<p style="text-align: right;"><em>Fleem, Goben's Creation | Art by <a href="https://www.cosmicdaydream.studio/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Nicholas Gregory</a></em></p>
<p>It's no secret that I'm excited to get my hands on cards from the upcoming <em>Marvel's Spider-Man</em> set. I've written a lot of articles covering a wide variety of legends from the set, many of which I plan on adding to my personal collection.</p>
<p>In the days leading up to the prerelease weekend for the set, I got to channel some of that excitement by participating in the early access event for <em>Through the Omenpaths</em> on <em>Magic: the Gathering Arena</em>. This is the second of these events I've taken part in, and I'd like to thank the folks at <em>Wizards of the Coast</em> for having me back!</p>
<p><em>Through the Omenpaths</em> is a digital-only set that features all of the cards from the <em>Marvel's Spider-Man</em> set but with card names and artwork set in the <em>Magic</em> universe. Each mechanically unique card having two different names and artworks was definitely difficult, as I couldn't really rely on my visual memory when drafting. However, I actually prefer many of the <em>Through the Omenpaths</em> cards to their paper counterparts when considered in a vacuum.</p>
<p>Lots of <em>Magic</em> characters from all over the game's history can be found in this set, and I felt almost as "at home" as I did with <em>Tarkir: Dragonstorm</em> because of it.</p>
<h2>Limited</h2>
<p>I was incredibly confident going into my first <em>Through the Omenpaths</em> Draft. After all, I've spent the last couple of months poring over the cards in <em>Marvel's Spider-Man</em>, and thinking about their different applications in limited. There were two archetypes I was excited for in particular: Azorius (<span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-u" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-w" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span>) modified and Gruul (<span class="mana-container-container"><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-r" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span><span class="mana-container"><i class="ms ms-cost ms-g" style="margin-left: inherit !important;"></i></span></span>) big spells.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Rhino, Barreling Brute"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Wraith, Vicious Vigilante"></div></div>
<p>All that confidence was crushed as I looked at my first pack and realized that making the connection in my brain between these cards I'd never seen before and their paper equivalents was not going to be the walk in the park I expected.</p>
<p>Despite that, I managed to cobble together what felt like a pretty mediocre version of the Azorius modified archetype I was so excited about.</p>
<p><a href="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/UW-Modified-Deck.png"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone wp-image-165039" src="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/UW-Modified-Deck-300x137.png" alt="" width="883" height="404" srcset="https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/UW-Modified-Deck-300x137.png 300w, https://edhrecstatic.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/UW-Modified-Deck-768x350.png 768w" sizes="auto, (max-width: 883px) 100vw, 883px" /></a></p>
<p>One of the most interesting aspects of this Draft format is how small the set is. The <em>Through the Omenpaths</em> set only includes 188 cards. This resulted in me being able to pick up a ludicrous amount of copies of a lot of commons. In that draft, I ended up with a total of five copies of <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Mob Lookout" href="#" target="_blank">Mob Lookout</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> in my pool!</p>
<p>After several drafts, I can confidently say that all the limited archetypes in this set are pretty fun to play. I was also pleasantly surprised by how easy it was to splash additional colors in this format. I played with and against several four- or even five-color decks that seemed to be able to get to their colors just fine.</p>
<h2>Constructed</h2>
<p>Compared to <em>Edge of Eternities</em>, <em>Through the Omenpaths</em> offers a much smaller number of cards that are likely to see play in Standard. <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Multiversal Passage" href="#" target="_blank">Multiversal Passage</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> is likely to be the most played card from the set, and I don't find that particularly exciting.</p>
<p>I do think it's funny that both <em>Universes Beyond</em> sets released on <em>Arena</em> so far have introduced an untapped land that can tap for any color. I expect <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Multiversal Passage" href="#" target="_blank">Multiversal Passage</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> to see a fair amount of play at first and then it will fall off if and when the second half of the <em>Ravnica </em>shock lands are printed into Standard.</p>
<p>I wanted to see if I could come up with a deck that could heavily feature a few of my favorites from the set's limited environment and I settled on a build of Azorius Auras.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__deck mtgh"><span class="edhrecp__deck-s" name="UW Auras" site="edhrec" archidekt_link="" cards="[Enchantments]
*2 Authority of the Consuls
*4 Curious Inquiry
*4 Ethereal Armor
