Aether Revolt

Aether Revolt is the 73rd Magic expansion, and the second in the Kaladesh block. It was released on January 20, 2017, and is a small expansion.

Set details
Aether Revolt contains 184 cards (70 commons, 60 uncommons, 42 rares, and 12 mythic rares) and includes randomly inserted premium versions of all cards. Ten additional cards are found in the set's planeswalker decks (2 mythic planeswalkers, 2 rares, 2 uncommons, 2 commons, and 2 common dual lands). These are numbered #185/184 to #194/184. Some Aether Revolt booster packs contain a Kaladesh Invention. The expansion symbol of the set is a Far Eastern inspired floral motive representing the "leaking spire," the symbol of the Renegades.

Storyline
It's Time to Take the Power Back

A revolt takes place on Kaladesh. Led by Pia Nalaar and aligned with aether-pirates, essence-drainers and weaponsmiths, the Renegades have seized control of large portions of Ghirapur. They seek to overthrow the authority of the Consulate. The Consulate responds with increased security and surveillance, the seizure of unregistered inventions, the monitoring of aether distribution, and the enforcement of a city-wide curfew. The Gatewatch and Ajani Goldmane support the renegades, while searching for the nefarious planeswalker Tezzeret.

Story Spotlight cards
Aether Revolt contains five Story Spotlight cards, used to showcase key moments in the story.


 * Consulate Crackdown depicts the Consulate's continued seizure of inventions.
 * Pia's Revolution depicts the rebellion against the Consulate led by Pia Nalaar.
 * Disallow depicts Baral's taunting of Chandra Nalaar in an attempt to lure her away from the rest of the Gatewatch.
 * Battle at the Bridge depicts the final battle between Tezzeret and Liliana Vess.
 * Dark Intimations foreshadows the upcoming role of Nicol Bolas in the story.

Marketing
Aether Revolt is sold in 16-card booster packs (one card being a marketing card), two planeswalker decks, and the Aether Revolt bundle. The booster packs feature artwork from Ajani Unyielding, Tezzeret the Schemer, and Maulfist Revolutionary.

Kaladesh Inventions
Kaladesh Inventions are premium foil cards with a special Kaladeshi card frame and a separate expansion symbol. They are not part of the set, but can be found in some booster packs. Kaladesh Inventions are all artifacts, include all new art and flavor text set on Kaladesh, and appear slightly more often than premium mythic rares. These cards are playable in any limited format where they are opened and in any constructed format where they are already legal. Thirty Invention cards appeared with Kaladesh and 24 in Aether Revolt.

Prerelease
Prerelease Events took place on January 14, 2017.

Promotional Cards

 * Prerelease: a stamped card that can be any rare or mythic rare from the set.
 * Launch promo: Quicksmith Rebel</c>
 * Game Day: full-art Trophy Mage</c>
 * Game Day (Top 8): full-art Yahenni's Expertise</c>
 * Buy-a-Box: Scrap Trawler</c>

Tokens / emblem
Aether Revolt features 3 tokens and 1 emblem.


 * 1)  2/2 Gremlin creature for Gremlin Infestation</c> and Release the Gremlins</c>
 * 2)  2/1 Legendary Monkey creature named  for Kari Zev, Skyship Raider</c>
 * 3)  Artifact named  for Tezzeret the Schemer</c>

Aether Revolt boosters also include cards to place energy counters on.

Themes and mechanics
Vehicles and Energy counters are carried over from the previous set. A theme of mana cost X or less is also present with numerous cards allowing for casting, returning or tutoring such cards.

There are two new named mechanics:
 * Improvise a keyword ability that enables you to pay generic mana cost with the help of your artifacts. Each artifact you tap after you're done activating mana abilities pays for.
 * Revolt an ability word that checks if a permanent you controlled left the battlefield this turn.

Cycles
Aether Revolt has six cycles:

Pairs
Aether Revolt has two mirrored pair.

Reprinted cards

 * Conviction</c>, first printed in Stronghold
 * Negate</c>, first printed in Morningtide, last seen in Conspiracy: Take the Crown.
 * Shock</c>, first printed in Stronghold, last seen in Duel Decks: Speed vs. Cunning.
 * Prey Upon</c>, first printed in Innistrad, last seen in Conspiracy: Take the Crown.

Common to Uncommon

 * Ornithopter</c>, first printed in Antiquities, last seen in Magic 2015.

Uncommon to Common

 * Tranquil Expanse</c> (Planeswalker decks), first printed in Oath of the Gatewatch.
 * Submerged Boneyard</c> (Planeswalker decks), first printed in Oath of the Gatewatch.

Functional Reprints

 * Ghirapur Osprey</c> is a functional reprint of <c>Dawn Gryff</c>, <c>Shadow Glider</c>, and <c>Wild Griffin</c> (except for creature type).
 * <c>Ravenous Intruder</c> is a functional reprint of <c>Atog</c> (except for creature type).
 * <c>Frontline Rebel</c> is a functional reprint of <c>Bloodrock Cyclops</c> (except for creature type).
 * <c>Precise Strike</c> is a functional reprint of <c>Kindled Fury</c>.
 * <c>Prizefighter Construct</c> is a functional reprint of <c>Glass Golem</c> (except for creature type).

Notable cards

 * <c>Mechanized Production</c> is an alternate-win card.
 * <c>Chandra's Revolution</c> and <c>Pia's Revolution</c>, although unconnected mechanically, share a single art piece by Clint Cearley.
 * <c>Dark Intimations</c> forshadows a Nicol Bolas planeswalker card in the Amonkhet block.
 * <c>Fatal Push</c> is a powerful removal that saw tournament play - notably for Modern, which filled the strange gap in which Black had the weakest removal in the format compared to <c>Lightning Bolt</c> and <c>Path to Exile</c>. With fetchlands making Revolt fairly trivial, the ability to remove almost all the powerful two-drop creatures at a mana profit revived Black as a color.

Banned and Restricted cards

 * <c>Felidar Guardian</c>, as part of the <c>Saheeli Rai</c> combo, received the dubious honor of being the first card in 18 years (since <c>Memory Jar</c> in Urza's Legacy) to be emergency banned, after the release of Amonkhet.
 * <c>Rogue Refiner</c> was one of the two chosen Energy sources (the other being <c>Attune with Aether</c>) to be banned in order to weaken the Temur Energy deck after the release of Ixalan, as its midrange shell was stronger than anything else in the format. Being a cantrip, a curve-relevant body, and coming with two energy meant it often converted into two or more cards easily.

Preconstructed decks
Aether Revolt has two planeswalker decks: