What’s coming in the March of the Machine? (Outside of the Phyrexians, of course)
Magic: The Gathering’s upcoming Standard expansion, March of the Machine, has a global release date of April 21st, 2022. Players can experience March of the Machine a week before release during prerelease weekend. March of the Machine concludes the multi-set storyline beginning with Dominaria United. What fate awaits the Multiverse as Phyrexians invade many planes?
On February 19th, Wizards of the Coast (WotC) gave players a first look at March of the Machine. Excitingly, fan-favorite characters are teaming up to fight the Phyrexians. Thalia and The Gitrog Monster, Ghalta and Mavren, and Yargle and Multani are a few March of the Machine cards featuring a duo of recognizable, Legendary creatures. Additionally, March of the Machine contains double-sided Legendary creatures. Heliod, the Radiant Dawn, and Jin-Gitaxias are two double-sided creatures with exciting abilities.
Even more Legendary creatures await players as Multiverse Legends. In a similar fashion to The Brothers’ War: Retro Artifacts range, March of the Machine boosters have a non-Standard legal card slot featuring characters from across the Multiverse. Atraxa, Praetor’s Voice, and Ragavan, Nimble Pilferer are two cards included in the bonus sheet for Multiverse Legends. Players will have to wait until March of the Machine previews begins on March 29th to discover what else is lurking in the set. Until then, what cards do players want to see most in March of the Machine?
#5 Balanced Battle Cards
Atraxa, Grand Unifier
Phyrexia: All Will Be One | Mythic
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Market Price: $19.55
Mark Rosewater, Head Designer for Magic: The Gathering, confirmed the new battle card type is in March of the Machine. Atraxa, Grand Unifier from Phyrexia: All Will Be One foretold battle cards coming to MTG. Although few details about battle cards are known, WotC disclosed that battle cards are double-faced and appear in every March of the Machine Draft and Set Boosters. A new card type is exciting and worrisome for players. MTG’s continuous evolution helps keep the game interesting and enjoyable. Yet, new abilities and card types may lead to imbalances in existing formats. White Plume Adventurer’s recent banning in Legacy highlights an imbalance in a format caused by the Initiative mechanic. Hopefully, WotC tested battle cards enough to ensure they create fresh, fun, and fair gaming experiences.
#4 Reprints of the Theros Gods
Market Price: $11.49
Market Price: $25.79
Market Price: $14.59
An MTG set encompassing all corners of the Multiverse is a fine place to reprint God creature cards from the original Theros block. Players would enjoy seeing Gods such as Iroas, God of Victory, Athreos, God of Passage, Purphoros, God of the Forge, and Mogis, God of Slaughter reprinted in a Standard set or supplemental product. Multiple Gods from Theros, Born of the Gods, and Journey into Nyx saw few reprints since their initial printing.There is a possibility that some God creatures cards appear as Mythic Rares on the bonus sheet of Multiverse Legends. Moreover, March of the Machine five Commander Decks provides more opportunities to reprint a Theros God card. March of the Machine Growing Threat Commander Deck could be ideal for reprinting Athreos, God of Passage. Iroas, God of Victory may be a great addition to the Call for Backup Commander Deck.
#3 Multiverse Legends Format Staples
Atraxa, Praetors’ Voice
March Of The Machine: Multiverse Legends
Market Price: $16.59
In WotC’s first look for March of the Machine, they announced a bonus sheet of Multiverse Legends cards would appear in a Booster Fun slot. Based on the spoiling of Atraxa, Praetor’s Voice, and Ragavan, Nimble Pilferer, one can assume that the bonus sheet is full of fantastic Legendary creatures. Like The Brothers’ War: Retro Artifacts, these specialty-framed Booster Fun cards are non-Standard legal.If the Multiverse Legends follow the bonus sheet setup as The Brothers’ War: Retro Artifacts, then players can expect around 60 Legendary creatures to receive reprints. While not every creature inclusion can be a high-dollar Mythic Rare like Ragavan, Nimble Pilferer, a wide variety of potent legendary creature options exist. Here are a few format staples that are excellent choices for Multiverse Legends.
Pioneer
Kroxa, Titan of Death’s Hunger
Theros Beyond Death
Market Price: $20.13
Modern
Emrakul, the Aeons Torn
Double Masters 2022
Market Price: $14.35
Market Price: $14.54
Market Price: $11.48
Market Price: $14.35
Legacy
Griselbrand (Oversized)
Oversize Cards
Market Price: $7.19
Market Price: $10.88
Commander
Morophon, the Boundless
Modern Horizons
Market Price: $25.87
Market Price: $15.13
Market Price: $43.18
#2 Playable Three-Color Cards
Speaking of three-color cards, MTG could use more of them. According to Scryfall, Azban and Temur (Blue, Red, and Green) only have twenty-six gold-framed MTG cards containing their color combinations. Moreover, Standard sets centered on color wedges and shards are not commonly released. Streets of New Capenna and Ikoria: Lair of Behemoths are two of the more recent Standard sets focusing on three-color combinations.
March of the Machine spoiled prerelease promos adds new three-color cards to Grixis (Blue, Black, and Red), Bant (Green, White, and Blue), and Jund (Black, Red, and Green). Four of the five March of the Machine Commander Decks also represent shard color combinations. It would be wonderful if March of the Machine main set and supporting products contained many playable three-color cards for multiple formats.
#1 Planeswalker Team-Ups
WotC revealed several Legendary Creature cards with pairings of characters from prior MTG sets. Thalia and The Gitrog Monster is one exciting team that combines the abilities of Thalia, Heretic Cathar, and The Gitrog Monster. WotC could apply the same design template to Planeswalkers in March of the Machine.
Creating MTG’s first Azban (White, Black, and Green) Planeswalker with the team-up of Vivien and Kaya, would be fantastic. Their uptick loyalty ability could give a creature +1/+1 counters and deathtouch. A minus loyalty ability may exile a creature or enchantment. As for an ultimate, producing an army of Frog Spirit creature tokens sounds terrific.
Market Price: $20.11
Another possible Planeswalker team-up is The Wanderer and Kaito Shizuki. Putting characters together on an Esper (White, Blue, and Black) Planeswalker may produce exciting results. Combining The Wanderer and Kaito’s abilities may create 2/2 White and Black Samurai creature tokens with deathtouch. Also, a loyalty ability could easily cause a target creature to become unable to attack, block, or use activated abilities until your next turn. It might be even more interesting if a static ability enabled you to draw a card whenever a Samurai or Ninja deals combat damage to an opponent during your turn.