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Modern Horizons
 
 
 

Modern Horizons
Modern Horizons logo
Set Information
Set symbol
Symbol description Modern Masters symbol coming up from beyond the horizon
Design Ethan Fleischer (co-lead)
Mark Globus (co-lead)
Alli Medwin
Nat Moes (hackathon only)
Mike Majors
Mark Rosewater
Development Adam Prosak (co-lead)
Mark Globus (co-lead)
Mike Majors
Dan Musser
Tom Ross
Jules Robins
Mike Turian
Sam Stoddard
Gerry Thompson[1])
Art direction Cynthia Sheppard
Release date June 14, 2019
Plane Multiverse
Themes and mechanics Modern power level, hybrid mana, pitch spells, Slivers, snow, the untap symbol
Keywords/​ability words Battle cry, buyback, cascade, changeling, convoke, cycling, dash, delve, devour, dredge, echo, entwine, evoke, evolve, exalted, exploit, fateful hour, flashback, hellbent, hideaway, kicker, level up, manifest modular, monstrosity, ninjutsu, outlast, overload, persist, proliferate, protection, rebound, replicate, retrace, shroud, splice, storm, suspend, threshold, totem armor, undying, unearth, vanishing
Set size 254 cards
+1 Buy-a-Box promo
Expansion code MH1[2]
Development codename Contemporary[3]
Straight-to-Modern sets
N/A Modern Horizons Modern Horizons II
Magic: The Gathering Chronology
War of the Spark Modern Horizons Signature Spellbook: Gideon

Modern Horizons is a Magic booster set which was released on June 14, 2019.[4] Modern Horizons was the Innovation Product for 2019, and was designed to be drafted.[5][6]

Set details[ | ]

MH1 Snow land

The full-art snow lands

Modern Horizons contains 254 cards (5 snow-covered basic lands, 101 commons, 80 uncommons, 53 rares, 15 mythic rares[7]), and includes randomly inserted premium versions of all these cards. In addition, there is a Buy-a-Box card numbered #255/254. This set introduced new cards into Modern without them ever being legal in Standard. It contains 209 new cards and (excepting the snow basics[8]) only reprints which previously weren't legal in Modern.[9] For this, it was rigorously playtested by Play Design.[10] The Buy-a-Box card is also a new-to-Modern reprint. The powerful new card options, some with old mechanics, are mixed with flavorful updates for favorite characters.[11] The snow-covered basic lands appear in the land slot of Modern Horizons boosters.

Modern Horizons was originally dubbed as "Timespiral / Planar Chaos 2" in concept due to set complexity.[12] Mark Rosewater has called it a "love letter" to the Time Spiral block.[12] It isn't an entry level set because of its many returning mechanics. There was no story support for the set.[13]

Marketing[ | ]

Modern Horizons was sold in slightly larger-than-usual 17-card boosters (one card being a double-sided token, and one being an art card[14]), and in a Draft Pack. The boosters feature horizontal artwork from Ayula, Queen Among Bears, Serra the Benevolent and Urza, Lord High Artificer.[15] The set was printed for as long as demand held.[16] It was released on Magic Online on June 13, with a booster price of $6.99 (regular booster packs cost $3.99). It was not featured on MTG Arena.[17]

Prerelease[ | ]

Prerelease events took place on June 8–9, 2019.[15]

Promotional cards[ | ]

Tokens / Emblem[ | ]

The sixteenth card in the boosters is a double-sided token creature card or an emblem:[19][20] One out of every four tokens is foil (but not double-sided).[21]

  1. {C} 2/2 Shapeshifter creature with changeling for Irregular Cohort and Birthing Boughs.
  2. {W} 4/4 Angel creature with flying and vigilance for Serra the Benevolent.
  3. {W} 1/1 Bird creature with flying for Battle Screech.
  4. {W} 1/1 Soldier creature for Recruit the Worthy.
  5. {U} 1/1 Illusion creature with flying for Moonblade Shinobi.
  6. {B} 20/20 legendary Avatar creature with flying and indestructible named Marit Lage for Marit Lage's Slumber.
  7. {B} 2/2 Zombie creature for Rank Officer.
  8. {R} 1/1 Elemental creature for Seasoned Pyromancer.
  9. {R} 3/1 Elemental creature with trample and haste for Force of Rage.
  10. {R} 1/1 Goblin creature for Goblin War Party, Pashalik Mons‎, and Sling-Gang Lieutenant.
  11. {G} 2/2 Bear creature for Ayula's Influence and Mother Bear.
  12. {G} 3/3 Elephant creature for Generous Gift and Trumpeting Herd.
  13. {G} 4/4 Rhino creature with trample for Crashing Footfalls.
  14. {G} 1/2 Spider creature with reach for Rotwidow Pack and Twin-Silk Spider.
  15. {G} 1/1 Squirrel creature for Deep Forest Hermit and Squirrel Nest.
  16. {W/B} 1/1 Spirit creature with flying for Kaya's Guile.
  17. {C} 0/0 Construct artifact creature with "This creature gets +1/+1 for each artifact you control" for Urza, Lord High Artificer.
  18. {C} 3/3 Golem artifact creature for Splicer's Skill.
  19. {C} 1/1 Myr artifact creature for Mirrodin Besieged.
  20. Emblem for Serra the Benevolent.
  21. Emblem for Wrenn and Six.

Modern Horizons Art Series[ | ]

MH1 Art Series front side

Mox Tantalite art card

MH1 Art Series back side

Back side of the art card

The seventeenth card in the boosters is an art card with horizontal full art from one of the regular cards in the set.[19] The card back is mostly blank, with some collector's info. There are 54 different art cards.[20]

Themes and mechanics[ | ]

There are no new mechanics in Modern Horizons.[22] Instead, the set features more than forty non-evergreen returning mechanics.[23] R&D decided that the set could use any mechanic already in Modern up to Dragons of Tarkir.[24]

A major mechanic is changeling, used to make a cohesive set (like it was used in Lorwyn previously).[5][25] Snow is also a major mechanic.[25]

With Splicer's Skill and Everdream, the set introduces a long-awaited variant from "splice onto Arcane" with "splice onto instant or sorcery" (As you cast an instant or sorcery spell, you may reveal this card from your hand and pay its splice cost. If you do, add this card’s effects to that spell.).

Other returning mechanics are:[26] anchor words, battle cry, buyback, cascade, convoke, cycling, dash, delve, devour, dredge, echo, entwine, evoke, evolve, exalted, exploit, fateful hour, flashback, hellbent, hideaway, hybrid mana, kicker, level up, manifest, modular, monstrosity, morbid, ninjutsu, outlast, overload, persist, pitch spells, proliferate, protection, rebound, replicate, retrace, shroud, storm, suspend, threshold, totem armor, undying, unearth, the untap symbol, and vanishing.

Like in Future Sight before, the set features some "mix-and-match" cards, combining two different non-evergreen keywords on the same card: Feaster of Fools, Hogaak, Arisen Necropolis and Throes of Chaos.[27]

Modern Horizons features the following limited archetypes:[19]

Card types[ | ]

Cycles[ | ]

Modern Horizons has nine cycles, two of which are double cycles.

Single cycles[ | ]

Cycle name {W} {U} {B} {R} {G}
Forces Force of Virtue Force of Negation Force of Despair Force of Rage Force of Vigor
Each of these rare spells (four instants and an enchantment with flash) has an alternate casting cost that includes exiling a card of its color if it is not the player's turn.
Slivers First Sliver's Chosen Scuttling Sliver Dregscape Sliver Hollowhead Sliver Tempered Sliver
One monocolored uncommon Sliver of each color.
Legendary creatures Sisay, Weatherlight Captain Urza, Lord High Artificer Yawgmoth, Thran Physician Pashalik Mons Ayula, Queen Among Bears
Each of these monocolored legendary creatures represents a character in Magic lore.[29]
Cycling lands Secluded Steppe Lonely Sandbar Barren Moor Forgotten Cave Tranquil Thicket
Each of these uncommon cycling lands enters the battlefield tapped, taps for one mana of a color, and has cycling for one mana of that color. They were reprinted from Onslaught.[30]
Snow-covered lands Snow-Covered Plains Snow-Covered Island Snow-Covered Swamp Snow-Covered Mountain Snow-Covered Forest
Each of these basic lands has the snow supertype. They were reprinted from Ice Age and Coldsnap.
Cycle name {W}{B} {U}{R} {B}{G} {R}{W} {G}{U}
Horizon lands Silent Clearing Fiery Islet Nurturing Peatland Sunbaked Canyon Waterlogged Grove
Each of these rare pain lands can be sacrificed to draw a card by paying {1}. They form an enemy colored cycle mirroring Horizon Canopy from Future Sight.[31][32]
Talismans Talisman of Hierarchy Talisman of Creativity Talisman of Resilience Talisman of Conviction Talisman of Curiosity
Each of these uncommon artifacts costs {2} to cast and feature a quote from a planeswalker of the appropriate color pair. They form an enemy cycle mirroring the talismans from Mirrodin.

Double cycles[ | ]

Cycle name {W}{U} {U}{B} {B}{R} {R}{G} {G}{W} {W}{B} {U}{R} {B}{G} {R}{W} {G}{U}
Uncommon signposts Soulherder Ingenious Infiltrator Munitions Expert Ruination Rioter Good-Fortune Unicorn Etchings of the Chosen Thundering Djinn Rotwidow Pack Lavabelly Sliver Abominable Treefolk
Ten uncommon spells, each one a signpost for its respective draft archetype.
Rare spells Unsettled Mariner Fallen Shinobi Lightning Skelemental Reap the Past Eladamri's Call Kaya's Guile Collected Conjuring Hogaak, Arisen Necropolis Cloudshredder Sliver Ice-Fang Coatl
Ten rare spells, one for each color pair.

Pairs[ | ]

Modern Horizons has one mirrored pair.

Mirrored Pairs Description
Ranger-Captain of Eos ({W}) Seasoned Pyromancer ({R}) Two mythic rare creatures with the cost of 1MM and have self-removal abilities that grant benefits. Both cards are future versions of already-printed creatures, Ranger of Eos and Young Pyromancer, respectively.

Mega-mega cycles[ | ]

The Mirran swords mega-mega cycle gets its first allied colored additions. Though, the cycle is not complete with Modern Horizons.[27][33]

The Morphlings mega-mega cycle was completed.[27]

Reprints[ | ]

About 15% of the cards in the set (45 total + 1 Buy-a-Box) are reprints.[34] Except for the 5 basic snow lands these cards are Modern legal for the first time.[8]

Card First Printed Last Seen Notes
Altar of Dementia Tempest Conspiracy
Barren Moor Onslaught Commander 2018 New art, common to uncommon
Battle Screech Judgment Vintage Masters New art
Carrion Feeder Scourge Eternal Masters New art, common to uncommon
Choking Tethers Onslaught Masters 25 New art
Crypt Rats Visions Seventh Edition
Diabolic Edict Tempest Masters 25
Dismantling Blow Invasion Commander 2018 New art, common to uncommon
Eladamri's Call Planeshift Masters 25
Elvish Fury Tempest Tempest Remastered New art
Exclude Invasion Masters 25
Fact or Fiction Invasion Commander Anthology Volume II
Firebolt Odyssey Duel Decks: Mind vs. Might Common to uncommon
Flusterstorm Commander Magic Online Promos Non-foil Buy-a-Box
Forgotten Cave Onslaught Commander 2018 Common to uncommon
Future Sight[35] Onslaught Eternal Masters
Genesis Judgment New art
Gilded Light Scourge Vintage Masters
Goblin Matron Portal Second Age Duel Decks Anthology New art
Kess, Dissident Mage Commander 2017
Krosan Tusker Onslaught Commander 2013
Lava Dart Judgment New art
Lonely Sandbar Onslaught Commander 2018 Common to uncommon
Man-o'-War Visions Masters 25
Nantuko Cultivator Torment New art, rare to uncommon
Nether Spirit Mercadian Masques New art
Nimble Mongoose Odyssey Eternal Masters
Pillage Alliances Masters 25
Prohibit Invasion Duel Decks: Jace vs. Vraska
Rebuild Urza's Legacy New art
Reckless Charge Odyssey Ultimate Masters
Regrowth Alpha Masters 25
Secluded Steppe Onslaught Commander 2018 New art, common to uncommon
Shelter Odyssey Eternal Masters
Snow-Covered Forest Ice Age Coldsnap Full-art
Snow-Covered Island Ice Age Coldsnap Full-art
Snow-Covered Mountain Ice Age Coldsnap Full-art
Snow-Covered Plains Ice Age Coldsnap Full-art
Snow-Covered Swamp Ice Age Coldsnap Full-art
Spore Frog Prophecy
Squirrel Nest Odyssey Conspiracy
Tranquil Thicket Onslaught Commander 2018 New art, common to uncommon
Unearth Urza's Legacy Masters 25
Urza's Rage Invasion Commander 2015 Rare to uncommon
Wall of Blossoms Stronghold Commander Anthology
Wing Shards Scourge Iconic Masters

Functional reprints[ | ]

Notable cards[ | ]

Modern Horizons completely shifted the meta of Modern and the eternal formats. It caused the banning of both older and newer cards, which led to the collapse of several older decks that were part of the main Modern meta.

