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The Lord of the Rings: Tales of Middle-earth™ full set release from Magic: The Gathering’s Universes Beyond series drops before the end of the month and we want to give you a few teasers on some of the characters you’ll have at your disposal and what you can expect with the new mechanics and interactions.
Let’s start with everyone’s favorite age-less storyteller - Tom Bombadi. With stories pulled directly from the text, Magic: The Gathering is able to dive deep into characters that don’t get as much attention in the wider media landscape. A Legendary God Bard creature comprised of all five colors, Tom’s card has Indestructible, just like Tom in the books. Bombadil is the second Commander ever that references the card type Saga specifically, but the first one with every color available to you as a deck-builder, so it will be an interesting card for players to brew around for years to come.
Gandalf’s presence in the set is represented over three cards, a decision made by the designers to highlight narrative shifts over the tales’ full span. Translating the Wizard’s story in MTG cards as Gandalf the Grey, Gandalf the White, and Friend of the Shire, you’ll be able to find multiple versions for some of your most well-loved characters that suit your specific deck-building needs. All the while, steeping yourself in the lore of your favorite fantasy world.
One of the most exciting interpretations Magic: The Gathering is putting forth in this set is Aragorn. The ranger king appears across multiple cards, including one spotlighting his wedding to Arwen. Not only does this card look to be a powerful Commander, but the entire set provides a modern look at these classic stories.
And what would The Lord of the Rings be without Frodo Baggins? The heroic hobbit is present in many forms, but maybe none as vital as Frodo, Sauron’s Bane, which introduces the new gameplay mechanic, “The Ring Tempts You.”
Just like in the book, The Ring isn’t just a piece of jewelry. It calls to those who bear it. To represent that pull, “The Ring Tempts You” is sprinkled throughout the set, notably on character cards like Frodo, Sauron’s Bane, Gollum, Patient Plotter and Samwise the Stouthearted. All three feel the temptation of the Ring’s power, unsure of how far they can push it before they’re lost, and MTG is presenting that temptation to you at the kitchen table through the set’s mechanics.
In fact, those three cards, along with a card featuring The One Ring, come together to form a tableau, highlighting the brand new borderless Scene Cards, a first for Magic. These dramatic, full-scale images feature a ton of the most loved characters in memorable moments from the books, including Isengard Destroyed, Scouring of the Shire, and the gigantic, 18-card Battle Of The Pelennor Fields.
Food and Fellowship play a primary role in The Lord of the Rings. That makes them a perfect mechanic for this set. Food token strategies have continued to gain more support over the past few years and Battle for Middle-earth will bring you even more tools around which you can “cook” your new favorite decklist As any good Hobbit will tell you, sometimes you need a second breakfast to keep you on your feet (with six meals a day being preferable.)
Amass is a returning mechanic in the set, representing the rising forces on both sides as the battle heats up. Create Armies, then grow them, presenting an unstoppable force with which you can vanquish your foes. In a world-wide battle featuring massive battalions of Orcs, adding counters to your armies could mean the difference between victory and defeat.
For anyone who doesn’t understand these mechanics, no worries! Head out to your local game store for one of Wizards of the Coast’s events. There will be launch parties coming up for the release on June 23rd, with more Magic Celebration Events the weekend of July 7th. As always, if you need help finding a local game store, be sure to hit up https://locator.wizards.com/ and get into the community.
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