New Tarkir Set Unveils 5 Cards: Dragonstorm in Magic: The Gathering

While Magic: The Gathering's high-profile crossovers with franchises like Final Fantasy and Spider-Man have been capturing attention, the upcoming set, Tarkir: Dragonstorm, is quickly approaching. This set brings us back to the beloved plane of Tarkir, and we're thrilled to offer an exclusive first look at five cards that are likely to be game-changers at the draft tables next month. You can already preorder the expansion on Amazon.

Take a moment to flip through the gallery below to see all five cards, and continue reading for insights from Wizards of the Coast on their design and the set's overarching theme.

Magic: The Gathering - 5 New Cards from Tarkir: Dragonstorm

6 Images

These five cards form what is known as a "cycle," each belonging to one of Magic's colors but sharing common design elements. They are all inexpensive, common-rarity creatures that feature abilities linked to one of Tarkir's three-color clans, and they also allow you to convert mana into a color associated with that clan.

"Three-color limited environments require ample mana fixing across all rarities," explains Adam Prosak, Senior Game Designer at Wizards of the Coast. "Our goal was to ensure that many decks could access mana fixing easily, so we developed several designs to address mana issues. These creatures not only help you play to the board but also develop your mana simultaneously, unlike other designs like tapped lands, which solely focus on mana and can put you at a disadvantage."

Preorder MTG Tarkir: Dragonstorm Cards

Magic: The Gathering Tarkir: Dragonstorm - Play Booster Box

0$164.70 at Amazon

Magic: The Gathering Tarkir: Dragonstorm - Collector Booster Box

0$299.88 at Amazon

Magic: The Gathering Tarkir: Dragonstorm - Collector Booster

0$24.99 at Amazon

Magic: The Gathering Tarkir: Dragonstorm - Commander Deck Bundle - Includes All 5 Decks

0$224.95 at Amazon

Magic: The Gathering Tarkir: Dragonstorm Commander Deck - Abzan Armor

0$44.99 at Amazon

Magic: The Gathering Tarkir: Dragonstorm Commander Deck - Jeskai Striker

0$44.99 at Amazon

Magic: The Gathering Tarkir: Dragonstorm Commander Deck - Sultai Arisen

0$44.99 at Amazon

Magic: The Gathering Tarkir: Dragonstorm Commander Deck - Mardu Surge

0$44.99 at Amazon

Magic: The Gathering Tarkir: Dragonstorm Commander Deck - Temur Roar

0$44.99 at Amazon

Lauren Bond, Senior Worldbuilding Designer, highlights that while the mechanics were the initial focus for this cycle, common cards often serve as a canvas to paint the world of the set. She elaborates on the unique characteristics of each clan: "The passionate, action-oriented monks of the Jeskai, the Whispers using Temur magic, Nagas in the Sultai as protectors (and avengers) of the jungle, Mardu's military prowess including supporting roles (and the fact that dragons can come in many shapes and sizes!), and the Abzan clerics regrowing the lost kin trees."

Recent Magic sets have faced criticism for relying too heavily on thematic gimmicks, even when revisiting established planes. However, Tarkir: Dragonstorm stands out with its straightforward return to Tarkir. Forrest Schehl, Senior Worldbuilding Art Director, acknowledges the value of such feedback to Wizards of the Coast. He notes that "the top-level pitch for Tarkir was established well before the release of Murders at Karlov Manor and the sets that followed, and it remained unchanged afterward. We aimed to blend Dragons and Clans in a way that hadn't been done before on Tarkir, with Dragonstorms playing a pivotal role in shaping our approach. Lauren and I felt the pressure to get it right from the start, as we wanted to build the next chapter of this beloved plane with authenticity and substance."

Tarkir: Dragonstorm is available for preorder now, set to release in both paper and digital formats on April 11, with in-store prerelease events beginning on April 4. Continue reading for the complete interview with Wizards of the Coast's Adam Prosak, Lauren Bond, and Forrest Schehl.