Summary
- Aetherdrift and Outlaws of Thunder Junction are connected, with the former influencing mechanics like Saddle and Mounts.
- Aetherdrift’s focus on vehicles applies thematically to specific factions, but not the Alacrian Quickbeasts.
- Aetherdrift’s Saddle and Mount mechanics were created before Outlaws of Thunder Junction.
There are four other Standard-legal sets coming out in 2025, but Magic: The Gathering kicked the year off on a high note thanks to Innistrad Remastered in January and Aetherdrift one month ago. While Aetherdrift is a major shift from the typical aesthetics and themes of most MTG sets, it does nail the multiplanar death race fantasy on its head with its collection of cards, including the various racing teams and their vehicles. Aetherdrift’s vehicles in MTG faced a few challenges due to the card type not being quite successful among fans in the past, but not all fans may know that the first Standard-legal set of the year is in a way a “predecessor” to Outlaws of Thunder Junction.
During an interview with Wizards of the Coast Principal Designer and Aetherdrift’s Lead Designer Yoni Skolnik, Game Rant learned that despite Outlaws of Thunder Junction’s release being in April of 2024, it actually owes one of its main mechanics to Aetherdrift. Magic: The Gathering‘s Western-themed set had several interesting mechanics when it came out, including Plot, Commit Crimes, the Bounties Commander minigame, and then the combination of Saddle and Mounts, making for a very appropriate addition. However, Saddle and Mounts were first designed and ideated for Aetherdrift, rather than Outlaws of Thunder Junction.
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Magic: The Gathering’s Mounts and Saddle Didn’t Truly Come With Outlaws of Thunder Junction
It’s not too rare for tabletop games, TCGs, and video games alike to release an update or new expansion that includes mechanics that were originally conceived when developing a later piece of content for that game. In the case of Magic: The Gathering‘s Aetherdrift set, Skolnik confirmed that they had already prepared the Saddle and Mount combination for the death race expansion ahead of time, which made it possible for Outlaws of Thunder Junction to “steal” it despite its release being 10 months prior to that of Aetherdrift.
This is an interesting piece of knowledge, as Aetherdrift’s focus on vehicles can only apply to factions (teams, in this case) for which it makes sense thematically and from a setting and lore point of view. That’s why Mounts were a perfect fit for the Alacrian Quickbeasts, a Selesnya – Green and White – team that uses the titular Quickbeasts to move quickly on the tracks of the Ghirapur Grand Prix. The leader of the Alacrian Quickbeasts is Caradora, who rides a mighty Quickbeast called Lagorin, exemplifying the use of Saddle and Mount Creatures in terms of Magic: The Gathering mechanics.
How Mounts and Saddle Compare to Vehicles and Crew in MTG
With 13 Mount Creatures, of which four are Green, six are White, two are Red, and one is Green and White, Aetherdrift has fewer than Outlaws of Thunder Junction, which instead features a total of 17. This makes sense considering the themes of both sets, particularly when considering Aetherdrift has the highest number of vehicles in Magic: The Gathering expansions to date. Skolnik mentioned that vehicles like Aetherdrift’s Hulldrifter in MTG were meant to make the card type more interesting and varied, and in a way, Mounts can be considered vehicles – just living ones, hence why they are not Artifacts.
Furthermore, Saddle and Crew have similar rules when it comes to Mounts and vehicles. Saddle can be activated by tapping Creatures one controls with power equal to or greater than the Saddle value on a given Mount, activating the corresponding effect on the card. On the other hand, vehicles require players to Crew them for a given amount of power or greater to turn them into Creatures. As such, it’s interesting to see Outlaws of Thunder Junction’s Western world become enriched in terms of mechanics by a multiplanar death race set like Aetherdrift.
Magic: The Gathering
- Original Release Date
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August 5, 1993
- Designer
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Richard Garfield
- Player Count
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2+
- Age Recommendation
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13+