Every New Card And Spoiler From MTG's LOTR: Tales Of Middle-earth

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To sayMagic: The Gathering’sLord of the Rings: Tales Of Middle-earth is one of its most anticipated sets ever would be an understatement. From Aragorn to Sauron, and Tom Bombadil to Bill the Pony, there are dozens of characters from the Middle-earth canon in this set, grabbing the attention of both veteran MTG players and Tolkien fans alike.

RELATED:Everything We Know About MTG’s Lord Of The Rings: Tales Of Middle-earth

Magic’s first full booster product for a Universes Beyond crossover brings J.R.R. Tolkien’s the Lord of the Rings to the game, complete with new art and cards designed for both the Modern and Commander formats. With the preview season running fromMay 30 to June 9, you can find every new card revealed below.

Day Eleven Previews

We’re finally at the end of The Lord Of The Rings: Tales Of Middle-earth’s mammoth preview season. We’ve seen most of the set, and all of the Commander cards, and all that’s left is the remaining Limited-focused cards in the full set reveal straight from Wizards. There may also be a few more surprises, though.

Banished from Edoras

Four generic, one white sorcery

This spell costs two generic less to cast if it targets a tapped creature.

One generic, one white creature - Human Knight - 2/2

Vigilance

Whenever East-Mark Cavalier deasl damage to a Goblin or Orc, destroy that creature.

Errand-Rider of Gondor

Two generic, one white creature - Human Soldier - 3/2

When Errand-Rider of Gondofr enters the battlefield, draw a card. Then if you don’t control a legendary creature, put a card from your hand on the bottom of your library.

Escape from Orthanc

One white instant

Target creature gets +1/+3 and gains flying until end of turn. Untap it.

Esquire of the King

One white creature - Human Soldier - 1/1

Four generic one white, tap: Creatures you control get +1/+1 until end of turn. This ability costs two less to activate if you control a legendary creature.

Fog on the Barrow-Downs

Two generic, one white enchantment - Aura

Enchant creature

Enchanted creature is a Spirit and can’t attack or block.

Nimble Hobbit

One generic, one white creature - Halfling Peasant - 1/3

Whenever Nimble Hobbit attacks, you may sacrifice a Food or pay two generic, one white. When you do, tap target creature an opponent controls.

Now for Wrath, Now for Ruin!

Three generic, one white sorcery

Put a +1/+1 counter on each creature you control. they gain vigilance until end of turn. The Ring tempts you.

Three generic, one white creature - Spirit Solder - 2/2

Flash

Flying

When Soldier of the Grey Host enters the battlefield, target creature gets +2/+0 until end of turn.

Stalwarts of Osgiliath

Four generic, one white creature - Human Soldier - 4/3

When Stalwarts of Osgiliath enters the battlefield, the Ring tempts you.

Whenever you draw your second card each turn, put a +1/+1 counter on Stalwarts of Osgiliath.

One generic, one blue enchantment - Aura

When Bewitching Leechcraft enters the battlefield, tap enchanted creature.

Enchnated creature has “If this creature would untap during your untap step, remove a +1/+1 counter from it instead. If you do, untap it.”

Two generic, one blue creature - Human Pirate 2/3

One blue instant

Dreadful as the Storm

Two generic, one blue instant

Target creature has base power and toughness 5/5 until end of turn. the Ring tempts you.

Glorious Gale

One generic, one blue instant

Counter target creature spell. If it was a legendary spell, the Ring tempts you.

Two generic, one blue creature - Elf Pilot - 3/2

Isolation at Orthanc

Three generic, one blue intstant

Put target creature into its owner’s library second from the top.

Two generic, one blue creature - Bird - 2/1

Three genric, two blue sorcery

Islandcycling one generic

Nimrodel Watcher

One generic, one blue creature - Elf Scout - 2/1

Whenever you scry, Nimrodel Watcher gets +1/+0 until end of turn and can’t be blocked this turn. this ability triggers only once each turn.

Pelargir Survivor

One generic, one blue mana creature - Human Peasant - 1/3

Tap: Add one mana of any color. Spend this mana only to cast an instant or sorcery spell.

Five generic, one blue mana, tap: Target player mills three cards.(They put the top three cards of their library into their graveyard.)

Four generic, one blue mana creature - Elemental - 3/4

When Willow-Wind enters the battlefield, scry two.

Cirith Ungol Patrol

Four generic, one black mana creature - Orc Soldier - 4/5

One generic mana, tap, sacrifice another creature: Draw a card, then create a Food token.(It’s an artifact with “Two generic mana, tap, sacrifice this artifact: You gain three life.")

Haunt of the Dead Marshes

One black mana creature - Nightmare Elf - 1/1

When Haunt of the Dead Marshes enters the battlefield, scry one.

Two generic, one black mana: Return Haunt of the Dead Marshes from your graveyard to the battlefield tapped. Activate only if you control a legendary creature.

One generic, one black mana sorcery

You draw a card and you lose one life.

Amass Orcs 1.(put a +1/+1 counter on an Army you control. It’s also an Orc. If you don’t control an Army, create a 0/0 black Orc Army creature token first.)

Sam’s Desperate Rescue

One black mana sorcery

Return target creature card from your graveyard to your hand. The Ring tempts you.

The Black Breath

Two generic, one black mana sorcery

Creatures your opponents control get -1/-1 until end of turn. The Ring tempts you.

Erebor Flamesmith

One generic, one red mana creature - Dwarf Artificer - 2/1

Whenever you cast an instant or sorcery spell, Erebor Flamesmith deals one damage to each opponent.

Haradrim Spearmaster

Two generic, one red mana creature - Human Warrior - 2/3

Reach

At the beginning of combat on your turn, another target creature you control gets +1/+0 until end of turn.

Improvised Club

One generic, one red mana instant

As an additional cost to cast this spell, sacrifice an artifact or creature.

Quarrel’s End

Two generic, one red mana sorcery

As an additional cost to cast this spell, discard a card.

Draw two cards and create a 1/1 white Human Soldier creature token.

Relentless Rohirrim

Three generic, one red mana creature - Human Knight - 4/3

Rohirrim Lancer

One red mana creature - Human Knight - 1/1

Menace(This creature can’t be blocked except by two or more creatures.)

Rush the Room

One red mana instant

Target creature gets +1/+0 and gains first strike until end of turn. If it’s a Goblin or Orc, it also gains haste until end of turn.

Brandywine Farmer

Two generic, one green mana creature - Halfling Peasant - 1/1

When Brandywine Farmer enters or leaves the battlefield, create a Food token.(It’s an artifact with “Two generic mana, tap, sacrifice this artifact: You gain three life.")

Chance-Met Elves

Two generic, one green mana creature - Elf Warrior - 3/2

Whenever you scry, put a +1/+1 counter on Chance-Met Elves. This ability triggers only once each turn.

Four generic, one green mana creature - Treefolk - 4/5

Elven Farsight

One green sorcery

Scry 3, then you may reveal the top card of your library. If it’s a creature card, draw a card.

Three generic, one green creature - Elf Scout - 3/4

One generic, one green creature - Elf Scout - 1/3

Whenever Lothlorien Lookout attacks, scry 1.

Mirrormere Guardian

Two generic, one green mana creature - Dwarf Soldier - 4/2

Two generic, one green mana instant

Destroy target artifact, enchantment, or creature with flying. Scry one.

Three generic mana artifact

Two generic mana artifact creature - Scarecrow - 0/3

Defender

One generic mana: Add one mana of any color. Activate only once each turn.

Sauron’s Ransom

One generic, one blue, one black instant

Choose an opponent. They look at the top four cards of your library and separate them into a face-down pile and a face-up pile. Put one pile into your hand and the other into your graveyard. The Ring tempts you.

Day Ten Previews

Day ten of previews is mostly dedicated to unveiling the four preconstructed Commander decks, which you can find more about further down in this article. However, here is every other new card revealed.

Dawn of a New Age

One generic, one white enchantment

Dawn of a New age enters the battlefield with a hope counter on it for each creature you control.

At the beginning of your end step, remove a hope counter from Dawn of a New Age. If you do, draw a card. Then, if Dawn of a New Age has no hope counters on it, sacrifice it and you gain four life.

Faramir, Field Commander

Three generic, one white legendary creature – Human Soldier – 3/3

At the beginning of your end step, if a creature died under your control this turn, draw a card.

Whenever the Ring tempts you, if you chose a creature other than Faramir, Field Commander as your Ring-bearer, create a 1/1 white Human Soldier creature token.

Hobbit’s Sting

One generic, one white instant

Hobbit’s Sting deals X damage to target creature, where X is the number of creatures you control plus the number of Foods you control.

Soothing of Smeagol

Return target nontoken creature to its owner’s hand. The Ring tempts you.

Lash of the Balrog

One black sorcery

As an additional cost to cast this spell, sacrifice a creature or pay four generic.

Orcish Medicine

One generic, one black instant

Target creature gains your choice of lifeline or indestructible until end of turn.

Ranger’s Firebrand

One red sorcery

Ranger’s Firebrand deals two damage to any target. The Ring tempts you.

One green creature – Spider – 1/1

Deathtouch

Whenever Mirkwood Spider attacks, target legendary creature you control gains deathtouch until end of turn.

The Balrog, Durin’s Bane

Five generic, one black, one red legendary creature – Avatar Demon – 7/5

This spell costs one generic less to cast for each permanent sacrificed this turn.

Haste

The Balrog, Durin’s Bane can’t be blocked except by legendary creatures.

When The Balrog dies, destroy target artifact or creature an opponent controls.

Aragorn, Company Leader

One generic, one green, one white legendary creature – Human Ranger – 3/3

Whenever the Ring tempts you, if you chose a creature other than Aragorn, Company Leader as your Ring-bearer, put your choice of a counter from among first strike, vigilance, deathtouch, and lifelink on Aragorn.

Whenever you put one or more counters on Aragorn, put one of each of those kinds of counters on up to one other target creature.

One white, one black sorcery

Flame or Anor

One generic, one blue, one red instant

Choose one. If you control a Wizard as you cast this spell, you may choose two instead.

Old Man Willow

Two generic, one black, one green legendary creature – Treefolk – /

Old Man Willow’s power and toughness are each equal to the number of lands you control.

Whenever Old Man Willow attacks, you may sacrifice another creature or a token. When you do, target creature an opponent controls gets -2/-2 until end of turn.

Two generic legendary artifact – Equipment

Equipped creature gets +1/+1 and has haste.

At the beginning of each combat, untap equipped creature.

Equipped creature has first strike as long as it’s blocking or blocked by a Goblin or Orc.

Equip: two generic.

As mentioned, the big draw of the penultimate day of previews has been the reveal of all four Commander decks. There are some incredible cards tucked away in there, such as the Riders of Rohan’s Beregond the Guard being a scary new tool for Humans decks, and Food and Fellowship’s Banquet Guests making Food tokens a much bigger threat than they have previously been.

Elven Council is a really interesting deck, with new tools for both the massively underrated voting deck archetype, and the ol' faithful Elves. Arwen, Weaver of Hope could become a new +1/+1 counter staple, while Galadhrim Ambush is a new Fog-like effect that will give Elf decks yet more gas.

Of all the decks, The Hosts of Mordor is probably the most straight-forward, but there are still some neat toys here too, like Summons of Saruman allowing you mill an instant or sorcery spell and then cast it for free. Cavern-Hoard Dragon may be expensive at eight mana, but it also could be a huge payoff when playing against any artifact deck, as its damage trigger makes you a Treasure token for each artifact they control. It’s not quite a Dockside Extortionist, but it’s not as far off as it may initially look.

A few goodies from the main set also crept in, too. Old Man Willow is another Treefolk commander, but is a lot more flexible, caring about lands and sacrificing permanents over the straight Treefolk strategies of Fangorn and Quickbeam.

Finally, Faramir, Field Commander is a nice, wholesome mono-white commander that lets you draw cards and make tokens. This will work nicely not just in Commander, but also in Modern Humans decks – provided you can find ways to be tempted by the Ring each turn.

Day Nine Previews

While any normal set would have finished its preview season already, Lord of the Rings is still pushing forward with two extra days of reveals.

Description

Eagles of the North

Five generic, one white mana creature - Bird Soldier - 3/3

When Eagles of the North enters the battlefield, creatures you control get +1/+0 and gain first strike until end of turn.

