Despite Secrets of Strixhaven just releasing a month ago, we’re already moving on to the spoiler season for MTG’s next big set. Scheduled to start next Tuesday, Marvel: Super Heroes’ spoiler season is closer than many MTG players might think. Featuring characters all across the Marvel franchise, this set is bound to be an all-timer.
As is tradition, right before the start of a new spoiler season, MTG Designer Mark Rosewater has given players a few teasers to whet their appetites. There are no new cards being revealed here, but some details hint at some incredibly powerful Marvel Super Heroes cards.
A Scary Poison Counter Cameo
“Ward – Get 5 Poison Counters”
Mark Rosewater
Of all the teasers on Rosewater’s Marvel Super Heroes shortlist, this Ward effect is definitely the scariest. Unlike many Ward effects, this one doesn’t have an immediate downside attached, but it can quickly become devastating.
Essentially, you’ll only be able to target this MTG card once before losing the game, making this card extremely scary in multiples. Should it have a must-kill upside like Badgermole Cub or Vivi Ornitier, this Ward effect could have dire consequences in competitive MTG. This could also be a massive boon for a potential Commander, limiting the number of times your opponents can safely remove it.
Between running a Poison theme or just employing Proliferate effects, the card with this Ward effect will likely make for an interesting Commander inclusion. There are a few potential Marvel characters, like Hazmat and Radioactive Man, that could thematically support an ability like this. Of course, there’s no guarantee that this effect will even appear on a permanent, but it’s nevertheless the teaser that MTG players are talking about the most.
The Return of Lair?
“A subtype last seen in a Standard-legal set over two decades ago”
Mark Rosewater
Poison counters aside, this seemingly vague hint also has a lot of MTG players speculating about which mechanic it refers to. While many players have pointed towards mechanics from the Kamigawa block, like Arcane for Doctor Strange, Lair seems like the mechanic that makes the most sense.
Appearing on a cycle of lands from Planeshift, Lair is essentially a land subtype attached to a downside. Essentially functioning as terrible Bounce Lands, Lairs have been powercrept out of 2026’s MTG. That said, since land type is just a thematic win, MTG’s new Lairs might have little in common with past designs. Thanks to this, the mechanical patterns that future Lairs have could be absolutely anything.
Outside of Lairs, World Enchantments could also make a reappearance, referencing various Multiversal variations of the same place. These cards tend to affect everyone equally, giving birth to some powerful cards like Concordant Crossroads. Frankly, Lairs make a lot more thematic sense here, but anything could be possible.
Odds and Ends
While Rosewater usually includes a creature type section in these teasers, this round’s creature types are particularly telling, hinting at a bunch of different character appearances. A Dragon Cat Dog Bird Frog Hero, creature, in particular, has players expecting the Pet Avengers to make an appearance, while a Gamma Doctor Hero is likely to be Doc Samson. Other obvious hints, like the Alien Dragon Villain likely being Fin Fang Foom, have many players excited.
While a majority of these hints remain mysteries, one has already been showcased. The new enchantment subtype is definitely Plan, showcased by Doom Reigns Supreme. Considering that this card references the card type, Plans are likely going to be a bigger part of Marvel Super Heroes.
While these are some of the more interesting teasers that Mark Rosewater showcased, these just scratch the surface of what was shared. Sadly, until the Marvel Super Heroes spoiler season starts next week, we won’t have any definite answers to how these hints will manifest in the set. For now, if you want to look up the other teasers, you can find them here.
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