Magic: The Gathering is best known as a strategy game that just so happens to be played on cardboard. The scale and depth of possibility when deck building can't be understated or underestimated. That said, Magic has never skimped on its storytelling.
Wizards of the Coast has explored a wide array of fantasies, mythologies, and histories in its works. From comics to novels to card art, the story has been told through multiple mediums over several decades. It can be a hefty lot to sort through, and some stories will be worth checking out before others. Planeswalk across the multiverse and discover these stories.
10 Antiquities: The Brother's War
This is one of the first long-form stories told in Magic: The Gathering. Explored through the Antiquities set, and the Artifacts book series, it told the story of Urza and his brother Mishra. With the two being extraordinarily brilliant, they would each gain favor within two kingdoms. Two kingdoms who would eventually declare war on one another.
The brothers are caught between the conflict as high ranking government officials. The stress of which awakens a Planeswalker spark within Urza, giving him the power to walk the multiverse. It's tragic, unnecessary, and heartbreaking. This would begin the journey of one of Magic's most traveled and beloved characters.
9 Lorwyn And Shadowmoor: A Land Of Day Turned Night
The story of this plane is told through the sets and novels of the same names. Lorwyn and Shadowmoor are one place. Once an eternal plane of day and sunlight, it was converted into the plane of eternal night, Shadowmoor. Drawing on classic fantasy and horror tropes, the dichotomy of this plane is breathtaking if not intriguing.
The concept of two lands, one forever in day, and another forever in night, isn't new. What's unique to this story is how the conversion is anticipated and expected. Every Kingdom, every city, and every village has an expiration date as the plane shifts between dominate species. It may be worth considering a side and staying together for safety.
8 The Urza Block: Phyrexia's Assault
This continues the story of Urza as he travels the multiverse as a newly awakened Planeswalker. Urza and friends spend their time gaining knowledge and power to repel the forces of Phyrexia — an artificial plane of corruption and decay.
The story is told in the Urza block, but the novelization through the Invasion series is nail-biting. Following Urza is suspenseful because his actions become increasingly unhinged in a pursuit to stop Phyrexia, and worse, he's convinced he's right. There's a great deal of character development behind Urza already, but he'll go through a great deal more before his finale.
7 Theros: It's Just Greece
It's seriously just Greek mythology. Ok, that's unfair. The Theros block sees a returning Planeswalker, Elspeth, venture into the plane of Theros. A land where Gods are very much real, and they're picky about how you go about your day-to-day. She quickly discovers things have gone awry.
The plot revolves around the satyr Xenagos and his bid to become a god. He's already a Planeswalker, but he wants more. Who doesn't? Only most peoples desires don't wreck an entire realm and turn Gods against their champions. If this story has anything, and it has many things, it's a good villain.
6 Ravnica: The Breathtaking City Of Guilds
Ravnica is a marvel to behold in any medium, and this city has been through many of them. As alluded to, Ravnica is a metropolis spanning the entire planet. Politics, war, and daily life are controlled by ten guilds with varying ideals and roles within the city. Thus earning its name: The City of Guilds.
It's also vital to understand that these guilds are magically bound by a Guildpact, which guides and prohibits certain behaviors between them. The stories told within Ravnica see this Guildpact shattering. This slice of the multiverse has been depicted in the Ravnica block, a novel series of the same name, and in a Dungeons and Dragons campaign. The latter of which is an absolute joy for political and social role playing.
5 Time Spiral: The Great Nerfing, I Mean Mending
Bringing Urza's saga to an end, the Time Spiral set nearly saw the collapse of the multiverse. This was a notably tense time for all involved, as the Eldrazi hadn't yet taken to ensuring the destruction of the multiverse on a semiregular basis. Time was quite literally tearing itself apart, and former foes once defeated were seeping into the planes. For Urza, this meant refacing the blight of Phyrexia.
This is a culmination of years worth of storytelling. A mighty pinnacle on which champions would fall, and the survivors would be permanently scarred. The Great Mending ended this crisis, but it came with horrible costs. The power of every Planeswalker would forever be diminished. This change in power dynamic would shake the entire multiverse and impact the telling of all future stories.
4 Zendikar: The Eldrazi Horror
H.P. Lovecraft is alive and well in Magic: The Gathering. This cosmic horror is brought to you in the form of shapeless beings called Eldrazi, which only take shape from the nothingness of the void to consume, and they consume anything. Simply. Delightful.
The full story of Zendikar is unusually told through two separate blocks. The first, Zendikar, ends with the Eldrazi escaping their prisons. Then, Return to Zendikar sees the reformation of the Gatewatch, a group of Plainswalkers dedicated to containing these horrors. Both are worth at least a Wiki glance if not a dedicated night with a blanket and reading lamp.
3 Mirrodin Block: A New Day, A New Phyrexia
The dread of Phyrexia is back in the Mirrodin block, more commonly known as New Phyrexia. As an artificial plane it shouldn't be a surprise that a new Phyrexia could be made. The disturbing thought is how anyone could make this happen.
The fall of Mirrodin is told through a novel series if the set doesn't offer enough detail. It's harrowing. Particularly because the story isn't shy about letting the reader know how it ends. There will be a New Phyrexia. The only question is, how soon will it come?
2 Return To Ravnica: The Guildpact Lives
The Return to Ravnica is a delight. The politics of the city never fail to entertain and perplex. After the disintegration of the last Guildpact, the relationships between guilds have also disintegrated. It's clear to many that the situation is unstable.
The fantasy of the city is as alive as ever. The new Guildpact is formed, and is in fact a person. This is fascinating as a world building choice. The living Guildpact isn't a part of any guild and therefore acts as a neutral force for all parties. This also offers a great deal of role play opportunity for the Dungeons and Dragons campaign.
1 War Of The Spark: Slay The Dragon
Another culmination of years worth of storytelling; the War of the Spark centers around Nicol Bolas. An ancient Elder Dragon and Planeswalker instrumental in the Great Mending. While he may have helped then, Nicol Bolas has since sought nothing but Power, and the Gatewatch who sealed the Eldrazi step up to defeat him.
This story is a continuation of the Amonkhet block where the Gatewatch were first made aware of Bolas' growing power. This story is a thrill for Planeswalker fans. They're here in mass, and they're being smashed against each other like a child playing with their toys, and it's amazing!