Following the announcement of the Jumpstart: Historic Horizons set for Magic: The Gathering Arena, Wizards of the Coast shared more information on the digital-only cards players can expect to see in the game.
Jumpstart: Historic Horizons is a big deal for Magic: The Gathering Arena. Not only does this expansion add 782 cards to the Historic format, pulled from the Modern Horizons and Modern Horizons 2 sets, it also introduces the game's first digital-only cards. Wizards of the Coast has provided CBR with the exclusive first look at one such card, alongside the return of some fan favorites.
Easy to understand at a glance, Davriel's Withering allows a player to weaker an opponent's creature by -1/-2 for one black mana. Where things become interesting is the inclusion of the word "perpetually," a new mechanic exclusive to Magic: The Gathering Arena. "Perpetually" allows players to permanently "change the characteristics of a card—no matter where it goes afterwards." The effect of Davriel's Withering will not leave a creature, even if it dies and returns to the board at a later stage.
Beyond Davriel's Withering, Wizards of the Coast also confirmed the introduction of two fan-favorite cards from sets past. Jumpstart: Historic Horizons will see Dire Fleet Poisoner and Blade Splicer added to Magic: The Gathering Arena. Dire Fleet Poisoner was originally added to the tabletop version of the game as part of the Rivals of Ixalan expansion, while Blade Splicer hails from New Phyrexia.
Magic: The Gathering Arena players will be able to discover these cards, alongside plenty of others, in a variety of packets. Cards found in these packets have a chance of rotating, meaning that while some card slots are guaranteed, others may prove more uncommon. Wizards of the Coast provided CBR with a closer look at the Many Faced packet. The included cards, hailing from a variety of historic expansions, appear below alongside how likely they are to be discovered in their respective slots:
- Imposter of the Sixth Pride (50%), Enduring Sliver (50%), Sentinel Sliver (50%)
- Irregular Cohort (100%)
- King of the Pride (50%), Dregscape Sliver (25%), Throatseeker (25%)
- Graveshifter (100%)
- Venomous Changeling (50%), Faceless Agent (50%)
- Changeling Outcast (75%), Universal Automation (25%)
- Etchings of the Chosen (100%)
- Thwart the Grave (50%), Allied Assault (25%), Birthing Boughs (25%)
- Davriel's Withering (67%), Dire Fleet Poisoner (33%)
- Blade Splicer (100%)
- Deadly Alliance (50%), Journey to Oblivion (50%)
- Cycling Land (100%)
Historic Horizons is the follow-up to the popular Jumpstart set released for Magic: The Gathering Arena in 2020. The game mode sees players selecting two packets and combing the contents to create a unique deck, often with outlandish results. These decks are then put to the test against other players' combinations.
Beyond "Perpetually," the other two new digital-only mechanics include "Seek" and "Conjure". "Seek" allows players to "grab a random card from [their] deck that matches specific criteria," while "Conjure" creates a card out of "thin air" that acts just like a normal card in Magic: The Gathering Arena.
Jumpstart: Historic Horizons launches on Aug. 12 exclusively for Magic: The Gathering Arena. Players looking to celebrate the game mode can participate in the format's launch event, which runs from Aug. 12 to Sept. 9, for the small price of 2,000 Gold or 400 Gems. Magic: The Gathering Arena is available for free on PC and mobile devices.
Source: Wizards of the Coast