Wilds of Eldraine | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Set Information | |||||
Set symbol | |||||
Symbol description | An open storybook with a diamond nestled in the pages | ||||
Design | Chris Mooney (lead), Mark Rosewater, Erik Lauer, Jenna Helland, Doug Beyer, Dan Musser, Annie Sardelis | ||||
Development | Ian Duke (lead), Chris Mooney, Reggie Valk, Daniel Holt, James Rose, Ethan Fleischer, Daniel Xu, Andrew Brown, Michael Majors, Neale LaPlante Johnson, Sam Jiang | ||||
Art direction | Andrew Vallas | ||||
Release date | September 8, 2023 | ||||
Plane | Eldraine | ||||
Themes and mechanics | Adventures, Enchantment matters, Food, Roles | ||||
Keywords/ability words | Bargain, Celebration | ||||
Set size | 266 + 115 | ||||
Expansion code | WOE[1] | ||||
Development codename | Netball | ||||
Standard | |||||
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Magic: The Gathering Chronology | |||||
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Wilds of Eldraine is the ninety-seventh Magic expansion. It was released on September 8, 2023.[2][3][4][5]
Set details[ | ]
“ | A Tale Only You Can Tell | ” |
Wilds of Eldraine contains 266 regular cards (101 commons, 80 uncommons, 60 rares, 20 mythic rares, 5 basic lands), and includes randomly inserted traditional foil versions of all cards. The regular cards include 5 full-art "fairy tale" basic lands by Hari & Deepti (#262-266). Normal basic lands are #267-276. Alternate card frames have a different card number than the original version.[6] Storybook showcase cards are #277-296. Borderless cards are #297-307, the new Jumpstart cards are #308-322 and extended art cards are #323-374. Promo cards are numbered #375-381.
Wilds of Eldraine Set Boosters feature Universes Within versions of the Secret Lair Drop Series: The Walking Dead characters (SLX #018-023).[4]
There is no Standard Rotation connected to this set. Going forward, sets will rotate out every three years rather than every two years.
Storyline[ | ]
The storybook world of Eldraine awaits as we venture beyond the Realm into the darker Wilds, filled with fairy-tale wonder — and danger. The witch Eriette, her sisters, and Talion are responsible for a curse that’s lying over the land as others vie for power in a land looking for leadership. As Will Kenrith takes up his father’s sword and seeks peace as a way to fix his home, his twin sister Rowan, now a Strixhaven-trained mage, thinks she can gain enough magical power to make everything back to the way it was. Meanwhile the non-desparked planeswalker Ashiok has arrived to profit from the Wicked Slumber nobody can wake up from.[4]
Meanwhile, a young human with fae blood begins his journey in the Wilds as the Fae Lord Talion tasks him with vanquishing the three witch sisters to end the Wicked Slumber once and for all[7]. Along his adventures, he meets a red-hooded scout[8] and a Vedalken from a city far, far away[9]. He learns that his fae ancestry is more extraordinary than he would ever imagine and continues his quest to seek more answers about it by setting foot into a most peculiar portal[10].
This visit delves much heavier into the fairy tales and less into the Arthurian legend, though it's still in the set.[11] Wilds of Eldraine is the first set in the three-year Omenpath Arc, with creatures from elsewhere randomly showing up on the planes where the story takes place.
The cards that represent the Story Spotlights in Wilds of Eldraine are:
Magic Story[ | ]
Title | Author | Publishing date | Setting (plane) | Featuring |
---|---|---|---|---|
Episode 1: Pure of Heart | K. Arsenault Rivera | 2023-08-08 | Eldraine | Will, Rowan, Imodane, Kellan, Alyse, Ronald, Hex, Matilda Cotter (mentioned), Talion |
Episode 2: Wandering Knight, Budding Hero | K. Arsenault Rivera | 2023-08-09 | Eldraine | Rowan, Royse, Algenus Kenrith, Linden Kenrith, Kellan, Duncan, Ruby, Agatha, Imodane, Peter |
Episode 3: Two Great Banquets | K. Arsenault Rivera | 2023-08-10 | Eldraine | Rowan, Joshua and Saxon, Ashiok, Eriette, Kellan, Ruby, Troyan, Beluna Grandsquall, Yorvo, Albiorix |
Episode 4: Ruby and the Frozen Heart | K. Arsenault Rivera | 2023-08-11 | Eldraine | Kellan, Ruby, Peter, Hylda, Talion |
Episode 5: Broken Oaths | K. Arsenault Rivera | 2023-08-14 | Eldraine | Kellan, Ruby, Rowan, Will, Eriette, Imodane, Ashiok, Alyse, Ronald, Hex, Jace |
Marketing[ | ]
Wilds of Eldraine is sold in regular 16-card Draft Boosters (one card being a marketing card), Collector Boosters, Set Boosters, the Wilds of Eldraine Bundle and two Commander decks.[12] The Jumpstart Boosters for this set have been replaced by a Starter Kit. Starting with this set, the packaging for the Commander decks is changed. They don't show the face card anymore on the front. The land slot will have full-art lands in 33% of draft/set boosters.
