This thread was originally transferred over from MTG Salvation as an easy place for critical lore resources, but this is now my official Resource Thread.
I would also recommend you check out the Wiki to help you find whatever you're looking for. It has a huge amount of information on most subjects, just be advised that it's created by users and not everything in there is going to be 100% correct. Please note that the following is not always as detailed as the List of Storyline Sources on the Wiki, but is organized to be more user-friendly.
Where to Start?
I go into detail on this in Magic Story 100: Where to Start?, but Magic's Story can best be divided up into three 'Eras' of storytelling, although I should be clear that there aren't any hard lines between each era, more like a gradual shift. Those eras are known as Pre-Revision, Pre-Mending, and Post-Mending. Post-Mending can be further divided into Pre-Magic Origins, Post-Magic Origins, and Post-War of the Spark. I've written two very high-level story summaries that cover Magic's story from the beginning through War of the Spark. You can find them below.
If you're brand new to Magic Story, I highly recommend starting with Magic Origins and then working your way forward. It was designed as an entry point for newcomers and there's very little time investment in getting caught up from there than diving headfirst into the novels of Magic's first 20 years.
High Level Story Summaries
- Elder Dragons to the Mending (Pre-Revision and Pre-Mending Eras)
- Alara to War of the Spark (Post-Mending and Post-Origins Eras)
Detailed Story Summaries
- A Vorthos Guide to MTG (More Detailed Summaries of every era)
- Multiverse in Review (A blog with detailed summaries of Magic lore)
The Pre-Revision Story
The stories of the Pre-Revision era were largely handled externally from Wizards of the Coast. The two major sources of lore from this time period were the Harper Prism novels and the Armada Comics series. While many of these events were never referenced again or retconned to fit the new story direction in the Weatherlight Saga, the rule of thumb has been that these events are canon unless explicitly contradicted, and many characters made the jump to post-revision canon. Certain stories, like the Antiquities War and the Ice Age, were later retold in the novels.
Pre-Revision Story
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Early Story Sources
From the Library of Leng (The Duelist)
Greensleeves Cycle
- Arena
- Whispering Woods
- Shattered Chains
- Final Sacrifice
- The Cursed Land
- Prodigal Sorcerer
- Ashes of the Sun
- Song of Time
- And Peace Shall Sleep
- Dark Legacy
- Tapestries
- Distant Planes
- Elder Dragons #1-#2
- Dakkon Blackblade #1
- Arabian Nights #1-#2
- Antiquities War #1-#4 (Part 1, Part 2)
- The Urza-Mishra War #1-#2
- Fallen Empires #1-#2
- Ice Age #1-#4 (Parts 1 & 2)
- Shandalar #1-#2
- Magic: the Gathering - Shandalar (Microprose Video Game)
- Homelands #1
- The Shadow Mage #1-#4
- Nightmare #1
- Wayfarer #1-#5
- Jedit Ojanen #1-#2
- Fallen Angel #1
- Serra Angel #1
- The Story of Battlemage Ravidel (Summary of "Planeswalker War" story)
- Magic: the Gathering - Battlemage (Battlemage's Lore)
The novels of the Post-Revision era, now known as the Pre-Mending story, are presented here in roughly chronological order. Most of the stories took place in novel series called cycles, but many short stories have since been made available online. An in-depth knowledge of this era is not required for understanding the modern story. They just add some fun background flavor for a few known planes. Only a single art book was created during this time: The Art of Magic: the Gathering - The Rath Cycle. Only a few comics were produced in this era, a comic from Dark Horse retelling the story of Tempest block, and a series of short 'intro' comics for TopDeck magazine as a teaser for certain novels.
