It’s a strange time to be a Magic: the Gathering fan right now. We’re getting more cards and products than ever before, but less time to actually play and enjoy them. With Universes Beyond getting a lot more spotlight, the core elements that define Magic as a game are shifting. It’s a state of flux, in other words, and the results are a mixed bag. At a time like this a set like Bloomburrow, with its exceptional balance of worldbuilding and mechanics, couldn’t be more welcome.
In my opinion, Bloomburrow is the best MTG set we’ve seen in years, and it isn’t particularly close. It’s the kind of set that will satisfy experienced players, while still being capable of bringing in new ones. More so than any we’ve seen in a good while. Why do I think that’s the case? Well, I can break it down into three key areas:
1 | Immaculate Worldbuilding
While many MTG players appear indifferent when it comes to the story and lore of the game, it remains a huge factor in how well-received a particular set is. Great art and flavor can turn even a miserably underpowered set into a memorable overall experience, and vice-versa. Bloomburrow is one of the best sets we’ve ever seen in this regard, especially compared to its immediate predecessors.
Firstly, it’s a brand new plane. Those always get the hype train rolling, and Bloomburrow is no exception. It’s not just our first visit to a new world, however, but also Magic’s first world with no humanoid characters. It’s no secret that cute animals are extremely popular online, and Bloomburrow will definitely be able to capitalize on that. But it’s not just crude key-jangling, as we saw with the cowboy and detective hats of Murders at Karlov Manor and Outlaws of Thunder Junction. This is a fully-realized world, with distinct two-color animal factions.
Ravnica consistently ranks as one of Magic’s most popular settings, largely down to the strong identities of each two-color guild. Bloomburrow has a similar appeal but with a refreshing focus on collaboration rather than conflict. The animals of Bloomburrow aren’t locked in an endless war but are instead working together to fend off the Calamity Beasts. This is expressed mechanically through the set’s multi-type support cards. You can also see it in the art, which often shows creatures of different types working together.
Basically, Bloomburrow’s cute factor isn’t just a cheap marketing trick. The effort put into building it into a truly lived-in world is evident, and it feels fantastic as a result. A small misstep with anime art cards aside, the aesthetics of the set really help to support this as well.
2 | Reasonable Power Level
It’s not exactly sexy, but a reasonable power level is actually something every MTG set should strive for. Power creep isn’t just a buzz phrase, it’s a very real thing. And the more it happens, the more old cards get completely eclipsed by the new. Worldbuilding and mechanics aside, this is an area in which Bloomburrow shines.
It’s too early to say for sure, of course, but looking at the full set Bloomburrow feels like it hits the mark in this respect. There are very few obviously pushed cards here. The big financial hitters so far are pricey because of their potential in Commander, not their potential for dominating 60-card constructed. This is refreshing to see and makes Bloomburrow feel like a bit of a ‘power reset’ as a result.
The fact that the set will be dropping right after a Standard rotation reinforces this idea. As does its proximity to MTG Foundations, a new take on Magic’s core set coming in November. Throw in the cute, approachable theming and you have one of the most beginner-friendly sets we’ve seen in a while. You don’t need to be a seasoned Magic scholar to enjoy what Bloomburrow has to offer. You can just rock up, stack some synergistic creatures, and have a blast.
For the health of the game, I think every set should aim for a power level like this. Thunder Junction was probably a little bit too pushed, whereas Murders at Karlov Manor was, in the eyes of most players, not pushed enough. Bloomburrow feels like a Goldilocks situation: the power level here is just right.
3 | Strong Mechanics
Finally, in addition to its stellar worldbuilding and well-balanced power level, Bloomburrow also has some excellent new mechanics. Excellent in the sense of promoting fun, interactive gameplay, and excellent in the sense of being understandable to newcomers. Magic has always been a fairly complex game, so any set that manages to minimize that as a barrier to entry deserves recognition.
The core mechanics of Bloomburrow are all very easy to grasp. Offspring lets you pay extra to make a copy of a creature. Gift gives you more power in exchange for granting your opponent a small bonus. Valiant is a once-per-turn variant of Heroic from Theros. Forage and Expend are a little more complex, but they are also decidedly non-parasitic in nature. In that respect, they interact with existing gameplay elements and could, in theory, work well in any MTG set.
These mechanics tie neatly into my previous reasons for loving Bloomburrow as a set. All five of them are highly flavorful, helping to further the fantasy of the plane and its animal residents. All five are also well-balanced. You’re not going to see any of them on the top end of the Storm scale any time soon. These mechanics back up the worldbuilding while also maintaining the reasonable power level Bloomburrow is striving for. They’re a total success, in other words.
You put all of that together, and Bloomburrow is an instant classic. In a way, it feels like an ideal candidate for someone’s first Magic set. Yet, at the same time, it’s still exciting for enfranchised players like myself. It exemplifies the kind of fantasy worldbuilding and design excellence that define the very best of Magic sets. Duskmourn, when it comes, has some very big shoes to fill.
Read More: Top 12 MTG Best Bloomburrow Cards Include Overlooked Uncommons
