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Wizards of the Coast’s October 12, 2026 MTG Arena announcement sets out a digital-only Alchemy release for October 13, a Contender Draft with entry fees in gems or gold, five Standard Champion Deck offers priced in gems, and Competitive Brawl changes effective October 12. It also lists October qualifier dates and the rewards for the ranked season ending October 31.
What is arriving in MTG Arena, and when?
Wizards of the Coast’s October 12 announcement schedules Alchemy: Reality Fracture for the Arena Store on October 13. The release is digital-only and contains 31 cards, including a Jace Beleren-centered spellbook called Remnants of Beleren. The announcement links to the Reality Fracture Card Image Gallery.
The listed Alchemy events are:
- Premier Draft: October 13–November 3.
- All Alchemy Deck Duels: October 15–17.
- Bot Draft: October 18–19.
How does the Reality Fracture Contender Draft work?
The Contender Draft opens October 13, 2026 at 8 a.m. Pacific (15:00 UTC). Entry costs 3,000 gems or 20,000 gold. A run ends at seven wins or three losses. The published rewards are:
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| Wins | Gems | Reality Fracture packs | Mythic packs | Other reward |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | 1,400 | 3 | — | — |
| 4 | 2,800 | 6 | — | — |
| 5 | 3,200 | 8 | — | — |
| 6 | 4,200 | 10 | 4 | — |
| 7 | 7,200 | 12 | 10 | “Draft Contender” title |
Registration closes November 11 at 9 a.m. Pacific (16:00 UTC), and the event ends at noon Pacific (19:00 UTC) that day. These are the announcement’s stated times; check the in-game event listing for current availability.
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- EXPERIENCE FINAL FANTASY IN A WHOLE NEW WAY—Step into unforgettable stories from FINAL FANTASY games brought to your tabletop with the strategic gameplay of the Magic: The Gathering trading card game
- LEARN TO PLAY MAGIC—Everything you need to play your first games of Magic is here. Enter the fray with two pre-built 60-card decks and learn the essentials with the included guide booklet. You’ll be ready to play in no time.
- 2 FINAL FANTASY-THEMED DECKS—Cast powerful spells, meet iconic characters, and visit familiar locales; each deck contains 60 cards featuring FINAL FANTASY-themed art, including 10 cards entirely new to Magic (5 in each deck)
- ARE YOU A HERO OR A VILLAIN—Challenge a friend, choose your deck, and face off in epic 2-player battles; will you join Cloud, the beloved hero, or side with his nemesis, Sephiroth
- KICK OFF YOUR COLLECTION—Start your collection with Rare cards and shiny foils; each deck includes 5 Rare cards and 1 Mythic Rare Legendary Creature card with a shiny Traditional Foil treatment
What are the Champion Deck offers?
Five Standard Champion Decks are scheduled for the Arena Store from October 16 through November 9. Prices below are in-game gems, not cash prices. The announcement supplies each deck’s 60-card list but does not provide performance data or a basis for ranking them.
| Deck | Listed price |
|---|---|
| Planeswalker Control | 13,050 gems |
| Cleric Life Gain | 13,820 gems |
| Lizard Aggro | 9,870 gems |
| Kona Combo | 17,450 gems |
| Eerie Aggro | 2,570 gems |
Use the full list in the announcement to check a deck’s cards against your collection and intended play style; the archetype name alone is not evidence of competitive strength.
Rank #2
- Includes a mix of AT LEAST 25 Rares/Uncommons which is half of the cards.
- Absolutely NO... Basic lands, Foreign, or silver/gold bordered cards.
- Some may contain Foils or Mythics but not all.
- Sets can range from Beta to the current Magic the Gathering set.
- Mint/Excellent condition only.
What changed in Competitive Brawl?
These changes took effect October 12, 2026. The announcement distinguishes three newly banned commanders from ten cards that are now banned only as commanders.
Newly banned as commanders
- Yuriko, the Tiger’s Shadow
- Spider-Man 2099
- Light-Paws, Emperor’s Voice
Players receive up to one wildcard for each of these three newly banned commanders they own.
Rank #3
- WELCOME TO THE MULTIVERSE—The perfect way to start playing Commander with your friends. Bring this 100-card deck to the table and square off against up to three other combatants!
- THRILLING MULTIPLAYER BATTLES—Battle your friends with powerful creatures and spectacular spells in Commander, Magic’s most popular multiplayer format
- RULE FROM YOUR THRONE OF TREASURE—Your reign over the table begins with Lathliss, who creates a dragon when a non-token dragon enters. Use treasure tokens and cost-reduction effects to send out your fiercest dragons early and drown the world in fire!
