Wizards of the Coast has officially commenced the preview season for its latest Universes Beyond crossover, Marvel Super Heroes. The massive expansion, which includes over 600 cards, marks the first time the Marvel franchise will feature dedicated preconstructed Commander decks in Magic: The Gathering.
Among the 81 cards revealed as of June 2, the set highlights a powerful new Thanos card and the legendary hammer Mjölnir. The set is scheduled for a full release on June 26, bringing characters from the Marvel Cinematic Universe to the forefront to maximize fan appeal.
The "Worthy" Mechanic and Tactical Gameplay
The introduction of Mjölnir brings a unique "Equip Worthy" mechanic to the game. According to lead designer Mark Rosewater, the equipment can only be attached to legendary non-Villain creatures that are red and/or white. “If you meet those criteria, then you are worthy, and you can pick up Mjölnir,” Rosewater confirmed in a preview call.
Polygon reports that the hammer’s capabilities include dealing four damage to a creature upon entry, simulating Thor calling the weapon down. Players can also pay three mana to discard Mjölnir to deal two damage to each creature, while its most potent effect doubles all combat damage the equipped creature deals. Because of its color-identity restrictions, the card allows a variety of legendary creatures—including those from previous Universes Beyond sets like Kratos from God of War or Amy Rose from Sonic the Hedgehog—to wield the weapon.
Wolverine’s Unique Damage Mitigation
The set also introduces a novel damage-mitigation mechanic via the card Wolverine, Fierce Fighter. The four-cost, 3/5 Legendary Mutant Berserker Hero with Haste features a unique rule where damage dealt to the character is healed instantly if he survives the hit.
“If damage would be dealt to Wolverine, instead, that damage is dealt, but all other damage already dealt to him is healed,” the card’s text reads. This effectively requires an opponent to destroy the creature in a single strike, as smaller instances of damage are negated by the hero's rapid recovery. As damage does not "go on the stack" in Magic, players have no way to respond to damage once it is dealt, making this a significant mechanical shift for the game.
Commander Decks and New Archetypes
Wizards of the Coast is utilizing the Marvel Super Heroes set to introduce a fresh archetype focused on the Villain creature type. The "Doom Prevails" deck is designed for players who enjoy the Archenemy role and leans into the villainous nature of Doctor Doom.
Alternatively, players can utilize the "Fantastic Four" deck, which senior game designer Daniel Holt identified as his favorite. Rather than using the Partner mechanic, the designers made each member of the Fantastic Four a solo Commander with a four-color identity. These decks emphasize noncreature spells and powerful triggered abilities; for example, players can pay RGWB when attacking to trigger special abilities, such as the Human Torch dealing combat damage to all opponents or The Thing doubling the number of counters on permanents.
