The War of the Spark, releasing on May 3rd 2019 is the 81st expansion set in Magic the Gathering – one of the best collectible card games ever created.

This set is facing unprecedented hype that is predicted to surpass even that of Dominaria, of which according to Wizards of the Coast, was one of their most popular and most opened sets ever!

The reasoning for this are many and of which we will discuss throughout this article, as we explain to you just exactly what War of the Spark is and what you should expect to see as you open this fantastic set.

War of the Spark Backstory

The War of the Spark set takes place once again on the Plane of Ravnica, of which the two last sets released, Guilds of Ravnica and Ravnica Allegiance have taken place on.

However, unlike the last two sets, of which focused on the guilds that make up this rich and diverse Plane, the War of the Spark set simply uses the Plane of Ravnica as a backdrop.

The Plane itself is not the focus, but rather the “good” Planeswalkers, known as the Gatewatch that have found their way there, combining their forces together as a last ditch effort to stop Nicol Bolas, the most powerful Planeswalker in the Multiverse.

The elder dragon, Nicol Bolas has claimed dominion over Ravnica with the help of his “Eternals”, the Dreadhorde, a massive horde of Zombies that possess unique powers and abilities far surpassing that of a typical run of the mill Zombie.

Nicol Bolas must be stopped as he is perilously close to completing the Elder Spell that harvests sparks, of which will grant him “ultimate power” and godhood.

Wizards of the coast released a trailer video on Youtube, that touches on this storyline and the battles that are unfolding across the Plane of Ravnica:

This trailer instantly went viral and for good reason, it is amazing.

However, unfortunately for the Gatewatch who are rushing to stop the forces of Nicol Bolas, unbeknownst to them, Bolas is not only expecting them to try to stop them, but in fact his plan relies on them trying to do so…

War of the Spark Set Size

The War of the Spark is a rather a large set containing 264 cards (15 basic lands, 101 commons, 80 uncommons, 53 rares, 15 mythic rares).

Some of these cards will be able to be obtained through the normal booster packs, however a number of them will be exclusive to such things as the Planeswalker Duel Decks, or promo events.

Of course, in addition to this “normal set”, the War of the Spark set will also have the set within the set, known as “foils”.

Each card that is not a promo, or event card, will have an alternate foil version, of which are considered rare or chase hits, especially if you are lucky enough to land a high value mythic.

What Makes War of the Spark Different?

So what is driving all the hype around War of the Spark and why is it expected to be one of the most popular sets ever released in Magic the Gatherings long and rich history?

A number of factors, of which include the recent massive success that Magic the Gathering: Arena is having.

The success of this online game is bringing old and new players into the paper scene like never before, which is a huge boom for the hobby as a whole.

In addition to this, this set is considered a pivotal storyline point in Magic the Gathering. This is the end of the “Bolas” arch, which has driven the lore of the game for years.

Finally, the set itself will be incredibly unique as it is the first of its kind.

What do we mean by this? I’ll tell you.

The War of the Spark set is unique in the fact that it is the first ever Planeswalker focused set.

It will continue a stunning 36 Planeswalker cards! With one Planeswalker being in each and every pack that you open!

This is a brand new idea and is something that has never been done before.

The hype is real.

In Conclusion

Currently we are in the thick of spoiler season for Magic: the Gathering War of the Spark and with each passing day, new cards are being released for public viewing by Wizards of the Coast.

You can find all of the recently spoiled cards on their website by clicking here.

Looking through these exciting cards, we can feel the battle that is raging across the Plane of Ravnica and can feel the intensity that is about to erupt.

The War of the Spark set is sure to be both exciting and thrilling to both draft and construct, making for a unique gameplay experience featuring 36 new Planeswalkers.

But which Planeswalker are you most excited to get your hands on? Who do you want to see hidden within your booster packs and more importantly, who are you rooting for? Nicol Bolas or the Gatewatch?