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Finally, you don’t need to risk thePinkertonsknocking on your door to take a look atMagic: The Gathering’slatest set, March of the Machine: The Aftermath. Aftermassive leaks, Wizards of the Coast decided to do without the usual preview season for a set, and just showed off the entire thing in one, big stream.
RELATED:Magic: The Gathering – The Best Red Cards In March Of The Machine
Set immediately after last month’s March of the Machine, The Aftermath shows the effects the Phyrexian invasion has had on the multiverse. Although there are lot of returning characters in Aftermath, the really interesting thing are the two big changes to the multiverse that we’ll be exploring for many years.
What Is March Of The Machine: The Aftermath?
The Aftermath is a Standard-legal set, just like March of the Machine before it. However, it is a mini-set of just 50 cards, and isn’t intended to be played in a limited format. Of course, the set will also be legal in other formats, such as Modern, Pioneer, Legacy, Vintage, Alchemy, Explorer, Historic, and Commander.
This freedom from limited play allows The Aftermath to do away with some of the necessary structure of a Standard set, such as completely lacking common-rarity cards, and having a higher-than-normal number of creatures.
The Aftermath is being sold in Epilogue boosters, which includes five cards instead of the usual 12 or 15 – all of which will be uncommon rarity or higher. There are also Collector’s boosters that come with six cards, with one in six packs including the Halo foil treatment we just saw in the full March of the Machine.
The Aftermath will be available both on tabletop and on digital, with it being fully available in MTG Arena. However, there are no side-products associated with this set, such as tie-in Secret Lairs or preconstructed Commander decks.
The Spark Rupture And Omenpaths
By far the biggest things coming in Aftermath are the developments it’s making to the ongoing story. This set is primarily meant to fill in the gaps we missed in March of the Machine, and so is much more tied into the story than a normal set.
The first big change is that the Phyrexian invasion has actually damaged the sparks (the inherent element that lets Planeswalkers move between orlds) of the vast majority of Planeswalkers, stripping them of their powers.
So far, the only two Planeswalkers we know to still have their sparks in-tact are Chandra, and the recently de-Phyrexianised Ajani. In fact, Aftermath shows off a number of characters who’ve lost their sparks, including Ob Nixilis, Nissa, Nahiri, Sarkhan, Kiora, Samut, Calix, and, most disappointingly for the fans he’s picked up in recent stories, Tyvar.
However, this doesn’t mean we’ll never be seeing these characters again – instead, they’ll be appearing as legendary creatures going forward, with many of them getting their debut creature cards in Aftermath.
The second big shakeup to the universe is the introduction of ‘Omenpaths’. Previously holes that connected the ten realms of Kaldheim, the Omenpaths have now spread throughout the multiverse and are connecting the planes themselves together. Interplanar travel is now available for anyone, provided they can find an Omenpath that goes to where they want to be.
In the short-term, we haven’t seen much of what Omenpaths can do, other than an alien invader on the card Animist’s Might. But in the future, this means we can see previously plane-bound characters show up practically anywhere. Teysa Karlov on New Capenna? Silumgar on Arcavios? Hazoret in Theros? At least in terms of lore, this is the biggest thing to happen to Magic’s story since the Mending almost 20 years ago.
The Full March Of The Machine: The Aftermath Set
Here is every card coming in March of the Machine: The Aftermath.
Coppercoat Vanguard
One generic, one white creature – Human Soldier – 2/2
Each other Human you control gets +1/+0 and has ward: one generic mana.
One generic, one white enchantment
As Deification enters the battlefield, choose a planeswalker type.
Planeswalkers you control of the chosen type are hexproof.
As long as you control a creature, if damage dealt to a planeswalker you control of the chosen type would result in all loyalty counters on it being removed, instead all but one of those counters are removed.
Three generic, one white creature – Dinosaur – 2/5
Vigilance
Whenever Harnessed Snubhorn deals combat damage to a player, return target artifact or enchantment card from your graveyard to the battlefield.
Two generic, one white creature – Angel Cleric – 2/3
Flying, vigilance
You have hexproof.
Whenever Metropolis Reformer is dealt damage, you gain that much life.
Two generic, one white enchantment
When Spark Rupture enters the battlefield, draw a card.
Each planeswalker with one or more loyalty counters on it loses all abilities and is a creature with power and toughness each equal to the number of loyalty counters on it.
Tazri, Stalwart Survivor
Two generic, one white legendary creature – Human Warrior – 3/3
Each creature you control has “Tap: Add one mana of any of this creature’s colors. Spend this mana only to activate an ability of a creature. Activate only if this creature has another activated ability.”
