lineup for 2026, a year that promises a notable number of returns to existing planes and two exciting crossovers from Universes Beyond, as well as a set inspired by Star Trek and another titled Reality Fractures. Star Trek joins the franchises that will come to the game The beginning of this year will be marked by the release of Lorwyn Eclipsed on January 23, a set that returns to a plane dating back to 2007, which is […]
In a recent presentation at MagicCon in Atlanta, Wizards of the Coast unveiled most of its product lineup for 2026, a year that promises a significant number of returns to existing settings and two exciting crossovers from Universes Beyond, as well as a set inspired by Star Trek and another titled Reality Fractures.
Star Trek joins the franchises that will come to the game
The beginning of this year will be marked by the release of Lorwyn Eclipsed on January 23, a set that returns to a plane dating back to 2007, which is inspired by Celtic mythology and will feature double-faced cards focused on the theme of light and darkness. In April, fans will be able to explore even more the environment of Strixhaven: School of Mages with the set Secrets of Strixhaven, which promises to offer an in-depth look at the lives of the students who have attended the prestigious magical university.
One of the most anticipated moments will be the release of the Marvel Super Heroes set in June. This set will feature iconic characters from the Avengers and the Fantastic Four, as well as other heroes like Squirrel Girl and Wolverine, and notable villains like Killmonger and Loki. The popularity of the Marvel universe will undoubtedly attract new players and collectors.
In August, the land of Middle-earth will be explored again with a set based on The Hobbit, which will include iconic characters like Smaug, Bilbo, and alternative versions of Gandalf and Gollum. Subsequently, in November, the Star Trek universe will be the focus of a set that spans from the original series to Strange New Worlds, incorporating mechanics centered around spaceships, such as the famous Starship Enterprise.
Finally, the narrative of the year will culminate with the Reality Fractures set in October, which will close the storyline called Metronome, previously initiated. Additionally, an unannounced set for March is mentioned, which keeps the anticipation among fans.
Magic: The Gathering Arena is a free online card game for Windows developed by Wizards of the Coast. Magic is undoubtedly one of the most important and iconic collectible card games, with millions of players worldwide and official competitions with great prizes. Now, thanks to Magic: The Gathering Arena, you can enjoy this card game on your computer for free.
Magic: The Gathering, the iconic collectible card game that has attracted more than 50 million fans since its launch in 1993, is one step closer to bringing its vast fantasy world to the big screen. After several failed attempts at a film adaptation, the latest news about a live-action movie has begun to generate expectations. According to Deadline, Noah Gardner and Aidan Fitzgerald have been appointed as the screenwriters for the project, which is in its early stages of development. A Magic movie is in development The game, in which players assume […]
Magic: The Gathering, the iconic collectible card game that has attracted more than 50 million fans since its launch in 1993, is one step closer to bringing its vast fantasy world to the big screen. After several failed attempts at a film adaptation, the latest news about a live-action movie has begun to generate excitements. According to Deadline, Noah Gardner and Aidan Fitzgerald have been appointed as the screenwriters for the project, which is in its early stages of development.
A Magic movie is in development
The game, in which players take on the role of powerful planeswalkers who summon creatures and cast spells, takes place in a multiverse of fantastical worlds. This universe has had successful collaborations with other franchises, such as Dungeons & Dragons and The Lord of the Rings. Additionally, Magic: The Gathering is Hasbro’s first brand to raise one billion dollars, which has allowed its expansion into other media, such as comics, novels, and video games.
Hasbro and Legendary Entertainment, the companies behind the adaptation, plan not only a movie but also a broader cinematic and television universe based on the franchise. Although the possibility of Matt Johnson directing the film had been mentioned, it is unclear if his involvement is still on the table, as the project is in its early stages, suggesting that there is still room for changes in the creative team.
Legendary Entertainment, which has also worked on the adaptation of Minecraft, currently the second highest-grossing film of the year with $954.4 million raised worldwide, aims to make Magic: The Gathering a similar phenomenon on the big screen. However, with the project still in development, fans will have to wait to see how this cinematic promise materializes.
Magic: The Gathering has been struggling for years to get people to start playing. At least, in its traditional formats. Commander, its premier multiplayer format, works very well and attracts many new players, but it is literally the only gateway into the game. One that isn’t even particularly suitable for new players. But this is the case because the game isn’t appealing to people outside of it. And for good reasons. Looking for a format that everyone can play Historically, Standard has been the format through which people enter Magic. The […]
Magic: The Gathering has been struggling for years to get people to start playing. At least, in its traditional formats. Commander, its premier multiplayer format, works very well and attracts many new players, but it is literally the only gateway into the game. One that is not even particularly suitable for new players. But this is because the game is not appealing to people outside of it. And for good reasons.
