Magic Online Weekly Announcements, May 9, 2023
Posted on May 09, 2023
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THE LEAD
March of the Machine: The Aftermath on MTGO Thursday Wednesday!
After the battle of the Multiverse has been won, what becomes of the story’s key figures? All is explained in the 50-card micro-set March of the Machine: The Aftermath! This Standard-legal expansion – which has a set code of MAT – releases on Magic Online next Thursday, May 11 tomorrow, May 10 just after 10 a.m. Pacific time (17:00 UTC) when our patch completes.
You can get more descriptions about each 5-card booster’s contents in this article from Wizards of the Coast.
MAT will not be redeemable, though regular and foil digital sets will exist inside the game. Though MAT is currently viewable in the Collection scene, reprints newly added to formats (#traininggrounds) will not be legal until the on-sale date. NOTE: Constructed Leagues will not reset with MAT's release.
The booster will sell for $2.49 USD in the MTGO Store. Because the set is not designed for Limited play, the main way to get the cards will be by purchasing boosters. (Note: Cards in the set will be available for use in future Cubes)
Like most expansions, extended-art and etched versions of the cards will be available in the Curated slot of Treasure Chests when those update on Wednesday, May 17. They will also appear in the Booster Fun slot of each pack.
Magic Online Player Rewards drop on June 1 (based on play and purchases in May) will feature foil, alternate-art versions of the set’s uncommons.
Vintage Cube Returns Tomorrow
Magic Online’s most popular format is back – Vintage Cube starts a three-week run tomorrow at 10 a.m. Pacific time (17:00 UTC)! The Cube is back because it’s a featured format of the upcoming MOCS Season 1 Showcase event (May 20, twitch.tv/magic).
Our Cube has also returned to its roots, as explained by our new Cube curator – Creative Director Ryan Spain – in this article. Be sure to check out Ryan’s overall philosophy on crafting this experience and Ryan's card-by-card notes on the 80 changes made this time.
The full Cube card list is viewable now at this page.
Entry options for this Phantom event (your choice – League or single-elimination Queue) are the customary 10 Event Tickets or 100 Play Points. See you in the Cube!
ICYMI – Standard Rotation Change
During Sunday’s broadcast of the Pro Tour Top 8, Aaron Forsythe and Billy Jensen announced a change to the cadence of Standard rotations. There will be no rotation this fall as Standard moves from a two-year cycle to a three-year cycle. For more discussion about this, read the Revitalizing Standard article.
PREMIER PLAY
MOCS Showcase Challenge Events This Weekend
A new MOCS season is here, as is the first round of Showcase Challenges feeding Season 2’s Showcase Qualifiers in July.
It takes 40 Season 2 Qualifier Points to enter a Showcase Challenge. The Top 8 finishers in each event earn a Championship Entry Token for the event’s format plus earn Leaderboard Points toward an At-Large berth in the next Showcase!
Here are the dates and times for the next group – NOTE: the Pauper event is not being held in its Challenge’s normal time slot:
| DATE | TIME (PT) | TIME (UTC) | EVENT | FORMAT |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saturday, May 13, 2023 | 8:00 a.m. | 15:00 | Pauper Showcase Challenge | Pauper |
| Sunday, May 14, 2023 | 8:00 a.m. | 15:00 | Legacy Showcase Challenge | Legacy |
Click the Premier Play Information link at the top of this Blog for full details.
ALTERNATE PLAY
Alternate Play Schedule
Here’s a look at the schedule of events coming up between now and The Lord of the Rings: Tales of Middle-earth™. Each description mentions whether or not the Draft is Phantom – cards won’t be added to players’ collections in Phantom events. All event transitions are at 10 a.m. PT unless otherwise noted:
- May 10-31 – Vintage Cube is back for a THREE-week run to support the Season 1 MOCS Showcase on May 20 (twitch.tv/magic). (Phantom)
- May 31-June 7 – How many Phyrexian incursions into planes have there been? One of the most famous ones is among the most beloved old draft formats – it’s Invasion Block (IPA) Flashback! (Phantom)
- June 7-14 – Another famous Phyrexian battle front was the plane of Rath. We’ll head back there via Tempest Remastered. (Phantom)
- June 14-LTR Release – Emblematic of March of the Machine and back for the first time in four years – it’s Battle of the Planes! (Phantom)
WEEKLY UPDATES
Redemption Update
As of April 28, Dominaria United redemption tokens are sold out!