Banned and restricted cards[ | ]

  • Wrenn and Six is the second, much more successful attempt to print a balanced two-mana planeswalker, limiting its abilities to rebuying lands and pinging. While successful in Modern, as it revived Midrange Jund as a deck while not being overwhelming, access to repeatable Wasteland was enough to warrant its ban in Legacy by November 2019.
  • Hogaak, Arisen Necropolis is a unique creature that can only be cast via the usage of the delve and convoke mechanics and may also be cast from the graveyard. As it turned out, two creatures and five cards in the graveyard was so trivial in Modern that a second-turn Hogaak was a little over a third to occur per game. This resulted in the event know as Hogaak Summer around the time of Mythic Championship IV whereby the Hogaak Bridgevine decks (using Vengevine, Bloodghast, and Bridge from Below) completely dominated the modern meta. Banning Bridge from Below simply forced superior tuning of the deck, and while it was underrepresented in the Top 8 it was known to be a victim of its own success. It ultimately also took a ban shortly after, in August 2019.
  • Arcum's Astrolabe is one of the only Snow-casting spells in Magic, designed to support Snow decks in draft formats by filtering off-color Snow land mana into any color. Ported to Constructed, however, it let four-color mana-bases run Blood Moon without any hesitation, turning formats into "four-color soup" decks, and its Artifact typing enabled various ways to abuse it in any format. It was hence banned in Pauper (October 2019), Modern (July 2020), and Legacy (February 2021).

Callbacks[ | ]

