Magic: The Gathering Drive to Work Podcast #1284: Top 20 Most Influential Expansions, Part 2
Oct 10, 2025
In this part of the series, influential Magic expansions take center stage. Antiquities marks the first mechanical theme, setting the stage for a rich narrative. War of the Spark dazzles with 36 planeswalkers and innovative mechanics. Dominaria reframes the historic plane with artifacts and legends, while Theros dives into Greek mythology with its unique gods and devotion mechanic. Legends introduces multicolored cards and inspires Commander gameplay. Odyssey focuses on graveyards, and Zendikar brings landfall and allies into the spotlight.
AI Snips
Chapters
Books
Transcript
Episode notes
Antiquities Kickstarted Themed Sets
- Antiquities was built quickly by early playtesters as Magic's first mechanically themed expansion centered on artifacts.
- It also introduced story elements that launched the Brothers' War narrative and experimented with alternate art and design ideas.
Planeswalkers As A Set Focus
- War of the Spark centralized planeswalkers and reimagined how they function as cards, including static abilities and uncommon walkers.
- It used proliferate and amass to tie counters and armies into a planeswalker-focused narrative.
Label Mechanics To Communicate Theme
- When reviving a classic plane, pick a clear theme that modern players can grasp quickly.
- Use explicit labels or batching (e.g., "historic") to teach players what counts and unify mechanics.