Plainscycling one generic mana(One generic mana, discard this card: Search your library for a Plains card, reveal it, put it into your hand, then shuffle.)

One blue mana sorcery

Lost Isle Calling

One generic, one blue mana enchantment

Whenever you scry, put a verse counter on Lost Isle Calling.

Four generic, two blue mana, exile Lost Isle Calling: Draw a card for each verse counter on Lost Isle Calling. If it had seven or more verse counters on it, take an extra turn after this one. Activate only as a sorcery.

Rangers of Ithilien

Two generic, two blue mana creature - Human Ranger - 3/3

When Rangers of Ithilien enters the battlefield, gain control of up to one target creature with lesser power for as long as you control Rangers of Ithilien. Then the Ring tempts you.

One generic, two black mana sorcery

Destroy target creature. The Ring tempts you.

Gorbag of Minas Morgul

One generic, one black legendary creature – Orc Soldier – 2/2

Whenever a Goblin or Orc you control deals combat damage to a player, you may sacrifice it. When you do, choose one –

Breaking of the Fellowship

One generic, one red mana sorcery

Target creature an opponent controls deals damage equal to its power to another target creature that player controls. The Ring tempts you.

Fall of Cair Andros

Two generic, one red mana enchantment

Whenever a creature an opponent controls is dealt excess noncombat damage, amass Orcs X, where X is that excess damage.(Put X +1/+1 counters on an Army you control. It’s also an Orc. If you don’t control an Army, create a 0/0 black Orc Army creature token first.)

Seven generic, one red mana: Fall of Cair Andros deals seven damage to target creature.

Rally at the Hornburg

Create two 1/1 white Human Soldier creature tokens. Humans you control gain haste until end of turn.

Shortcut to Mushrooms

One generic, one green mana enchantment

When Shortcut to Mushrooms enters the battlefield, the Ring tempts you.

At the beginning of your end step, if a permanent you controlled left the battlefield this turn, put a +1/+1 counter on target creature you control.

Denethor, Ruling Steward

One generic, one white, one black legendary creature – Human Noble – 2/4

At the beginning of your end step, if a creature died under your control this turn, create a 1/1 white Human Soldier creature token.

Two generic, Sacrifice another creature: Each opponent loses one life and you gain one life.

Gandalf’s Sanctions

One generic, one blue, one red sorcery

Gandalf’s Sanctions deals X damage to target creature, where X is the number of instant and sorcery cards in your graveyard. Excess damage is dealt to that creature’s controller instead.

Elrond, Master of Healing

Two generic, one green, one blue mana legendary creature - Elf Noble - 4/4

Whenever you scry, put a +1/+1 counter on each of up to X target creatures, where X is the number of cards looked at while scrying this way.

Whenever a creature you control with a +1/+1 counter on it becomes the target of a spell or ability an opponent controls, you may draw a card.

Galadriel of Lothlórien

One generic, one green, one blue mana legendary creature - Elf Noble - 3/3

Whenever the Ring tempts you, if you chose a creature other than Galadriel of Lothlórien as your Ring-bearer, scry three.

Whenever you scry, you may reveal the top card of your library. If a land card is revealed this way, put it onto the battlefield tapped.

Glamdring

Two generic mana legendary artifact - Equipment

Equipped creature has first strike and gets +1/+0 for each instant and sorcery card in your graveyard.

Whenever equipped creature deals combat damage to a player, you may cast an instant or sorcery spell from your hand with mana value less than or equal to that damage without paying its mana cost.

Lembas

Two generic mana artifact - Food

When Lembas enters the battlefield, scry one, then draw a card.

Two generic mana, tap, sacrifice Lembas: You gain three life.

When Lembas is put into a graveyard from the battlefield, its owner shuffles it into their library.

Three generic mana legendary artifact - Equipment

Indestructible

When Mithril Coat enters the battlefield, attach it to target legendary creature you control.

Stone of Erech

One generic mana legendary artifact

If a creature an opponent controls would die, exile it instead.

Two generic mana, tap, sacrifice Stone of Erech: Exile target player’s graveyard. Draw a card.

When The Grey Havens enters the battlefield, scry one.

Tap: Add one colorless mana.

Tap: Add one mana of any color among legendary creature cards in your graveyard.

Today was mostly focused on lower-end tools for limited play, but there are still some belters to be found.

Mithril Coat is oh-so-close to being a strictly better Darksteel Plating, allowing you to flash in a way to make a legendary creature indestructible for just three mana. The only thing holding it back is the slightly higher equip cost for regular creatures, but on balance you can safely say Mithril Coat is going to be a very nice upgrade most of the time.

Gandalf’s own sword finally makes an appearance, with Glamdring allowing you to cast instants and sorceries for free, provided you can dish out enough damage with the creature Glamdring is equipped to.

Elrond, Master of Healing will pair very nicely with another blue/green commander released recently, Dominaria United’s Ivy, Gleeful Spellthief. On its own it’s great, rewarding you for scrying and targeting your own creatures, but with Ivy the effects are effectively doubled. Truly, at last, Simic (green/blue) can do some silly things.

Day Eight Previews

The end of preview season is now in sight, with only a few more days left. Here’s everything revealed on the eighth day.

One generic, one white creature - Halfling Soldier

When Shire Shirriff enters the battlefield, you may sacrifice a token. When you do, exile target creature an opponent controls until Shire Shirriff leaves the battlefield.

The Battle of Bywater

One generic, two white sorcery

Destroy all creatures with power 3 or greater. The create a Food token for each creature you control.

Took Reaper

One generic, one white mana creature - Halfling Peasant - 2/1

Goldberry, River-Daughter

One generic, one blue legendary creature - Nymph - 1/3

Tap: Move a counter of each kind not on Goldberry, River-Daughter from another target permanent you control onto Goldberry.

One blue, tap: Move one or more counters from Goldberry onto another target permanent you control. If you do, draw a card.

Horses of the Bruinen

Three generic, two blue sorcery

Return up to two target creatures to their owners' hands. Scry 1. The Ring tempts you.

Surrounded by Orcs

Three generic, one blue sorcery

Amass Orcs 3, then target player mills X cards, where X is the amassed Army’s power.(To amass Orcs 3, put three +1/+1 counters on an Army you control. It’s also an Orc. If you don’t control an Army, create a 0/0 black Orc Army creature token first.)

Scroll of Isildur

Two generic, one blue enchantment – Saga

(As this Saga enters and after your draw step, add a lore counter. Sacrifice after III.)

The Watcher in the Water

Three generic, two blue legendary creature – Kraken – 9/9

The Watcher in the Water enters the battlefield tapped with nine stun counters on it.(If a permanent with a stun counter would become untapped, remove one from it instead.)

Whenever you draw a card during an opponent’s turn, create a 1/1 blue Tentacle creature token.

Whenever a Tentacle you control dies, untap up to one target Kraken and put a stun counter on up to one target nonland permanent.

Two generic, one black creature – Orc Berserker – 3/2

Battle-Scarred Goblin

One generic, one red creature – Goblin Warrior – 2/2

Whenever Battle-Scarred Goblin becomes blocked, it deals 1 damage to each creature blocking it.

Éomer of the Riddermark

Four generic, one red legendary creature – Human Knight – 5/4

When Éomer of the Riddermark attacks, if you control a creature with the greatest power among creatures on the battlefield, create a 1/1 white Human Soldier creature token.

Erkenbrand, Lord of Westfold

Three generic, one red legendary creature - Human Soldier - 3/3

Whenever Erkenbrand or another non-Human creature enters the battlefield under your control, creatures you control get +1/+0 until end of turn.

Fear, Fire, Foes!

X generic, one red sorcery

Damage can’t be prevented this turn. Fear, Fire, Foes! deals X damage to target creature and 1 damage to each other creature with the same controller.

Spiteful Banditry

X generic, two red enchantment

When Spiteful Banditry enters the battlefield, it deals X damage to each creature.

Whenever one or more creatures your opponents control die, you create a Treasure token. This ability triggers only once each turn.

Warbeast of Gorgoroth

Four generic, one red creature – Beast – 5/4

Whenever Warbeast of Gorgoroth or another creature you control with power 4 or greater dies, amass Orcs 2.(Put two +1/+1 counters on an Army you control. It’s also an Orc. If you don’t control an Army, create a 0/0 black Orc Army creature token first.)

Celeborn the Wise

Three generic, one green legendary creature - Elf Noble - 3/3

Whenever you attack with one or more Elves, scry 1.

Whenever you scry, Celebron gets +1/+1 until end of turn for each card you looked at while scrying this way.

Dúnedain Rangers

Three generic, one green creature – Human Ranger – 4/4

Landfall –Whenever a land enters the battlefield under your control, if you don’t control a Ring-bearer, the Ring tempts you.

Elven Chorus

Three generic, one green enchantment

You may look at the top card of your library at any time.

You may cast creature spells from the top of your library.

Creatures you control have “Tap: Add one mana of any color.”

Glorfindel, Dauntless Rescurer

Two generic, one gree legendary creature - Elf Noble - 3/2

Whenever you scry, choose one and Glorfindel, Dauntless Rescuer gets +1/+1 until end of turn.

Revive the Shire

One generic, one green sorcery

Return target permanent card from your graveyard to your hand. Create a Food token.

Arwen Undómiel

One green, one blue legendary creature - Elf Noble - 2/2

Four generic, one green, one blue: Scry 2.

Sharkey, Tyrant of the Shire

Two generic, one blue, one black legendary creature - Avatar Rogue - 2/4

Activated abilities of lands your opponents control can’t be activated unless they’re mana abilities.

Sharkey Tyrant of the Shire has all activated abilities of lands your opponents control except mana abilities.

Mana of any type can be spent to activate Sharkey’s abilities.

Sméagol, Helpful Guide

One generic, one black, one green mana legendary creature - Halfling Horror - 4/2

At the beginning of your end step, if a creature died under your control this turn, the Ring tempts you.

Whenever the Ring tempts you, target opponent reveals cards from the top of their library until they reveal a land card. Put that card onto the battlefield tapped under your control and the rest into their graveyard.

Equipped creature gets +3/+1.

Whenever equipped creature attacks, create two tapped 1/1 white Spirit creature tokens with flying. If that creature is legendary, instead create two of those tokens that are tapped and attacking.

Horn of the Mark

Two generic legendary artifact

Whenever two or more creatures you control attack a player, look at the top five cards of your library. You may reveal a creature card from among them and put it into your hand. Put the rest on the bottom of your library in a random order.

Rivendell

Legendary Land

Rivendell enters the battlefield tapped unless you control a legendary creature.

Tap: Add one blue mana.

One generic, one blue, tap: Scry 2. Activate only if you control a legendary creature.

As promised, Tuesday was an incredibly busy day, with dozens of powerful, interesting new cards revealed.

Goldberry, River-Daughter is one of the most impressive mono-blue commanders printed in a while, thanks to her ability to move counters around. It’s something not often done in blue, but there is a lot of synergy with her husband Tom Bombadil and his Saga-centric strategy, and also with The Watcher In The Water’s stun counters.

Spiteful Banditry is likely going to be a new red staple in a number of formats. Much like the old scourge of Standard, the Meathook Massacre, it’s a pseudo-boardwipe with an upside every time a creature dies. It may only be once per turn here, but it’s still enough to make jamming this in pretty much any red deck.

Today also saw the reveal of a load more Commander box toppers, found at the bottom of this article. Among them are some incredible reprints, like Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth and Cabal Coffers. Curiously, we’re also getting a reprint of Karakas. Despite this being labeled as being in the Lord of the Rings Commander subset, Karakas is still banned in Commander, making it potentially a confusing choice for those who pull it. Still nice to have for Legacy and Vintage, though.

Day Seven Previews

As the second week of previews begins, we can expect to see lots more cards coming in.

Éowyn, Lady of Rohan

Two generic, one white legendary creature – Human Noble – 2/4

At the beginning of combat on your turn, target creature gains your choice of first strike or vigilance until end of turn. If that creature is equipped, it gains first strike and vigilance until end of turn instead.

Flowering of the White Tree

Two white mana legendary enchantment

Legendary creatures you control get +2/+1 and have ward one generic mana.

