Tarkir: Dragonstorm Recap: Can it Roar Louder Than Final Fantasy?

Tarkir: Dragonstorm got finally teased around two weeks ago, and despite being the only proper "Magic" set in a year dominated by UB crossovers as stated by a lot of folks, it feels like it is still being outshined by its flashier neighbors. Between the Final Fantasy hype machine and Spider-Man leaks stealing headlines (in both positive and negative directions, inside and outside the MTG community), you'd be forgiven for not realizing Tarkir is upon us next month. But is the apparent lack of hype warranted, or are we being distracted by other controversies in the corner?

First and foremost, can we get a recap on why this set is coming again? Behind the neon aesthetics and questionable font choices, there's a genuinely intriguing return to one of Magic's most beloved planes.

The Time-Twisted Plane Strikes Back

Tarkir has never been a static setting. The original block gave us the rare "time travel changes everything" storyline where Sarkhan Vol saved Ugin and fundamentally rewrote the plane's history. Dragons, once extinct, became the dominant force. The clans we knew were subjugated under dragonlords Ojutai, Silumgar, Kolaghan, Atarka, and Dromoka.

Fast forward to now, and we're getting another major transformation. According to Planeswalker's Guides, Ugin's departure five years ago weakened the dragonstorms that birthed new dragons. Combined with casualties from the Phyrexian invasion, this created the perfect opening for rebellion. The humanoids overthrew their dragon masters, the clan structures were revived, and through the "Stormnexus Ritual," five new spirit dragons emerged, bound to new clan leaders.

Here's the planned twist for this particular set: the dragonlords are gone. Not "pushed to the side" or "appearing as supporting characters" – they're straight-up missing. According to lore, they were "seemingly swallowed up by the massive storm" during the final battle. For a set named Dragonstorm, the absence of the iconic dragonlords feels more like a missed opportunity than a deliberate omission to prepare for their grand future return. Imagine Coldsnap without Marit Lage, or Dominaria without Teferi. But... I guess that is where the word "arc" is relevant in the current multi-set, multi-planar storyline.

So we have a completely transformed plane with wild dragons spawning from more intense storms, humanoid-led clans attempting to rebuild their cultures, and spirit dragons serving as the new anchors of power. It's an obligatory setup that cleverly allows WoTC to both revisit the wedge color identities of the original Khans while still keeping dragons central to the plane's identity.

Old Clans, New Tricks: The Five Faces of Tarkir 3.0

Each clan has been reimagined in ways that echo their original incarnations while reflecting their evolution under draconic rule. The level of detail here is impressive – from the Abzan's revival of their ancestor worship and Kin-Trees to the Sultai's rethinking of necromancy as an honor rather than a punishment.

The Abzan ("Do What is Necessary") are essentially fantasy Spartans crossed with ancestor-worshipping tree-tenders. Their new visuals seem to be the most divisive among fans, but the mechanics of ancestral summonings and earthcarvers could bring some interesting gameplay.

The Jeskai ("We Act as One") have transformed into a unified monastic order pursuing a shared understanding of reality. Their three monasteries – each representing a different principle of the Way – could provide a mechanical framework for an interesting sub-theme. For example, we might see tweaked version of Prowess, or something else that reward spell chains.

The Sultai ("Nothing Goes to Waste") have the most intriguing philosophical shift. Rather than the decadent, demon-pact society from Khans or Silumgar's tyrannical hierarchy, they've become almost utilitarian in their approach to resources – including the dead. This could lead to some fascinating graveyard mechanics that differ from traditional Sultai strategies.

The Mardu ("Dare to Keep Up") remain the most aggressive clan, but with a more structured military approach that seems to borrow from both their original Khans incarnation and Kolaghan's emphasis on speed. Their cavalry and lightning manipulation could provide a home for aggro strategies, though the focus on "lightning proving" ceremonies hints at potential ritual or conditional mechanics.

