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The Lost Caverns of Ixalan

Facts
Placement
Plane
Ixalan
Other
Symbol description
A Zoetic Glyph
Design
Mark Rosewater (lead), Mike Mearls , Ari Nieh , Cameron Williams , Chris Mooney , Dan Musser , Doug Beyer , Erik Lauer , Sam Jiang
Development
Jules Robins (co-lead), Erik Lauer (co-lead), Ethan Fleischer , Reggie Valk , Corey Bowen , Daniel Xu , Adam Prosak , Andrew Brown , Ben Weitz , Jadine Klomparens
Themes and mechanics
TDFC 's, Dinosaur Typal , Maps
Keywords/​ability words
Craft , Descend , Discover , Explore
Wilds of Eldraine
Wilds of Eldraine The Lost Caverns of Ixalan Murders at Karlov Manor
Lord of the Rings Holiday Release
Lord of the Rings Holiday Release The Lost Caverns of Ixalan The Lost Caverns of Ixalan ; Commander Decks

The Lost Caverns of Ixalan is the ninety-eighth Magic expansion. It was released on November 17, 2023.

Set details

The Lost Caverns of Ixalan is Magic's take on the “Underground World” trope. It is not a traditional return set: R&D was making an underground set, and Ixalan felt like the best fit for it. It wasn’t the other way round. As such, it is not a mechanical return to the previous set. The set has Dinosaurs, Merfolk, Pirates, and Vampires, but it isn't factioned or particularly typal. Thematically, it is more of an action/adventure set.

The Lost Caverns of Ixalan contains 291 regular cards (108 commons, 92 uncommons, 64 rares, 22 mythic rares, 5 basic lands), and includes randomly inserted traditional foil versions of all cards. The regular cards include 5 full-art "Core" basic lands (#287-291). Alternate card frames have a different card number than the original version. The mural-like "Legends of Ixalan" showcase cards are #292-313, and cards with the Gods of Ixalan treatment are #314-319. Borderless Dinosaurs are #320-332 while "Borderless Oltec" cards are #333-346. The Borderless Restless Lands are #347-351, #352 is the borderless Quintorius and extended art cards are #353-392. Bundle basic lands are #393-402. Promo cards are numbered #403-409. The Neon Ink versions of Cavern of Souls are #410a-410f.

Storyline

The Lost Caverns of Ixalan is the second set in the Omenpath Arc. The story takes place a year after the events of March of the Machine. We revisit Ixalan, the plane packed with pirates and dinosaurs. Things have changed since the disappearance of the Immortal Sun. Once again, there is a scramble as the groups race toward the center of Ixalan in search of a new resource: cosmium. Once they get past the caves, they find that Ixalan is a hollow world with Ixalan's Core in the middle and lit by Chimil, its sun. An ancient civilization, ancestors of the Sun Empire, uses the magic of Chimil to grow in power.

The cards that represent the Story Spotlights in Lost Caverns are:

MagicStory

Marketing

The Lost Caverns is sold in regular 16-card Draft Boosters (one card being a marketing card), Draft Packs, Collector Boosters, Set Boosters, the Lost Caverns of Ixalan Bundle, a Gift Bundle and four Commander decks.

Cosmium Neon Ink

This set sees the return of the "Neon Ink" treatment first seen in Kamigawa: Neon Dynasty. Six extra versions of Cavern of Souls are printed in different neon colors. Similarly, there are six additional versions of the Special Guest Mana Crypt in neon colors.

Box Toppers

The Lost Caverns of Ixalan features a series of 20 box topper promos (8 uncommons, 7 rares, 5 mythic rares), referred to as the "Treasure Trove". Ninteen cards are reprints from sets other than Ixalan block with one card from The Lost Caverns of Ixalan.

Special Guests

The Lost Caverns of Ixalan introduces Special Guests. These are 18 highly desirable reprints with art and flavor text matched to the flavor of the plane they appear in. They are incorporated in The List of Set Boosters but also may appear in Collector Boosters. Special Guest cards have the set code SPG.

Universes Beyond: Jurassic World

The Jurassic World Collection set is a booster insert for The Lost Caves of Ixalan, similar to Transformers in The Brothers' War. Jurassic World cards can be found in Set Boosters, Collector Booster and Bundles. Note that these are original designs, and not skinned cards.

Events

Promos

Tokens

Lost Caverns has 18 tokens:

