The fan favourite plane of Tarkir has a complicated history but hopefully the clans have a better run this time round.
The beaten and battered clans of Tarkir just can’t catch a break as they struggle against the storm to restore their former glory. You’ll need to get acquanted with these clans if you want to survive on Tarkir. Each comes with it’s own colourful characters and histories reflecting a different combination of the mana symbols.
This is the first time we’ve returned to the plane of Tarkir since way back in 2015. The popularity of old Tarkir did much to reinvigorate Magic in those days. Expensive fetch lands and bannable mechanics like Delve left a strong impression on players. The five clans were a big hit and to this day people continue to reference decks with clan names depsite no discernable link to Tarkir.
Sadly the way the story developed with the destruction and subjugation of each clan by a tyrannical Dragonlord left many fans disappointed. Wizards of the Coast seems to have acknowledged this with Tarkir: Dragonstorm and the glory of the old is being restored with in this new set.
Let’s jump into each of the five clans so you can find your kinfolk and come to know your enemy.
The Abzan Houses reflect endurance, duty and familial kinship, their fortified homes stand as impenetrable fortresses on the vast desert plains of Tarkir. Abzan’s colours are white, black and green
Endure is their signature mechanic. When a creature with ‘Endure X’ triggers you can either put X +1/+1 counters on the creature or create a X/X spirit creature token. The Abzan place a strong emphasis on duty, as an ancestor spirit of the Abzan clan one is often asked to serve and endure even in death!
The newly selected Khan of House Abzan is Felothar, a heroic leader bolstering the defensive ranks of the Abzan with +1/+1 counters every time she enters the battlefield or attacks, just sacrifice one of those spirit tokens from the Endure mechanic.
Cards such as PERENNATION are a great addition for commander decks sporting Abzan colours, and run this with ENTOMB or similar effects to really upset your table.
The once decadent Sultai Brood work in the shadows of Tarkir, ruthless and efficient they let nothing go to waste, not even the flesh of their own. Sultai’s colours are black, green and blue.
The signature mechanic of the Sultai is Renew, where the flesh and essence of fallen clan members are recycled with necromancy as seen in NAGA FLESHCRAFTER.
Kotis, the Fangkeeper guides the Sultai’s machinations, seeking to dispense with the decadent ways of the past and purse a more prosperous future for his clan.
The Sultai’s best commander card may just be the dragon TEVAL, ARBITER OF VIRTUE. A commander deck built around this absolute powerhouse of a creature is sure to be the terror of the table.
Delve is a very powerful mechanic that saw multiple bans after it’s inception. Delve reduces the casting cost for every card exiled from your graveyard. Casting cost reduction effects are always powerful in Magic and there’s no shortage of ways to fill your graveyard with fuel.
The Mardu Horde are nomadic raiders who overwhelm their enemy with superior numbers and swift lighting attacks. Mardu’s colours are red, white and black.
The signature mechanic of the Mardu is Mobilize, whenever a creature attacks a number of 1/1 attacking warrior tokens are also created. Sadly the tokens are lost at the end of the turn, that is unless you have Zurgo, Thunder’s Decree in play!
ZURGO THUNDER'S DECREE once a lowly bell striker under the rule of the Dragonlord Kolaghan, now commands the Mardu Horde, the largest army Tarkir has ever known.
Mardu is packed with fast and efficient cards like TERSA LIGHTSHATTER. Tersa can attack immediately and rack up some extra card advantage under certain conditions. I’m currently running two copies of Tersa with much success in my standard aggro deck.
For Mardu commanders there’s also the banger, VOICE OF VICTORY. Chuck that in your deck so you can enjoy your attack phase in peace. Make sure you riff on that air guitar every single time your opponent forgets you have it in play.
For the mystics, monks and martial artists of the Jeskai Way, the start of any battle begins in the mind. The Jeskai also keep the memory of Tarkir safe, the history, the secrets and all possible futures. Jeskai’s colours are blue, red and white.
The signature mechanic of the Jeskai is Flurry, an ability that triggers whenever you cast your second spell each turn. Many Jeskai cards have synergy with chaining spells together but CORI-STEEL CUTTER is a whole package of value on one card.
The Jeskai are led by the Waymaster Narset. Once a powerful planeswalker, Narset lost her ability to planeswalk during Phyrexia’s invasion of the multiverse and now devotes her incredible mental prowess to deciphering Tarkir’s secrets.
The Temur Frontier are rugged wilderness experts who survive the frigid wastes living in the skeletal remains of ancient dragons. Temur’s colours are green, blue and red.
The Temur signature mechanic is Harmonize. Cards with Harmonize get double duty as you can cast them again from your graveyard, the cost is even reducible if you tap a fellow creature. This can be an explosive turn with a card like Wild Ride, especially with the Burn Together combo.
The Temur Frontier is led by Eshki Dragonclaw, a formidable hunter who freed her people from the tyranny of Dragonlord Atarka.
Several cards in Tarkir: Dragonstorm also feature a new combination of hybrid mana. The Temur card Dragonclaw Strike demonstrates this. It's quite a good take on spreading cards across the colour pie. While you wouldn’t want to be casting this for six mana, it helps to have options when you’re missing a colour either by design or mana screw (not drawing the right land cards).
The original five Moxes are some of the most powerful and expensive cards of all time. Tarkir: Dragonstorm has the revered honour of adding the 11th Mox to Magic, the Mox Jasper. While clearly powered down from the original set, Jasper still represents a powerful and sought after effect for dragon commanders.
Furthermore, Tarkir: Dragonstorm has 500 very limited serialized Mox Jaspers found exclusively in collector boosters. Anyone lucky enough (not me) to pull such a card can expect it to fetch a hefty price. Wealthy dragons the world over will be coveting your treasure assuming you want to even part with it.
If you’re new to Magic The Gathering and wondering where to start, there is no wrong answer really. I recommend a preconstructed commander deck as a good starting point, there’s one for each of the Tarkir clans.
Once you find your clan kin, your local friendly game store can get you shuffled up in no time!
MAGIC THE GATHERING TARKIR: DRAGONSTORM cards were provided to SIFTER for the purposes of this review.