Lost To Legend

Two white instant

Put target nonland historic permanent into its owner’s library fourth from the top.(Artifacts, legendaries, and Sagas are historic.)

Elrond, Lord of Rivendell

Two generic, one blue legendary creature – Elf Noble – 3/2

Whenever Elrond, Lord of Rivendell or another creature enters the battlefield under your control, scry 1. If this is the second time this ability has resolved this turn, the Ring tempts you.

Isildur’s Fateful Strike

Two generic, two black mana legendary instant

(You may cast a legendary instant only if you control a legendary creature or planeswalker.)

Destroy target creature. If it’s controller has more than four cards in hand, they exile cards from their hand equal to the difference.

Oath of the Grey Host

Three generic, one black enchantment - Saga

When Fiery Inscription enters the battlefield, the Ring tempts you.

Whenever you cast an instant or sorcery spell, Fiery Inscription deals 2 damage to each opponent.

Entish Restoration

Two generic, one green instant

Sacrifice a land. Search your library for up to two basic lands, put them onto the battlefield tapped, then shuffle. If you control a creature with power 4 or greater, instead search your library for up two three basic lands cards, out them onto the battlefield tapped, then shuffle.

Three generic, one green mana enchantment - Aura

Enchanted creature gets +3/+3.

Radagast the Brown

Two generic, two green mana legendary creature - Avatar Wizard - 2/5

Whenever Radagast the Brown or another nontoken creature enters the battlefield under your control, look at the top X cards of your library, where X is that creature’s mana value. You may reveal a creature card from among them that doesn’t share a creature type with a creature you control and put it into your hand. Put the rest on the bottom of your library in a random order.

King of the Oathbreakers

Two generic, one white, one black legendary creature - Spirit Noble - 3/3

Whenever King of the Oathbreakers or another Spirit you control becomes the target of a spell, it phases out.

Whenever King of the Oathbreakers or another Spirit you control phases in, create a tapped 1/1 white Spirit creature token with flying.

The Mouth of Sauron

Three generic, one blue, one black legendary creature - Human Advisor - 3/4

When The Mouth of Sauron enters the battlefield, target player mills three cards. Then amass Orcs X, where X is the number of instant and sorcery cards in that player’s graveyard.

Shagrat, Loot Bearer

Two generic, one black, one red mana legendary creature - Orc Soldier - 4/4

Whenever Shagrat, Loot Bearer attacks, attach up to one target Equipment to it. Then amass Orcs X, where X is the number of Equipment attached to Shagrat.(Control of the Equipment doesn’t change. To amass Orcs X, put X +1/+1 counters on an Army you control. It’s also an Orc. If you don’t control an Army, create a 0/0 black Orc Army creature token first.)

Shelob, Child of Ungoliant

Four generic, one black, one gree legendary creature - Spider Demon - 8/8

Deathtouch, ward 2

Other spiders you control have deathtouch and ward 2

Whenever another creature dealt damage this turn by a spider you control dies, create a token that’s a copy of that creature, except its a food artifact with “two generic, tap: Sacrifice this artifact: You gain 3 life,” and it loses all other card types.

Ent-Draught Basin

Two generic artifact

X generic, tap: Put a +1/+1 counter on target creature with power X. Activate only as a sorcery.

Mirror of Galadriel

Two generic, tap: Scry 1, then draw a card. This ability costs one generic less to activate for each legendary creature you control.

Phial of Galadriel

Three generic mana legendary artifact

If you would draw a card while you have no cards in hand, draw two cards instead.

If you would gain life while you have 5 or less life, you gain twice that much life instead.

Tap: Add one mana of any color.

One week into previews, and things suddenly got very, very spicy. Obviously, the big reveal here is the mono-white enchantment Flowering of the White Tree, which can protect your legendary creatures and give a nice buff to the rest. At just two mana, this is easily the standout card of the whole set so far.

But in the hype surrounding this, a few other fascinating cards slipped past unnoticed. Isildur’s Fateful Strike is the game’s first-ever legendary instant, and can completely demolish an opponent’s hand advantage.

Entish Restoration is a strictly better Harrow, which is already a staple. Unlike Harrow, you won’t sacrifice the land if the spell’s countered, and you get extra goodies if you control a big creature. Combine that with Gift of Strands, a new enchantment with flash that makes your creature bigger, and you could be ramping pretty nicely.

My personal favourite card today, though, is King of the Oathbreakers, a white/black Spirit commander with a phasing angle. Find ways to target your whole board, or just instant-speed tools to phase things out during combat, and you could be getting a lot of Spirits very, very quickly.

Day Six Previews

Enjoy the quiet times while you can, because come Monday the previews will hit full swing again, and we’ll be swamped.

Slip On The Ring

Exile target creature you own, then return it to the battlefield under your control. The Ring tempts you.

GrÍma Wormtongue

Two generic, one black legendary creature – Human Advisor – 1/4

Your opponents can’t gain life.

Tap, Sacrifice another creature: Target player loses one life. If the sacrificed creature was legendary, amass Orcs 2.

Arwen, Mortal Queen

One generic, one green, one white legendary creature – Elf Noble – 2/2

Arwen, Mortal Queen enters the battlefield with an indestructible counter.

One generic, remove an indestructible counter from Arwen: Another target creature gains indestructible until end of turn. Put a +1/+1 counter and a lifelink counter on that creature, and a +1/+1 counter and a lifelink counter on Arwen.

Land

One generic, tap: Add two mana in any combination of colors. Spend this mana only to cast legendary spells.

Sunday’s previews gave us two new commanders. The first is Arwen, Mortal Queen. Entering with an indestructible counter could make for some interesting plays, especially with more counter-loving tools floating about after both New Capenna’s Commander decks and Phyrexia: All Will Be One’s flood of proliferation. Use cards like Resourceful Defence to move the counters round the board, and Arwen could be a bit of a menace.

The second is GrÍma Wormtongue, which seems specifically designed to counter Soul Sisters decks and turn off lifegain. It’s also got a baked-in sacrifice outlet, even providing its own tokens to further sacrifice on future turns. It doesn’t do anything super impressive, but at such a low cost it could potentially find a place in a great number of decks.

We also saw Slip On The Ring, a new tool for blink decks that adds in an extra being tempted by the ring as a bonus. It might not be a one-mana spell like Ephemerate, but it’s cheap, has a bonus, and doesn’t wait until the next end step to bring the creature back, so this is definitely one to watch out for.

Day Five Previews

The weekend is always a slower time for preview seasons, as it takes a breather before the much busier second week.

Théoden, King of Rohan

One generic, one red, one white legendary creature – Human Noble – 2/3

Whenever Théoden, King of Rohan or another Human enters the battlefield under your control, target creature gains double strike until end of turn.

Palantir of Orthanc

Three generic legendary artifact

At the beginning of your end step, put an influence counter on Palantir of Orthanc and scry 2. Target opponent may then have you draw a card. If that player doesn’t, you mill X, where X is the number of inlfuence tokens on Palantir of Orthanc, and that player loses life equal to the total mana value of the cards milled.

It was slim pickings on day five, with just two cards revealed. Fortunately, those cards are absolute bangers, with Théoden, King of Rohan giving Humans yet another fantastic tool to play with.

Perhaps more interesting, though, is Palantir of Orthanc. First because it’s one of the few Lord of the Rings references I get thanks to Shadows of War, and secondly because it’s almost a Combustible Gearhulk effect every turn. Your opponents are almost always going to just let you draw an additional card, but with the scry added on, that could be a fatal mistake.

Day Four Previews

We’re at the half-way point of the preview season, and so here is everything revealed on day four of Tales of Middle-earth’s spoiler season.

Meneldor, Swift Savior

Three generic, one blue legendary creature – Bird Soldier – 3/3

Whenever Meneldor, Swift Savior deals combat damage to a player, exile up to one target creature you own, then return it to the battlefield under your control.

Press the Enemy

Two generic, two blue instand

Return target spell or nonland permanent an opponent controls to its owner’s hand. You may cast an instant or sorcery spell with equal or lesser mana value from your hand without paying its mana cost.

Counter target creature with power or toughness two or less.

Troll of Khazad-dûm

Five generic, one black mana creature - Troll - 6/5

Troll of Khazad-dûm can’t be blocked except by three or more creatures.

Swampcycling one generic mana(One generic mana, Discard this card: Search your library for a Swamp card, reveal it, put it into your hand, then shuffle.)

Gimli, Counter of Kills

Three generic, one red legendary creature - Dwarf Warrior - 4/3

Trample

Whenever a creature an opponent controls dies, Gimli, Counter of Kills deals 1 damage to that creature’s controller.

Gimli’s Fury

Target creature gets +3/+2 until end of turn. If it’s legendary, it also gains trample until end of turn.

Glóin, Dwarven Emisarry

Two generic, one red mana legendary creature - Dwarf Advisor - 3/3

Whenever you cast a historic spell, create a Treasure token. This ability triggers only once per turn.(Artifacts, legendaries, and Sagas are historic.)

Tap, Sacrifice a Treasure: Goad target creature.(Until your next turn, that creature attacks each combat if able and attacks a player other than you if able.)

The Ring Goes South

Three generic, one green sorcery

The Ring tempts you. Then reveal cards from the top of your library until X land cards are revealed, where X is the number of legendary creatures you control. Put those land cards onto the battlefield tapped, and the rest on the bottom of your library in a random order.

Faramir, Prince of Ithilien

Two generic, one white, one blue legendary creature - Human Noble - 3/3

At the beginning of your end step, choose an opponent. At the beginning of that player’s next end step, you draw a card if they didn’t attack you that turn. Otherwise, create three 1/1 white Human Soldier creature tokens.

Gwaihir the Windlord

Four generic, one white, one blue mana legendary creature - Bird Noble - 4/4

This spell costs two generic mana less to cast if you’ve drawn two or more cards this turn.

Flying, vigilance

Other Birds you control have vigilance.

Legolas, Counter of Kills

Two generic, one green, one blue legendary creature - Elf Archer - 2/3

Whenever you scry, if Legolas, Counter of Kills is tapped, you may untap it. Do this only once each turn.

Whenever a creature an opponent controls dies, put at +1/+1 counter on Legolas.

Lotho, Corrupt Shirriff

One white, one black legendary creature – Halfling Rogue – 2/1

Whenever a player casts their second spell each turn, you lose one life and create a Treasure token.(It’s an artifact with “tap, Sacrifice this artifact: Add one mana of any color.”

Rise of the Witch King

Two generic, one black, one green sorcery

Each player sacrifices a creature. If you sacrificed a creature this way, you may return another permanent from your graveyard to the battlefield.

One generic artifact – Equipment

Equipped creature gets +1/+1.

Whenever equipped creature blocks or becomes blocked by a creature, that creature loses all abilities until end of turn.

Day four gave us some very interesting, but also very odd, cards.

The standout, and maybe the best of the whole set so far, is Stern Scolding, a blue instant that single-handedly shuts down many of the Modern format’s most-played creatures. This is going to be a sideboard staple for sure.

Then we have Gimli, Counter of Kills, and Legolas, Counter of Kills. It’s cute they have similar names to reflect their friendly competition, but seeing a green/blue card care about creatures dying feels like a bend of the colour pie, and it would have been nice for there to be a bit more synergy between the two. They should’ve had partner, just for fun.

Press by the Enemy continues day four’s trend of brilliant blue instants. While four mana to bounce something back to an opponent’s hand is a lot, with the right choice of target you could be casting a far bigger spell, which makes it more than worth it.

Day Three Previews

Day three of the preview season gave us some really deep-cut Tolkien references, a ridiculous new toy for Human decks, and a new Horse lord commander to go with Bill the Pony.

War Of The Last Alliance

Three generic, one white mana enchantment - Saga

Tale of Tinúviel

Three generic, two white mana enchantment - Saga

Bill Ferny, Bree Swindler

One generic, one blue mana legendary creature - Human Rogue - 2/1

Whenever Bill Ferny, Bree Swindler becomes blocked, choose one -

Borne Upon A Wind

You may cast spells this turn as though they had flash.

One generic, one blue mana instant

Draw a card.

Whenever you scry, if you control an Island, you may exile Council’s Deliberation from your graveyard. If you do, draw a card.

Bitter Downfall

Three generic, one black mana instant

This spell costs three generic less to cast if it targets a creature that was dealt damage this turn.

