Last updated on September 26, 2023
Ixalan Preview Art – Illustration by Alix Branwyn
Lost Caverns of Ixalan will be Magic: The Gathering’s final Standard-legal release for 2023, taking us back to the Mesoamerican-inspired plane of pirates, merfolk, vampires, and dino-riding humans, with an underground twist on top.
The set features everything relating to dinosaurs, mana ramp, and brutal nature scenes! We’ve even got an exciting reprint coming in: Mana Crypt! (Kind of…)
We’ve gathered all the available information in this article, so let’s go spelunking!
Lost Caverns of Ixalan: Basic Information
Set Details
Chart a Course | Illustration by James Ryman
| Set Symbol |  |
| Set Code | LCI |
| Hashtag | #MTGIxalan |
| Number of Cards | TBA |
| Rarities | TBA |
| Mechanics | TBA |
Important Dates
Announced nearly over year ago in August 2022, Lost Caverns of Ixalan is releasing this November, with a standard release schedule of prerelease early in the month prior to the paper release.
| Event | Date |
|---|---|
| Previews start | October 24, 2023 |
| First Looks | September 22, 2023 |
| Full gallery available | TBA |
| Available on Draftsim's Draft Simulator | TBA |
| Digital release date | November 14, 2023 |
| Available on Arena Tutor | November 2023 |
| Prerelease week | November 10, 2023 |
| Paper release date | November 17, 2023 |
| MTG Arena Streamer Event | November 9, 2023 |
Lost Caverns of Ixalan will be playable in all tabletop formats where Standard cards are legal, including Pioneer, Modern, Pauper, Vintage, Legacy, and Commander, as well as Explorer, Historic, Brawl, and Alchemy on Magic Arena.
According to Wizards of the Coast’s new rotation schedule, Caverns will remain in Standard until Autumn 2026 (that’s to say, for almost three years).
About Lost Caverns of Ixalan: The Story
Emissary of Sunrise | Illustration by Deruchenko Alexander
Before “Caverns…”
Ixalan, which was introduced into the Magic Multiverse back in September 2017, is both the name of the plane and the name of one of its two continents: the jungle-covered Western landmass, home to the dinosaur-riding humans of the Sun Empire and the merfolk tribes of the River Heralds.
Until recently, the Sun Empire has been at war with the invading Dusk Legion – an army of vampire conquistadors hailing from the Eastern continent of Torrezon – and had the occasional brush with the Brazen Coalition, a loose amalgam of sea-traders-turned-pirates. Then the Phyrexians showed up en masse and uninvited in the events of March of the Machine. They invaded and burned and compleated everything in their wake, including the mighty Etali, Primal Conqueror.
This brutal Phyrexian invasion forced former enemies into an uneasy alliance against their common foe. As told in Miguel Lopez’s short story “Three Hundred Steps Under the Sun,” an exhausted Huatli led a brave, ragtag group of humans, vampires, and dinosaurs into Ixalan’s last-ditch effort to turn the compleating tide.
If you’d like to explore Ixalan’s existing lore a bit more in-depth, here are Part One and Part Two of Wizards’ Planeswalker’s Guide to Ixalan.
What We Know About “Caverns…” Setting
The Core | Illustration by Piotr Dura
With the Phyrexians defeated across the whole Multiverse by the end of the events of March of the Machine, Lost Caverns of Ixalan will deal, at least in part, with the aftermath of the Phyrexian invasion.
According to Magic’s Head Designer Mark Rosewater, “The Phyrexian war was the largest conflict almost every plane had ever seen, and has become an integral part of the identity of each plane. There’s now a “Before the war” and “After the war”. March of the Machine: The Aftermath gives you some teasers about the impact on some of the planes, but you won’t get the full picture of the cosmological changes until we revisit the planes. First up will be Eldraine with Wilds of Eldraine, followed by Ixalan in Lost Caverns of Ixalan. As you will see, both planes were hugely affected by the war.”
Mark Rosewater has also confirmed that Lost Caverns of Ixalan will, as the name suggests, be MTG’s exploration of the “Underground World” theme. He also notes that “Caverns” came first, and “Ixalan” later: “We were making an underground set, and Ixalan felt like the best fit for it. It wasn’t the other way round.”
Ovidio Cartagena specified that Ixalan was a “hollow” plane and that the story and cards will take place at the core caverns as characters seek a new, mysterious “resource of power.”
