Supplemental Magic products don’t normally have Prerelease weekends, but Modern Horizons isn’t your usual supplemental Magic product. The set is the first to bypass Standard and feed cards directly into the Modern format, and it’ll be the star of three main events at MagicFests this month. Like the original Modern Masters set, Modern Horizons is poised to become a fan favorite, and enfranchised players everywhere can’t wait to get their hands on it.
If you’re heading to a Prerelease this weekend, here are a few tips that we hope will be useful.
A Different Type of Prerelease
Before we get into the nuances of Modern Horizons itself, let’s talk about how Prerelease events will be structured.
If you’ve been playing in Magic Prereleases for the last several years, the Modern Horizons Prerelease may be a bit different than what you’re accustomed to. There are no Prerelease kits, no seeded packs, no spin-down dice or deckbuilding tips – just six packs of Modern Horizons. It may be challenging, but we think you can do it! If you’re unsure of how to build your deck, a friend or neighbor may be able to help you during deck-building.
Modern Horizons Prereleases are also less structured than other Magic Prereleases. WPN stores will each receive an allocation of product from Wizards of the Coast, based on their WPN status, and they may distribute that product however they wish. They may choose to sell any amount of product directly to customers, and they may allocate as much as they choose to Prerelease events. Some stores will choose to host sealed Prerelease events; others may choose to host booster drafts instead. We recommend calling your local game store ahead of time to confirm what types of events they’ll be hosting this weekend.
Don’t Be Afraid of Change(ling)
Okay, now for the most important part: What should you keep in mind while playing Modern Horizons this weekend?
One of the overarching themes of Modern Horizons is tribal synergy. Slivers are the most prominent tribe, with thirteen new members joining the hive, but there are also ninjas, goblins, and bears (oh my!). Some of these creatures are great on their own, but others are at their best when they’re surrounded by other creatures of their type.
So, when you only have seven ninjas in the set, how do you get the most value out of a card like Ingenious Infiltrator? Shapeshifters, of course!
Modern Horizons includes ten shapeshifters with the changeling creature type, which means that they have all creature types at once. They’re ninjas, AND goblins, AND bears (oh my!). If your draft or sealed deck includes any tribal synergies, consider playing at least a couple of these creatures.
Take Your Time
Modern Horizons features 45 keyword mechanics. That’s a lot to keep track of, especially if you haven’t encountered any of these mechanics before.
Your Prerelease should be a casual environment to explore these new cards and mechanics. Take your time reading cards during deck-building, and during your games. If you aren’t sure how a mechanic works, or how two mechanics interact with one another, ask a judge! They’re there to help.
Have Fun!
We hope you have a blast at your Modern Horizons Prerelease events this weekend. Be sure to tweet at us at @Card_Kingdom and tell us about your sickest plays!