Tarkir…now that’s a name in MtG that hasn’t been heard in a few years.
Wait, what was that? TEN AND A HALF YEARS?!
For those of you who are long-time players, try not to turn into the same dust you see so ubiquitously in the Khans of Tarkir artwork. Fortunately, Dragonstorm should be able to help reconstitute your form and bring some freshness to this really unique story and concept within the fiction and mechanics of Magic: the Gathering. Though instead of refreshing rains falling down out of the sky it appears that it is dragons – hence the name.
There’s plenty of storyline elements to geek out on if you are a lore hound, but as newer players may not be aware of those (and to avoid spoilers) let’s shift our focus more towards the play side of the set. However, if you aren’t aware of the themes in the past Tarkir cycle that will be carried forward into Dragonstorm, we highly encourage you to look into them. Better yet, these kinds of conversations are excellent for table talk at your friendly local game store – US! Earn that nerd cred!
Moving on, Tarkir: Dragonstorm will be available at The POP! Shop starting on Saturday, April 5, 2025 with a prerelease as well as Play & Collector Boosters, Commander Decks, and Bundles. You can build decks around your favorite clan through Play Boosters ($5.29), Collector Boosters ($29.99), Commander Decks ($44.99), and Bundles ($53.99) will also come with a custom d20! The POP! Shop will also be supporting this new storyline in the Magic multiverse through events. Be sure to stop by the store to delve into lore, challenge each other through new tech, and see who is the first to find the various Easter eggs that will be hidden throughout the art and flavor text.
You’ll find that “enemy color” wedges (unlike those in Shards of Alara) still feature prominently as they did in Khans all those years ago. However, the way this is expressed does get that refreshing rain mentioned above. As the publisher describes them, each clan has the following abilities:
JESKAI (URW) – Flurry: Flurry is an ability word, and each flurry ability has a different effect. Each flurry ability is a triggered ability that triggers whenever you cast your second spell in a turn. It doesn’t matter what happened to the first spell. It may have resolved or been countered. It may even still be on the stack! The flurry ability will resolve before the spell that caused it to trigger.
Note that flurry abilities can trigger only once each turn, and creatures with flurry abilities have to be under your control to see that spell being cast. They don’t have to see the first spell, though. If Devoted Duelist is your second spell in a turn, it won’t trigger itself, but it can be your first spell, as long as it resolves before you cast your second.
MARDU (RWB) – Mobilize: The number after mobilize indicates how many tapped and attacking 1/1 red Warrior creature tokens you’ll create as the ability resolves. Once mobilize triggers, it doesn’t matter what happens to the creature that attacked. You’ll create the tokens even if that creature is no longer on the battlefield as the ability resolves, and you’ll sacrifice the tokens at the beginning of the next end step even if that creature isn’t around at that time.
Like other creatures that enter tapped and attacking, the tokens are never declared as attackers, so they won’t trigger any “whenever a creature attacks” abilities.
SULTAI (BGU) – Renew: Renew is an ability word, and each renew ability has a different effect, although they have some things in common. All renew abilities include exiling the card with renew as part of the activation cost, and all of them can be activated only as a sorcery. All renew effects also involve putting counters on creatures—often +1/+1 counters, sometimes others. Sometimes there are additional effects. It’s a bountiful variety, something the Sultai would truly appreciate.
TEMUR (GUR) – Harmonize: Harmonize allows you to cast a card from your graveyard by paying its harmonize cost rather than paying its mana cost. In addition, if you cast it this way, you may tap an untapped creature you control as an additional cost to cast that spell. If you do, the total amount of mana you pay is reduced by that creature’s power. For example, if you cast Roamer’s Routine from your graveyard and also tap a creature you control with power 3, you’ll pay only (1)(G).
The cost reduction applies only to the generic mana in the cost, so even if you tapped a creature with power 15, you’d still pay (G) to cast Roamer’s Routine from your graveyard. The Temur might suggest better things to do with a creature with that much power, but you do you. You don’t have to tap a creature if you don’t want to (or can’t), in which case you’ll just pay the full harmonize cost.