Tokens for March of the Machine are planned to go on sale in the MTGO Store on Wednesday, May 17. This date is tentative – watch this space next week for a definitive date.
Redemption Tokens for Phyrexia: All Will Be One and The Brothers' War remain available.
For more details on the redemption program, click here.
March of the Machine on MTGO
Want to learn all about what we’re offering for the multiplanar battle spectacular that is March of the Machine? Go read the article now for info on:
- A new Art Bundle
- How to Battle on MTGO
- Alternate Play Schedule, including Magic 30 Cube and Vintage Cube
- Our next All-Access
- Odds and Ends
Format Challenge Update
Based on player feedback, the Sunday Standard Challenge is reverting to the Small (32-player) event structure starting this weekend.
Magic Online Format Challenges Every Weekend
Format Challenges are the first step toward qualifying for Premier Play through your favorite Magic formats and provide excellent prizes for those looking to test their mettle in their favorite formats. Learn more about Premier Play qualification to get started today.
Magic Online's Format Challenges run as shown on the schedule below.
On weekends featuring Showcase Challenge events, the Format Challenge that starts at either 6 a.m., 8 a.m., or 10 a.m. Pacific time is pre-empted by the Showcase Challenge; Format Challenges scheduled at other times remain in place.
NOTES:
CONSTRUCTED
- In MOCS Season 2, Vintage and Standard Challenges are never pre-empted
- 32-Player events require 32 players to fire and give prizes to the Top 32.
- Pauper and Vintage Challenges are always 32-Player tournaments.
- All other events listed require 64 players to fire and give prizes to the Top 64.
LIMITED
- 32-Player Limited Challenge events are 6 rounds with no playoff
- 64-Player Limited Challenge events are 7 rounds with no playoff
| TIME (PT) | FRIDAY | SATURDAY | SUNDAY |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12:00 a.m. | Vintage Challenge | ||
| 1:00 a.m. | 32-Player Limited Challenge | 32-Player Limited Challenge | |
| 2:00 a.m. | Pauper Challenge | ||
| 4:00 a.m. | 32-Player Legacy Challenge | Modern Challenge | |
| 6:00 a.m. | 32-Player Standard Challenge | Pioneer Challenge | |
| 8:00 a.m. | Modern Challenge | Legacy Challenge | |
| 10:00 a.m. | Vintage Challenge | Pauper Challenge | |
| 12:00 p.m. | 32-Player Limited Challenge | 32-Player Limited Challenge | |
| 2:00 p.m. | Pioneer Challenge | 32-Player Standard Challenge | |
| 4:00 p.m. | 32-Player Limited Challenge | ||
| 6:00 p.m. | Modern Challenge | Modern Challenge |
Check out the Magic Online Format Challenges page for further event details.
Patch Notes - May 10, 2023
- In Premier Events, players who disconnect while sideboarding will be able to return to the sideboarding scene if time remains.
- Chain Lightning and other Chain cards that can be copied by an opponent will work as expected.
- Sagas with Read Ahead will correctly not trigger if a counter is added with proliferate.
- Melira, the Living Cure will correctly reduce the amount of poison received by its controller down to one per turn.
- Invasion of Alara will no longer allow putting a land card into hand.
- Living End will no longer put Battles with a creature on the back face onto the battlefield.
- Event listings will change in the Constructed Play Lobby – Leagues will appear above all non-Premier Scheduled Events in each applicable format.
Next Scheduled Downtime - To Be Determined
The downtime that was planned for tomorrow has been converted to a live patch. We will announce the next downtime once we determine it.