Card Inspired by Notes
Answered Prayers Angel's Tomb Both cards are 3-mana permanents that can transform into a 3/3 Angel creature with flying whenever a creature enters the battlefield under their controller's control.
Archmage's Charm Cryptic Command The art also resembles Cancel (Amonkhet). Archmage's Charm is one mana and one ability less than Cryptic Command, can also counter target spell or draw cards, and shares its iconic {U}{U}{U} cost.
Aria of Flame Torch Song And other growing enchantments using verse counters from Urza's Saga. Aria of Flame has the same cost as Torch Song.
Astral Drift Astral Slide Astral Drift serves as a self-functioning version of Astral Slide that can cycle itself to gain its effect.
Ayula's Influence Seismic Assault Colorshifted from red to green. Both cards are enchantments that cost three of the same colored mana and have the ability to discard a land to produce an effect with the number 2 on it.
Bazaar Trademage Bazaar of Baghdad, Serendib Efreet Its flavor text references Squandered Resources and the story of Aladdin, with Aladdin's Ring, Aladdin's Lamp, and Flying Carpet. Being a 3/4 Flying for {2}{U} references Serendib Efreet, a stand-in for the Genie. Bazaar Trademage's enter-the-battlefield ability is one activation of Bazaar of Baghdad's ability.
Bogardan Dragonheart Volcanic Dragon By sacrificing a creature, Bogardan Dragonheart becomes Volcanic Dragon.
Cabal Therapist Cabal Therapy (Judgment) (Judgment) Both cards cost {B}. Cabal Therapist enables one to repeatedly "cast" Cabal Therapy for its flashback cost through its pre-combat main phase ability. The titular Cabal Therapist is the same figure as seen in Cabal Therapy's Judgment artwork.
Changeling Outcast Tormented Soul Changeling Outcast is a changeling Tormented Soul with similar art.
Chillerpillar Giant Caterpillar Both creatures are 3/3 insects that cost 3M. Both also have the ability to grant themselves flying.
Cloudshredder Sliver Skyknight Legionnaire Cloudshredder Sliver's artwork is similar to Skynight Legionnaire's first artwork. Both creatures have flying and haste.
Collected Conjuring Collected Company Both cards cost 4 mana. Collected Conjuring is Collected Company except as a sorcery, is multicolored, and does the same free casting effect for sorceries instead.
Collector Ouphe Brown Ouphe and Null Rod Collector Ouphe is Brown Ouphe with Null Rod. In other words, a 2/2 Brown Ouphe with the mana value and ability of Null Rod.
Cordial Vampire Indulgent Aristocrat Both 1/1 Vampire creatures add a +1/+1 counter to the controller's Vampires whenever a creature dies - one as a trigger, the other as an activated ability
Crashing Footfalls Hypergenesis, etc., Horncaller's Chant As Hypergenesis is the only "costless suspend" card of the cycle banned, Crashing Footfalls re-completes the cycle. Crashing Footfalls' effect is similar to Horncaller's Chant, which also can (potentially) create two 4/4 green Rhino creature tokens with trample.
Deep Forest Hermit Deranged Hermit Both creatures are 1/1 elves with the same costs. Their enters-the-battlefield abilities create four 1/1 green Squirrel creature tokens and grant Squirrel creatures +1/+1. Both also have an ability that makes their stay on the battlefield temporary.
Defile Mutilate[36] Defile is a {B}-cost Mutilate that only targets a single creature.
Dregscape Sliver Dregscape Zombie A Sliver living on Grixis that grants Unearth, but with the cost made colorless.
Echo of Eons Time Spiral and Timetwister Echo of Eons has the same ability as both Time Spiral and Timetwister. Echo of Eons also has a mana cost the same as Time Spiral and a flashback cost the same as Timetwister. The flashback ability also imitates Time Spiral's self-exiling ability.
Endling Morphling Last card of the Morphling mega-mega cycle.[27][35]
Ephemerate Flicker Cheap exile-and-return spells. Ephemerate is cheaper, creature-focused, and can be cast at instant speed as well as be cast twice.
Everdream Evermind,[36] Think Twice Everdream has a mana cost the same as Evermind's splice cost and its splice cost is the same as Think Twice's flashback cost. The three cards have the same ability to draw a card. Everdream's artwork is also similar to Evermind.
Excavating Anurid Anurid Barkripper References the Anurids of Otaria, and references Turg. Frogs that become more powerful upon Threshold.
Face of Divinity Daybreak Coronet (Future Sight) (Future Sight) Auras that promotes enchanting a single creature with more auras. Both card arts feature halos glowing around the heads.
First-Sphere Gargantua Phyrexian Rager and Phyrexian Gargantua References the First Sphere of the original Phyrexia. First-Sphere Gargantua has the same mana cost as Phyrexian Gargantua and its unearth cost is the same as Phyrexian Rager. When cast and then paying its unearth cost after it gets put into the graveyard, First-Sphere Gargantua imitates Phyrexian Gargantua's enter-the-battlefield ability.
Fists of Flame First ever mentioning of Jared Carthalion (the Shadow Mage) in the flavor text.[37]
Force of Despair Force of Will and Cradle to Grave Force of Despair is Cradle to Grave with Force of Will's similar alternate casting cost and naming scheme.
Force of Negation Force of Will and Negate Force of Negation is an exiling Negate with Force of Will's similar alternate casting cost and naming scheme.
Force of Rage Force of Will and Spark Elemental Force of Rage is two Spark Elementals with Force of Will's similar alternate casting cost and naming scheme.
Force of Vigor Force of Will and Naturalize Force of Vigor is a doubled Naturalize with Force of Will's similar alternate casting cost and naming scheme.
Force of Virtue Force of Will and Glorious Anthem Force of Virtue is a Glorious Anthem with flash and Force of Will's similar alternate casting cost and naming scheme.
Frostwalla Rootwalla[36] Frostwalla is a snow Rootwalla that has an activated ability costing one snow mana instead.
Generous Gift Beast Within Colorshifted green to white except for creature types.[27][32][35]
Geomancer's Gambit Ghost Quarter Geomancer's Gambit's first ability is the same as Ghost Quarter's second activated ability.
Giver of Runes Mother of Runes Both are {W} creatures with the ability to {T} to give protection from a chosen color. The Giver loses the ability to protect itself in exchange for increased toughness and having colorless as a listed option.
