Dominaria United

Dominaria United

 

Commander decks

 

Box Toppers

 

Trivia

 

Jumpstart

 

Card comparisons

 

Art series

 

Welcome booster

 

Dominaria United
[[File:{{#setmainimage:Dominaria_United_Logo.png}}|250px]]
Set Information
Set symbol
Symbol description	The Coalition symbol overlapping a Benalish shield
Design	Ethan Fleischer (lead) Zac Elsik Bryan Hawley Ari Nieh James Rose Mark Rosewater Annie Sardelis Cameron Williams
Development	Ian Duke (co-lead) Erik Lauer (co-lead) Mark Gottlieb Glenn Jones Reggie Valk Andrew Brown Ben Lundquist Michael Hinderaker
Art direction	Zack Stella (Lead) Tom Jenkot and Sarah Wassell (Booster Fun)
Release date	September 9, 2022
Plane	Dominaria
Themes and mechanics	Legendary creatures, Legendary matters, Multicolor, throwbacks, Stun counters, Powerstones, Poison
Keywords/​ability words	Domain, Kicker, Read ahead, Enlist
Set size	281 + 153
Expansion code	DMU
Development codename	Judo
March of the Machine Standard
Dominaria United The Brothers' War Phyrexia: All Will Be One
Magic: The Gathering Chronology
Secret Lair Drop Series: August Superdrop 2022 Dominaria United Dominaria United Commander Decks

Expansion symbol

Dominaria United is the ninety-third Magic expansion. It was released on September 9, 2022, and kicked off the 30th-anniversary celebration of the game.

Set details

“

Back With a Vengeance

”

Dominaria United key art

Public domain name registries connected to this name were filed by a subsidiary registrar in January 2021. A further registration with the gg domain was filed by Wizards of the Coast itself in May 2021.

Dominaria United contains 281 cards (101 commons, 80 uncommons, 60 rares, 20 mythic rares, 20 basic lands), and includes randomly inserted premium versions of all cards. Set, Draft and Collector Boosters contain a legendary card in each booster, showing off a cast of beloved legends and characters that longtime fans will recognize. There are more than 40 legendary creatures across the set. The regular cards include 5 full-art "stained-glass" basic lands by Magali Villeneuve (#277-281). The other cycles of basics depict automaton relics of the Brothers' War, Phyrexian ruins, and legendary artifacts respectively.

Stained Glass showcase treatment.

Alternate card frames have a different card number than the original version. The Standard legal Jumpstart rares are #282-286, "Stained Glass" Legends are #287-327, and "textured foil" Legends are #328-368. Phyrexian cards are #369-371, borderless planeswalkers are numbered #372-376, while the borderless pain lands are #377-382. Extended artwork cards are numbered #383-427. The Buy-a-Box card is #428 and the Bundle promo is #429. The dark frame treatment cards from the Universal promo pack are numbered #430-434. The "Concept Praetor" art of Sheoldred, released with Phyrexia: All Will Be One, is #435.

Dominaria United pays homage to the Invasion block in a similar way that the 2018 Dominaria set paid homage to Alpha and other early Magic editions.

Storyline

We return once again to Dominaria, meeting some familiar heroes and villains. The story begins following Karn as he looks back on Dominaria's past to prepare for its future. The enemy is already on Dominaria, and it's only a matter of time before conflict breaks out. This kicks off the epic Phyrexian story arc spanning four sets where the fate of Dominaria — and the Multiverse — is set to unravel.