Three generic, one black legendary artifact – Vehicle – 5/5

As long as it’s your turn and you control an Army, Grond, the Gatebreaker is an artifact creature.

Crew 3(Tap any number of creatures you control with power three or more: This Vehicle becomes an artifact creature until end of turn.)

One generic, one black mana enchantment - Aura

Enchanted creature gets -3/-0 and has “At the beginning of your upkeep, exile this creature unless you pay 2 life.”

Book Of Mazarbul

Two generic, one red enchantment – Saga

(As this Saga enters and after your draw step, add a lore counter. Sacrifice after 3.)

One generic, two red mana instant

This spell can’t be copied.

Copy any number of target instant and/or sorcery spells. You may choose new targets for the copies.

Two generic, one red artifact – Equipment

Equipped creature gets +3/+0

As long as equipped creature is legendary, it has menace.(It can’t be blocked except by two or more creatures.)

Equip: two generic(Two generic mana: Attach to target creature you control. Equip only as a sorcery.)

Two red mana creature - Goblin Warrior - 1/1

Double strike

Whenever a Goblin or Orc you control deals combat damage to a player, exile the top card of your library. You may play that card this turn.

Shadowfax, Lord of Horses

Three generic, one red, one white legendary creature - Horse - 4/4

Horses you control have haste.

Whenever Shadowfax, Lord of Horses attacks, you may put a creature card with lesser power from your hand to the battlefield tapped and attacking.

Strider, Ranger of the North

Two generic, one red, one green mana legendary creature - Human Ranger - 4/4

Landfall- Whenever a land enters the battlefield under your control, target creature gets +1/+1 until end of turn. Then if that creature has power four or greater, it gains first strike until end of turn.

Horn of Gondor

When Horn of Gondor enters the battlefield, create a 1/1 white Human Soldier creature token.

Three generic mana, Tap: Create X 1/1 white Human Soldier creature tokens, where X is the number of Humans you control.

The big win from day three is Horn of Gondor, which is going to massively speed up both Human- and Soldier-centric decks. Each activation of the ability is exponential, letting you completely flood the board in only a few uses. Throw that in with cards like Myrel, Shield of Argive and you could be getting scary ridiculously fast.

Grond, the Gatebreaker is an interesting card, as you only need to crew it on your opponents' turns. As long as it’s your turn, it becomes a creature completely on its own, making it a particularly useful above-rate 5/5.

Gandal’s steed Shadowfax is here, finally giving Horses an interesting commander by giving them all haste. So far, Middle-earth has tripled the number of legendary Horses in MTG. It also works in any white/red combat-heavy deck too, as being able to put anything below four power onto the battlefield for free is always going to be powerful.

Speaking of Horses, Bill Ferny, Bree Swindler was the abusive former owner of Bill the Pony, and his ability allows you to sell off your Horses to get Treasure tokens. There’s surprisingly enough blue Horses to make this in Commander, but in other formats Bill Ferny could also pass off things like Hipparion, Underworld Charger, and Black Carriage.

Day Two Previews

Day two begins the community’s card reveals, rather than one big deluge of cards straight from Wizards.

Forge Anew

Two generic, one white enchantment

When Forge Anew enters the battlefield, return target Equipment card from your graveyard to the battlefield.

As long as it’s your turn, you may activate equip abilities any time you could cast an instant.

You may pay 0 rather than pay the equip cost of the first equip ability you activate during each of your turns.

The Bath Song

Three generic, one blue enchantment – Saga

Ioreth of the Healing House

Two generic, one blue legendary creature - Human Cleric - 1/4

Tap: Untap two other target legendary creatures.

Saruman the White

Four generic, one blue legendary creature - Avatar Wizard - 4/4

Ward 2

Whenever you cast your second spell each turn, amass Orcs 2.

One generic, two blue mana instant

Counter target spell.

Amass Orcs 1.(Put a +1/+1 counter on an Army you control. It’s also an Orc. If you don’t control an Army, create a 0/0 black Orc Army creature token first.)

One black instant

Target creature gets -2/-2 until end of turn.

Three generic, one black, exile Gollum’s Bite from your graveyard: The Ring tempts you. Activate only as a sorcery.

March from the Black Gate

One generic, one black enchantment

When March from the Black Gate enters the battlefield and whenever an Army you control attacks, amass Orcs 1.

The Torment of Gollum

Three generic, one black sorcery

Target opponent reveals their hand. You choose a nonland card from it. That player discards that card.

One generic, one green enchantment - Saga

Doors Of Durin

Two generic, one red, one green legendary artifact

Whenever you attack, scry 2, then you may reveal the top card of your library. If it’s a creature card, put it onto the battlefield tapped and attacking. Until your next turn, it gains trample if you control a Dwarf and hexproof if you control an Elf.

Friendly Rivalry

One red, one green instant

Target creature you control and up to one other target legendary creature you control each deal damage equal to their power to target creature you don’t control.

Ringsight

One generic, one blue, one black sorcery

The Ring tempts you. Search your library for a card that shares a color with a legendary creature you control, reveal it, put it into your hand, then shuffle.

Mines of Moria

Mines of Moria enters the battlefield tapped unless you control a legendary creature.

Tap: add one red mana.

Three generic, one red mana, tap: Exile three cards from your graveyard: Create two Treasure tokens.

After the bumper crop of previews day one gave us, day two was relatively slim in comparison. That doesn’t mean it wasn’t still impressive, though. Ioreth Of The House Of Healing is a potential combo piece, provided you have a mana dork and something like Freed from the Real to reliably untap Ioreth.

There’s also Ringsight, a card that effectively allows you to search your library for any card, provided you have a creature in play that shares a colour with it. Don’t forget that becoming the Ring-bearer makes a creature legendary, making this so much easier to use than it first looks.

Despite being an enchantment, Forge Anew looks like a great piece for anyEquipment-heavy Voltron decks. In fact, this card could be particularly good for an underrated commander from Kamigawa: Neon Dynasty that cares about controlling both artifacts and enchantments: Naomi, Pillar of Order.

Day One Previews

Day one of Lord of the Rings: Tales of Middle-earth’s preview season is primarily focused on the formal debut, where Wizards of the Coast unveiled the main mechanics and more than a few well-known faces from Middle-earth.

Bill the Pony

Three generic, one white legendary creature – Horse – 1/4

When Bill the Pony enters the battlefield, create two Food tokens.(They’re artifacts with “Two generic, tap, Sacrifice this artifact: You gan three life.")

Sacrifice a Food: Until end of turn, target creature you control assigns combat damage equal to its toughness rather than its power.

Boromir, Warden of the Tower

Two generic, one white legendary creature – Human Soldier – 3/3

Whenever an opponent casts a spell, if no mana was spent to cast it, counter that spell.

Sacrifice Boromir, Warden of the Tower: Creatures you control gain indestructible until end of turn. The Ring tempts you.

One generic, one white mana artifact – Equipment

Equipped creature gets +2/+1.

Equip Human one generic mana.

Equip three generic mana.(Three generic mana: Attach to target creature you control. Equip only as a sorcery.)

Eastfarthing Farmer

Two generic, one white creature – Halfling Peasant – 2/3

When Eastfarthing Farmer enters the battlefield, create a Food token. When you do, target creature you control gets +1/+1 until end of turn for each Food you control.(A Food token is an artifact with “Two generic, tap, Sacrifice this artifact: You gain three life.")

Frodo, Determined Hero

One generic, one white legendary creature – Halfling Warrior – 2/2

Whenever Frodo, Determined Hero enters the battlefield or attacks, you may attach target Equipment you control with mana value two or three to Frodo.

As long as it’s your turn, prevent all damage that would be dealt to Frodo.

Gandalf, White Rider

Three generic, one white mana legendary creature - Avatar Wizard - 3/3

Whenever you cast a spell, creatures you control get +1/+0 until end of turn. Scry 1.

When Gandalf, White Rider dies, you may put it into its owner’s library fifth from the top.

Gandalf the White

Three generic, two white legendary creature – Avatar Wizard – 4/5

You may cast legendary spells and artifact spells as though they had flash.

If a legendary permanent or an artifact entering or leaving the battlefield causes a triggered ability of a permanent you control to trigger, that ability triggers an additional time.

Knight of the Keep

Two generic, one white mana creature - Human Knight - 3/2

Landroval, Horizon Witness

Four generic, one white legendary creature – Bird Noble – 3/4

Whenever two or more creatures you control attack a player, target attacking creature without flying gains flying until end of turn.

Protector of Gondor

Three generic, one white creature – Human Soldier – 3/3

When Protector of Gondor enters the battlefield, create a 1/1 white Human Soldier creature token.

Rosie Cotton of South Lane

Two generic, one white mana legendary creature - Halfling Peasant - 1/1

When Rosie Cotton of South Lane enters the battlefield, create a Food token.(It’s an artifact with “Two generic mana, tap, sacrifice this artifact: You gain three life.")

Whenever you create a token, put a +1/+1 counter on target creature you control other than Rosie.

Second Breakfast

Two generic, one white mana instant

Up to two target creatures each get +2/+1 until end of turn. Create a Food token.(It’s an artifact with “Two generic mana, tap, sacrifice this artifact: You gain three life.")

Westfold Rider

One generic, one white mana creature - Human Knight - 3/1

Sacrifice Westfold Rider: Destroy target artifact or enchantment. Activate only as a sorcery.

Arwen’s Gift

Three generic, one blue mana sorcery

This spell costs one generic mana less to cast if you control two or more legendary creatures.

Scry two, then draw two cards.

Knights of Dol Amroth

Three generic, one blue mana creature - Human Knight - 3/3

Whenever you draw your second card each turn, put a +1/+1 counter on Knights of Dol Amroth.

Four generic, two blue mana enchantment

Ward three generic mana

Whenever you cast your second spell each turn, copy it, except the copy isn’t legendary. You may choose new targets for the copy.(A copy of a permanent spell becomes a token.)

Treason of Isengard

Two generic, one blue mana sorcery

Put up to one target instant or sorcery card from your graveyard on top of your library.

Amass Orcs 2.(To amass Orcs 2, put two +1/+1 counters on an Army you control. It’s also an Orc. If you don’t control an Army, create a 0/0 black Orc Army creature token first.)

Dunland Crebain

Two generic, one black mana creature - Bird Horror - 1/1

When Dunland Crebain enters the battlefield, amass Orcs 2.(Put two +1/+1 counters on an Army you control. It’s also an Orc. If you don’t control an Army, create a 0/0 black Orc Army creature token first.)

Easterling Vanguard

One generic, one black mana creature - Human Warrior - 2/1

When Easterling Vanguard dies, amass Orcs 1.(Put a +1/+1 counter on an Army you control. It’s also an Orc. If you don’t control an Army, create a 0/0 black Orc Army creature token first.)

Gollum, Scheming Guide

One generic, one black legendary creature – Halfling Horror – 2/1

Whenever Gollum, Scheming Guide attacks, look at the top two cards of your library, put them back in any order, then choose land or nonland. An opponent guesses whether the top card of your library is the chosen kind. Reveal that card. If they guessed right, remove Gollum from combat. Otherwise, you draw a card and Gollum can’t be blocked this turn.

Gothmog, Morgul Lieutenant

Three generic, one black mana legendary creature - Human Soldier - 3/3

When Gothmog, Morgul Lieutenant enters the battlefield, amass Orcs 1.(Put a +1/+1 counter on an Army you control. It’s also an Orc. If you don’t control an Army, create a 0/0 black Orc Army creature token first.)

Mirkwood Bats

Three generic, one black creature – Bat – 2/3

Whenever you create or sacrifice a token, each opponent loses one life.

Mordor Trebuchet

Two generic, one black mana artifact creature - Wall - 1/4

Whenever you attack with one or more Goblins and/or Orcs, create a 2/1 colorless Construct artifact creature token with flying named Ballistic Boulder that’s tapped and attacking. Sacrifice that token at end of combat.

Nasty End

One generic, one black mana instant

As an additional cost to cast this spell, sacrifice a creature.

Draw two cards. If the sacrificed creature was legendary, draw three cards instead.

Two generic, one black creature – Wraith Knight – 1/2

When Nazgul enters the battlefield, the Ring tempts you.

Whenever the Ring tempts you, put a +1/+1 counter on each Wraith you control.