*2 Lightwheel Enhancements
*4 Sheltered by Ghosts
*2 With Great Power...
[/Enchantments]
[Creatures]
*4 Entity Tracker
*4 Optimistic Scavenger
*4 Skyward Spider
*4 Wraith, Vicious Vigilante
[/Creatures]
[Instants]
*2 Get Lost
*2 Spell Pierce
[/Instants]
[Lands]
*4 Floodfarm Verge
*4 Island
*4 Multiversal Passage
*8 Plains
*2 Starting Town
[/Lands]"></span></div>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Wraith, Vicious Vigilante"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Margot, On the Case"></div></div>
<p>While I wouldn't recommend this deck to someone testing for the Pro Tour, it proved to be very venomous against the unrefined or convoluted decks I expected people to be trying out in early access.</p>
<p><span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Margot, On the Case" href="#" target="_blank">Margot, On the Case</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> (also known as <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Wraith, Vicious Vigilante" href="#" target="_blank">Wraith, Vicious Vigilante</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>) is a high risk, high reward kind of threat. On one hand, she can't be blocked and is almost certain to kill the opponent in just one or two combat steps with a little help from <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ethereal Armor" href="#" target="_blank">Ethereal Armor</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>. On the other, she's a 1/1 that's vulnerable to every removal spell in the format before that <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Ethereal Armor" href="#" target="_blank">Ethereal Armor</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> resolves.</p>
<p>Heck, she isn't even an outlaw for <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Shoot the Sheriff" href="#" target="_blank">Shoot the Sheriff</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> purposes. Personally, I consider that a flavor fail.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="With Great Power..."></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Chosen by Valgavoth"></div></div>
<p>It can be really hard to include a lot of four-mana cards in an aggro deck like Azorius Auras. I included just two copies of <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Chosen by Valgavoth" href="#" target="_blank">Chosen by Valgavoth</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> to test the waters and I can't say that I'm disappointed with the results. This Aura can create a lethal attacking threat and, in longer games, completely blank the opponent's combat step.</p>
<h2>Conclusion</h2>
<p>I had a lot of fun with this event! I'm happy to report that <em>Through the Omenpaths</em> and its limited formats lived up to my expectations. I'm planning on making it out to a paper event when the time comes to see how the two experiences compare.</p>
<p>All this excitement has me champing at the bit even more to get my hands on the likes of <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Spider-Man 2099" href="#" target="_blank">Spider-Man 2099</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> and <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Rhino, Barreling Brute" href="#" target="_blank">Rhino, Barreling Brute</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>.</p>
<h3>Read More:</h3>
<blockquote class="wp-embedded-content" data-secret="O1AFUCtQFM"><p><a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/rhino-barreling-brute-deck-tech/">Rhino, Barreling Brute Deck Tech</a></p></blockquote>
<p><iframe loading="lazy" class="wp-embedded-content" sandbox="allow-scripts" security="restricted" style="position: absolute; visibility: hidden;" title="&#8220;Rhino, Barreling Brute Deck Tech&#8221; &#8212; EDHREC" src="https://edhrec.com/articles/rhino-barreling-brute-deck-tech/embed/#?secret=JLZHSWNKUM#?secret=O1AFUCtQFM" data-secret="O1AFUCtQFM" width="500" height="282" frameborder="0" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" scrolling="no"></iframe></p>
<blockquote class="wp-embedded-content" data-secret="FvLPwNN05o"><p><a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/the-best-instants-and-sorceries-in-marvels-spider-man/">The Best Instants and Sorceries in Marvel's Spider-Man</a></p></blockquote>
<p><iframe loading="lazy" class="wp-embedded-content" sandbox="allow-scripts" security="restricted" style="position: absolute; visibility: hidden;" title="&#8220;The Best Instants and Sorceries in Marvel&#039;s Spider-Man&#8221; &#8212; EDHREC" src="https://edhrec.com/articles/the-best-instants-and-sorceries-in-marvels-spider-man/embed/#?secret=dLsMLjRSH4#?secret=FvLPwNN05o" data-secret="FvLPwNN05o" width="500" height="282" frameborder="0" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" scrolling="no"></iframe></p>
<blockquote class="wp-embedded-content" data-secret="7YO89eelGg"><p><a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/ghost-spider-gwen-stacy-deck-tech/">Ghost-Spider, Gwen Stacy Deck Tech</a></p></blockquote>
<p><iframe loading="lazy" class="wp-embedded-content" sandbox="allow-scripts" security="restricted" style="position: absolute; visibility: hidden;" title="&#8220;Ghost-Spider, Gwen Stacy Deck Tech&#8221; &#8212; EDHREC" src="https://edhrec.com/articles/ghost-spider-gwen-stacy-deck-tech/embed/#?secret=UP0IDwTTLl#?secret=7YO89eelGg" data-secret="7YO89eelGg" width="500" height="282" frameborder="0" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" scrolling="no"></iframe></p>


