Welcome back card game fans. Recently, Wizards of the Coast finally released the trailer to their upcoming Magic: The Gathering set, Ikoria: Lair of Behemoths. A land of beasts, apex predators, and Godzilla?! Oh yes! Join us as we swing into the new world and find out what beasts await us!
What is the World of Ikoria?
On the treacherous world of Ikoria, there’s always a bigger monster. Find yours on @MTG_Arena on April 16.
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— Magic: The Gathering (@wizards_magic) April 2, 2020
Magic: The Gathering more often than not implores the use of fantasy planes of existence. These planes vary from the grim and dark world of Avacyn, the world spanning city of Ravnica, and lands of myths, gods, and legends of Theros. Individuals called Planeswalkers can visit these worlds to help, manipulate, or sometimes dominate. This time, is a world of behemoths!
Picture an existence where humans are at the bottom of the food chain. The vast wilds, the open plains, and the subterranean depths all dominated unfathomable beasts. These beasts of fang, claw, wings, and sometimes immense size would eat you without a second thought. But, with so many vicious monsters out their, the battle to be the king is a constant affair.
But, when Planeswalkers are added to the mix the balance can be shifted. The behemoths of Ikoria seem to be mutating creating even more terrifying and deadly creatures. And with it, untold destruction and death. With the aid of Planswalker Vivien, can humanity bolster against the coming storm? Will the world become safer as a result? With her own behemoths at her side, there’s only one way to find out!
New Cards and Mechanics
So what new cards can we expect? First of all, creatures from popular culture such as Godzilla, Mothra (as seen above), and Ghidora are due to make an appearance. This adds to the awesome appeal to the set. A release of behemoths would be made even more spectacular if the big time greats were included. How this will be narrated for their inclusion has yet to be portrayed. But, one this is for sure. It will be epic!
As for mechanics, the keyword Mutate is a heavy theme for Ikoria. As seen above with the card Illuna, Apex of Wishes, you can cast the creature spell with its Mutate cost. By doing this, you can mutate a non-human into this creature and gaining its abilities. So, for Illuna, the creature gains Flying and Trample which is terrifying in its own right. But, it also gains the ability to exile cards from your library until you get a non-land permanent when you mutate. This card is then placed onto the battlefield!
In the above instance, not only does your creature get a buff but, you can also gain more board presence if you hit another creature spell. Or, if you are lucky, gain an enchantment which could buff you entire board. Could get nasty if you are fielding several creatures at once! So, there is a lot of potential for big power swings and battlefield manipulation at first glance. But, it is still early days. We shall see what emerges in the days to comes!
And that is your lot! What big beasts are you looking forward to seeing? and what are your thoughts on the Mutate mechanic? Let us know in the comments below. For us, a King Kong appearance would be super exciting! Stay tuned for more news, reviews, and guides. until next time, smile and game!