Wizards of the Coast didn't release Jumpstart Boosters alongside Wilds of Eldraine. However, as with previous new-to-Magic Standard-legal cards in Jumpstart Boosters, players could find additional Standard-legal Jumpstart cards in Set and Collector Boosters.[11][6]
Enchanting Tales[ | ]
Enchanting Tales is a separate set of cards associated with Wilds of Eldraine, similar to the Retro Artifacts and Multiverse Legends Bonus sheets. In Enchanting Tales, Wizards of the Coast have reprinted 63 enchantments with a special card frame and the set code WOT.[11] Wilds of Eldraine Draft Boosters contain 1 Enchanting Tales cards, Set Boosters contain 1-3, and Collector Boosters contain 3-4. These will only be legal in formats that they are already legal in and in Historic. They are not part of the Standard environment, however, the cards may be used in Limited events.
Events[ | ]
- Prerelease: September 1–7, 2023
- Digital release: September 5, 2023
- WPN Game Store Open House: September 8–10
- Friday Night Magic: September 8 – November 3
- Commander Nights: September 9 – November 9
- WPN Store Championship: September 30 – October 8
Promos[ | ]
- Prerelease: a stamped card that can be any rare or mythic rare of Wilds of Eldraine.
- Other events: cards from the Wilds of Eldraine universal promo pack.
- The seasonal dark-frame promos are: Stroke of Midnight, Sleight of Hand, Faerie Dreamthief, Torch The Tower and Tanglespan Lookout.
- Buy-a-Box: alternate art Expel the Interlopers
- Bundle: foil alternate art Lich-Knights' Conquest,
- Store Championship promos: Tail Swipe (participation), Transcendent Message (Top 8), textless Moonshaker Cavalry (winner)
- 30th Anniversary promos: French Hornet Queen, Harvester of Souls, Spanish Kalonian Hydra and Goblin Rabblemaster
- WPN promos: Ice Out and Pyroblast (anime borderless cards illustrated by Takuma Ebisu).[13]
- Bring-a-Friend: Cultivate
- Commander Party: retro frame Syr Konrad, the Grim
- Magic Open House: retro frame Drown in the Loch
Beadle & Grimm's[ | ]
Beadle & Grimm's released a special Token Set in conjunction with Wilds of Eldraine.[14] This consisted of a tin box depicting Syr Ginger fighting multiple Food Horrors, a Syr Ginger metal life counter (1–40), six Sweettooth-themed dice (1 x d20, 2 x d10, 3 x d6), seven aluminum role token cards and seven metal gingerbread counters (5 x +1 , 2 x +5).
Tokens and markers[ | ]
Wilds of Eldraine has 17 tokens and 1 marker.[15]
- 1/1 Bird creature with flying for Knight of Doves.
- 1/1 Human creature for Have for Dinner, Return from the Wilds, Stroke of Midnight and Welcome to Sweettooth.
- 2/2 Knight creature with vigilance for Ardenvale Fealty, Hopeful Vigil. and Train Troops.
- 1/1 Mouse creature for Three Blind Mice.
- 1/1 Faerie creature with flying and “This creature can block only creatures with flying.” for Faerie Slumber Party and Into the Fae Court.
- 1/1 Nightmare creature with "At the beginning of combat on your turn, if a card was put in exile this turn, put a +1/+1 counter in this creature." for Ashiok, Wicked Manipulator.
- 1/1 Rat creature with "This creature can't block." for Edgewall Pack, Experimental Confectioner, Gnawing Crescendo, Harried Spearguard, Lord Skitter, Sewer King, Lord Skitter's Butcher, Ogre Chitterlord, Pest Problem, Rat Out, Redcap Gutter-Dweller, Song of Totentanz, Tangled Colony, Totentanz, Swarm Piper, Twisted Sewer-Witch, Voracious Vermin and Warehouse Tabby.