- FOIL LEGENDARY CARD—Every Foundations Commander Deck includes 1 Mythic Rare Legendary Creature card with a shiny Traditional Foil treatment to command your deck in style
- CONTENTS—1 ready-to-play Reign of Dragons Foundations MTG Commander Deck (100 cards), 1 deck box, 10 double-sided token cards, 1 strategy guide, 1 reference card
Now banned only as commanders
- Ajani, Nacatl Pariah
- Nadu, Winged Wisdom
- Oko, Thief of Crowns
- Old Stickfingers
- Ragavan, Nimble Pilferer
- Rusko, Clockmaker
- Tamiyo, Inquisitive Student
- Wrenn and Six
- Tajic, Legion’s Valor
- Nashi, Illusion Gadgeteer
Nashi also receives a rebalance: the announcement says this reverses an earlier change that gave it flash. Consult the current card text and format rules in Arena when building a deck.
What is Creator VS featuring?
Creator VS returns with Standard games using Reality Fracture cards. The announcement describes four creator deck concepts:
Rank #4
- THE VAULTS ARE OPEN—Journey through the wastes with a 100-card deck introducing 38 never-before-seen Magic cards featuring fan-favorite characters, thematic game mechanics, and art that explores the post-nuclear world of the Fallout series
- BATTLE YOUR FELLOW WASTELANDERS—Battle your friends in epic 3–5 player MTG games full of strategic plays and social intrigue; ready-to-play right out of the box, these preconstructed decks let you jump straight into the action
- SCIENCE.—Choose the Science. deck to ally with the brilliant Dr. Madison Li, harnessing the power of technology to fight for the fate of earth
- COLLECT SPECIAL FALLOUT CARD TREATMENTS—Each deck comes with a Collector Booster Sample pack containing 2 special alt-frame cards, including 1 Rare or Mythic Rare card
- EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO PLAY AND MORE—Each deck also comes with 10 double-sided tokens, 1 life tracker, 1 strategy guide, and 1 deck box (can hold 100 sleeved cards)
- Fatehold Control: Forrest
- Stingerquill Aggro: Eric
- Vigorbloom Life Gain: Mar
- Konstrari Stompy: Bells
These are featured concepts, not claims of tournament-tested performance.
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Which October qualifiers are scheduled?
The announcement identifies October 16–18 as the third Arena Limited Championship Qualifier window. It describes these qualifiers as the route to the next Arena Limited Championship in January; approximately 120 players are expected to qualify from that championship for the 2027 Magic Limited Championship.
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- EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO SUCCEED—Gain an instant Magic collection. This truly astounding box boasts over 350 cards with essential staples for any color and any way you want to play.
- BORDERLESS CARDS and FULL-ART LANDS—Crown your collection with cards featuring gorgeous pieces of alternate art that fill each card; the Foundations Starter Collection includes 6 Borderless cards and 10 Full-Art Land cards
- RARES and SHINING FOILS—Collect coveted Rare and Mythic Rare cards and cards that gleam with a beautiful foil treatment; this collection includes 75 cards of rarity Rare or higher and 26 Traditional Foil cards (8 of which are Rare or Mythic Rare), plus you’ll find more in the included Play Boosters.
- 3 PLAY BOOSTERS—Whether you want to draft with friends or open packs just to see what you get, Play Boosters are specially balanced for play and fun to open, with 1–2 foil cards and 1–4 cards of rarity Rare or higher in each pack, plus the possibility of an Art card showcasing a piece of art from the set
- DECKBUILDING GUIDE—Learn how to construct your own decks with expert tips and recommendations in the included Deck Builder’s Guide booklet
The October Qualifier Play-In and Qualifier Weekend schedule is:
| Date | Event | Format or mode |
|---|---|---|
| October 24 | Qualifier Play-In | Best-of-One |
| October 25 | Qualifier Play-In | Bonus Best-of-One Reality Fracture Sealed |
| October 30 | Qualifier Play-In | Best-of-Three |
| October 31–November 1 | Qualifier Weekend | Standard |
The announcement points to a separate page for detailed Championship event information, so consult that listing for rules and participation details not included here.
What are the October ranked-season rewards?
October season rewards are issued at the start of the November ranked season, stated as 12:05 p.m. PT on October 31. You must play at least one ranked game in the relevant format to qualify. Rewards by rank are:
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|---|---|---|---|
| Bronze | 1 | — | — |
| Silver | 1 | 500 | — |
| Gold | 2 | 1,000 | Break Under Pressure |
| Platinum | 3 | 1,000 | Break Under Pressure; Simulacrum Shaper |
| Diamond | 4 | 1,000 | Break Under Pressure; Simulacrum Shaper |
| Mythic | 5 | 1,000 | Break Under Pressure; Simulacrum Shaper |
All dates, times, prices, and reward terms above are those in Wizards of the Coast’s October 12, 2026 announcement. Store listings and live event schedules can change, so verify them in MTG Arena if acting after the announced dates.
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