Magic: The Gathering's March of the Machine expansion 'Battle' card type reveal - How they work, new cards, and more

Magic: The Gathering’s March of the Machine will receive the new ‘Battle’ card type in the upcoming expansion. These are new card types and come into play as horizontal cards, with special new abilities. This expansion represents a multiverse invasion of the Phyrexians, though they could take on new meanings in the future. Besides having useful powers, they can also transform into a new form once the conditions have been met.

We received access to several of the new Battle cards for Magic: The Gathering’s March of the Machine set. While we have not seen all the transformed cards, we have some very interesting information to share today.

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What are Battle cards in Magic: The Gathering, and how do they work?

Battle cards in Magic: The Gathering are cast like any other permanent in the game. You pay the casting cost and allow players to have some kind of response to them. Besides a casting cost and special abilities, they also have a stat in the bottom right corner. These are defense counters.

This is how much damage these Battle cards take before they are transformed. Upon casting this, you place it on an opponent’s side of the field, making it the protector of that battle. They don’t control it, but it’s in their best interest to defend it.

Only the protector (your opponent) can block for these cards, but other spells and abilities can potentially affect these too.

All players other than the protector can attack it. Once you deplete a Battle’s defense points, the ability on this card’s face triggers. Once it resolves, you exile it, transform it, and put it into play on your side of the field without paying its casting cost.

Several of these Battle cards have been revealed as part of the March of the Machine expansion of Magic: The Gathering. In particular, two of the transformed versions have also been shown.

Invasion of Fiora transforms into Marchesa, Resolute Monarch, and Invasion of New Phyrexia becomes Teferi Akosa of Zhalfir.

Invasion of Fiora and Marchesa, Resolute Monarch in Magic: The Gathering (Image via Wizards of the Coast)

Invasion of Fiora / Marchesa, Resolute Monarch

• Mana Value: 4BB
• Type: Battle - Siege
• Rarity: Rare
• Defense Points: 4
• Ability: When Invasion of Fiora enters the battlefield, choose one or both - Destroy all legendary creatures, and/or destroy all nonlegendary creatures.

Upon transforming, you receive a 3/6 creature with menace and deathtouch that can remove all counters from a permanent. This means you can use this to defeat another Battle card. You lose one life and draw a card every upkeep if you haven’t taken damage since your last turn, as well.

Invasion of New Phyrexia and Teferi Akosa of Zhalfir in Magic: The Gathering (Image via Wizards of the Coast)

Invasion of New Phyrexia / Teferi Akosa of Zhalfir

• Mana Value: XWU
• Type: Battle - Siege
• Rarity: Mythic Rare
• Defense Points: 6
• Ability: When Invasion of New Phyrexia enters the battlefield, create X 2/2 white/blue Knight creature tokens with vigilance

While most of the invasions are focused on the Phyrexians, this card is Teferi’s invasion of New Phyrexia itself. Of course, he comes into play as a powerful planeswalker. He can draw two, which also forces you to discard two or a creature card.

You can buff your Knights and tap some of your creatures to shuffle a nonland permanent of your opponents back into their deck. Teferi’s a very interesting Magic: The Gathering card, and while he’s not overpowered, he’s definitely useful in control decks.

Below are the other revealed March of the Machine cards that are under the Battle card archetype.

Invasion of Ergamon in Magic: The Gathering (Image via Wizards of the Coast)

Invasion of Ergamon

• Mana Value: RG
• Type: Battle - Siege
• Rarity: Uncommon
• Defense Points: 5
• Ability: When Invasion of Ergamon enters the battlefield, create a Treasure Token. Then you may discard a hand. If you do, draw a card.

Invasion of Ikoria in Magic: The Gathering (Image via Wizards of the Coast)

Invasion of Ikoria

• Mana Value: XGG
• Type: Battle - Siege
• Rarity: Rare
• Defense Points: 6
• Ability: When Invasion of Ikoria enters the battlefield, search your library and/or graveyard for a non-Human creature card with mana value X or less and put it onto the battlefield. If you search your library, shuffle after.

Invasion of Ixalan in Magic: The Gathering (Image via Wizards of the Coast)

Invasion of Ixalan

• Mana Value: 1G
• Type: Battle - Siege
• Rarity: Rare
• Defense Points: 4
• Ability: When Invasion of Ixalan enters the battlefield, look at the top five cards of your library. You may reveal a permanent card from among them and put it into your hand. Put the rest on the bottom of your library in a random order.

These cards all feature abilities that certainly call back to their home expansions, and should be a very interesting experience for Magic: The Gathering players. Though these could feature new subtypes in the future, March of the Machine’s battles are interesting and could be powerful.

Players will have access to these incredible battles when the expansion arrives on April 21, 2023.