The cards that represent the Story Spotlights in Dominaria United are:

• Sheoldred’s Restoration
• Protect the Negotiators
• Temporary Lockdown
• Twinferno
• Silver Scrutiny
• Ertai's Scorn
• Heroic Charge
• Lightning Strike
• Temporal Firestorm
• Extinguish the Light

Magic Story

Title	Author	Publishing date	Set	Setting (plane)	Featuring
Episode 1: Echoes in the Dark	Langley Hyde	2022-08-10	Dominaria United	Dominaria	Karn, Sheoldred, Rona
Episode 2: Sand in the Hourglass	Langley Hyde	2022-08-11	Dominaria United	Dominaria	Karn, Ajani Goldmane, Radha, Jaya Ballard, Jodah, Aron Capashen, Stenn, Teferi
Episode 3: The Locked Tower	Langley Hyde	2022-08-12	Dominaria United	Dominaria	Karn, Jaya Ballard, Jodah, Stenn, Teferi, Shanna Sisay
Homecoming	Seanan McGuire	2022-08-12	Dominaria United	Arcavios, Dominaria	Liliana Vess, Raven Man, Lim-Dûl, Elas il-Kor
Episode 4: A Brutal Blow	Langley Hyde	2022-08-15	Dominaria United	Dominaria	Karn, Jaya Ballard, Jodah, Teferi, Shanna Sisay, Arvad, Rafwyn Capashen, Slimefoot, Tiana, Ajani Goldmane, Danitha Capashen, Meria, Aron Capashen, Ertai, Darigaaz, Jhoira, Radha
The Education of Ulf	Brian Evenson	2022-08-15	Dominaria United	Dominaria	Ulf, Thranegeld, Silas Brotten, Jared Carthalion, Geyadrone Dihada
Death and Salvation	Dan Sheehan	2022-08-16	Dominaria United	Dominaria	Squee, Bulp, Rarp, Spurna, Ertai, Salvation
Shards of Nightmares	Phoebe Barton	2022-08-17	Dominaria United	Dominaria	Shanna Sisay, Tiana, Rafwyn Capashen, Slimefoot, Arvad, Braids
Faith in Birds	Marcus Terrell Smith	2022-08-17	Dominaria United	Dominaria	Niambi
Episode 5: A Whisper in the Wind	Langley Hyde	2022-08-18	Dominaria United	Dominaria	Teferi, Karn, Jhoira, Ertai, Ajani Goldmane, Jaya Ballard, Radha, Danitha Capashen, Sheoldred, Darigaaz, Jodah, Saheeli Rai, Elesh Norn

Marketing

Jumpstart Booster

Dominaria United is sold in regular 16-card Draft Boosters (one card being a marketing card), Collector Boosters, Set Boosters, the Dominaria United Bundle, and four Commander decks. The Draft Boosters feature artwork depicting Karn. The Set Boosters feature art depicting Ajani Goldmane, and the Collector Boosters feature artwork depicting Braids. In Dominaria United, every single Set, Draft, and Collector Booster comes with a guaranteed legendary creature.

With the release of Dominaria United, 75 cards were rotated into The List, many of which were thematically or mechanically linked to the set. The List-cards can be found in the Set Boosters.

Jumpstart

With this set, Wizards introduces set-related Jumpstart Boosters, replacing the Theme Boosters. Jumpstart packs for Dominaria United feature cards from the set, including a rare or mythic rare, two foil basic lands, and a mechanically unique rare designed for the Jumpstart pack. There are 10 different themes.

Box Toppers

Dominaria United features a series of 20 box topper promos, referred to as "Legends Retold". These are 20 beefed up versions of legendary creatures from Legends.

Lost Legends

In selected collector boosters, an original card from Legends, found in an old warehouse, was included. These "Lost Legends" appear in 3% of boosters, and not every card from Legends was included. Some cards were missing because of the well-known Legends collation problems, some because Wizards of the Coast doesn't want to be associated with a certain artist anymore, and some because the depictions or flavor texts are nowadays considered to be culturally offensive. Because original cards are used, their distribution doesn't violate the Reserved List.

