Yesterday's MagicCon preview panel delivered on all its promises. Not only did we receive a wealth of information about upcoming Magic sets, but also an avalanche of new cards to analyze. In particular, the August set MTG The Hobbit showcased several spoilers, including potential staples, spectacular art treatments, and some truly interesting reprints.
As one of the most iconic chapters in The Hobbit, it's more than fitting that Riddles in the Dark received a truly powerful card. This is essentially an improved version of Fact or Fiction, a card that was previously banned in Legacy and restricted in Vintage. Even though you get one less card, it costs one less mana and allows you to personally build the piles.
As if that weren't enough, the ability to hide one of the piles is another huge advantage. This allows you to play true mind games with your opponent, pushing them to make suboptimal decisions due to lack of information. Even if you get the worse pile, three mana to "draw" two cards and put two into the graveyard is still an excellent deal at instant speed.
Despite the enormous competition among blue draw spells, with Stock Up and the new Flow State, it's easy to imagine Riddles in the Dark being played. Instant speed is a huge factor, and the fact that it fuels the graveyard makes it perfect for decks like Izzet Lessons and Spellementals, which are currently performing very well in Standard. Even if the format changes before August, it remains a solid draw spell in Commander at least.
As is traditional for Universes Beyond sets, The Hobbit features several versions of the main characters at different rarities. Bilbo, the protagonist of the story, naturally receives multiple cards, with the mythic version being particularly impressive. If you can attack with this stealthy Hobbit, even without dealing damage, you get a better effect than Snapcaster Mage.
Given that Bilbo's ability allows you to immediately cast the chosen spell, it bypasses timing restrictions, allowing you to cast sorceries during combat. Furthermore, the discount applied is wider than it seems, also affecting spells cast from exile with cards like Expressive Iteration or via Flashback. The fact that it can also retrieve artifacts for a more lasting advantage is an additional bonus.
Unfortunately, the lack of protection and the need to attack make its competitive use difficult in Constructed formats. In Commander, however, it appears as both an interesting build-around and a solid inclusion in Spellslinger lists.
In a very thematic choice, Wizards brings back the Adventure mechanic in The Hobbit, as shown by The Arkenstone. While less pushed than The One Ring, this new Tolkien relic remains interesting for Commander.
Three mana to tutor for any legendary creature is a solid effect, allowing you to search for useful pieces like Loran of the Third Path or Skrelv, Defector Mite. The artifact side is also valid, offering a generic anthem effect and consistent draws.
Neither side is exceptional for its cost, so it works best in decks that utilize both modes. Token decks, which can search for Mondrak, Glory Dominus and boost tokens, seem like the ideal home. It's not an incredible card, but it certainly has its place, especially in less competitive pods.
Smaug is one of the most iconic Dragons in fantasy literature, so it's good to see him represented with a powerful card. A 4/3 flying with haste for four mana and additional abilities is already well above the curve. It might be slightly too slow for the current Standard, but it would have room if the format slowed down.
In Commander, however, Smaug seems like a much safer choice. It's perfect in Treasure decks and could also fit into many Dragon Typal lists as an accelerator to bigger threats. Thanks to its double synergy with Magda, Brazen Outlaw, it might even find a place in cEDH, though competition for slots is extremely high.
Smaug is also the set's marquee card, available in a "Gleaming Gold Foil" version in Collector Boosters. The exact rarity is not yet known, but it will likely be comparable to other very rare premium versions.
After The One Ring and Bilbo’s Ring, My Precious is the third incarnation of Tolkien's iconic artifact in Magic. This version is weaker than the first but better than the second, and promises a good impact in Commander.
The Adventure side, Allure of Power, is already solid on its own. Cards like Village Rites and Deadly Dispute are heavily played, and this fits perfectly into that category. While less efficient, it compensates by offering a second card, similar to a slightly weaker version of Whispersilk Cloak.
My Precious shines especially in Aristocrats decks like Teysa Karlov, where both modes are relevant. However, the combination of card draw and commander protection makes it interesting in almost any black deck.
Typal decks are among the most popular strategies in Commander, and An Unexpected Party offers a powerful double anthem effect. Even a modest board can quickly transform into a lethal threat.
With At the Door as an Adventure, the card is clearly designed for Dwarf Typal decks. However, popular tribes like Humans and Angels can also leverage it well, using the enchantment as the primary effect.
The Troll trio Tom, Bert and William represents an excellent draw engine for Aristocrats decks. Although slow at five mana, the fact that it returns as an artifact upon death makes it very resilient, in line with Duskmourn's Enduring cycle.
It's great with both small and large creatures, proving particularly effective in Reanimator decks.
Thorin, Mountain-king is an extremely situational but valid card in its niche. It's an auto-include in Equipment and Voltron decks, where it allows you to equip for free and remove opposing permanents. Outside of this context, however, it loses much of its value.
The uncommon version of Bilbo, Luckwearer is less impressive, but still interesting. The Adventure Burglar’s Plot is the real highlight, offering one of the most flexible Switcheroo-type effects ever seen. It can swap tokens with opposing commanders or transform minor resources into high-value permanents.
The creature side is a decent bonus, useful for discard or graveyard-based strategies.
In addition to the main spoilers, some Box Toppers were also shown, all from Tales of Middle-earth. The One Ring will be available in this version, with a value already estimated around $95, accompanied by Sauron, the Dark Lord and Tom Bombadil.
Finally, the set will include new Dwarf-language cards, similar to the Elvish ones already seen, as well as exclusive seasonal lands and a cooperative Battle of Five Armies product planned for 2027.
With all these novelties, The Hobbit promises to be an extremely rich set. Whether you're a Tolkien fan or not, it's hard not to look forward to August with interest.