List of Pre-Mending Sources
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The Artifacts Cycle
The Mirrodin Cycle The Kamigawa Cycle
- The Thran (Ebook)
- The Brother's War (Ebook)
- Loran's Smile
- Planeswalker (Ebook)
- The History of the Sarpadian Empires
- The Gathering Dark (Ebook)
- The Eternal Ice (Ebook)
- The Shattered Alliance (Ebook)
- Vannemir's Choice
- The Horror at Ronom Glacier
- The Battle of Kjeldor
- Keeping the Cold (Coldsnap Player's Guide)
- Johan
- Jedit
- Hazezon
- Time Streams (Ebook)
- A Time for Remembrance
- Scars of the Legacy
- Bloodlines (Ebook)
- Phyrexian Autopsy
- Assassin's Blade
- Emperor's Fist
- Champion's Trial
- Tempest: Into the Storm (Currently Broken)
- Maelstrom
- Torrent
- Rath and Storm (Ebook)
- Gerrard's Quest #1-#4 (Dark Horse Comics)
- Mercadian Masques
- Mercadian Masques (TopDeck #1 Comic)
- Nemesis
- Nemesis (TopDeck #4 Comic)
- Prophecy
- Prophecy (TopDeck #8 Comic)
- Invasion (Ebook)
- Invasion (TopDeck #12 Comic)
- Planeshift (Ebook)
- Apocalypse (Ebook)
- Family Man (Currently Broken)
- Odyssey
- Chainer's Torment
- Judgment
- Onslaught
- Legions
- Scourge
- Colors of Magic
- Myths of Magic
- Dragons of Magic
- Secrets of Magic
- Monsters of Magic
The Mirrodin Cycle The Kamigawa Cycle
- Outlaw: Champions of Kamigawa (Ebook)
- Heretic: Betrayers of Kamigawa (Ebook)
- Guardian: Saviors of Kamigawa (Ebook)
- Mountain Secret
- Duty Bound
- Everything
- Eight and a Half Tails
- Security
- The Dragon's Errand
- Thankless Child
- Bonds of Ice and Fire
- The Dragon Shield
- Told in Whispers
- A Servant's Mission
- Patron of the Akki
- Personal Battles
- Redemption Smiles
- The Sound of Crickets
- War's Wage
- The Face Behind the Mask
- The Meeting
- Iizuka the Ruthless
- The Last Visitor
- Ravnica: City of Guilds (Ebook)
- Guildpact (Ebook)
- Dissension (Ebook)
- Wake Up Call
- Precious Gold
- Makin' the Law, Makin' the Law
- Azorius Fiction: The Hussar's Last Mission
- Simic Fiction: Life is Beautiful
- Rakdos Fiction: The Merrytown Massacre
The current story for Magic takes place after the Mending, in a time when planeswalkers no longer have god-like power or immortality. Plots to regain that lost power or the consequences of its loss are major themes in the post-mending multiverse, as old threats barely contained by what are now known as 'oldwalkers' are now the problem of these weaker 'neowalkers'.
Worldbuilding
One of the great resources made available to readers post-mending is the advent of the Planeswalker's Guides, a series of articles talking about the flavor and worldbuilding of the planes visited in each block. These are great resources for getting the feel of a plane that the story or cards don't necessarily convey. It took a while for these articles to cement, so earlier blocks have some worldbuilding articles I've included that aren't necessarily called planeswalker guides.
