Magic : The Gatheringreturns to the plane of Ixalan with The Lost Caverns of Ixalan , a new premiere set of card and Commanders . Inspired by Mesoamerica , the release features dinosaurs , merfolk , and God , all wreaking havokboth above ground and in the lost caverns under the globe .
Ovidia Cartagena , antecedently the art director for theLord of the RingsUniverses Beyondset , served as the senior prowess music director on The Lost Caverns of Ixalan . In a Wizards of the Coast insistency conference , the unexampled set ’s worldbuilding designer , Miguel Lopez , explain the team strived to “ fix the [ ethnic and mechanically skillful ] failure ” of the previous Ixalan release .
This new set allowed Cartagena to take “ more breathing in from our be experience and get feedback from ethnic consultants ” so as to more faithfully portray both ancient and contemporary artistic creation and acculturation of the area , slimly separate from the previous Ixalan set . For example , the corrupt - a - boxful promo board , “ Jadelight Spelunker , ” drawn by Cartagena himself , was revolutionise by the statue of the last prince of K’iche ’ , Tecun Uman , which he tug by frequently in Guatemala .
Huatli, Poet of UnityImage: Wizards of the Coast | Tyler Jacobson
There are many factions in this stage set both above and below the Earth’s surface : the Sun Empire ( humans and dinosaurs ) , lamia paladins , pirates , merfolk , Malamet ( Panthera onca - folk ) , the Oltec ( a secluded churchman people ) , and mycoids . Ixalan is also within the Omenpaths , and non - planeswalkers now travel through the plane .
There are three fresh mechanics introduced in this band : Craft , Descend , and Discover . Craft is an activated ability that uses double - faced cards that will allow you to buff wag in play using other cards on the battlefield or in your graveyard .
Descend is a graveyard trigger — you have “ fall ” if a lasting card has been put into your burying ground from anywhere . Common triggers will also include “ 4 Descend ” and “ 8 Descend , ” which will require at least four or eight cards in your cemetery . There ’s also “ Fathomless Descent ” abilities which will admit card to get more powerful the more that you have in your burial site .
Image: Wizards of the Coast | Ovidia Cartagena
In new mechanics , there ’s “ Discover . ” This tolerate you to sift through your deck to pull out random magical spell and cast that card without pay its mana cost or put it into your hand . But a new mechanic , Explore , returns . It will countenance more lands to be put into your hand and buff your animal .
There are four Commander deck for The Lost Caverns of Ixalan , each focus on unique creature types . A Blue / Black / Red Pirate deck ( Admiral Brass , Unsinkable ) , a Black / lily-white lamia deck ( Clavileño , First of the Blessed ) , a Green / blasphemous merfolk deck of cards ( Hakbal of the Surging Soul ) , and a Red / Green / White dinosaur deck ( Pantlaza , Sun - Favored ) .
The Lost Caverns of Ixalan will be released on November 17 . You canpreorder now . Scroll through for more looks at the cards and artwork .
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