MTG Aetherdrift's "The Aetherspark" is a fascinating lore card and a portable planeswalker

During a recent preview of the MTG Aetherdrift expansion, we got a sneak peek at many cards, including the fascinating legendary artifact, The Aetherspark. It is magical and belongs to the Mythic Rare category. In terms of game mechanics, it is an Artifact Planeswalker. It’s something all ten teams of the Gran Prix are desperate to control for their unique reasons.

You’d think that it would perhaps be less desirable with Omen Paths being available to cross between planes, but that’s not necessarily the case. Here’s what we’ve learned about MTG Aetherdrift’s The Aetherspark, in this recent press preview. Overall, I am incredibly excited to see this help certain combos pop off and seal up victories.

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What does The Aetherspark in MTG Aetherdrift do: Lore and in-game possibilities

The Aetherspark does exactly what you think it might in the lore of MTG Aetherdrift. Not only is it the ultimate reward of this death-defying race across dimensions, but it’s also a Spark. That’s right, using this can turn its owner into a planeswalker.

The Aetherspark brings some serious combo-fulfilling potential with it (Image via Wizards of the Coast)

That might not seem like a big deal, with Omen Paths being a thing. However, those Omen Paths that lead to other realms won’t always be open. It’s far more reliable to simply be a planeswalker instead of waiting on interdimensional public transport. As far as rewards go in MTG Aetherdrift you can’t pick up something more valuable.

In terms of in-game playability, the Aetherspark is a Mythic Rare Legendary Artifact Planeswalker - Equipment. It costs 4 colorless mana, a solid casting cost for something that comes with 4 Loyalty. It also has a passive ability that makes it incredibly safe to use:

“As long as The Aetherspark is attached to a creature, The Aetherspark can’t be attacked and has ‘Whenever equipped creature deals combat damage during your turn, put that many loyalty counters on The Aetherspark’.”

With the right creature, you could be drawing two extra cards a turn, or you could simply make it easier to ramp up its ultimate ability. The item's abilities aren’t as destructive, but that final one sure has possibility. Here’s what you get:

• +1: Attach The Aetherspark to up to one target creature you control. Put a +1/+1 counter on that creature.
• -5: Draw two cards.
• -10: Add ten mana of any one color.

Suddenly, whatever mana-expensive combo you have may be that much closer to reality. I don’t know if it’s going to become a must-use, game-altering powerhouse, but I like the potential that The Aetherspark represents in MTG Aetherdrift. This is very much a multi-colored set, but every good card isn’t dual/triple-colored.

You could use that ten mana to drop two or three important cards or set up a path to hitting Max Speed and doing some ridiculous things. I could see it being useful with Mendicant Core, Guidelight, and spending that 10 mana on duplicating a bunch of powerful artifacts.

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MTG Aetherdrift launches on February 14, 2025, and the preview season for it will kick off on January 21, 2025.