Magic: The Gathering's Star Trek crossover was long-anticipated, but it was still big news when it was announced at Magicon Atlanta. This is the last set on the known MTG release schedule and still thirteen whole months away.
Since we're not going to get any previews for this release any time soon, what better time to start speculating about what cards will feature? Here are six Star Trek cards I want to see in this upcoming Magic release.
The USS Enterprise
Probably the most obvious card for this set, I will eat a token if Wizards doesn't make a highly pushed version of the famous Star Trek ship. We've already seen plenty of Magic x Star Trek art featuring the Enterprise, and its upcoming release is sure to be the number one reason Magic's rules were changed to allow legendary spacecraft and vehicles to be your commander.
In fact, I'd like to see multiple USS Enterprise cards, reflecting the various iterations this ship goes through in the different shows and films throughout the franchise, from the smaller Constitution class of TOS to the mammoth Enterprise-D.
Since it's probably going to be positioned to be an effective MTG commander, it's fair to assume an Enterprise spacecraft card won't be colorless. Bant seems like the most 'Federation'-y color combination to me. As for effects, I'd guess something to do with Explore or maybe even Cascade.
Q
The enigmatic, capricious Q would make for a great Magic: The Gathering card, although I'm struggling to decide what this all-knowing, all-powerful being should actually do. Q's intentions and behavior change from appearance to appearance. Sometimes antagonistic, sometimes helpful, always condescending, I think there'd have to be some red in his color identity, to reflect his chaotic nature.
Phasers
A phaser card with an expensive ability that destroys a creature and a cheaper ability that taps and adds stun counters. Boom, ship it.
The Borg
One of the best, most terrifying villains of Star Trek, I'm excited to see Magic's take on The Borg. I'm guessing Sultai colors, and they'll need to have some kind of ability that represents assimilating other lifeforms.
The best I can come up with is stealing permanents and perhaps changing their creature types or making them artifacts, which all sounds highly blue/black to me.
Quark
Deep Space 9 did a great job turning the Ferengi from caricatures into characters, and in particular Quark is one of the most well-liked individuals in the series. This rogueish anti-hero has moments of good and bad in equal measure, some great character growth and some of the best lines in his era. Quark is fun! He'd better get a great card.
Tribble
As well as all the characters and races, what's most exciting about MTG Star Trek will be the chance to see fun interpretations of weird one-off aliens. The Tribble's whole gimmick is their ability to multiply, so I'd expect a horde that grows exponentially, perhaps creating token copies of itself each turn?
Wizards would need to be careful not to make the Tribble too good though - Mark Rosewater considers Scute Swarm a design mistake, and this could easily go the same way. That's the trouble with Tribbles, they tend to get out of control.
Stifle reprint
a reprint of the counterspell Stifle, with Next Generation artwork and the flavor text "Shut up Wesley".
Check out our guide to every single MTG set, or the best Magic: The Gathering planeswalkers. Or come share your predictions/hopes for this release over on the Wargamer Discord.