One white, one blue, one black, one red, one green, tap: Mill five cards. Put all creature cards with activated abilities that aren’t mana abilities from among the milled cards into your hand.
One generic, two blue instant
Tolarian Contempt
Three generic, two blue enchantment
When Tolarian Contempt enters the battlefield, put a rejection counter on each creature your opponents control.
At the beginning of your end step, for each opponent, choose up to one target creature they control with a rejection counter on it. That creaturer’s owner puts it on top or bottom of their library.
Training Grounds
One blue enchantment
Activated abilities of creatures you control cost two generic less to activate. This can’t reduce the mana in that cost to less than one mana.
Two generic, one blue creature – Shapeshifter – 2/4
Flying
You may look at the top card of your library at any time.
At the beginning of each combat, you may reveal the top card of your library. If you reveal a creature card this way, Vesuvan Drifter becomes a copy of that card until end of turn, except it has flying.
One generic, one black creature – Human Knight – 2/2
Menace
Whenever Ayara’s Oathsworn deals combat damage to a player, if it has fewer than four +1/+1 counters on it, put a +1/+1 counter on it. Then if it has exactly four +1/+1 counters on it, search your library for a card, put it into your hand, then shuffle.
Blot Out
Two generic, one black instant
Target opponent exiles a creature or planeswalker they control with the greatest mana value among creatures or planeswalkers they control.
Six generic, one black creature – Demon Spirit – 5/4
Flash
This spell costs two generic less to cast for each creature that died this turn.
When Death-Rattle Oni enters the battlefield, destroy all other creatures that were dealt damage this turn.
Two generic, one black creature – Vampire Noble – 2/2
Other Vampires you control get +1/+1
Madness: Two generic, one black
Urborg Scavengers
Two generic, one black creature – Spirit – 2/2
Whenever Urborg Scavengers enters the battlefield or attacks, exile target card from a graveyard. Put a +1/+1 counter on Urborg Scavengers.
Urborg Scavenger has flying as long as a card exiled with it has flying. The same is true for first strike, double strike, deathtouch, haste, hexproof, indestructible, lifelink, menace, reach, trample, and vigilance.
Arni Metalbrow
Two generic, one red legendary creature – Human Berserker – 3/3
Whenever a creature you control attacks or a creature enters the battlefield under your control attacking, you may pay one generic and one red mana. If you do, you may put a creature card with mana value less than that creature’s mana value from your hand onto the battlefield tapped and attacking.
Two generic, one red creature – Ogre Warrior – 3/2
Haste
Whenever Kolaghan Warmonger attacks, look at the top six cards of your library. You may reveal a Dragon card from among them and put it into your hand. Put the rest on the bottom of your library in a random order.
Plargg and Nassari
Three generic, two red legendary creature – Orc Efreet – 5/4
At the beginning of your upkeep, each player exiles cards from the top of their library until they exile a nonland card. An opponent chooses a nonland card exiled this way. You may cast up to two spells from among the other cards exiled this way without paying their mana costs.
Reckless Handling
One generic, one red sorcery
Search your library for an artifact card, reveal it, put it into your hand, shuffle, then discard a card at random. If an artifact card was discarded this way, Reckless Handling deals two damage to each opponent.
Animist’s Might
Two generic, one green sorcery
This spell costs two generic less to cast if it targets a legendary creature you control.
Target creature you control deals damage equal to twice its power to target creature or planeswalker you don’t control.
Three generic, one green enchantment – Aura
Enchant legendary creature
Enchanted creature has ward: two generic, and “tap: Add five mana in any combination of colors. Spend this mana only to cast spells.”
Nissa, Resurgent Animist
Two generic, one green legendary creature – Elf Scout – 3/3
Landfall –Whenever a land enters the battlefield under your control, add one mana of any color. Then if this is the second time this ability has resolved this turn, reveal cards from the top of your library until you reveal an Elf or Elemental card. Put that card into your hand and the rest on the bottom of your library in a random order.
Open The Way
X generic, two green sorcery
X can’t be greater than the number of players in the game.
Reveal cards from the top of your library until you reveal X land cards. Put those land cards onto the battlefield tapped and the rest on the bottom of your library in a random order.
Tranquil Frillback
Two generic, one green creature – Dinosaur – 3/3
When Tranquil Frillback enters the battlefield, you may pay one green mana up to three times. When you pay this cost one or more times, choose up to that many:
Undercity Upheaval
One generic, two green sorcery
Undergrowth –Distribute X +1/+1 counters among any number of target creatures you control, where X is the number of creature card in your graveyard as you cast this spell. Creatures you control gain vigilance until end of turn.
