Coalition Construct
7, Oct, 22

New Dominaria United MTG Cards Are Actually Amazing

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Article at a Glance

As the capstone to a back to back to back spoiler season that felt like it would never end, Wizards of the Coast has finally revealed the entire Alchemy: Dominaria United card collection. It may be the most hated MTG format around; however, these Alchemy cards might actually be worth getting excited about. Especially since post-rotation Standard is feeling particularly stale, thanks to the continued domination of black and Rakdos decks. Beyond simply offering a new format to play, the new Alchemy: Dominaria United cards are a dream for tribal players. Before you get all excited, no, it’s not that kind of Tribal. Whether you’re an Alchemy savant, a Historic buff, or a Historic Brawl player still wishing for Commander, there should be a card or two that catches your eye. 

Tribal Galore

For a 30-card set, Alchemy: Dominaria United – technically just called Alchemy: Dominaria- is positively loaded with tribal-focused cards. Admittedly, right off the bat, that assessment may be somewhat overzealous since Alchemy: Dominaria United only features 11 tribal-focused cards. Nevertheless, this still means over one-third of the set supports tribal archetypes, which is an impressive density. Supporting Elves, Merfolk, Thalids, Goblins, Dragons, and Vehicles, Alchemy: Dominaria United has a little bit of spice for everyone’s MTG decks. 

Unfortunately, that’s not to say that all the cards in Alchemy: Dominaria United are immediately worth a spot in your decks. Marwyn’s Kindred, for instance, is a reasonably weak addition to Elf tribal decks that soaks up excess mana. Conjuring Marwyn, the Nurturer, and Llanowar Elves aplenty may sound like a good time. However, Elf tribal decks would typically instead enjoy pumping mana into a Craterhoof Behemoth. Additionally, due to its increased mana cost, Marwyn’s Kindred isn’t even an obvious choice over Marwyn, the Nurturer. 

Thankfully, the single cards added to support other tribes are far more appealing than Marwyn’s Kindred. Vodalian Tide Mage allows Merfolk players to conjure duplicates of creatures that cause combat damage. So long as you’re bravely attacking with them, you may have a theoretically endless supply of Vodalian Hexcatchers. Similarly, Slimefoot, Thallid Transplant lets you draft additional Thalids from its Spellbook upon playing a Swamp or Forest. While not groundbreaking, each of these cards keeps you supplied with gas, something which can be a major problem for tribal decks without draw engines such as Kindred Discovery.

Tribal Some More

Alongside this trio of tribal cards, Alchemy: Dominaria United is also beefing up support for Dragon tribal decks on MTG Arena. Darigaaz’s Whelp, for instance, not only buffs the Dragons you draw but can also Seek one via its surprisingly affordable Kicker ability. This potentially lets you get your hands on Darigaaz, Shivan Champion, a new major threat for Dragon decks. While there is a three-turn “Egg Counter” delay, Darigaaz, Shivan Champion conjures Dragons from its value-packed Spellbook onto the battlefield. This can, eventually, turn the tide of battle, so long as you can survive until those conjured eggs hatch. 

Thankfully, not every tribe on MTG Arena requires so much waiting around. Goblins, for instance, hit hard and fast with an army of rabble-rousers. After receiving Rundvelt Hordemaster in Dominaria United, this much-beloved tribe is getting even more aggressive. With Haste, Enlist, and the ability to duplicate Enlisted creatures, Goblin Morale Sergeant offers a lot of utility. Similarly, Goblin Influx Array not only gives you more Goblins to play but also makes them cheaper. At four mana, Goblin Influx Array is undoubtedly expensive for an aggressive Goblin deck. However, with a Spellbook that features Goblin Chieftain and Goblin Trashmaster, it isn’t to be understated. 

Lastly, while we’re not sure it’s a firm fan favorite, Alchemy: Dominaria United features some support for Vehicle tribal. Trove Mage, for instance, allows you to Seek an Artifact from the top ten cards of your deck. This may not be the most jaw-dropping three-drop in existence, considering Oracle of the Alpha exists. However, Seek effects are still exceptionally useful. Alternatively, Tiana, Angelic Mechanic, and Smogbelcher Chariot provide buffs to the creatures that crew your vehicles. Protean War Engine also exists. However, its Spellbook-based antics leave a lot to be desired. 

Tribal For All

As if all this wasn’t enough already, Alchemy: Dominaria United also features Coalition Construct. This adorable construct perpetually buffs any tribe of your choosing, making it a powerhouse in themed decks. But wait, there’s even more! On top of being thoroughly enjoyable, Alchemy: Dominaria United is also surprisingly accessible for MTG Arena players. This is thanks to the new PlayDMUA code and the Into The Future event. This limited-time MTG Arena event allows players to test out the freshly beefed-up tribal decks. For no entry fee, this event is a lot of fun and offers three packs and 1000 XP! There’s literally no reason not to play, even if you’re only in it for half the wildcard!

Alongside all the new cards, the Alchemy: Dominaria United update also introduced new much-requested card styles. This includes the prized planetary space-ic and orbital space-ic lands from Unfinity and the gorgeous space-themed shock lands! Unfortunately, however, not everything went smoothly with this latest MTG Arena patch. As we’ve seen before, this Alchemy patch caused problems with player Draft events, which were subsequently taken offline. Thankfully, the emerging issues have since been resolved, and affected players will be reimbursed later today. 

Read More: MTG Arena Hosts Major Event for 4-Year-Old Format!

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