Magic: The Gathering Foundations – A New Chapter Begins
Hello Magic fans! On November 15, 2024, the brand-new edition Magic: The Gathering Foundations will be released. Whether you're an experienced Planeswalker or a curious newcomer, this set has something for everyone. At Twomoons, we're excited to dive into this thrilling new era with you. Our Prerelease event will take place from November 8–10 – mark the dates and grab your tickets early!
1. What’s Different About Foundations?
Here’s an overview of the new keywords and mechanics featured in the latest Magic set. Foundations is a thrilling edition that brings back classic favorites while also captivating both veterans and newcomers. There’s even a change in combat rules that will be particularly interesting for experienced players. So, what are we waiting for? Let’s dive in!
Flashback
While Foundations sets the stage for the future of the game, it simultaneously draws from the past, bringing back the popular keyword mechanic Flashback. Casting spells once is great – but playing them a second time from the graveyard? That’s value!
What Makes Flashback Special?
You can cast a spell with Flashback from your graveyard by paying its Flashback cost instead of its regular mana cost. Here’s the catch: Flashback doesn’t change when you can cast the spell. A sorcery with Flashback can still only be cast during your main phase. The spell’s mana value remains the same, regardless of how you cast it – it’s always based on the original mana cost. For instance, Think Twice has a mana value of 2, even when you cast it from your graveyard using Flashback.
Versatile Options
It doesn’t matter how the card ended up in your graveyard – whether it was discarded, milled, or sent there by another spell. Flashback gives you the strategic freedom to reuse your graveyard resources.
Threshold
Your graveyard plays a significant role in this set. Threshold is a returning ability that rewards you for a well-stocked graveyard.
How Does Threshold Work?
Threshold abilities activate when you have seven or more cards in your graveyard. Some Threshold abilities are triggered abilities. An example is Crypt Feaster: When this creature attacks, its ability checks if there are seven or more cards in your graveyard. If yes, the ability triggers and goes on the stack. While it waits to resolve, opponents can respond with instants or activated abilities. If the condition is still met when the ability resolves, Crypt Feaster gets +2/+0 until end of turn. If not, nothing happens.
Dynamic Effects
Not all Threshold abilities are triggered. Some are static abilities that remain active as long as you have seven or more cards in your graveyard.
Prowess
Combat can often be the deciding factor in Magic games, and in combat, bigger is usually better. Prowess is a returning ability that makes your creatures grow whenever you cast non-creature spells.
What Is Prowess?
Prowess is a triggered ability that gives a creature +1/+1 until end of turn whenever you cast a non-creature spell. This includes instants, sorceries, artifacts, enchantments, and Planeswalker spells. Playing a land won’t trigger Prowess, as lands aren’t spells. If a spell is a creature and another type (like an artifact creature), Prowess won’t trigger either.
Combat Surprises
Prowess is especially powerful when you cast instants during combat, making your creatures unexpectedly stronger and catching your opponent off guard.
Raid
A common question among new players is: "When should I attack?" Raid is a mechanic that answers: as often as you can! The idea is to reward aggression.
How Does Raid Work?
Raid abilities check if you attacked this turn. It doesn’t matter what happened during the attack. Even if your creatures didn’t survive or the attack didn’t go as planned, Raid will still trigger. An example is Searslicer Goblin: At the end of your turn, Raid checks if you attacked that turn. If you did, the ability triggers, granting additional effects.
Encouraging Offense
Magic often rewards aggressive play, and Raid reminds you that attacking is frequently the right move – even if things don’t always go as expected.
Change to Combat Rules: Removal of Damage Assignment Order
With Magic: The Gathering Foundations, a significant simplification in combat has been introduced: the damage assignment order has been removed.
What Does This Mean?
Previously, if an attacking creature was blocked by multiple creatures, the attacking player had to assign a specific order to those blockers. The attacker then had to deal lethal damage to the first blocker in line before assigning any to the next.
The Change
Now, there’s no set damage assignment order. If your creature is blocked by multiple creatures, you can split the damage however you like during the combat damage step. This gives the attacker more flexibility.
Why This Change?
The new rule makes combat more intuitive and reduces complexity, without making defensive strategies useless. Spells like Giant Growth are still powerful, but the attacker now has more strategic options. Simply put, combat becomes easier to understand and more tactically interesting!
2. Why Is Standard Being Revived, and Why Is Foundations Perfect for It?
One could cynically say, “Smart move by Wizards of the Coast (WOTC, the company behind Magic) – trying to get players back into Standard so they buy more boxes of the latest sets.” Sure, you could think that. But let me defend WOTC for a moment. Standard was on fire about 6–7 years ago, during sets like Kaladesh and Amonkhet. It was fun, accessible, affordable, and had a diverse, fast-changing meta. It was the perfect way to learn Magic without being dominated by the same three decks all the time. In the past seven years, Standard has lost much of its appeal and wasn't being played. Foundations aims to change that with a balanced mix of nostalgia and innovation. The cards are now Standard-legal for five years, with six more sets rolling in over the next year.
Long-Term Relevance
The cards from Foundations will be Standard-legal until at least 2029. This means players can invest in their decks without worrying about rotations for a long time. Other sets will continue to rotate. As of Fall 2025, the following sets are Standard-legal alongside Foundations:
- Dominaria United
- The Brothers' War
- Phyrexia: All Will Be One
- March of the Machine
- March of the Machine: The Aftermath
- Wilds of Eldraine
- The Lost Caverns of Ixalan
- Murders at Karlov Manor
- Outlaws of Thunder Junction
- Bloomburrow
- Duskmourn: House of Horror
3. What Products Are Available in Foundations, and Who Are They For?
Foundations offers a wide range of products designed for different types of players:
- Play Booster: Perfect for players who love the classic booster experience. Each Play Booster contains 14 cards, ideal for Draft events and building your collection.
