Modern Horizons

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Modern Horizons
 
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Modern Horizons
[[File:{{#setmainimage:Modern Horizons logo.png}}|250px]]
Set Information
Set symbol
Symbol description Abstract horned head on a rhombus
Design Ethan Fleischer (co-lead)
Mark Globus (co-lead)
Alli Medwin
Nat Moes (hackathon only)
Mike Majors
Mark Rosewater
Development Adam Prosak (co-lead)
Mark Globus (co-lead)
Mike Majors
Dan Musser
Tom Ross
Jules Robins
Mike Turian
Sam Stoddard
Art direction Cynthia Sheppard
Release date June 14, 2019
Plane Various[1]
Themes and mechanics Modern power level, hybrid mana, pitch spells, Slivers, snow, the untap symbol
Keywords/​ability words Battle cry, buyback, cascade, changeling, convoke, cycling, dash, delve, devour, dredge, echo, entwine, evoke, evolve, exalted, exploit, fateful hour, flashback, hellbent, hideaway, kicker, level up, manifest modular, monstrosity, ninjutsu, outlast, overload, persist, proliferate, protection, rebound, replicate, retrace, shroud, splice, storm, suspend, threshold, totem armor, undying, unearth, vanishing
Set size 254 cards
+1 Buy-a-Box promo
Expansion code MH1[3]
Development codename Contemporary[4]
New-to-Modern sets
'''Modern Horizons''' N/A N/A
Magic: The Gathering Chronology
[[War of the Spark]] Modern Horizons [[Signature Spellbook: Gideon]]

Modern Horizons is a Magic booster set which was released on June 14, 2019.[5] Modern Horizons is the Innovation Product for 2019, and is designed to be drafted.[6]

Set details

The full-art snow lands

Modern Horizons contains 254 cards (5 snow-covered basic lands, 101 commons, 80 uncommons, 53 rares, 15 mythic rares[7]), and includes randomly inserted premium versions of all these cards. In addition, there is a Buy-a-Box card numbered #255/254. This set introduced new cards into Modern without them ever being legal in Standard. It contains 209 new cards and (excepting the snow basics[8]) only reprints which previously weren't legal in Modern.[9] For this, it was rigorously playtested by Play Design.[10] The Buy-a-Box card is also a new-to-Modern reprint. The powerful new card options, some with old mechanics, are mixed with flavorful updates for favorite characters.[11] The snow-covered basic lands appear in the land slot of Modern Horizons boosters.

Modern Horizons was originally dubbed as "Timespiral / Planar Chaos 2" in concept due to set complexity.[12] Mark Rosewater has called it a "love letter" to the Time Spiral block.[12] It isn't an entry level set because of its many returning mechanics. There was no story support for the set.[13]

Marketing

Modern Horizons was sold in slightly larger-than-usual 17-card boosters (one card being a double-faced token, and one being an art card[14]), and in a Draft Pack. The boosters feature horizontal artwork from Ayula, Queen Among Bears, Serra the Benevolent and Urza, Lord High Artificer.[15] The set was printed for as long as demand held.[16] It was released on Magic Online on June 13, with a booster price of $6.99 (regular booster packs cost $3.99). It will not be featured on MTG Arena.[17]

Prerelease

Prerelease events took place on June 8–9, 2019.[15]

Promotional cards

Tokens / Emblem

The sixteenth card in the boosters is a double-faced token creature card or an emblem:[19][20] One out of every four tokens is foil (but not double-sided).[21]

