Magic: The Gathering - Tarkir: Dragonstorm Preview

Get ready for another 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 deck-building. 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 my friends’ impending frustration with my upcoming deck upgrades!

What to Expect From Tarkir: Dragonstorm

For the uninitiated, Tarkir is home to five powerful 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 Khan and boasts a unique playstyle. Wizards has started showcasing the new mechanics these clans wield, but even more exciting are the powerful dragons poised to make a significant impact on the meta.

To ensure each clan feels unique, Wizards has crafted exclusive mechanics that won’t appear outside their three-color identities. Jeskai's Flurry rewards playing a second spell in a turn, regardless of whose turn it is. Sultai's Renew allows players to exile a card from their graveyard to grant counters to surviving creatures. Mardu's Mobilize creates temporary creatures that vanish at the end of the turn, enhancing their aggressive swarm strategy. Temur's Harmonize, similar to Flashback, lets cards be replayed from the graveyard at a reduced cost by tapping creatures. Finally, Abzan's Endure triggers when a non-token creature dies, adding +1/+1 counters and other benefits, as exemplified by Anafenza, Undying Lineage, who spawns a 2/2 flying Spirit token or grants additional counters.

But this is Tarkir: Dragonstorm, so the dragons are getting some new tricks too! Introducing Omen and Behold, two new mechanics expanding their arsenal. Omen functions similarly to 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, providing another chance to draw it later. Playing it as a creature removes that option. Behold, conversely, 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. These mechanics, not tied to a specific clan, can appear across multiple colors, adding intriguing deck-building possibilities.

MTG - Tarkir: Dragonstorm Preview - Art

However, let's be honest—the real stars are the dragons. One standout is Betor, Kin to All (2WBG), a powerhouse that triggers effects at the end of your turn based on the total toughness of creatures you control. These 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 the extra card draw, and with heavy hitters like Utvara Hellkite or Ancient Gold Dragon in play, the life loss effect becomes truly terrifying.

Ugin also returns, once again as a colorless planeswalker. Ugin, Eye of the Storms (7) is set to be a staple in colorless decks, particularly Eldrazi builds, thanks to his passive 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 your turn. With seven starting loyalty and a +2 ability, he can reach that threshold quickly with proper defense.

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

Besides the Final Fantasy crossover set, Tarkir: Dragonstorm is my most anticipated Magic release this year. With less than a month until launch, much of the set remains a mystery, but my Scion deck is already primed for a major upgrade. I'm hoping for the return of legendary dragons like Atarka and Ojutai, or perhaps an exciting new five-color dragon. Regardless, Tarkir: Dragonstorm is shaping up to be an incredible experience when it arrives on April 11th.