List of Planeswalker's Guide
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Lorwyn/Shadowmoor
- A Taste of Lorwyn
- Champions of Goldmeadow
- Elementalism
- Bog is for Boggart
- Lorwyn Survival Guide
- Folk of the Non-Pines
- The Shadowy Pendulum
- Saving the Queen
- The Mysteries of Eventide
- A Planeswalker's guide to Zendikar
- A Planeswalker's guide to Zendikar: Bala Ged and Elves
- A Planeswalker's guide to Zendikar: Guul Draaz and Vampires
- A Planeswalker's guide to Zendikar: Ondu
- A Planeswalker's guide to Zendikar: Tazeem and Merfolk
- A Planeswalker's guide to Zendikar: Goblins
- A Planeswalker's guide to Zendikar: Akoum
- A Planeswalker's guide to Zendikar: Murasa and Sejiri
- Gods and Monsters
- The Defiance of Angels
- The Three Brood Lineages
- Zendikar: Things Have Changed
- Phyrexia: The Strong and the Scattered
- A Planeswalker's Guide to New Phyrexia
- The Machine Orthodoxy
- The Progress Engine
- The Steel Thanes
- The Vicious Swarm
- The Quiet Furnace
- Getting to Know the Praetors
- A Planeswalker's Guide to Innistrad: Introduction
- A Planeswalker's Guide to Innistrad: Stensia and Vampires
- A Planeswalker's Guide to Innistrad: Nephalia and the Undead
- A Planeswalker's Guide to Innistrad: Kessig and Werewolves
- A Planeswalker's Guide to Innistrad: Gavony and Humans
- A Backstory Update for Dark Ascension
- A Planeswalker's Guide to Avacyn Restored Part I and Part II
- Planeswalker's Guide to Innistrad: Midnight Hunt
- A Planeswalker's Guide to Return to Ravnica Part I, Part II, and Part III
- A Planeswalker's Guide to Gatecrash Part I and Part II
- Ravnica, Then and Now
- A Planeswalker's Guide to Theros Part I, Part II, Part III
- A Planeswalker's Guide to Born of the Gods
- A Planeswalker's Guide to Journey into Nyx
- A Planeswalker's Guide to Khans of Tarkir Part 1 and Part 2
- A Planeswalker's Guide to Fate Reforged
- A Planeswalker's Guide to Dragons of Tarkir and Part 2
- No Planeswalker's Guide was created for Amonkhet.
Much of Magic's flavor and story in recent years has been told through online articles.
- Savor the Flavor, originally a series called Taste the Magic, was a series of articles that focused on flavorful aspects of Magic: the Gathering. It tended to vary a lot in the type of content it provided and was eventually scrapped in 2012 in favor of Uncharted Realms. All the short stories have been collected on our wiki, which also helpfully divides them by plane and main character.
- Magic Story, originally titled Uncharted Realms, replaced Savor the Flavor in 2012, around the same time the Magic Novels were cancelled. Unlike Savor the Flavor, this series focused entirely on short stories and story-related information, with a new article coming out every Wednesday. Many of these stories flesh out the worlds that each block takes place on, but they also advance the overall plot. A recent shift in creative direction has serialized these short stories into longer ongoing story arcs.
- Planeswalker Webcomics were an early post-mending attempt at making the Magic story more accessible for players. The webcomics were the beginning of many of the story's elements and are a must-read for any story fan.
Art Books
Alongside the Post-Origins Era, lines of new art books were launched. Viz Media's art books were essentially extended Planeswalker's Guides, with a wealth of worldbuilding. Abrams Comic Arts also released a line of smaller format, more traditional art books.
List of Art Books
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Viz Media
- The Art of Magic: The Gathering - Zendikar
- The Art of Magic: The Gathering - Innistrad
- The Art of Magic: The Gathering - Kaladesh
- The Art of Magic: The Gathering - Amonkhet
- The Art of Magic: The Gathering - Ixalan
- The Art of Magic: The Gathering - Dominaria
- The Art of Magic: the Gathering - Concepts & Legends
- The Art of Magic: The Gathering - Ravnica
- The Art of Magic: The Gathering - War of the Spark
After decades of not wanting to cross the streams, Magic: the Gathering and Dungeons & Dragons have begun to intersect. These are the official resources for playing D&D in Magic worlds.
List of Magic/D&D Crossovers
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D&D Sourcebooks
Plane Shift
As a companion to the Viz Media Art Books, James Wyatt and Wizards of the Coast released a series of D&D conversions for Magic planes called Plane Shift.
Plane Shift
As a companion to the Viz Media Art Books, James Wyatt and Wizards of the Coast released a series of D&D conversions for Magic planes called Plane Shift.
