Tarkir's Dragonstorm Unveiled in Magic: The Gathering Preview

If you're a fan of Magic: The Gathering, the upcoming set Tarkir: Dragonstorm is sure to ignite your passion for the game. Set to release on April 11 and available for pre-order now, this expansion returns players to the vibrant plane of Tarkir, bringing with it an array of powerful new creatures, nostalgic characters, and innovative mechanics to spice up deck-building strategies.

Wizards of the Coast has begun unveiling the set's contents, and as a proud owner of the Scion of the Ur-Dragon Commander deck, I can already predict my friends’ reactions when I introduce my latest additions. With its focus on dragons and clans, Tarkir: Dragonstorm promises to deliver an immersive experience that both newcomers and seasoned players will enjoy.

What to Expect From Tarkir: Dragonstorm

For those unfamiliar with Tarkir, it's a world divided into five distinct clans, each led by a powerful Khan. These clans—Abzan Houses (White, Black, Green), Jeskai Way (Blue, Red, White), Mardu Horde (Red, White, Black), Sultai Brood (Black, Green, Blue), and Temur Frontier (Green, Blue, Red)—are defined by unique playstyles and mechanics. Wizards has teased some of the jaw-dropping dragons that will undoubtedly shape gameplay, ensuring players face thrilling challenges and opportunities.

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 A risen

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

To make each clan stand out, Wizards has crafted exclusive mechanics tailored to their three-color identities. For instance, Jeskai’s Flurry rewards casting a second spell in a turn, while Sultai’s Renew allows exiling a specific card from the graveyard to grant counters to surviving creatures. Mardu’s Mobilize creates temporary creatures that vanish at the end of the turn, reinforcing their aggressive playstyle. Temur’s Harmonize mirrors Flashback, letting players replay cards from the graveyard at a reduced cost by tapping creatures. Meanwhile, Abzan’s Endure triggers whenever a non-token creature dies, providing benefits such as +1/+1 counters.

And of course, no Dragonstorm would be complete without the dragons themselves. Two new mechanics—Omen and Behold—are shaking things up. Omen lets players cast cards as creatures or spells, with a twist: if cast as a spell, it shuffles back into the deck for another chance later. Behold, on the other hand, triggers when revealing a dragon from your hand or controlling one on the battlefield. For example, Sarkhan, Dragon Ascendant, generates a Treasure token upon playing and Behold triggering. These mechanics transcend clan boundaries, adding versatility to deck-building.

MTG - Tarkir: Dragonstorm Preview - Art

8 Images

But let’s face it—the dragons are the stars of the show. One highlight so far is Betor, Kin to All (2WBG), a formidable force that triggers diverse effects at the end of your turn based on the total toughness of creatures you control. These range from drawing cards to untapping all your creatures or even forcing opponents to lose half their life. With a base toughness of 7, Betor makes it easy to activate at least the card draw trigger, while pairing it with heavyweights like Utvara Hellkite or Ancient Gold Dragon amplifies its life loss potential.

Ugin is back, too, now as a colorless planeswalker. Ugin, Eye of the Storms (7) is destined to become a cornerstone in colorless decks, particularly Eldrazi builds, thanks to his passive ability that exiles target permanents whenever you cast a colorless spell. His -11 ability is nothing short of game-changing: search your library for any number of colorless non-land cards, exile them, then cast them for free until the end of the turn. Starting with seven loyalty and a +2 ability, he can reach that threshold quickly if adequately protected.

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

6 Images

Beyond the Final Fantasy crossover set, Tarkir: Dragonstorm is my most anticipated Magic release this year. With less than a month to go until launch, much of the set remains under wraps, but my Scion deck is already primed for an upgrade. I’m crossing my fingers for the return of legendary dragons like Atarka and Ojutai—or perhaps an exciting new five-color dragon. Either way, Tarkir: Dragonstorm is shaping up to be a thrilling addition to the Magic universe when it hits shelves on April 11.