MTG March of the Machine explained: spoilers, story, and deals

Wondering what makes March of the Machine special, or whether it's worth investing in? MTG can be hard to get into, so we've rounded up everything you need to know about the latest set.

As an example, just where do you start when buying March of the Machine? There are plenty of different packs on offer, but not all of them are compatible with one another. To help you zero in on what's best for you, we've laid it all out as simply as possible with advice for exactly what each item is for.

We've also broken down the plot so that you'll be up to speed on release day. Following on from February's Phyrexia: All Will Be One, it'll apparently change the face of the Magic multiverse as we know it… 

March of the Machine - essential info

You'll find all the upcoming dates below.

• March 16 - 19: March of the Machine story
• March 29: Set debut, cinematic trailer, and previews begin
• March 29 - April 4: Card previews
• April 5: Complete card image galleries revealed
• April 14 – 20: In-Store Pre-release Events
• April 18: MTG Arena and Magic Online Digital Release
• April 21: Global Tabletop Release
• May 1: March of the Machine: The Aftermath story
• May 2 - 3: March of the Machine: The Aftermath previews

March of the Machine - spoilers

Plenty of cards have been revealed for March of the Machine (from Standard to Commander), and we've listed them all in the gallery below. If you want to go in blind, consider this your final warning! 

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March of the Machine - what to buy

It's always tricky figuring out which MTG sets to get; there are always so many to choose from, and March of the Machine is no different. To help you get a better grip of what's out there (and who it's for, more importantly), we've broken it all down here. That includes what you should buy depending on how you like to play Magic.

Jumpstart | Best for beginners
Looking to start playing Magic for as little as possible, as easily as possible? Jumpstart is ideal. All you need to do is grab two Jumpstart Boosters, shuffle them, and get going.

Here's what you can get for the Jumpstart game type:

Jumpstart Booster pack (Buy in-store)
Jumpstart Booster 2-pack (Check price at Amazon)
Jumpstart Booster Box (Check price at Amazon)

Commander | Best for casual play
There are five Commander decks in March of the Machine, and they are ready-to-go packs that allow you to play multiplayer sessions with up to six people. Because you don't need to make a deck or mess about with boosters for Commander, it's a great starting point for newcomers and more experienced Planeswalkers alike.

There are five Commander decks in total for this release, and each one uses a different Mana/color type.

Growing Threat (Check price at Amazon)
Cavalry Charge (Check price at Amazon)
Call for Backup (Check price at Amazon)
Divine Convocation (Check price at Amazon)
Tinker Time (Check price at Amazon)

Standard | Best for experienced players
March of the Machine is 'Standard legal', and that means you can use cards from Set or Collector Boosters to build your own decks for competitive play. To do so, you'll need to construct a deck of 60 cards using Booster packs or the bundle pictured here. However, you can't include more than four of the same card. (Well, apart from the Lands that power your abilities.)

Here's what you can buy for Standard games:

Bundle (Check price at Amazon)
Booster Box (Check price at Amazon)
Collector Booster (Check price at Amazon)
Collector Booster Box (Check price at Amazon) 

Draft Booster | Best for experts
For those are are very experienced in the ways of MTG and/or play at events, Draft is often the way to go. As a more spontaneous kind of match, you'll create a deck of 40 cards by drawing from a shared pool of Draft Booster packs. Because these packs are specifically designed for drafting, you can't use the cards in Standard, Collector, or Jumpstart matches.

Here's what you can buy for Draft Booster games:

Draft Booster pack (Buy in-store)
Draft Booster Box (Check price at Amazon)

March of the Machine - story

The Phyrexians have been plotting for a decade, and this is the culmination of all their schemes. It's not pretty; they've invaded every plane of existence after converting many of MTG's best-known heroes, and now want to transform all of reality. As such, March of the Machine is a final stand that'll span the breadth of the multiverse. As Wizards of the Coast mentioned in its first-look preview, "opening a pack [of cards] should feel like you're catching visions of planes from all over."

The stakes are significantly higher than normal, too. On the back of many heroes being converted into soulless, evil robots, it looks like some of the survivors won't make it out alive. According to that same preview, March of the Machine: The Aftermath (a set of 50 cards showing off what happens following the main storyline) will show us "which characters live, which ones get a happily ever after, and which ones don't live to see the aftermath themselves."

Wizards has made a big deal about how March of the Machine will fundamentally change the Magic multiverse, so we'll have to wait and see if that's true come April. However, this comment would suggest that it'll shake up the status quo at least a little. (Though we're pretty sure some, or most, of the transformed heroes will be returned to normal after all this is done.)

You can get the first official March of the Machine short story here, in which villain Elesh Norn oversees the invasion of countless iconic MTG worlds. She also encounters the gods of Ancient Greece-inspired Theros, and resolves to compleat them - something that will well and truly tip the balance in Phyrexia's favor. 

March of the Machine - deals

Our price-matching software is always on the lookout for deals, so take a look at the offers below if you're hunting down a bargain.

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