Glacial Revelation Kruphix's Insight Both are {2}{G} sorceries that look at the top six cards of one's library and selects for a certain type and puts the rest into the graveyard. Kruphix's Insight only picks three, while Glacial Revelation can be any number.
Gluttonous Slug Morkrut Necropod Both are Slug Horror creatures with Menace and flavor text referencing improbable amounts of salt.
Goatnap Goatnapper Goatnapper's top-down ability was intended only for Changelings in Lorwyn, now reimagined to work on any creature but has an added bonus if it used on Changelings (and actual Goats).
Goblin Engineer Goblin Welder Both are Goblin Artificers that can swap out artifacts from the graveyard and battlefield, but the Engineer has a new templating.
Goblin Oriflamme Orcish Oriflamme (Alpha#Misprints) [27] Also has a quote from the Sarpadian Empires in its flavor text. Orcish Oriflamme famously had a misprint at {1}{R}, which is what Goblin Oriflamme is.
Good Fortune Unicorn Juniper Order Ranger Both are {G}{W} creatures that give a +1/+1 counter to your later-entering creatures.
Graveshifter Gravedigger Graveshifter is a Changeling Gravedigger with similar art to the latter's Tempest art.
Hall of Heliod's Generosity Academy Ruins and Volrath's Stronghold Third in a cycle of legendary lands that for 1M can put a target card of a particular card type from your graveyard on top of your library.
Headless Specter Hypnotic Specter References Hymn to Tourach in the flavor text. Headless Specter needs Hellbent to be exactly like Hypnotic Specter.
Hexdrinker Progenitus First reuse of protection from everything.
Iceberg Cancrix Hedron Crab Crabs that mill with entry triggers.
Ice-Fang Coatl Baleful Strix and Winged Coatl 1/1 Flying Blue creatures that draw a card upon entry. Both Coatls have deathtouch, but Ice-Fang Coatl needs three snow permanents to gain it.
Impostor of the Sixth Pride Blade of the Sixth Pride A Blade of the Sixth Pride with Changeling
King of the Pride Savannah Lions References the The Love Song of Night and Day in the flavor text. King of the Pride is a 2/1 cat lord that doubles the stats of Savannah Lions.
Knight of Old Benalia Knight of New Benalia Human Knights from different ages of Benalia. Use of suspend suggests that the Old Knight came from the past long after the New Knight as printed.
Lancer Sliver Talon Sliver White Slivers granting First Strike. The flavor text of Lancer Sliver suggests that Gerrard's order of polearms in the Talon Sliver flavor text was futile.
Lesser Masticore Masticore A Masticore where effectively everything is halved; cost, power, toughness, ability efficiency, survivability, but also the discard cost.
Lightning Skelemental Ball Lightning and Blightning A Ball Lightning that causes discard upon hitting the player. Plays on the homophonic names - could also be known as "Ball Blightning".
Llanowar Tribe Llanowar Elves Three Llanowar Elves stuck together, with all that entails.
Marit Lage's Slumber Dark Depths Another way to create a Marit Lage token, but noticeably less easy to cheat out. Both cards' methods of creating a Marit Lage token involve the number ten on it.
Martyr's Soul Nantuko Shaman Colorshifted green to white. Both 3/2 creatures cost 2M (where M is the colored mana) with abilities that activate if they enter the battlefield without any tapped lands. Both also have keyworded abilities that would guarantee that criteria.
Mind Rake Mind Rot Mind Rake is a Mind Rot with overload that costs cheaper than its mana cost.
Mirrodin Besieged Monastery Siege, etc. Call back to the Mirrodin Besieged set where Mirrans and Phyrexians fought over the dominance of Mirrodin. One of the few cards to share its name with a set.[27] The artwork depicts Jin-Gitaxias, the Phyrexian praetor who is the same color as the card. Mirrodin Besieged has the same cost as Monastery Siege as well as similar titles.
Mist-Syndicate Naga Spawnwrithe Creatures that copy themselves upon dealing damage to a player. Both have abilities that guarantee that criteria.
Mother Bear Grizzly Fate Mother Bear's graveyard ability and its cost are similar to Grizzly Fate's mana cost and flashback ability.
Mox Tantalite Lotus Bloom and Mox Opal And other Moxen. Mox Tantalite has the exact same Suspend cost and placed time counters as Lotus Bloom.
Munitions Expert Volley Veteran Goblins that deal damage equal to the number of controlled Goblins to creatures. Both flavor texts and arts suggest the throwing of anything and everything available.
Murasa Behemoth References Murasa and how cards like Greenwarden of Murasa focus on cards in the graveyard.
Nature's Chant Naturalize and Disenchant Colorshifted from green and white to {G/W} hybridcolored. The name is a portmanteau of both previous cards.
On Thin Ice Chained to the Rocks {W} Land Auras that imprison opposing creatures into one's land.
Pashalik Mons Mons's Goblin Raiders A vanity card.[27] Depicts the leader of the titular goblin raiders.
Phantasmal Form Phantom Monster Turns two creatures into Phantom Monsters. Similar artworks.
Phantom Ninja Phantom Warrior A Ninja reprint of the classic unblockable Warrior.
Plague Engineer Engineered Plague, Carrier creatures An Engineered Plague on a 2/2 Deathtouch Carrier, a mechanical type based around giving creatures -X/-X. The flavor text is quoted from Phyrexian progress notes on their biological weapon.
Planebound Accomplice Sneak Attack A Sneak Attack for Planeswalkers.
Pondering Mage Ponder A 3/4 creature that casts Ponder upon entry.
Pyrophobia Refers to famed "coward" Norin the Wary in quote, and Boldwyr Intimidator.
Prismatic Vista Terramorphic Expanse and the Onslaught Fetch land cycle A fetch land that merges the two designs - only gets basics, but gets them untapped by paying 1 life.
Ranger-Captain of Eos Ranger of Eos A Bant Soldier that searches for 1-drop creatures. Ranger-Captain of Eos shows the promotion of Ranger of Eos.
Ransack the Lab Strategic Planning Colorshifted blue to black.
Ravenous Giant Juzám Djinn Colorshifted black to red.
Recruit the Worthy Sprout Swarm Instants that create 1/1 creature tokens. Recruit the Worthy removes the Convoke ability in exchange for having a 1-mana cost.
