#standard format

With the debut of "Lorwyn Eclipsed", and when it releases later this month, there are now 13 sets in Standard. They cover expansions 97-109. Matching each set with its corresponding card collector numbers, there are 5 noncreature spells, 3 legendary creatures, and the 5 nonlegendary creatures shown above. I am so thankful that ECL's matching card was revealed on the first day of spoilers.

Anyway, I was thinking, if you out there want a random writing challenge, why not write a story or stories featuring the above going on a trip through the multiverse for as long as nonplaneswalkers are able to do so.

We have here the:

Rattleback Apothecary, a snake-bodied gorgon warlock from Thunder Junction, who specializes in potions to give anything from liquid courage to liquid murder.

Moonstone Harbinger, a bat warrior from Bloomburrow, whose moonstone weapon can absorb twilight.

Devoted Duelist, a goblin monk from Tarkir, who has no problem deflecting arrows shot in his direction.

Lurking Lizard, a lizard villain from an unknown plane, who arrived on Tarkir via an Omenpath, and came across the goblin monk.

Moonglove Extractor, an elf warlock from Lorwyn who, of course, is carrying moonglove extract.

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These are your characters in this little multiverse-hopping adventure party. The party is obviously not balanced. There is no white cleric or blue wizard here. You have three black-aligned characters plus a red goblin and a green lizard.

This is just something nagging at the back of mind and something I would like to offer all you writers out there for 2026. Remember, it's just a random writing exercise.

How do they all meet? The Gorgon and the Bat first? Then on to Tarkir for the Goblin and the Lizard? And then on to Lorwyn for the Elf? Do they all meet at the same time somewhere?

Magic the Gathering Standard Expansions 103-108:

Aetherdrift

Tarkir: Dragonstorm

Final Fantasy

Edge of Eternities

Marvel's Spider-Man

Avatar: The Last Airbender

Magic the Gathering Standard Year-in-Review (sort of):

We've had six Standard expansion sets this year, three in-Multiverse and three Universes Beyond.

The three in-Multiverse sets:

Aetherdrift set out to try a set that featured both Mounts and Vehicles prominently, as well as, feature three different planes in one set. Lore-wise, the set ended with Loot, the Fomori child, being reunited with Jace, and Winter being sent back to Duskmourn.

Tarkir: Dragonstorm saw a return to the plane of Tarkir, which had gone through a rebellion of the clans against the dragonlords. Lore-wise, it ended with Jace releasing Nicol Bolas from his prison on the Meditation Plane and, seemingly, rewriting history/reality.

Edge of Eternities gave us a new area of the Multiverse, or outside the Multiverse, to explore. The Edge sits outside the collection of planes known as the Multiverse, bordering the Blind Eternities. The Edge is basically Magic's version of outer space and the space opera. The set saw Tezzeret return to the story and gave us some new things to ponder such as a potential return of the Eldrazi or the Slivers, and the introduction of the Vaar, a race that went into hiding during a past incursion of the Eldrazi. However, the set did not touch on the story of Jace, Vraska, and Loot.

The three Universes Beyond sets:

These three sets were Final Fantasy, Marvel's Spider-Man, and Avatar: The Last Airbender.

Final Fantasy didn't really click with me because I've never played any of the FF games, so I wasn't invested much. Plus, this set sees the start of some serious power creep into the format that I'm not fond of. (Power Creep really began with the two planeswalkers in Tarkir: Dragonstorm.)

Marvel's Spider-Man was a bit of fun but even saying that is a bit of a stretch. I love Marvel and its characters but I'm not a big follower of Spider-Man. I think the set focusing on the Spider-Verse was not a good idea. As an older MTG player, a nod to past Spider-Man media would have been nice. I would have loved to see Iceman and Firestar in this set so you could build a Spider-Man and His Amazing Friends deck.

Avatar: The Last Airbender was more fun than Spider-Man. Even though I'm not familiar with the story, I am familiar with the property. I've leaned toward Earthbending decks as well as trying to find ways to use Lo and Li, Twin Tutors.

January - Lorwyn Eclipsed

March - Unannounced Universes Beyond (to be revealed at NYCC 10/10)

April - Secrets of Strixhaven

June - Marvel's Super Heroes

August - MTG x The Hobbit

October - Reality Fracture

Two weeks left to play cards from the New Phyrexia arc.

Sets rotating out are:

Dominaria United

The Brothers' War

Phyrexia: All Will Be One

March of the Machine

March of the Machine: Aftermath.

Standard Format Bans for Monday, June 30th.