Tarkir's Dragonstorm Unveiled in Magic: The Gathering Preview

The excitement is palpable as the upcoming Magic: The Gathering set, Tarkir: Dragonstorm, promises to reignite the thrill of battling Khans and dragons. Set to launch on April 11 and now available for pre-order, Dragonstorm transports players back to the tumultuous plane of Tarkir, introducing a slew of powerful new creatures, familiar faces, and innovative mechanics that are sure to revolutionize deck-building strategies. As a proud owner of a Scion of the Ur-Dragon Commander deck, I'm already envisioning the formidable additions that will undoubtedly shake up my gameplay and leave my friends scrambling to keep up.

What to Expect From Tarkir: Dragonstorm

For newcomers to the Tarkir setting, it's a realm where five clans—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)—wage endless wars against ancient dragons. Each clan, led by a Khan, brings a distinctive playstyle to the table. Wizards of the Coast has begun unveiling the new mechanics that these clans will employ, alongside tantalizing glimpses of the mighty dragons poised to dominate the battlefield.

### 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. Jeskai's Flurry mechanic rewards players for casting a second spell in a turn, regardless of whose turn it is. Sultai's Renew allows players to exile a specific card from their graveyard to bestow various counters on surviving creatures. Mardu's Mobilize summons temporary creatures that vanish at turn's end, bolstering their aggressive swarm tactics. Temur's Harmonize, reminiscent of Flashback, permits cards to be replayed from the graveyard at a reduced cost by tapping creatures. Finally, Abzan's Endure triggers whenever a non-token creature dies, granting +1/+1 counters and other benefits, as exemplified by Anafenza, Undying Lineage, who either spawns a 2/2 flying Spirit token or provides additional counters.

Given this is Tarkir: Dragonstorm, dragons are set to receive exciting new tools. Enter Omen and Behold, two novel mechanics that enrich their arsenal. Omen works similarly to Adventure cards, allowing you to cast the card either as a creature or as an instant or sorcery. The catch? If you cast it as a spell, it shuffles back into your deck, offering another chance to draw it later. Play it as a creature, and that option is lost. Behold, in contrast, activates when you reveal a dragon from your hand or already have one on the battlefield. For instance, Sarkhan, Dragon Ascendant, generates a Treasure token upon being played and triggers Behold. Since these mechanics are not clan-specific, they can appear across various colors, making them especially intriguing for deck-building enthusiasts.

MTG - Tarkir: Dragonstorm Preview - Art

8 Images

But let's cut to the chase—the dragons are the true stars of this set. A standout so far is Betor, Kin to All (2WBG), a formidable presence 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 even forcing opponents to lose half their life. With a base toughness of 7, Betor easily triggers at least the card draw, and with heavyweights like Utvara Hellkite or Ancient Gold Dragon in play, the life loss effect becomes a menacing possibility.

Ugin also makes a triumphant return, this time as a colorless planeswalker. Ugin, Eye of the Storms (7) is poised to become a staple in colorless decks, particularly those featuring Eldrazi, thanks to his passive ability that exiles target permanents whenever you cast a colorless spell. His -11 ability is nothing short of game-changing: you can 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 that ultimate threshold is within reach if properly defended.

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

6 Images

Apart from the Final Fantasy crossover set, Tarkir: Dragonstorm is my most eagerly awaited Magic release this year. With less than a month until the launch, much of the set remains shrouded in mystery, but my Scion deck is already poised for a significant upgrade. I'm holding out hope for the return of legendary dragons like Atarka and Ojutai, or perhaps the introduction of an exhilarating new five-color dragon. Regardless, Tarkir: Dragonstorm is shaping up to be an exhilarating experience when it lands on April 11.