  1. {C} 2/2 Shapeshifter creature with changeling for Irregular Cohort and Birthing Boughs.
  2. {W} 4/4 Angel creature with flying and vigilance for Serra the Benevolent.
  3. {W} 1/1 Bird creature with flying for Battle Screech.
  4. {W} 1/1 Soldier creature for Recruit the Worthy.
  5. {U} 1/1 Illusion creature with flying for Moonblade Shinobi.
  6. {B} 20/20 legendary Avatar creature with flying and indestructible named Marit Lage for Marit Lage's Slumber.
  7. {B} 2/2 Zombie creature for Rank Officer.
  8. {R} 1/1 Elemental creature for Seasoned Pyromancer.
  9. {R} 3/1 Elemental creature with trample and haste for Force of Rage.
  10. {R} 1/1 Goblin creature for Goblin War Party, Pashalik Mons‎, and Sling-Gang Lieutenant.
  11. {G} 2/2 Bear creature for Ayula's Influence and Mother Bear.
  12. {G} 3/3 Elephant creature for Generous Gift and Trumpeting Herd.
  13. {G} 4/4 Rhino creature with trample for Crashing Footfalls.
  14. {G} 1/2 Spider creature with reach for Rotwidow Pack and Twin-Silk Spider.
  15. {G} 1/1 Squirrel creature for Deep Forest Hermit and Squirrel Nest.
  16. {W/B} 1/1 Spirit creature with flying for Kaya's Guile.
  17. {C} 0/0 Construct artifact creature with "This creature gets +1/+1 for each artifact you control" for Urza, Lord High Artificer.
  18. {C} 3/3 Golem artifact creature for Splicer's Skill.
  19. {C} 1/1 Myr artifact creature for Mirrodin Besieged.
  20. Emblem for Serra the Benevolent.
  21. Emblem for Wrenn and Six.

Modern Horizons Art Series

Mox Tantalite art card
Back side of the art card
Main article: Modern Horizons/Art Series

The seventeenth card in the boosters is an art card with horizontal full art from one of the regular cards in the set.[19] The card back is mostly blank, with some collector's info. There are 54 different art cards.[20]

Themes and mechanics

There are no new mechanics in Modern Horizons.[22] Instead, the set features more than forty non-evergreen returning mechanics.[23] R&D decided that the set could use any mechanic already in Modern up to Dragons of Tarkir.[24]

A major mechanic is changeling, used to make a cohesive set (like it was used in Lorwyn previously).[6][25] Snow is also a major mechanic.[25]

With Splicer's Skill and Everdream, the set introduces a long-awaited variant from "splice onto Arcane" with "splice onto instant or sorcery" (As you cast an instant or sorcery spell, you may reveal this card from your hand and pay its splice cost. If you do, add this card’s effects to that spell.).

Other returning mechanics are:[26] anchor words, battle cry, buyback, cascade, convoke, cycling, dash, delve, devour, dredge, echo, entwine, evoke, exalted, exploit, fateful hour, flashback, hellbent, hideaway, hybrid mana, kicker, level up, manifest, modular, monstrosity, morbid, ninjutsu, outlast, overload, persist, pitch spells, proliferate, protection, rebound, replicate, retrace, shroud, storm, suspend, threshold, totem armor, undying, unearth, the untap symbol, and vanishing.

Like in Future Sight before, the set features some "Mix-and-Match" cards, combining two different non-evergreen keywords on the same card: Feaster of Fools, Hogaak, Arisen Necropolis and Throes of Chaos.[27]

Modern Horizons features the following limited archetypes:[19]

Card types

Cycles

Modern Horizons has nine cycles, two of which are double cycles.

