Since 2019, Modern Horizons has been one of the most polarizing product lines in Magic: The Gathering’s 30-year history. By skipping Standard entirely and introducing cards directly into Eternal formats, Horizons sets (MH1, MH2, and MH3) have reshaped not only Modern but also Legacy, Vintage, and Commander. Cards like Force of Negation, Ragavan, Nimble Pilferer, Urza’s Saga, Grief, Murktide Regent, and Nadu, Winged Wisdom haven’t just made an impact; they’ve rewritten metagames across multiple formats. For some players, Horizons has saved Magic: The Gathering from stagnation and injected long-term excitement into the game. For others, it has destabilized the game’s foundation and priced out newcomers. So, have these sets elevated Magic: The Gathering, or are they eroding what makes it great? Let’s explore both sides.
Why It Could Be Ruining Magic: The Gathering
Unchecked Power Creep
Modern Horizon cards have leapt into Eternal formats with unprecedented impact. Everything from Wrenn and Six to Ragavan to Urza’s Saga and even to Nadu, Winged Wisdom had a major impact. Instead of subtle role-players, they’ve become format-defining staples, often eclipsing decades of design. Hogaak, Arisen Necropolis stands out as one of the most broken designs in the game’s history. The result spawned the dreaded “Hogaak Summer” before being banned. Even Vintage, a format dominated by the Power Nine, has felt the shockwaves. Urza’s Saga immediately became one of the most-played lands in the format, and Urza, Lord High Artificer, quickly became the centerpiece of artifact combo and control decks across multiple formats.
Format Homogenization
Deck diversity has narrowed across eternal play. Horizon set staples like Fury and Grief, Force of Negation, and Nadu, Winged Wisdom showed up everywhere, limiting creativity and forcing players to adopt the same few packages. Nadu, Winged Wisdom in particular, was so format-warping that it ended up banned in Modern (like a few others), illustrating how far Horizons cards can push the balance of Magic: The Gathering before breaking it.
Rising Costs and Premium Barriers
Modern Horizons sets come with a premium price tag, far above Standard releases, and are loaded with chase mythics that often climb to $60–$80 within weeks of release. For Commander players, decks that once hovered around $200 can now cost double if you want to keep up with Horizons-era staples. Opening a Horizons booster can feel exhilarating in the moment, but that thrill often gives way to frustration when players realize they need multiple copies of $70 mythics just to compete.
Cards like Ragavan, Nimble Pilferer, Wrenn and Six, and Ocelot Pride quickly became format staples with equally steep price tags, forcing many fans to pay top dollar or fall behind. While a small segment of collectors isn’t bothered by the premium cost, the majority of Magic: The Gathering players feel the strain on their wallets.
Eroding Standard’s Influence
For most of Magic: The Gathering’s history, Standard cards naturally flowed into eternal play. Horizon sets bypass that system, making Standard feel disconnected from Modern, Legacy, and Commander. If eternal formats only evolve through mainly Horizon sets, Magic risks severing its own roots. In return, it turns Standard into a self-contained ecosystem with little long-term relevance. This shift has also led to Wizards experimenting with letting Universes Beyond sets bleed into Standard, opening an entirely different can of worms about the integrity and identity of the format.
Why It Might Be Saving Magic: The Gathering
Reviving Eternal Formats
Before Modern Horizons 1 (MH1), eternal formats risked stagnation. Horizon sets blew fresh air into Legacy, Vintage, and Modern with cards that spawned entirely new archetypes. Wrenn and Six pushed multicolor midrange decks back into relevance, Urza’s Saga created entire artifact-based strategies, and Nadu, Winged Wisdom (MH3) has already spawned one of the most explosive combo decks in years. Even Hogaak — broken though it was — proved just how much energy and chaos these sets could inject into competitive play.
Designed for Eternal Power Levels
Standard sets can’t always push cards strong enough to matter in Legacy or Vintage without breaking Standard balance. Horizons solves that problem, giving Wizards a playground to design with eternal formats in mind. The result is targeted innovation rather than accidental breakouts. Cards like Grief redefining discard strategies or Force of Negation becoming a staple counterspell in Modern and Legacy.
Nostalgia Meets Innovation
Yawgmoth finally got a legendary card in Yawgmoth, Thran Physician. Urza received a mythic worthy of his legacy in Urza, Lord High Artificer, a card that spawned artifact-based strategies in both Modern and Commander. I know I have enjoyed my time with both Yawgmoth and Urza, respectively. The Eldrazi returned with terrifying new designs in MH3. Horizon sets deliver the best of Magic: The Gathering’s history while reworking old mechanics like Suspend, Cascade, and Evoke for today’s game. For enfranchised players, pulling a card like Yawgmoth or Urza isn’t just powerful. It’s an emotional payoff decades in the making.
Commander Gets Fresh Staples
As the most popular format, Commander thrives on variety. Horizons has delivered format-defining cards like Esper Sentinel, Dauthi Voidwalker, Sword of Hearth and Home, and others. Love them or hate them, these cards ensure Commander stays fresh and dynamic. For casual Magic: The Gathering players, Horizon sets often represent the thrill of discovering a new staple that reshapes their favorite deck.
Keeping Magic Culturally Relevant
Modern Horizon sets guarantee big shake-ups every few years, keeping eternal formats exciting for streamers, pros, and content creators. In the age of Twitch and YouTube, that constant churn is vital for keeping Magic: The Gathering in the spotlight. Without these injections, competitive and casual coverage might have far less to talk about.
Final Verdict: Magic’s Greatest Risk, and Its Greatest Reward
The Modern Horizons experiment has reshaped Magic: The Gathering in ways that very few product lines have. On one hand, it has undeniably accelerated power creep, raised costs, and compressed deck diversity across eternal formats. On the other hand, it has revitalized gameplay, celebrated Magic’s history, and kept eternal formats culturally relevant in the modern streaming era.
While both sides of the debate carry weight, I lean toward the belief that Modern Horizons is ultimately helping Magic: The Gathering rather than ruining it. Without these sets, eternal formats like Modern, Legacy, and even Commander might risk stagnation, losing the excitement that drives long-time players and content creators alike. Horizons may not be perfect, but it has become one of the heartbeats of eternal play. In return, keeping Magic vibrant, evolving, and alive for the next generation of fans.
What do you think? Has Modern Horizons helped Magic: The Gathering, or pushed it too far? Let me know what you think!
