The upcoming Magic: The Gathering set, Tarkir: Dragonstorm, is set to release on April 11 and is now available for pre-order. This set brings players back to the tumultuous plane of Tarkir, where the five clans—Abzan Houses, Jeskai Way, Mardu Horde, Sultai Brood, and Temur Frontier—are embroiled in ongoing battles against ancient dragons. As a proud owner of a Scion of the Ur-Dragon Commander deck, I'm eager to see what new additions I can make to shake up my friends' game nights.
What to Expect From Tarkir: Dragonstorm
Tarkir is renowned for its five clans, each with distinct colors and strategies. Abzan Houses (White, Black, Green) focus on endurance, Jeskai Way (Blue, Red, White) on strategic spell casting, Mardu Horde (Red, White, Black) on aggressive tactics, Sultai Brood (Black, Green, Blue) on manipulation, and Temur Frontier (Green, Blue, Red) on adaptability. Wizards of the Coast has unveiled new mechanics for these clans, which will enhance their unique playstyles, alongside the introduction of powerful dragons that are sure to impact gameplay significantly.
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### Magic: The Gathering Tarkir: Dragonstorm Commander Deck - Abzan Armor
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### Magic: The Gathering Tarkir: Dragonstorm Commander Deck - Jeskai Striker
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### Magic: The Gathering Tarkir: Dragonstorm Commander Deck - Temur Roar
0$44.99 at AmazonTo ensure each clan's distinct identity, Wizards has introduced mechanics exclusive to their three-color combinations. Jeskai’s Flurry rewards casting a second spell in a turn, Sultai’s Renew lets players exile cards from their graveyard to grant counters to creatures, Mardu’s Mobilize creates temporary creatures to bolster aggressive strategies, Temur’s Harmonize allows replaying cards from the graveyard at a reduced cost, and Abzan’s Endure provides benefits when non-token creatures die. Anafenza, Undying Lineage, exemplifies this with her ability to spawn a 2/2 flying Spirit token or grant additional counters.
The dragons in Tarkir: Dragonstorm are not to be overlooked, with new mechanics like Omen and Behold enhancing their presence. Omen functions similarly to Adventure cards, allowing you to cast the card as a creature or as an instant or sorcery, with the option to shuffle it back into your deck if cast as a spell. Behold triggers 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 and triggers Behold. These mechanics are not limited to specific clans, offering versatile deck-building options.
MTG - Tarkir: Dragonstorm Preview - Art
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Among the dragons revealed so far, Betor, Kin to All (2WBG) stands out, triggering various effects at the end of your turn based on the total toughness of your creatures. With a base toughness of 7, Betor can easily trigger effects like drawing a card or even causing opponents to lose half their life when combined with other high-toughness dragons like Utvara Hellkite or Ancient Gold Dragon.
Ugin also makes a return as a colorless planeswalker, Ugin, Eye of the Storms (7), poised to become a staple in colorless decks, particularly Eldrazi builds. His passive ability exiles target permanents when you cast a colorless spell, while his -11 ability allows you to search your library for any number of colorless non-land cards, exile them, and cast them for free until the end of the turn.
Magic: The Gathering - 5 New Cards from Tarkir: Dragonstorm
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With less than a month until the launch, much of Tarkir: Dragonstorm remains a mystery, but the excitement is palpable. My Scion deck is ready for an upgrade, and I'm hopeful for the return of legendary dragons like Atarka and Ojutai, or perhaps a new five-color dragon to add to the mix. Tarkir: Dragonstorm is shaping up to be a thrilling addition to Magic: The Gathering when it hits shelves on April 11.
