Magic Arena: What to look out for in Theros Beyond Death in Standard

With Theros Beyond Death arriving in Magic Arena next week, we take a look at the new set and what to do to edit your decks.

Theros Beyond Death will return to the Greek mythology-inspired plane of Theros, originally seen in the fall of 2013. When Theros Beyond Death rejoins the standard rotation it will bring with it a new mechanic and some old favorites. This article will give an insight into the set as well as what you can look to do to edit your decks when the time comes.

Escape is a new mechanic that allows you to re-cast cards with Escape by exiling a set number of cards from your graveyard. Some cards have abilities that revolve around Escape, such as coming back stronger or triggering an ability only on the Escape trigger; others don’t have much to offer, outside of just being able to use the card again.

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Constellation

Constellation is a returning mechanic in Theros Beyond Death. Constellation is a key word that is activated when an enchantment enters the battlefield. Enchantment creatures, much like artifact creatures in other sets will also trigger these abilities due to the dual nature of the card. As constellation will only trigger once an enchantment enters the battlefield, blue players will want to value their counterspells that they have available to make sure this mechanic doesn’t get too out of hand.

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Devotion

The final returning mechanic in Theros Beyond Death is Devotion. Devotion takes into account the total number of colored mana symbols among permanents you control. This can lead to Enchantment creatures like some of the returning God cards, to actually be considered creatures as long as you maintain your devotion. In cards like Daxos, Blessed by the Sun, it can directly affect a creature’s power and/or toughness.

Wizards of the Coast

When Theros Beyond Death releases on Magic Arena on January 16th, players can expect enchantments to be front and center in strategies. White players will want to put a lot of value into enchantment removal if they want to maintain their hold on the current standard meta. Black and Blue players can expect a new surge of support with exile manipulation and mill mechanics. All in all, Theros Beyond Death is certainly shaping up to be a set of mythic proportions.