Every thing We Realized About Magic The Gathering Aetherdrift Players Area

Magic The Gathering is off to the races with the brand new growth, Aetherdrift, utilizing the setting of an interplanar Grand Prix to carry collectively well-known characters and refresh lore on some less-seen planes and their inhabitants. Magic The Gathering Aetherdrift releases bodily on February 14th.

Earlier than it releases we acquired to take a seat down with members of the crew behind Aetherdrift together with Max McCall – Govt Producer, Miguel Lopez  – Worldbuilding Lead, Sarah Wassel  – Senior Artwork Director, and Lisa Hanson – Print Innovation Director. By this name, we have been handled to details about a number of the completely different groups that may be competing within the Grand Prix, some distinctive mechanics to the set, and what varieties of recent card therapies we would be seeing.

Welcome To The Ghirapur Grand Prix!

There are 10 completely different racing groups from throughout the completely different planes which might be being gathered to compete within the Ghirapur Grand Prix. Miguel Lopez took a while to elucidate to us simply what that’s.

“Aetherdrift focuses on an version of a multi-day multi-planar fight stage race known as the Ghirapur Grand Prix. It is a race placed on by the aircraft of Avishkar. It is meant to be, on the one, an exciting spectacle that’s inspiring to look at and an announcement to the multiverse of the brand new Avishkari authorities’s means to handle and coordinate multi-planar logistics.”

The primary Grand Prix has already occurred off-screen, it is extra chaotic and a take a look at for the know-how, and the second Grand Prix is the one that’s the setting of Aetherdrift.

For the Avishkar this is not simply an opportunity to indicate off their energy but additionally to attach with their neighboring planes to unfold their “forex, meals, language, and set up embassies.”

Different planes concerned within the Grand Prix embody Amonket and Muraganda. Whereas it will likely be a return to Amonket, slowly rebuilding itself after the Phyrexian Invasion, it will likely be the primary deep dive into Muraganda “a spot the place magic and life is uncooked and younger.”

However what’s the prize for such a formidable match? The Aetherspark, a Planeswalker spark suspended in a super-cooled aether resolution.

The Mechanics Of Racing

The important thing mechanic that Aetherdrift is introducing is Velocity. Firstly of the sport you will begin with no velocity, by enjoying a card that has the Begin your engines! Trait your velocity will change into 1.

You possibly can then achieve one velocity per flip by inflicting your opponent to lose life. When you Begin your engines! after which Lightning Bolt will get you to Velocity 2, however one other Lightning Bolt will not get you to Velocity 3 on the identical flip. As soon as you have reached Velocity 4 you will be at max velocity and may’t improve it any additional.

Every of the playing cards which have the Begin your engines! Trait even have a Trait that pertains to a further impact as soon as max velocity has been reached. An instance given was Vnwxt, Verbose Host will allow you to draw two playing cards once you would usually solely be capable to draw one.

One other mechanic being launched is Exhaust. It is a one-shot mechanic that does one thing highly effective, that the participant must know when to make use of to get essentially the most effectiveness out of it. Exhaust can solely be used as soon as by a card, so in the event you see a card like Loot, The Pathfinder who has three highly effective Exhaust talents you will solely get to make use of one.

Curiously, if a card has been returned to your hand and performed once more the Exhaust will get refreshed. This enables for some tough needs to have the ability to refresh that and use these highly effective talents once more.

“Usually, you possibly can solely activate Exhaust talents as soon as per sport… until you are doing shenanigans” – Max McCall

The final key mechanic is Saddle, getting back from Thunder Junction. This enables Mount playing cards to be saddled by different creatures you management. Among the Mounts that seem on this set aren’t simply mechanical automobiles but additionally beasts reminiscent of beast mounts. When playing cards are Saddled usually one thing extra-good occurs.