Events

• 

  Bundle

  Prerelease: September 2–8, 2022
  • Including Jumpstart prerelease: players receive two Jumpstart packs to open, shuffle together, and play.
• Launch party: September 9-11, 2022
• Friday Night Magic: September 9–November 4, 2022
• Commander Nights: September 12–November 10
• Game Day: September 17–25, 2022
• WPN Premium-Exclusive Commander Party: September 30–October 2, 2022
• Store Championship: October 15–23, 2022

Promos

• Prerelease: a stamped card that can be any rare or mythic rare of Dominaria United.
• Other events: cards from the Dominaria United universal promo pack.
  • The seasonal dark-frame promos are: Resolute Reinforcements, Micromancer, Cut Down, Lightning Strike and Nishoba Brawler
• Buy-a-Box: alternate art Llanowar Loamspeaker.
  • At select retailers in Japan only, there are five Buy-A-Box promos available with alternate art by Japanese artists: Serra Angel, Lord of Atlantis, Sengir Vampire, Shivan Dragon and Llanowar Elves. There are three versions of each (normal, foil, and retro frame).
• Bundle: foil Herd Migration
• Game Day: full alternate art Touch the Spirit Realm (participation), Workshop Warchief (Top 8) and Shivan Devastator (winner).
• Store Championship promos: full-art Spell Pierce (participation), Gilded Goose (Top 8), textless Omnath, Locus of Creation (winner)
• 30th Anniversary promos: Serra Angel, Ball Lightning and German Fyndhorn Elves
• Commander Party: Phyrexian language Dismember

Tokens and markers

Colloctor Booster Box featuring Braids

Dominaria United has 26 tokens and emblems. Due to the inclusion of Box-Toppers and other cards corresponding to the Dominaria United Commander expansion, there are tokens with their Dominaria United Commander expansion symbol and code:

1. () 4/4 Angel with flying and vigilance, for Historian's Boon and Jenson Carthalion, Druid Exile.
2. () 1/1 Bird with flying, for Aether Channeler, Love Song of Night and Day and Wingmantle Chaplain.
3. () 2/2 Knight with protection from red, for Rasputin, the Oneiromancer.
4. () 1/1 Soldier for Argivian Cavalier, Baird, Argivian Recruiter, Captain's Call, Defiler of Faith, Historian's Boon, Keldon Strike Team, King Darien XLVIII, Protect the Negotiators, Phyrexian Warhorse, Queen Allenal of Ruadach, Resolute Reinforcements, Scout the Wilderness, Torsten, Founder of Benalia, and Tura Kennerüd, Skyknight.
5. () 1/1 Merfolk for Emperor Mihail II.
6. () 1/1 Bird with flying and "This creature can't block.", for The Raven Man.
7. () 1/1 Insect with flying, for Xira, the Golden Sting.
8. () 2/2 Phyrexian for The Phasing of Zhalfir.
9. () 2/2 Zombie for Tobias, Doomed Conqueror.
10. () 2/1 Elemental with trample and haste for Lagomos, Hand of Hatred.
11. () 4/4 Dragon with flying, for The Elder Dragon War and Rith, Liberated Primeval, and Rohgahh, Kher Keep Overlord.
12. () 1/1 Goblin for Rasputin, the Oneiromancer, Rulik Mons, Warren Chief and Squee, Dubious Monarch.
13. () Kobolds of Kher Keep, a 0/1 Kobold for Rohgahh, Kher Keep Overlord and Rosnakht, Heir of Rohgahh.
14. () 1/1 Monk with prowess, for Jaya, Fiery Negotiator.
15. () 3/3 Badger creature for Greensleeves, Maro-Sorcerer.
16. () 3/3 Beast for Herd Migration.
17. () 2/2 Cat Warrior with forestwalk, for Jedit Ojanen, Mercenary.
18. () 1/1 Saproling for Nemata, Primeval Warden and The Weatherseed Treaty
19. () 4/4 Wurm creature for Baru, Wurmspeaker.
20. () 1/1 Sand Warrior for Hazezon, Shaper of Sand.
21. () Stangg Twin, a 3/4 legendary Human Warrior for Stangg, Echo Warrior.
22. () Ornithopter, a 0/2 Thopter artifact creature with flying, for Yotia Declares War.
23. () Powerstone artifact, for Karn, Living Legacy and The Mana Rig.
24. () Treasure artifact, for Ramirez DePietro, Pillager, and The Reaver Cleaver.
25. () Emblem for Ajani, Sleeper Agent
26. () Emblem for Jaya, Fiery Negotiator

