Chrome CompanionChrome Companion | Art by Gray Highsmith

A couple days before Magic players everywhere get to tear open prerelease kits and sink their teeth into Edge of Eternities, I participated in the MTG Arena early access event for the upcoming set.

This is the first event like this I've ever participated in and it was an absolute blast! I was able to try out several decks ahead of the upcoming Standard rotation, which happens on July 29th, as well as participate in a lot of drafts.

For the first time in a while, I got to draft a new Magic set without reading a single guide or listening to a single review podcast. It was both extraordinarily daunting and exciting!

Limited

I don't consider myself to be a particularly proficient drafter, especially going blind into a new set, but I ended up drafting a lot of really sweet decks over the course of the event.

My first time through, I just picked cards that looked reasonable, followed the heuristics that I learned from the many Magic players that are much better than me, and ended up with an Orzhov () midrange deck that definitely didn't adhere to the theme of the colors in this set. That deck only managed a meager two wins before suffering three losses. Here it is:

I tried to force the Izzet () artifacts archetype a couple of times to little success. It seems that just about everyone was fighting over premium uncommons, like Mm'menon, Uthros ExileMm'menon, Uthros Exile.

On one attempt, I got a pack one, pick one Tezzeret, Cruel CaptainTezzeret, Cruel Captain and picked up a copy of The EndstoneThe Endstone for what shaped up to be an incredibly interesting deck.

The EndstoneThe Endstone turned out to be a much more powerful card than I anticipated, buying countless turns in the late game against decks that struggled over and over again to deal 10 damage in a single turn all while I spent turn after turn improving my board state.

Often the only concern I had with The Endstone in play was the genuine possibility that I would lose to decking out before killing my opponent.

Standard

Compared to Limited, I feel much more at home in 60-card formats. Standard is the next RCQ (Regional Championship Qualifier) format, so my attention has been on Standard more than usual lately.

The first deck on my agenda for post-rotation Standard was Azorius () control. I'm happy to report that Edge of Eternities has improved my beloved control deck by leaps and bounds. The card I most wanted to try in the archetype was Consult the Star ChartsConsult the Star Charts, an instant that serves as both a two-mana cantrip and a four mana Stock UpStock Up that you can cast at instant speed.

Actually, I'd say this card is a lot better than Stock UpStock Up in the context of a draw-go control deck as I never had to worry about tapping out during my turn and leaving myself defenseless when sculpting my hand in the early game.

The other standout card from Edge of Eternities for control is Seam RipSeam Rip. This enchantment is functionally identical to Portable HolePortable Hole with one major difference: its an enchantment.

That's significant for a couple reasons. One, Seam RipSeam Rip doesn't get exiled by Pinnacle StarcagePinnacle Starcage, this set's replacement for the recently rotated Temporary LockdownTemporary Lockdown. Two, Seam Rip can't be targeted by Abrade, one of red's best sideboard cards against artifacts like Portable HolePortable Hole.

In the ten or so games I played with Azorius control, only one deck was able to fell this beast of a deck. With all that in mind, I think my deck for the upcoming RCQ season just chose itself for me.

Conclusion

The Edge of Eternities early access event was without a doubt one of the coolest experiences of my Magic career! I'm so thankful to both Wizards of the Coast and EDHREC for allowing me the opportunity to participate.

During this event, I got to play games against a lot of players that I look up to. I'll be the first to admit that I was totally star struck when I queued up for my second draft game and was paired against Paul Cheon himself.

If you're looking for a wacky Limited environment that produces dynamic and sometimes downright silly games, I think you'll love this draft format. I look forward to attending one in-person, although I will miss the Star Trek-esque music and sound effects from Arena while playing with this set in paper.

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