Wizards of Coast has launched new format for popular card game Magic: The Gathering called Oathbreaker which centers around use of Planeswalkers.
Fans of widely popular fantasy collectible card game (CCG) will find familiar aspects in the newly introduced Oathbreaker format. Although it shares some core features with the Commander format, which originated as fan-made play style and later became official format, Oathbreaker has distinctive characteristics that give it its unique style and gameplay dynamics.
Oathbreaker is a game format for Magic: The Gathering where players simulate Planeswalkers breaking their oath and battling each other for dominance over multiverse. The official rules for playing Oathbreaker can found on Magic: The Gathering’s Format Hub page.
The Oathbreaker format for MTG was originally created by fans of the game, even though Wizards of the Coast has now made it official format. Weirdcards, charitable group of MTG players who organize events to support good causes, developed the Oathbreaker format as early as 2017 and created its own website and subreddit.
Oathbreaker is a type of Magic: The Gathering game that meant to played casually in multiplayer format. It can played by 3 to 5 players and each player must have a 60-card deck that revolves around specific Planeswalker. Additionally, each player must choose one instant or sorcery card to their Planeswalker’s signature spell.
In Oathbreaker format, all Magic: The Gathering sets and cards are permitted including the Secret Lair and Universes Beyond sets such as Warhammer 40K and The Lord of the Rings: Tales of Middle-earth crossovers.
After selecting Planeswalker card for their deck in the game of Oathbreaker, the player must also choose signature instant or sorcery spell. With these choices made the remaining 58 cards in the deck must all align with the color identity of the selected Planeswalker card and the chosen signature spell.
To clarify, if a player selects Teferi time raveler as their oathbreaker from War of the Spark set their deck must contain cards that have blue or white mana symbols in their mana cost or rules text. However, colorless cards and basic lands are exempt from this rule. Additionally, each card in deck with the exception of basic lands must have unique name (referred to as the singleton rule).
In the Oathbreaker format, both the Oathbreaker Planeswalker card and the signature spell are placed face up in the command zone. This allows the player to cast the Oathbreaker Planeswalker from the command zone by paying its printed mana cost. However, casting Oathbreaker Planeswalker from the command zone second time or more requires additional 2 colorless mana on top of its printed cost. For example, casting the Oathbreaker Planeswalker for the third time would require 4 colorless mana plus its printed mana cost.
Also similar to Commander rules, when an Oathbreaker would leave play from battlefield due to losing all its loyalty counters being sent to the graveyard, the library, exiled or similar effects, player may return it to the command zone instead.
The signature spell can cast while Oathbreaker is the battlefield. After the signature spell is cast and resolves, it is returned to the command zone instead of going to other zones like the hand, library or exile due to other effects such as being countered. The cost of casting the signature spell increases by 2 colorless mana each time it is cast beyond first time, similar to the Oathbreaker.
In game of Oathbreaker, each player starts with 20 life and turn order proceeds in clockwise direction. As it is free for all game mode, players can choose to target and attack any other player regardless of their position on table. During the combat phase, players may even choose to attack multiple opponents. The game concludes when only one player remains standing.
Although the Oathbreaker format shares certain historical similarities with well-known Commander format (also known as Elder Dragon Highlander/EDH), WoTC has not yet made any plans to produce sets and exclusive cards designed just for it or determine whether it will be used in Magic: The Gathering Arena.
The most recent expansion for Magic: The Gathering, March of the Machine which wraps off Phyrexian invasion saga will be released on April 21, 2023.