Themes and mechanics

Legendary creatures, Legendary matters, Multicolor, and throwbacks are revisited themes from Dominaria. Historic was also planned to return but it was removed in Set Design.

Kicker is a returning mechanic originally featured in the Invasion block, and was also seen in Dominaria. Its is a keyword ability that allows the player to pay an extra cost for a bonus effect.

Domain is another returning mechanic, an ability word that modifies an effect depending on the number of different basic lands you control.

Enlist is a new mechanic introduced here, a keyword ability that allows one to tap another creature to add its power to the attacking creature.

Read ahead is a new keyword ability on Sagas that allows the player to skip chapters to get to the effects they want.

Evergreen stun counters, that keep permanents out of the action for an extended period, are also introduced in this set. One card, Ajani, Sleeper Agent distributes Poison counters.

Limited archetypes

With a heavy Multicolored theme inspired by Invasion block's design and supported by exclusively off-color Kicker costs and Domain, Dominaria United supports a large variety of multicolored decks in Limited - ranging from two colors to five colors - with the default being two colors with a splash. This obligated strong monocolored themes as a base to facilitate the diverse combinatorics of the colors and their respective strategies, which are as follows,

• : Go wide and Tokens
• : Spells (Instants and sorceries) matter
• : Creature removal, sacrifice, and graveyard interactions
• : Aggression and Direct damage Spells
• : Ramp and Domain

In combination, they form Dominaria United's fundamental limited archetypes in each color pair, which can be expanded upon with more colors and splashes:

• : Go wide & Spells matter
• : Control
• : Aggro with payoffs for your creatures dying
• : Domain midrange
• : Domain & go wide
• : Go wide & sacrifice (Aristocrats)
• : Spells matter tempo
• : Graveyard midrange
• : Go wide aggro
• : Domain/Ramp & Spells matter

Card types

The set introduces the Powerstone artifact type. Powerstone appears on predefined tokens with the ability “: Add . This mana can't be spent to cast a nonartifact spell.” Only seen on one card (and on one Commander card), this is a "throw-forward" to The Brothers' War.

Counter types

The set introduces Ingenuity counters and Phyresis counters.

Cycles

Dominaria United has fourteen cycles.

