All new and returning mechanics in Magic: The Gathering's Wilds of Eldraine

Magic: The Gathering’s Wilds of Eldraine expansion has some very interesting mechanics coming with it. A few classic features are returning, but there are also new, potentially powerful mechanics to consider across the vast breadth of this new expansion. We recently had the pleasure of taking part in a preview session with Wizards of the Coast’s developers, where we looked at these new abilities, what they do, and much more.

As of right now, these are all of the new and returning special mechanics coming in Wilds of Eldraine. The traditional keywords of Magic: The Gathering aren’t going anywhere. This is more of a focus on specific mechanics players will need to know about.

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New mechanics in Magic: The Gathering’s Wilds of Eldraine

New mechanics to MTG

• Roles
• Celebration
• Bargain

Yes, the Role Tokens are supposed to look like that - there are two per card to save creating too many new tokens (Image via Wizards of the Coast)

Players will have access to three new, powerful mechanics coming into Wilds of Eldraine. This upcoming fairy tale expansion to Magic: The Gathering won’t disappoint when it comes to new features and abilities. Roles are one of these, and will come in the form of Token Enchantments you can apply to a creature.

Certain Wilds of the Eldraine spells, when cast, will trigger one of these role tokens to come into play. However, you can only put one of them per creature, so there’s no stacking them like making a Voltron deck.

Celebration rewards you for playing multiple nonland permanents a turn (Image via Wizards of the Coast)

Next you have Celebration. When you play a card with Celebration in Magic: The Gathering, if two or more nonland permanents entered the battlefield under your control this turn, the creature in question receives a benefit. In Ash, Party Crasher’s case, she gains a +1/+1 counter.

Next up is Bargain, which requires you to give something up in order to potentially gain greater power. When you cast a spell with Bargain, you’ll have the option to sacrifice an artifact, enchantment, or token as part of the cost.

Will you pay the cost? (Image via Wizards of the Coast)

In Beseech the Mirror’s case, you search your library for a card, exile it face down, and then shuffle. If you bargained for it, you could cast the spell without paying its mana cost if its Mana Value is 4 or less - like Vesuvian Duplimancy.

Otherwise, it goes into your hand. That could be an incredibly powerful way to search out a board wipe or other potent spell to turn the tide in battle.

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Returning mechanics in Magic: The Gathering’s Wilds of Eldraine

In addition to new mechanics in Magic: The Gathering’s Wilds of Eldraine, a few are coming back. To the shock of nobody, Sagas return again. Introduced in Dominaria, these come back yet again.

Sagas fit this expansion perfectly (Image via Wizards of the Coast)

The past few expansions have had some incredible Saga cards, and this expansion will be no different. When these Enchantment cards come into play, they trigger a new effect on each of your turns. When it finishes, the card goes to the graveyard.

A mechanic introduced in Throne of Eldraine is back in Wilds of Eldraine as well - Adventures! However, instead of being mono-colored, now the various adventure effects require a different kind of mana. Ian Duke of Wizards of the Coast also confirmed there would be at least one multi-colored adventure cost.

Adventures promise to be quite interesting (Image via Wizards of the Coast)

Adventures are interesting cards. Some permanents have an optional Sorcery or Instant you can cast them as - this is an Adventure effect. If you cast the Adventure first in Magic: The Gathering, you then exile the card.

You can cast it later as a creature if you wish. If you cast it as a creature first, you cannot cast it for the Adventure effect unless you return it to your hand. These were incredibly powerful spells in Throne of Eldraine but could perhaps be better balanced this time around.

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Magic: The Gathering’s Wilds of Eldraine launches on September 5, 2023. It will come with a wide assortment of powerful new cards that you can add to your decks as the new multi-year storyline begins.