Lore returns to Magic: The Gathering in Ikoria: Lair of Behemoths

Wizards of the Coast introduced Ikoria: Lair of Behemoths spoilers Thwarth the Enemy and Go for Blood today, highlighting Magic: The Gathering lore found within the new set.

Lore is a foundational component of MTG, taking players on a deep dive into the planes and characters featured in each new set. Magic’s ebook for the upcoming set, Ikoria: Lair of Behemoths Sundred Bond, will be released on April 7, featuring the planeswalkers Vivien Reid and Lukka. Thwart the Enemy and Go for Blood, two IKO spoilers revealed by The Vorthos Cast on their podcast, tease a portion of the lore found in Django Wexler’s.

Both spells are standard to MTG, preventing damage and having a creature you control fight a creature you don’t. But Go for Blood stands out in IKO thanks to the returning Magic mechanic, Cycle. At sorcery speed, Go for Blood can easily become a dead card in hand. Being able to discard it and draw another via Cycle, however, provides value and tempo. 

On the plane of Ikoria, most humans and monsters are at odds with one another. But there are humans, like the new MTG planeswalker Lukka, who discover they can form a bond with an Ikoria monster called an eludha.

A large portion of the human population doesn’t take kindly to bonders and monsters, forcing Lukka to flee for his life when his secret is revealed. Thwart the Enemy showcases Vivien Reid protecting Lukka from the Coppercoats, a military defense force from the city of Drannith that Lukka was a part of. 

WotC has also provided players with a free guide detailing its new plane from the perspective of planeswalker Vivien Reid. The new Magic world features never-before-seen monsters and characters, along with crystals that cause mutations within the monsters of Ikoia while also alerting human defenses.

Those who want to dive deeper into the Magic lore within Ikoria can purchase Ikoria: Lair of Behemoths Sundred Bond in ebook form via Amazon on April 7.