Cycle name
Enemy double- Kickers	Archangel of Wrath ()	Vodalian Mindsinger ()	Stronghold Arena ()	Temporal Firestorm ()	Urborg Lhurgoyf ()
	Five cards with two enemy-colored Kicker costs that do the same effect each time they were kicked.
Defilers	Defiler of Faith	Defiler of Dreams	Defiler of Flesh	Defiler of Instinct	Defiler of Vigor
	Five rare Phyrexian creatures that simulate Phyrexian mana by allowing you to pay 2 life in place of one colored mana whenever you cast a spell. Each gives you an additional benefit whenever you cast a permanent spell of its color.
Tribal lords	Valiant Veteran	Vodalian Hexcatcher	Shadow-Rite Priest	Rundvelt Hordemaster	Leaf-Crowned Visionary
	Five rare creatures with mana value 2 that grant creatures of their type +1/+1 along with an additional benefit. They allude to Lords from Alpha.
Domain Rares	Leyline Binding	Sphinx of Clear Skies	Drag to the Bottom	Radha's Firebrand	Herd Migration
	Five rare or higher spells, with five distinct applications of domain.
Rare Sagas	Urza Assembles The Titans	The Phasing of Zhalfir	The Cruelty of Gix	The Elder Dragon War	The World Spell
	Five rare or higher Sagas with Read ahead that depict notable moments in Dominaria’s past.
Uncommon Sagas	Love Song of Night and Day	Founding the Third Path	Braids’s Frightful Return	Yotia Declares War	The Weatherseed Treaty
	Five uncommon Sagas with read ahead that depict notable moments in Dominaria’s past.
Uncommon off-color kicker spells	Runic Shot () Shalai's Acolyte () Phyrexian Missionary () Cleaving Skyrider ()	Rona's Vortex () Protect the Negotiators () Battlewing Mystic () Joint Exploration ()	Balduvian Atrocity () Monstrous War-Leech () Choking Miasma () Sheoldred’s Restoration ()	Sprouting Goblin () Warhost's Frenzy () Hurloon Battle Hymn () Fires of Victory ()	Strength of the Coalition () Yavimaya Iconoclast () Elvish Hydromancer () Tear Asunder ()
	Twenty uncommon spells that have an off-color kicker, one in each color for each other color.
Common off-color kicker spells	Stall for Time () Juniper Order Rootweaver () Benalish Sleeper () Heroic Charge ()	Phyrexian Espionage () Tolarian Geyser () Timely Interference () Pixie Illusionist ()	Aggressive Sabotage() Tribute to Urborg () Urborg Repossession () Phyrexian Warhorse ()	Viashino Branchrider () In Thrall to the Pit () Keldon Strike Team() Ghitu Amplifier ()	Scout the Wilderness () Colossal Growth () Vineshaper Prodigy () Bog Badger ()
	Twenty common spells that have an off-color kicker, one in each color for each other color.
Cost Reducers	Argivian Phalanx	Tolarian Terror	Writhing Necromass	Molten Monstrosity	Yavimaya Sojourner
	Five expensive common creatures that have an in-built method of cost reduction.
Cycle name
Tricolor legends	Shanna, Purifying Blade	Zur, Eternal Schemer	Sol’Kanar the Tainted	Soul of Windgrace	Rith, Liberated Primeval
	Five mythic rare tri-colored legendary creatures.

Double cycles

Cycle name
Rare Legends	Stenn, Paranoid Partisan	Ertai Resurrected	Rivaz of the Claw	Meria, Scholar of Antiquity	King Darien XLVIII	Ratadrabik of Urborg	Jhoira, Ageless Innovator	Nemata, Primeval Warden	Astor, Bearer of Blades	Ivy, Gleeful Spellthief
	Ten rare dual-colored legendary creatures.
Gold signposts	Raff, Weatherlight Stalwart	Vohar, Vodalian Desecrator	Lagomos, Hand of Hatred	Radha, Coalition Warlord	Zar Ojanen, Scion of Efrava	Elas il-Kor, Sadistic Pilgrim	Balmor, Battlemage Captain	Bortuk Bonerattle	Baird, Argivian Recruiter	Nael, Avizoa Aeronaut
	Ten uncommon dual-colored legendary creatures, each a signpost for a draft archetype.
Three-pip signposts	Tura Kennerüd, Skyknight ()	Rona, Sheoldred’s Faithful ()	Garna, Bloodfist of Keld ()	Rulik Mons, Warren Chief ()	Queen Allenal of Ruadach ()	Aron, Benalia’s Ruin ()	Najal, the Storm Runner ()	Uurg, Spawn of Turg ()	Tori D'Avenant, Fury Rider ()	Tatyova, Steward of Tides ()
	Ten uncommon dual-colored legendary creatures that cost 2 mana of one color (as noted) and only 1 of another, each an additional signpost for a draft archetype.
Common taplands	Idyllic Beachfront	Contaminated Aquifer	Geothermal Bog	Wooded Ridgeline	Radiant Grove	Sunlit Marsh	Molten Tributary	Haunted Mire	Sacred Peaks	Tangled Islet
	Ten common dual lands that have the corresponding basic land types and enter the battlefield tapped, surprisingly never done before. They allude to the original dual lands from Alpha.

