MTG Tarkir Dragonstorm preview reveals two incredibly powerful returning planeswalkers: Ugin and Elspeth

We recently took part in a preview of MTG Tarkir Dragonstorm, and with it came the reveal of two fan-favorite planeswalkers: Ugin and Elspeth. Both of them come back to the Tarkir plane, and with them, some absolutely busted powers.

Ugin might be one of the strongest planeswalkers I’ve seen in a significant amount of time — that is, if you’re committed to putting a bunch of overpowered colorless permanents in your deck. Then there’s the delightful Elspeth, champion of White Weenie decks everywhere.

It’s hard to say if I like this version of Elspeth more than Elspeth Resplendent or not, but I’m definitely leaning that way. These may not be the only planeswalkers coming to MTG Tarkir Dragonstorm either — I have a sneaking suspicion, but I’m going to keep it quiet. Here’s what we have so far.

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MTG Tarkir Dragonstorm confirms two planeswalkers: Ugin, Spirit of the Storms and Elspeth, Storm Slayer

MTG Tarkir Dragonstorm has at least two planeswalkers coming: Ugin, Spirit of the Storms, and Elspeth, Storm Slayer. Ugin’s a really interesting card in particular, because he allows you to exile a colored permanent anytime you cast a colorless spell — including himself! That is absolutely ridiculous. Below is his full suite of abilities:

Commit to the colorless bit and be rewarded with victory (Image via Wizards of the Coast)

Ugin, Spirit of the Storm

• Mana Value: 7
• Card Type: Legendary Planeswalker — Ugin
• Rarity: Mythic Rare
• Base Loyalty: 7
• Passive Ability: When you cast this spell, exile up to one target permanent that’s one or more colors. Whenever you cast a colorless spell, exile up to one target permanent, that’s one or more colors.
• +2: You gain 3 life and draw a card.
• +0: Add 3 colorless mana to your mana pool.
• -11: Search your library for any number of colorless nonland cards, exile them, then shuffle. Until end of turn, you may cast those cards without paying their mana costs.

Then on top of that bonkers passive, if he happens to stick around for two turns and you hit that Ultimate, he almost guarantees a swift end to the game. Not only do you get to pull every Colorless nonland from your deck and exile them, you get to cast them for no mana, and then exile even more cards from your opponent’s board. Is Ugin, Eye of the Storms going to be a powerful option for colorless commander decks? I’d like to think so.

Behold, the mighty leader of men and angels, Elspeth! (Image via Wizards of the Coast)

Elspeth, Storm Slayer

• Mana Value: 3WW
• Card Type: Legendary Planeswalker — Elspeth
• Rarity: Mythic Rare
• Base Loyalty: 5
• Passive Ability: If one or more tokens would be created under your control, twice that many of those tokens are created instead.
• +1: Create a 1/1 white Soldier creature token
• +0: Put a +1/+1 counter on each creature you control. Those creatures gain flying until your next turn.
• -3: Destroy target creature an opponent controls with mana value 3 or higher.

Then you have the savior of every aggro/midrange deck that features White Mana — Elspeth, Storm Slayer. She’s going to be incredibly popular in Red/White MTG decks in Tarkir Dragonstorm and beyond, that’s for sure. She comes with a built in Doubling Season, just as a passive. That already makes her a great card among the many MTG Tarkir Dragonstorm offerings.

She can immediately blow up a high mana value creature simply by coming into play with her -3, and then she also makes at least white 1/1 Creature Token for her +1. If you don’t want to build her loyalty, you can just give all your creatures flying until next turn, and a permanent +1/+1 counter. What’s not to love? Sure she costs 5 mana, but that won’t be a big deal, I don’t think.

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• MTG Final Fantasy expansion reveals popular FF8’s Zell Dincht as devastating Landfall card
• MTG Final Fantasy reveals incredible alternate Commander for ‘Revival Trance’ deck
• MTG Aetherdrift review: Going ultra-fast while simultaneously slowing things down was a good idea