Last updated on February 15, 2024

The Brothers War concept art - Illustration by Chris Rahn

The Brothers' War concept art | Illustration by Chris Rahn

With the release of Streets of New Capenna, Standard won’t see its next round of set releases until Q3 and Q4 of 2022 with Dominaria United and The Brothers’ War. The latter set will highlight the war between Urza and Mishra originally featured in Antiquities all the way back in 1994.

Urza and Mishra remain two of the most popular characters in all of Magic and will ultimately draw attention to the set and format from players across the age spectrum. But the set doesn’t release for some time, which is why I’m coming to you today with a full summary of what we know right now, updated regularly.

Let’s get into it!

The Brothers' War Basic Information

Hurkyl's Recall - Illustration by Nene Thomas

Hurkyl's Recall | Illustration by Nene Thomas

Set Details

Set SymbolBrothers' War Set Icon
Set CodeBRO
Hashtag#MTGBRO
Number of Cards287
Rarities101 Commons, 80 Uncommons, 63 Rares, 23 Mythic Rares, 20 Basic Lands
MechanicsPrototype, Meld, Unearth, Powerstones, Artifact Synergies

Important Dates

EventDate
Prerelease weekNovember 11, 2022
Paper release dateNovember 18, 2022
Available on Draftsim's draft simulatorNovember 4, 2022
Available on Arena TutorNovember 15, 2022

About the Set: The Story

Strip Mine - Illustration by John Avon

Strip Mine | Illustration by John Avon

While a lot of the information about The Brothers’ War is yet to be unveiled, we know that it takes place during the war between Mishra and Urza originally displayed in Antiquities. Most of the mechanics will revolve around the war—and the events that make it up—rather than some general theme or story.

The set will be the second installation of a four-set story that starts with Dominaria United, which is where the “fate of the Multiverse” is “set to unravel”.

Set Mechanics

Prototype

Phyrexian Fleshgorger

One of the new abilities in Brothers' War is prototype, which is found on many different artifact creatures. It allows them to be cast for an alternative cost, which supplies you with a creature with identical abilities and types, but different stats, mana costs, and colors. In terms of the lore, this is sort of meant to be a machine in “two stages of development,” according to WotC.

When not on the battlefield, cards with prototype have their normal characteristics, not those of the prototype version. However, if you copy it while it is on the stack, you'll get a copy of whichever version you cast.

Powerstones

Splitting the Powerstone

Powerstones are colorless artifacts that tap for one colorless mana. They're sort of like Treasure tokens, only they do not give colored mana and do not need to be sacrificed. They have the drawback of not being able to be used when paying for a nonartifact spell, but have no other limitations. That means that they can still be used to pay for activated abilities of nonartifact permanents.

Unearth

Ashnod's Harvester

Unearth isn't anything new, but it's back again in Brothers' War. It's a simple activated ability that lets creatures in graveyards return to the battlefield with haste and the drawback of being exiled at the end of the turn or if it were to leave the battlefield. It can only be cast at sorcery speed.

Meld

Meld is also back in Brothers' War, and it is “just as weird and wonderful as it was the first time.”

Meld essentially combines two different cards into one new, unique one. Two cards of a melding pair will have their own requirements to meld, which is explained on one of the two. In the case of Urza, Lord Protector, this can occur if you pay and have both cards on the battlefield under your control. You then exile them both and meld them (flip them onto their backsides) into Urza, Planeswalker one of The Brothers' War planeswalkers.

This time around, there are three different melding pairs of cards, which come together to form new cards of Urza, Mishra, and Titania.

Notable Cards

A Cycle of Commands

The command spells are great becuase they give you several modes, and usually represent a 2-for-1 on top of the membership discount for more card advantage.

Speculation

While spoiler season is in full effect, we can use previous sets and Magic’s storyline to speculate as to what other mechanics, cards, and characters might pop up in The Brothers’ War.