- Plane Shift: Zendikar
- Plane Shift: Innistrad
- Plane Shift: Kaladesh
- Plane Shift: Amonkhet
- Plane Shift: Ixalan
- X Marks The Spot: A Plane Shift: Ixalan Adventure
- Plane Shift: Dominaria
- Adventures in the Forgotten Realms (A five-part adventure module)
- The Legends of Adventures in the Forgotten Realms
The story is presented here in roughly the order it was published. For the most part, that also means that it is in chronological order, but that won't always be the case, such as with Magic Origins or various background stories.
Please note that I'm ONLY including stories that are either relevant to the plane they take place on, the overall plot, or to one of the main characters. In general, this means that only characters who appear more than once in the story will appear here, and then only if they have bearing on the overall story. You can find a full list of the short stories in the links I provided earlier to Savor the Flavor and Uncharted Realms articles.
List of Post-Mending Story Sources
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Lorwyn/Shadowmoor Cycle (Stand-alone series)
These stories tell the origin of the core five planeswalkers, in some cases retconning established details of the existing story. At this point in the story, the direction shifts completely from a vaguely connected series of events starring a rotating cast to a more tightly plotted serialized narrative told entirely through online stories.
- Lorywn
- Morningtide
- Shadowmoor
- Eventide
- The Raven's Eye (Liliana's Original Backstory)
- The Seeker's Fall (Tezzeret's Backstory)
- Honor Bound (Elspeth's Backstory)
- The Flight of the White Cat (Ajani's Backstory)
- Agents of Artifice (Ebook)
- Fuel for the Fire (Takes place concurrently with Agents of Artifice)
- The Purifying Fire (Ebook)
- Test of Metal (Ebook)
- Alara Unbroken (Ebook)
- Journey to the Eye
- Awakenings
- Enter the Eldrazi
- Zendikar: In the Teeth of Akoum (Ebook)
- The Battle of Fort Keff
- Phyrexia and the Vaultlord
- Corrupted Conscience
- Gathering Forces
- Scarred
- Dark Discoveries
- Scars of Mirrodin: The Quest for Karn (Ebook)
- Liliana's Mission (Recap of Liliana's story)
- Sorin's Homecoming
- The Guardian, the Witch, and the Angel
- The State of the Faith
- The Prison of Silver
- Preview Article: Mikaeus Unhallowed (Details the assault on Thraben)
- The Cursed Blade
- Angel's Rise and Demon's Release
- Magic: the Gathering (IDW Comic) (Ebook)
- The Spell Thief (IDW Comic) (Ebook)
- Odric, Master Tactician (Serves as an epilogue for Innistrad)
- Krenko, Mob Boss (Serves as a prologue for Return to Ravnica)
- The Shadows of Prahv Part I and Part II
- Return to Ravnica: The Secretist Part I (Ebook)
- Gatecrash: The Secretist Part II (Ebook)
- The Greater Good
- Teysa Karlov
- Barrin's Tall Tale
- The One Hundred Steps
- Dragon's Maze: The Secretist Part III (Ebook)
- Battle for the Ninth
- The Gorgon and the Guildpact
- Path of Vengeance (IDW Comic) (Ebook)
- The Lost Confession
- Theros: Godsend Part I (Ebook)
- Kiora's Followers
- Ajani, Mentor of Heroes
- Journey into Nyx: Godsend Part II (Ebook)
- Ajani's Vengeance
- Building Toward a Dream Part I and Part II
- Dreams of the City
- Theros (IDW Comic) (Ebook)
- Beast (Takes place before Odric, Master Tactician, possibly retcons it)
- Nissa, Worldwaker
- Veil of Deceit
- The Hunter Cannot Pity
- Duels of the Planeswalkers 2015
- Monster
- Dreams of the Damned
These stories tell the origin of the core five planeswalkers, in some cases retconning established details of the existing story. At this point in the story, the direction shifts completely from a vaguely connected series of events starring a rotating cast to a more tightly plotted serialized narrative told entirely through online stories.