Through the Omenpaths Early Access Write-Up

<h6 style="text-align: right;">Image credits: Hasbro &amp; Disney</h6>
<p>On Thursday, April 24th, Hasbro announced that it renewed its longstanding licenses with The Walt Disney Company for Disney's Marvel and <em>Star Wars</em> properties. The license extension spans multiple years and will allow Hasbro to continue producing toys, games, and collectibles related to these properties. How will this affect <em>Magic: The Gathering</em>? Read on, and we will explain how this could affect <em>Universes Beyond</em>.</p>
<h2>Hasbro's Dealings With Disney</h2>
<p>According to the press release made on April 24th, Hasbro has historically produced many kinds of toys and games for the <em>Star Wars</em> and Marvel brands. They have made Lightsabers and a plethora of <em>Star Wars</em> action figures, while on the Marvel end of things, they've produced <em>Marvel Legends</em>, preschooler toys based on <em>Spidey and his Amazing Friends</em>, and, of course, <em>Universes Beyond</em>. Under this new extension, Hasbro will continue to be able to produce these toys and games for years to come.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Wolverine, Best There Is"></div></div>
<h2>Statements From Hasbro and Disney Executives</h2>
<p>The <a href="https://newsroom.hasbro.com/news-releases/news-release-details/hasbro-extends-long-running-strategic-relationship-disney">press release</a> continues with some quotes from execs at Hasbro and Disney Consumer Products:</p>
<blockquote><p>"It’s an honor to be able to deepen our relationship with Disney Consumer Products to create even more magical play experiences for consumers across the globe," said <strong>Tim Kilpin</strong>, Hasbro's President, Toys, Board Games, Licensing and Entertainment. “<em>Star Wars</em> and Marvel provide an extensive array of captivating content that gives us an unlimited trove of fresh ideas to create from. Our collaboration spans more than half a century, and we look forward to strengthening our relationship by bringing consumers everywhere brand-new play experiences tied to the exciting universes and characters of <em>Star Wars </em>and Marvel.”</p>
<p>"We look forward to continuing to collaborate with Hasbro to evolve our expansive portfolio of <em>Star Wars</em> and Marvel toys that bring these iconic adventures into daily life,” said <strong>Paul Gitter</strong>, Executive Vice President of Global Brand Commercialization at Disney Consumer Products. "From must-have collectibles to Lightsaber toys, we aim to push the boundaries of creativity to deliver innovative products and engaging play experiences that bring our fans closer to their favorite stories and characters.”</p></blockquote>
<h2>Hold Your Horses, <em>Star Wars</em> Fans!</h2>
<p>This licensing extension looks extremely promising for <em>Universes Beyond</em> fans, especially with <em>Edge of Eternities</em> looming on the horizon. However, it is extremely unclear whether <em>Star Wars</em> will receive any <em>Universes Beyond</em> treatments. Yes, <em>Edge of Eternities</em> is a space opera setting, just like <em>Star Wars</em>. However, this extension is fresh. We also know Wizards of the Coast works approximately 2.5 years in advance, sometimes longer, on <em>Magic</em> sets. As such, getting a <em>Universes Beyond</em> license is a tricky prospect. Furthermore, with the <em>Star Wars Unlimited</em> card game gaining traction and popularity, <em>Magic</em> may not get a collaboration with Lucasfilm Ltd., even if this license allows Hasbro to produce <em>Star Wars</em> toys.</p>
<p>Nonetheless, Marvel's continued collaboration with <em>Magic</em> is full steam ahead. As such, we are excited for the upcoming <em>Spider-Man</em> set and all that will entail!</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Sensational Spider-Man"></div></div>
<p>And now, let's open the floor to you, dear readers. How do you feel about this continued rendezvous between Hasbro and the House of Mouse? Are you excited to see what could come of this license extension? Sound off below!</p>


