Wizards of the Coast Announces Zendikar Rising

Wizards of the Coast has announced the next expansion for its venerated collectible card game franchise: Zendikar Rising. This is a set based on the plane of Zendikar. It is a wild, and largely unexplored place dominated by a magical phenomenon called “The Roil.” The Roil causes geologic changes that are sudden, frequent, and drastic. The result is a harsh world full of adventurers searching for secrets to help quell the Roil’s effect and massive beasts that feed off of the chaos.

Returning gameplay mechanics

As per usual there are two returning mechanics in the Zendikar Rising set:

Kicker

Kicker is a keyword ability that allows the player to pay an optional cost when casting a spell to achieve an additional effect. For example. you might be able to spend extra mana to deal more damage with a burn spell or put +1/+1 counters on a creature.

Landfall

Landfall is an ability word that signals triggered abilities that respond to a Land entering the Battlefield under the control of the player with the Landfall card.

New Gameplay Mechanics

There are two new mechanics in the set as well. They are:

Party

Party is a batching mechanic. As you play creatures you build a “Party” that consists of up to one each of four classes: Cleric, Rogue, Warrior, and Wizard. You control a full party if you control four creatures with all of these types among them. Cards with this keyword have effects on them that depend on the number of creatures in your party when the cards is played.

Modal Double-Faced Cards

Modal double-faced cards (MDFCs) have two card faces, one on each side of the card. When you play a modal double-faced card, you choose which face you’re playing. This is a great idea because there are lands that are also spells. Which means you can plan more spells without risking drawing too few lands.

The Zendikar Rising set will be released on MTG Arena September 17 and September 25 for paper magic.

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