Looking for a format that everyone can play
Historically, Standard has been the format through which people enter Magic. The format that most people play. That is no longer the case. In Standard, cards from the last two years are played, and that means there is a significant monetary and mental burden for players, who over the years have switched to less demanding formats. And over the years, those formats have become impenetrable for new players. Something that Wizards has decided to change.
The first step has been to make Standard now rotate every three years, allowing the cards from each collection to be played for one more year than before. The other way to do this has been to create Foundations. A collection that aims to create an entry and meeting point for all Standard players in the years to come.
Magic: The Gathering Arena is a free online card game for Windows developed by Wizards of the Coast. Magic is undoubtedly one of the most important and legendary collectible card games, with millions of players worldwide and official competitions with great prizes. Now, thanks to Magic: The Gathering Arena, you can enjoy this card game on your computer for free.
Cimientos is the new Magic: The Gathering collection and it starts from a very simple premise: they are cards that will last in standard for five years. With half of the collection consisting of cards that appeared in old collections and the other half of new cards, the aim of this collection is to create a solid foundation for the format. Even though decks and some of the cards that compose them may change, a significant core of them will remain all the time. With everything that entails.
A five-year collection means there is a lower economic and mental cost. Having a series of cards over those five years that we can always return to, like the Foundations, means there is an effective mental cost that we don’t need to pay. It’s easy to know that in green decks Llanowar Elves are always a good inclusion or that in angel decks we absolutely have to include Giada, Font of Hope. Even if practically everything else around them can change radically from year to year.
But the same applies on an economic level. Magic: The Gathering can be a very expensive hobby. It’s something that many jokes are made about. And Cimientos wants to solve this, at least a little. If some of the most important pieces of the decks are permanently available and constantly being opened in packs, there will be greater circulation of them and their price will not rise. But also, all the Cimientos cards we have will automatically be more valuable, even if their monetary value is lower. Precisely because they are well positioned to have something that cards until now did not have: longevity.
All this addresses the problem of providing a more accessible format for everyone, both veterans and new players. But how is it possible to lower the entry barrier for those who are just starting? At Wizards of the Coast, they have also thought about that.
New products for new players
In Cimientos, in addition to the usual products, they have decided to release two new ones. The first is the Starter Collection, which, as its name suggests, gives us everything we need to start playing Magic: The Gathering, especially if we want to start a new collection. But if we are convinced that we want to fully immerse ourselves, we have the Beginner’s Box, which includes five beginner decks, a mat that indicates all the different play zones, as well as a good collection of cards, which is a perfect way to get started in the game and learn how to play properly.
This is what makes Foundations special. It is a step towards making Standard the reference format for all players again, but also, making the game accessible to new players in a way that it hasn’t been, at least, for a decade. If all of this has caught your attention and you would like to start playing Magic: The Gathering, or simply return to the game, Foundations is already available on Amazon and in specialized stores.
Magic: The Gathering Arena is a free online card game for Windows developed by Wizards of the Coast. Magic is undoubtedly one of the most important and legendary collectible card games, with millions of players worldwide and official competitions with great prizes. Now, thanks to Magic: The Gathering Arena, you can enjoy this card game on your computer for free.
A new Magic set arrives, Thunder Cross, based on one of the most forgotten settings in card games: the western.
Magic: The Gathering is a game that has its own multiverse. Integrating within it many different worlds, known as planes, this gives it the possibility to create all kinds of collections. It can make expansions based on specific themes, popular genres, or even crossovers with other licenses, such as Dungeons & Dragons, Doctor Who or Fallout. This time, the new collection of the game is called Outlaws of Thundercross, it will be released on April 19th and it is, as you can imagine from its name, an entire collection dedicated to the western genre.
Thunder Cross is an unknown map until now that is defined by being a world based on the tropes of the Wild West. There are deserts, crimes, rewards, and a few brave souls wanting to do what’s right. That’s why it shouldn’t surprise us that this collection has little heroism and a lot of villainy.
One thing that characterizes Cross Thunder Outlaws is that it is a collection that focuses on villains. Both new and old. With a whole array of new characters ranging from anti-heroes to pure villains, including many previously known faces such as Rakdos, Vraska or the adorable Bones, this collection puts the spotlight on the eternal forgotten ones. The bad guys, or at least those who don’t always act under a pristine moral compass.