- 3/3 Beast creature for The Huntsman’s Redemption.
- 4/4 Elemental creature for Hylda of the Icy Crown.
- Food artifact for Bakery Raid, Experimental Confectioner, Feed the Cauldron, Food Coma, Gingerbread Hunter, The Goose Mother, Greta, Sweettooth Scourge, Have For Dinner, Intrepid Trufflesnout, Mintstrosity, Night of the Sweets' Revenge, Old Flitterfang, Provisions Merchant, Restless Cottage, Return from the Wilds, Scream Puff, Skybeast Tracker, Spider Food, Sweettooth Witch, Tempt with Treats, The Witch's Vanity, Tough Cookie and Welcome to Sweettooth.
- Food artifact.
- Food artifact.
- Food artifact.
- Treasure artifact for Charming Scoundrel, Collector's Vault, Decadent Dragon, Discerning Financier, Flick a Coin, Korvold and the Noble Thief, Redcap Thief and That's Mine.
- Monster Role aura enchantment with "Enchant creature" and "Enchanted creature gets +1/+1 and has trample." for Become Brutes, Curse of the Werefox, Faunsbane Troll, Guard Change, Monstrous Rage and Syr Armont, the Redeemer.
Sorcerer Role aura enchantment with "Enchant creature" and "Enchanted creature gets +1/+1 and has "Whenever this creature attacks, scry 1." for Living Lectern, Spellbook Vendor, Splashy Spellcaster and Unassuming Sage. - Royal Role aura enchantment with "Enchant creature" and "Enchanted creature gets +1/+1 and has ward ." for Betroth the Beast, Charmed Clothier, Redtooth Genealogist and Royal Treatment.
Young Hero Role aura enchantment with "Enchant creature" and "Enchanted creature has "whenever this creature attacks, if its toughness is 3 or less, put a +1/+1 counter on it."" for Cut In, Embereth Veteran, Merry Bards, Protective Parents and Return Triumphant. - Cursed Role aura enchantment with "Enchant creature" and "Enchanted creature has base power and toughness 1/1." for Asinine Antics, Croaking Curse, Cursed Courtier, Diminisher Witch, Gadwick's First Duel and Spiteful Hexmage.
Wicked Role aura enchantment with "Enchant creature", "Enchanted creature gets +1/+1." and "When this Aura is put into a graveyard, each opponent loses 1 life." for Charming Scoundrel, Eriette's Whisper, Lord Skitter's Blessing, Not Dead After All, Price of Beauty, Shatter the Oath, Twisted Fealty, Twisted Sewer-Witch, The Witch’s Vanity and Witch’s Mark. - On an Adventure marker for Adventure cards.
Themes and mechanics[ | ]
Where the original Eldraine had a theme for both artifacts and enchantments, this time it trends heavier to the Enchantment themes.[16] Food is also a major theme again, and this time it is a bit more aggressive, seeing multiple legendaries.[17]
Adventures make a return, with adventurers getting new card types beyond creatures. Some of them are multicolor now.[18]
Sagas also make up an important part of the set, now based on classic and re-imagined fairy tales.
Wilds of Eldraine introduces Bargain, a keyword ability that allows you to sacrifice an artifact, enchantment, or token as you cast the spell for an additional effect.[19] Another new mechanic is Celebration, an ability word for abilities that trigger if two or more nonland permanents entered the battlefield under your control this turn. Several cards create new predefined tokens portrayed as Roles, aura enchantments that attach to creatures giving them different abilities, but only one role controlled by the same player can exist at the same time on a creature.
Card types[ | ]
Wilds of Eldraine introduces the Role aura enchantment type.[16]
This set features one Planeswalker card: Ashiok, Wicked Manipulator. Going forward, the general intent is that there will be only one Planeswalker per set.[17][20]
Rats get multiple cards and tribal support in , while Faeries get the same in . Other notable creature types are Nightmares, Mice, Giants and Satyrs.
