Wilds of Eldraine

Wilds of Eldraine
Set Information
Set symbol
Symbol description	An open storybook with a diamond nestled in the pages
Design	Chris Mooney (lead), Mark Rosewater, Erik Lauer, Jenna Helland, Doug Beyer, Dan Musser, Annie Sardelis
Development	Ian Duke (lead), Chris Mooney, Reggie Valk, Daniel Holt, James Rose, Ethan Fleischer, Daniel Xu, Andrew Brown, Michael Majors, Neale LaPlante Johnson, Sam Jiang
Art direction	Andrew Vallas
Release date	September 8, 2023
Plane	Eldraine
Themes and mechanics	Adventures, Enchantment matters, Food, Roles
Keywords/ability words	Bargain, Celebration
Set size	266 + 115
Expansion code	WOE
Development codename	Netball
Outlaws of Thunder Junction Standard
Magic: The Gathering Chronology

Wilds of Eldraine

Commander decks

Enchanting Tales

Card comparisons

Art Series

Trivia

Wilds of Eldraine is the ninety-seventh Magic expansion. It was released on September 8, 2023.^[2]^[3]^[4]^[5]

Set details[ | ]

“

A Tale Only You Can Tell

”

Wilds of Eldraine contains 266 regular cards (101 commons, 80 uncommons, 60 rares, 20 mythic rares, 5 basic lands), and includes randomly inserted traditional foil versions of all cards. The regular cards include 5 full-art "fairy tale" basic lands by Hari & Deepti (#262-266). Normal basic lands are #267-276. Alternate card frames have a different card number than the original version.^[6] Storybook showcase cards are #277-296. Borderless cards are #297-307, the new Jumpstart cards are #308-322 and extended art cards are #323-374. Promo cards are numbered #375-381.

Wilds of Eldraine Set Boosters feature Universes Within versions of the Secret Lair Drop Series: The Walking Dead characters (SLX #018-023).^[4]

There is no Standard Rotation connected to this set. Going forward, sets will rotate out every three years rather than every two years.

Storyline[ | ]

Eriette, Charming Witch by Magali Villeneuve

The storybook world of Eldraine awaits as we venture beyond the Realm into the darker Wilds, filled with fairy-tale wonder — and danger. The witch Eriette, her sisters, and Talion are responsible for a curse that’s lying over the land as others vie for power in a land looking for leadership. As Will Kenrith takes up his father’s sword and seeks peace as a way to fix his home, his twin sister Rowan, now a Strixhaven trained mage, thinks she can gain enough magical power to make everything back to the way it was. Meanwhile the non-desparked planeswalker Ashiok has arrived to profit from the Wicked Slumber nobody can wake up from.^[4]

Meanwhile, a young human with fae blood begins his journey in the Wilds as the Fae Lord Talion tasks him with vanquishing the three witch sisters to end the Wicked Slumber once and for all^[7]. Along his adventures, he meets a red-hooded scout^[8] and a Vedalken from a city far, far away^[9]. He learns that his fae ancestry is more extraordinary than he would ever imagine and continues his quest to seek more answers about it by setting foot into a most peculiar portal^[10].

This visit delves much heavier into the fairy tales and less into the Arthurian legend, though it's still in the set.^[11] Wilds of Eldraine is the first set in the three-year Omenpath Arc, with creatures from elsewhere randomly showing up on the planes where the story takes place.