These boosters are perfect for draft events and building your collection.
- Jumpstart Booster: For those who want to start playing right away. Each Jumpstart Booster has 20 thematic cards that create a unique strategy. Just shuffle two boosters together and start playing!
- Collector Booster: For collectors and players who want the best of the best. Each Collector Booster contains 15 foil cards, including:
- At least three cards with borderless or extended art
- At least five rare or mythic rare cards
- Exclusive cards with alternate artwork and special foil treatments
- Bundle: Great for players looking for a comprehensive entry. The Bundle includes:
- 9 Play Boosters
- 20 foil land cards
- 20 non-foil land cards
- A Spindown life counter
- A storage box
- Starter Collection: Designed for beginners. The Starter Collection includes:
- 387 cards, including 36 foil cards
- 3 Play Boosters
- 13 double-sided tokens
- A life counter
- A storage box
- Beginner Box: Created to make learning Magic easy. The box contains:
- 2 preconstructed 20-card decks with step-by-step guides
- 8 Jumpstart Packs for customization
- 2 playmats
- 2 life counters
How Does a Prerelease Work?
A Prerelease is the perfect opportunity to experience a new Magic set before its official release. At Twomoons, our Prerelease event for Foundations runs from November 8–10, and we can’t wait to welcome you all! No one knows the format well at this point. Maybe you've followed spoilers or are seeing the cards for the first time. There’s an element of equality – whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned pro, sometimes it just comes down to the boosters you open. But, of course, how you pilot your deck also matters.
The Process
- Registration: Sign up in advance to secure your spot. Prerelease events are popular, and getting your ticket online helps us organize things smoothly.
- Prerelease Pack: On the day of the event, you’ll receive a Prerelease Pack, which includes:
- 6 Play Boosters (in German) from Foundations
- 1 traditional stamped promo foil card (rare or mythic rare)
- 1 Spindown life counter to keep track of your life during the game
- Deck Building: Using the cards from your Prerelease Pack, build a 40-card deck. Don’t worry if it’s not perfect – the Prerelease is all about having fun and exploring the new set. The rest of your cards form your sideboard, which you can use to make changes between matches. You’ll have 60 minutes to build your deck.
- Playing: The tournament format is casual and beginner-friendly, but experienced players will also find it engaging. You’ll play several rounds against other participants, experiencing the brand-new cards and mechanics.
Prerelease Tips
- Bring Basic Lands: We always have extra basic lands (Plains, Islands, Swamps, Mountains, and Forests) in the shop, but it never hurts to bring your own.
- Enjoy the Community: The best thing about a Prerelease is the atmosphere. You’ll meet like-minded people who are just as excited as you are. It’s the perfect opportunity to make new friends and reconnect with familiar faces.
- Don’t Be Afraid to Ask Questions: If you’re new or unsure about a rule, just ask! Our team and fellow players are happy to help.
Why Twomoons Is the Best Place to Experience a Prerelease
At Twomoons, we’re more than just a store – we’re a community. Our mission is to be THE gathering place for all Magic enthusiasts. Whether you’re an experienced player looking forward to tournaments or a newcomer learning the basics, you belong here. Our sci-fi-themed board game and TCG bar elevates the playing experience. Enjoy a refreshing drink while organizing your cards, and take in the camaraderie of other Magic fans. And if you ever need a break from card games, we have a vast collection of board games to try out.
Foundations marks the beginning of a new era for Magic, and we at Twomoons couldn’t be more excited to be part of it. So, grab your Prerelease Pack, build your deck, and get ready for epic battles – we can’t wait to see you at the store!
What’s Next for Standard at Twomoons?
With the release of Foundations, we’re entering a new era for the Standard format at Twomoons, and we’re going all in! Starting from the Prerelease, we’ll be hosting a weekly Standard tournament every Thursday evening at 6:30 PM, featuring four 50-minute rounds.
The Details:
- When: Every Thursday, starting at 6:30 PM
- Format: 4 rounds, giving you the chance to showcase your skills and test your deck ideas
- Entry Fee: 15 CHF
- Prizes: Moons, our shop currency, which you can redeem for products in the store
Why Standard? Standard is the perfect format for creativity and experimentation. Foundations makes it even more exciting, with opportunities for innovative deck building and budget-friendly options. Unlike some formats where only the most expensive, flashy decks dominate, Standard encourages a diverse mix of strategies. Our expert brewers (looking at you, Dominic, Yves, Dimi, and co) are already gearing up to make some wild decks. In Standard, crazy brews can be just as successful as finely-tuned lists.
Beginner-Friendly and Competitive: Our Thursday night Standard tournament is the perfect entry point into the world of Magic tournaments. The atmosphere is relaxed, and even if you don’t know every nuance of the meta, your deck can always surprise your opponents. It’s a fantastic opportunity to improve your skills, face different players, and, most importantly, have a blast.
We at Twomoons are thrilled to see you at these tournaments and to experience the magic of Foundations together. Whether you’re aiming for victory or just want to enjoy a game night with friends, we promise it’ll be unforgettable! So, grab your cards and join us on Thursday evenings – we’ll see you on the battlefield!