Set Mechanics
Double-Faced Cards
Dual-faced cards return in Lost Caverns of Ixalan, with a few interesting combinations of cards. Ojer Axonil, Deepest Might flips into the Temple of Power, and Huatli, Poet of Unity transforms into Roar of the Fifth People.
Speculation
We already know that Magic’s designers were working on an Underground set even before they decided Ixalan was going to be the featured plane, so whatever mechanics we get, they’ll probably deal with the “Underground World / Subterranean Fiction” themes in some way.
A lot of Ixalan’s existing lore and a big chunk of Ixalan’s coolest cards revolve around dinosaurs. We usually don’t picture Brontosaurus and T-Rexes living in underground caves (because, well, that’s not where the big Mesozoic lizards lived, if you ask a paleontologist). But science-fiction titan Jules Verne described exactly such a world in his “Journey to the Center of the Earth,” a cornerstone novel of the Subterranean Fiction theme. I’m pretty sure we’ll once again bump into big dinos the next time we visit Ixalan.
Vampires, another of Ixalan’s factions, will certainly appreciate a setting where they need no sunscreen. According to Ixalan’s lore, the Dusk Legion’s vampires are natives of the Torrezon continent, where they are converted via a rite performed by their church. As such, I would be surprised if we find cave-dwelling vampires under Ixalan, but given the Legion’s expansionist nature, I’d say it’s a safe bet that the Caverns will feature the Dusk Legion either as explorers of this brave new underworld, or as would-be conquerors.
In fact, Mark Rosewater clarified at MagicCon Barcelona that this set wouldn’t be “mechanically Ixalan,” but would rather be a new set with Ixalan as a “backdrop.” All you favorite Ixalan creatures will be there, but they won’t be at the center of the set like previous Ixalan releases.
Last but not least, among other Ixalan natives, we have… Treasure tokens!
Treasures were introduced in the original Ixalan set as a new mechanic, and have since then become commonplace: Bilbo, Retired Burglar is one example of the dozen cards from Magic: The Gathering’s latest Lords of the Rings set that creates a Treasure. And new Magic Arena players are introduced to Treasures in the Starter Deck Duel event, with cards like Gala Greeters in the Strength in Numbers deck, or Old Rutstein in the Grave Matters deck. It would be weird if Treasures didn’t feature prominently in these Caverns now that we’re returning to the evergreen mechanic’s hometown.
Official Spoilers
September 22, 2023
- Ghalta, Stampede Tyrant
- Ojer Axonil, Deepest Might
- Temple of Power
- The Skullspore Nexus
- Breeches, Eager Pillager
- Huatli, Poet of Unity
- Roar of the Fifth People
- Plains
- Island
- Swamp
- Mountain
- Forest
- Cavern of Souls
Unofficial Spoilers/Leaks
Spider Trap – Illustration by Adam Paquette
Source: Reddit thread
In one of them, we see what seems to be huge spider legs – and spiders do like dark caves, a fact that makes this a match made in Heaven (or, well, Hell, depending on your stance on oversized arachnids!).
Notable Cards
Box Toppers (Including Mana Crypt!)
Wizards of the Coast is going a bit wild with the box toppers this time around. Lord of Atlantis and Coercive Portal are great playables that have wonderful new art, but even WotC knows everybody wants the Mana Crypt. Not only does the Crypt appear in box-topper packs, but it even has a chance to appear in one of your Collector Boosters! Here’s the full gallery of alternate-arts deemed “Cosmium Neon Ink.” The box toppers come in foil when you buy a Collector box, and non-foil for Draft and Set booster boxes.
Cosmium Neon Ink Alternate Arts
Some of the most powerful and desired cards in Lost Caverns of Ixalan have alternate-art versions labeled “Cosmium Neon Ink.” These alternate versions have one base version, and 5 other alternative versions that feature one of the five colors of Magic more prominently.
Cavern of Souls
For the first time ever, Cavern of Souls is coming to Standard (and Pioneer)! The card empowers creature-based, typal strategies against control decks, and it’s cased quite a stir. However, given the drastically-low sampling of Control decks in both formats, we’ll have to see what kind of impact it’ll have. At the very least, it’s price will hopefully drop!
Jurassic World Collection
Magic’s collaboration with Jurassic World comes out, appropriately, alongside the Lost caverns of Ixalan. These cards can be found occasionally in your average Set Booster and always in Collector Boosters.
