Since being announced in August of 2022, March of the Machine: The Aftermath has been somewhat odd. Comprised of only 50 cards, and with six-card Epilogue Boosters, it’s safe to say this Standard-legal set is unique. This has left some players skeptical about its existence, however, following March of the Machine’s launch, hype is nevertheless building.
Supposedly providing massive consequences, which the Phyrexian Arc was seemingly missing, there’s a lot riding on March of the Machine: The Aftermath. Thankfully for concerned players, it seems they needn’t be worried, as March of the Machine: The Aftermath has consequences galore. Considering the set’s story doesn’t begin until the 1st of May, technically, we shouldn’t know this quite yet. Thanks to a new massive leak, however, all has been revealed.
As you might expect from the title and our intro spiel, in this article, we’ll be discussing and dissecting a few of the spoilers, predominantly from a story perspective. Subsequently, if you’re waiting patiently for Wizards’ grand reveal, it might be time to tune out. After all, in this article, we’ll be diving deep into the spoilers and their massive story implications. That is to say, consider this your official spoiler warning before we dive into the news!
Additionally, since this leak is, well, a leak, it’s important to note that these details may be fake. As we’ll get to shortly, however, this leak appears to be legitimate, as it showcases an entire Collector Booster Box being opened. Subsequently, throughout this article, we’ll be treating this leak as if it’s genuine.
March of the Machine: The Aftermath Leaked
Thankfully, unlike past leaks that have dubiously shown a stack of unreleased cards, this leak appears legit. As, throughout a video by YouTuber oldschoolmtg, a sealed March of the Machine: The Aftermath Collector Booster box is opened. Technically, this video can be faked, however, this possibility seems incredibly unlikely. As not only is the product sealed in shrink wrap, but the foil treatments also appear to be genuine. Subsequently, as stated above, we’ll be considering this leak genuine during this article.
To get right into the leaks, within their very first back, oldschoolmtg showcases quite the bombshell reveal. Finding
Nissa, Resurgent Animist
Nissa, Resurgent Animist
Landfall — Whenever a land you control enters, add one mana of any color. Then if this is the second time this ability has resolved this turn, reveal cards from the top of your library until you reveal an Elf or Elemental card. Put that card into your hand and the rest on the bottom of your library in a random order.
, it appears that, as predicted, many of Magic’s iconic Planeswalkers have lost their spark. While this was teased in March of the Machine’s story and revealed early by box art, it’s nevertheless a shock. Seeing Nissa as just a Legendary Creature with a wall of text and abilities… just looks strange.
Alongside Nissa, throughout oldschoolmtg’s video, several other de-sparked Planeswalkers were showcased. Each of these cards can easily be identified by the de-sparked Planeswalker symbol within their text box. The fact that they’re legendary creatures and not the usual Planeswalker design is also a major giveaway. In any case, looks aside, five de-sparked Planeswalkers were showcased throughout the video from oldschoolmtg. These characters are: Kiora, Narset, Nissa, Samut, and Sarkhan.
For better or worse, it appears that Planeswalkers getting de-sparked doesn’t end there. Judging by box art for March of the Machine: The Aftermath, at least, two more Planeswalkers are getting de-sparked. These now former Planeswalkers are Nahiri, who has somehow managed to get un-compleated, and Karn. While the appearance of these characters seems all but guaranteed, their cards haven’t been leaked thus far.
March of the Machine: The Aftermath Cards
While the tantalizing story reveals understandably piqued players’ interest across social media, they’re hardly the only details during this leak. These cards are, after all, mostly new Magic: the Gathering cards, with unique and powerful abilities to dissect and analyze. To get the mostly out of the way first, within their video, oldschoolmtg revealed a reprint of
Training Grounds
Training Grounds
Activated abilities of creatures you control cost {2} less to activate. This effect can't reduce the mana in that cost to less than one mana.
. First released in Rise of Eldrazi, this card currently costs around $31 on TCGplayer, making it quite the potential pull.
Accompanying this classic reprint, oldschoolmtg also leaked plenty of new cards that are worth getting excited about. The de-sparked Planeswalker
Narset, Enlightened Exile
Narset, Enlightened Exile
Creatures you control have prowess.
Whenever Narset attacks, exile target noncreature, nonland card with mana value less than Narset's power from a graveyard and copy it. You may cast the copy without paying its mana cost.
is undoubtedly one of these cards. Alongside granting all your creatures Prowess, this new Narset lets you copy and cast spells from your graveyard. While this ability is dependent on Narset’s power, the blanket Prowess will ensure that ability is a major threat.
Alongside this powerful incarnation of Narset, oldschoolmtg leaked a pair of powerful lords from March of the Machine: The Aftermath. The first of these,
Coppercoat Vanguard
Coppercoat Vanguard
Each other Human you control gets +1/+0 and has ward {1}. (Whenever it becomes the target of a spell or ability an opponent controls, counter it unless that player pays {1}.)
, provides other humans with +1/+0 and Ward 1. While this ability is useful but not game-breaking, the other lord is more exciting. Providing +1/+1 to Vampires this time,
Markov Baron
Markov Baron
Convoke (Your creatures can help cast this spell. Each creature you tap while casting this spell pays for {1} or one mana of that creature's color.)
Lifelink
Other Vampires you control get +1/+1.
Madness {2}{B} (If you discard this card, discard it into exile. When you do, cast it for its madness cost or put it into your graveyard.)
also has Convoke, Lifelink, and Madness.
At just 2 CMC each, both these lords should excite Commander and Brawl players alike. These cards, however, are hardly the only ones to have this effect. Layline Immersion, for instance, similarly delighted players with its protective and ramping possibilities. Enchanting a legendary creature with Ward 2, and allowing it to tap for five mana, Leyline Immersion obviously has potential. That is so long as you can stomach the drawback of the 3G casting cost.
Mixed Reception of the Machine
Ultimately, the reactions to oldschoolmtg’s video have been rather mixed across social media. On one hand, many MTG players have, understandably, been tremendously excited about the earlier-than-expected reveals. Not to mention all the interesting cards such as the sea monster tribal-enabling
Kiora, Sovereign of the Deep
Kiora, Sovereign of the Deep
Vigilance, ward {3}
Whenever you cast a Kraken, Leviathan, Octopus, or Serpent spell from your hand, look at the top X cards of your library, where X is that spell's mana value. You may cast a spell with mana value less than X from among them without paying its mana cost. Put the rest on the bottom of your library in a random order.
. On the other hand, however, others have been rather dismissive of March of the Machine: The Aftermath. YouTube user KorKy_CCG, for instance, suggested that from these spoilers, it “looks like [the set] will flop pretty badly.
Thankfully for pessimistic players, not all of March of the Machine: The Aftermath has been revealed in this one video. Instead, oldschoolmtg only showcased roughly 36 of the set’s 50 total cards. Subsequently, there should still be a good deal to look forward to during the set’s official spoiler season. Alongside these official spoilers, MTG players can also look forward to March of the Machine: The Afteramth’s story episodes.
Starting on May 1st, these episodes should hopefully explain the Phyrexian Arc’s consequences in greater detail. Hopefully, we’ll also get an explanation about why and how so many Planeswalkers lost their sparks. Just how much will be revealed, however, remains to be seen, as, like it or not, we still have to wait for now.
Read More: Early March of the Machine Commons Boast Awesome Limited Value