Hasbro Renews Licenses With Disney For Marvel And Star Wars

<p>For a few years now, <em>Universes Beyond</em> has been hit or miss regarding integration into digital <em>Magic</em> gaming. Whether it was <em>Magic: The Gathering Online</em> or <em>Magic Arena</em>, some sets in <em>Universes Beyond</em> didn't release for the digital interface. This left many players pining for a more paper-like play experience in these interfaces. However, on Monday, April 21st, Wizards of the Coast announced <em>Through the Omenpaths</em>, a new digital-only release that sates those needs. <em>Through the Omenpaths</em> will serve a similar purpose to <em>Universes Within</em>, bringing in <em>Universes Beyond</em> cards into digital <em>Magic</em> spaces with an in-universe aesthetic.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Arvinox, the Mind Flail"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Deadpool, Trading Card"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Forge, Neverwinter Charlatan"></div></div>
<h2>Wizards of the Coast's Statement on <em>Through the Omenpaths</em></h2>
<p>In their announcement on <a href="https://magic.wizards.com/en/news/announcements/through-the-omenpaths-and-digital-universes-beyond-updates">DailyMTG</a>, <strong>Blake Rasmussen</strong> had this to say about the initiative for the digital playspaces:</p>
<blockquote><p>We will not be creating <em>Through the Omenpaths</em> sets mirroring every <em>Universes Beyond</em> set, only the ones that will not be coming to digital platforms. This lets our formats remain mechanically at parity with one another digitally without having to create patchwork solutions here or there. We are also currently only planning to create <em>Through the Omenpaths</em> releases for full sets that are legal in all formats.</p>
<p>For the remainder of 2025, two <em>Universes Beyond </em>sets will be coming to <em>MTG Arena</em> and <em>Magic Online</em>:<em> Magic: The Gathering</em>—FINAL FANTASY and <em>Magic: The Gathering </em>|<em> Avatar: The Last Airbender</em>.</p>
<p>One 2025 set, <em>Magic: The Gathering</em> | <em>Marvel's Spider-Man</em> (as well as future Marvel sets) will not be coming to digital <em>Magic </em>platforms. Instead, we will release our first <em>Through the Omenpaths</em> set on September 23. We'll have more information on that set as we get closer to the release date.</p></blockquote>
<h2>The Implications For <em>Universes Within</em></h2>
<p>The announcement of <em>Through the Omenpaths</em> brings some hope for players who want in-universe versions of powerful <em>Universes Beyond</em> cards. Because these newly in-universe cards will have new art and aesthetics paired with mechanics that exist in paper <em>Magic</em>, this is a recipe to bring cards like <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Orcish Bowmasters" href="#" target="_blank">Orcish Bowmasters</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Dino DNA" href="#" target="_blank">Dino DNA</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, or <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Celestine, the Living Saint" href="#" target="_blank">Celestine, the Living Saint</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span> to <em>Universes Within</em> as well.</p>
<div class="edhrecp__cards"><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Dino DNA"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Orcish Bowmasters"></div><div class="edhrecp__card-container" name="Celestine, the Living Saint"></div></div>
<h3>The Potential Financial Impact</h3>
<p>Previously, many members of the <em>Magic</em> community who were critical of the licensing issues behind <em>Universes Beyond</em> have stated that printing mechanically-unique cards in a licensed release makes a pseudo-Reserved List. However, with this new initiative and the hope behind it, this complaint may soon become a much smaller issue. As a result, some <em>Universes Beyond</em> cards may stop carrying as much value on the secondary market. That said, players still need proof of concept from <em>Through the Omenpaths</em> before that idea is proven to hold water.</p>
<h2><em>Universes</em> Within The Digital Playspaces</h2>
<p>The implications of <em>Through the Omenpaths</em> are massive, but the proof that they're effective will have to wait for a few months from now. Nevertheless, it's an exciting prospect for fans of in-universe <em>Magic</em>. It's timely, too, as just three days earlier, <a href="https://edhrec.com/articles/mark-rosewater-in-multiverse-sets-should-feel-like-magic">we reported</a> on <em>Magic</em> Head Designer <strong>Mark Rosewater</strong>'s statement that in-Multiverse aesthetics need to feel distinctly like <em>Magic</em>. This statement has sparked some discussion about what that means, both for <em>Magic</em>'s Multiverse and for <em>Universes Beyond</em>.</p>
<p>What do you think about <em>Through the Omenpaths</em> as a concept? Do you hope for in-Multiverse versions of <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="The One Ring" href="#" target="_blank">The One Ring</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Great Unclean One" href="#" target="_blank">Great Unclean One</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>, or <span class="edhrecp__link"><a class="edhrecp__link-a" content="Megatron, Tyrant" href="#" target="_blank">Megatron, Tyrant</a><span class="edhrecp__link-image"></span></span>? Sound off below!</p>


through the omenpaths

Through the Omenpaths Early Access Write-Up

Hasbro Renews Licenses With Disney For Marvel And Star Wars

Through The Omenpaths Introduced For MTGO, Arena