WotC Check out Magic: the Gathering's Tiamat

We've known for a while that WotC is releasing D&D-themed Magic: the Gathering cards, as a set called Adventures in the Forgotten Realms. Artist Chis Rahn has shared his Tiamat.

"Been looking forward to sharing this one for what seems like forever! Tiamat, for Mtg's D&D: Adventures in the Forgotten Realms set. This was one of those assignments that I felt incredibly lucky to get. I hope you enjoy it half as much as I enjoyed painting it!"

The MtG set comes out on July 23rd, 2021. The collector's sets have a beholder on the front. ICv2 has more information on the various set configurations. Bell of Lost Souls has some card images.

 

[Charlaquin]

To be in the set yes, but as a Planeswalker not a creature.

Planeswalkers are an MtG concept, not a D&D concept. There’s no reason to assume any given D&D character would be a Planeswalker.

 

[Parmandur]

The Dungeon of Death need not actually have dungeon cards in it, just as Adventures in the Forgotten Realms need not have the Adventure Mechanic from Throne of Eldraine just because Adventure is in the name.

Look at what we know about Dungeon cards, the ones that come with the bundle are over sized, they don't actually go into your deck at all, and the ones that come with prerelease packs are double sided in a set with no DFCs. None of the Dungeon Cards we know about are in packs themselves, even thu they come with products designed to play draft. All card types out side of Enchantments, Lands, Creatures, Planeswalkers, Artifacts, Instants, and Sorceries are for special formats not regular play.

"Most of the other currently supported card types are exclusive to casual variants and the supplemental products that support those formats. Phenomenon and plane cards are exclusive to the Planechase format. Scheme cards are used by the player designated as the archenemy in the Archenemy format. Vanguard cards are used by the format of the same name. The conspiracy type has appeared only in the Conspiracy product.

While most casual play-oriented card types have appeared only on oversized cards, cards with the conspiracy type are printed at the normal size, to allow them to fit into booster packs. Because this would allow those cards to be mixed into a normal deck, cards with the conspiracy type are explicitly banned outside of the Conspiracy format.[2]"

There is no reason not to believe that Dungeon cards will be a normal part of the Set, based on what they said in the preview video. They are probably a form of Enchantment, similar to Sagas or possibly Quests, but time will tell. But no doubt that there is some Dungeon mechanic that is part of the normal Set cards.

 

[Henadic Theologian]

There is no reason not to believe that Dungeon cards will be a normal part of the Set, based on what they said in the preview video. They are probably a form of Enchantment, similar to Sagas or possibly Quests, but time will tell. But no doubt that there is some Dungeon mechanic that is part of the normal Set cards.

There is a reason, the ones we know about can't actually be used in a deck, you can't use oversized cards in decks, its against the rules.

Why are they outside of the packs then in draft products? They are 3 oversized so that they can't go into decks? Why are 3 double sided in a set that doesn't do double sided are cards?

Look at what we know about Dungeon Cards and compare Dungeons to other card types and it becomes clear broadly what they are, they are to allow for a special draft/casual play format. The specifics need be explained that is all.

 

[Henadic Theologian]

Planeswalkers are an MtG concept, not a D&D concept. There’s no reason to assume any given D&D character would be a Planeswalker.

Possibility true, the set could have no planeswalkers in it. We will see.

 

[Parmandur]

Why are they outside of the packs then in draft products? They are 3 oversized so that they can't go into decks? Why are 3 double sided in a set that doesn't do double sided are cards?

Look at what we know about Dungeon Cards and compare Dungeons to other card types and it becomes clear broadly what they are, they are to allow for a special draft/casual play format.

There are no MDFCs. It could be that TDFCs are making a comeback, which would make sense since the two following Sets are Innistrad based: a card that transforms after a certain number of counters would make a lot of sense to reflect the story development of a campaign in a large dungeon.

There is some reason they want to guarantee that someone in a Limited event would have at least three on hand, which would make sense if they are Rare/Mythic Rare and hard to guarantee someone would get some without including a few: it's also possible that you can only have one in a deck, and have it in exile like a Commander, the only other usage of oversized cards I am aware of, or Companions. That they are doing Oversized cards is in itself intriguing. I am not saying the Dungeons are simple, it seems to be the big signature mechanic of the Set, with a side theme of Dragons. They don't want to talk about the details yet, but had to reveal Dungeon card's existence since they are taking pre-orders now. Which makes sense: the big signature for the Dungeons & Dragons set are...Dungeons, and Dragons.

 

[Parmandur]

Possibility true, the set could have no planeswalkers in it. We will see.

There has been some speculation in MtG circles that this would make sense, since the past few Sets have had more PW cards than normal.

 

[Henadic Theologian]

There has been some speculation in MtG circles that this would make sense, since the past few Sets have had more PW cards than normal.

I know, I used to be one of the ones supporting that position, until the Draconic Options: UA changed my mind.

 

[Arnie_Wan_Kenobi]

For me it was Kaladesh, I love artifact decks and tried to build a Colorless one a few times. Man I wish Wastes would get a proper reprint.

Kaladesh is a great thematic setting (the Steam-Fantasy aspects remind me a lot of a modernized Castle Falkenstein.) It's kind of reciprocal for me: I dig Taladan/Dragonlance minotaurs, pirates, dinosaurs, and Maztica (yes, I may as well be a twelve-year-old-boy, thank you); Ixalan had me hooked with the look and reeled me in with "Angry Minotaur Pirate Dad."

 

[Olgar Shiverstone]

OK, so I've never played Magic. Despite its popularity the collectable aspect has always been a turn off to me -- because I'd inevitably want a full set and that's a financial hole I don't want to go into.

But this FR crossover has me intrigued, and knowing that MtG was originally intended to be "that game you play while waiting for your DM to show up" this could push me in.

But the range of boxes, bundles, and decks has me confused. What do you do to get started? Is there a starter set you can buy that has fixed cards but is balanced to play for two people, so you can get the experience without going full on into collectible (this is how I played Star Wars Destiny and Warhammer Champions -- just bought the starter set boxes with fixed distribution, then ignored the rest of the game).

 

[Ibrandul]

OK, so I've never played Magic. Despite its popularity the collectable aspect has always been a turn off to me -- because I'd inevitably want a full set and that's a financial hole I don't want to go into.

But this FR crossover has me intrigued, and knowing that MtG was originally intended to be "that game you play while waiting for your DM to show up" this could push me in.

But the range of boxes, bundles, and decks has me confused. What do you do to get started? Is there a starter set you can buy that has fixed cards but is balanced to play for two people, so you can get the experience without going full on into collectible (this is how I played Star Wars Destiny and Warhammer Champions -- just bought the starter set boxes with fixed distribution, then ignored the rest of the game).

Your story and mine are very similar. It seems to me that WotC doesn’t do a very good job of communicating to new players of my type—not the “I want to start playing MTG” type but the “I want to play this set and this one only” type. To be fair, this set is probably the first time they’ve ever had to do so.

I finally decided to get the four AFR Commander Decks and a box of set boosters and call it a day. Even just the four Commander decks, if treated as a complete game, will provide about as much replayability as many comparably priced board games.

But be warned, if you are a true completionist and worry that you might be tempted to keep buying until you have every card in the set and enough multiples to be able to construct all viable decks, stay miles and miles away from this game. I have seen addiction to this game (buying a MTG pack is a form of gambling, after all, and by deliberate corporate design there is literally no upper limit on the amount of money you are encouraged to spend on the game) ruin a man’s life.