Return from Extinction References the continuation of the events seen in Riptide Replicator where the Slivers have fully returned from extinction.
Rotwidow Pack Spider Spawning and Ishkanah, Grafwidow Rotwidow Pack's second ability is a singular version of Spider Spawning, then activates Ishkanah's ability.
Savage Swipe Savage Punch A Fight spell that can grant +2/+2 depending on power. Savage Punch famously depicts a bear being hit, while the reverse happens for Savage Swipe.
Scale Up Craw Wurm Turns target creature into a Craw Wurm in stats and creature type. Can turn all creatures into Craw Wurms for the cost of a Craw Wurm
Scour All Possibilities Preordain A {1}{U} Preordain with Flashback.
Scuttling Sliver Horseshoe Crab Scuttling Sliver grants an untapping activated ability at the cost of 2 generic mana instead of 1 colored mana. The Trilobite subtype is a nod to the scientific inaccuracy of labelling a Horseshoe Crab a crab, though labelling it a trilobite is not any more accurate. Nevertheless, horseshoe crabs are also described as living fossils.
Seasoned Pyromancer Young Pyromancer Red Human Shamans that create 1/1 Elemental tokens - the art suggests a Young Pyromancer grown up and experienced.
Segovian Angel Segovian Leviathan References Segovia, and Worzel and Thomil in the flavor text. The art and abilities also resembles Serra Angel (Ninth Edition) and has The Hippodrome in the background.
The plane of Gargantikar was created exclusively to set up a joke for this card.[27][38]
Serra the Benevolent Serra Aviary, Serra Angel, and Worship[32] Serra's first, second, and third abilities refer to the three Serra-related cards respectively.
Settle Beyond Reality Journey to Nowhere Similar artworks. Spells that exile creatures and returns them (potentially in Settle Beyond Reality's case).
Shenanigans Art resembles the destruction of a Chromatic Lantern.
Sisay, Weatherlight Captain Captain Sisay [27] Two incarnations of Sisay that both tutor for Legendary permanents.
Sling-Gang Lieutenant Siege-Gang Commander A Goblin leader that sacrifices its fellow tokens to cause damage.
Smiting Helix Lightning Helix[36], Essence Drain Refers to how Essence Drain is on-color in {R}{W}. Thus, Smiting Helix is a cheaper Essence Drain with a flashback cost equal to Lightning Helix's mana cost.
Soul-Strike Technique Soul Summons {1}{W} cards that Manifest.
Spell Snuff Cancel Spell Snuff is Cancel with a fateful hour ability that draws a card.
Spiteful Sliver Spitemare "Spiting" Red cards that hurt others the same scale it was hurt.
Splicer's Skill Sensor Splicer, Splice cards Plays off the homonymic Splice mechanic with the New Phyrexia Splicer creatures, with art specifically referencing Sensor Splicer and Phyrexian Splicer
Springbloom Druid Harrow A 1/1 creature that casts Harrow upon entry.
Stream of Thought Stream of Consciousness, Dampen Thought, and Train of Thought A reference to the Champions of Kamigawa Arcane Mill draft strategy, using Replicate in lieu of Splice.
String of Disappearances Chain Lightning Colorshifted red to blue.[27] Both cost M mana and cost the target's controller MM to copy.
Sword of Sinew and Steel and Sword of Truth and Justice Sword of Light and Shadow and Sword of Fire and Ice Pairs of Mirran swords that, if wielded together respectively, grant protection from the same four colors.
Tempered Sliver Slith Predator A metalized Sliver living on New Phyrexia. The Sliver's flavor text refers to the Predator's ability to adapt as well as granting other Slivers' the Predator's ability.
Thundering Djinn References Brainstorm and Lightning Bolt in the flavor text, hinting at what cards to use to achieve its effect that mimics another card to its fullest potential.
Thornado Tornado Similar names.
Tribute Mage Trinket Mage, Treasure Mage, and Trophy Mage [27] Depicts the Sword of the Meek and is the fourth in the line of mana value artifact tutors.
Treefolk Umbra Doran, the Siege Tower Turns enchanted creature into Doran in how it assigns its combat damage.
Trumpeting Herd Call of the Herd Sorceries that create a 3/3 green Elephant creature token as well as an ability to repeat that ability again.
Twisted Reflection Twisted Image Power/toughness switchers, both with the same Drake over a watery reflection in the artwork. A reference to the oft-cited combination of how power reduction and P/T switching, both mono-blue abilities, can combine to a kill spell.
Umezawa's Charm Umezawa's Jitte[32] A Charm that mimics a single activation of the Jitte.
Unbound Flourishing Doubling Season Similar namesakes. Enchantments that double certain effects.
Undead Augur Corpse Augur Zombie Wizards that draws cards upon death.
Urza, Lord High Artificer Temporal Aperture and Tolarian Academy Karn, Scion of Urza (Urza's creation) produces the same artifact tokens.[27] Urza's third ability is the same as activating the Aperture, and tapping one's artifacts for {U} is similar to tapping to generate a {U} for each artifact.
Vengeful Devil Scalding Devil Devils with activated abilities that deal direct damage.
Venomous Changeling Giant Scorpion A Giant Scorpion with Changeling.
Vesperlark Reveillark A smaller White flier with Evoke that can reanimate small creatures - the evening counterpart (Vespers) to the morning (Reveille).
Viashino Sandsprinter Viashino Sandstalker Hasty Viashino Warriors for {1}{R}{R} that return themselves to their owner's hands.
Wall of One Thousand Cuts Wall of Swords A 3/5 Flying Wall that can now attack.
Watcher for Tomorrow The hideaway lands from Lorwyn.[36] A new use of Hideaway, which brings with it the oddity that the creature also must enter tapped, a consequence of Hideaway needing too much space to fit its rules text.
Weather the Storm Grapeshot and Tendrils of Agony A specifically anti-storm card that allows one to survive the first round of Tendrils of Agony.
Webweaver Changeling Mammoth Spider A 3/5 Reach creature shaped like a Spider. Webweaver Changeling also has an extra ability at the cost of having a slightly more complex mana cost.
Winding Way Mulch A Mulch that now can choose creatures.
Winds of Abandon Path to Exile and Cyclonic Rift A Path to Exile with Overload - the name keeps the weather motif.
Zhalfirin Decoy Master Decoy Features a quote by Sidar Jabari, and is riding a Zebra Unicorn. {1}{W} Human Warriors that tap creatures.

