From the Realm to the Wilds, Magic: The Gathering has big plans for the upcoming release of the Throne of Eldraine set in MTG Arena.

The highly-anticipated Throne of Eldraine (ELD) set is releasing via MTG Arena on Sept. 26. The expansion marks the beginning of the 2020 Standard rotation and the launch of MTG Arena out of open beta. Designed around themes from Arthurian folklore and fairy tale stories, ELD contains new cards, tokens, mechanics, and designs for the first time in Magic: The Gathering history. 

And don’t forget to cash in on three free ELD booster packs with the code PLAYELDRAINE.

What’s in the ELD set?

The ELD set contains 269 cards, including Variant cards for the first time, Brawl cards, and 31 supplemental cards. 

• 101 Common ELD cards
• 80 Uncommon ELD cards
• 53 Rare ELD cards
• 15 Mythic Rare ELD cards
• 20 Basic Lands
• A Buy-a-Box Promo featuring Kenrith, the Returned King
• 10 Planeswalker deck cards located in the preconstructed planeswalker decks
• 20 Brawl deck cards located in the preconstructed Brawl decks
• 98 variant cards that include showcase cards (Adventure cards), borderless art planeswalker cards, and extended art-frames
• 20 tokens 

Planeswalker and Brawl deck cards will be available in MTGA, but can only be crafted using a wildcard. For now, these cards won’t be included in MTG Arena booster packs. Variant card styles are expected to become available via MTGA events and possibly through the Mastery Pass. 

What time does ELD release?

An update for the ELD set will take place on Sept. 26 at 10am CT. The MTGA update is expected to take around two hours but could finish early. The expected launch time window of ELD is from 11am CT to 1pm CT. 

When can I play Limited Sealed and Draft?

The Throne of Eldraine season runs from Sept. 26 to Oct. 31. Upon the release of ELD on Sept. 26, Limited Sealed tournaments will be open and ready to play. Traditional Draft for the Throne of Eldraine starts on Sept. 30.

Ranked ELD Draft won’t begin until Oct. 11 and will run until the end of the season (Oct. 31). 

Are there any special events?

With the release of ELD comes fall rotation in Standard. WotC is running a two-part tournament, giving MTGA players a chance to win a copy of every card in Standard 2020. 

The first event, Play Any Deck, gives players a chance to construct multiple decks using any card in the Standard format. The following week, the Win Every Card Challenge will allow players to put those decks to the test to win free cards.

• Play Any Deck:  Sept. 26 to Oct. 1
• Win Every Card Challenge: Oct. 5 to 7 

Full details regarding the two-part event can be found here. 

What are the new mechanics in ELD?

The Throne of Eldraine set contains three new mechanics: Food, Adventure, and Adamant. Each of these new mechanics is expected to play a role in the upcoming Standard metagame and in Limited formats. 

• Food: It’s an Artifact token that can provide lifegain, reduce life, increase a creature’s power, provide mana of any color, or bring a creature back from the graveyard. 
• Adventure: Showcase cards in ELD feature the Adventure mechanic. The card is a creature but offers an alternative cast via an adventure. If the Adventure spell is cast first, the creature moves to exile and can be cast from there. If a creature spell is cast first, a player can’t cast its Adventure spell. 
• Adamant: It’s an additional ability applied to a creature or spell when a player uses one color type indicated by the Adamant mechanic to cast it. 

Does Brawl release with ELD?

Brawl isn’t releasing at the same time as the ELD set in MTG Arena. Brawl is expected to have a soft launch in October, according to WotC. No specific dates have been released at this time. 

Four preconstructed Brawl decks are releasing with the tabletop ELD set on Oct. 4, but they won’t be available in MTGA. The 20 unique Brawl precon cards can be unlocked, however, using wildcards. 

What are the ELD cycles?

An MTG cycle is a group of cards that share a theme or symbiotic relationship with one another across the color wheel. There are seven cycles in the ELD set.

• Legendary Artifact cycle: The Legendary Artifact cycle contains five Mythic Rare Artifacts that provide powerful effects and for each color in the MTG color wheel.
• Rare three mana of the same color cycle: The three mana Rare cycle contains two of the most powerful cards in ELD: Torbran, Thane of Redfell and Yorvo, Lord of Garenbrig.
• Rare Land cycle: Each of the lands in the Rare Land cycle contain an activated ability that MTG players are excited to use in the Standard format.
• An Uncommon Knight cycle: The Uncommon Knight cycle provides support for Knight tribal theme decks.
• The Common Land cycle: A unique addition to the ELD set, the Common Land cycle rewards players with a dedication to that specific mana color.
• A “self-hate” cycle: Another unique cycle in ELD, these Uncommon cards target their own color.
• An Adamant cycle: Promoting a monocolored option in Standard and Limited, the Adamant cycle rewards players for a dedication to a specific color.

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