How is all of this translated in terms of gameplay? As usual in Magic, through its mechanics. Because something that is surprising about this new collection is that it has a much greater number of new mechanics than we are used to. And while almost all of them are relatively simple, they are the kind of mechanics that we will surely continue to see in the future on a regular basis.
To begin, let’s talk about mechanics that already existed in one way or another, but now they receive their own name. That’s the case with Outlaws and Crimes. When a card mentions causing an effect or an extra effect when we control one or more Outlaws, it refers to us controlling any card of the types that are now considered Outlaws. These types of creatures are assassins, mercenaries, pirates, rogues, and witches. All of them are Outlaws. And if we have a creature of any of these five classes, it will be assumed that we are in control of an Outlaw.
The mechanics of Crimes is even simpler, because it has also involved giving a name to something that has been done since the beginning of Magic. A crime is committed when a spell or ability targets the opponent, their permanents, their spells, or the cards in their graveyard. In this way, when a card has any effect if we have committed a crime, it will refer to whether we have interacted in any way with the opponent or their cards.
These are the mechanics that are associated with aspects of the game that are already present. And given how common both are, it would be logical for us to start seeing them regularly in future collections. Now, there is also a lot to unpack regarding entirely new mechanics.
Of the new mechanics, potentially the most interesting one is Scheming. As its name suggests, when we scheme something, we are planning something for the future. That’s why cards with scheming allow us to exile them for an alternative cost, the cost of scheming, and cast them at instant speed on a later turn. Why are they so interesting? Because it allows us to pay their cost in advance and many cards are interested in us casting two or more cards. And also because some cards have particular effects when schemed. Adding spice to the mix.
Another mechanic is Spree. Although we don’t know its translation into Spanish yet, the mechanic is very simple. They are modal spells where you have to choose at least one mode, and you can choose any number of them, but each mode has an associated cost. In other words, it’s a card that we have to pay its cost and the cost of at least one of its effects. This makes them very interesting cards due to their particular flexibility and longevity, as they don’t lose usefulness as the game progresses.
The latest of the new mechanics is Saddle and it comes with a new creature class, Mount. Mount creatures have a saddle cost and, as with vehicles, it is paid by tapping N creatures with a power equal to or greater than the saddle cost. By doing so, the mount creature will gain a series of extra benefits, because, in narrative terms, it will be ridden by the creature we tapped.
All of this is the essence of the new collection, although as usual, it is accompanied by new material for those who play the most popular multiplayer mode of Magic: Commander. In this case, there are four different decks, one of outlaws, another of card draw, another of discarding and sacrificing lands, and another of playing other players’ cards. All of them representing classic game villains and new characters from Thundercross.
But that’s not all. Because at Wizards of the Coast they have decided to create a new mini-game, completely optional, for Commander. Something that is reflected in the Rewards.
If you decide to play this optional minigame, all players will play with a shared deck of rewards. The rewards are cards that on one side indicate what we will get when we claim them and on the other side, what we need to do to do it. In this way, at the beginning of the third turn of the first player, a random reward card will be drawn. If the player meets the described condition, they will claim the reward. If they don’t, the reward will pass to the next player, increasing its value by one. If after four turns no one manages to claim it, that reward goes back to the deck of rewards, a new reward is drawn, and it starts again. And the same happens, from the following turn, if someone claims a reward.
Finally, like all collections, Outlaws of Thunder Crossing comes with reprinted cards with their own artwork inspired by the plane in which it takes place. This time with the inclusion of a handful of extremely rare cards from past collections, some of them highly valued, which all have something in common: they are either outlaws or commit some kind of crime.
That’s why we hope you’re ready to commit all sorts of crimes at the gaming table because Wizards of the Coast has gone all out with this collection. Embracing the Wild West genre like never before.
Artificial Intelligence is one of the most controversial topics nowadays, and Magic: The Gathering already knows why it is a double-edged sword. After the accusations and confession by Wizards of the Coast (owners of the brand) that AI was indeed used in one of their most recent publications, criticism has rained down on them from all directions, even losing artists who refuse to work in an environment where AI is used.
Social media has quickly picked up on Magic’s official account’s confession stating that the promotional illustration they had posted had been created by AI, despite going against their ideals. That is why they have publicly apologized and are asking their artists not to create artwork for their brand if it has been generated through AI.
