The Eagles Are Coming!The Eagles Are Coming! | Illustrated by Zezhou Chen

Full previews for The Hobbit are in, and that means it's time for me to take a look at the instants and sorceries from the set. There really aren't that many this time around, especially with a lot of the instants and sorceries in this set being stapled to creatures via the Adventure mechanic. However, there's still a plethora of spells worth talking about. Let's get to it!

White

The Eagles Are Coming!

First up is my favorite spell in the entire set! The Eagles Are Coming!The Eagles Are Coming! is an instant for that bounces a creature you own. It has a kicker of , and if that cost is payed it can return any number of creatures you own instead. For each creature returned in that way, you make a 4/4 Bird token at the next upkeep. I don't expect The Eagles Are Coming! to pop up at higher power tables, like in Bracket 4 or 5. However, there are loads of situations where this card is a complete blowout at lower power tables. It can counteract theft effects, save creatures from board wipes, set up powerful enters triggers for an additional use, or just convert a bunch of creatures that are worse than a 4/4 flyer into 4/4 flyers.

Any white creature deck at lower power levels could consider The Eagles Are Coming! as a protection piece. I'm going to be trying it out in my control decks with self-bounce themes, like Tivit, Seller of SecretsTivit, Seller of Secrets or Alela, Artful ProvocateurAlela, Artful Provocateur. I'm also certain that Boros decks built around Impact TremorsImpact Tremors effects will have a field day with this one, like Ajani, Nacatl PariahAjani, Nacatl Pariah. Picking up a bunch of creatures, making Birds, and effectively doubling up on Impact Tremors triggers can generate devastating turns. Imagine getting to your upkeep with an Anointed ProcessionAnointed Procession in play!

Blue

Bilbo's Burglaring

Bilbo's BurglaringBilbo's Burglaring is a theft spell that steals an artifact from each opponent. At first glance, this spell seems a little over-costed at . That steep mana cost will keep it out of a lot of decks. However, there are a good number of artifact decks at the lower ends of the power spectrum that could easily generate an overwhelming amount of value from Bilbo's Burglaring.

The trickiest assumption a deck builder makes when including Bilbo's Burglaring in their deck is that each opponent is likely to have an artifact worth stealing. The best applications for this sorcery will be decks capable of forcing the issue. A good Bilbo's Burglaring deck should include Liquimetal TorqueLiquimetal Torque, Liquimetal CoatingLiquimetal Coating, or even Mycosynth LatticeMycosynth Lattice! Commanders that support this setup are all-in on artifact synergies, like Urza, Lord High ArtificerUrza, Lord High Artificer, Emry, Lurker of the LochEmry, Lurker of the Loch, Krang, Master MindKrang, Master Mind, or Jhoira, Weatherlight CaptainJhoira, Weatherlight Captain.

Plunder the Trollshaws

What is a boring two-mana cantrip like Plunder the TrollshawsPlunder the Trollshaws doing on this list? Well, generally in Magic, the bar for drawing two cards is three mana. There's DivinationDivination, Stock UpStock Up, BrainsurgeBrainsurge (which technically draws four, but only keeps two), and the like. Then, drawing two cards for two mana is something that happens only under specific circumstances, like Flow StateFlow State, Expressive IterationExpressive Iteration, or Chart a CourseChart a Course. Any time I can get two cards for two mana, my ears perk up. Plunder the Trollshaws can be cast with flashback to draw two, but that flashback cost is . That's worse than Divination! Why am I so interested in it?

What draws me to Plunder the Trollshaws is its application in decks that can cast it from the graveyard without paying the full flashback cost. This could be as simple as a Baral, Chief of ComplianceBaral, Chief of Compliance deck that can reduce its cost. I'm most excited for this draw spell in Kess, Dissident MageKess, Dissident Mage, where Kess allows Plunder the Trollshaws to be cast from the graveyard for its regular mana cost of . Outside of commander choice, Plunder the Trollshaws is a draw spell that works beautifully alongside FlashbackFlashback or Snapcaster MageSnapcaster Mage.

Black

Inside Information

Inside InformationInside Information is the card from The Hobbit that I'm the most conflicted about. On one hand, getting to play the Bolas's CitadelBolas's Citadel or Ad NauseamAd Nauseam game off the top of an opponent's deck is incredibly tempting. There isn't any restriction on mana value or quantity of spells like Villainous WealthVillainous Wealth, and it fills the same "late game mana sink spell that should win the game some of the time" niche. On the other hand, I'd rather cast my own spells!

