Magic lead designer announces new card type coming in “future set”

Magic has introduced new card types before, but rarely are they introduced and then not implemented in the same set.

The long history of Magic: The Gathering would have you believe that a new style of card is introduced with each set. However, outside of the various new mechanics, the actual card types themselves have been very far and few between.

Magic is a complex game, and introducing any new card type as a staple going forward is big news. With Phyrexia: All Will Be One, a particular card type, Battles, appears on a newly revealed Mythic rare.

Atraxa, New Magic Card Introducer

Marta Nael

Atraxa, Grand Unifier is a legendary Phyrexian Angel, with flying, vigilance, deathtouch and lifelink. Costing 3GWUB, and with 7/7, it’s already a mighty return for Phyrexia’s voice.

Reading below the impressive abilities is another:

“When Atraxa, Grand Unifier enters the battlefield, reveal the top ten cards of your library.

“For each card type, you may put a card of that type from among the revealed cards into your hand.

“Put the rest on the bottom of your library in a random order.

“(Artifact, Battle, Creature, Enchantment, Instant, Land, Planeswalker, and Sorcery are card types.)”

It was leaked a week in advance after the new set began pouring out in droves. We saw nearly every rare in the set. However, Atraxa leaked as a blurry photo, and questions were raised regarding its authenticity. The new card type was briefly believed to be faked.

Mark Rosewater responds

When asking Mark Rosewater, the lead designer of Magic: The Gathering, about the new card type on his Tumblr, he responded with:

“There’s not anything more I can say yet about battles.

“It was exciting to work on a new card type and I’m excited for you all to see it in a future set.”

In a follow-up, he also states that tribal is included within the rules of the card, despite it not appearing for a few years.

For now, the Battle card type won’t be appearing in All Will Be One, nor its Commander and Jumpstart counterparts. Instead, it’s now being speculated that these cards will appear in the finale, March of the Machines, and potentially be featured in the upcoming Lord of the Rings set.

The last card type to be introduced into the game was ‘Dungeon’, which might not crop up again for a while.

Phyrexia: All Will Be One launches on February 10 and is available for preorder now.

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