Calix, Guided by Fate
One generic, one green, one white legendary enchantment creature – Human Druid – 2/2
Constellation –Whenever Calix, Guided by Fate or another enchantment enters the battlefield under your control, put a +1/+1 counter on target creature.
Whenever Calix or an enchanted creature you control deals combat damage to a player, you may creature a token that’s a copy of a nonlegendary enchantment you control. Do this only once each turn.
Campus Renovation
Three generic, one red, one white sorcery
Return up to once target artifact or enchantment card from your graveyard to the battlefield. Exile the top two cards of your library. Until the end of your next turn, you may play those cards.
Cosmic Rebirth
One generic, one green, one white instant
Choose target permanent card in your graveyard. If it has mana value three or less, you may put it onto the battlefield. If you don’t put it onto the battlefield, put it into your hand.
You gain three life.
Danitha, New Benalia’s Light
One generic, one green, one white legendary creature – Human Knight – 2/2
Vigilance, trample, lifelink
Once during each of your turns, you may cast an Aura or Equipment spell from your graveyard.
Feast of the Victorious Dead
One white, one black enchantment
At the beginning of your end step, if one or more creatures died this turn, you gain that much life and distribute that many +1/+1 counters among creatures you control.
Gold-Forged Thopteryx
One white, one blue artifact creature – Dinosaur Thopter – 1/3
Flying, lifelink
Each legendary permanent you control has ward: two generic.
Jirina, Dauntless General
One white, one black legendary creature – Human Soldier – 2/2
When Jirina, Dauntless General enters the battlefield, exile target player’s graveyard.
Sacrifice Jirina: Humans you control gain hexproof and indestructible until end of turn.
Jolrael, Voice of Zhalfir
Two generic, one green, one blue legendary creature – Human Druid – 3/3
At the beginning of combat on your turn, up to one target land you control becomes an X/X green and blue Bird creature with flying and haste until end of turn, where X is the number of cards in your hand. It’s still a land.
Whenever a land creature you control deals combat damage to a player, draw a card.
The Kenriths' Royal Funeral
Two generic, one white, one black legendary enchantment
When The Kenriths' Royal Funeral enters the battlefield, exile up to two target legendary creature cards from your graveyard. You draw X cards and you lose X life, where X is the greatest mana value among cards exiled this way.
Legendary spells you cast cost one generic less to cast for each card exiled with The Kenriths' Royal Funeral.
Kiora, Sovereign of the Deep
Three generic, one green, one blue legendary creature – Merfolk Noble – 4/5
Vigilance, ward: three generic
Whenever you cast a Kraken, Leviathan, Octopus, or Serpent spell from your hand, look at the top X cards of your library, where X is that spell’s mana value. You may cast a spell with mana value less than X from among them without paying its mana cost. Put the rest on the bottom of your library in a random order.
Nahiri, Forged in Fury
Four generic, one red, one white legendary creature – Kor Artificer – 5/4
Affinity for Equipment
Whenever an equipped creature you control attacks, exile the top card of your library. You may play that card this turn. You may cast Equipment spells this way without paying their mana costs.
Three generic, one red, one white enchantment
Creatures you control get +1/+0 and have haste.
At the beginning of your end step, exile any number of nontoken artifacts and/or creatures you control. Return those cards to the battlefield under their owner’s control at the beginning of your next upkeep.
Narset, Enlightened Exile
One generic, one blue, one red, one white legendary creature – Human Monk – 3/4
Creatures you control have prowess.
Whenever Narset, Enlightened Exile attacks, exile target noncreature, nonland card with mana value less than Narset’s power from a graveyard and copy it. You may cast the copy without paying its mana cost.
Nashi, Moon’s Legacy
One black, one green, one blue legendary creature – Rat Shaman – 3/4
Menace, ward: one generic
Whenever Nashi, Moon Legacy attacks, exile up to one target legendary or Rat card from your graveyard and copy it. You may cast the copy.(You still pay its costs. A copy of a permanent spell becomes a token.)
Niv-Mizzet, Supreme
One white, one blue, one black, one red, one green legendary creature – Dragon Avatar – 5/5
Flying, hexproof from monocolored
Each instant and sorcery card in your graveyard that’s exactly two colors has jump-start.(You may cast that cast from your graveyard by discarding a card in addition to paying its other costs. Then exile it.)