Single cycles

Cycle name {W} {U} {B} {R} {G}
Forces Force of Virtue Force of Negation Force of Despair Force of Rage Force of Vigor
Each of these rare spells has an alternate casting cost that includes exiling a card of its color if it is not the player's turn.
Slivers First Sliver's Chosen Scuttling Sliver Dregscape Sliver Hollowhead Sliver Tempered Sliver
One monocolored uncommon Sliver of each color.
Legendary creatures Sisay, Weatherlight Captain Urza, Lord High Artificer Yawgmoth, Thran Physician Pashalik Mons Ayula, Queen Among Bears
Each of these monocolored legendary creatures represents a character in Magic lore.[29]
Cycling lands Secluded Steppe Lonely Sandbar Barren Moor Forgotten Cave Tranquil Thicket
Each of these uncommon cycling lands enters the battlefield tapped, taps for one mana of a color, and has cycling for one mana of that color. They were reprinted from Onslaught.[30]
Snow-covered lands Snow-Covered Plains Snow-Covered Island Snow-Covered Swamp Snow-Covered Mountain Snow-Covered Forest
Each of these basic lands has the snow supertype. They were reprinted from Ice Age and Coldsnap.
Cycle name {W}{B} {U}{R} {B}{G} {R}{W} {G}{U}
Horizon lands Silent Clearing Fiery Islet Nurturing Peatland Sunbaked Canyon Waterlogged Grove
Each of these rare pain lands can be sacrificed to draw a card by paying {1}. They form an enemy colored cycle mirroring Horizon Canopy from Future Sight.[31][32]
Talismans Talisman of Hierarchy Talisman of Creativity Talisman of Resilience Talisman of Conviction Talisman of Curiosity
Each of these uncommon artifacts costs {2} to cast. They form an enemy cycle mirroring the talismans from Mirrodin.

Double cycles

Cycle name {W}{U} {U}{B} {B}{R} {R}{G} {G}{W} {W}{B} {U}{R} {B}{G} {R}{W} {G}{U}
Uncommon signposts Soulherder Ingenious Infiltrator Munitions Expert Ruination Rioter Good-Fortune Unicorn Etchings of the Chosen Thundering Djinn Rotwidow Pack Lavabelly Sliver Abominable Treefolk
Ten uncommon spells, each one a signpost for its respective draft archetype.
Rare spells Unsettled Mariner Fallen Shinobi Lightning Skelemental Reap the Past Eladamri's Call Kaya's Guile Collected Conjuring Hogaak, Arisen Necropolis Cloudshredder Sliver Ice-Fang Coatl
Ten rare spells, one for each color pair.

Mega-mega cycles

The Mirran swords mega-mega cycle gets its first allied colored additions. Though, the cycle is not complete with Modern Horizons.[27][33]

The Morphlings mega-mega cycle was completed.[27]

Reprints

About 15% of the cards in the set (45 total + 1 Buy-a-Box) are reprints.[34] Except for the 5 basic snow lands these cards are Modern legal for the first time.[8]

Card First Printed Last Seen Notes
Altar of Dementia Tempest Conspiracy
Barren Moor Onslaught Commander 2018 New art, common to uncommon
Battle Screech Judgment Vintage Masters New art
Carrion Feeder Scourge Eternal Masters New art, common to uncommon
Choking Tethers Onslaught Masters 25 New art
Crypt Rats Visions Seventh Edition
Diabolic Edict Tempest Masters 25
Dismantling Blow Invasion Commander 2018 New art, common to uncommon
Eladamri's Call Planeshift Masters 25
Elvish Fury Tempest Tempest Remastered New art
Exclude Invasion Masters 25
Fact or Fiction Invasion Commander Anthology Volume II
Firebolt Odyssey Duel Decks: Mind vs. Might Common to uncommon
Flusterstorm Commander Magic Online Promos Non-foil Buy-a-Box
Forgotten Cave Onslaught Commander 2018 Common to uncommon
Future Sight[35] Onslaught Eternal Masters
Genesis Judgment New art
Gilded Light Scourge Vintage Masters
Goblin Matron Portal Second Age Duel Decks Anthology New art
Kess, Dissident Mage Commander 2017
Krosan Tusker Onslaught Commander 2013
Lava Dart Judgment New art
Lonely Sandbar Onslaught Commander 2018 Common to uncommon
Man-o'-War Visions Masters 25
Nantuko Cultivator Torment New art, rare to uncommon
Nether Spirit Mercadian Masques New art
Nimble Mongoose Odyssey Eternal Masters
Pillage Alliances Masters 25
Prohibit Invasion Duel Decks: Jace vs. Vraska
Rebuild Urza's Legacy New art
Reckless Charge Odyssey Ultimate Masters
Regrowth Alpha Masters 25
Secluded Steppe Onslaught Commander 2018 New art, common to uncommon
Shelter Odyssey Eternal Masters
Snow-Covered Forest Ice Age Coldsnap Full-art
Snow-Covered Island Ice Age Coldsnap Full-art
Snow-Covered Mountain Ice Age Coldsnap Full-art
Snow-Covered Plains Ice Age Coldsnap Full-art
Snow-Covered Swamp Ice Age Coldsnap Full-art
Spore Frog Prophecy
Squirrel Nest Odyssey Conspiracy
Tranquil Thicket Onslaught Commander 2018 New art, common to uncommon
Unearth Urza's Legacy Masters 25
Urza's Rage Invasion Commander 2015 Rare to uncommon
Wall of Blossoms Stronghold Commander Anthology
Wing Shards Scourge Iconic Masters