Finally, the Temur ("The Land Will Guide Us") connect to nature through the "Endless Song," guided by whisperers who can predict dragonstorms. Their semi-nomadic lifestyle and animal companions suggest a return to a more classic Temur strategy with elements of the old Ferocious mechanic potentially making a comeback.

Dragons, Rhinos, and… wait, is that a Mox?!

We've seen surprisingly little actual gameplay mechanics for a set that was supposed to be the key Standard-legal set release unveiled at Chicago MagicCon 2025. But what we have seen is intriguing. The marquee mechanic appears to be a dragon-matters keyword that rewards you for having a dragon on the battlefield. We've seen different flavors of this type of effect throughout the decades, of course, but it is pretty expected that this set will have quite a number of cards that provide bonuses if you have Dragons on the designated location written on the card.

The few cards we've seen hint at powerful but balanced designs. Skirmish Rhino is clearly a nod to the infamous Siege Rhino, but tweaked to be more defensive and life-gain focused rather than the drain monster that dominated Standard. Shiko, Paragon of the Way looks to be a potential Jeskai commander with flexibility that could work alongside existing standard pieces like Three Blind Mice and Caretaker's Talent.

The most intriguing card revealed so far is Mox Jasper – a new addition to the Mox family that some are already predicting might "break older formats like Mox Amber did." Any card with "Mox" in the title deserves serious attention, and this one seems designed specifically to boost changelings and tribal strategies.

Beyond these, we know the set will feature five commander precons, one for each clan. Interestingly, these will be the "first time" there are two face commanders designed to be interchangeable as leaders of their respective decks. This is technically true, though many already observed, we've had alternative commanders in precons for years – they just haven't been featured on the box.

Choosing Clans, Prayers for Fixes, and the Limited Multicolor Challenge

One genuinely exciting aspect of Tarkir: Dragonstorm is the return of seeded packs for prereleases, allowing players to align with their preferred clan. This was a highlight of the original Khans prerelease, and bringing it back is a smart move that should generate enthusiasm among Limited players. According to the Preview Panel reveal, each clan will have its own prerelease kit with a seeded pack aligned to that clan's colors.

Three-color draft environments can be challenging to balance, but hopefully Aetherdrift's slower pace gives hope that WoTC can still create conditions that allow for multicolor strategies to flourish. If they nail the color balance (which New Capenna notably failed to do), this could be one of the more memorable Limited formats in recent years.

All While Distracted by Chocobos and Web-Slingers

Let's address the dragon in the room: why does it feel like Hasbro is pushing Final Fantasy and Spider-Man harder than WoTC's own IP? The most cynical take is that UB sets just make more money. Hasbro knows very well how to tell WoTC to rub its golden goose. In fact, some of you may have already witnessed the trend of people buying MTG products despite not really being familiar with MTG at all. All for that sweet, sweet UB collectibles.

Of course, this simply boils down to end-to-end marketing strategy. After all, UB sets need to reach beyond the existing Magic audience to be successful. A regular Magic player doesn't need to be told about Tarkir in February for an April release – they'll hear about it through the normal channels. But building hype for Final Fantasy among non-Magic players requires a longer runway and broader marketing approach.

The result? The frequency and intensity of UB announcements are creating legitimate fatigue even among players who aren't opposed to crossovers. When Avatar: The Last Airbender was teased at the very end of the same panel as Tarkir: Dragonstorm, the sentiment was split between excitement and exhaustion. And perhaps rightfully so.

Maybe Worth Looking After All? Or No?

Strip away the UB distractions and release schedule complaints, and Tarkir: Dragonstorm looks to be a solid return to one of Magic's most beloved planes, at least from how I see it right now. The wedge color combinations, the blend of clan and dragon themes, the return of seeded prereleases – these are all positive indicators for a worthwhile-ish set.

For Standard players, the mechanics we've seen suggest an expectedly modified approach that shakes up the meta using updated versions of what was once familiar. For Commander players, the five precons will offer new options for wedge strategies beyond the usual suspects. And for those who care about the ongoing story, the secondary disappearance of the dragonlords creates a hook that seems to be a bit interesting enough for future narrative developments.