  1. {C} Copy for Saheeli, the Sun's Brilliance and Self-Reflection.
  2. {W} 4/4 Angel creature with flying and vigilance for Resplendent Angel.
  3. {W} */* Gnome Soldier artifact creature with "This creature's power and toughness are each equal to the number of artifacts and/or creatures you control" for Barracks of the Thousand and Thousand Moons Smithy.
  4. {W} 1/1 Vampire creature with lifelink for Preacher of the Schism.
  5. {U} 1/1 Merfolk creature with hexproof for Deeproot Pilgrimage.
  6. {B} 1/1 Bat creature with flying for Aclazotz, Deepest Betrayal, Bat Colony and Sanguine Evangelist.
  7. {B} 1/1 Fungus creature with "This creature can't block." for Broodrage Mycoid, Synapse Necromage and The Mycotyrant.
  8. {B} 2/2 Skeleton Pirate creature for Corpses of the Lost.
  9. {R} 3/1 Dinosaur creature for Bonehoard Dracosaur and Poetic Ingenuity.
  10. {G} 3/3 Dinosaur creature for Nurturing Bristleback, Palani's Hatcher and Roar of the Fifth People.
  11. {G} 0/1 Dinosaur Egg creature for Palani's Hatcher.
  12. {G} */* Fungus Dinosaur creature for The Skullspore Nexus.
  13. {W/U} 4/4 Golem artifact creature for Master’s Guide-Mural and Master’s Manufactory.
  14. {R/W} 3/2 Spirit creature for Quintorius Kand.
  15. {W/B} 4/3 Vampire Demon creature with flying for Canonized in Blood and Vito, Fanatic of Aclazotz.
  16. {C} 1/1 Gnome artifact creature for Anim Pakal, Thousandth Moon, Cosmium Kiln, Envoy of Okinec Ahau, Oltec Cloud Guard, Threefold Thunderhulk and Tinker's Tote.
  17. {C} Map artifact for Brackish Blunder, Cartographer's Companion, Fanatical Offering, Get Lost, Journey On, Restless Anchorage, Sentinel of the Nameless City, Spyglass Siren and Waterwind Scout.
  18. {C} Treasure artifact for Ancestors' Aid, Bonehoard Dracosaur, Breeches, Eager Pillager, Careening Mine Cart, Contested Game Ball, Diamond Pick-Axe, Enterprising Scallywag, Greedy Freebooter, Hit the Mother Lode, Magmatic Galleon, Plundering Pirate, Poetic Ingenuity, The Belligerent, Treasure Map and Volatile Fault.

In addition, there are:

Themes and mechanics

Transforming double-faced cards are back with those that transform into lands with the Ixalan map-inspired card frame, and the new Craft mechanic. One Adventure card was printed as part of the plane-crossing storyline. The set also introduces descending and its related mechanics, discover, and explore makes a return. Finally, although it's not a primary focus like it was in Ixalan block, there are typal payoffs for Pirates, Merfolk, Vampires and especially Dinosaurs.

Craft is a new way to transform artifacts. By paying a mana cost and exiling permanents you control from the battlefield or your graveyard with specified qualities, artifacts can transform into more powerful permanents.

Descend is a new mechanic that describes the act of putting a permanent card into a graveyard from anywhere. This is linked to two new ability words, Descend X describing triggers that activate if there are X permanent cards in your graveyard. and fathomless descent, which uses the number of permanent cards in your graveyard as a value.

Discover is a revamped version of cascade with more design space. Instead of being a cast trigger, it's a keyword action that always comes with a value. To Discover X, exile cards from the top of your library until you exile a card with mana value X or less. To avoid whiffing on something like a counterspell, there is now a choice to cast the spell or simply put it into your hand. The other exiled cards are put on the bottom of your library.

Explore returns from the original Ixalan set, and now also features on Map tokens, a new predefined token.

Card types

The Lost Caverns of Ixalan introduces the creature subtypes Capybara, Llama, and Snail. The set also introduces the artifact subtype Map. Map tokens have “{1}, {T}, Sacrifice this artifact: Target creature you control explores. Activate only as a sorcery.” Additionally, this set introduces the Quintorius planeswalker type.

In keeping with the set's theme of exploration and descent into the Core, The Lost Caverns of Ixalan introduces the Cave land type.

Counter types

The Lost Caverns of Ixalan introduces Bore counters, Chorus counters, Dread counters, and the new deciduous Finality counters. It also sees the return of Landmark counters, Net counters, Point counters, and time counters for the first time since Ixalan, Fallen Empires, Strixhaven: School of Mages, and Doctor Who respectively.

Limited archetypes

The Lost Caverns of Ixalan features the following Limited archetypes:

Cycles

The Lost Caverns of Ixalan has eight cycles.

Double cycles

Reprinted cards

Notable cards

Banned and restricted cards

  • Geological Appraiser resembled Bloodbraid Elf in many ways, but the distinct difference of having an entry trigger rather than a cast trigger meant that three-mana clone creatures would re-trigger the effect. With a supporting framework that let it combo off on turn 3, it was determined that Pioneer was not the space for this combo and it was banned there and in Explorer in December 2023.
  • Amalia Benavides Aguirre helmed a combo deck in Pioneer alongside Wildgrowth Walker. Normally, when both were on the board and their controller gained life, it would almost certainly result in the Amalia player's victory, as they had a 20-power creature to swing into an empty board. However, the deck could also draw the game on command by finding any way to make Wildgrowth Walker indestructible, as Amalia's ability is not optional. This was deemed a problematic factor in the metagame and resulted in Amalia being banned in Pioneer on August 26, 2024.

Preconstructed decks

Lost Caverns features four Commander decks that are released as a regular part of a set's product line.

Gallery

Key art

Arena Avatars

  • Admiral Beckett Brass.
    Admiral Beckett Brass.
  • Gishath.
    Gishath.
  • Huatli, the Warrior-Poet.
    Huatli, the Warrior-Poet.
  • Kellan.
    Kellan.
  • Okinec Ahau, sovereign of the Malamet.
    Okinec Ahau, sovereign of the Malamet.
  • Quintorius Kand.
    Quintorius Kand.
  • Vito Quijano de Pasamonte, before receiving Aclazotz's gifts.
    Vito Quijano de Pasamonte, before receiving Aclazotz's gifts.