The long wait is finally over and Magic: The Gathering's fall 2022 set has arrived. As players begin to grind through pre-release events and settle in for at least three months of The Brothers' War dominating the Limited draft format, they're going to have to become very familiar with the ins and outs of the new Standard legal set and all of the rules that come along with it.

Like just about every new Magic: The Gathering set, The Brothers' War brings a handful of brand-new mechanics to the collectible card game, along with a few returning mechanics (in addition to the usual evergreen mechanics found in every set). There's a big focus on artifacts this time around and some very flavorful rules to enhance the immersion surrounding that card type.

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Players should take a bit of time before their first Brothers' War event to study each of these new and returning mechanics and think about how they interact with the cards in this set and the other rules of the game. It's always much better to master a new concept before sitting down in a tournament that costs money to enter.

Prototype

Each prototype card includes two sets of characteristics: First, a larger default mana cost, power, and toughness. They're where you'd expect them to be on the card. A second set of characteristics exists as part of the prototype ability. There, you'll find an alternate mana cost and an alternate power and toughness.

As you cast a prototype card, you choose which set of characteristics you're using. This is a pretty flavorful mechanic that represents the multiple iterations that an invention goes through as it is being perfected. It's important to remember that either way it is cast, the artifact creature will have the other abilities in its text box.

The artifact creature will have the other abilities in its text box. Also keep in mind that if the card was cast as a Prototype, any copies of it would also be Prototypes.

Powerstones

Powerstones are a new kind of predefined token type, joining such favorites as Treasure, Food, and Clue. A Powerstone is a colorless artifact that can be tapped for one colorless mana. The mana produced by a Powerstone can't be spent to cast a nonartifact spell, but it can be spent on anything else. This includes artifact spells, activated abilities—even ones of nonartifacts—costs imposed by triggered abilities, any costs to attack or block you may have to pay, and so on.

Unearth

Our first returning mechanic is Unearth. MtG players who have been around for a while may remember this one...

Unearth is an activated ability that previously allowed creatures one more go on the battlefield. Unearth can be activated only while the card that has it is in the graveyard, and only as a sorcery. The unearthed permanent gains haste. If it would leave the battlefield before then, it's exiled instead.

Meld

Meld is a very unique mechanic and is unlikely to come up often in Limited play, but could be pretty relevant in Constructed matches that make use of the Brothers' War cards.

Meld allows specific pairs of cards, called meld pairs, to combine into a single giant permanent. There are three meld pairs in The Brothers' War, forming Urza, Mishra, and Titania.

That should cover all of the set-specific mechanics that are going to pop up in The Brothers' War. Take some time to watch the videos and study each before diving into any big tournaments. Be sure to check back for updates, news, and strategy guides in the coming weeks as the set arrives.

Magic: The Gathering is available now and The Brothers' War set releases November 18, 2022. Pre-release events will take place starting November 11. Other Magic sets are available now at game stores and digitally on Magic Arena.

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