Magic: The Gathering Tarkir: Dragonstorm Reveals 3 New Cards (Exclusive)

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The highly anticipated expansion for Magic: The Gathering, titled Tarkir: Dragonstorm, is nearly here! On April 11th, players worldwide will journey back to Tarkir, a battle-scarred plane inhabited by the five clans – Abzan, Jeskai, Sultai, Mardu, and Temur. Wizards of the Coast have started revealing cards from this set, and we’re excited to share a sneak peek at three new black cards that emphasize sacrificing creatures to gain an edge in combat against opponents.

The three cards are named “Desperate Measures”, “Unrooted Ancestor”, and “Venerated Stormsinger”. Desperate Measures is an instant spell that allows you to discard a creature you control and draw two additional cards. The other two cards, Unrooted Ancestor and Venerated Stormsinger, are Cleric creatures. They offer the player some strategic advantage against their opponents by deliberately sacrificing one of their own controlled creatures. Below are detailed images of each new card that will be included in Magic: The Gathering‘s Tarkir: Dragonstorm set, along with the text for each card:

By making a few adjustments to the wording and sentence structure, I’ve made the text more accessible and easier to understand.

Desperate Measures (Instant)

Cost: 1 swamp

The selected entity gains a boost of +1/-1 until the current turn ends. If it perishes while under your control during this turn, you’ll be able to pull two cards from your deck.

Unrooted Ancestor (Creature – Spirit Cleric)

Cost: 1 swamp, 2 other land

Flash

Touch one land, Offer up a different creature: This creature becomes indestrucible until the end of this turn. Then, interact with it (tap or activate its abilities). (Any damage or effects that say “destroy” will not eliminate it.)

Venerated Stormsinger (Creature – Orc Cleric)

Cost: 1 swamp, 3 other land

Whenever this creature launches an attack, spawn a 1/1 Red Warrior with haste that also attacks. Discard it at the start of the next end phase.

Whenever a creature you control meets its end or another creature under your command perishes, both you and each of your opponents will lose one life point, while you simultaneously gain one life point.

As a dedicated Magic: The Gathering enthusiast, I’ve been journeying across the planes of Tarkir for quite some time now, ever since the 2014 Khans of Tarkir set introduced me to its rich tapestry. Over the years, I’ve come to anticipate a certain continuity in this world, one that binds players worldwide together. Recently, I had the privilege of speaking with Forrest Schehl, Senior Worldbuilding Art Director, who shared insights into revisiting Tarkir lore, the inspirations behind the designs for this set, and whether or not there was an emphasis on evoking nostalgia in the new expansion, Tarkir: Dragonstorm.

Speaking about returning to characters such as Narset and Sarkhan – characters he deeply respects and are widely loved by fans – Schehl expresses a great sense of pride at being involved in writing their next chapter, but also feels the weight of responsibility to stay faithful to their fundamental traits. For him, since card art is essentially frozen in time, it’s crucial to convey a visual narrative through details in their attire. Therefore, before starting any development process, you need to consider what changes these characters have gone through since we last encountered them and how their surroundings might influence their appearance and clothing style.

In my perspective, starting with practical questions sets the foundation for designing something substantial and expanding upon it. Now, I must clarify that this isn’t a solo endeavor; we collaborate closely with an entire team dedicated to the characters who play significant roles in the Magic universe’s narratives and realms.

According to Schehl, the inspiration for the new designs was a complex blend. Initially, they would ponder questions about the context within the plane’s internal logic: what events have transpired in this world, how do these groups respond, and how does their reaction affect their appearance? However, that was merely the beginning. They delved into all three original sets and their world guides, picked out iconic elements, developed language to incorporate into our new designs, and then combined that with historical influences from each of the five distinct cultures we draw inspiration from. They carefully selected and exaggerated certain elements to make them more fantastical.

In regards to our novel dragons, however, the creative process was much more flexible, Schehl explains. We drew inspiration from a diverse array of animals and themes to design unique dragons that hadn’t been seen before. My only guideline for the concept artists was that “dragons have two wings and four legs.” Everything else was open to interpretation.

When asked about evoking nostalgia for older sets like Khans of Tarkir, Schehl replied that it wasn’t exactly the term he had in mind. Instead, he aimed to carry on the tale of Tarkir, especially considering the characters who left such a profound mark on the plane. As both a fan and a creative, he wanted to depict how these characters adapt to these massive transformations in their world.

Using Smile at Death as an illustration, he explained that we’re demonstrating how the Mardu commemorate and honor Alesha, with background details filling in the blanks as they reclaim their previous personas. This sets the stage for a callback that feels deserved, and Schehl believes a touch of earned nostalgia can enrich the narrative and make the world feel more tangible.

To those not deeply versed in Magic: The Gathering, it might come as a surprise, but this well-loved card game actually unfolds within an evolving narrative. Players can dive deep into the storyline through gameplay itself. The official website is rich with resources detailing the world and characters of its fictional universe, such as the planes of Tarkir. In a recent discussion, Senior Game Designer Adam Prosak highlighted the influence this lore has on card creation.

Before we even begin creating our cards, our worldbuilding phase lays a solid foundation. This allows the card design teams to develop fresh mechanics and cards with ease. We intentionally reserve numerous card slots in each set for depicting crucial characters and events. For instance, ‘sagas’ are mainly narrative concepts that our designers have successfully translated into playable, enjoyable cards.

Magic: The Gathering‘s Tarkir: Dragonstorm set launches on April 11th.

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2025-03-21 19:10