One Ring To Rule Them All

Two generic, two black enchantment – Saga

One generic, one black creature – Orc Archer – 1/1

When Orcish Bowmasters enters the battlefield and whenever an opponent draws a card except the first one they draw in each of their dreaw steps, Orcish Bowmasters deals one damage to any target. Then amass Orcs 1.

Shadow of the Enemy

Three generic, three black mana sorcery

Exile all creature cards from target player’s graveyard. You may cast spells from among those cards for as long as they remain exiled, and mana of any type can be spent to cast them.

Shelob’s Ambush

One black mana instant

Target creature gets +1/+2 and gains deathtouch until end of turn. Create a Food token.(It’s an artifact with “Two generic mana, tap, sacrifice this artifact: You gain three life.")

Smite The Deathless

One generic, one red instant

Smite the Deathless deals three damage to target creature. That creature loses indestructible until end of turn. If that creature would die this turn, exile it instead.

Snarling Warg

Three generic, one black mana creature - Wolf - 3/4

As long as you control a Goblin or Orc, Snarling Warg gets +1/+0.

Voracious Fell Beast

Four generic, two black mana creature - Drake Beast - 4/4

When Voracious Fell Beast enters the battlefield, each opponent sacrifices a creature. Create a Food token for each creature sacrificed this way.

Witch-King, Bringer of Ruin

Four generic, two black mana legendary creature - Wraith Noble - 5/3

Whenever Witch-King, Bringer of Ruin attacks, defending player sacrifices a creature with the least power among creatures they control.

Witch-King of Angmar

Three generic, two black mana legendary creature - Wraith Noble - 5/3

Whenever one or more creatures deal combat damage to you, each opponent sacrifices a creature that dealt damage to you this turn. The Ring tempts you.

Discard a card: Witch-King of Angmar gains indestructible until end of turn. Tap it.

Cast into the Fire

Choose one -

Eomer, Marshal of Rohan

Two generic, two red legendary creature - Human Knight - 4/4

Whenever one or more other attacking legendary creatures you control die, untap all creatures you control. After this phase, there is an additional combat phase. This ability triggers only once each turn.

Fire of Orthanc

Three generic, one red mana sorcery

Destroy target artifact or land. Creatures without flying can’t block this turn.

Fires of Mount Doom

Two generic, one red legendary enchantment

When Fires of Mount Doom enters the battlefield, it deals 2 damage to target creature an opponent controls. Destroy all Equipment attached to that creature.

Two generic, one red: Exile the top card of your library. You may play that card this turn. when you play a card this way, Fires of Mount Doom deals 2 damage to each player.

Foray of Orcs

Three generic, one red sorcery

Amass Orcs 2. When you do, Foray of Orcs deals X damage to target creature an opponent controls, where X is the amassed Army’s power.(To amass Orcs 2, put two +1/+1 counters on an Army you control. It’s also an Orc. If you don’t control an Army, create a 0/0 black Orc Army creature token first.)

One generic, one red creature - Goblin Warrior - 2/2

Goblin Fireleaper

One generic, one red creature – Goblin Warrior – 1/1

One generic, one red: Goblin Fireleaper gets +1/+0 until end of turn.

When Goblin Fireleaper dies, it deals damage equal to its power to garget creature an opponent controls.

Grishnakh, Brash Instigator

Two generic, one red legendary creature - Goblin Soldier - 1/1

When Grishnakh, Brash Instigator enters the battlefield, amass Orcs 2. When you do, until end of turn, gain control of target nonlegendary creature an opponent controls with power less than or equal to the amassed Army’s power. Untap that creature. It gains haste until end of turn.

Hew the Endwood

Three generic, two red sorcery

Sacrifice any number of lands. Reveal the top X cards of your library, where X is the number of lands sacrificed this way. Choose any number of artifacts and/or land cards revealed this way. Put all nonland cards chosen this way onto the battlefield, then put all land cards chosen this way onto the battlefield tapped, then put the rest on the bottom of your library in a random order.

Five generic, one red creature – Elephant – 6/4

Whenever Oliphaunt attacks, another target creature you control gets +2/+0 and gains trample until end of turn.

Mountaincycling: One generic(One generic, Discard this card: Search your library for a Mountain card, reveal it, put it into your hand, then shuffle.)

Three generic, one red creature - Troll Soldier - 4/4

Olog-hai Crusher can’t block unless you control a Goblin or Orc.

Rising of the Day

Two generic, one red enchantment

Swarming of Moria

Create a Treasure token.(It’s an artifact with “Tap, sacrifice this artifact: Add one mana of any color.")

Amass Orcs 2.(Put two +1/+1 counters on an Army you control. It’s also an Orc. If you don’t control an Army, create a 0/0 black Orc Army creature token first.)

Bag End Porter

Three generic, one green creature – Dwarf – 4/4

Whenever Bag End Porter attacks, it gets +X/+X until end of turn, where X is the number of legendary creatures you control.

Bombadil’s Song

One generic, one green instant

Target creature you control gets +1/+1 and gains hexproof until end of turn. The Ring tempts you.(A creature with hexproof can’t be the target of spells or abilities your opponents control.)

Ent’s Fury

One generic, one green - Sorcery

Put a +1/+1 counter on target creature you control if its power is 4 or greater. Then that creature gets +1/+1 until end of turn and fights target creature you don’t control.

Fangorn, Tree Shepherd

Four generic, three green mana legendary creature - Treefolk - 4/10

Treefolk you control have vigilance.

Whenever one or more Treefolk you control attack, add twice that much green mana.

You don’t lose unspent green mana as steps and phases end.

Two generic, one green artifact - Equipment

When Galadhrim Bow enters the battlefield, attach it to target creature you control. Untap that creature

Equipped creature gets +1/+2 and has reach.

Galadriel, Gift-Giver

Three generic, two green legendary creature – Elf Noble – 4/4

Whenever Galadriel, Gift-Giver enters the battlefield or attacks, choose one –

Five generic, one green creature - Treefolk - 5/7

Forestcycling one generic mana

Meriadoc Brandybuck

One generic, one green legendary creature - Halfling Citizen - 2/2

Whenever one or more Halflings you control attack a player, create a Food token.

Mushroom Watchdogs

One generic, one green creature - Dog - 2/2

Sacrifice a Food: Put a +1/+1 counter on Mushroom Watchdogs. It gains vigilance until end of turn. Activate only as a sorcery.

Quickbeam, Upstart Ent

Four generic, two green legendary creature - Treefolk - 5/6

Whenever Quickbeam, Upstart Ent or another Treefolk enters the battlefield under your control, up to two target creature each get +2/+2 and gain trample until end of turn.

Six generic, two green sorcery

This spell can’t be countered.

Draw cards equal to the greatest toughness among creatures you control, then put any number of creature cards from your hand onto the battlefield.

Legolas, Master Archer

One generic mana, two green legendary creature - Elf Archer - 1/4

Whenever you cast a spell that targets Legolas, Master Archer, put a +1/+1 counter on Legolas.

Whenever you cast a spell that targets a creature you don’t control, Legolas deals damage equal to its power to up to one target creature.

Long List of the Ents

One green enchantment - Saga

(As this Saga enters and after your draw step, add a lore counter. Sacrifice after VI.)

1-6. Note a creature type that hasn’t been noted for Long List of the Ents. When you cast your next creature spell of that type this turn, that creature enters the battlefield with an additional +1/+1 counter on it.

Many Partings

Search your library for a basic land card, reveal it, put it into your hand, then shuffle. Create a Food token.

Peregrin Took

Two generic, one green legendary creature – Halfling Citizen – 2/3

If one or more tokens would be created under your control, those tokens plus an additional Food token are created instead.(It’s an artifact with “Two generic, tap, Sacrifice this artifact: You gain three life.")

Pippin’s Bravery

One green instant

You may sacrifice a Food. If you do, target creature gets +4/+4 until end of turn. Otherwise, that creature gets +2/+2 until end of turn.

Stew the Coneys

Target creature you control deals damage equal to its power to target creature you don’t control Create a Food token.

One generic, one green creature - Human Shaman - 1/1

Six generic, one green mana, tap: Another target creature gets +3/+3 and gains trample until end of turn.

Butterbur, Bree Innkeeper

Two generic, one green, one white legendary creature - Human Peasant - 3/3

At the beginning of your end step, if you don’t control a Food, create a Food token.

Éowyn, Fearless Knight

Two generic, one red, one white legendary creature - Human Knight - 3/4

When Éowyn, Fearless Knight enters the battlefield, exile target creature an opponent controls with greater power. Legendary creatures you control gain protection from each of that creature’s colors until end of turn.

Pippin, Guard of the Citadel

One white, one blue legendary creature – Halfling Soldier – 2/2

Vigilance, ward: one generic

Tap: Another target creature you control gains protection from the card type of your choice until end of turn.(It can’t be blocked, targeted, dealt damage, enchanted, or equipped by anything of that type.)

Prince Imrahil the Fair

One white, one blue legendary creature - Human Noble - 2/2

Whenever you draw your second card each turn, create a 1/1 white Human Soldier creature token.

Sauron, the Lidless Eye

Three generic, one black, one red legendary creature – Avatar Horror – 4/4

When Sauron, the Lidless Eye enters the battlefield, gain control of target creature an opponent controls until end of turn. Untap it. It gains haste until end of turn.

One generic, one black, one red: Creatures you control get +2/+0 until end of turn. Each opponent loses two life.

Gimli, Mournful Avenger

One generic, one red, one green legendary creature – Dwarf Warrior – 3/2

Gimli, Mounrful Avenger has indestructible as long as two or more creatures died until your control this turn.

Whenever another creature you control dies, put a +1/+1 counter on Gimli. When this ability resolves for the third time this turn, Gimli fights up to one target creature you don’t control.

Samwise Gamgee

One green, one white legendary creature – Halfling Peasant – 2/2

Whenever another nontoken creature enters the battlefield under your control, create a Food token.(It’s an artifact with “Two generic, tap, Sacrifice this artifact: You gain three life.")

Two generic, one red, one white legendary creature – Human Knight – 3/4

When Éowyn, Fearless Knight enters the battlefield, exile target creature an opponent controls with greater power. Legendary creatures you control gain protection from each of that creature’s colours until end of turn.

Mauhur, Uruk-hai Captain

One black, one red legendary creature - Orc Soldier - 2/2

Menace

If one or more +1/+1 counters would be put on an Army, Goblin, or Orc you control, that many plus one +1/+1 counters are put on it instead.

Merry, Esquire of Rohan

One red, one white legendary creature – Halfling Knight – 2/2

Merry, Esquire of Rohan has first strike as long as it’s equipped.

Whenever you attack with Merry and another legendary creature, draw a card.

Saruman of Many Colors

Three generic, one white, one blue, one black legendary creature - Avatar Wizard - 5/4

Ward - Discard an enchantment, instant, or sorcery card.

Whenever you cast your second spell each turn, each opponent mills two cards. When one or more cards are milled this way, exile target enchantment, instant, or sorcery card with equal or lesser mana value than that spell from an opponent’s graveyard. Copy the exiled card. You may cast the copy without paying its mana cost.

Sauron, the Dark Lord

Three generic, one blue, one black, one red legendary creature - Avatar Horror - 7/6

Ward - Sacrifice a legendary artifact or legendary creature.

Whenever an opponent casts a spell, amass Orcs 1.

Whenever an Army you control deals combat damage to a player, the Ring tempts you.

Whenever the Ring tempts you, you may discard your hand. If you do, draw four cards.

The Balrog, Flame of Udun

Three generic, one black, one red legendary creature - Avatar Demon - 7/7

When a legendary creature an opponent controls dies, put The Balrog, Flame of Udun on the bottom of its owner’s library.

Ugluk of the White Hand

Two generic, one black, one red legendary creature - Orc Soldier - 3/3

Whenever another creature you control dies, put a +1/+1 counter on Ugluk of the White Hand. If that creature was a Goblin or Orc, put two +1/+1 on Ugluk instead.

Aragorn, the Uniter

One red, one green, one white, one blue legendary creature – Human Noble – 5/5

Whenever you cast a white spell, create a 1/1 white Human Soldier creature token.

Whenever you cast a blue spell, scry two.

