Wizards of the Coast is introducing two new mechanics, Battlefront and Seek Out, in the upcoming Magic: The Gathering Universes Beyond: Star Trek set. This marks the first time in years that Commander-specific keyworded mechanics have been added to the game, following Lieutenant in Commander 2014 and Eminence in Commander 2017.
The Battlefront mechanic is designed for aggressive strategies and triggers based on the number of opponents a player has attacked during their turn. Worf, Defiant Commander, featured in the Klingon Fury Commander deck, exemplifies this. When Worf attacks, his Battlefront ability allows the player to exile cards from the top of their library equal to the number of opponents attacked, and then play any of those exiled cards until the end of the next turn. This mechanic could be integrated into future sets beyond the Star Trek theme.
Seek Out is a new ability that triggers whenever a player draws their second card each turn. This mechanic effectively keywords a recurring effect seen on cards like Thopter Fabricator and Jace, Arcane Strategist. Jean-Luc Picard, Luminary, from the Starfleet deck, uses Seek Out to place a +1/+1 counter on a creature and two charge counters on a spacecraft. Picard also has an ability that draws a card whenever a historic permanent with a mana value of three or greater enters play, referencing his character's appreciation for history.
The Star Trek Commander decks will feature four preconstructed decks, each led by a prominent Star Trek character. The Klingon Fury deck is led by Worf, while the Starfleet deck features Jean-Luc Picard. A third deck, focused on the Borg, is led by the Borg Queen, who provides buffs to artifact creatures and can assimilate opponent's creatures. This deck also introduces the Assimilate mechanic and a board wipe called Join the Collective. The final deck is helmed by Commander Spock, whose Strange New Worlds ability allows players to cast cards from the top of their library based on the number of differently named lands they control.
The Star Trek Commander decks are scheduled for release on November 13.