However, users have been skeptical, as they were the ones who detected the use of generative AI in an illustration that passed the security checks that Magic has with its autonomous artists, casting doubt on whether they are truly committed to this or if they have backed down to reduce critical voices.
In fact, there are even freelance artists who will think twice about their future collaborations if they realize that clients are opting for AI-supplied services, as in the case of artist Dave Rapoza, who will refuse to continue collaborating with the company in the future. Likewise, other artists like Jason Rainville point to the growing difficulty of detecting the use of AI in illustrations, after constant training and progress.
got a lot of messages about the wotc response, I’m not going to return for work, let’s see how this all pans out over time. my hope is they stick to their word but everyone seems to be heading that direction so I’ll hang for awhile
This was what I hoped would be the case. So, all in all good news.
I'm going to keep an eye on what the evaluation of their relationship w vendors is going forward. And if those ads are going to be removed or replaced. https://t.co/eWvLn4GvaR
There is no doubt that Artificial Intelligence has become a huge focus of discussion since 2023. With large-scale advances in generative AI, which are capable of imitating human work (with better or worse results) in areas such as drawing, writing, translation, or even programming, many doubts have arisen about the risk it may pose to the job market if human capital is replaced by machines to perform these tasks, even if the outcome ends up being more erratic or soulless.
In fact, controversies surrounding this type of Artificial Intelligence are more than constant. Just recently, The New York Times has accused OpenAI, creator of ChatGPT, of allegedly using its content to train the AI without respecting the copyrights or the free reproduction of its contents. On the other hand, OpenAI has tried to justify itself with a detailed statementtrying to provide more context to a problem that seems to be heading to court.
The new Magic collection is a celebration of Mesoamerican cultures both in form and substance in a very respectful way
In fantasy, we often explore the same themes and settings. Whether it’s epic or grimdark, we frequently draw from Nordic, Arthurian, or medieval inspirations. Rarely do we venture beyond Europe and its immediate influences on the world. We overlook what happened in Africa, Asia, Oceania, or the Americas before the arrival of Europeans. It’s a shame because that means we miss out on countless possibilities for stories and nuances. Magic: The Gathering has shown us this with its latest collection of the year, “The Lost Caves of Ixalan.”
Set in the homonymous dimension of Ixalan, this collection is inspired by Mesoamerican culture. Filled with jungles, treasures, and dangerous beasts, this return takes us deep into its caverns, where an ancient and highly advanced civilization once thrived. The catch is that they kept hidden an incredibly valuable natural resource, the cosmio, which four different factions are now seeking.
As always with Magic: The Gathering, part of the charm of “The Lost Caves of Ixalan” is how it uses color identities to speak about its world. Among the factions in conflict, we find the dinosaurs of the Sun Empire, the pirates of the Verdant Coalition, the vampires of the Legion of Dusk, and the merfolk shamans. Each faction has a commander deck, enabling exciting multiplayer games, but they also represent the four main archetypes for draft play. Drafting involves playing with cards from individual packs, creating dynamic gameplay experiences.
To reinforce the idea of exploration and discovery, “The Lost Caves of Ixalan” introduces three new mechanics: Descend, Craft, and Discover. Descend triggers effects only when we have a specific number of permanents in the graveyard. Craft requires us to use a certain quantity and types of specific permanents to transform an artifact card. And Discover allows us to exile cards from the top of our library until we find one with a cost equal to or less than the number of cards discovered.
All of this is accompanied by exquisite artwork, evident inspiration and influence from Mesoamerican culture, and countless references to the mythology and culture of civilizations before the conquest. It’s a love letter to a culture in the form of a card collection that didn’t necessarily need to make this effort, but warms our hearts for the decision to do so.
If you like Magic but you miss the cards being together with & ‘The walking Dead’ or ‘Stranger Things’ you’re in luck.
There was a time when each franchise was its own thing, and crossovers were something strange and highly celebrated. But in recent times, especially since ‘Fortnite’ opened up to any franchise making appearances in various game seasons, everyone wanted to jump on the bandwagon of chance crossovers, from ‘Call of Duty’ to, of course, ‘Magic: The Gathering.’
If you love Magic but wish the cards could mingle with ‘The Walking Dead‘ or ‘Stranger Things,’ you’re in luck: Secret Lair is official, and there you can buy different sets of cards with alternative artwork to the traditional one. You won’t find the most powerful cards here, but simply a way to spruce up your game by turning it into a mishmash of IPs.