Whenever you cast a red spell, Aragorn, the Uniter deals three damage to target opponent.

Whenever you cast a green spell, target creature gets +4/+4 until end of turn.

Bilbo’s Ring

Three generic legendary artifact – Equipment

As long as it’s your turn, equipped creature has hexproof and can’t be blocked.

Whenever equipped creature attacks alone, you draw a card and you lose one life.

Equip Halfling: one generic

Barad-dur

Legendary land

Barad-dur enters the battlefield tapped unless you control a legendary creature.

Tap: Add one black

Two X generic, one black, tap: Amass Orcs X. Activate only if a creature died this turn.

Minas Tirith

Minas Tirith enters the battlefield tapped unless you control a legendary creature

Tap: Add one white mana.

One generic, one white, tap: Draw a card. Activate only if you attacked with two or more creatures this turn.

Tap: Add one colourless mana.

One generic, tap, Sacrifice Shire Terrace: Search your Library for a basic land card, put it onto the battlefield tapped, then shuffle.

As expected, the first day of previews was by among the biggest, with tons of cards to show off the mechanical basis of the set. We now know Food, legendary-matters, and amass are going to be the core of the set, alongside plenty of familiar faces (Bill the Pony).

There was some concern the power level was going to be much lower, like Baldur’s Gate, however so far it looks like a nice middle-ground that doesn’t break Modern, but still gives Commander some fun stuff to play with.

Among them, we’ve got Fangorn, Tree Shepherd, which finally makes Treefolk decks viable with an ability to build up mana across turns. There’s also Aragorn, the Uniter, which could work a great ‘Goodstuff’ deck for those not wanting to go all-out with Kenrith.

Cards Revealed Before Preview Season

Lord Of The Rings: Tales Of Middle-earth was first revealed way back in 2021, alongside sets like Kamigawa: Neon Dynasty and Streets of New Capenna. Since then, a long list of cards have been shown off already – here is everything revealed before the formal debut on June 28, 2025.

Frodo, Sauron’s Bane

One white legendary creature – Halfling Citizen – 1/2

Two white or black mana: If Frodo, Sauron’s Bane is a Citizen, it becomes a Halfling Scout with base power and toughness 2/3 and lifelink.

Three black mana: If Frodo is a Scout, it becomes a Halfling Rogue with “Whenever this creature deals combat damage to a player, that player loses the game if the Ring has tempted you four of more times this game. Otherwise, the Ring tempts you.”

Samwise the Stouthearted

One generic, one white legendary creature – Halfling Peasant – 2/1

When Samwise the Stouthearted enters the battlefield, choose up to one target permanent card in your graveyard that was put there from the battlefield this turn. Return it to your hand. Then the Ring tempts you.

You Cannot Pass!

Destroy target creature that blocked or was blocked by a legendary creature this turn.

Gandalf, Friend of the Shire

Three generic, one blue legendary creature – Avatar Wizard – 2/4

You may cast sorcery spells as though they had flash.

Whenever the Ring tempts you, if you chose a creature other than Gandalf, Friend of the Shire as your Ring-bearer, draw a card.

Call of the Ring

At the beginning of your upkeep, the Ring tempts you.

Whenever you choose a creature as your Ring-bearer, you may pay two life. If you do, draw a card.

Gollum, Patient Plotter

One generic, one black legendary creature – Halfling Horror – 3/1

When Gollum, Patient Plotter leaves the battlefield, the Ring tempts you.

One black, Sacrifice a creature: Return Gollum from your graveyard to your hand. Activate only as a sorcery.

Lobelia Sackville-Baggins

Two generic, one black legendary creature – Halfling Citizen – 2/3

When Lobelia Sackville-Baggins enters the battlefield, exile target creature card from an opponent’s graveyard that was put there from the battlefield this turn, then create X Treasure tokens, where X is the exiled card’s power.

Sauron, the Necromancer

Three generic, two black legendary creature – Avatar Horror – 4/4

Whenever Sauron, the Necromancer attacks, exile target creature card from your graveyard. Create a tapped and attacking token that’s a copy of that card, except it’s a 3/3 black Wraith with menace. At the beginning of the next end step, exile that token unless Sauron is your Ring-bearer.

Delighted Halfling

One green creature – Halfling Citizen – 1/2

Tap: Add one colourless mana. Tap: Add one mana of any colour. Spend this mana only to cast a legendary spell, and that spell can’t be countered.

Aragorn and Arwen, Wed

Four generic, one green, one white legendary creature – Human Elf Noble – 3/6

Whenever Aragorn and Arwen, Wed enters the battlefield or attacks, put a +1/+1 counter on each other creature you control. You gain one life for each other creature you control.

Frodo Baggins

One green, one white legendary creature – Halfling Scout – 1/3

Whenever Frodo Baggins or another legendary creature enters the battlefield under your control, the Ring tempts you.

As long as Frodo if your RIng-bearer, it must be blocked if able.

Bilbo, Retired Burglar

One generic, one blue, one red legendary creature – Halfling Rogue – 1/3

When Bilbo, Retired Burglar enters or leaves the battlefield, the Ring tempts you.

Whenever Bilbo deals combat damage to a player, create a Treasure token.

Gandalf the Grey

Three generic, one blue, one red legendary creature – Avatar Wizard – 3/4

Whenever you cast an instant or sorcery spell, choose one that hasn’t been chosen –

Tom Bombadil

One white, one blue, one black, one red, and one green legendary creature – God Bard – 4/4

As long as there are for or more or counters you control, Tom Bombadil has hexproof and indestructible.

Whenever the final ability chapter of a Saga you control resolves, reveal cards from the top of your library until you reveal a Saga card. Put that card on the battlefield, and the rest on the bottom of your library in a random order. This ability triggers only once each turn.

Two generic artifact – Equipment

Tap, pay one life: Add one black or one red.

One generic, one black, one red, tap: Mount Doom deals one damage to each opponent.

Five generic, one black, one red, tap, Sacrifice Mount Doom and a legendary artifact: Choose up to two creatures, then destroy the rest. Activate only as a sorcery.

Four generic legendary artifact

When The One Ring enters the battlefield, if you cast it, you gain protection from everything until your next turn.

At the beginning of your upkeep, you lose one life for each burden counter on The One Ring.

Tap: Put a burden counter on The One Ring, then draw a card for each burden counter on The One Ring.

The Shire

The Shire enters the battlefield tapped unless you control a legendary creature.

Tap: Add one green mana.

One generic, one green, tap, Tap an untapped creature you control: Create a Food token.

One generic artifact

Wizards Rockets enters the battlefield tapped.

X generic, tap, Sacrifice Wizard’s Rockets: Add X mana in any combination of colours.

When WIzard’s Rockets it put into a graveyard from the battlefield, draw a card.

Jumpstart Booster Exclusives

As with previous sets, Lord of the Rings' Jumpstart booster packs will contain exclusive cards not found anywhere else in the set. These are still legal in Modern like the regular set, just more difficult to find.

Sardoc, Master of Buckland

Three generic, one white legendary creature - Halfling Citizen - 2/4

Whenever Saradoc, Master of Buckland or another nontoken creature with power 2 or less enters the battlefield under your control, create a 1/1 white Halfling creature token.

Tap two other untapped Halflings you control: Saradoc gets +2/+0 and gains lifeline until end of turn.

Whenever Elvish Mariner attacks, scry 1.

Whenever you scry, tap up to X target nonland permanents, where X is the number of cards looked at while scrying this way.

Ringwraiths

Four generic, two black creature - Wraith Knight - 5/5

When Ringwraiths enter the battlefield, target creature an opponent controls gets -3/-3 until end of turn. If that creature is legendary, its controller loses 3 life.

When the Ring tempts you, return Ringwraiths from your hand graveyard to your hand.

Assault on Osgiliath

X generic, three red sorcery

Amass Orcs X, then Goblins and Orcs you control gain double strike and haste until end of turn.

Elanor Gardner

Three generic, one green legendary creature - Halfling Scout - 2/4

When Eleanor Gardner enters the battlefield, create a Food token.

At the beginning of your end step, if you sacrificed a Food this turn, you may search your library for a basic land card, put that card onto the battlefield tapped, the shuffle.

Lord Of The Rings: Tales Of Middle-earth Commander Decks

Tales Of Middle-earth isn’t just designed for Modern; it’s also receiving four Commander decks, based on the various factions found in Lord of the Rings. Each deck will include20 exclusive cards, as well as a Collector’s booster sample pack, which includes two of the cards you’re able to find in a regular Tales of Middle-earth Collector’s booster (bar the one-off The One Ring).

Riders Of Rohan

Riders of Rohan is a go-wide Human token deck that combines the forces of both Rohan and Gondor. The face card is Éowyn, Shieldmaiden, which rewards you for playing Humans in your first main phase, by giving you two Human tokens once you go to combat.

Backing her up is the secondary commander Aragorn, King of Gondor. Befitting his name, Aragorn brings the monarch mechanic to the precons, stopping your opponents from blocking your creatures as long as you’re the monarch. This is perfect for the go-wide theme of the rest of the deck, as you won’t even need to worry about flooding out your opponents – just getting that delicious damage in.

Éowyn, Shieldmaiden

Two generic, one blue, one red, one white mana legendary creature - Human Knight - 5/4

First strike

At the beginning of combat on your turn, if another Human entered the battlefield under your control this turn, create two 2/2 red Human Knight creature tokens with trample and haste. Then if you control six or more Humans, draw a card.

Aragorn, King of Gondor

One generic, one blue, one red, one white legendary creature – Human Noble – 4/4

Vigilance, lifelink

When Aragorn, King of Gondor enters the battlefield, you become the monarch.

Whenever Aragorn attacks, up to one target creature can’t block this turn. If you’re the monarch, creatures can’t block this turn.

Beregond of the Guard

Three generic, one white legendary creature - Human Soldier - 3/3

Whenever Beregond of the Guard or another Human enters the battlefield under your control, creatures you control get +1/+1 and gain vigilance until end of turn.

Champions of Minas Tirith

Five generic, one white creature - Human Soldier - 4/6

When Champions of Minas Tirith enters the battlefield, you become the monarch.

At the beginning of combat on each opponent’s turn, if you’re the monarch, that opponent may pay X generic, where X is the number of cards in their hand. If they don’t, they can’t attack you this combat.

Gilraen, dunedain Protector

Two generic, one white legendary creature - Human Noble - 2/3

Two generic, tap: Exile another target creature you control. You may return that card to the battlefield under its onwer’s control. If you don’t, at the beginning of the next endstep, return that card to the battlefield under its owner’s control with a vigilance counter and a lifelink counter on it.

Three generic, one white creature - Spirit Soldier - 1/1

Flying, ward three generic

When Grey Host Reinforcements enters the battlefield, exile target player’s graveyard. Put a number of +1/+1 counters on Grey Host Reinforcements equal to the number of creature cards exiled this way.

Three generic, one white creature - Human Soldier - 3/1

Whenever Lossarnach Captain or another Human enters the battlefield under your control, tap target creature an opponent controls.

At the beginning of your upkeep, create a 1/1 white Human Soldier creature token.

Archivist of Gondor

Two generic, one blue creature - Human Advisor - 2/3

When your commander deals combat damage to a player, if there is no monarch, you become the monarch.

At the beginning of the mondarch’s end step, that player draws a card.

Denethor, Stone Seer

One generic, one blue legendary creature - Human Noble - 1/3

When Denethor, Stone Seer enters the battlefield, scry 2.

Three generic, one red, tap, Sacrifice Denethor: Target player becomes the monarch. Denethor deals three damage to any target.

Fealty to the Realm

Four generic, one blue enchantment - Aura

When Fealty to the Realm enters the battlefield, you become the monarch.

The monarch controls enchanted creature.

Enchanted creature attacks each combat if able and can’t attack you.

Call for Aid

Four generic, one red sorcery

Gain control of all creatures target opponent control until end of turn. Untap those creatures. They gain haste until end of turn. You can’t attack that player this turn. You can’t sacrifice those creatures this turn.

Gimli of the Glittering Caves

Two generic, one red legendary creature - Dwarf Warrior - 1/1

Whenever another legendary creature enters the battlefield under your control, put a +1/+1 counter on Gimli of the Glittering Caves.

Whenever Gimli deals combat damage to a player, create a Treasure token.