The cards that represent the Story Spotlights in Wilds of Eldraine are:

Magic Story[ | ]

Main article: Magic Story

Title	Author	Publishing date	Set	Setting (plane)	Featuring
Episode 1: Pure of Heart	K. Arsenault Rivera	2023-08-08	Wilds of Eldraine	Eldraine	Will Kenrith, Rowan Kenrith, Imodane, Kellan, Ronald, Hex, Talion
Episode 2: Wandering Knight, Budding Hero	K. Arsenault Rivera	2023-08-09	Wilds of Eldraine	Eldraine	Rowan Kenrith, Royse, Algenus Kenrith, Linden Kenrith, Kellan, Duncan, Ruby, Agatha, Imodane, Peter
Episode 3: Two Great Banquets	K. Arsenault Rivera	2023-08-10	Wilds of Eldraine	Eldraine	Rowan Kenrith, Saxon, Joshua, Ashiok, Eriette, Kellan, Ruby, Troyan, Beluna Grandsquall, Yorvo, Albiorix
Episode 4: Ruby and the Frozen Heart	K. Arsenault Rivera	2023-08-11	Wilds of Eldraine	Eldraine	Kellan, Ruby, Peter, Hylda, Talion
Episode 5: Broken Oaths	K. Arsenault Rivera	2023-08-14	Wilds of Eldraine	Eldraine	Kellan, Ruby, Rowan Kenrith, Will Kenrith, Eriette, Imodane, Ashiok, Ronald, Hex, Jace Beleren

Marketing[ | ]

WOE Collector Booster — Syr Ginger on the Collector Booster

Wilds of Eldraine is sold in regular 16-card Draft Boosters (one card being a marketing card), Collector Boosters, Set Boosters, the Wilds of Eldraine Bundle and two Commander decks.^[12] The Jumpstart Boosters for this set have been replaced by a Starter Kit. Starting with this set, the packaging for the Commander decks is changed. They don't show the face card anymore on the front. The land slot will have full-art lands in 33% of draft/set boosters.

Wizards of the Coast didn't release Jumpstart Boosters alongside Wilds of Eldraine. However, as with previous new-to-Magic Standard-legal cards in Jumpstart Boosters, players could find additional Standard-legal Jumpstart cards in Set and Collector Boosters.^[11]^[6]

Enchanting Tales[ | ]

Main article: Wilds of Eldraine/Enchanting Tales

Enchanting Tales is a separate set of cards associated with Wilds of Eldraine, similar to the Retro Artifacts and Multiverse Legends Bonus sheets. In Enchanting Tales, Wizards of the Coast have reprinted 63 enchantments with a special card frame and the set code WOT.^[11] Wilds of Eldraine Draft Boosters contain 1 Enchanting Tales cards, Set Boosters contain 1-3, and Collector Boosters contain 3-4. These will only be legal in formats that they are already legal in and in Historic. They are not part of the Standard environment, however, the cards may be used in Limited events.

Events[ | ]

Prerelease: September 1–7, 2023
Digital release: September 5, 2023
WPN Game Store Open House: September 8–10
Friday Night Magic: September 8 – November 3
Commander Nights: September 9 – November 9
WPN Store Championship: September 30 – October 8

Promos[ | ]

Prerelease: a stamped card that can be any rare or mythic rare of Wilds of Eldraine.
Other events: cards from the Wilds of Eldraine universal promo pack.
- The seasonal dark-frame promos are: Stroke of Midnight, Sleight of Hand, Faerie Dreamthief, Torch The Tower and Tanglespan Lookout.
Buy-a-Box: alternate art Expel the Interlopers
Bundle: foil alternate art Lich-Knights' Conquest,
Store Championship promos: Tail Swipe (participation), Transcendent Message (Top 8), textless Moonshaker Cavalry (winner)
30th Anniversary promos: French Hornet Queen, Harvester of Souls, Spanish Kalonian Hydra and Goblin Rabblemaster
WPN promos: Ice Out and Pyroblast (anime borderless cards illustrated by Takuma Ebisu).^[13]
Bring-a-Friend: Cultivate
Commander Party: retro frame Syr Konrad, the Grim
Magic Open House: retro frame Drown in the Loch

Bundle

Beadle & Grimm's[ | ]

Beadle & Grimm's released a special Token Set in conjunction with Wilds of Eldraine.^[14] This consisted of a tin box depicting Syr Ginger fighting multiple Food Horrors, a Syr Ginger metal life counter (1–40), six Sweettooth-themed dice (1 x d20, 2 x d10, 3 x d6), seven aluminum role token cards and seven metal gingerbread counters (5 x +1 , 2 x +5).

