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Magic: The Gathering Returns to Marvel With Darkhold Destiny
ReMagic: The Gathering Returns to Marvel With Darkhold Destiny
Wizards of the Coast announced Darkhold Destiny, its third Marvel crossover set for Magic: The Gathering, at New York Comic Con. The 2027 expansion features an original story pitting Doctor Strange, Thor, and Ghost Rider against Dormammu and Hela, with new mechanics and four Commander decks.
Wizards of the Coast unveiled Darkhold Destiny, its third Marvel crossover set for Magic: The Gathering, during a panel at New York Comic Con. The expansion is scheduled to launch on April 9, 2027, and will be the first Universes Beyond set of that year. Unlike the previous Spider-Man and Marvel Super Heroes crossovers, Darkhold Destiny features an original story written in-house by Wizards of the Coast, allowing the publisher to treat Marvel characters as part of Magic's own multiverse.
The set's narrative centers on Dormammu and Hela, who use the Darkhold to invade the entire multiverse. Doctor Strange, Thor, and other Marvel heroes must stop them. Because the story revolves around spellcasting artifacts and characters, the set places heavy emphasis on instants, sorceries, and unique enchantments. The spellcasting is divided into three thematic schools: Arcane magic, associated with Doctor Strange and his allies; Divine magic, wielded by the Asgardians and similar entities; and Dark magic, primarily used by villains, though some heroes like Ghost Rider will also wield it.
Wizards of the Coast is bringing back the Arcane subtype on instants and sorceries for the first time since Saviors of Kamigawa in 2005. The set also introduces a new mechanic called Vengeance, an Adventure-like feature that lets players cast spells from their graveyard and return the permanent it is attached to back to the battlefield. The original story was co-created by designers at Marvel and Wizards of the Coast, and a brand-new character created for the set will be introduced in a Marvel Infinity comic series starting in February. A second comic will arrive closer to the set's launch.
Darkhold Destiny will be available in standard Booster Packs, Collector Boosters, and Bundles, along with four pre-constructed Commander decks. The decks are Strange Academy in White, Blue, and Black; Gods of Asgard in White, Red, and Green; Midnight Sons in White and Black; and Lords of Hel in Black and Red. Each Commander deck will also have a collector's edition available entirely in foils. Two scene boxes, each containing six mechanically unique cards, will be released, and both the Bundle and the special Gift Bundle will include a mechanically unique promo card.
During the hour-long panel, multiple cards were shown, including Magic, who transforms into Darkchild, Gargantos, and the titular Darkhold. The set's art direction gives Wizards' artists more license to create their own takes on Marvel characters. For example, Scarlet Witch, who appeared in a fairly standard comic-book style in the Marvel Super Heroes set, now looks much more like a Magic: The Gathering character while retaining signature elements of her outfit, such as her mask.
Darkhold Destiny will launch on April 9, 2027, in big-box retailers and local game stores. It follows Spider-Man and Marvel Super Heroes as the third Marvel crossover for Magic: The Gathering, and it marks a shift toward original storytelling within the Universes Beyond line. The set's focus on spellcasting and its return to the Arcane subtype are likely to appeal to longtime players, while the Marvel characters and original narrative aim to draw in fans of the comics and films.
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