For example, among them, there have been cards from ‘Street Fighter,’ Godzilla, the ‘Dungeons & Dragons‘ animated series, ‘Arcane,’ ‘Fortnite,’ ‘Warhammer 40K,’ ‘Transformers,’ or ‘Dungeons & Dragons: Thieves’ Guild,’ all of them priced at $40 per deck of four to five units. Hey, no one said being a Magic collector was cheap.
Now, Wizards of the Coast has announced a crossover with ‘My Little Pony’ titled ‘Ponies: The Galloping’ with four cards that will complete a set with three others released in 2019. In these cards, you’ll have four legendary creatures: Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy, Applejack, and Rainbow Dash, each with their own abilities. For example, Rainbow Dash can draw a card if she’s 100% cool, but to be cool, you need to have five creatures that can fly.
50% of the proceeds from this card set, which is already available, will go to charity (the Seattle Children’s Autism Center). So far, Wizards of the Coast has helped raise five million dollars for charitable organizations. Friendship is indeed pure magic.
The Wilds of Eldraine has brought many changes to Magic, but the most charming has been numerous references to fairy tales.
If Magic: The Gathering has managed to endure over time, it’s because it has been able to change and take on different forms. It has never been stuck in a single form or way of seeing things. It has navigated through the aesthetics of each era, the ways of doing things in each time, and also different ideas and settings. Magic doesn’t take place in an absolute monolithic universe. It takes place in a multiverse where practically anything is possible. That’s why it’s so fascinating, and why it can change radically from one set to another.
The latest Magic set, “Throne of Eldraine,” was released just over a week ago. In this set, we journey to the plane of Eldraine, a world where fairy tales and Arthurian myths come together in an unusual yet fascinating combination. We’ve discussed the specific details of the set at another time, so this time we want to talk about something else. What makes this set special. All the references to fairy tales that we can find in Throne of Eldraine.
How could we begin to talk about Throne of Eldraine? Of course, in the only way possible.
Once upon a time, there was a young man who didn’t know his father. This young man was named Kellan, and he had both fairy and human blood in his veins. Driven by the curiosity to discover who his father was, he embarked on a mission to become a hero for his kingdom and defeat three wicked witches. Once upon a time, there was a young prince burdened with a heavy responsibility. This prince was named Will, and despite the death of the kings, he had decided to unite the kingdom and find a way to bring peace after a terrible war. Once upon a time, there was a young princess who couldn’t bear the loss. This princess was named Rowan, and unable to accept the death of her parents, she chose to separate from her brother and seek her own answers through violence.
Each one is the protagonist of their own story in their own way. They all face the same adversary: three witches, three sisters, with terrible powers. Hylda, Agatha, and Eriette. But as in every great story, there’s always a twist. Behind the witches, there’s an even more terrible power, someone who calls themselves Ashiok, pulling the strings from the shadows…
If you want to know more about the fairy tale that Throne of Eldraine tells, Magic: The Gathering publishes a series of stories on their website with each new set, completely free, recounting the story of that set. Following its main characters and usually delving into secondary characters in some side stories, it’s their way of delving into the game’s lore. But that doesn’t mean their exploration of fairy tales ends there.
One way to play Magic is through draft. It’s basically playing with the cards you get in booster packs, which can contain cards of all kinds. Typically, sets design drafts around two-color archetypes. This is something that Eldraine has used to pay homage to various classic tales.
In Magic, there are five colors, which means there are ten combinations of two colors, ten possible draft archetypes. All of them make different nods to classic tales. Some are very explicit, like Ruby, Daring Tracker, who is Little Red Riding Hood, or Neva, Stalked by Nightmares, who is Snow White. But the funniest ones are those that reference classic tales through their interactions with the game’s mechanics. Totentanz, Swarm Piper is based on the Pied Piper of Hamelin and keeps creating rats, while Greta, Sweettooth Scourge is based on Hansel and Gretel and can sacrifice food tokens to produce different effects. These nods take the original stories and create fun gameplay effects.
Of course, the references to classic tales don’t stop there. Throne of Eldraine is full of nods to classic tales, some of which we’ve mentioned, and others we haven’t. Cinderella, Jack and the Beanstalk, Snow White, and Sleeping Beauty also make appearances, among others. The set is packed with cards that pay homage to this type of literature in a demonstration of boundless love. But we’ll leave it here for you to discover for yourself. Sometimes, you have to leave a few breadcrumbs to find your own path.
