Mystery Booster 2 reveals include a fix for one of MTG’s oldest mistakes

❘ Published: 2024-08-09T15:19:50

WotC

Magic: The Gathering’s Mystery Booster 2 set has ignited the curiosity of the whole MTG community, dropping unexpectedly and being currently unavailable to the player base at large.

With the cards being so far exclusive to GenCon, and releasing at future Magic Cons (plus Festival in a Box), MTG players are relying on lucky convention attendees to scope out all the reveals and reprints from this thoroughly unexpected bonus set.

We’ll keep you updated on the latest reveals from Mystery Booster 2, so check back for more boundary-pushing playtest cards, returns of old favorites, and more.

Mystery Booster 2 MTG reveals

Subgoyf

The Lhurgoyf Creature type has received a big boost of support in MTG’d Modern Horizons 3 set, returning after many unsupported years in the wilderness.

While the Eldrazi were the unquestioned star of Modern Horizons 3’s main set, Lhurgoyfs reigned supreme in the Graveyard Overdrive Commander deck, gesturing both classic Lhurgoyfs and several new members for the archetype.

Just like with the Eldrazi Kozilek, Completed, Subgoyf shows that MTG’d designers still have interest in these renewed archetypes, even with Modern Horizons 3 come and gone.

Lhurgoyfs usually gain power based on the total number of specific cards in the grave, and Subgoyf is no different. This card is boosted based on the number of subtypes in the grave, which can include Equipment, Auras, and more. Subtypes-matter is unexplored design space for MTG, and could well return in a few premier sets if Subgoyf is received well.

Spuzzem Strategist

An in-joke for the long-term MTG fan, Spuzzem Strategist plays off an awkward wording choice from Magic’s early days.

The card Floral Spuzzem’s original printing included the phrase ‘Floral Spuzzem may choose to’ as opposed to the expected ‘you may’. The community was quick to leap on this, insinuating that Floral Spuzzem had a mind of its own and would be making its own decisions, irrespective of its player’s game plan.

Spuzzem Strategist effectively acts as a tongue-in-cheek fix for the original Floral Spuzzem wording all these years later, allowing players to step in and bring those unruly Spuzzems to heel.

Zone of Flame

A new chip-damage option that can be exploited to deal massive amounts of burn to opponents.

While the mana value of 4RRR is pretty exorbitant, with the right planning this card can turn one player’s fortune or misfortune into a devastating blow for everyone at the table but you.

For example, enchanting the battlefield before swarming it with tokens, or an opponent’s grave before executing a devastating wrath effect, Zone of Flame can be a huge thorn in other players’ sides.

Zone of Flame’s status as an Enchantment also means that you can’t ever take your eye off of this card until it’s removed for good.

Plain Walker

A resurgence of MTG’s ‘walk’ ability, Plain Walker forgoes simple effects like Swampwalk and Islandwalk for the more complex (and hilariously named) Planeswalkerwalk.

Previous variants of the walk ability punished players running specific colors of mana, but Plain Walker has beef with any players daring to stack their libraries with Planeswalker cards, such as decks headed up by Commander Masters’ Commodore Guff.

Plain Walker also makes use of the Planechase game type, which will be welcome news for anyone who invested in Universes Beyond: Doctor Who and found the lack of continuing support for Planechase to be a real disappointment.