'Modern Horizons 3’ is an expensive, intriguing sequel to one of ‘Magic: the Gathering'’s best products

Until the wild success of its crossover with “The Lord of the Rings,” “Modern Horizons 2” was “Magic: the Gathering”’s best-selling product. Now, the world’s first trading card game is debuting its sequel — and it’s bigger and fancier than nearly anything before it.

“Modern Horizons 3” boasts nearly 1,000 unique card treatments in its booster packs and commander decks. It’s headlined by unknowable eldritch titans and cards representing the origins of some of the game’s main characters — powerful Planeswalkers that will likely become tournament staples. It caters to players who’ve followed the game for decades, with updates to memorable mechanics and reprints that have long fetched high prices on the secondary market.

After playing with the set early, I can say it’s as powerful as it looks — and that has me feeling both giddy and apprehensive.

The world anew

I was among the lucky few invited by Wizards of the Coast to preview “Modern Horizons 3” on Arena, Magic’s digital app, ahead of its physical release next week. I spent that time crushing draft tournaments and diving deep into the set’s intersecting mechanics.

The first thing I noticed: The format is speedier than the preceding set, “Outlaws of Thunder Junction.” While my games could last up to 20 minutes, they were often decided in their opening turns, thanks to aggressive creatures like Hexgold Slith and Eldrazi Linebreaker. If you survive to the mid-game, behemoths like Territory Culler can refill your hand and go toe-to-toe with the set’s biggest threats.

These synergies combine in dizzying ways: Horrid Shadowspinner attacks to return Sneaky Snackers from the graveyard; Kudo, King Among Bears cuts opposing creatures down to size while aiding modified creatures like Faithful Watchdog; Propagator Drone immediately evolves tiny tokens spawned by Glaring Fleshraker. These are just the obvious combinations; I look forward to discovering many more!

That complexity will intimidate casual players, but it suits my tastes. MH3 brings back modal dual-faced cards which smooth Magic’s most nettlesome problem: a system that requires decks to balance lands, the resources that pay for creatures and spells, which actually progress the game. The new set features 20 of these doubled lands/spells, and I love them so much I’ve upended one of my cubes (a hand-selected collection of draftable cards) to accommodate them.

Then come the Eldrazi — unknowable abominations that don’t obey the normal rules of Magic. While the game’s defined by its five colors of mana, many Eldrazi require you to essentially dip into a sixth — “colorless” mana. The archetype dominated constructed tournaments after its introduction in 2016’s Oath of the Gatewatch, but it was harder to execute in draft. MH3, by contrast, makes it so accessible that I drafted it more often than anything else.

Finally, there’s energy — a mechanic that introduces another resource to the game. Certain cards will grant energy counters which you can then spend for effects ranging from damage to buffs to card draw. Unlike mana, these counters don’t drain between steps, allowing you to store up for outrageous pay-offs like Chthonian Nightmare and Wrath of the Skies. I’m not nearly so galvanized by this mechanic, but I’m glad it’s returning this year — not only in this set, but also in a licensed “Fallout” Commander deck.

Consign to memory

Even as I admire many of MH3’s individual card designs, its overall power escalation worries me. As a product line, “Modern Horizons” has always shaken up established formats: from the original’s Hogaak, Arisen Necropolis, which terrorized tournament play in 2019, to “Modern Horizons 2”’s Ragavan, Nimble Pilferer, which still reigns today. I’m not sure which cards will break out of this most recent edition (early bets are on Ajani, Nacatl Pariah and Necrodominance), but by juicing new cards so much, I fear that old favorites may soon wither away.

I’m not just talking about the set’s rarest cards. MH3’s commons are so strong that they resemble rares from a decade ago; its uncommons would have convulsed the competitive scene five years ago. As Magic’s production accelerates and its mandate to produce more exciting cards continues, I worry about the overall sustainability of the hobby.

That’s not to mention the pricetag. The cost of Magic packs spiked this year after the introduction of new “Play Boosters,” which contain more rares and special collectible cards on average than the previous “Draft Boosters.” At roughly $8 a pack, “Modern Horizons 3” is nearly as expensive as Commander Masters, a 2023 product that drew criticism for its high cost. But Magic players are more enamored with “Modern Horizons 3,” and, judging from my own circle, much more resigned to the game’s ballooning power and price.

I get it. A new Magic product, particularly one this mechanically adventurous, always hits the community like a shot of adrenaline. I had fun with the set and I hope others do too. But I also understand players who complain that they’re exhausted by the breakneck pace. For all our sakes, I hope the temperature comes down just a little bit before the inevitable “Modern Horizons 4.”

Tips for Draft

“Modern Horizons 3” release events hit game stores this weekend. While I’m not a Pro Tour veteran like other reviewers, I am a draft obsessive with robust experience with the format. Here’s some wisdom distilled from my ten tournaments with the set: