Magic has announced that a new property is joining the Universes Beyond collection, which translates the world of other IPs into Magic cards. This time, it's Fallout. Every game from the first game back in 1997 all the way up to Fallout 76 is getting represented, so any fan of the franchise will be sure to crack a smile when they see how the games are put into paper form. The set releases on March 8th, but other than bringing the post apocalyptic wastelands into Magic, what's the set actually all about? Let's take a look, shall we?

Mechanics

A whole array of mechanics, both new and returning make their presence in the set.

Quote From Matt Barak

JUNK TOKENS

You can't saunter across the wastes for too long without realizing—there's just a whole lot of junk out here. In fact, this junk can be a great way to access extra cards. Ready to get to work?

Dogmeat, Ever Loyal Dogmeat, Ever Loyal (Surge Foil)

 

Dogmeat, Ever Loyal (Showcase Pip-Boy) Dogmeat, Ever Loyal (Surge Foil Showcase Pip-Boy)

Several cards in the set, including that good boy up there, create Junk tokens. Junk tokens are a new kind of predefined token. They're colorless artifact tokens with the rules text "{T}, Sacrifice this artifact: Exile the top card of your library. You may play that card this turn. Activate only as a sorcery." If you choose to play the exiled card, you pay all its costs and must follow all the normal rules for playing the card. So, if you exile a sorcery card, you can cast that spell only during your main phase, and if you play a land this way, you can do so only if you haven't played a land yet this turn. If you don't play the card, that's fine, it just stays in exile, junking up the place for the rest of the game.

RAD COUNTERS

One consequence of nuclear fallout is that there tends to be an unhealthy amount of radiation everywhere. This set introduces a new kind of counter that players get—rad counters.

The Wise Mothman The Wise Mothman (Surge Foil)

 

The Wise Mothman (Showcase Pip-Boy) The Wise Mothman (Surge Foil Showcase Pip-Boy)

Rad counters represent your current radiation levels, and the higher that is, the more serious the impact. At the beginning of your precombat main phase, you mill cards equal to the number of rad counters you have. For each nonland card you mill this way, you lose 1 life and a rad counter. The Wise Mothman would have you believe that there are benefits to accruing rad counters, and you do get to fill your graveyard somewhat quickly. Well, as I sometimes say, one benefit of nuclear fallout is that there tends to be a healthy amount of radiation everywhere. Happy brewing!

ENERGY COUNTERS

Plasma weapons, power armor, and Vault-Tec security systems don't run on hope and charming smiles. You need energy, and the returning energy counters provide just that.

T-45 Power Armor T-45 Power Armor (Surge Foil)

 

T-45 Power Armor (Extended Art) T-45 Power Armor (Surge Foil Extended Art)

Like rad counters, energy counters are a kind of counter that players get. Unlike rad counters, energy counters have no inherent rules meaning or effects associated with them. They're a resource that you can use to pay costs, like the ones offered by cards such as T-45 Power Armor. Sometimes those costs will be offered as a triggered ability resolves. Other cards have activated abilities that require energy to activate. You keep energy counters until you pay them or something causes you to lose the counters.

PROLIFERATE

Now that you mention it, there have been quite a few counters in this article already. And there are probably +1/+1 counters and even more kinds of counters in the set. Proliferate would really help with the scarce resource issue. Just like you to try a trick like that.

Agent Frank Horrigan Agent Frank Horrigan (Surge Foil)

 

Agent Frank Horrigan (Extended Art) Agent Frank Horrigan (Surge Foil Extended Art)

A returning keyword action, proliferate takes advantage of all the counters prevalent throughout the set. If you're told to proliferate, you choose any number of players and/or permanents that have one or more counters on them. Then, for each kind of counter already there, add another of that counter. If you choose a creature you control with a +1/+1 counter on it, you put another +1/+1 counter on it. If you have three energy counters, give yourself another!

If a player or permanent has more than one kind of counter and you choose to add counters, you must add one of each kind already there. So, if your opponent has energy counters and rad counters, you can give them one of each or nothing at all, but you can't give them only a rad counter. Remember, you can choose only players and permanents that already have counters and you don't have to choose all of them. You have to add counters only to the players and permanents you want to.

SQUAD

There aren't many cards in this release that have the returning keyword squad, but you don't need many cards with squad to suddenly feel outnumbered.

Powder Ganger Powder Ganger (Surge Foil)

 

Powder Ganger (Extended Art) Powder Ganger (Surge Foil Extended Art)

Collecting the Set

A total of four Commander decks come with the set, each with their own color identity and playstyle. Whether you want to join Caesar's Legion and make the world bend at their knees for you, or harness the power of science with Madison Li to outpower your opponent, there's sure to be a way to play that fits you.

Quote From Zakeel Gordon

Unlike war, Magic is always changing. This time, we enter the wasteland—stretching from New California and the Mojave to the Capital, Commonwealth, and Appalachia—and explore the expansive post-apocalyptic stories of Fallout®.

This is Magic: The Gathering® – Fallout®, and it's definitely S.P.E.C.I.A.L.

Magic: The Gathering® – Fallout® Set Code: PIP

Website: Magic: The Gathering® – Fallout®

 

Magic: The Gathering® – Fallout® is available to preorder at your local game store, online retailers like Amazon, and elsewhere Magic products are sold.

MAGIC: THE GATHERING® – FALLOUT® IMPORTANT DATES
  • Debut and Previews Begin: February 20, 2024
  • Card Image Gallery Complete: February 24, 2024
  • Global Release: March 8, 2024
  • Commander Launch Party: March 8–10, 2024
MAGIC: THE GATHERING® – FALLOUT® COMMANDER DECKS

There are four Commander decks, each based around a different theme.

Scrappy Survivors (Red-Green-White): Featuring the goodest of boys, Dogmeat, as your commander, this deck focuses on scavenging for tools, Food tokens, and allies. It also introduces Junk tokens, which can be sacrificed to draw cards. If you enjoy tokens and suiting up your creatures with Auras and Equipment, then this is the deck for you.

Scrappy Survivors (Red-Green-White)

Dogmeat, Ever Loyal (Traditional Foil) Dogmeat, Ever Loyal (Foil-Etched Display Commander) Junk Token

Mutant Menace (Black-Green-Blue): If you're looking for something a little "different," then try your hand at the Mutant Menace deck, which incorporates Fallout's dangerous and strange mutated creatures, such as this deck's commander, The Wise Mothman. Play creatures, then buff them with counters and proliferate. Irradiate yourself and your opponents using the new rad counters (player counters that mill and damage you).

Mutant Menace (Black-Green-Blue)

The Wise Mothman (Traditional Foil) The Wise Mothman (Foil-Etched Display Commander)

 

Feral Ghoul Radiation (Helper)

Hail, Caesar (Red-White-Black): There's also the Hail, Caesar deck, featuring the franchise's infamous Caesar as your commander. This deck's themes revolve around leaders of militant factions and their soldiers, as well as wasteland raiders. Be aggressive with an army of creature tokens with the help of the squad mechanic, which lets you create extra token copies of creatures.

Hail, Caesar (Red-White-Black)

Caesar, Legion's Emperor (Traditional Foil) Caesar, Legion's Emperor (Foil-Etched Display Commander) Gary Clone

Science! (Blue-White-Red): Finally, we have our Science! deck, which focuses on high-tech energy weapons, scientists, synths, and pre-war robots. With Dr. Madison Li as your commander, you will play artifacts to generate energy, a returning mechanic fit for Fallout.

Science! (Blue-White-Red)

Dr. Madison Li (Traditional Foil) Dr. Madison Li (Foil-Etched Display Commander) Rex, Cyber-Hound
MAGIC: THE GATHERING® – FALLOUT® BOOSTER FUN
TRADITIONAL FOILS AND SURGE FOILS

If you're a fan of foils, we've got you covered! Each Magic: The Gathering® – Fallout® Commander deck contains two traditional foil cards: the face commander and the featured commander.

You'll also be able to find every card in the Commander decks in traditional foil in Magic: The Gathering® – Fallout® Collector Boosters. Every Eternal-legal card, like reprints, new-to-Magic cards, and tokens, will be available in Collector Boosters!

In addition, we've brought back a fan-favorite foil treatment: surge foils! These give an electrifying shine to your cards that's sure to catch the eye of your fellow Commander players.

SHOWCASE PIP-BOY TREATMENT

In the mood to scavenge for some great new treatments? This set has Collector Boosters with Booster Fun options every topsider can enjoy. First is the showcase Pip-Boy treatment found on 26 cards—cards in this treatment can be found in non-foil, traditional foil, and surge foil within Collector Boosters. Check out the four face cards of the decks in this treatment!

Dogmeat, Ever Loyal (Showcase Pip-Boy) The Wise Mothman (Showcase Pip-Boy)

 

Caesar, Legion's Emperor (Showcase Pip-Boy) Dr. Madison Li (Showcase Pip-Boy)

Of those, 9 cards are reprints from Magic's history with alternate names and art whose mechanical counterparts are not found in the Commander decks.

Tarmogoyf (Showcase Pip-Boy Reprint)

BORDERLESS VAULT BOY ARTWORK

Borderless Vault Boy artwork is exclusive to Collector Boosters, which contain a selection of 9 cards with the iconic Vault Boy! These cards are available in non-foil, traditional foil, and surge foil within Collector Boosters.

Some are alternative treatments of cards found in the Commander decks.

Arcane Signet (Borderless Vault Boy) Sol Ring (Borderless Vault Boy) Nuka-Cola Vending Machine (Borderless Vault Boy)

Others are unique to Collector Boosters and do not have mechanical counterparts in Commander decks.

Ravages of War (Borderless Vault Boy) Crucible of Worlds (Borderless Vault Boy) Wasteland (Borderless Vault Boy)

You can also expect non-foil full-art basic lands in Magic: The Gathering® – Fallout® Commander decks, with 5 depicting isometric environments like those seen in the classic Fallout games. These are available in traditional foil and surge foil in Collector Boosters.

Plains (Full Art) Plains (Full Art)

 

Island (Full Art) Island (Full Art)

 

Swamp (Full Art) Swamp (Full Art)

 

Mountain (Full Art) Mountain (Full Art)

 

Forest (Full Art) Forest (Full Art)
 
EXTENDED-ART CARDS

Extended-art cards make their return as well, and you can find 6 to 7 available in non-foil, traditional foil, and surge foil in each Magic: The Gathering® – Fallout® Collector Booster.

T-45 Power Armor (Extended Art) Three Dog, Galaxy News DJ (Extended Art)
SERIALIZED BOBBLEHEADS

Finally, some very S.P.E.C.I.A.L. Bobbleheads will make an appearance in this set, each receiving a serialized treatment limited to 500 total copies. Serialized Bobbleheads feature the double rainbow foil treatment.

Perception Bobblehead (Serialized Double Rainbow Foil) Intelligence Bobblehead (Serialized Double Rainbow Foil)

Serialized Bobblehead cards are localized in English only and are available in Magic: The Gathering® – Fallout Collector Boosters of any language. Non-serialized Bobblehead cards are mechanically identical to serialized variants. See product packaging for details. Images are digital renderings, not actual cards.

MAGIC: THE GATHERING® – FALLOUT® PRODUCT OVERVIEW
MAGIC: THE GATHERING® – FALLOUT® COMMANDER DECKS
Hail, Caesar (Red-White-Black) Scrappy Survivors (Red-Green-White)

 

Science! (Blue-White-Red) Mutant Menace (Black-Green-Blue)

There are four 100-card Commander decks themed around the Fallout franchise. These decks each contain the following:

  • A 100-card Commander deck
    • Hail, Caesar (red-white-black) contains 37 new-to-Magic cards.
    • Scrappy Survivors (red-green-white) contains 38 new-to-Magic cards.
    • Science! (blue-white-red) contains 38 new-to-Magic cards.
    • Mutant Menace (black-green-blue) contains 41 new-to-Magic cards.
  • 1 Traditional foil face commander
  • 1 Traditional foil featured commander
  • 10 Double-sided tokens
  • 1 Deck box
  • 1 Life tracker
  • 1 Collector Booster Sample Pack
    • 2 Alternate-frame cards, at least one of which will appear as rare or mythic rare
MAGIC: THE GATHERING® – FALLOUT® COLLECTOR BOOSTERS

Magic: The Gathering® – Fallout® Collector Booster Display

  • 1 Traditional foil basic land
    • 1 in 3 Cards appears in surge foil.
  • 1 Traditional foil standard frame rare or mythic rare
    • 1 in 10 Cards appears in surge foil.
  • 1 Traditional foil card from Hail, Caesar
    • 1 in 10 Cards appears in surge foil.
  • 1 Traditional foil card from Scrappy Survivors
    • 1 in 10 Cards appears in surge foil.
  • 1 Traditional foil card from Science!
    • 1 in 10 Cards appears in surge foil.
  • 1 Traditional foil card from Mutant Menace
    • 1 in 10 Cards appears in surge foil.
  • 1 Non-foil extended-art new-to-Magic card
  • 1 Non-foil extended-art reprint Magic card
  • 1 Traditional foil extended-art new-to-Magic card
  • 1 Traditional foil extended-art reprint Magic card
  • 1 Surge foil extended-art new-to-Magic card
  • 1 Surge foil extended-art reprint Magic card
  • 1 Surge foil wildcard
    • Cannot be a showcase Pip-Boy variant, borderless Vault Boy, or basic land card.
  • 1 Non-foil borderless or showcase card
    • 4 Uncommons, 22 rares, and 9 mythic rares are available, each appearing equally to each other.
  • 1 Traditional foil, surge foil, or serialized double rainbow card
    • 4 Uncommons, 22 rares, and 9 mythic rares are available, each appearing equally to each other.
    • 1 in 10 Boosters features a surge foil version.
    • Serialized Bobblehead cards appear in this slot.
  • 1 Traditional foil double-sided token
MAGIC: THE GATHERING® – FALLOUT® X SECRET LAIR

We're excited to announce that Secret Lair is also joining in on the fun! Three Secret Lair drops are scheduled to arrive shortly. They're currently making their way across the wasteland, but they're not quite here yet … so stay tuned to the Secret Lair website for more information.

WAR, WAR NEVER CHANGES

There's one more Magic: The Gathering® – Fallout® card to reveal today:

War Room (Traditional Foil Launch Promo)

This traditional foil promo card is available by playing in a Launch Party event held March 8–10 at your local WPN game store—check with yours for all the details!

Vault dwellers, prepare yourselves! Magic: The Gathering® – Fallout® releases on March 8, 2024, and you can preorder it now from your local game store, online retailers like Amazon, and elsewhere Magic products are sold.

How excited are you to see the world of Fallout in Magic: The Gathering? What do you think about the cards we know so far, and what deck do you think you'll play? You can check out the image gallery of all the cards revealed so far right here, and there are many more reveals to come. On February 24th, we'll know the whole card list.