Lost Caverns Of Ixalan - Spoilers, Info, Story, And More

Ixalan is a plane full of Dinosaurs, Merfolk, Vampires, and Pirates; At least on the surface and on the seas. That said, the plane has much more dwelling below the surface that we have yet to discover. However, I think looking at what we know about the sets coming before it we can make reasonable guesses. So, here’s what I think we can expect to see from Lost Caverns Of Ixalan spoilers and storyline-wise.

…We have been steadily building our underworld since the beginning of history itself. I know, because I have seen it: beneath the Pyramids of Egypt, there are chambers that can be entered only by mists or shades, where Ancients rest in torpor, awaiting the end of time.

Beneath Venice, there are flooded buildings that have not seen the light of day for centuries, where Methuselahs do not need to breathe or feed but only to sleep and dream. Our world is the unseen, and we have been building it for centuries.
—Vampire: The Masquerade — Clanbook: Nosferatu

Key Dates

Debut Day: October 24th
Prerelease: November 10th
Release Date: November 17th

Related: MTG 2023 Release Schedule

Storyline

The story arc for the set revolves around a race to the center of Ixalan. What’s being chased? A powerful magical resource called Cosmium, which comes from the Sun at the center of the hollow plane. The sun itself, Chimil, is worshiped by the native Altecs.

What exactly happened to the sun, we don’t know. However, it was said that it is a “star that was torn by a mysterious invasion.” Cosmium is said to be so valuable that it makes gold look like charcoal. So, naturally, every faction on the plane – Including the Sun Coalition, the Dusk Legion, and the Brazen Coalition, is all fighting to get to the center first.

Ixalan is a plane that borrows mainly from Mesoamerican civilizations like the Mayan and Aztec cultures. Furthermore, it draws much from the Age of Discovery and Lost World/Civilization archetypes of the 17th century, where myths like El Dorado and Atlantis were born.

My prediction – Entrances To The Underworld

A prevalent theme for the cultures mentioned above is that there are entrances to the underworld (called the Xibalba) within subterranean caverns. Given that we know for a fact that the Plane takes from these cultures, I’d be shocked if this wasn’t included in the storyline somehow.

Lost Caverns Of Ixalan Spoilers

What Else Might We See?

MDFC Lands

MDFC lands officially started with Zendikar Rising. However, the flip lands from Ixalan were very close in concept. So, with the idea now fully fleshed out and popular amongst players, I think more MDFC lands are coming in this set.

God Cards/Demons

I mentioned above how an entrance to the Mayan underworld will likely appear. If it does, the Gods/Demons that rule the underworld will also likely show up. These will likely be modeled after the God cards that require devotion from Theros and Journey Into Nyx. Some examples include:

Tribes

Considering Tribal themes were so prevalent on our first visit to the plane, I think they’ll also return here. What tribes will we see? Aside from the four from before (Merfolk, Pirates, Dinosaurs, and Vampires, which are returning), here’s what else I think we may see.

Gods
Demons
Goblin
Duende (Mexican creature similar to Gnomes)
Zombies

Artifacts And Equipment

Given what we saw in the first sets with cards like Dowsing Dagger, Treasure Map, The Immortal Sun, Azor’s Gateway, I think we’ll see quite a few powerful Artifacts and Equipment in the set.

Available Products

Lost Caverns of Ixalan will have the following product line:

Draft Boosters (Best for Drafting)
Set Boosters (Best for opening for fun)
Collector Boosters (Contains the rarest cards from the set)
Bundle + Gift Bundle (Contains a few Set Boosters and accessories)
Four Commander Precons (Preconstructed Commander decks meant to be an on-ramp to the format)
- One for each of the original tribes of Ixalan – Vampires, Merfolk, Pirates, and Dinosaurs

Legal Formats

Lost Caverns Of Ixalan will be legal in all formats that Standard releases are legal in* – This includes Standard, Pioneer, Modern, Vintage, Legacy, Commander, Brawl, and Historic. All of the commons will be legal in Pauper as well.

*Two cards from the set Lord of Atlantis and Mana Crypt]] are part of a new “special guest” concept and will not be legal in any formats other than those they’re already legal in.

End Step

I loved the first two sets we had on Ixalan and as someone who loves all manner of Tribal decks, I’m excited about the return as well. It’s still way early too early to know what creature types we’ll find beneath the surface of Ixalan but I think the types that see support in the sets proceeding will shed some light on it. Until then, get out there and play some MTG.