Magic: The Gathering Teases New And Returning Mechanics For Zendikar Rising

While this year’s Comic-Con wasn’t able to go ahead as planned, thanks to COVID-19, organizers have been able to beam all of the latest reveals and announcements straight to fans of all things sci-fi and fantasy via online panels. As always, Magic: The Gathering creator Wizards of the Coast had been intending to attend the show in order to promote various upcoming expansions for the collectable card game, including Zendikar Rising, and this past weekend, they did exactly that.

It’s far too soon to be showing off some of the cards included in the set (Double Masters is getting the lion’s share of attention right now), of course, though while we wait for those reveals, lead MTG designer Mark Rosewater confirmed a number of new details for the location’s return, including, among other tidbits, that an all-new mechanic will make its debut in the fall expansion.

See below for a summary of the major talking points:

• Full-art basic lands return.
• Includes Six dual lands.
• Brand new mechanic in the set that puts a new spin on a classic.
• Two returning mechanics.
• Many legendary creatures from past Zendikar sets will make a return.
• Planeswalkers Jace, Nissa and Nahiri are confirmed to make an appearance.
• As with the original Zendikar, Rising will be a land-focused set.

If you’re not quite sure what that last bullet point entails, ‘land sets’ are so-called for their heavy emphasis on player interaction with the five basic colors and the synergies therein. Despite what many had perhaps hoped, however, Zendikar Rising won’t be where Wizards will finally be reprinting sought-after Fetch lands, at least not in standard booster boxes. It’s worth noting, though, that some form of dual lands will be present, and though we’ve yet to receive confirmation of the finer details, we can almost certainly rule out Taplands, following their heavy printing in both recent sets, most notably Core 2021.

Zendikar Rising releases September 25th for tabletop and Magic: The Gathering Arena. Stay tuned for more details.