Tarkir's Dragonstorm Unveiled in Magic: The Gathering Preview

Get ready, Magic: The Gathering fans, as the plane of Tarkir is set to roar back to life with the upcoming set, Tarkir: Dragonstorm. Mark your calendars for April 11 and take advantage of pre-order options now available. This set promises to bring a thrilling mix of powerful new creatures, returning favorites, and innovative mechanics that are sure to invigorate your deck-building strategies. As a proud owner of a Scion of the Ur-Dragon Commander deck, I'm already plotting the exciting additions that will have my friends at the gaming table shaking their heads in awe—or frustration.

What to Expect From Tarkir: Dragonstorm

If you're new to Tarkir, let me fill you in. This world is dominated by five clans, each embroiled in a relentless battle against ancient dragons. These 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 clan is led by a Khan and boasts a distinct playstyle. Wizards of the Coast has started unveiling the new mechanics for these clans, but what's truly exciting are the formidable dragons they've teased, which are poised to shake up the game.

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Magic: The Gathering Tarkir: Dragonstorm - Collector Booster Box

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Magic: The Gathering Tarkir: Dragonstorm - Collector Booster

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

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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 - Sultai Arisen

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

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

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To give each clan a unique feel, Wizards has crafted exclusive mechanics tied to their three-color identities. For instance, Jeskai’s Flurry mechanic rewards you for playing a second spell in a turn, whether it's yours or your opponent's. Sultai’s Renew mechanic allows you to exile a card from your graveyard to grant various counters to your creatures. Mardu’s Mobilize conjures temporary creatures that vanish at the end of the turn, bolstering their aggressive swarm strategy. Temur’s Harmonize, reminiscent of Flashback, lets you replay cards from your graveyard at a reduced cost by tapping creatures. Lastly, Abzan’s Endure mechanic activates whenever a non-token creature dies, doling out +1/+1 counters and other perks, as demonstrated by Anafenza, Undying Lineage, who can either spawn a 2/2 flying Spirit token or grant additional counters.

Of course, with Tarkir: Dragonstorm, dragons are the stars of the show. They're getting new mechanics like Omen and Behold to enhance their dominance. Omen, akin to Adventure cards, allows you to cast the card as a creature or as an instant or sorcery. If you choose to cast it as a spell, it shuffles back into your deck, giving you another shot at drawing it later. Play it as a creature, and that option's gone. Behold, on the other hand, triggers when you reveal a dragon from your hand or already have one on the battlefield. Take Sarkhan, Dragon Ascendant, for example, who generates a Treasure token when played and benefits from the Behold mechanic. Since these mechanics aren't limited to a single clan, they add versatility and excitement across multiple colors in your deck-building.

MTG - Tarkir: Dragonstorm Preview - Art

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But let's not forget the dragons themselves. One standout is Betor, Kin to All (2WBG), a powerhouse that triggers different effects at the end of your turn based on the total toughness of creatures you control. These effects range from drawing a card to untapping all your creatures or forcing opponents to lose half their life. With a base toughness of 7, Betor easily hits the card draw trigger, and with heavyweights like Utvara Hellkite or Ancient Gold Dragon in play, the life loss effect becomes a daunting threat.

Ugin is also making a return as a colorless planeswalker. Ugin, Eye of the Storms (7) is set to be a staple in colorless decks, particularly those featuring Eldrazi, due to his passive ability that exiles target permanents whenever you cast a colorless spell. His -11 ability is game-changing: 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 reach that ultimate ability quickly if well-protected.

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

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Aside from the Final Fantasy crossover set, Tarkir: Dragonstorm is my most eagerly awaited Magic release this year. With just under a month until its launch, much of the set remains a mystery, but my Scion deck is already primed for some serious upgrades. I'm hoping for the return of legendary dragons like Atarka and Ojutai or perhaps the introduction of an exciting new five-color dragon. No matter what, Tarkir: Dragonstorm is shaping up to be a thrilling addition when it hits the shelves on April 11.