Affinity

One of the most prominent mechanics we’re likely to see is affinity. Both Mishra and Urza were master artificers, and it would be incredibly odd and confusing if affinity doesn’t manage to make a comeback in one form or another in the new set.

Sagas

Urza's Saga MH2

Urza's Saga warped just about every format it released into, and considering its namesake character is one of two primary characters of the set, it isn’t too out of the question to speculate that it (alongside other sagas) might be coming. Maybe Mishra will be gifted his own, equally broken saga for players to enjoy.

Artifacts

Artifacts will undoubtedly be a heavy focus in the upcoming set. Both Mishra and Urza have plenty of artifacts already in the game, like Urza's Bauble, Mishra's War Machine, Mishra's Workshop, and Glasses of Urza. Regardless of whether or not affinity makes a major comeback or not, artifacts will all but certainly make a major appearance.

Reprints

There are plenty of reprints that players can hope to see in the new set. But it’ll be a Standard-legal set, which means we’re unlikely to see something like Urza's Saga in draft boosters.

Urza's Guilt

Urza's Guilt is a not-so-powerful card that carries the ultimate weight when it comes to the story at hand and is a possible reprint.

Urza's Factory

Urza's Factory is much, much less powerful than Mishra's Factory and could easily be printed into Standard and Pioneer without much trouble.

As for cards we might get access to in set boosters that won’t be legal in Constructed formats, there are numerous cards from Antiquities that deserve reprints. Ashnod's Altar, Strip Mine, and Hurkyl's Recall to name a few.

The Brothers' War Full Gallery

White Cards

Blue Cards

Black Cards

Red Cards

Green Cards

Multicolored Cards

Colorless Cards

Lands

Available Products

Draft Boosters

Draft Booster Box

Draft Boosters are packs of 16 cards meant for use in Limited play. You can get them either individually, or in booster boxescontaining 36 packs. WotC typically offers a buy-a-box promotional card, which is a foil exclusive only found in the box itself. Mishra's Foundry is this set's buy-a-box promo, and this time is in a foil retro border frame.

The Brothers' War draft boosters contain:

  • 1 rare or mythic rare, that can potentially be in the borderless frame
  • In a third of boosters replacing a common, 1 traditional foil card that can be a basic land, common, uncommon, rare, or mythic rare, or a retro artifact or retro schematic card
  • 1 retro artifact or retro schematic card
  • 1 basic land or mech land card
  • 3 non-foil uncommons
  • 10 non-foil commons, unless one is replaced by a traditional foil card of any rarity
Magic: The Gathering The Brothers’ War Draft Booster Box | 36 Packs (540 Magic Cards)
  • 36 The Brothers’ War MTG Draft Boosters—the best boosters for drafting The Brothers’ War
  • 15 Magic cards per booster
  • At least 1 Retro-Frame Artifact card in every pack
  • At least 1 card of rarity Rare or higher in every pack
  • 1 Traditional Foil card in 33% of packs

Collector Boosters

Collector Boosters

These are the packs meant for collectors looking to foil out a collection or if you just get an urge to crack a pack. As opposed to draft boosters, these aren't designed for Limited play, and are meant purely to be opened. Consequently, they cost more and have much more exciting and worthwhile cards to open inside.

The Brothers' War collector boosters contain:

