Magic: The Gathering is returning to Middle-earth with a new set that serves as a prequel to its successful Lord of the Rings crossover, this time focusing on The Hobbit. The set is scheduled to release in paper on August 14, with digital versions arriving on MTG Arena and MTGO on August 11. Prerelease events will commence at local game stores on August 7.
Three cards from the upcoming set have been revealed, all of which are at the uncommon rarity. This makes them legal for use in Magic's competitive Standard format as well as its popular casual Commander format. Uncommons often see their primary play in Limited environments such as Draft and Sealed deck tournaments.
Nasty Little Rabbit is a green card designed as a payoff for a Draft strategy that prioritizes creatures with at least four power. It is intended to be an early play that can scale in power as the game progresses. Fearsome Goblin Pair aligns with a red-black theme in the set that focuses on goblin creatures and the amass mechanic, which allows players to build an ever-growing goblin army.
The third previewed card, Thror's Map, is a colorless legendary artifact. Its initial ability allows a player to search for a basic land, and it can then be activated each turn to perform a "looting" effect: drawing a card and then discarding one. This effect is thematically linked to a treasure map, fitting well within the world of The Hobbit. While not the most potent version of the looting effect seen in Magic's history, its utility suggests it could find a place in various Commander decks.
The Hobbit set continues Magic: The Gathering's "Universes Beyond" initiative, which has previously included crossovers with Marvel, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and Avatar: The Last Airbender. A Star Trek set is also slated for release later this year, alongside one-off "Secret Lair" releases like the God of War crossover from last year.
The set's release follows the considerable success of the Lord of the Rings crossover, though that set faced controversy earlier this year regarding allegations of plagiarism in the artwork of a reprint of the One Ring.