References[ | ]

  1. Gerry Thompson (September 23, 2022). "Hipsters Of The Coast Paid Me $1,000 To Write This Article, So I’m Sharing My Biggest Secret". Hipsters of the Coast.
  2. Information below the text box
  3. Mark Rosewater (March 11, 2019). "Can you tell us now what was the Modern Horizons set codename?". Blogatog. Tumblr.
  4. Blake Rasmussen (February 28, 2019). "Announcing Modern Horizons". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  5. a b c Mark Rosewater (May 20, 2019). "Modern Sensibilities". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  6. What's the Story of Modern Horizons? (Video). Good Morning Magic. YouTube (May 21, 2021).
  7. Wizards of the Coast (May 31, 2019). "Modern Horizons Release Notes". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  8. a b Mark Rosewater (May 19, 2019). "IIRC It was mention that only five cards in Horizons were already in Modern.". Blogatog. Tumblr.
  9. Mark Rosewater (March 09, 2019). "Modern Horizons has the restriction of "All re-prints have to be non-modern-legal cards."". Blogatog. Tumblr.
  10. Mark Rosewater (February 28, 2019). "Is modern horizons something you can do now because of play design?". Blogatog. Tumblr.
  11. Mark Rosewater (February 28, 2019). "Can you explain to someone who doesn't play modern what's so innovative and exciting about modern horizons?". Blogatog. Tumblr.
  12. a b Emma Partlow (April 28, 2019). "Interesting thoughts from Maro's Q&A at MtGLondon.". Twitter.
  13. Mark Rosewater (May 29, 2019). "Do you know if we'll be getting any lore for Hogaak?". Blogatog. Tumblr.
  14. Mark Rosewater (October 05, 2019). "what made the packaging for Modern Horizons special to allow the seventeenth card (the art card)?". Blogatog. Tumblr.
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  17. Mark Rosewater (May 19, 2019). "Glad to see you guys still supporting the older platform!". Blogatog. Tumblr.
  18. Modern Horizons' Unprecedented Buy-a-Box Promo (And 2 More Things You Should Know). Wizards Play Network (May 20, 2019).
  19. a b c Weekly MTG: Modern Horizons on Twitch
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