Aetherdrift Mini Spoiler and Setting Sneak Peek!

Well, well, yet another ambivalent MTG Standard-legal set finally gets more juice details. But beyond just the theme of the set, it turns out that there are a lot more decisions at play that will determine the overall outcome of this very first fresh set release for 2025. For one thing, Kaladesh is no more. No, it's not because of the Phyerxian Invasion... at least not directly. More on that in a bit. But for now, we have to lay out all the delectable stuff in the easiest-to-digest format possible.

Goodbye Kaladesh, Enter Avishkar

Behold, the Aetherspark! A powerful artifact with untold potential!

Possible main MacGuffin aside, it is the ultimate prize of the so-called Ghirapur Grand Prix, which can only be technically described as an interplanar (Avishkar, Amonkhet, and Muraganda so far) racing event that pits ten teams from across the Multiverse against each other in a no-holds-barred competition. The stakes get higher as the day of destiny comes near, with the winners set to claim the aforementioned ultimate prize.

In the lead-up to this weird twist in MTG conceptualization, Kaladesh is completely renamed as Avishkar. This supposedly more fitting name reflects the inventive innovation representing that plane during its first unveiling. Well, actually.... behind the scenes, and more than just an in-lore event spurred by a Consulate revolution, WoTC decided on the change to avoid possible Hindi dialect issues with the original name. Needless to say, this move was polarizing to the community, particularly those who noted that the name Kaladesh was originally conceptualized specifically to avoid this problem in the first place (and now they are telling us it was not okay after all?).

Anyway, I won't be elaborating on the multiple interpretations of the word Kaladesh that might be harmful, just know that it is now the plane of Avishkar.

Oh yeah, and if it is not obvious yet (especially in the teaser images), Chandra will be the star of this set's story.

Very Early Sneak Peek Cards

Important Dates

Introduction Podcast
January 10

Story Begins
January 13-20

Start of Debut and Previews
January 21

Commander Deck Previews
January 21

Card Image Gallery Complete
January 31

Prerelease
February 7-13

MTG Arena Release
February 11

Global (Tabletop) Release
February 14

Store Championship
March 8-30

Mechanics and Themes

• Aetherdrift will introduce new mechanics tied to each of the featured planes: Avishkar (formerly Kaladesh), Amonkhet, and Muraganda. This suggests the set will juggle multiple frameworks connected to each plane's signature mechanics.
• Avishkar's mechanics will likely revolve around inventions, vehicles and Aether. Amonkhet could feature mechanics related to cycling, embalm/eternalize or Aftermath. Muraganda, being a primal, dinosaur and ooze-filled plane, may introduce some kind of evolution or mutation mechanic.
• Since the theme is all about racing, we can undoubtedly expect vehicle-related (or at least vehicle-ish, MTG-wise) cards and mechanics to play a central role, possibly with some new twists.

Card Types and Rarity

• Aetherdrift will have special vehicle cards appearing in every pack, both Draft and Collector Boosters. These may depict the various racing teams' unique vehicles.
• The featured "Aetherspark" artifact that's central to the set's story will be represented on a "headliner" card. There will also be a special serialized version of this card for collectors.
• Extended art treatments and showcase frames will be present, as is typical for premier sets in recent years.

Limited Environment

• With so many (hopefully) flavorful top-down card designs tied to the planes and racing theme, Aetherdrift is likely to have a very engaging and dynamic limited environment.
• The complexity level seems high given the sheer number of new mechanics being introduced, which could lead to interesting meta curves for draft and sealed.
• That being said, we still need the typical good closer look at the synergies between cards representing the different racing teams and their home planes before judging anything.

 Standard Metagame Impact

• A whole set's worth of novel mechanics and potential build-around might just have a more-than-expected impact on the Standard metagame. But maybe just thematically, not straight-up meta-enabling. For example, the rotation-timed sets like Duskmourn and Bloomburrow.
• Competitive deck-building could see a major shake-up, but only depending on the new tools and strategies that could create completely brand new regular top rankers.

Constructed Playability

• Any cards that synergize well with existing strategies from the original Kaladesh block, Amonkhet block, or mayfair tribal themes like Dinosaurs have a good chance of breaking into non-rotating formats.

 
See you on January 10th!