Full-Art Lands
In case you were living under a rock the last few years, basically every Standard set release has its own suite of full-art basic lands. They’re not in every pack, but they go for pennies on 3rd-party marketplaces, so they’re pretty accessible. The lands coming in Lost Caverns of Ixalan are quite unique. They feature a full top-to-bottom art piece underneath the card’s name and type in a form we’ve never seen before. I quite like it, and I think it’ll catch most player’s eyes more than previous full-art basics.
Available Products
Draft Boosters
Lost Caverns of Ixalan Draft Boosters should come as a surprise to no one. You’re getting your standard 15-card packs meant for drafting plus a box topper. The box topper is extra special this time around, and will even pay for the box and then some if you get a Mana Crypt
- JOURNEY TO THE CENTER OF IXALAN—Discover powerful relics and craft tools to give you an edge against the deadly dinosaurs, cunning traps, and ancient gods at the center of the world
- BEST BOOSTERS FOR DRAFTING—Draft Boosters are designed to draft a deck and play with friends; everyone grabs 3 packs and passes them around to pick cards. Add some lands and you're ready for epic 2-player battles
- TREASURE TROVE BOX TOPPER—Every box contains hidden treasure, with 1 Artifact reprint Box Topper card featuring exclusive Borderless alt-art
- RARE OR MYTHIC RARE IN EVERY PACK—Every pack contains at least 1 card of rarity Rare or higher and may contain another with a shining Traditional Foil treatment
- PLAY A GAME THAT FUSES ART, STORIES & STRATEGY—Magic: The Gathering is a collectible card game that weaves deep strategy with art and mechanics that explore the themes of a particular world and story—whether you want to play a casual game with friends, collect cool cards, or get competitive, Magic welcomes you to The Gathering
Set Boosters
Set Boosters are your standard made-to-be-opened pack. They contain a dozen cards plus a chance at a Jurassic World card and varying numbers of rare cards inside. They’re excellent for pack wars, prize support, or for just cracking packs!
- JOURNEY TO THE CENTER OF IXALAN—Discover powerful relics and craft tools to give you an edge against the deadly dinosaurs, cunning traps, and ancient gods at the center of the world
- EXPLORE WITH SET BOOSTERS—Set Boosters are specifically designed for a fun pack-opening experience, with at least 1 Rare or Mythic Rare card and at least 1 card with a shining foil treatment in every pack
- 1 IN 12 BOOSTERS INCLUDES A JURASSIC WORLD CARD—Be on the lookout for Universes Beyond Jurassic World Collection cards featuring the Jurassic World franchise’s iconic characters and ferocious dinosaurs!
- TREASURE TROVE BOX TOPPER—Every box contains hidden treasure, with 1 Artifact reprint Box Topper card featuring exclusive Borderless alt-art
- PLAY A GAME THAT FUSES ART, STORIES & STRATEGY—Magic: The Gathering is a collectible card game that weaves deep strategy with art and mechanics that explore the themes of a particular world and story—whether you want to play a casual game with friends, collect cool cards, or get competitive, Magic welcomes you to The Gathering
Collector Boosters
Collector Boosters are the top end of sealed product for almost any given release. This time around, they include tons of foils including at least 5 rares, some full-arts, and even a chance at an extra-rare neon-ink card!
- JOURNEY TO THE CENTER OF IXALAN—Discover powerful relics and craft tools to give you an edge against the deadly dinosaurs, cunning traps, and ancient gods at the center of the world
- BEST BOOSTERS FOR COLLECTORS—Collector Boosters are a shortcut to the coolest cards in a set, with packs full of Rare cards, shiny foil cards, and special alt-art, alt-frame cards
- EXCLUSIVE SPECIAL TREATMENTS—Found only in Collector Boosters, every pack contains at least 1 Extended-Art card and may even contain a Cosmium Neon Ink card with borderless art that radiates with the power of Ixalan’s inner sun
- JURASSIC WORLD CARD IN EVERY PACK—Get 1 Universes Beyond Jurassic World Collection card depicting iconic characters and moments from the Jurassic World franchise in every pack
- PLAY A GAME THAT FUSES ART, STORIES & STRATEGY—Magic: The Gathering is a collectible card game that weaves deep strategy with art and mechanics that explore the themes of a particular world and story—whether you want to play a casual game with friends, collect cool cards, or get competitive, Magic welcomes you to The Gathering
Bundle
Bundles are a great way to dive into the set with a couple of must-have items. In addition to the standard 8 set boosters, you’re getting a card from the Jurassic World Collection, a foil, bundle-exclusive with alternate art, and other accessories!
