After twenty years of traveling the planes, it was time to go home. Magic: The Gathering is returning to the realm of Dominaria in its latest set, which is meant to celebrate the twenty-fifth anniversary of the game.
Dominaria was the setting for the earliest Magic: The Gathering sets, which would then form the basis for several novels based on the game. Magic would go on to branch out to other planes, many of which were based on specific themes, such as ancient Egypt or gothic horror. The creators of the game have decided to return to Dominaria and give the players a glimpse at the changes made to the setting after such a long absence.
The creation of a new set that returns to a classic setting has prompted the creators of Magic to introduce several new rules that reflect Dominaria’s importance within the setting, as well as bringing back some classic rules with new additions. We are here today to break down the upcoming changes to the Dominaria set of Magic: The Gathering, which is due to be released on April the 27th.
The Saga Frontier
Saga cards are a brand new type of enchantment that is being introduced as part of the Dominaria set. Sagas represent the history of the setting and their effects are meant to tell stories of their own. Sagas are also unique in the way in which the text and the artwork are stacked vertically next to each other, which allows the player to instantly identify them.
Each Saga card has three effects that are triggered by lore counters. When a Saga is played, you add a lore counter. You then add an additional lore counter after your draw step but before your first main phase begins, which activates the effect of the next stage. All Saga cards have three stages, with the card being sacrificed after the third effect is resolved.
A Saga is still classed as being an enchantment, which means that any cards that affect enchantments will also affect Sagas. All Saga cards are also considered to be historic cards, which is detailed below.
History of Benalia is the Saga card depicted above. When you first play the card, you add a lore counter and summon a 2/2 Knight token that has vigilance. If History of Benalia is still on the field at the start of your next turn, then you summon another Knight. On the following turn, you add another lore counter and trigger History of Benalia’s final effect, which gives all Knights +2/+1 until the end of the turn. You then sacrifice History of Benalia.
The Return Of The Kicker
When developing the Dominaria set, the creators decided that they want to bring back an old mechanic and use it with the new cards. They went with the Kicker mechanic in the end, as it was simple to use and didn’t contradict or step on any other rules that had been introduced since it debuted.
The terms Kicker and kicked are pretty easy to explain and many older Magic fans will likely already be familiar with its effect. A Kicker is an optional cost that you can pay along with the regular cost of the card, in order to gain an additional effect. Using the Kicker is up to the discretion of the player and the card will work regardless of whether it is used or not.
The Blink of an Eye card shown above has the Kicker effect. If played without paying the extra cost, then you have the ability to return an opponent’s nonland permanent back to their hand. If you choose to pay the additional two mana, then the card is considered “kicked” and you also draw an extra card, along with the original effect.
What Once Was Historic Is Now New
The term “historic” appears in the effects of several new cards in the Dominaria set. Historic cards actually refer to several different kinds of cards which are considered to share the meaning. A historic card refers to any artifact, legendary, or Saga spell.
Jhoira, Weatherlight Captain is a famous character from the lore of the early Magic sets, so it stands to reason that she would be greatly affected by historic cards, as she literally represents the history of the game.
The way in which Jhoira uses historic cards is as a constant effect whenever she is on the field. The player gets to draw a free card everytime a historic card is cast. This means that you draw a free card every time you play an Artifact, a legendary creature/sorcery, and a Saga.
The term “cast” that is used in Jhoira’s effect refers to the fact that these cards need to be played from the hand in the regular manner, which means that historic cards that are played through the effect of another card will not trigger Jhoira’s effect.
The Power Of Legendary Sorceries
Legendary sorcery cards are considered to represent the most powerful uses of magical powers that have ever occurred in the history of the Magic: The Gathering universe. These spells tend to have a high cost and a strict requirement for their use, but their sheer power makes them worth it.
You can only cast a legendary sorcery if you control a legendary creature or planeswalker. Once you begin to cast the legendary sorcery, the effect will still go off, even if the legendary creature or planeswalker is removed by an opponent’s effect before it is resolved.
Yawgmoth’s Vile Offering requires five mana (one of which needs to be black) in order to be cast, as well as needing a legendary creature or planeswalker on the field. If these requirements are met, then you can return one creature or planeswalker from any player’s graveyard to the field, while destroying one creature or planeswalker that belongs to your opponent.