Tokens and markers[ | ]

Wilds of Eldraine has 17 tokens and 1 marker.^[15]

1/1 Bird creature with flying for Knight of Doves.
1/1 Human creature for Have for Dinner, Return from the Wilds, Stroke of Midnight and Welcome to Sweettooth.
2/2 Knight creature with vigilance for Ardenvale Fealty, Hopeful Vigil. and Train Troops.
1/1 Mouse creature for Three Blind Mice.
1/1 Faerie creature with flying and “This creature can block only creatures with flying.” for Faerie Slumber Party and Into the Fae Court.
1/1 Nightmare creature with "At the beginning of combat on your turn, if a card was put in exile this turn, put a +1/+1 counter in this creature." for Ashiok, Wicked Manipulator.
1/1 Rat creature with "This creature can't block." for Edgewall Pack, Experimental Confectioner, Gnawing Crescendo, Harried Spearguard, Lord Skitter, Sewer King, Lord Skitter's Butcher, Ogre Chitterlord, Pest Problem, Rat Out, Redcap Gutter-Dweller, Song of Totentanz, Tangled Colony, Totentanz, Swarm Piper, Twisted Sewer-Witch, Voracious Vermin and Warehouse Tabby.
3/3 Beast creature for The Huntsman’s Redemption.
4/4 Elemental creature for Hylda of the Icy Crown.
Food artifact for Bakery Raid, Experimental Confectioner, Feed the Cauldron, Food Coma, Gingerbread Hunter, The Goose Mother, Greta, Sweettooth Scourge, Have For Dinner, Intrepid Trufflesnout, Mintstrosity, Night of the Sweets' Revenge, Old Flitterfang, Provisions Merchant, Restless Cottage, Return from the Wilds, Scream Puff, Skybeast Tracker, Spider Food, Sweettooth Witch, Tempt with Treats, The Witch's Vanity, Tough Cookie and Welcome to Sweettooth.
Food artifact.
Food artifact.
Food artifact.
Treasure artifact for Charming Scoundrel, Collector's Vault, Decadent Dragon, Discerning Financier, Flick a Coin, Korvold and the Noble Thief, Redcap Thief and That's Mine.
Monster Role aura enchantment with "Enchant creature" and "Enchanted creature gets +1/+1 and has trample." for Become Brutes, Curse of the Werefox, Faunsbane Troll, Guard Change, Monstrous Rage and Syr Armont, the Redeemer.
Sorcerer Role aura enchantment with "Enchant creature" and "Enchanted creature gets +1/+1 and has "Whenever this creature attacks, scry 1." for Living Lectern, Spellbook Vendor, Splashy Spellcaster and Unassuming Sage.
Royal Role aura enchantment with "Enchant creature" and "Enchanted creature gets +1/+1 and has ward ." for Bethroth the Beast, Charmed Clothier, Redtooth Genealogist and Royal Treatment.
Young Hero Role aura enchantment with "Enchant creature" and "Enchanted creature has "whenever this creature attacks, if its toughness is 3 or less, put a +1/+1 counter on it."" for Cut In, Embereth Veteran, Merry Bards, Protective Parents and Return Triumphant.
Cursed Role aura enchantment with "Enchant creature" and "Enchanted creature has base power and toughness 1/1." for Asinine Antics, Croaking Curse, Cursed Courtier, Diminisher Witch, Gadwick's First Duel and Spiteful Hexmage.
Wicked Role aura enchantment with "Enchant creature", "Enchanted creature gets +1/+1." and "When this Aura is put into a graveyard, each opponent loses 1 life." for Charming Scoundrel, Eriette's Whisper, Lord Skitter's Blessing, Not Dead After All, Price of Beauty, Shatter the Oath, Twisted Fealty, Twisted Sewer-Witch, The Witch’s Vanity and Witch’s Mark.
On an Adventure marker for Adventure cards.

