Exclusive MTG Aetherdrift card reveal adds… high-speed mammoths?

An armored mammoth with a howdah carrying lizards charges through a jungle setting

(Image credit: Wizards of Coast)

MTG Aetherdrift is racing into the new year with a bevvy of previews, and GamesRadar+ can exclusively reveal a pair of cards to whet your appetite for the set.

As with all things MTG Aetherdrift, they gotta go fast. Well, theoretically. Although these cards tie into the racing theme present across this set, they aren't burning rubber. Instead, they're distinctly prehistoric additions to one of the best card games. First up, have a high-speed mammoth – as a treat.

Autarch Mammoth card showing a bellowing mammoth being ridden by lizardlike creatures — (Image credit: Wizards of the Coast)

OK, so the 'Autarch Mammoth' might not be the fastest mount out there. But it packs enough of a punch to send rivals flying thanks to its 5/5 rating and ability to spawn a 3/3 green Elephant token whenever it attacks if saddled. That makes it a great late-game play.

Next, we have a Very Good Boy who'll defend your creatures or create Pilot tokens.

Defend the Rider card with artwork depicting a bolt of green shooting up from a forest to strike a dinosaur-like flying creature being ridden by a racer — (Image credit: Wizards of the Coast)

Just like it says on the tin, 'Defend the Rider' will protect high-value cards. It allows you to either make a target permanent you control hexproof and indestructible until the end of the turn, or make a 1/1 colorless Pilot who can saddle Mounts and crew Vehicles as if its power were 2 or more. Thanks to the card's single-mana cost, it lets players quickly and easily activate saddle or crew triggers.

More details for MTG Aetherdrift will continue to drop as we march toward the February 14 release date. We'll keep you updated as and when more info becomes available, but in the meantime you can get some discounts on the set via Amazon.

For more recommendations, race over to our guide to the best board games or the best 2-player board games.

I've been writing about games in one form or another since 2012, and now manage GamesRadar+'s tabletop gaming and toy coverage. You'll find my grubby paws on everything from board game reviews to the latest Lego news.