WeeklyMTG: Lost Caverns of Ixalan Debut Stream
There are secrets buried on the plane of Ixalan, but to find them, we need to go deeper. Check out the exciting cards coming to Magic!
Ixalan has always been one of the most popular MTG tourist destinations. The combination of traditional Mesoamerican themes with symbiotic dinosaurs has captured the hearts of hundreds of fans worldwide. Now, in the wake of the Phyrexian invasion, the plane is divided. Four powerful factions have risen up, each vying for a place in the new Ixalan. But to succeed here, they’ll need to delve deep underground and uncover the secrets buried in the Lost Caverns.
The new set is full to bursting with exciting new cards, mechanics, and gorgeous art treatments. Blake Rasmussen sat down with Miguel Lopez and Andrew Brown to show off some of the awesome things headed our way.
Returning Heroes
Several familiar faces are returning to the plane of Ixalan, though not all of them are originally from there. Huatli is back, along with her beloved Saheeli, but they’ll be venturing into the caverns with a newly minted young planeswalker: Quintorius of Strixhaven.
This young loxodon explorer has awakened his spark and is happy to help the Empire of the Sun reconnect with their ancient ancestors. His card is phenomenal, giving him access to tokens, exile abilities, and the brand-new “discover” keyword (more on that in a moment).
The other factions have some friends coming back as well. One of my personal favorites is Malcolm, the winged pirate of old. He’s back to help you filter your hand and then cast a bunch of your goodies for free.
There are a lot more heroes and villains headed our way, so stay tuned for other previews!
New Mechanics
As with any new Magic set, new mechanics are sweeping in to change how you play. Map tokens, for example, are artifacts that allow you to explore, digging for lands and boosting your creatures in the process. There’s also “craft with artifact”, a new mechanic on double-faced cards that lets you make new pieces out of junk you find on the journey.
By paying the cost and exiling the requisite artifacts, you get to make something new, like a vehicle, tool, or powerful new artifact to power your deck. Of course, a set about exploration needs treasure, and that’s where “discover” comes in.
Discover is like cascade, but better. It looks for a specific cost of a card, and then if you DON’T cast the spell immediately, you can put it into your hand. That’s a powerful way to save your cards. and still get the free value off your cast. There’s a lot more exciting stuff in the works here, too, like an ability that gets stronger the bigger your graveyard is…
Gorgeous Reprints
There are a lot of awesome cards from days of old that are coming back in a big way. Growing Rites of Itlimoc, Mana Crypt, and Cavern of Souls are all back, and there’s bound to be a lot more. I can’t wait to see what else gets released.
Check out the release video here. Are you excited for this set?