Limited archetypes[ | ]
Wilds of Eldraine features the following Limited archetypes, each based on a well-known fairy tale:[21]
- : Tapping opponents' creatures - "The Frost Queen"[22] ("The Snow Queen")[16]
- : Faerie control - "Enchanting Slumber"[22] ("Sleeping Beauty")[16]
- : Rat token aggro - "The Dark Piper"[22] ("The Pied Piper of Hamelin")[16]
- : "Ferocious" - "Ruby and the Wolf"[22] ("Little Red Riding Hood")[16]
- : Enchanted creatures - "Armont & the Beasts"[22] ("Beauty and the Beast")[16]
- : Bargain and sacrifice - "Pale as Snow"[22] ("Snow White")[16]
- : Instants, sorceries, and Adventures - "The Magician's Misstep"[22] ("The Sorcerer's Apprentice")[16]
- : Food - "Greta, Witch Hunter"[22] ("Hansel and Gretel")[16]
- : Celebration aggro - "Brawl at the Grand Ball"[22] ("Cinderella")[16]
- : Big Spells - "The Kingdom of Storms"[22] ("Jack and the Beanstalk")[16]
Cycles[ | ]
Cycle name | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Adventure Virtues | Virtue of Loyalty // Ardenvale Fealty | Virtue of Knowledge // Vantress Visions | Virtue of Persistence // Locthwain Scorn | Virtue of Courage // Embereth Blaze | Virtue of Strength // Garenbrig Growth |
Five mythic enchantments named after a virtue and an Adventure spell named after the respective Court.[23] | |||||
Uncommons sagas | The Princess Takes Flight | Gadwick's First Duel | The Witch's Vanity | Korvold and the Noble Thief | Welcome to Sweettooth |
Five uncommon sagas. | |||||
Cycle name | |||||
Restless manlands | Restless Fortress | Restless Spire | Restless Cottage | Restless Bivouac | Restless Vinestalk |
Five enemy color lands that can become creatures with an ability and grant a bonus when they attack. |
Double cycles[ | ]
Vertical cycle[ | ]
Cycle name | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Witches' Boons | Eriette's Tempting Apple (Eriette) | Hylda's Crown of Winter (Hylda) | Agatha's Soul Cauldron (Agatha) | |
Three Legendary Artifacts that represent the boons granted to the trio of witches by Lord Talion, mentioned in brackets. |
Pairs[ | ]
Mirrored pair | Description | |
---|---|---|
Will, Scion of Peace () | Rowan, Scion of War () | Two mythic legendary creatures with one combat keyword, mirrored power and toughness, and a tap-requiring ability that reduces the cost of spells of their respective colors depending on the life gain/lost this turn. They depict the desparked Kenrith twins, who have each gained an allied color. |
Hopeful Vigil () | Hopeless Nightmare () | Two common enchantments themed around "hope" that has an entry effect worth a card, a functional "dies" effect that scries 2, and a 2M activated ability that sacrifices the enchantment. |
Reprinted cards[ | ]
- Commune with Nature, first printed in Champions of Kamigawa, last seen in Mystery Booster.
- Crystal Grotto, first printed in Dominaria United.
- Disdainful Stroke, first printed in Khans of Tarkir, last seen in Streets of New Capenna.
- Evolving Wilds, first printed in Rise of the Eldrazi, last seen in Lord of the Rings Commander.
- Gingerbrute, first printed in Throne of Eldraine, last seen in Jumpstart.
- Glass Casket, first printed in Throne of Eldraine.
- Prophetic Prism, first printed in Rise of the Eldrazi, last seen in Commander Masters.
- Sleight of Hand, first printed in Portal Second Age, last seen in Ultimate Masters.
- Soul-Guide Lantern, first printed in Theros Beyond Death, last seen in Phyrexia: All Will Be One Commander.
- Titanic Growth, first printed in Magic 2012, last seen in Phyrexia: All Will Be One.
Banned and restricted cards[ | ]
- Up the Beanstalk is a card that generates card draw when casting expensive spells, subsidized by drawing a card itself. This usually is balanced as the engine is vulnerable when five mana is spent each turn to do so, and it risks being overrun before casting all the cards drawn. However, most larger formats have a multitude of cost-reduced spells, such as the engine offsetting the cost of Pitch spells, letting a Beanstalk player accelerate through their deck without losing on the tempo axis. While manaless spells and severe cost reduction are usually problematic and are the main issue, they make up the expected texture of the format and so Up the Beanstalk was the card banned in Modern in December 2023.
Misprints[ | ]
- The Cursed and Wicked Role tokens have swapped art.[24]
Preconstructed decks[ | ]
Wilds of Eldraine features two Commander decks that are released as a regular part of a set's product line.