  • 1 Foil alternate-frame rare or mythic rare that could be an extended-art, Commander extended-art, borderless, retro artifact, or retro schematic card, or serialized retro schematic card (in less than 1% of boosters)
  • 2 Non-foil retro or schematic artifacts: Each Collector Booster contains 1 retro artifact and 1 schematic artifact, one of which will be rare or mythic rare.
  • 1 Additional foil uncommon retro or schematic artifact
  • 1 Transformers series card, which might be foil (in 21% of boosters) or Shattered Glass (in 12% of boosters) or both (in less than 1% of boosters)
  • 1 Traditional foil rare or mythic rare
  • 1 Non-foil borderless or extended-art rare or mythic rare
  • 1 Non-foil extended-art Commander rare or mythic rare or Jumpstart rare
  • 1 Traditional foil mech land
  • 2 Traditional foil uncommons
  • 4 Traditional foil commons
  • 1 Traditional foil double-sided token
Magic The Gathering The Brothers War Collector Booster Box | 12 Packs (180 Magic Cards)
  • 12 The Brothers’ War MTG Collector Boosters—15 Magic cards plus 1 foil token in each booster
  • Only packs that may contain Shattered Glass alternate-art Transformers cards
  • Only packs that may contain special Foil Serialized Schematic cards
  • Foil or nonfoil Transformers Mythic Rare card in every pack plus 5 other cards of rarity Rare or higher
  • 3–4 Retro-Frame Artifact cards, including at least 1 Showcase Schematic card in every pack

Set Boosters

Set boosters

Set boostersare packs targeted for players who aren't necessarily interested in playing Limited, but also don't want to splurge on a collector booster. They contain slightly more cards than normal with multiple foils, and they can be bought both individually and as a booster box.

The Brothers' War set boosters contain:

  • 1 Rare or mythic rare, that can potentially be in the borderless frame
  • In a third of boosters replacing a common, 1 traditional foil card that can be a basic land, common, uncommon, rare, or mythic rare, or a retro artifact or retro schematic card
  • 1 Retro artifact or retro schematic card
  • 1 Basic land or mech land card
  • 3 Non-foil uncommons
  • 10 Non-foil commons, unless one is replaced by a traditional foil card of any rarity
Magic The Gathering The Brothers’ War Set Booster Box | 30 Packs (360 Magic Cards)
  • 30 The Brothers’ War Set Boosters—the best MTG boosters to open just for fun
  • 12 Magic: The Gathering cards plus 1 Art Card in each booster
  • At least 1 Retro-Frame Artifact card in every pack
  • Transformers card in 10 percent of packs
  • 1–5 cards of rarity Rare or higher and at least 1 Traditional Foil card in every pack

Jumpstart Boosters

Jumpstart boosters

Jumpstart boostersJumpstart boosters are meant to be opened up to be played with immediately. They combine with any other jumpstart booster to form a ready-to-play deck, complete with lands, interaction, and a general strategy. They each contain a set list of cards with typically 1-3 rares, and are perfect for quickly picking up and playing Magic without a large collection.

Sale
Magic: The Gathering The Brothers’ War Jumpstart Booster Box | 18 Packs (360 Magic Cards)
  • 18 The Brothers’ War Jumpstart Boosters—20 Magic cards per booster
  • 2 Traditional Foil Land cards in every pack
  • 2 Rare cards in every pack—including 1 card from a pool of Rares not found in the BRO main set
  • Each pack has 1 of 5 possible themes and each theme comes in 2 variants—mix and match for wild mashups
  • Grab 2 Jumpstart packs, shuffle, and you’re ready to rumble

Brothers' War Bundle

Bundle

The Brothers' War BundleBundle contains eight set boosters, 40 basic lands (20 nonfoil + 20 foil), a Transformers mythic rare card and foil promo, a spindown life counter, and a card storage box. They're a great way to pickup a few packs alongside some accessories, and are sweet for newer players.

Sale
Magic The Gathering The Brothers War Bundle | Transformers Card, 8 Set Boosters, and Accessories
  • 8 The Brothers’ War MTG Set Boosters
  • 1 Universes Beyond Transformers card included, with opportunity to find more in Set Boosters
  • 1 foil Retro-Frame alt-art promo card—Queen Kayla bin-Kroog
  • At least 1 Retro-Frame Artifact card in every Set Booster
  • Accessories—40 basic land cards (20 foil plus 20 nonfoil), Spindown life counter (red or green) plus card storage box

Brothers' War Gift Bundle

Gift bundle

The Gift bundlegift bundle is simply the regular bundle but with an additional collector booster and a special spindown life counter die.

