Afrigather Magic: The Gathering is celebrating its thirtieth anniversary subsequent 12 months, and the venerable card sport is main into the milestone with Dominaria United, the primary set in a brand new story arc. It should see the sport return to Dominaria, its authentic setting and probably the most storied planes in Magic historical past, the place a forged of acquainted races and characters will face an entire new assault from one of many nice threats to the multiverse – the Phyrexians.
IGN has a model new card to disclose for Dominaria United, and it very a lot ties into the 30-odd years of worldbuilding that makes Dominaria so particular for Magic followers. Introducing, Serra Paragon:
A paragon of card design? We’ll discover out quickly.
This card references some key Dominarian historical past. “Serra was a robust Planeswalker who got here to Dominaria 1000’s of years earlier than the occasions of Dominaria United,” explains Roy Graham, Recreation Designer: Story. “On the time, the ability of Planeswalkers was virtually limitless so she was in a position to create a bunch of angels (ones much like Serra Paragon!). Whereas Serra then moved on from Dominaria, a church was created in her honour and she or he grew to become revered.
“She ties in with the brand new story as her angels nonetheless populate the airplane and she or he’s intrinsically linked with the Phyrexians: her own residence airplane was invaded by them years in the past and was finally collapsed to stop a complete Phyrexian takeover. So whereas Serra is now lifeless, there’s a particular Phyrexian vendetta in there!”
Whereas Serra is now lifeless, there’s a particular Phyrexian vendetta in there!
“The instantly apparent utility with Serra Paragon,” says Ethan Fleischer, Sr. Recreation Designer: Play & Design, in response to my query about which decks and techniques Serra Paragon may greatest be suited to, “can be to pair her with fetch lands: lands that sacrifice themselves to go looking your library for an additional land to place into play. These fetch lands are straightforward to get into the graveyard and may guarantee you have got a gradual stream of lands as soon as the Paragon hits play. It additionally helps you to instantly money them in for that little life complete bump!
“Different functions can be in decks with creatures which have highly effective enter the battlefield results reminiscent of Elite Spellbinder: having the ability to recur these results can turn out to be such a headache for opponents who mainly need to cope with them twice.
“Lastly, I can see Serra Paragon being enjoyable with smaller artifacts that sacrifice themselves for some kind of impact. Doubling down on these whereas gaining life can be a number of enjoyable!”
Opening a Karn of Whoop-Ass
I’ve already alluded to the broad brush strokes of Dominaria United’s story, however given how necessary it’s, I additionally requested Ethan Fleischer and Roy Graham to assist set the scene. “Dominaria is in a time of renewal throughout the airplane—with the demon Belzenlok dispatched and no main planar crises, the inhabitants of the world have a second to breathe straightforward,” says Graham. “In fact, that’s simply in time for the Phyrexians to reach.”
The Phyrexians are going to be central to the occasions that unfold. They’re “synthetic and biomechanical beings hellbent on overtaking the multiverse one airplane at a time,” continues Graham. “One of many key Praetors or leaders of New Phyrexia is Sheoldred who’s slowly spreading her affect throughout the airplane of Dominaria… Sheoldred’s plan of assault includes a number of infiltration and subtlety earlier than she reveals her full energy, and we’ll see a number of sleeper brokers and betrayals all through Dominaria United.
Incredible artwork, highly effective wanting card.
“Up in opposition to Sheoldred and her steadily growing Phyrexian military stand a forged of acquainted faces. Most distinguished is Karn, a metallic Planeswalker who has fought the Phyrexians many instances throughout a few years and planes. Jodah, an immortal archmage from Dominaria’s previous, will be a part of Karn in his efforts to defeat the Phyrexians, together with the Planeswalkers Jaya and Teferi.”
These are large names for Magic gamers, and Wizards has already hinted at some fairly vital twists for a variety of them. And naturally, the story very a lot ties into the sport design, too. A number of mechanics “categorical what’s taking place within the story presently,” says Fleischer. “The folks of Dominaria should put apart their variations and unite within the face of a typical foe. Kicker playing cards the place the kicker value is a special shade from the cardboard’s casting value characterize two (or extra!) nations combining their powers. Area encourages you to play with all 5 colours in your deck, uniting all of Dominaria!
The facility of a number of colors on the left, and a extremely versatile Kicker impact on the fitting.
“The brand new Enlist mechanic additionally characterize the creatures of Dominaria teaming up,” he continues. “When a creature with Enlist assaults, you possibly can faucet one other creature you management with out summoning illness so as to add its energy to the attacking creature’s. This may permit gamers to construct up huge attackers whereas protecting their different creature comparatively protected!”
Different mechanics tie into the airplane’s wealthy lore and lots of epoch-shifting occasions. “Legends characterize characters with roots up to now; there may be one legendary creature in every booster pack,” explains Fleischer. “Sagas inform the tales of occasions from earlier units, notably tales which might be more likely to be related to future tales. Every Saga in Dominaria United has the brand new Learn Forward mechanic, which permits gamers to skip previous the early chapters of a Saga.”
A robust Enlist impact on the left and a Saga with Learn Forward on the fitting.
It’s clear how tight the combination between storytelling and gameplay will likely be with Dominaria United, and this speaks to the group having the advantage of Magic’s virtually 30 years of existence. I ask Ethan Fleischer how all that have knowledgeable how the group approached this set. “Dominaria was the setting of over 25 Magic units, a lot of them from very early within the sport’s historical past,” he says. “Since that point, our worldbuilding philosophy has advanced; every airplane now wants a particular identification. Dominaria’s sprawling historical past and geography defied a unifying identification till the 2018 Dominaria set, the place we established that Dominaria’s identification was its historical past.
“Having established that identification so strongly, we have been now free, in Dominaria United, to focus extra on ideas that resonated extra with what’s occurring within the present storyline. Who’re the characters who can be most applicable to combat in a second Phyrexian Invasion? What are mechanics that emphasize alliances being fashioned, and name again to the unique Invasion set? How can we prime the viewers to greatest benefit from the storyline over the subsequent 12 months of Magic?”
Early indications are that this freedom is paying off, however we’ll know for positive when Dominaria United launches on MTGA on September 2 and for tabletop on September 9. You may see the complete vary of merchandise coming with the set – in addition to all of the playing cards as they’re revealed – by visiting Magic’s Dominaria United homepage.
Cam Shea has labored at IGN since earlier than the earlier than instances, and has performed extra Breath of the Wild than simply about every other sport. He additionally loves CCGs and when he is not enjoying video games he is mixing records.