Boromir, Gondor’s Hope

Two generic, one white, one blue legendary creature - Human Warrior - 3/4

Whenever Boromir, Gondor’s Hope enters the battlefield or attacks, look at the top six cards of your library. You may reveal a Human or artifact card from among them and put it into your hand. Put the rest on the bottom of your library in a random order.

Faramir, Steward of Gondor

One generic, one white, one blue legendary creature - Human Noble - 2/2

Whenever a legendary creature with mana value 4 or greater enters the battlefield under your control, you become the monarch.

At the beginning of your end step, if you’re the monarch, create two 1/1 white Human Soldier creature tokens.

Eomer, King of Rohan

Three generic, one red, one white legendary creature - Human Noble - 2/2

Eomer, King of Rohan enters the battlefield with a +1/+1 counter on it for each other Human you control.

When Eomer enters the battlefield, target player becomes the monarch. Eomer deals damage equal to its power to any target.

Forth Eorlingas!

X generic, one red, one white sorcery

Create X 2/2 red Human Knight creature tokens with trample and haste.

Whenever one or more creatures you control deal combat damage to one or more players this turn, you become the monarch.

Oath of Eorl

Three generic, one red, one white enchantment - Saga

Riders of Rohan

Three generic, one red, one white creature - Human Knight - 4/4

When Riders of Rohan enters the battlefield, create two 2/2 red Human Knight creature tokens with trample and haste.

Taunt from the Ramparts

Three generic, one red, one white sorcery

Goad all creatures your opponents control. Until your next turn, those creatures can’t block.

Three generic legendary artifact - Equipment

Equipped creature gets +1/+1 for each creature you control.

When a legendary creature enters the battlefield under your control, if there is no monarch, you become the monarch.

Equip four generic. This ability costs three generic less to activate if you’re the monarch.

Taunt from the Rampart

Zealous Conscripts

Food And Fellowship

This is the deck based on the Fellowship of the Ring, and sees the return of partner commanders with Frodo, Adventurous Hobbit and his sidekick Sam, Loyal Attendant. It’s a deck focused on using the Ring mechanic with Frodo as your Ring-bearer, while using the Food Sam makes in a variety of different ways.

Alternatively, you can run this deck with Merry, Warden of Isengard and Pippin, Warden of Isengard as your commanders, as the two adorably also have partner for each other. Instead of using Food to buff each other up, Pippin makes Food that Merry can use to create Soldiers and gradually build up your board.

When you’re ready to press the attack, Pippin can then sacrifice all those Foods to give Merry’s Soldiers +3/+3 and haste for some lovely synergy between the two.

Frodo, Adventurous Hobbit

One white, one black mana legendary creature - Halfling Scout - 1/3

Partner with Sam, Loyal Attendant

Whenever Frodo, Adventurous Hobbit attacks, if you gained three or more life this turn, the Ring tempts you. Then if Frodo is your Ring-bearer and the Ring has tempted you two or more times this game, draw a card.

Sam, Loyal Attendant

One generic, one green, one white legendary creature – Halfling Peasant – 2/4

Partner with Frodo, Adventurous Hobbit

At the beginning of combat on your turn, create a Food token.

Activated abilities of Foods you control cost one generic less to activate.

Merry, Warden of Isengard

One generic, one green, one white legendary creature – Halfling Advisor – 1/4

Partner with Pippin, Warden of Isengard(When this creature enters the battlefield, target player may put Pippin into their hand from the library, then shuffle.)

Whenever one or more artifacts enter the battlefield under your control, create a 1/1 white Soldier creature token with lifelink. This ability triggers only once each turn.

Pippin, Warden of Isengard

One black, one green legendary creature – Halfling Advisor – 2.2

Partner with Merry, Warden of Isengard(When this creature enters the battlefield, target player may put Merry into their hand from the library, then shuffle.)

One generic, tap: Create a Food token.

Tap, Sacrifice four Foods: Other creatures you control get +3/+3 and gain haste until end of turn. Activate only as a sorcery.

Bilbo, Birthday Celebrant

One white, one black, one green legendary creature – Halfling Rogue – 2/3

If you would gain life, you gain that much life plus one instead.

Two generic, one white, one black, one green, tap, Exile Bilbo, Birthday Celebrant: Search your library for any number of creature cards, put them onto the battlefield, then shuffle. Activate only if you have 111 or more life.

Gwaihir, Greatest of the Eagles

Four generic, one white legendary creature - Bird Noble - 5/5

Whenever Gwaihir attacks, target attacking creature gains flying until end of turn.

At the beginning of each end step, if you gained 3 or more life this turn, create a 3/3 white Bird creature token with flying and “Whenever this creature attacks, target attacking creature gains flying until end of turn.”

Field-Tested Frying Pan

Two generic, one white mana artifact - Equipment

When Field-Tested Frying Pan enters the battlefield, create a Food token, then create a 1/1 white Halfling creature token and attach Field-Tested Frying Pan to it.

Equipped creature has “Whenever you gain life, this creature gets +X/+X until end of turn, where X is the amount of life you gained.”

Equip two generic mana

Of Herbs and Stewed Rabbit

Two generic, one white mana enchantment - Saga

The Gaffer

Two generic, one white legendary creature – Halfling Peasant – 2/3

At the beginning of each end step, if you gained three or more life this turn, draw a card.

Gollum, Obsessed Stalker

One generic, one black legendary creature - Halfling Horror - 1/1

Skulk

At the beginning of your end step, each opponent dealt combat damage this game by a creature named Gollum, Obsessed Stalker loses life equal to the amount of life you gained this turn.

Lobelia, Defender of Bag End

Two generic, one black mana legendary creature - Halfling Citizen - 2/2

When Lobelia enters the battlefield, look at the top card of each opponent’s library and exile those cards face down.

Tap, sacrifice an artifact: Choose one -

Two generic, one black creature - Hafling Citizen - 2/2

Whenever one or more creatures you control deal combat damage to a player, create a Food token.

Whenever you sacrifice a Food, put a +1/+1 counter on Rapacious Guest.

When Rapacious Guest leaves the battlefield, target opponent loses life equal to its power.

Creatures you control have reach.

Sacrifice Assemble the Entmoot: Create three tapped X/X green Treefolk creature tokens, where X is the amount of life you gained this turn. Put a reach counter on each of them.

One generic, one gree, creature - Halfling Citizen - 2/2

Devour Food 3

Creatures with less power than Feasting Hobbit’s power can’t block it.

Four generic, one green mana creature - Horse - 3/3

Trample, haste

Whenever Motivated Pony attacks, attacking creatures get +1/+1 until end of turn. If a Food entered the battlefield under your control this turn, untap those creatures and they get an additional +2/+2 until end of turn.

Prize Pig

One generic, one green creature - Boar - 0/3

Whenever you gain life, put that many ribbon counters on Prize Pig. Then if there are three or more ribbon counters on Prize Pig, remove those counters and untap it.

Banquet Guests

X generic, one green, one white creature – Halfling Citizen – 0/0

Affinity for Food(This spell costs one generic less to cast for each Food you control.)

Banquet Guests enters the battlefield with twice X +1/+1 counters on it.

Two generic, Sacrifice a Food: Banquet Guests gains indestructible until end of turn.

Farmer Cotton

X generic, one green, one white legendary creature - Halfling Peasant - 1/1

When Farmer Cotton enters the battlefield, create X 1/1 white Halfling creature tokens and X Food tokens.

Treebeard, Gracious Host

Two generic, one green, one white legendary creature – Treefolk – 0/5

Trample, ward: two generic

When Treebeard, Gracious Host enters the battlefield, create two Food tokens.

Whenever you gain life, put that many +1/+1 counters on target Halfling or Treefolk.

Two generic mana artifact

Hithlain Rope can’t be sacrificed.

One generic mana, tap: search your library for a basic land card, put it onto the battlefield tapped, then shuffle. The player to your right gains control of Hithlain Rope.

Two generic mana, tap: Draw a card. The player to your right gains control of Hithlain Rope.

Go for the Throat

Mentor of the Meek

Woodland Cemetery

Elven Council

An interesting new take on Elf decks, Elven Council is in fact more of a diplomacy-focused strategy, with cards that make the table vote for different things. Led by Galadriel, Elven-Queen, this is a deck archetype we last saw Wizards experiment with in 2022’s New Capenna commander card Tivit, Teller of Secrets.

As the backup commander, we have none other than Gandalf, Westward Voyager. Instead of leaning into the votes, Gandalf is a straight big-mana commander, rewarding you for casting big spells with the chance to cast even more free spells off of the top of your opponents' libraries.

There’s also Erestor of the Council, who returns to the deck’s voting roots, by giving you Treasure tokens and scrying whenever there’s a vote. It’s a big value engine, although doesn’t have ways to initiate votes on its own like Galadriel, Elven-Queen.

Interestingly, this deck has a huge number of other green/blue legendary creatures who could serve as backup commanders, albeit likely not as effectively. Things like Elrond of the White Council and Cirdan the Shipwright certainly fit better in the 99, but in a pinch could be an interesting new take on the deck.

Galadriel, Elven-Queen

Two generic, one green, one blue mana legendary creature - Elf Noble - 4/5

Will of the council- At the beginning of combat on your turn, if another Elf entered the battlefield under your control this turn, starting with you, each player votes for dominion or guidance. If dominion gets more votes, the Ring tempts you, then you put a +1/+1 counter on your Ring-bearer. If guidance gets more votes or the vote is tied, draw a card.

Gandalf, Westward Voyager

Three generic, one green, one blue legendary creature – Avatar Wizard – 5/5

Whenever you cast a spell with mana value 5 or greater, each opponent reveals the top card of their library. If any of those cards shares a card type with that spell, copy that spell, you may choose new targets for the copy, and each opponent draws a card. Otherwise, you draw a card.(A copy of a permanent spell becomes a token.)

Erestor of the Council

One generic, one green, one blue legendary creature - Elf Noble - 2/4

Whenever players finish voting, each opponent who voted for a choice you voted for creates a Treasure token. You scry X, where X is the number of opponents who voted for a choice you didn’t vote for. Draw a card.

Raise the Palisade

Four generic, one blue sorcery

Choose a creature type. Return all creatures that aren’t of the chosen type to their owner’s hands.

Trap The Trespassers

Secret council –Each player secretly votes for a creature you don’t control, then those votes are revealed. For each creature with one or more votes, put that many stun counters on it, then tap it.(If a permanent with a stun counter would become untapped, remove one from it instead.)

Arwen, Weaver of Hope

One generic, two green legendary creature – Elf Noble – 2/1

Each other creature you control enters the battlefield with a number of additional +1/+1 counters on it equal to Arwen, Weaver of Hope’s toughness.

Galadhrim Ambush

Three generic, one green instant

Create X 1/1 green Elf Warrior creature tokens, where X is the number of attacking creatures.

Prevent all combat damage that would be dealt this turn by non-Elf creatures.

Haldir, Lórien Lieutenant

X generic, one green legendary creature – Elf Soldier – 0/0

Haldir, Lórien Lieutenant enters the battlefield with X +1/+1 counters on it.

Five generic, one green: Until end of turn, other Elves you control gain vigilance and get +1/+1 for each +1/+1 counter on Haldir.

Legolas Greenleaf

Two generic, one green legendary creature – Elf Archer – 2/2

Legolas Greenleaf can’t be blocked by creatures with power 2 or less.

Whenever another legendary creature enters the battlefield under your control, put a +1/+1 counter on Legolas Greenleaf.

Whenever Legolas Greenleaf deals combat damage to a player, draw a card.

Five generic, one green creature – Elk – 6/6

Whenever Mirkwood Elk enters the battlefield or attacks, return target Elf card from your graveyard to your hand. You gain life equal to that card’s power.

Travel Through Caradhras

Five generic, one green sorcery

Council’s dilemma –Starting with you, each player votes for Redhorn Pass or Mines of Moria. For each Redhorn Pass vote, search your library for a basic land card and put it onto the battlefield tapped. If you search your library this way, shuffle. For each Mines of Moria vote, return a card from your graveyard to your hand.

Windswift Slice

Target creature you control deals damage equal to its power to target creature you don’t control. Create a number of 1/1 green Elf Warrior creature tokens equal to the amount of excess damage dealt this way.

