Tempest block

Tempest block, officially called the Rath Cycle, is the third Magic block, spanning 1997–1998. It encompasses three sets: the large expansion Tempest () and the two small expansions Stronghold () and Exodus (). It is part of the Weatherlight Saga.

The keywords introduced in this block were buyback and shadow. Three creature types (Licids, Slivers, and Spikes) also debuted here.

Mega cycle

One mega cycle exists across the block's three sets:

• Retrievers — Each of these 2/2 creatures returns a card of a certain type from your graveyard to your hand when it comes into play. There were four from Exodus: Treasure Hunter (artifact), Scrivener (instant), Anarchist (sorcery), Cartographer (land), and one from Tempest: Gravedigger (creature). Four out of the five were reprinted in Odyssey; Treasure Hunter was replaced by Auramancer.

Theme decks

Theme decks from this block have three rares. After this block, theme decks contain two rares each.

Tempest Remastered

Tempest Remastered is a Magic Online-only reprint set that was released on May 6, 2015. It was available until May 27, 2015, but is planned to return on a later date. Tempest Remastered's purpose was to support the Legacy format by allowing sought-after cards to get into the hands of players.

For this set, the 621 cards from the block were reduced to the best 269 and the best playing archetypes. It contains 101 commons, 80 uncommons, 53 rares, 15 mythic rares, and 20 basic lands. There's no new art, but the cards have received new card frames. Several issues with the original block were solved to make it draftable in a modern environment.

Sets