The Ten Groups Of The Ghirapur Grand Prix

There are ten groups from throughout the planes which might be competing within the Ghirapur Grand Prix. Every crew does not simply characterize a aircraft or group however consists of two colours, this can assist gamers discover the fitting crew for his or her playstyle. These groups are:

1. Guidelight Voyagers (White / Blue) – A returning crew that was by chance fashioned through the first Grand Prix who’ve been invited again.
2. Velocity Demons (Blue / Black) – It is a crew led by Winter and The Velocity Demon, they’ve an opportunity for freedom by Valgavoth in the event that they handle to acquire the Aether Spark.
3. The Endriders (Black / Pink) – Survivors from Gastal, a harsh setting of pure catastrophe and highway warriors (assume Mad Max). Now at Ghurapur they’re wanting to acquire the Aetherspark to carry it limitless water.
4. Goblin Rocketeers (Pink / Inexperienced) – This crew is rocket scientists who’ve utilized their information to vehicles and different automobiles. Their purpose is to interrupt the rate restrict to flee from their aircraft and worship the BOOSTGOD. (We have been particularly informed that that is in all capital letters)
5. Alacrian Quickbeasts (Inexperienced / White) – These racers journey beasts as a substitute of automobiles and have an interest within the Grand Prix based mostly purely out of their enjoyment of competitors.
6. The Champions of Amonkhet (White / Black) – A crew of residing and undead representatives from Amonkhet led by Basri and Zahur.
7. The Speedbrood (Black / Inexperienced) – A bunch of insectoid racers who’re making an attempt to develop their life into changing into velocity and velocity itself.
8. Aether Rangers (Inexperienced / Blue) – The crew native to Avashkar geared up with quick automobiles that barely hover giving them an edge over any terrain.
9. Chordatan Keelhaulers (Blue / Pink) – Fishfolk who’re new to the Grand Prix however who’ve settled in Avashkar.
10. Cloudspire Racing Group (Pink / White) – Racers from Kylum focusing on excessive velocity and low drag racing permitting them to be very fast. This crew additionally gained the earlier 12 months’s Grand Prix.

Artwork Value A Thousand Laps

Full Artwork Lands will present the completely different programs that the groups can be racing on from a first-person perspective of a number of the drivers. You may get to see sand-covered raceways, winding jungle tracks, and even scenes of automobiles racing down riverways.

One other new search for playing cards is the Borderless Revved Up therapy that every of the groups have. Every of those playing cards are supposed to spotlight a driver and their car, working as a type of glamour-shot exhibiting off what is supposed to be an inspirational scene.

Wassell likened these therapies to one thing you would possibly see a full web page advert for in {a magazine}, or the sort of poster {that a} fan of the crew or driver would need.

Aetherdrift Commander Decks

There are two Commander Decks that can be launched with Aetherdrift. One led by Temmet, Everlasting Would possibly, which can be a White/Blue/Black deck. This Commander Deck won’t solely have Temmet but additionally Hashaton, Scarab’s Fist and can concentrate on creating zombies and constructing as much as one huge flip the place you flood your enemy with injury.

The second Commander Deck is Residing Power, a Inexperienced/Blue/Pink deck, that options Saheeli, Radiant Creator and Pia Nalaar, Chief Mechanic as Commanders.

Each of those Commander Decks will retail for $44.99 MSRP

First-place Foil Playing cards

Field-Toppers for this set will include a brand new First-place Foil therapy. This model is supposed to appear like a gold prize medal and whereas the background and outer parts are shiny and gold the core aspect of the cardboard’s art work and focus of the cardboard will stay in coloration to actually pop.

Magic The Gathering Aetherdrift Launch Timing

For these wanting to maintain an eye fixed out for all the pieces Magic The Gathering Aetherdrift, you possibly can maintain an eye fixed out for the next dates.

• Aetherdrift Story reveal (That is already out)
• Debut and Previews Start – January twenty first
• Pre-Launch Occasions – February 7-13
• MTG Area Launch – February eleventh
• Tabletop Launch – February 14th