Cirdan the Shipwright

Three generic, one green, one blue legendary creature - Elf Noble - 3/4

Secret council - Whenever Cirdan the Shipwright enters the battlefield or attacks, each player secretly votes for a player, then those votes are revealed. Each player draws a card for each vote they received. Each player who received no votes may put a permanent card from their hand onto the battlefield.

Elrond of the White Council

Three generic, one green, one blue legendary creature - Elf Noble - 3/3

Secret Council - When Elrond of the White Council enters the battlefield, each player secretly votes for fellowship or aid, then those votes are revealed. For each fellowship vote, the voter chooses a creature they control. You gain control of each creature chosen this way, and they gain “This creature can’t attack its owner.” The for each aid vote, put a +1/+1 counter on each creature you control.

Mirkwood Trapper

One generic, one green, one blue creature – Elf Scout – 1/4

Whenever a player attacks you, target attacking creature gets -2/-0 until end of turn.

Whenever a player attacks, if they aren’t attacking you, that player chooses an attacking creature. It gets +2/+0 until end of turn.

Radagast, Wizard of Wilds

Two generic, one green, one blue legendary creature – Avatar Wizard

Ward: one generic

Beasts and Birds you control have ward: one generic.

Whenever you cast a spell with mana value five or greater, choose one –

Sail Into The West

Two generic, one green, one blue instant

Will of the council –Starting with you, each player votes for return or embark. If return gets more votes, each player returns up to two cards to their hand, then you exile Sail into the West. If embark gets more votes or the vote is tied, each player may discard their hand and draw seven cards.

Learn from the Past

Sail into the West

Wose Pathfinder

The Hosts Of Mordor

Based on the antagonists of The Lord of the Rings, Hosts of Mordor is a deck all about amassing a massive Orc Army and raising the dead to build an impressive board state. It also benefits you to kill off your opponent’s commanders, with the deck’s face Sauron, Lord of the Rings letting you be tempted by the Ring every time one of them dies.

This deck has fewer secondary commanders than the others, offering only Saruman, the White Hand as an alternative. This turns the deck more from a sacrificing and destroying-focused amass strategy into a spellslinging one, with Saruman amassing every time you cast a noncreature spell. It’s also a surprisingly good Orc and Goblin commander, giving them all a ward cost of two generic – something your opponents are going to struggle against with how wide you may go with either creature type.

Sauron, Lord of the Rings

Five generic, one blue, one black, one red mana legendary creature - Avatar Horror - 9/9

When you cast this spell, amass Orcs 5, mill five cards, then return a creature card from your graveyard to the battlefield.

Whenever a commander an opponent controls dies, the Ring tempts you.

Saruman, the White Hand

One generic, one blue, one black, one red legendary creature - Avatar Wizard - 2/5

Whenever you cast a noncreature spell, amass Orcs X, where X is that spell’s mana value.

Goblins and Orcs you control have ward two generic.

Corsairs of Umbar

Three generic, one blue mana creature - Human Pirate - 3/3

Two generic, one blue mana: Target Goblin, Orc, or Pirate can’t be blocked this turn.

Whenever Corsairs of Umbar deals combat damage to a player, amass Orcs 3.(put three +1/+1 counters on an Army you control. It’s also an Orc. If you don’t control an Army, create a 0/0 black Orc Army creature token first.)

Monstrosity of the Lake

Four generic, one blue mana legendary creature - Kraken - 4/6

When Monstrosity of the Lake enters the battlefield, you may pay five generic mana. If you do, tap all creatures your opponents control, then put a stun counter on each of those creatures.(If a permanent with a stun counter on it would become untapped, remove one from it instead.)

Islandcycling two generic mana(Two generic mana, discard this card: Search your library for an Island card, reveal it, put it into your hand, then shuffle.)

Subjugate the Hobbits

Five generic, two blue mana sorcery

Gain control of each noncommander creature with mana value three or less.

Shelob, Dread Weaver

Three generic, one black mana legendary creature - Spider Demon - 3/3

Whenever a nontoken creature an opponent controls dies, exile it.

Two generic, one black mana, Put a creature card exiled with Shelob, Dread Weaver into its owner’s graveyard: Put two +1/+1 counters on Shelob. Draw a card.

X, one generic, one black mana: Put target creature card with mana value X exiled with Shelob onto the battlefield tapped under your control.

Cavern-Hoard Dragon

Seven generic, two red creature - Dragon - 6/6

This spell costs X generic less to cast, where X is the greatest number of artifacts an opponent controls.

Flying, trample, haste

Whenever Cavern-Hoard Dragon deals combat damage to a player, you create a Treasure token for each artifact that player controls.

Orcish Siegemaster

Two generic, one red mana creature - Orc Soldier - 0/5

Other Orcs and Goblins you control have trample.

Whenever Orcish Siegemaster attacks, it gets +X/+0 until end of turn, where X is the greatest power among creatures you control.

Five generic, two red mana creature - Elephant - 9/7

Cycling X, two generic, one red mana(X, two generic, one red mana, discard this card: Draw a card.)

When you cycle Rampaging War Mammoth, destroy up to X target artifacts.

Lidless Gaze

Two generic, one black, one red mana sorcery

Exile the top card of each player’s library. Until the end of your next turn, you may play those cards, and mana of any type can be spent to cast them.

Flashback two generic, one black, one red mana(You may cast this card from your graveyard for its flashback cost. Then exile it.)

The Balrog of Moria

Four generic, two black, one red legendary creature - Avatar Demon - 8/8

When The Balrog of Moria dies, you may exile it. When you do, for each opponent, exile up to one target creature that player controls.

Cycling three generic, one red

When you cycle The Balrog of Moria, create two Treasure tokens.

Grima, Saruman’s Footman

Two generic, one blue, one black legendary creature - Human Advisor - 1/4

Grima, Saruman’s Footman can’t be blocked.

Whenever Grima deals combat damage to a player, that player exiles cards from the top of their library until they exile an instant or sorcery card. You may cast that card without paying its mana cost. Then that player puts the exiled cards that weren’t cast this way on the bottom of their library in a random order.

Lord of the Nazgul

Three generic, one blue, one black legendary creature - Wraith Noble - 4/3

Wraiths you control have protection from Ring-bearers.

Whenever you cast an instant or sorcery spell, create a 3/3 black Wraith creature token with menace. Then if you control nine or more Wraiths, Wraiths you control have base power and toughness 9/9 until end of turn.

Moria Scavenger

One generic, one black, one red creature - Orc Rogue - 1/4

Deathtouch, haste

Tap, Discard a card: Draw a card. If the discarded card was a creature card, amass Orcs 1.

Summons of Saruman

X generic, one blue, one red sorcery

Amass Orcs X. Mill X cards. You may cast an instant or sorcery spell with mana value X or less from among them without paying its mana cost.

Flashback - Three generic, one blue, one red, Exile X cards from your graveyard.

Too Greedily, Too Deep

Five generic, one black, one red sorcery

Put target creature card from a graveyard onto the battlefield under your control. That creature deals damage equal to its power to each other creature.

Wake the Dragon

Four generic, one black, one red sorcery

Create a 6/6 black and red Dragon creature token with flying, menace, and “Whenever this creature deals combat damage to a player, gain control of target artifact that player controls.”

Flashback six generic, one black, one red

In the Darkness Bind Them

Two generic, one blue, one black, one red mana enchantment - Saga

(As this Saga enters and after your draw step, add a lore counter. Sacrifice after IV.)

Relic of Sauron

Four generic artifact

Tap: Add two mana in any combination Blue, Black, and/or Red.

The Black Gate

Legendary Land - Gate

As The Black Gate enters the battlefield, you may pay three life. If you don’t, it enters the battlefield tapped.

Tap: Add one black mana.

One generic, one black mana, tap: Choose a player with the most life or tied for most life. Target creature can’t be blocked by creatures that player controls this turn.

Boon of the Wish-Giver

Fact or Fiction

Lord of the Nazgûl

Scourge of the Throne

Worn Powerstone

Commander-legal Box Toppers

Every booster box of Lord of the Rings will include a box topper reprint. The subset includes some incredibly powerful cards for a wide variety of formats, but as they’re not considered part of the Tales of Middle-earth set proper,they’re not legal in Modern unless the card already was before these printings.

It is also worth pointing out that, despite the set code being LRC (for Lord of the Rings Commander), there is one card that is banned in Commander:Karakas. you may still play this in Vintage, Legacy, and Oathbreaker, but its printing here doesn’t mean it has been unbanned in Commander.

The Party Tree (The Great Henge)

Seven generic, two green legendary artifact

This spell costs X generic less to cast, where X is the greatest power among creatures you control.

Tap: Add two green mana. You gain two life.

Whenever a nontoken creature enters the battlefield under your control, put a +1/+1 counter on it and draw a card.

Argonath, Pillars of the Kings

One generic, legendary artifact

Whenever a creature you control leaves the battlefield, if it had counters on it, put those counters on The Ozolith.

At the beginning of combat on your turn, if The Ozolith has counters on it, you may move all counters from The Ozolith onto target creature.

Bag End (Horizon Canopy)

Tap, Pay 1 life: Add one green or one white mana.

Balin’s Tomb (Ancient Tomb)

Tap: Add two colorless mana. Balin’s Tomb deals two damage to you.

Bridge of Khazad-dum (Ensnaring Bridge)

Three generic artifact

Creatures with power greater than the number of cards in your hand can’t attack.

Elessar, the Elfstone (Cloudstone Curio)

Whenever a nonartifact permanent enters the battlefield under your control, you may return another permanent you control that shares a permanent type with it to its owner’s hand.

Fangorn Forest (Yavimaya, Cradle of Growth)

Each land is a Forest in addition to its other types.

Glittering Gaves of Aglarond (Gemstone Caverns)

If Glittering Caves of Aglarond is in your opening hand and you’re not the starting player, you may begin the game with Glittering Caves of Aglarond on the battlefield with a luck counter on it. If you do, exile a card from your hand.

Tap: Add one colorless mana. If Glittering Caves of Aglarond has a luck counter on it, instead add one mana of any color.

Tap: Add one red mana.

One red, tap: Target legendary creature gains first strike until end of turn.

Henneth Annûn (Reflecting Pool)

Tap: Add one mana of any type that a land you control could produce.

Inn of the Prancing Pony (Pillar of the Paruns)

Tap: Add one mana of any color. Spend this mana only to cast a multicolored spell.

Isengard, Saruman’s Fortress enters the battlefield tapped.

Tap, pay two life: Add one colorless mana. If that mana is spent on an instant or sorcery spell, that spell can’t be countered.

Minas Morgul (Cabal Coffers)

Two generic, tap: Add one black for each Swamp you control.

Meduseld, Golden Hall of Edoras (Castle Ardenvale)

Meduseld, Golden Hall of Edoras enters the battlefield tapped unless you control a Plains.

Tap: Add one white.

Two generic, two white, tap: Create a 1/1 white Human creature token.

One generic legendary artifact – Equipment

Equipped creature gets +1/+1 and has trample and lifelink.

One generic: Permanents your opponents control lose hexproof and indestructible until end of turn.

One generic, one white, tap: Prevent all combat damage that would be dealt by target attacking creature this turn.

Paths of the Dead (Cavern of Souls)

As Paths of the Dead enters the battlefield, choose a creature type.

Tap: Add one mana of any color. Spent this mana only to cast a creature spell of the chosen type, and that spell can’t be countered.

Snow Land

Four generic, one snow mana, tap, Sacrifice Redhorn Pass: It deals four damage to target creature.

Ring of Barahir (Sword of the Animist)

Equipped creature gets +1/+1

Whenever equipped creature attacks, you may search your library for a basic land card, put it onto the battlefield tapped, then shuffle.

Equip: Two generic mana

Shards of Narsil (Thorn of the Amethyst)

The Dead Marshes (Urborg, Tomb of Yawgmoth)

Each land is a Swamp in addition to its other land types.

Three Rings For The Elven-Kings (Rings of Brighthearth)

Whenever you activate an ability, if it isn’t a mana ability, you may pay two generic. If you do, copy that ability. You may choose new targets for the copy.

Valley of Gargoroth (Wasteland)

Tap: Return target legendary creature to its owner’s hand.

Despite being part of the Commander set for Lord of the Rings, this card is banned in Commander.