Upcoming Previews at PAX Feature Evil Mastermind Villains in Magic: The Gathering
The world of Magic: The Gathering is about to get a whole lot more web-slinging, as the latest Universes Beyond set arrives on September 26. The highly anticipated Spider-Man set, developed by Wizards of the Coast, brings the Marvel Universe to the card game in a big way.
This set marks the first full collaboration between Magic: The Gathering and Marvel, following the successful Secret Lair drop and the second Universes Beyond set, Final Fantasy. The Spider-Man set will be legal in most formats and is available for preorder on Amazon and local game stores.
The Spider-Man set focuses on a group known as the Sinister Six, including Doctor Octopus, Mysterio, Vulture, Electro, Sandman, and Kraven. But that's not all – we also get our first look at Eddie Brock, aka Venom. The set features multiple card treatments, including full- and alternate-art versions, comics-inspired showcase cards, and a bonus sheet.
The set introduces two new mechanics: "web-slinging" and "mayhem". The "web-slinging" mechanic allows you to pay alternate (usually cheaper) costs for creatures if you also return a tapped creature to your hand. On the other hand, the "mayhem" mechanic lets you cast a card from your graveyard if you discarded it that turn.
Returning mechanics include cards that care about modified creatures and story-like Saga cards, as seen in the Final Fantasy Set. Interestingly, the cards and mechanics from the Spider-Man set will have mechanically identical counterparts in Magic: The Gathering Arena due to digital licensing agreements.
Fans of Spider-Man will be thrilled to know that the character is part of multiple movie franchises, animated shows, and video games, with three recent titles on PS5 and PC. And for those who can't wait, the Spider-Man set for Magic: The Gathering is set to launch on September 26.
In other news, later this year, we can expect an Avatar: The Last Airbender set to join the Magic: The Gathering universe. Stay tuned for more updates!