There are three archetypes I'm looking at to slot in a copy of Inside Information: big mana Spellslinger decks, dedicated Lifegain decks, and Storm decks. A Spellslinger deck, like Alania, Divergent StormAlania, Divergent Storm or Cormela, Glamour ThiefCormela, Glamour Thief will be able to cast and copy Inside Information, generating such a wealth of options that losing a game after the spell's resolution will be pretty difficult. A Lifegain deck, like Sorin of House MarkovSorin of House Markov or Oloro, Ageless AsceticOloro, Ageless Ascetic, will generate so much life that spending life to cast spells exiled with Inside Information will be fairly trivial. A Storm deck that already plays Bolas's Citadel or Gwenom, RemorselessGwenom, Remorseless will be set up to gain back life with Tendrils of AgonyTendrils of Agony or Aetherflux ReservoirAetherflux Reservoir and therefore well prepared to pay life into a big Inside Information. I'm sure a Storm-leaning build of Y'shtola, Night's BlessedY'shtola, Night's Blessed could be very venomous in a deck with all of the aforementioned options.

Supper for Spiders

Supper for SpidersSupper for Spiders is one of black's coolest tricks to use after a board wipe. Reanimating every creature that went from each opponents' battlefield to their graveyard this turn as food tokens is sure to create really strange game states out of nowhere. Reanimating the creatures as Food will often be an upside, dodging the next board wipe and generally being more difficult to remove than a creature. Imagine stealing a Sheoldred, the ApocalypseSheoldred, the Apocalypse that doesn't die to creature removal! The opportunity cost of holding it up while waiting for another player to cast a board wipe is fairly minimal at just . Supper for Spiders will also be great in a deck that can wipe the board using a piece in the command zone, like Child of AlaraChild of Alara, or just a deck that's densely packed with board wipes.

One area I expect Supper for Spiders to perform at its best is decks with Mystical TeachingsMystical Teachings or Waterlogged TeachingsWaterlogged Teachings packages. Alela, Cunning ConquerorAlela, Cunning Conqueror is my pick for the best commander in that category. Being able to pass with a bunch of mana up and go find this really narrow spell at instant speed seems very strong, and there aren't many other spells that can perform Supper for Spiders' function.

Red

Desolation of Smaug

Desolation of SmaugDesolation of Smaug is a board wipe aimed at Dragon decks. Anyone reading this card should immediately jump to The Ur-DragonThe Ur-Dragon, Scion of the Ur-DragonScion of the Ur-Dragon, or TiamatTiamat. First, dealing three damage to everything will often allow Dragons, a notoriously large creature type, to survive with ease. Plus, this board wipe adds enough mana in any combination of colors to pay for itself! Imagine having five mana, casting Desolation of Smaug to clear the board, adding four mana, and casting Scion of the Ur-Dragon all in one turn! The upside is immense and the mana fixing will often be useful in these five-color decks.

Dragon's Desire

Dragon's DesireDragon's Desire is a ritual that adds for each artifact your opponents control. Obviously, nothing in this design space is likely to measure up to the all-powerful Dockside ExtortionistDockside Extortionist, but this will sometimes come close. Seldom do I get to read through a set that's so intent on getting me to finally buy a copy of Mycosynth LatticeMycosynth Lattice!

This ritual is a slam dunk in many high power red decks, like Godo, Bandit WarlordGodo, Bandit Warlord or Etali, Primal ConquerorEtali, Primal Conqueror. Outside of that, Spellslinger decks that are looking to cast big red payoff spells, like Soulfire EruptionSoulfire Eruption, Mizzix's MasteryMizzix's Mastery, or Call Forth the TempestCall Forth the Tempest, may be interested in a ritual that can power those spells out way ahead of scheduel.

Green

Through the Forest Gate

Green doesn't have much on offer in The Hobbit. Through the Forest GateThrough the Forest Gate is a really perplexing card. Can an eight-mana spell really be considered ramp? I can conceive of a Tannuk, Memorial EnsignTannuk, Memorial Ensign or Lumra, Bellow of the WoodsLumra, Bellow of the Woods deck that will promptly win the game on this gargantuan spell's resolution. Is it more effective than Awaken the WoodsAwaken the Woods or ScapeshiftScapeshift in that regard? Sometimes! Maybe even often.

The harsh reality is that most green ramp decks that have made enough mana to resolve Through the Forest Gate in the first place are probably in the market for a finisher with a higher success rate. After all, it's competing for the "eight-mana spell that wins the game" slot with Craterhoof BehemothCraterhoof Behemoth. I'm sure there will be a time and a place, likely in a Bracket 2 landfall deck, for this ramp-adjacent spell. Definitely consider other more efficient options before reaching for this one, though.

Wrap Up

I'm more excited for The Hobbit than I thought I'd be now that I've had to opportunity to read most of the cards. There's something about the world of this set that's more alluring than the one depicted in The Lord of the Rings from back in 2023. Maybe it's the weird card names or the set's unabashed love of Bears across a wide range of sizes. It could even be its collection of really cool Birds. Either way, I'm looking forward to getting these cards into my hands and my decks.

I'd love to hear about the spells I missed or misevaluated in the comments!