Dwarves: At the Height of their Powers
Before it established its own original fantasy worlds, Magic: The Gathering was one of many fantasy games to borrow heavily from The Lord of the Rings. Tolkien-esque elves, dwarves and goblins all featured prominently in its early sets, and were among the first creature types to receive dedicated typal support. But where elves and goblins went on to become cornerstones ... Read More...
Magic Will Visit Multiple New Planes in 2027
Wizards of the Coast has revealed that Magic’s 2027 release schedule will include multiple sets based on brand new original IP. The February ‘27 set will be Nauctis: The Sunken Realm a colorful underwater world of merfolk and fish-creatures. October will then see the release of Zhalfir, which focuses on the planeswalker Teferi’s temporally-displaced homeland. Wizards also revealed a third ... Read More...
Did Dragon’s Desire Finally Fix Dockside Extortionist?
Dockside Extortionist was banned in Commander in September 2024. It’s a busted little Magic card, and while many were sad to see it go, it was simply too powerful for the format as written. What would a “fixed” Dockside Extortionist look like, and does The Hobbit’s Dragon’s Desire fit the role? DOCKSIDE EXTORTIONIST Dockside is a two-mana creature that enters and ... Read More...
Amassing Value With Amass
Magic: the Gathering | The Hobbit releases on August 14th, 2026 and we are currently in the midst of preview season. The set features tons of amazing new cards and mechanics that bring Tolkien’s iconic 1937 novel to life. However, I’m most excited about a returning mechanic – Amass. This mechanic represents Middle Earth’s seemingly endless Goblin armies. In this ... Read More...
9 Ways to Break The New Elf Commander Thranduil, the Elvenking
The Hobbit releases August 14th, and previews continue to roll out some enticing new cards to brew around. One such card is a new Elf Typal card: Thranduil, the Elvenking. The father of Legolas, Thranduil rules over the realm of Mirkwood during The Hobbit. His card is pretty strong – and can be broken in more ways than one. THRANDUIL, ... Read More...
Tempting Fate: Why the Ringbearer Mechanic Fails
In a recent article on how high-level design choices made for The Hobbit, Mark Rosewater discussed which aspects of The Lord of the Rings: Tales of Middle-earth were worth carrying over to this new set. There were several mechanical wins deemed “must re-use” for how well they captured the feeling of Tolkien’s world on the tabletop. Others were put in ... Read More...
The Hobbit is a Landmark Set for Universes Beyond Reprints
Back in February, we contemplated whether The Hobbit would be a decisive set for Universes Beyond when it comes to reprints. Would it deliver on the potential to reprint iconic cards, or drip feed only a few choice pieces? The Debut Panel at MagicCon Amsterdam has put any doubts to bed – The Hobbit is kinda stacked with Tales of ... Read More...