Surveil (Look at the top card of your library. You may put it into your graveyard.) comes back as an evergreen ability, and we’re also going to see monocolor hybrid, or “twobrid,” mana to help you get your cards into play.
What will have players excited and cause some fun at the tables will be players exclaiming “BEHOLD!” as that is a new ability in the set. Cards with behold will instruct you to reveal a specific card type from your hand or pay an extra cost to cast the spell. No bonus points for exclaiming the word, but that’s why we have Un-sets, isn’t it?
The last mechanic to discuss, and the conclusion to this article giving you awesome things to talk about with your friends, is that of “Omen.” An Omen is similar to Adventure cards, but in this case it will allow you to cast the effect on a creature card as an instant or sorcery as instructed. Then, as long as it resolved, you get to shuffle that card back into your library! Just be sure to remember that if a card with Omen is in the graveyard, it only counts as a creature and not an instant or sorcery.
There’s plenty to discover as the skies upon up over this older setting in Magic history. How does Ugin fit into all of this? What have the warring clans done during the interlude? Will we see more time-travel themes?
There is only one way to find out and that’s to stop by The POP! Shop to expand your collection, talk with friends, and partake in our organized play events.
Prerelease Event: Tarkir: Dragonstorm
Main Event
April 5, 2025. (Saturday)
Format: Sealed Deck.
Rules Enforcement Level: Casual
Pairing Method: Swiss pairings
Prizes: A total of 40 Tarkir: Dragonstorm Play Booster are give away at the Prerelease Main Event. Additional Pinfinity AR pins will be given to players who register and participate in two or more Prerelease events at The POP Shop using their Wizards Account. (Supplies are limited, so join in early). Every Prerelease kit inlcudes one Foil Date Stamp card to commemorate the event.
What is a Prerelease?
A Prerelease is a celebratory event where players get their first chance to experience the newest Magic: The Gathering set. Participants receive a Prerelease Pack, build a 40-card Sealed deck, and engage in a casual tournament setting.
For Tarkir: Dragonstorm, there are five distinct Prerelease Packs, each corresponding to one of Tarkir’s clans. Participants may select the clan of thier choice, while supplies last.
Additional Details:
The Main Tournament Prerelease events (with structured rounds) is hosted on Saturday by The POP Shop, and At-Home Prereleases are available throughout the week starting Friday, April 4. For At-Home Prerelease, players are provided with a Prerelease Pack to enjoy outside the store.
The legendary plane of Tarkir, where dragons and clans clash in an epic battle for dominance. As dragonstorms rage across the skies, the five clans unite with their newly awakened Spirit Dragons to seize control of the land. Experience Tarkir’s distinct three-color gameplay and discover which clan matches your playstyle.
Unleash the Power of Tarkir: Dragons vs. Clans
Prepare for battle with Play Boosters—the ultimate way to enjoy Magic with friends and dive into the world of Tarkir. These boosters are perfect for building powerful decks, balanced for Limited play, and guaranteed to include at least one shiny foil card.
Unlock the Power of Tarkir with Collector Boosters
Collector Boosters are the ultimate way to score the most sought-after cards and the fiercest dragons. Each Collector Booster is packed with Rares and Mythics, Traditional Foils, stunning Full-Art lands, and more. You might even uncover one of 500 exclusive Serialized headliner cards—available only in English, but possible to pull from any Tarkir: Dragonstorm Collector Booster, regardless of language.
Lead Your Clan to Victory with Tarkir Commander Decks
Choose your clan and challenge your friends with Commander decks featuring a legendary clan leader of Tarkir and a powerful Spirit Dragon. These decks are ready to play right out of the box, providing everything you need to dive into Magic’s most popular multiplayer format.
Take Back the Skies with the Tarkir Bundle
Gear up for battle with a box packed with 9 Play Boosters, 15 foil lands, a premium foil bundle card, and an oversized spindown die. Prepare to reclaim the skies and dominate the battlefield!