Themes and mechanics[ | ]

Where the original Eldraine had a theme for both artifacts and enchantments, this time it trends heavier to the Enchantment themes.^[16] Food is also a major theme again, and this time it is a bit more aggressive, seeing multiple legendaries.^[17]

Adventures make a return, with adventurers getting new card types beyond creatures. Some of them are multicolor now.^[18]

Sagas also make up an important part of the set, now based on classic and re-imagined fairy tales.

Wilds of Eldraine introduces Bargain, a keyword ability that allows you to sacrifice an artifact, enchantment, or token as you cast the spell for an additional effect.^[19] Another new mechanic is Celebration, an ability word for abilities that trigger if two or more nonland permanents entered the battlefield under your control this turn. Several cards create new predefined tokens portrayed as Roles, aura enchantments that attach to creatures giving them different abilities, but only one role controlled by the same player can exist at the same time on a creature.

Card types[ | ]

Wilds of Eldraine introduces the Role aura enchantment type.^[16]

This set features one Planeswalker card: Ashiok, Wicked Manipulator. Going forward, the general intent is that there will be only one Planeswalker per set.^[17]^[20]

Rats get multiple cards and tribal support in , while Faeries get the same in . Other notable creature types are Nightmares, Mice, Giants and Satyrs.

Limited archetypes[ | ]

Wilds of Eldraine features the following Limited archetypes, each based on a well-known fairy tale:^[21]

: Tapping opponents' creatures - "The Frost Queen"^[22] ("The Snow Queen")^[16]
: Faerie control - "Enchanting Slumber"^[22] ("Sleeping Beauty")^[16]
: Rat token aggro - "The Dark Piper"^[22] ("The Pied Piper of Hamelin")^[16]
: "Ferocious" - "Ruby and the Wolf"^[22] ("Little Red Riding Hood")^[16]
: Enchanted creatures - "Armont & the Beasts"^[22] ("Beauty and the Beast")^[16]
: Bargain and sacrifice - "Pale as Snow"^[22] ("Snow White")^[16]
: Instants, sorceries, and Adventures - "The Magician's Misstep"^[22] ("The Sorcerer's Apprentice")^[16]
: Food - "Greta, Witch Hunter"^[22] ("Hansel and Gretel")^[16]
: Celebration aggro - "Brawl at the Grand Ball"^[22] ("Cinderella")^[16]
: Big Spells - "The Kingdom of Storms"^[22] ("Jack and the Beanstalk")^[16]

Cycles[ | ]

Cycle name
Adventure Virtues	Virtue of Loyalty // Ardenvale Fealty	Virtue of Knowledge // Vantress Visions	Virtue of Persistence // Locthwain Scorn	Virtue of Courage // Embereth Blaze	Virtue of Strength // Garenbrig Growth
Adventure Virtues	Five mythic enchantments named after a virtue and an Adventure spell named after the respective Court.^[23]
Uncommons sagas	The Princess Takes Flight	Gadwick's First Duel	The Witch's Vanity	Korvold and the Noble Thief	Welcome to Sweettooth
Uncommons sagas	Five uncommon sagas.
Cycle name
Restless manlands	Restless Fortress	Restless Spire	Restless Cottage	Restless Bivouac	Restless Vinestalk
Restless manlands	Five enemy color lands that can become creatures with an ability and grant a bonus when they attack.

