Get ready for another epic clash between Khans and dragons in the upcoming Magic: The Gathering set, Tarkir: Dragonstorm! Launching April 11th and available for pre-order now, this set returns players to the vibrant plane of Tarkir, introducing powerful new creatures, familiar faces, and exciting new mechanics to revolutionize your deck-building strategies. Wizards of the Coast has begun revealing the set's contents, and as a proud owner of a Scion of the Ur-Dragon Commander deck, I can already sense the impending frustration of my friends as I unleash my upgraded arsenal.
What to Expect From Tarkir: Dragonstorm
For the uninitiated, Tarkir is a plane dominated by five clans locked in a perpetual struggle against ancient dragons. Each clan—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)—is led by a powerful Khan and distinguished by a unique playstyle. Wizards has started unveiling the new mechanics these clans wield, but more importantly, they've teased some truly formidable dragons poised to make a significant impact on the meta.
To further differentiate each clan, Wizards has crafted unique mechanics exclusive to their three-color identities. Jeskai's Flurry rewards playing a second spell per turn, regardless of whose turn it is. Sultai's Renew allows players to exile a card from their graveyard to bestow counters on surviving creatures. Mardu's Mobilize creates temporary creatures, reflecting their aggressive swarm tactics. Temur's Harmonize, similar to Flashback, lets players replay cards from the graveyard at a reduced cost. Finally, Abzan's Endure triggers when a non-token creature dies, providing +1/+1 counters and other benefits, as exemplified by Anafenza, Undying Lineage, who spawns a 2/2 flying Spirit token or grants additional counters.
Naturally, Tarkir: Dragonstorm wouldn't be complete without new mechanics for the dragons themselves. Enter Omen and Behold, two innovative additions expanding their arsenal. Omen functions like Adventure cards, allowing you to cast the card as a creature or an instant/sorcery. The catch? Casting it as a spell shuffles it back into your deck, offering a second chance. Playing it as a creature removes this option. Behold, on the other hand, triggers when you reveal a dragon from your hand or control one on the battlefield. Sarkhan, Dragon Ascendant, for example, generates a Treasure token upon being played and triggers Behold. Since these mechanics aren't clan-specific, they offer intriguing deck-building possibilities across multiple colors.
MTG - Tarkir: Dragonstorm Preview - Art
But let's be honest—the stars of the show are the dragons. One standout is Betor, Kin to All (2WBG), a formidable creature triggering various effects at the end of your turn based on the total toughness of your creatures. These range from drawing cards to untapping creatures or even forcing opponents to lose life. With a base toughness of 7, Betor easily triggers the card draw, and with powerful creatures like Utvara Hellkite or Ancient Gold Dragon in play, the life loss effect becomes devastating.
Ugin also returns as a colorless planeswalker. Ugin, Eye of the Storms (7), is set to become a staple in colorless decks, particularly Eldrazi builds, due to his ability to exile permanents when you cast a colorless spell. His -11 ability is incredibly powerful: search your library for any number of colorless non-land cards, exile them, then cast them for free until the end of the turn. With seven starting loyalty and a +2 ability, he can quickly reach that threshold with proper defense.
Magic: The Gathering - 5 New Cards from Tarkir: Dragonstorm
Besides the Final Fantasy crossover, Tarkir: Dragonstorm is my most anticipated Magic release this year. With its April 11th launch fast approaching, much of the set remains a mystery, but my Scion deck is already preparing for a significant upgrade. I'm hoping for the return of legendary dragons like Atarka and Ojutai, or perhaps a thrilling new five-color dragon. Regardless, Tarkir: Dragonstorm promises to be an exciting addition to the Magic: The Gathering universe.
