The much-anticipated Modern Horizons 3 has finally arrived, bringing with it an impressive assortment of potent new cards, exquisite artwork, and eagerly awaited reprints.
This latest collection introduces transformative Flip-walkers, colossal Eldrazi Titans, and potent Flare Spells, while also inducing a wave of nostalgia with Special Guest reprints and Retro Frame interpretations of contemporary cards. The inclusion of Fetch Lands is another highlight, anticipated to reduce their market price and boost accessibility. We’ll delve into the standout features, most impactful cards, and the prime discoveries you can anticipate from your booster packs.
Flip-Walkers
A main draw of Modern Horizons 3 is the five novel Flip-Walkers. These cards begin as legendary creatures with the ability to transform into commanding planeswalkers upon fulfilling certain conditions. Here are the five new Flip-Walkers to watch for.
Eldrazi Titans
Within the Magic: The Gathering universe, Eldrazi Titans are synonymous with sheer might. These towering behemoths are both revered and feared. Their formidable mana requirements are balanced by their game-changing abilities—land a couple of strikes, and you might just seal your victory. Below are the three new Titans unveiled in the Modern Horizons 3 expansion.
Emrakul, The World Anew
Emrakul, the World Anew is an unstoppable Eldrazi force, capable of tipping the scales with its arrival. Its capacity to commandeer enemy creatures, coupled with its Flying ability and temporary shield from spells and permanents, exhibits extreme prowess. While its immense mana cost and tendency to self-destruct are daunting, cunningly discarding it for instant impact carries potential. Best suited for aggressive decks that can absorb the drawbacks, Emrakul stands as a formidable, albeit volatile, asset.
Ulamog, The Defiler
Ulamog, the Defiler, emerges as an avatar of destruction. This 10-mana nightmare devastates adversaries by banishing half of their deck upon its summoning. Its protective ward, demanding a duo of permanents as tribute, thwarts attempts at its removal, while growing stronger through accumulated counters. Additionally, it brings down an annihilator effect as relentless as itself, cementing its stature as an unparalleled juggernaut of board control—if one can harness its colossal might.
Kozilek, The Broken Reality
Kozilek, the Broken Reality, bends the very rules of the game. This behemoth distorts play by morphing opponent’s hand cards into face-down creatures while replenishing your own hand with each card altered. Utilize this to your advantage by manifesting your own cards, bolstering your allied deck strategies. Beyond that, Kozilek empowers your other colorless beings, asserting a dominating board presence. Though demanding in mana, the tactical advantages it offers are immense.
Fetch Lands
Highly coveted by players, Fetch Lands have been a staple in numerous decks and formats, offering unparalleled deck consistency and flexibility. Fortunately, their inclusion in Modern Horizons 3 spells a potential drop in prices, making them more accessible for the wider player base.
These versatile lands forgo their existence in exchange for an untapped basic land at the meager price of one life—a small fee for a significant effect. Their synergy with graveyard mechanics and Landfall abilities only enhances their value, as they can activate triggers simply by entering the battlefield. These lands are available in allied color pairs within this set.
Flare Spells
Introducing a new suite of five Instant “Flare” spells, one for each color, Modern Horizons 3 brings additional firepower especially to Aristocrat-style decks. Their unique ability allows players to sacrifice a matching nontoken creature instead of paying the mana cost.
Offering effects that range from free mana acceleration, spell duplication, and spell countering, these cards provide strategic advantage and flexibility. Free-to-cast spells have long been a popular facet in Magic: The Gathering due to their ability to maintain tempo and circumvent the need to reserve mana. These new introductions are poised to make a substantial impact on gameplay, providing crafty players with powerful options at no mana cost. We anticipate these spells to quickly become favorites amongst enthusiasts for their versatility and formidable effects.
The anticipation surrounding reprints of high-value cards remains high as we anticipate their value growth. For your viewing pleasure, the entire series of Flare spells are displayed here.
Featured Cards: Special Guests
Special Guest cards bring back powerful classic cards that are found in Booster packs. These cards have been treated to borderless artwork, and some of them also boast a foil variation. Below is the complete suite of Special Guest cards available in the Modern Horizons 3 collection.
Artwork Without Borders: Borderless Profile Cards
Modern Horizons 3 reintroduces Borderless Profile Cards, and we are absolutely enchanted by these full-art versions in Magic: The Gathering.
While each card is unique in its appeal, we are particularly enamored with the pastel tones and profile art of some iconic legendary creatures. Despite the likelihood that these might command higher prices than we’re prepared to spend, we can still admire them from afar and hold onto the hope of perhaps finding one tucked in a pack. Take a peek at a few of our top picks:
The New Wave of Foils: Ripple Foils
Modern Horizons 3 sees the introduction of a new foiling technique on certain Borderless Profile cards, dubbed Ripple Foils, adding a dynamic array of circles and diamonds to the finish. These are exclusive to Collector’s Edition Commander decks from Modern Horizons 3 and are predicted to yield considerable resale value. These cards also appear to be more substantial, which might combat the issues of warping known from previous expansions. While difficult to convey in pictures, here’s a sample of a Ripple Foil.
Mana-Generating Medallions
One timeless and potent card element in Magic is undoubtedly the mana discount. With Medallions reprinted in Modern Horizons 3, players have the chance to accumulate mana savings and potentially outmaneuver their adversaries. Five Medallions, one for each color, ask for two generic mana to play but offer a one-mana discount for spells cast in that same color. Below are the different Medallions, including their borderless variations, for your consideration.
A Nostalgic Twist: Retro Frame Prints
With a nod to the origins of Magic: The Gathering, Modern Horizons 3 features exclusive Retro Frame Prints, a nostalgic subset of 75 cards:
- 11 White
- 11 Blue
- 12 Black
- 13 Red
- 10 Green
- 5 Multicolour
- 6 Colourless
- 7 Land
To explore the full scope of these retro-crafted works, visit the official Magic website. We’ve highlighted a few select pieces for you below.
That sums up everything essential about the Modern Horizons 3 release in Magic: The Gathering. Interested in broadening your collection? Bear in mind, these cards are a premium investment, but their quality and the enjoyment they offer may very well justify the expenditure.