Double cycles[ | ]

Cycle name
Gold signpost legendaries	Sharae of Numbing Depths	Obyra, Dreaming Duelist	Totentanz, Swarm Piper	Ruby, Daring Tracker	Syr Armont, the Redeemer	Neva, Stalked by Nightmares	Johann, Apprentice Sorcerer	Greta, Sweettooth Scourge	Ash, Party Crasher	Troyan, Gutsy Explorer
Gold signpost legendaries	Ten uncommon dual-colored legendary cards, each a signpost for a draft archetype.
Rare adventure creatures	Twining Twins () // Swift Spiral ()	Cruel Somnophage () // Can't Wake Up ()	Decadent Dragon () // Expensive Taste ()	Questing Druid () // Seek the Beast ()	Pollen-Shield Hare () // Hare Raising ()	Devouring Sugarmaw () // Have For Dinner ()	Scalding Viper () // Steam Clean ()	Mosswood Dreadknight () // Dread Whispers ()	Heartflame Duelist () // Heartflame Slash ()	Elusive Otter () // Grove's Bounty ()
Rare adventure creatures	Ten rare mono-colored creatures with adventure spells of a different color, rotating backwards around the color wheel.
Uncommon adventure creatures	Threadbind Clique () // Rip the Seams ()	Spellscorn Coven () // Take it Back ()	Callous Sell-Sword () // Burn Together ()	Picnic Ruiner () // Stolen Goodies ()	Woodland Acolyte () // Mend the Wilds ()	Shrouded Shepherd () // Cleave Shadows ()	Frolicking Familiar () // Blow Off Steam ()	Gingerbread Hunter () // Puny Snack ()	Imodane’s Recruiter () // Train Troops ()	Tempest Hart () // Scan the Clouds ()
Uncommon adventure creatures	Ten uncommon mono-colored creatures with adventure spells of a different color. The color of the creatures do not rotate around the color wheel.

Vertical cycle[ | ]

Cycle name
Witches' Boons	Eriette's Tempting Apple (Eriette)	Hylda's Crown of Winter (Hylda)	Agatha's Soul Cauldron (Agatha)
Witches' Boons	Three Legendary Artifacts that represent the boons granted to the trio of witches by Lord Talion, mentioned in brackets.

Pairs[ | ]

Mirrored pair		Description
Will, Scion of Peace ()	Rowan, Scion of War ()	Two mythic legendary creatures with one combat keyword, mirrored power and toughness, and a tap-requiring ability that reduces the cost of spells of their respective colors depending on the life gain/lost this turn. They depict the desparked Kenrith twins, who have each gained an allied color.
Hopeful Vigil ()	Hopeless Nightmare ()	Two common enchantments themed around "hope" that has an entry effect worth a card, a functional "dies" effect that scries 2, and a 2M activated ability that sacrifices the enchantment.

Reprinted cards[ | ]

Commune with Nature, first printed in Champions of Kamigawa, last seen in Mystery Booster.
Crystal Grotto, first printed in Dominaria United.
Disdainful Stroke, first printed in Khans of Tarkir, last seen in Streets of New Capenna.
Evolving Wilds, first printed in Rise of the Eldrazi, last seen in Lord of the Rings Commander.
Gingerbrute, first printed in Throne of Eldraine, last seen in Jumpstart.
Glass Casket, first printed in Throne of Eldraine.
Prophetic Prism, first printed in Rise of the Eldrazi, last seen in Commander Masters.
Sleight of Hand, first printed in Portal Second Age, last seen in Ultimate Masters.
Soul-Guide Lantern, first printed in Theros Beyond Death, last seen in Phyrexia: All Will Be One Commander.
Titanic Growth, first printed in Magic 2012, last seen in Phyrexia: All Will Be One.

Banned and restricted cards[ | ]

Up the Beanstalk is a card that generates card draw when casting expensive spells, subsidized by drawing a card itself. This usually is balanced as the engine is vulnerable when five mana is spent each turn to do so, and it risks being overrun before casting all the cards drawn. However, most larger formats have a multitude of cost-reduced spells, such as the engine offsetting the cost of Pitch spells, letting a Beanstalk player accelerate through their deck without losing on the tempo axis. While manaless spells and severe cost reduction are usually problematic and are the main issue, they make up the expected texture of the format and so Up the Beanstalk was the card banned in Modern in December 2023.