At long last, Reality Fracture Prerelease is just around the corner, and it’s definitely worth getting excited about. Featuring tons of extremely powerful cards across formats, this set is shaping up to be an all-timer. With all the excitement, Reality Fracture Prerelease is bound to be packed, as players compete for some extra prize packs for their collection.
Notably, Reality Fracture is an extremely unusual Limited format, so you’ll benefit greatly from going into Prerelease with a plan. Fortunately, thanks to Wizards of the Coast, we were invited to the MTG Arena Early Access Event, where we got to Draft and play Sealed with Reality Fracture ahead of time. With lots of games under our belt, here are some things to watch for when playing Reality Fracture Prerelease.
Slowing Things Down
If you’re an avid Limited player, it can be hard to adapt from one format to another, especially if the previous format was quite warped. Reality Fracture is significantly slower than The Hobbit, meaning that cards above a mana value of four are actually viable. This was to the point where, in games of Sealed, cards like
Emrakul, the Exigent Doom
Emrakul, the Exigent Doom
When you cast this spell, untap all lands you control.
Flying, trample
Ward—Sacrifice three permanents.
{3}, Exile this card from your hand: Target land gains "{T}: Add {C}{C}" until this card is cast from exile. You may cast this card for as long as it remains exiled.
were totally castable and valid win conditions.
Based on early reactions to Reality Fracture Limited, this might be one of the slowest Limited formats MTG has seen in years. With the average game going 12 turns, you need to be prepared for the long haul. Because of that, playing quickly during your Prerelease matters more than usual to avoid going to time.
Empower Jace has a lot to do with this, sticking card draw on a whole bunch of cards across the set. With this mechanic so prevalent across Reality Fracture, cards that synergize with it are far better than they look.
Inspired Tethermage
Inspired Tethermage
Whenever you put one or more loyalty counters on a planeswalker, put a +1/+1 counter on this creature.
{6}: Empower Jace 2. (Put two loyalty counters on a Jace token you control. If you don't control one, first create a blue Jace planeswalker token with "[−1]: Surveil 1" and "[−3]: Draw a card.")
was particularly notable here, as it was surprisingly easy to get counters on, especially with
Way of the Pyromancer
Way of the Pyromancer
When Way of the Pyromancer enters, empower Jace 2. (Put two loyalty counters on a Jace token you control. If you don't control one, first create a blue Jace planeswalker token with "[−1]: Surveil 1" and "[−3]: Draw a card.")
Planeswalkers you control have "[+1]: Add {R}."
in play. Of course, this means that any creatures that Empower Jace, like
Mindseeker Oculus
Mindseeker Oculus
When this creature enters, empower Jace 4. (Put four loyalty counters on a Jace token you control. If you don't control one, first create a blue Jace planeswalker token with "[−1]: Surveil 1" and "[−3]: Draw a card.")
,
Tam’s Resistance
Tam’s Resistance
Put a +1/+1 counter on up to one target creature. It gains vigilance until end of turn.
Empower Jace 4. (Put four loyalty counters on a Jace token you control. If you don't control one, first create a blue Jace planeswalker token with "[−1]: Surveil 1" and "[−3]: Draw a card.")
, or even
Campus Crier
Campus Crier
{1}, Exile this card from your graveyard: Empower Jace 2. (Put two loyalty counters on a Jace token you control. If you don't control one, first create a blue Jace planeswalker token with "[−1]: Surveil 1" and "[−3]: Draw a card.")
, also play far better than they look. With how slow this format feels right now, especially in Sealed, even cards like
Protege’s Awakening
Protege’s Awakening
Empower Jace 6. (Put six loyalty counters on a Jace token you control. If you don't control one, first create a blue Jace planeswalker token with "[−1]: Surveil 1" and "[−3]: Draw a card.")
Draw a card.
feel worthwhile.
Otherwise, while they feel weaker on the surface compared to other options, it’s worth keeping Prepared cards in mind when building your deck. While I initially had a poor impression of cards like
Hallway Heckler
Hallway Heckler
This creature enters prepared. (While it's prepared, you may cast a copy of its spell. Doing so unprepares it.)
{T}, Discard a card: Draw a card.
and
Void Extrapolator
Void Extrapolator
This creature enters prepared. (While it's prepared, you may cast a copy of its spell. Doing so unprepares it.)
Threshold — This creature gets +1/+1 as long as there are seven or more cards in your graveyard.
, the Prepared Spells enable a lot of other synergies, and often make up for what is otherwise a surface-level weaker card. This is especially true for the Stingerquill archetype, which is hyper-dependent on noncombat damage synergies, but rewards you with a strong, aggressive option in an otherwise slow format.
Pay Attention to Off-Color Gold Cards
This feels like something I say in every Prerelease prep guide, but fixing is once again extremely important in Reality Fracture. While the enemy colors are the core Draft archetypes in this set, there’s also a ton of multicolor cards in unsupported color pairs, and they’re all quite powerful.