- JOURNEY TO THE CENTER OF IXALAN—Discover powerful relics and craft tools to give you an edge against the deadly dinosaurs, cunning traps, and ancient gods at the center of the world
- A BUNDLE FULL OF CARDS + ACCESSORIES—Open a bundle full of cards from The Lost Caverns of Ixalan plus a box to store them in, a die to keep track of your life total, and more
- JURASSIC WORLD CARD IN EVERY BOX—Every box comes with 1 Universes Beyond Jurassic World Collection card featuring the Jurassic World franchise’s iconic characters and ferocious dinosaurs!
- EXCLUSIVE ALTERNATE-ART CARD—Every Bundle also comes with 1 promo card featuring Bundle-exclusive alternate art and a shining Traditional Foil treatment
- PLAY A GAME THAT FUSES ART, STORIES & STRATEGY—Magic: The Gathering is a collectible card game that weaves deep strategy with art and mechanics that explore the themes of a particular world and story—whether you want to play a casual game with friends, collect cool cards, or get competitive, Magic welcomes you to The Gathering
Gift Bundle
Gift Bundles are everything the conventional Bundle has plus a collector booster! It’s the extra cherry on top that makes it that much special.
- GIVE THE GIFT OF MAGIC—The perfect present for any Magic fan, the Bundle: Gift Edition is full of cards and exclusive accessories, including a Collector Booster full of Rare cards, shiny foils, and alternate-art cards
- JOURNEY TO THE CENTER OF IXALAN—Discover powerful relics and craft tools to give you an edge against the deadly dinosaurs, cunning traps, and ancient gods at the center of the world
- FOIL JURASSIC WORLD CARD IN EVERY BOX—Every box comes with 1 Universes Beyond Jurassic World Collection card featuring the Jurassic World franchise’s iconic characters and ferocious dinosaurs with a shiny Traditional Foil card treatment
- EXCLUSIVE ALTERNATE-ART CARD—Every Bundle also comes with 1 promo card featuring Bundle-exclusive alternate art and a shining Traditional Foil treatment
- PLAY A GAME THAT FUSES ART, STORIES & STRATEGY—Magic: The Gathering is a collectible card game that weaves deep strategy with art and mechanics that explore the themes of a particular world and story—whether you want to play a casual game with friends, collect cool cards, or get competitive, Magic welcomes you to The Gathering
Commander Decks
commander decksLast, but certainly not least, are the preconstructed Commander decks accompanying the main release. The decks are Ahoy Mateys, Blood Rites, Explorers of the Deep, and Veloci-Ramp-Tor! We’ll, of course, have full upgrade guides for each precon shortly after the full decklists have been spoiled, so check back regularly!
- JOURNEY TO THE CENTER OF IXALAN—Explore the cavernous depths beneath Ixalan in a race to the hidden core. Will you uncover treasure and glory, or will your adventure spell certain doom?
- EPIC MULTIPLAYER BATTLES—Commander is a multiplayer way to play Magic, an epic, free-for-all battle full of strategic plays and social intrigue
- INTRODUCING 40 COMMANDER CARDS—Each deck introduces 10 never-before-seen Commander cards to Magic: The Gathering
- COLLECT SPECIAL TREATMENT CARDS—Each deck also comes with a 2-card Collector Booster Sample Pack containing 2 alt-border cards from the The Lost Caverns of Ixalan set, including 1 Rare or Mythic Rare and at least 1 Traditional Foil card
- CONTENTS—All 4 The Lost Caverns of Ixalan Commander Decks; each 100-card deck also comes with a 2-card Collector Booster Sample Pack, 1 Foil-Etched Display Commander, 10 double-sided tokens, 1 life tracker, and 1 deck box
Wrap Up
And that’s all we know for now about Lost Caverns of Ixalan, MTG’s final announced set for 2023!
If you have any thoughts or have heard any rumors about what we’ll find in these caves, do let us know! Stop by the official Draftsim Discord, or give me a ping on Twitter.
Until next time, and get your lamps ready!
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