Theme deck name |
Color Identity | Commander | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Virtue and Valor | W | G | Ellivere of the Wild Court | |||
Fae Dominion | U | B | Tegwyll, Duke of Splendor |
Gallery[ | ]
Key Art[ | ]
Featuring Will and Rowan Kenrith by Magali Villeneuve.
Featuring Ashiok, Eriette, Goose Mother, and Ginger and Cinnamon.
Featuring Eriette by Pauline Voss.
Featuring Tegwyll by Chris Rallis.
Featuring Ellivere by Chris Rallis.
"Cookies Attack," featuring Ginger by Paul Mafayon
Featuring Ashiok, Eriette, and Kellan by Lie Setiawan.
Arena Avatars[ | ]
External links[ | ]
- Wilds of Eldraine Official Trailer (Video). Magic: The Gathering. YouTube (September 2, 2023).
- Mark Rosewater (August 28, 2023). "Wilds of Eldraine Vision Design Handoff Document, Part 1". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
- Mark Rosewater (September 4, 2023). "Wilds of Eldraine Vision Design Handoff Document, Part 2". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
- Mark Rosewater (September 11, 2023). "Wilds Blue Yonder, Part 1". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
- Mark Rosewater (September 18, 2023). "Wilds Blue Yonder, Part 2". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
- Official product page.
- WPN product page.
- Mark Rosewater (August 19, 2024). "State of Design 2024". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
References[ | ]
- ↑ Information below the text box
- ↑ Wizards Presents 2022 (Video). Magic: The Gathering. YouTube (August 18, 2022).
- ↑ Adam Styborski (August 18, 2022). "The Next Year of Magic From Wizards Presents". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
- ↑ a b c The Preview Panel at MagicCon Minneapolis (Video). Magic: The Gathering. YouTube (May 5, 2023).
- ↑ Billie Kaplan (May 5, 2023). "On September 8, Be Ready for Wilds of Eldraine". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
- ↑ a b Mike Turian (August 15, 2023). "Collecting Wilds of Eldraine". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
- ↑ K. Arsenault Rivera (August 8, 2023). "Wilds of Eldraine - Episode 1: Pure of Heart". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
- ↑ K. Arsenault Rivera (August 9, 2023). "Wilds of Eldraine - Episode 2: Wandering Knight, Budding Hero". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
- ↑ K. Arsenault Rivera (August 10, 2023). "Wilds of Eldraine - Episode 3: Two Great Banquets". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
- ↑ K. Arsenault Rivera (August 14, 2023). "Wilds of Eldraine - Episode 5: Broken Oaths". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
- ↑ a b c Jubilee Finnegan (July 28, 2023). "A First Look at Wilds of Eldraine". magicthegathering.com. Archived from the original on July 28, 2023.
- ↑ WPN Product Listing
- ↑ Jubilee Finnegan (August 15, 2023). "Celebrate Tour Local Gamestore with Wilds of Eldraine". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
- ↑ Wilds of Eldraine Token Set. Beadle & Grimm's (August 22, 2023). Archived from the original on August 22, 2023.
- ↑ Jubilee Finnegan (August 24, 2023). "The Tokens of Wilds of Eldraine". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
- ↑ a b c d e f g h i j k l Mark Rosewater (August 15, 2023). "Wilds Story, Part 1". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
- ↑ a b The Preview Panel at MagicCon: Barcelona (Video). Magic: The Gathering. YouTube (July 28, 2023).
- ↑ Matt Tabak (August 15, 2023). "Wilds of Eldraine Mechanics". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
- ↑ Eric Levine (August 24, 2023). "Wilds of Eldraine Release Notes". magicthegathering.com. Archived from the original on August 24, 2023.
- ↑ Magic: The Gathering (July 28, 2023). "Mark confirms the general intent is that it is one Planeswalker per set.". Twitter.
- ↑ Mark Rosewater (August 21, 2023). "Wilds Story, Part 2". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
- ↑ a b c d e f g h i j Wizards Play Network (September 8, 2023). "Wilds of Eldraine Commander Party Materials". PDF. Wizards of the Coast.
- ↑ Mark Rosewater (September 18, 2023). "Wilds Blue Yonder, Part 2". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
- ↑ Mark Rosewater (September 3, 2023). "I feel I should let you know that the cursed/wicked role tokens do, in fact, have swapped art.". Blogatog. Tumblr.