While you can’t really go wrong with any of these cards,
Twisted Fates
Twisted Fates
Destroy target nonland permanent. Put a +1/+1 counter on each creature target player controls.
feels like a step ahead of the rest, growing your entire team and destroying your opponent’s best card.
Warrior’s Blades
Warrior’s Blades
When this Equipment enters, it deals 3 damage to any target and you gain 3 life.
Equipped creature gets +2/+1.
Equip {3}. This ability costs {1} less to activate for each +1/+1 counter on the creature it targets.
,
Frostbite Pyromental
Frostbite Pyromental
Trample, haste
Whenever this creature deals combat damage to a player, draw two cards.
At the beginning of the end step, sacrifice this creature.
, and
Hapatra, the Desert Fang
Hapatra, the Desert Fang
When Hapatra enters, for each opponent, put X -1/-1 counters on up to one target creature that player controls, where X is the greatest mana value among cards in your graveyard.
also feel worth going out of your way for.
As for your fixing options, the Basic Landcycling cards are quite good in Reality Fracture. Because the set feels so slow, having extra six-drops that can solve early mana issues is an extremely strong place to be. Frankly, all five basic landcyclers seem quite strong, but
Hexhaven Battalion
Hexhaven Battalion
Create three 2/2 colorless Wizard Soldier creature tokens named Cadet. Empower Jace 2. (Put two loyalty counters on a Jace token you control. If you don't control one, first create a blue Jace planeswalker token with "[−1]: Surveil 1" and "[−3]: Draw a card.")
Basic landcycling {2} ({2}, Discard this card: Search your library for a basic land card, reveal it, put it into your hand, then shuffle.)
feels like a beating, while
Undulating Witness
Undulating Witness
Flying
{2}: This creature gets +1/-1 until end of turn.
Basic landcycling {2} ({2}, Discard this card: Search your library for a basic land card, reveal it, put it into your hand, then shuffle.)
feels a bit behind the rest.
Because Reality Fracture is so slow, you should have plenty of time to find all your colors, which makes high-power individual cards really important. Heck, going four colors or five colors is totally reasonable in this format if you have the cards and the fixing to support it.
Notable Standouts
Unfortunately, because Reality Fracture has slowed down significantly compared to The Hobbit, this feels like a very bomb-heavy set. Unbeatable titans like
Hungering Puppetbeast
Hungering Puppetbeast
When this creature enters, create a Heartwood token. (It's a red and green artifact with "{T}: Add {R} or {G}.")
{1}, Sacrifice another artifact: Put a +1/+1 counter on this creature. It gains your choice of trample, hexproof, or haste until end of turn.
,
Craftwork Crusher
Craftwork Crusher
Trample
When this creature enters, choose two —
• This creature deals 4 damage to target creature or planeswalker.
• Create a 2/2 colorless Wizard Soldier creature token named Cadet.
• Draw a card.
, and
Verdant Kraken
Verdant Kraken
At the beginning of each player's upkeep, you create a 3/3 green Forest Tentacle land creature token. (It has "{T}: Add {G}." It's affected by summoning sickness until your next turn.)
seem extraordinarily powerful here, meaning that you’ll need to be quite careful how you use your removal. Hungering Puppetbeast, in particular, is on my shortlist for the best Limited card in the set.
Otherwise, as far as removal goes,
Fulminous Forte
Fulminous Forte
Choose one —
• Fulminous Forte deals 1 damage to each creature and planeswalker your opponents control.
• Fulminous Forte deals 5 damage to target creature or planeswalker.
has been extremely impressive. The set has a surprising number of one-toughness creatures, which lets this niche mode blow out the board often. The fact that it hits Planeswalkers, too, is often surprisingly relevant, since it can mess up a draw from a Jace Token. Of course, the card can otherwise just deal five damage to a creature, removing most threats.
The cycle of cards that Prepare themselves on each Upkeep are also strong, partly thanks to how long games of Reality Fracture tend to go.
Paradox Shaper
Paradox Shaper
At the beginning of your upkeep, if this creature isn't prepared, it becomes prepared.
{2}: Put target card from your graveyard on the bottom of your library.
was particularly impressive, setting up a nigh-unbeatable lategame if left alone for too long. That said, all the cards in this cycle are worth going out of your way for, even if just to keep triggering cards like
Plan for All Outcomes
Plan for All Outcomes
When this enchantment enters, the owner of up to one other target nonland permanent puts it on their choice of the top or bottom of their library.
Whenever you cast your first noncreature spell each turn, empower Jace 1. (Put a loyalty counter on a Jace token you control. If you don't control one, first create a blue Jace planeswalker token with "[−1]: Surveil 1" and "[−3]: Draw a card.")
.
So, if you’re planning to appear at your Reality Fracture Prerelease, make sure you’re ready to go the long haul. Play your big bombs, draw lots, and don’t shy away from a strong aggressive brew if you open the right cards.
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