Tarkir: Dragonstorm Takes Flight, Promising a Dragon-Fueled Return to Basics
Magic: The Gathering’s enduring love affair with dragons is no secret. They’re woven into the fabric of the game’s lore, immortalized in stunning card art, and occasionally even find themselves roaming the dungeons of its sister property, Dungeons & Dragons. As Magic embarks on its next original expansion, "Tarkir: Dragonstorm," it signals a deliberate return to familiar territory, albeit with a fiery twist. While the game is poised to embrace a future punctuated by crossovers, "Dragonstorm" seeks to ground players in the core elements that define Magic, and in this case, that means confronting dragons head-on.
"Tarkir: Dragonstorm" serves as the climactic chapter in a trilogy of narratives that began with August 2024’s "Bloomburrow" and extends to an unnamed set slated for release in late 2025. This storyline revisits the plane of Tarkir, a world first introduced in the 2014 "Khans of Tarkir" block. The setting is a plane scarred by rebellions against the five Dragon Lords, resulting in a volatile environment and the emergence of dangerous new breeds of dragons. The planeswalkers Elspeth and Narset join forces to investigate this burgeoning dragon threat, which has been subtly brewing throughout the previous expansions. They find themselves in opposition to Sarkhan, who is determined to solidify dragonkind’s dominion over Tarkir and potentially extend their reach to other planes.
Dragons are central to "Dragonstorm," not only in the narrative but also in the card designs and gameplay mechanics. The set features a plethora of dragon cards, ranging from common creatures to powerful, game-altering legends. Beyond the sheer number of dragons, their presence is emphasized through variant card designs, including draconic frames and collector-booster-exclusive lands showcasing dragon eyes or classic land types dominated by the shadow of a soaring dragon.
The set introduces two primary mechanics designed to enhance the dragon-centric gameplay. The first, "Behold," adds a new keyword to Magic’s vocabulary. Senior Game Designer Adam Prosak describes "Behold" as a way to improve card readability and clearly indicate the importance of dragons within a deck. Functionally, "Behold" allows a player to demonstrate the presence of a dragon card, either in their hand or on the battlefield, to activate an ability on another card. This mechanic encourages players to build decks with a critical mass of dragons, rewarding them for doing so.
The second major mechanic, "Omen," addresses the inherent challenge of incorporating high-cost creatures into a deck. High mana cost dragons are powerful, but can lead to slow and ineffective starts if a player fails to draw sufficient mana. This ability allows certain dragon cards to be useful even before they can be cast. "Omen" is an instant ability that allows a player to draw a certain number of cards and then shuffle the card with "Omen" back into their library. This essentially turns the dragon into a card draw spell, providing utility in the early game and the potential to draw the dragon again later when the player has sufficient mana.
While "Dragonstorm" is heavily focused on dragons, it also acknowledges the established lore of Tarkir, specifically the five major clans introduced in the "Khans of Tarkir" block. Product Designer Athena Froehlich emphasizes the importance of capturing the essence of the original Tarkir block while integrating the new dragon themes. The clans – Abzan, Mardu, Jeskai, Sultai, and Temur – are all returning in "Dragonstorm," each with unique mechanics that define their archetypes.
Each clan also has an allied spirit dragon, linking them thematically to the dragon rebellions. The Abzan clan introduces "Endures," which grants creatures bonus power and toughness or creates new spirit tokens. The Jeskai clan features "Flurry," which provides bonuses if a player casts a second spell in their turn. The Mardu clan utilizes "Mobilize," which allows cards to create temporary 1/1 warriors, synergizing with cards that benefit from having extra creatures. The Sultai clan introduces "Renew," which allows players to exile a creature from the graveyard in exchange for granting bonus counters, including keyword counters like Lifelink or Deathtouch, to their cards in play. The Temur clan uses "Harmonize," a variation of Flashback that allows players to cast sorceries and instants from the graveyard for a higher cost, which can be reduced by tapping creatures in play, capitalizing on the Temur’s connection to powerful creatures and spells.
These clan mechanics are further explored in the five Commander decks accompanying "Dragonstorm," each centered around a specific Tarkir clan. The decks synergize around two potential commanders: the clan leader or their corresponding spirit dragon. These decks synthesize the set’s themes around both the major factions that define Tarkir and the powerful dragons that may ultimately threaten the plane’s existence.
"Tarkir: Dragonstorm" promises to be a flavorful and exciting set, combining the beloved elements of Tarkir with a compelling dragon-centric theme. By revisiting familiar characters and mechanics while introducing innovative gameplay concepts, "Dragonstorm" aims to deliver a satisfying experience for both seasoned Magic players and newcomers alike. The set’s focus on dragons, coupled with the return of the iconic clans, ensures that “Tarkir: Dragonstorm” will be a memorable and impactful addition to Magic: The Gathering’s long and storied history when it releases on April 11.
