“Bloomburrow” refers to a new setting or theme introduced in the Magic: The Gathering (MTG) universe, designed to appeal to younger players or those new to the game by providing a more accessible and whimsical entry point.
The cards feature fantastical mice, sinister wolves, and small critters, along with mice, lizards, badgers, rabbits, bats, and even otters. Bloomburrow brings a non-human plane to the world of Magic: The Gathering.
Like something out of a fairy tale fable, we take a look at what’s on offer in this mythical folk tale, and how you can win some sweet rewards during the play season.
Artistic cards
One of the things I love about new sets is seeing all the beautiful cards. This set does not disappoint with lots of magical creatures, amazing artwork, and even cards that you can collect to make a larger picture. There are plenty of collectible cards as artist Mitsuhiro Arita—well known for their work on the Pokémon trading cards—brings their creativity to the set.
The artwork from David Peterson, who has worked on previous MTG sets, also brings some new flair to the Bloomburrow characters.
Alternate cards are yet another part of this new set. Woodland frames can be collected and put together to create a larger dioramic picture.
Even the Lands have a James Cameron’s Avatar Tree of Souls vibe to them:
Some of my favourite cards in the set include Arthur, Marigold Knight, the cute Legendary Mouse Knight with Haste. Then there’s the Spirited Companion; who can go past a cute looking Shiba that allows you to draw a card. As well as other Legendary cards such as the Planewalker Elspeth and Zinna. All these cards come from the Bloomburrow Commander Deck.
I also got my hands on some Collector’s Boosters, which had some many holographic cards. Some of my favourites included Food, the alternate art Mountain card, and Brambleguard Captain.
Collectors can also pull some beautiful cards from the Play Boosters. Here’s a few the coolest cards from the Play Boosters, including a full artwork card featuring Mabel.
Gift, forage, and use magic via these game mechanics
Game mechanics are always fun parts of a new set. There are some returning mechanics as well as new mechanics.
Returning mechanics:
- Gift – promise a gift to your opponent and receive an advantage.
- Modal spell – players can choose to trigger one of three different effects listed on their card. This allows them to adapt to their situation and could turn the tide of battle.
New mechanics are sure to set players up with fun ways to build and execute decks. These include:
- Offspring – a keyword found on creature cards. This allows players to use additional mana to create 1/1 token copies of the original card.
- Forage – action that allows players to exile three cards from their graveyard or sacrifice a food token in exchange for various effects.
- Valiant – keyword triggering a bonus effect whenever the card is targeted by a spell or ability.
- Expend – a new rule that tracks how much mana players spend throughout their turn. Players can be granted boons depending on the amount of mana used while this mechanic is in effect. This means that no resource is wasted.
Grab the new set today
The new set is available to purchase right now. You can buy Bloomburrow Play Boosters, Collector Boosters, Commander Decks, Prerelease Packs, Bundles and a Starter Set. If you’re a digital collector, the set is also now available in Magic: The Gathering Arena.
WPN Play Season
I love that the Commander Decks are perfect for beginners too. This Bloomburrow deck comes with a beautiful deck box, counters, a play posters, and a quick play instructor card so you don’t get lost each turn. This Commander Deck is a Blue/Red/White deck and has Zinnia, Valley’s Voice as the commander. If you are interested to read more about Magic: The Gathering Commander, check out my interview with Gavin Verhey.
The Wizards Play Network (WPN) stores are running a special event for the new set where you can follow the Bloomburrow story. The stores will be hosting Prerelease Events, Limited Events (Draft and Sealed), and Friday Night Magic events. By attending these events and participating in a qualifying game, you can receive special rewards:
You can find a WPN store by checking the website. The event runs from July 26 to September 13, during which you’ll have time to claim the rewards.