Functional reprints

Notable cards

Callbacks

Card Inspired by Notes
Answered Prayers Angel's Tomb
Archmage's Charm Cryptic Command The art also resembles Cancel (Amonkhet).
Aria of Flame Torch Song And other growing enchantments using verse counters from Urza's Saga
Astral Drift Astral Slide
Ayula's Influence Seismic Assault Colorshifted red to green.
Bazaar Trademage Bazaar of Baghdad Its flavor text references Squandered Resources.
Cabal Therapist Cabal Therapy
Changeling Outcast Tormented Soul
Chillerpillar Giant Caterpillar
Cloudshredder Sliver Skyknight Legionnaire
Collected Conjuring Collected Company
Collector Ouphe Brown Ouphe and Null Rod
Cordial Vampire Indulgent Vampire
Crashing Footfalls Hypergenesis, etc. As Hypergensis is the only "costless suspend" card of the cycle banned, Crashing Footfalls recompletes the cycle.
Deep Forest Hermit Deranged Hermit
Defile Mutilate[36]
Dregscape Sliver Dregscape Zombie
Echo of Eons Time Spiral and Timetwister
Endling Morphling Last card of the Morphling mega-mega cycle.[27][35]
Everdream Evermind,[36] Think Twice
Excavating Anurid References the Anurids of Otaria, and references Turg.
First-Sphere Gargantua Phyrexian Rager and Phyrexian Gargantua References the First Sphere of the original Phyrexia.
Fists of Flame First ever mentioning of Jared Carthalion (the Shadow Mage) in the flavor text.[37]
Force of Despair Force of Will and Cradle to Grave
Force of Negation Force of Will and Negate
Force of Rage Force of Will and Akoum Stonewaker
Force of Vigor Force of Will and Naturalize
Force of Virtue Force of Will and Glorious Anthem
Frostwalla Rootwalla[36]
Generous Gift Beast Within Colorshifted green to white.[27][32][35]
Giver of Runes Mother of Runes
Goatnap Goatnapper
Goblin Engineer Goblin Welder
Goblin Oriflamme Orcish Oriflamme (Alpha#Misprints) [27] Also has a quote from the Sarpadian Empires in its flavor text.
Good Fortune Unicorn Juniper Order Ranger
Graveshifter Gravedigger
Hall of Heliod's Generosity Academy Ruins and Volrath's Stronghold Third in a cycle of legendary lands that for 1M can put a target card of a particular card type from your graveyard on top of your library.
Headless Specter Hypnotic Specter References Hymn to Tourach in the flavor text.
Iceberg Cancrix Hedron Crab
Ice-Fang Coatl Baleful Strix and Winged Coatl
Impostor of the Sixth Pride Blade of the Sixth Pride
King of the Pride Savannah Lions References the The Love Song of Night and Day in the flavor text.
Llanowar Tribe Llanowar Elves
Knight of Old Benalia Knight of New Benalia
Lesser Masticore Masticore
Lightning Skelemental Ball Lightning and Blightning
Marit Lage's Slumber Dark Depths