Sale
Magic The Gathering The Brothers War Gift Bundle | Foil Transformers Card, 1 Collector Booster, 8 Set Boosters, and Accessories
  • Deluxe Gift Bundle for a set full of 1990s Magic nostalgia, powerful artifacts, and giant robots
  • Contains at least 2 Transformers cards—1 foil with every Gift Bundle, 1 foil or nonfoil in the Collector Booster, and opportunity to find more in Set Boosters
  • 1 foil, Retro-Frame alt-art promo card—Queen Kayla bin-Kroog
  • 1 The Brothers’ War Collector Booster—the only packs that may contain a Shattered Glass alternate-art Transformers card and/or special Serialized Schematic card
  • 8 The Brothers’ War MTG Set Boosters—the best boosters to open just for fun

Commander Decks

Urza's Iron Alliance

Urza's Iron Alliance

One of the two new preconstructed Commander decks releasing alongside The Brothers' War is Urza's Iron Alliance. This Esper () list is your classic artifacts-matter deck. It runs classic staples like Baleful Strix, Solemn Simulacrum, and Myr Battlesphere alongside synergistic inclusions such as Sai, Master Thopterist and Etherium Sculptor.

Magic: The Gathering The Brothers’ War Retro-Frame Commander Deck - Urza's Iron Alliance (White-Blue-Black) + Collector Booster Sample Pack
  • Contains Retro-Frame 100-card The Brothers’ War Commander Deck - Urza's Iron Alliance (White-Blue-Black)
  • Every card in the deck is Retro-Frame, with 2 Traditional Foil Retro-Frame Legendary cards + 98 Nonfoil Retro-Frame cards
  • 2-card Collector Booster Sample Pack - contains 1 special treatment card of rarity Rare or higher and at least 1 Traditional Foil Retro-Frame Artifact card
  • Accessories - 1 Traditional Foil Display Commander, 10 double-sided tokens, life tracker, and deck box
  • Construct an army of artifact creatures with the legendary master artificer, Urza.Ready-to-play deck introduces 10 MTG cards not found in the BRO main set

Mishra's Burnished Banner

Misrha's Burnished Banner

The other preconstructed Commander deck is Misrha's Burnished Banner, a Grixis () artifacts deck that takes a much more controlling game plan. It's commander, Mishra, Eminient One helps control the board by animating copies of your artifacts each turn.

Magic: The Gathering The Brothers’ War Retro-Frame Commander Deck - Mishra’s Burnished Banner (Blue-Black-Red) + Collector Booster Sample Pack
  • Contains Retro-Frame 100-card The Brothers’ War Commander Deck - Mishra's Burnished Banner (Blue-Black-Red)
  • Every card in the deck is Retro-Frame, with 2 Traditional Foil Retro-Frame Legendary cards + 98 Nonfoil Retro-Frame cards
  • 2-card Collector Booster Sample Pack—contains 1 special treatment card of rarity Rare or higher and at least 1 Traditional Foil Retro-Frame Artifact card
  • Accessories - 1 Traditional Foil Display Commander, 10 double-sided tokens, life tracker, and deck box
  • Extract every bit of advantage by sacrificing artifacts with the ruthless artificer, Mishra.Ready-to-play deck introduces 10 MTG cards not found in the BRO main set

Wrap Up

Mishra's Workshop - Illustration by Sam Burley

Mishra's Workshop | Illustration by Sam Burley

That’s all there is to know about The Brothers’ War right now. Spoiler season is in full effect, so be sure to check back regularly for the latest news and updates on the upcoming set!

I’m very stoked for this set. I’m a lover of everything artifacts and hope the set will bring much love to them and spice up my Standard grinding lifestyle a little bit. What do you think? Are you excited at the prospect of such an old set and story being brought back to life? Let me know your thoughts down in the comments or over in the official Draftsim Discord.

Until next time, stay safe and stay healthy!

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