MTG Prototype Brothers’ War mechanic scales down giant Artifact mechs

War machines will battle on an epic scale within The Brothers’ War, which features a new Magic: The Gathering mechanic called Prototype, able to reduce the cost and power of the Artifacts for flexibility within a match. 

Scheduled to drop on Nov. 11 through prerelease events, The Brothers’ War (BRO) will contain a total of two new MTG mechanics. Artificers and Aritfacts are a predominant theme in the Standard-legal set. The Artificers use Powerstones to enable their creations, one of the new mechanics. And they also have the ability to produce mini versions of their war Mechs through Prototype, the second new mechanic. 

Prototype is a unique MTG mechanic in that it provides an alternative cost to an expensive Artifact creature in BRO. The normal mana cost for these Artifact Mechs is colorless but the Prototype cost typically includes colored mana. Casting a creature for its Prototype cost does result in lower baseline stats. It doesn’t, however, change its type or alter its abilities. 

• Prototype: You may cast this spell with different mana cost, color, and size. It keeps its abilities and types. 
• Powerstone token: Tap to add colorless mana—This mana can’t be spent to cast a non-Artifact spell. 

Artifact creatures with the Prototype mechanic will have a major impact on the BRO Limited format. It provides players flexibility and value within a single card, reducing the chance of holding dead cards in hand. The popularity of Prototype in Constructed will likely depend on the power levels of the Artifact creatures themselves. 

Related: All MTG Brothers’ War mechanics, new and returning

The second new MTG mechanic, Powerstones, ties together the themes of BRO. It makes sense that the colorless mana created can only cast an Artifact spell. But what’s left out of the official definition is that it can be used toward activated ability costs on any permanent.

Players can test out the new Prototype mechanic, and Powerstones, at prerelease events that start on Nov. 11. A digital launch is scheduled for Nov. 15 and the global release of The Brothers’ War will take place on Nov. 18.