Martyr's Soul Nantuko Shaman Colorshifted green to white.
Mind Rake Mind Rot
Mirrodin Besieged Monastery Siege, etc. Call back to the Mirrodin Besieged set where Mirrans and Phyrexians fought over dominance of Mirrodin.
One of the few cards to share its name with a set.[27] Depicts Jin-Gitaxias.
Mist-Syndicate Naga Spawnwrithe
Mox Tantalite Lotus Bloom and Mox Opal And other Moxen
Nature's Chant Naturalize and Disenchant Colorshifted from green and white to {G/W} hybridcolored
On Thin Ice Chained to the Rocks
Pashalik Mons Mons's Goblin Raiders A vanity card.[27]
Plague Engineer Engineered Plague
Planebound Accomplice Sneak Attack
Pondering Mage Ponder
Prismatic Vista Terramorphic Expanse
Ranger-Captain of Eos Ranger of Eos
Ransack the Lab Strategic Planning Colorshifted blue to black.
Ravenous Giant Juzám Djinn Colorshifted black to red.
Rotwidow Pack Spider Spawning and Ishkanah, Grafwidow
Savage Swipe Savage Punch
Seasoned Pyromancer Young Pyromancer
Segovian Angel Segovian Leviathan References Segovia, and Worzel and Thomil in the flavor text. The art also resembles Serra Angel (Ninth Edition) and has The Hippodrome in the background.
The plane of Gargantikar was created exclusively to set up a joke for this card.[27][38]
Serra the Benevolent Serra Aviary, Serra Angel, and Worship[32]
Shenanigans Art resembles the destruction of a Chromatic Lantern.
Sisay, Weatherlight Captain Captain Sisay [27]
Sling-Gang Lieutenant Siege-Gang Commander
Smiting Helix Lightning Helix[36]
Spell Snuff Cancel
Spiteful Sliver Spitemare
Splicer's Skill Sensor Splicer References the Splicer mechanic, with art specifically referencing Sensor Splicer and Phyrexian Splicer
Springbloom Druid Harrow
Stream of Thought Stream of Consciousness and Train of Thought
String of Disappearances Chain Lightning Colorshifted red to blue.[27]
Tempered Sliver Slith Predator
Thundering Djinn References Brainstorm and Lightning Bolt in the flavor text.
Thornado Tornado
Tribute Mage Trinket Mage, Treasure Mage, and Trophy Mage [27] Depicts the Sword of the Meek
Twisted Reflection Twisted Image
Umezawa's Charm Umezawa's Jitte[32]
Undead Augur Corpse Augur
Urza, Lord High Artificer Temporal Aperture and Tolarian Academy Karn, Scion of Urza (Urza's creation) produces the same artifact tokens.[27]
Venomous Changeling Giant Scorpion
Vesperlark Reveillark
Viashino Sandsprinter Viashino Sandstalker
Wall of One Thousand Cuts Wall of Swords
Watcher for Tomorrow The hideaway lands from Lorwyn.[36]
Weather the Storm Grapeshot and Tendrils of Agony
Winds of Abandon Path to Exile and Cyclonic Rift
Zhalfirin Decoy Master Decoy Features a quote by Sidar Jabari, and is riding a Zebra Unicorn.

