Magic’s next Universes Beyond set is heading there and back again to Middle Earth. The Hobbit (HOB), and its companion eternal-only set (HOC) launch in August, and unlike The Lord of the Rings: Tales of Middle Earth, it is Standard legal. Grab a second breakfast, because this set will be staying on the kitchen table for a while
A smaller set with a bigger format footprint
HOB is a tighter release than LTR, sitting at 198 cards, but it’s Standard, Pioneer, Modern and Eternal legal. HOC covers Commander, Legacy and Vintage instead, home to Scene Box cards and other borderless exclusives. It’s a clean split on paper, though whether 198 cards will be enough to prop up real Standard archetypes (Dwarf tribal, we’re looking at you) is still an open question.
Adventure returns
The Hobbit’s headline mechanic is Adventure, last seen in Eldraine. Each Adventure card gives you two spells in one: cast the cheaper instant or sorcery half first, then it exiles itself so you can cast the creature or artifact side later from exile. It’s essentially two cards for the price of one, and it fits Bilbo’s story nicely, since half the fun of The Hobbit is a small, unassuming character growing into something bigger.
Cards to watch
Smaug the Magnificent is the obvious centrepiece, a Treasure-spewing mythic dragon who’s also the set’s chase card in Gleaming Gold foil, capped at approximately 500 copies worldwide. Thorin, Mountain-king looks like a genuine equipment payoff, rewarding you for attaching gear to creatures as they enter the battlefield, so anyone building around Swords and Cloaks should take note.
However, it’s The Arkenstone // Seek the Heart that I keep coming back to. In the book, the Arkenstone is what turns Thorin’s quest into obsession, the moment greed starts to win. Telling that story through an Adventure card, where you cast the “seeking” half before the stone itself ever hits the battlefield, is a clever use of the mechanic to mirror the temptation at the heart of the story.
READ MORE: MTG Marvel Super Heroes: Our favourite cards from the new set
No Commander decks, but Scene Boxes are back
There are no traditional Commander precons in this release, but that’s not unheard of, Avatar and Spider-Man skipped them too. The good news is that two scene boxes have already been announced, and despite the details being scarce, they’re looking great. Crack the Plates and Treasures of Smaug each pack three Play Boosters and six playable foil Scene cards, though the exact cards haven’t been spoiled yet.
When and how to get it
Prerelease for The Hobbit will run from August 7 to 13, with global tabletop release on August 14. Alongside Play Boosters and Collector Boosters, you’ll find Standard and Gift Bundles, a 4-player Draft Night Box, the two Scene Boxes, and five single-colour Welcome Decks for newer players.
It’s likely that more cards will be announced as the launch date approaches. I’m personally hoping for a Bullroarer Took card. Specifically featuring him mid-swing as he knocks the head off the goblin king, Golfimbu, thus inventing the game of golf. But maybe that’s asking too much.