Pairs

Dominaria United has two mirrored pairs.

Mirrored Pairs		Description
Blight Pile ()	Coral Colony ()	Two uncommon creatures with defender and an activated ability related to the number of creatures with defender.
Knight of Dawn’s Light ()	Knight of Dusk’s Shadow ()	Two uncommon Human Knights with an evergreen keyword, an ability that impacts life gain and an activated pump ability for 1M.

Reprinted cards

• Bone Splinters — first printed in Shards of Alara, last seen in Jumpstart.
• Broken Wings — first printed in Zendikar Rising, last seen in Streets of New Capenna.
• Captain's Call — first printed in Magic 2013, last seen in Commander Legends.
• Dragon Whelp — first printed in Alpha, last seen in Mystery Booster.
• Essence Scatter — first printed in Magic 2010, last seen in Ikoria: Lair of Behemoths.
• Gaea's Might — first printed in Planeshift.
• Griffin Protector — first printed in Magic 2013, last seen in Mystery Booster.
• Hammerhand — first printed in Magic 2015, last seen in Mystery Booster.
• Impulse — first printed in Visions, last seen in Mystery Booster.
• Lightning Strike — first printed in Theros, last seen in Core Set 2019.
• Liliana of the Veil — first printed in Innistrad, last seen in Ultimate Masters.
• Meteorite — first printed in Magic 2015, last seen in Core Set 2021.
• Negate — first printed in Morningtide, last seen in Strixhaven: School of Mages/Mystical Archive.
• Phyrexian Rager — first printed in Apocalypse, last seen in Commander Legends: Battle for Baldur's Gate.
• Snarespinner — first printed in War of the Spark, last seen in Core Set 2021.
• Thrill of Possibility — first printed in Throne of Eldraine, last seen in Strixhaven: School of Mages/Mystical Archive.
• Six Pain lands, first printed in Ice Age and Apocalypse, last seen in Tenth Edition. The other four were printed in The Brothers' War.
  • Adarkar Wastes
  • Caves of Koilos
  • Karplusan Forest
  • Shivan Reef
  • Sulfurous Springs
  • Yavimaya Coast

Functional reprints

• Bite Down is a functional reprint of Master's Rebuke from Kamigawa: Neon Dynasty.
• Elfhame Wurm is a functional reprint of Tajuru Pathwarden from Oath of the Gatewatch, save for creature types.
• Soaring Drake is a functional reprint of Oko's Accomplices from Throne of Eldraine, save for creature type.

Misprints

• For Heroic Charge, the artist credit is incorrectly listed as Paul Scott Canavan. The correct artist credit is Zoltan Boros.
• Yotia Declares War was mistakenly printed with the word "artifact" omitted from its final chapter ability.
• The extended art variant of Llanowar Greenwidow says tapped twice in a row on its domain ability.

Preconstructed decks

Dominaria United features two Commander decks that are released as a regular part of a set's product line.

Theme deck name	Color Identity					Commander
Painbow	W	U	B	R	G	Jared Carthalion
Legends' Legacy	W		B	R		Dihada, Binder of Wills

External links

• Uncovering Lost Legends (Video). Magic: The Gathering. YouTube (July 21, 2022).
• Building Worlds - Dominaria United (Video). Magic: The Gathering. YouTube (August 16, 2022).
• Mark Rosewater (August 29, 2022). "Dominaria United States of Design, Part 1". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
• Mark Rosewater (September 5, 2022). "Dominaria United States of Design, Part 2". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
• Mark Rosewater (September 9, 2022). "Dominaria United States of Design, Part 3". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
• Roy Graham, Ethan Fleischer, Jenna Helland, Gerritt Turner (August 31, 2022). "Planeswalker's Guide to Dominaria". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
• Mark Rosewater (July 31, 2023). "State of Design 2023". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.