MTG: The Art of War – ‘Lord of the Ring’ Spoilers
Head back to the glorious realm of Middle-earth with these holiday bundles and exciting releases — including a new scroll treatment.
Welcome in, Praetors and Planeswalkers! If you’re anything like me, then you loved the Tales of Middle-earth Magic set. While it wasn’t perfect (but what set is), it felt to me like a perfect blend of two of my favorite properties. My Shelob Food deck and Eowyn “Riders” deck are two of my absolute favorite Commander decks. So, as you can imagine, I was stoked to learn about the upcoming Holiday releases. We’ll be returning to Middle-earth with four character boxes, a second run of Jumpstart cards, and some new old-school reprints. MagicCon previewed all the goods early, but here are a few sneak peeks to tide you over until Festivus.
Character Art Boxes
Starting things off, we have four thematic boxes based on a famous hero (or villain) from the Lord of the Rings universe. The nine cards included in each box can be arranged to form a beautiful piece of art. However, you’ll probably want to include these powerhouses in your library. Each card is based around a keyword like renown, “alliance,” or undying. Whether you want to represent Aragorn’s heroic stand at Helm’s Deep or the Witch King’s devastating charge into the lands of Gondor, there’s a box for you. Gandalf’s box is my personal favorite, but each one has its merits. I’ll probably end up picking them all up, even just to display them.
Hildebrant Art Cards
In addition to the new art boxes, fans of old-school LotR are getting spoiled this holiday. The Brothers Hildebrandt, famous for their illustrations for both the ’76-’78 Lord of the Rings calendars and the first Star Wars movie poster, are getting special alternate editions of chase rares. These will be randomly inserted into Special Edition Collector Boosters, and while only a few have been revealed so far, many more are on the way. This is a great way to remember Tim Hildebrandt, who tragically passed away in 2006.
Scroll Treatment Art
Also included in the Collector Boosters are special Scroll Treatment cards. These cares have slightly washed-out art and parchment coloration, giving them the look of old manuscripts. Several popular heroes are getting the treatment, including Aragorn and, of course, Bill the Pony. The art is a little strange on these since it doesn’t reach the edges, but it’s still a gorgeous set of cards.
Jumpstart Boosters
Alongside the Collector Boosters, players can expect the return of themed Jumpstart Boosters. These are great ways to get into the game, since a few Jumpstarts thrown together can make a working Standard deck. Even veteran players will want to snag a pack or two, though. There are some powerful pieces sitting in the rare slot, like the Riders of the Mark and Warg Rider. My previously mentioned Eowyn deck will definitely be adding a few of these.
