Magic: The Gatheringis one of the most popular trading card games, and for long-time veterans or brand-new players, the newMagic: The Gathering Foundationsis a great place to start a new journey. This pack was made to appeal to fans throughout theMagicMultiverse, with fan-favorite legends featured here as well. This pack will bereleased on July 31, 2025, and offers cards that will be legal in Standard until 2029, following not too long after theDuskmournset from September.
Although each play style is unique for each player,Foundationsoffers a great starting point for collecting some beautiful cards and practicing the basics of what makes this game great.TheupcomingMagic: The Gatheringsetoffers a new take on some classics like the Planeswalkers and a multitude of beasts while showing off new additions. Although many cards have been previewed for the set, there are a few that players should keep an eye out for, be it for aesthetic value or interesting effects.
10Anthem Of Champions
A Rallying Cry For Your Creatures
Anthem of Champions is aFoundationscard that has been potentially revealed to be a powerhouse in the right deck, as it offers a blanket enchantment for any player who enjoyed the Glorious Anthem and Gaea’s Anthem cards. As tiny details go, fans may notice the frame used on the standard version of this card was previously only for enchantment creatures. With the introduction ofFoundations, however, this will be the new standard enchantment frame.
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The lore on each version of this card is different, but the full art version is a beautiful depiction of the Setessan city’s lack of walls with the Nessian Forest in the background.All the art on the cards features warriors from each faction within Setessa,making this +1/+1 blanket creature enchantment very beneficial in early turns.
9Felidar Savior
A Resilient Protector
The Felidar Savior is a new creature card forFoundations,giving players a chance to get a boost as soon as they play the card.The art for this card is stunning, as the dragon-like tiger rests on floating cliffs with its horns on full display. The quote at the bottom of this card is very sweet, with it noting: “Cut and bruised from his climb to the summit, Zahr wept with relief when he saw the felidar’s horns appear.”
This card also has a Lifelink effect, giving players the amount of damage dealt by the creature back in health.
This card is similar to Basari’s Acolyte from the Core Set from 2021, with the Felidar Savior card also offering a +1/+1 counter on up to two target creatures of the player’s control when it enters the battlefield. This card also has a Lifelink effect, giving players the amount of damage dealt by the creature back in health.
8Pacifism
A Timeless Disabler
This reprint of Pacifism keeps the same effects but boasts stunning card art compared to some of the other versions of it. This card is one of the rare ones inFoundationsthat will be legal in nearly every set. Although many veteran players find this card to be useless, it is a great part of the process of moving through decks and experience levels.
The card art is what boosts Pacifism to its place here, even if it isn’t the most useful card, as the striking contrast in colors is more important.The great beast is essentially rag-dolled upon the ground while a crystalline butterfly rests upon its claws. This card is worth keeping in any collection, even if it only serves as a reminder that enchantments affect everyone.
7Omniscience
Ultimate Knowledge & Power
Another reprint, Omniscience, is an enchantment card that largely has mixed reviews on whether it is playingMagic, but the mini-game aspect that players talk about is wildly intriguing.The new reprints of it feature both a standard and a full-art version, with the art on both being more abstract than some of the previous installations.For new players, this is a great card to pair with Lavinia, Azorius Renegade for a particularly interesting match.
This card retains the same effects as its earlier editions, with the enchantment allowing players to cast spells from their hand without any mana costs, meaning that high mana cards could be played with little effect on the preservation of mana.Although this is a bit of a cheesy way to play, this card provides lots of fun for the right players.
6Nine-Lives Familiar
A Feline Friend with Nine Chances
There are three different versions of the Nine-Lives Familiar card within theFoundationsset, but its adorable design and useful effects make this a necessary addition to any deck that focuses on creatures.Some players seem to be wary of this card, as the resurrect mechanic could make for some easily exploitable gameplay. The three versions include a standard and two rare versions that all boast different art.
As could be inferred by the name, the Nine-Lives Familiar card is a cat creature that has an effect that starts upon casting.This card enters with eight revival counters, so when it dies it can be revived an additional 8 times. Curiosity has lost score at this point, with black cats featured alongside a note on some versions that says, “Her master gathered the bones to resurrect her, only to find her purring on the altar.”
5Vengeful Bloodwitch
A Deadly Sorceress
Vengeful Bloodwitch is a new card that is going to be released withinFoundationsthat offers a new style of gameplay for players who enjoy Blood Artist decks.There is no shortage of vampire creatures within this Set and this might be a key inclusion to any primarily vampiric experience. The art style for this card differs slightly compared to some of the others, as it has a distinctly 80s vibe to it.
The card works best in a one-on-one scenario, as the target opponent loses a life while the player gains one.
This works in a way that is similar to the Zulaport Cutthroat card, just without the additional range. Consideration was put into this decision,as having cards that fall within the Blood Artist form in the Standard opens up the game for more beginners.
4Moment of Triumph
A Decisive Victory
Moment of Triumph has been a long-standing card within the Sets and is still widely legal. The art has not changed here, with the same rearing horse and knight from theRivals of Ixalanexpansion, but that is not what is important.Moment of Triumph is a great card, as it is a White instant cast with a very minimal cost compared to some other advantageous cards.
Moment of Triumph boasts the effect of granting a targeted creature +2/+2 until the end of a turn while also giving the player two life points.This card is similar to Tactical Advantage, which offers the same +2/+2, but the additional life makes this a card to put in every deck that warrants it, especially for new players getting the hang of everything.
3Bloodtithe Collector
A Grim Tax Collector
This Vampire Noble is a pinnacle in most Blood Artist styles, as it is a great creature for extended play scenarios.The art itself is not new, but the Vampiric Noblewoman will never fail to win major points with its dynamic scene.The use of Black decks as a whole presents unique challenges, especially while using Vampires, but the addition of the Flying ability for this card gives it a boost that many players recognize.
Bloodtithe Collector is a mid-game card that should be saved, as its primary ability relies on the loss of a life.At its entrance, Bloodtithe Collector causes opponents who have lost a life in that turn to discard a card, making it an interesting strategy for players after Turn 5 when it’s more likely that their opponent has a more limited assortment of cards in their decks.
2Angelic Edict
A Divine Judgment
Angelic Edict is a White Sorcery card that is a reprint from theGatecrashexpansion, and the angelic card has beautiful art and an interesting mechanic that can be played upon it.This is an interesting card to be added toFoundations,as it promotes the idea of themed decks, especially for casual players or new players looking for something outside of standard ranked content.
This is a great addition to any Angelic Decks.
Angelic Edict has an interesting mechanic that exiles the target creature or enchantment, removing it from the board.This is a great addition to any Angelic Decks, as without a removal card, Lifegain games can get incredibly out of hand, but it should be explored to test the bounds.
1Day Of Judgment
A Cataclysmic Reset
This was one of the most shocking additions to theFoundationsdeck, as Day of Judgment has seemingly no downside.As this card will be legal in Standard for at least the next five years, having a board wipe card like this was an unexpected addition. With the addition of this as a common card, there are more rare slots to be opened up for further development whileFoundationsis legal, meaning more opportunities for interesting cards.
Day of Judgment is a White Sorcery card that costs 4 mana and is considered a Wrath card. This card has no downside, as its only effect is destroying all creatures without any strings attached. This is a powerful card that new and returningMagic: The Gatheringplayers should keep an eye out for.
