Tarkir's Dragonstorm Unveiled in Magic: The Gathering Preview

The excitement is building as we approach the release of the new Magic: The Gathering set, Tarkir: Dragonstorm, set to launch on April 11 and available for pre-order now. This set promises to bring players back to the rich world of Tarkir, featuring an array of powerful new creatures, familiar characters, and innovative mechanics that will revolutionize deck-building strategies. As an avid fan with a prized Scion of the Ur-Dragon Commander deck, I'm eagerly anticipating the additions I'll make to enhance my gameplay and perhaps give my friends a run for their money.

What to Expect From Tarkir: Dragonstorm

For those new to the scene, Tarkir is a plane where five clans, each with a unique playstyle, are in a perpetual battle against ancient dragons. The clans include 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). Each is led by a Khan and boasts distinct mechanics unveiled by Wizards, with some exciting dragon previews that promise to shake up the game.

Magic: The Gathering Tarkir: Dragonstorm - Play Booster Box

0$164.70 at Amazon

Magic: The Gathering Tarkir: Dragonstorm - Collector Booster Box

0$299.88 at Amazon

Magic: The Gathering Tarkir: Dragonstorm - Collector Booster

0$24.99 at Amazon

Magic: The Gathering Tarkir: Dragonstorm - Commander Deck Bundle - Includes All 5 Decks

0$224.95 at Amazon

Magic: The Gathering Tarkir: Dragonstorm Commander Deck - Abzan Armor

0$44.99 at Amazon

Magic: The Gathering Tarkir: Dragonstorm Commander Deck - Jeskai Striker

0$44.99 at Amazon

Magic: The Gathering Tarkir: Dragonstorm Commander Deck - Sultai Arisen

0$44.99 at Amazon

Magic: The Gathering Tarkir: Dragonstorm Commander Deck - Mardu Surge

0$44.99 at Amazon

Magic: The Gathering Tarkir: Dragonstorm Commander Deck - Temur Roar

0$44.99 at Amazon

To ensure each clan stands out, Wizards has crafted unique mechanics tailored to their three-color identities. The Jeskai's Flurry mechanic rewards playing a second spell in a turn, enhancing flexibility in gameplay. Sultai's Renew allows players to exile a card from their graveyard to bestow various counters on surviving creatures. Mardu's Mobilize creates fleeting creatures that vanish at the end of the turn, aligning with their aggressive swarm tactics. Temur's Harmonize, echoing Flashback, enables cards to be replayed from the graveyard at a reduced cost by tapping creatures. Finally, Abzan's Endure triggers upon a non-token creature's death, bestowing +1/+1 counters and other benefits, as exemplified by Anafenza, Undying Lineage, who either spawns a 2/2 flying Spirit token or grants additional counters.

Of course, with Tarkir: Dragonstorm, dragons are in the spotlight, introducing new mechanics like Omen and Behold. Omen works similarly to Adventure cards, allowing you to cast the card as either a creature or an instant/sorcery, with the catch that if you choose the spell, it shuffles back into your deck for a potential redraw. If played as a creature, that option vanishes. Behold activates when you reveal a dragon from your hand or already have one on the battlefield. A prime example is Sarkhan, Dragon Ascendant, who creates a Treasure token upon entering and triggers Behold. These mechanics, not limited to specific clans, offer versatile deck-building opportunities across multiple colors.

MTG - Tarkir: Dragonstorm Preview - Art

8 Images

But the real stars of the show are undoubtedly the dragons. A highlight so far is Betor, Kin to All (2WBG), a formidable force whose end-of-turn effects vary based on the total toughness of creatures under your control. From drawing cards to untapping creatures or even forcing opponents to lose half their life, Betor's base toughness of 7 makes it easy to trigger at least the card draw, and with powerhouses like Utvara Hellkite or Ancient Gold Dragon in play, the life loss effect becomes a game-changer.

Ugin also makes a return as a colorless planeswalker in the form of Ugin, Eye of the Storms (7). This card is set to become a staple in colorless decks, especially those leveraging Eldrazi, thanks to his ability to exile permanents when casting colorless spells. His -11 ability is nothing short of game-altering: 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, reaching this threshold is feasible with proper protection.

Magic: The Gathering - 5 New Cards from Tarkir: Dragonstorm

6 Images

Aside from the much-anticipated Final Fantasy crossover set, Tarkir: Dragonstorm stands out as one of my most eagerly awaited Magic releases of the year. With less than a month until its launch, much of the set remains a mystery, but my Scion deck is ready for a significant upgrade. I'm hopeful for the return of legendary dragons like Atarka and Ojutai or perhaps the introduction of an exciting new five-color dragon. Regardless, Tarkir: Dragonstorm is shaping up to be an exhilarating addition to the Magic: The Gathering universe when it arrives on April 11.