MTG Fallout brings back mass land destruction despite Wizards having ‘concerns’ over mechanic

If there’s ever a time to bring mass land destruction back in Magic: The Gathering, it’s in the Fallout Universes Beyond crossover—and that’s precisely what Wizards of the Coast is doing, despite worries over the strength of the mechanic in general play.

The Fallout MTG set, which is scheduled to arrive on March 8, includes a card featuring the three cursed words that haunt any MTG player, veteran or otherwise: “Destroy all lands.” Only available in collector boosters, Ravages of War has been reprinted with a new borderless card art paying homage to the event that started it all in the Fallout universe.

Ravages of War is a four-cost (3W) Sorcery with one basic function: Total land destruction. Its flavor is certainly in line with the Fallout universe, which sees players traverse the wasteland of North America following a disastrous nuclear war. The card is, in fact, a reprint; Ravages of War was first seen in the Portal Three Kingdoms set over 20 years ago and is itself a reprint of the classic Alpha card Armageddon.

“What better place to deploy [the card] than in a game all about where ‘war never changes?'” WotC senior designer and Fallout set lead Annie Sardelis told Dot Esports in the lead-up to the card’s announcement. Sardelis went on to confirm the card won’t be included in any of the four Commander precon decks and can only be found in the Fallout collector boosters.

Sardelis revealed there were some initial “concerns” among the MTG design team regarding the inclusion of mass land destruction in the Commander format, which was likely why the decision was made to move it into collector boosters instead. After all, it’s been some time since we’ve seen mass land destruction in any new Magic set—head designer Mark Rosewater even said on his iconic MTG blog that it’s not an effect the team tends toward often.

Those keen to play this new Ravages of War will need to get lucky in boosters, which will go live alongside the Fallout Universes Beyond set and its the Commander precons, new Junk token and Rad counter mechanics, and more on March 8.