Dragon’s Maze is the third and final set in the Return to Ravnica block, which has been wildly successful so far. Return to Ravnica is the highest-selling set in Magic’s history. If the 30% rise in sales in Q1 2012 is anything to go by, Gatecrash is either second or outsold even return to Ravnica. See our multiplayer review of the first two sets here and here.

In Dragon’s Maze all ten guilds of Ravnica return, with the guild Abilities seen in either Gatecrash or Return to Ravnica. If that weren’t enough there is an eleventh mechanic, this one new to the set. Split cards make their return in Dragon’s Maze, but with a twist. Usually a split card allows you to choose which half of the card you want to cast. The Dragon’s Maze split cards all have the ‘Fuse’ ability which allow you to choose to cast both halves of the card if you wish. This “have your cake and eat it” change is bound to be popular.

While the other ten mechanics are all known, the additional cards plug some gaps and add powerful new options for every guild. Each guild gets and equal share of the pie, so no one is being favoured over everyone else. There are a few reprints in this set, including Putrefy from the original Ravnica.

Each guild has a “champion’ in Dragon’s Maze, a legendary creature in that guild’s colours. Each of the champions appear at rare and they all add something interesting to the mix.

Another way this set has mixed things up is in the distribution of cards within a pack. Usually, Magic boosters contain one basic land, regardless of what set they are from. With Dragon’s Maze the basic land is replaced by a random guildgate, giving the set mana fixing in every pack, great for a multicolour set. In some packs the guildgates will be replaced by one of the “shock lands” from Return to Ravnica or Gatecrash. There is even the possibility of receiving the new Mythic Land, Maze’s End in place of a guildgate! This doesn’t affect the normal distribution of rares and mythic in packs, making it possible to open a pack with two Mythic rares, Maze’s End and one of the set’s regular Mythic cards.

This set has taken multiplayer into account, something that makes the cards of all rarities interesting to the grand melee player. There are plenty of “each opponent” type effects, from the life-sucking Extort cards to the punishing Ruric Thar, guild champion of the Gruul.

Ten interesting cards

1. Ruric Thar, the Unbowed – a multiplayer beast who punishes all your opponents
2. Tithe Drinker  – a cheap vampire that presents an early threat
3. Zhur-Taa Druid – a creature that damages each opponent when it taps for mana
4. Ready//Willing – a great combination of creature-boosting
5. Unflinching Courage – best creature enchantment since armadillo cloak
6. Maze’s End – the land to end the game, in your favour
7. Blood Baron of Vizkopa – another creature to fear
8. Gaze of Granite – mass removal a la carte
9. Warleader’s Helix – Lightning Helix has a big brother
10. Ral Zarek a very interesting planeswalker design

See also: [Return to Ravnica] [Gatecrash]