- Jace's Origin: Absent Minds
- Chandra's Origin: Fire Logic
- Gideon's Origin: Kytheon Iora of Akros
- Nissa's Origin: Home
- Liliana's Origin: The Fourth Pact
- Battle for Zendikar Story Site (The main story for BFZ is found here)
- Battle for Zendikar Story Summary (Summary and Ebook Compilation)
- Oath of the Gatewatch Story Site (BFZ's story is continued here)
- Oath of the Gatewatch Story Summary (Summary and Ebook Compilation)
- Family Values (Continues Teysa Karlov's Story)
- All the Cairns of Jund
- Pride of the Kraul (Released in 2017 as a story for Commander Anthology)
- Shadows Over Innistrad Story Site (Ebook Compilation)
- Hanweir Chronicle
- Eldritch Moon Story Site (Ebook Compilation Included)
- Conspiracy: Take the Crown Story Site (Ebook Compilation Included)
- Kaladesh Story Site (Ebook Compilation Included)
- Aether Revolt Story Site
- War of the Spark: Ravnica
- Old Friends and New (Web Fiction version of the novel)
- The Path to Opulent (Web Fiction version of the novel)
- Rallying the Reluctant (Web Fiction version of the novel)
- Desperate Operatives (Web Fiction version of the novel)
- Operation Desperation (Web Fiction version of the novel)
- Ashes (Web Fiction version of the novel)
- War of the Spark: Forsaken
- The Wildered Quest (Ebook)
- The Sundered Bond (Ebook)
- The Ikoria: Lair of the Behemoths Story on the Cards
- Magic Story Site (Both Main and Side Narratives are indexed here)
- The Legends of Zendikar Rising
- Magic Story Site (Both Main and Side Narratives are indexed here)
- The Legends of Kaldheim
- Magic Story Site (Both Main and Side Narratives are indexed here)
- The Legends of Strixhaven
- Magic Story Site (Both Main and Side Narratives are indexed here)
- The New Legends of Innistrad: Midnight Hunt
- The Returning Legends of Innistrad: Midnight Hunt
- Magic Story Site (Both Main and Side Narratives are indexed here)
- The Legends of Innistrad: Crimson Vow
- The Sagas of Kamigawa: Neon Dynasty
- Planeswalker's Guide to Kamigawa
- The Legends of Kamigawa: Neon Dynasty
- Kamigawa: A Visual Novel (Not canon)
- Kamigawa: Neon Dynasty Manga (Not canon)
- No non-story content
Alternate Continuities
Beginning in 2021, new story expressions have been released that don't fit into the continuity of the Trading Card Game. I'm listing these independently here.
Boom! Comics
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In 2021 Boom! Comics launched a new Magic: the Gathering series. Unlike previous comic adaptations, this series did not take place in the TCG continuity, but instead in a version of continuity that diverges from War of the Spark. While it's not explained what exactly happened differently in War of the Spark in this continuity, we know that Niv-Mizzet is in a mechanical body in this version of events, among other small differences. The series is currently ongoing.
Boom! Reading Order
Boom! Reading Order
- Magic #1
- Magic #2
- Magic #3
- Magic #4
- Magic #5
- Magic #6
- Magic #7
- Magic #8
- Magic: Master of Metal #1
- Magic #8
- Magic #9
- Magic #10
- Magic #11
- Magic #12
- Magic #13
- Magic #14
- Magic #15
- Magic: The Hidden Planeswalker #1
- Magic: The Hidden Planeswalker #2
- Magic: The Hidden Planeswalker #3
- Magic: The Hidden Planeswalker #4
- Magic #16
- Magic #17
- Magic #18
- Magic: Ajani Goldmane #1
- Magic #19
- Magic #20
- Magic: Nahiri #1
- Magic Vol. 1 (Collects issues 1-5)
- Magic Vol. 1 (Collects issues 6-10)
- Magic Vol. 1 (Collects issues 11-15)
Netflix TV Series
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The Magic Netflix series is currently scheduled to air it's first season in 2022.
Netflix Continuity
Netflix Continuity
- Untitled Prequel Novel
- Magic Netflix Season One