New expansion for Magic: The Gathering

The longest running, most popular and successful trading card game ever made, Magic: The Gathering, has recently launched its 73rd expansion, the second in the steampunk-inspired Kaladesh block.
Aether Revolt was previewed recently at an exclusive media event hosted by Teoh Tse Liang, the brand manager for Wizards of the Coast Asia Pacific.
In the new expansion, it is revealed that the Kaladesh Inventor’s Fair – a fantastic celebration of innovation and ingenuity, as well as a culmination of decades of innovation and optimism – turns out to be a ruse. Its participants are detained and their inventions confiscated.
Although the once-nurturing Consulate claims the actions taken are for the safety of the citizens, it is revealed that it was the work of a single Planeswalker, Tezzeret the Schemer.
The digital expansion added 126 new unique cards, new Story Quests, new Skill Quests, and new customisable items.
Aether Revolt adds 184 cards to the game and introduces two new game mechanics – Revolt and Improvise.
Revolt are bonuses and abilities that trigger if a permanent has left the field during the turn it is played.
Powerful by nature, Revolt is the most technical of the two new abilities and will only see play in specific decks, mainly white and blue decks.
Improvise, on the other hand, lets players tap artefacts to reduce a casting cost of a spell by one colourless mana.
This effectively turns artefacts into an invaluable resource by letting players cast their powerful spells ahead of the curve.
Aether Revolt also adds more vehicles to its mechanics, making it much easier to accumulate energy counter.
Magic: The Gathering – Aether Revolt Expansion will be released on Jan 20.
Last weekend, all local stores that carry the game played host to several pre-release events that were based on the Sealed Deck format where players were given pre-release packs and time to construct a 40-card minimum deck.
On Jan 18, Aether Revolt was introduced to Magic Duels, a free-to-play version of the tabletop game, but for the PC via Steam, iPad and iPhone.
To find a Magic: The Gathering store near you, visit the Wizards of the Coast online store locator.