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	Tom Jenkot and Jack Stella
Release date	September 9, 2022
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 will be released on September 9, 2022, and kicks 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 (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.

Alternate card frames have another 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.

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
• 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, TBA cards were rotated into The List, many of which were thematically or mechanically linked to the set (restoring its volume to 300 cards). These 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

• 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.

1. 1/1 Bird with flying, for Love Song of Night and Day and Wingmantle Chaplain.
2. 1/1 Soldier for Argivian Cavalier, Baird, Argivian Recruiter, Defiler of Faith, Protect the Negotiators, Queen Allenal of Ruadach, Resolute Reinforcements, Scout the Wilderness, and Tura Kennerüd, Skyknight.
3. 1/1 Bird with flying and "This creature can't block.", for The Raven Man.
4. 2/2 Phyrexian for The Phasing of Zhalfir.
5. 2/1 Elemental with trample and haste for Lagomos, Hand of Hatred.
6. 1/1 Goblin for Rulik Mons, Warren Chief and Squee, Dubious Monarch.
7. 1/1 Monk with prowess, for Jaya, Fiery Negotiator.
8. 4/4 Dragon with flying, for The Elder Dragon War and Rith, Liberated Primeval
9. 3/3 Beast for Herd Migration.
10. 1/1 Saproling for Nemata, Primeval Warden and The Weatherseed Treaty
11. Powerstone artifact, for Karn, Living Legacy.
12. Ornithopter, a 0/2 Thopter artifact creature with flying, for Yotia Declares War.
13. Emblem for Ajani, Sleeper Agent
14. Emblem for Jaya, Fiery Negotiator
15. Emblem for Karn, Living Legacy

Dominaria United can also include TBA tokens for Box toppers.

1. 1/1 Soldier for Torsten, Founder of Benalia
2. 2/2 Knight with protection from red, for Rasputin, the Oneiromancer.
3. 1/1 Insect with flying, for Xira, the Golden Sting.
4. 2/2 Zombie for Tobias, Doomed Conqueror.
5. 4/4 Dragon with flying, for Rohgahh, Kher Keep Overlord.
6. 1/1 Goblin, for Rasputin, the Oneiromancer.
7. Kobolds of Kher Keep, 0/1 Kobold for Rohgahh, Kher Keep Overlord.
8. 2/2 Cat Warrior with forestwalk, for Jedit Ojanen, Mercenary.
9. Stangg Twin, a 3/4 legendary Human Warrior for Stangg, Echo Warrior.
10. 1/1 Sand Warrior with "This creature is red, green, and white.", for Hazezon, Shaper of Sand.
11. Treasure artifact, for Ramirez DePietro, Pillager.

Themes and mechanics

Legendary creatures, Legendary matters, Multicolor, and throwbacks are revisted 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. Other returning mechanic is Domain, an ability word that modifies an effect depending on the number of different basic lands you control.

Dominaria United introduces Enlist, a keyword ability that allows 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

Dominaria United features the following limited archetypes (the default being two colors with a splash):

• : Go wide with instants and sorceries
• : Control
• : Aggro with payoffs for your creatures dying
• : Domain midrange
• : Domain and go wide
• : Go wide and sacrifice (Aristocrats)
• : Tempo with instants and sorceries
• : Graveyard midrange
• : Go wide aggro
• : Domain ramp

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.

Sivitri is the newest planeswalker type.

Cycles

Dominaria United has at least eleven 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 allow you to pay 2 life instead of colored mana, and give 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 and an additional benefit.
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 () ()	Phyrexian Espionage () Tolarian Geyser () Timely Interference () ()	() Tribute to Urborg () Urborg Repossession ()	Viashino Branchrider () () ()	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		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
	Ten common dual lands that have the corresponding basic land types and enter the battlefield tapped, surprisingly never done before.

Pairs

Dominaria United has TBA 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.

Reprinted cards

• Balduvian Horde — first printed in Alliances, last seen in Mystery Booster.
• Bone Splinters — first printed in Shards of Alara, last seen in Jumpstart.
• Dragon Whelp — first printed in Alpha, 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.
• Negate — first printed in Morningtide, last seen in Strixhaven: School of Mages/Mystical Archive.
• Phyrexian Rager — first printed in Apocalypse, last seen in 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 will be printed in The Brothers' War.
  • Adarkar Wastes
  • Caves of Koilos
  • Karplusan Forest
  • Shivan Reef
  • Sulfurous Springs
  • Yavimaya Coast

Notable cards

• Ramses, Assassin Lord is an alt-win card.

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).