References

  1. ↑ Mark Rosewater (March 03, 2019). "Will Modern Horizons be like a Core Set where it takes place on multiple planes?". Blogatog. Tumblr.
  2. ↑ Printed on the card frame
  3. ↑ [2]
  4. ↑ Mark Rosewater (March 11, 2019). "Can you tell us now what was the Modern Horizons set codename?". Blogatog. Tumblr.
  5. ↑ Blake Rasmussen (February 28, 2019). "Announcing Modern Horizons". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  6. ↑ a b c Mark Rosewater (May 20, 2019). "Modern Sensibilities". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  7. ↑ Wizards of the Coast (May 31, 2019). "Modern Horizons Release Notes". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  8. ↑ a b Mark Rosewater (May 19, 2019). "IIRC It was mention that only five cards in Horizons were already in Modern.". Blogatog. Tumblr.
  9. ↑ Mark Rosewater (March 09, 2019). "Modern Horizons has the restriction of "All re-prints have to be non-modern-legal cards."". Blogatog. Tumblr.
  10. ↑ Mark Rosewater (February 28, 2019). "Is modern horizons something you can do now because of play design?". Blogatog. Tumblr.
  11. ↑ Mark Rosewater (February 28, 2019). "Can you explain to someone who doesn't play modern what's so innovative and exciting about modern horizons?". Blogatog. Tumblr.
  12. ↑ a b Emma Partlow (April 28, 2019). "Interesting thoughts from Maro's Q&A at MtGLondon.". Twitter.
  13. ↑ Mark Rosewater (May 29, 2019). "Do you know if we'll be getting any lore for Hogaak?". Blogatog. Tumblr.
  14. ↑ Mark Rosewater (October 05, 2019). "what made the packaging for Modern Horizons special to allow the seventeenth card (the art card)?". Blogatog. Tumblr.
  15. ↑ a b Gavin Verhey (June 6, 2019). "Modern Horizons Prerelease Primer". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  16. ↑ Mark Rosewater (February 28, 2019). "Will Modern Horizons be a limited print run or printed for as long as demand holds?". Blogatog. Tumblr.
  17. ↑ Mark Rosewater (May 19, 2019). "Glad to see you guys still supporting the older platform!". Blogatog. Tumblr.
  18. ↑ Modern Horizons' Unprecedented Buy-a-Box Promo (And 2 More Things You Should Know). Wizards Play Network (May 20, 2019).
  19. ↑ a b c Weekly MTG: Modern Horizons on Twitch
  20. ↑ a b Blake Rasmussen (May 30, 2019). "Modern Horizons Tokens and Art Series". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  21. ↑ Hipsters of the Coast (May 30, 2019). "One out of every four tokens in Modern Horizons will be foil". Twitter.
  22. ↑ Mark Rosewater (May 18, 2019). "Will Modern Horizons have any new Keywords?". Blogatog. Tumblr.
  23. ↑ Mark Rosewater. Twitter (May 19, 2019).
  24. ↑ Mark Rosewater (May 19, 2019). "Can you tell us the year the newest mechanic in Modern Horizons is?". Blogatog. Tumblr.
  25. ↑ a b c d e Mark Rosewater (May 27, 2019). "Modern Life". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  26. ↑ Matt Tabak (May 31, 2019). "Modern Horizons Mechanics". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  27. ↑ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o Mark Rosewater (June 10, 2019). "Modern Times". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  28. ↑ Cynthia Sheppard (May 22, 2019). "A Sliver of Direction". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  29. ↑ Mark Rosewater (May 28, 2019). "Can you confirm or deny the last mythic of Modern Horizons is a land?". Blogatog. Tumblr.
  30. ↑ Brian Braun-Duin (May 29, 2019). "Hitting for the Cycle". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  31. ↑ Paulo Vitor Damo da Rosa (May 21, 2019). "Land on the Horizon". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  32. ↑ a b c d Ethan Fleischer (May 23, 2019). "A Magic Set About Magic: The Gathering". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  33. ↑ Mark Rosewater. "Can we expect the full allied sword of and...". Blogatog. Tumblr.
  34. ↑ Mark Rosewater (May 19, 2019). "Can you give us an idea of how many new cards vs. reprint-to-Modern cards are in Modern Horizons?". Blogatog. Tumblr.
  35. ↑ a b c Gavin Verhey (May 28, 2019). "Magic's Past, Present, and Future". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  36. ↑ a b c d e Adam Prosak (May 30, 2019). "What's in a Name?". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  37. ↑ Ethan Fleischer (May 23, 2019). "We wanted to sprinkle in some obscure Easter eggs for the truly obsessed, longtime storyline goobs.". Twitter.
  38. ↑ Ethan Fleischer. Twitter.
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