Theros: Beyond Death cards spoiled, show new Elspeth, full art lands

Theros, the Greek-themed plane of MTG, is much beloved by the community. When we found out we were going to back to Theros after Throne of Eldraine, fans were ecstatic. However, up until now, we have had little knowledge of what cards would be in the set. Would devotion come back? Is Elspeth alive? Well, thanks to a Theros: Beyond Death leak, we now have (some of) the answers! Check them out!

What’s Back

Theros: Beyond Death shows off some nice reprints and returning mechanics in these spoilers. Enchantment creatures, a hallmark of the plane, are back yet again, this time as Hero of Nyxborn. There will probably be more creatures like it. It also features the characteristic “starry” border enchantment creatures have.

The heroic mechanic is kind of back, but not quite. Heroes of the Revel and Hero of the Nyxborn both feature abilities that trigger when they are targeted by your own effects, just like heroic used to do. The mechanic is not named, but it is at least back in spirit if anything. Also, devotion is back, although it doesn’t seem too prominent, merely being a footnote on Threnody Singer.

Banishing Light and Underworld Dreams are both reprints from past sets but are fantastic cards to return. Banishing Light is an excellent catch-all removal for white, while Underworld Dreams is a commander staple.

Ashiok is back on Theros in some form, as we can see in Ashiok’s Erasure. She’ll most likely have a planeswalker card, but we have no clue what it will do. Hopefully, it won’t make elks or do anything crazy like a soon-to-be banned planeswalker Oko.

Vehicles and Sagas have found their way into the set somehow. Sagas, thought to be a mechanic exclusive to Dominaria block, are back unexpectedly. However, their inclusion does make sense, as Theros: Beyond Death is an enchantment-themed set to at least some degree. Vehicles are a bit off, but since Kaladesh the card type keeps popping up, I suppose it shouldn’t be too unusual at this point.

What’s New

Elspeth, Sun’s Nemesis is a brand new iteration of the Elspeth planeswalker we know and love. All of her abilities are minus, with no noticeable ability on her to gain loyalty. To possibly offset this, she features a mechanic called “Escape”. This most likely refers to the theme of escaping the underworld prominently featured in Theros: Beyond Death. The mechanic looks to let you cast things from your graveyard, albeit with an additional cost. In a way, it’s like Jump Start or Flashback, except for creatures.

The common Omen cycle features the mono-colored gods of Theros. Each enchantment does something related to the god, then can sacrifice itself later to Scry 2. These probably won’t be insanely constructed playable, but they’ll likely be great in draft.

Brand new full-art basic lands showcase the mana symbols Theros-style. While they lack the usual portrayal of nature, the cards look sweet in their depiction of colored nebulas and stars. For anyone looking to bling out their deck, these might be an excellent pickup.

What’s Missing

Nykthos, Shrine to Nyx and the other half of the Temple land cycle are both auspiciously absent. Both were a strong bet to be reprinted, but whether or not they make the final cut remains to be seen. Ashiok’s planeswalker card is absent too, as are the gods of Theros themselves (as their own cards I mean). Hopefully, future spoilers will provide us with more information.

What do you think of Theros: Beyond Death so far? Let us know down in the comments below, and be sure to check back here for more spoilers!