Magic: The Gathering Outlaws of Thunder Junction release date, cards, mechanics & Commander Decks

Just weeks after Universes Beyond: Fallout, it's already time for another expansion for Magic: The Gathering, and Outlaws of Thunder Junction is all about the baddies.

The expansion takes on a magical wild west theme with a whole host of the game's villains. There are fresh mechanics, too, including grouping existing ones together as 'Crimes', a long-requested option to saddle up on big beasts, and even the option to save a card for later.

If you want to know more about the release date, cards, new mechanics, and Commander Decks, read on below.

Players can expect to get their hands on the new Outlaws of Thunder Junction set on April 19, 2024, making it the second premier set to release this year. 

The cards will also be available on MTG Arena just before the physical launch, arriving on April 16. As for in-store prerelease, you can expect to jump in on April 12 - 18.

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Check out the cards we saw at a preview event, including the return of Jace as Jace Reawakened.

The Crimes mechanic is a big feature in this expansion. Essentially, any spell or ability that targets an opponent is considered a crime, and specific cards may punish or reward you for doing so. 

For example, with the new Duelist of the Mind card, if you commit a crime you can draw a card. As mentioned in our preview, that's going to incentivise interaction, even in the most shot-shy of Commander groups.

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There is also a Plot mechanic, which rewards forward-thinking. Take Slcikshot Show-Off, for example, as seen in above. You can play it as a creature, but you can also pay one colourless and one red mana to exile it and cast it later), giving you surprise reinforcements right when you need it.

Click to enlarge

Spree offers customisable, modal functions that can be chosen from the card as and when they're required. Check out Great Train Heist above, which can untap all creatures, give them +1/+0 counters, or create Treasure depending on what you need in a specific situation.

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Finally, it wouldn't be a Wild West-themed set without the opportunity to hop on a mount to make a daring escape. With that in mind, a new Saddle mechanic will let cards hop on board, as with The Gitrog card above. Wizards of the Coast says this feature has been requested for over a decade.

Outlaws of Thunder Junction will see the arrival of four new precon Commander Decks.

Perhaps my favourite feature this time around is that the featured Commanders will come with Showcase Art. Check them out below.

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