Ob Nixilis, Captive Kingpin
Two generic, one black, one red legendary creature – Demon – 4/3
Flying, trample
Whenever one or more opponents each lose exactly one life, put a +1/+1 counter on Ob Nixilis, Captive Kingpin. Exile the top card of your library. Until your next end step, you may play that card.
Pia Nalaar, Consul of Revival
One red, one white legendary creature – Human Artificer – 2/3
Thopters you control have haste.
Whenever you play a land from exile or cast a spell from exile, create a 1/1 colorless Thopter artifact creature token with flying.
Rebuild the City
Three generic, one black, one red, one green sorcery:
Choose target land. Create three tokens that are copies of it, except they’re 3/3 creatures in addition to their other types and they have vigilance and menace.(They’re affected by summoning sickness.)
Rocco, Street Chef
One red, one green, one white legendary creature – Elf Druid – 2/4
At the beginning of your end step, each player exiles the top card of their library. Until your next end step, each player may play the card they exiled this way.
Whenever a player plays a land from exile or casts a spell from exile, you put a +1/+1 counter on target creature and create a Food token.(It’s an artifact with “two generic, tap, Sacrifice this artifact: You gain three life.")
Samut, Vizier of Naktamun
One generic, one red, one green legendary creature – Human Warrior Cleric – 2/3
First strike, vigilance, haste
Whenever a creature you control deals combat damage to a player, if that creature entered the battlefield this turn, draw a card.
Sarkhan, Soul Aflame
One generic, one blue, one red legendary creature – Human Shaman – 2/4
Dragon spells you cast cost one generic less to cast.
Whenever a Dragon enters the battlefield under your control, you may have Sarkhan, Soul Aflame become a copy of it until end of turn, except its name is Sarkhan, Soul Aflame and it’s legendary in addition to its other types.
Sigarda, Font of Blessings
Two generic, one green, one white legendary creature – Angel – 4/4
Other Flying permanents you control have hexproof.
You may cast Angel spells and Human spells from the top of your library.
Tyvar the Bellicose
Two generic, one black, one green legendary creature – Elf Warrior – 5/4
Whenever one or more Elves you control attack, they gain deathtouch until end of turn.
Each creature you control has “Whenever a mana ability of this creature resolves, put a number of +1/+1 counters on it equal to the amount of mana this creature produced. This ability triggers only once each turn.”
Karn, Legacy Reforced
Five generic legendary artifact creature – Golem – /
Karn, Legacy Reforge’d power and toughness are each equal to the greatest mana value among artifacts you control.
At the beginning of your upkeep, add one colorless mana for each artifact you control. This mana can’t be cast on nonartifact spells. Until end of turn, you don’t lose this mana as steps and phases end.
Land
Tap: Add one colorless
Two generic, tap: Put two +1/+1 counters on target non-Human creature that entered the battlefield this turn.
As this is only a mini-set, there are no new mechanics. However, there are plenty of returning ones we’ve not seen in a while, such as landfall (Nissa, Resurgent Animist), convoke (Markov Baron), and undergrowth (Undercity Upheaval). This makes it a slightly more mechanically complex set than others in Standard, although the smaller number of cards definitely helps keep that in check.
This is the first Standard-legal set in many years to not include any Planeswalkers. However, it does have a number of Planeswalker-matters cards, such as Deification making a Planeswalker effectively indestructible, or Spark Rupture turning them into creatures.
The big pull here is, of course, all the legendary creatures almost making this more a mini-Commander Legends set. Most are desparked Planeswalkers, with some, like Nahiri, Forged in Fury, look set to make a big splash on Commander. Narset, Enlightened Exile also shows that Narset can still be terrifying post-spark, giving your creatures prowess and allowing you to copy and cast spells from any graveyard just by dealing combat damage.
Other legendary creatures are just characters we didn’t get to see enough of in March of the Machine. Nashi, Moon’s Legacy and his now magical-scroll-spirit dead mum Tamiyo make for for an interesting Rat- and Legendary-matters card, while Tazri, Stalwart Survivor giving us a new WUBRG commander to play with.
One of the biggest shocks in this set is Leyline Immersion, a green enchantment that lets a legendary creature tap to make five mana of any combination of colours. Though there are lots of good cards in Aftermath, this is one of the frontrunners for the most desired by the community, and could skyrocket in popularity when it launches.
March of the Machine: The Aftermath launches on May 11 for digital play on MTG Arena and Magic Online, and on May 12 for tabletop.
