Introduction
The Lost Caverns of Ixalan set marks a thrilling return to the dinosaur-infested jungles of Ixalan, delving into a theme that Magic: The Gathering has explored in the past: the enigmatic underground world. This set takes a unique spin on the concept, focusing on resource acquisition and the enhancement of items, drawing loose inspiration from the popular game Minecraft.
(Image credit: Wizards of the Coast)
Inspiration and Mechanics
The Lost Caverns of Ixalan set is inspired by the underground exploration theme, previously seen in the dungeon cards from Adventures in the Forgotten Realms. However, this set takes a different approach, emphasizing the aspect of resource acquisition and the building and upgrading of items, reminiscent of the survival crafting elements found in Minecraft.
- Diamond Pick-Axe card
- New ability called Craft, allowing players to upgrade artifacts
- Descend mechanic, activating effects upon discarding cards to the graveyard
- Discover mechanic, revealing cards from the deck until a card with a specific mana value is found
- Return of the Explore mechanic, enabling players to draw and potentially play a land card immediately
Story and Factions
The narrative of the Lost Caverns of Ixalan set revolves around various factions racing to the core of Ixalan. These factions include:
- Mesoamerican explorers riding tame dinosaurs in search of adventure and discovery
- Treasure-hunting pirate revolutionaries amassing wealth and defying authority
- Vampire conquistadors with ambitions to awaken a slumbering bat god
- The Mycotyrant’s fungal parasite zombies spreading their influence
Additionally, the set features merfolk and cat-people, adding to the vibrant and diverse cast of characters that players can encounter in this underground setting.
Gameplay Experience
The author shares their experience playing with the pirate-themed Commander deck named Ahoy Mateys. This deck allowed the author to amass treasure tokens, which could be exchanged for mana. At one point, the author had stockpiled 14 treasure tokens, embodying the pirate’s quest for riches.
However, the author faced a formidable opponent using the dinosaur-themed Veloci-RAMP-tor deck. This deck’s strategy was to ramp up mana quickly, enabling the summoning of powerful creatures like the indestructible Zetalpa, Primal Dawn and the colossal Zacama, Primal Calamity.
| Pirate-themed Deck | Dinosaur-themed Deck |
|---|---|
| Accumulates treasure tokens for mana | Focuses on ramping up mana quickly |
| Can resurrect crew members | Summons large and powerful dinosaurs |
Jurassic World Crossover
The Lost Caverns of Ixalan set features a special showcase crossover with the Jurassic World series. This collaboration introduces the possibility of finding Jurassic World cards in certain physical booster packs, such as set and collector boosters. This means that iconic characters portrayed by Jeff Goldblum and Samuel L. Jackson have made their way into the Magic: The Gathering universe.
Availability
The Lost Caverns of Ixalan set was released in digital form on Magic: The Gathering Arena on November 14. For tabletop enthusiasts, the set became available for Magic: The Gathering from November 17.
