MTG's Darkhold Destiny: Marvel Heroes Get a Spooky Magic Makeover

What if Doctor Strange and Thor had to team up to stop a multiversal invasion powered by dark magic? That's exactly the scenario in Magic: The Gathering's next Marvel crossover, Darkhold Destiny. And it's looking like the spookiest, most magic-heavy Marvel set yet.

This is the third Marvel set for MTG, following Spider-Man and Marvel Super Heroes. But unlike those, Darkhold Destiny isn't set in a mundane version of New York. Instead, it takes Doctor Strange, the Asgardians, and others into a more magical story. What really sets it apart is that Wizards of the Coast was able to write its own original story with Marvel's characters and settings. That makes it feel less like a crossover and more like a natural part of Magic's multiverse. With a new in-house story, Wizards also gave its artists more freedom to create their own takes on Marvel characters. For example, Scarlet Witch looked pretty standard in Marvel Super Heroes, but in Darkhold Destiny art, she looks much more like an MTG character while still keeping her signature mask.

The story? Dormammu and Hela use the Darkhold to invade the entire multiverse, and it's up to Doctor Strange, Thor, and other Marvel heroes to stop them. Because of the characters and props involved, the set focuses heavily on spellcasting. Thematically, that spellcasting is split into three 'schools' of magic: Arcane, Divine, and Dark. Arcane magic is themed around Doctor Strange and his allies. Divine magic is wielded by the Asgardians and similar entities. Dark magic is primarily for the villains, but some heroes like Ghost Rider will also wield it. You can expect a lot of cool instants, sorceries, and unique enchantments. Wizards is even bringing back the Arcane subtype on instants and sorceries, which hasn't been used since Saviors of Kamigawa back in 2005. I asked if the obscure 'Splice Onto Arcane' ability would return too, but sadly, it's not.

As with any recent set, there's a full lineup of products. You'll find Booster Packs, Collector Boosters, and Bundles, plus four Commander decks: Strange Academy (White/Blue/Black), Gods of Asgard (White/Red/Green), Midnight Sons (White/Black), and Lords of Hel (Black/Red). Each Commander deck will also have a collector's edition completely decked out in foils. There are also two scene boxes, each with six mechanically unique cards. Both the Bundle and special Gift Bundle come with a mechanically unique promo card. I just hope they don't skyrocket immediately on TCGPlayer, but I know they probably will.

Wizards of the Coast will give the first glimpse of its original Marvel story in February with a comic produced alongside Image Comics. Then another comic will come out closer to when the set launches in April 2027.

So, are you ready to dive into the Darkhold? What do you think of this magical take on Marvel? Will you be picking up any of the Commander decks? Let us know!