Wizards of the Coast has introduced a wealth of mechanics to Magic: The Gathering over the years in order to keep the long-running card game feeling fresh for veteran and new players alike. While some of these have proven to be utter failures (looking at you, Sweep), many have been welcomed with open arms by the community for perfectly splicing together flavor, lore and power into a single piece of rectangular cut cardboard. Sagas are a prime example of this and continue to be some of the most memorable enchantments ever printed since their debut back in 2018 with Dominaria.
It’s hardly surprising, then, that the card type is confirmed to be making its return with next year’s Kaldheim expansion and Wizards has even seen fit to give fans a sneak peek at one of many that can be found inside packs. Check out the 4-cost Showdown of the Skalds in the gallery down below.
For folks not familiar with how they function, Sagas, like ordinary enchantments, have recurring effects that trigger across multiple turns though, unlike the former, don’t remain permanently in play until they’re manually expended or destroyed by the opponent. Once each stage of the Saga – usually three – has been told, it automatically goes to the user’s graveyard.
That being the case, the effects on them are traditionally quite powerful and Showdown of the Skalds – while arguably over costed – is no exception. The perfect tool for an aggro-oriented deck, we suspect it’ll become a staple in Boros decks when Kaldheim arrives February 2021.
For all the latest news on Magic: The Gathering‘s upcoming expansion, including a look at the game’s first-ever non-binary Planeswalker, see here.
