As we saw during Pulsecon 2022, Magic The Gathering and Transformers are crossing over proper in the new Brothers War tabletop game card sets. The story line of the series features a battle between mechanical armies and those who side with magic, so working Transformers into the game now made sense. At least more than in prior storylines anyway :). There are 15 Transformers cards based on Generation 1, with 15 Shattered Glass variants of those cards (both function the same). They come randomly packed, 1 in 10 booster packs has a Transformers card. The Magic team over at Wizards / Hasbro sent through a promotional box and we were able to rip into packs to check out the set. There was also some pretty cool Magic swag too!
To check out the full Brothers War story, product line and events – head on over to The Brothers War Site @ Wizards of the Coast. It’s got a great presentation and overview of everything coming. You can also pre-order sets over on Amazon. #ad
Read on to check out an overview of everything we got here, including some in hand shots of the Shattered Glass Goldbug toy!
Magic The Gathering Brothers War Promotional Box
Contents:
- Custom Mailer Box
- Brothers War Branded Foam Insert
- Light-Up Split Crystal Display with Remote
- 2 Example Cards, 1 Transformers, In A Protective Case
- 1 Sealed Collector Booster Pack
- Mishra’s Burnished Banner Commander Box
- Booster Pack Box (30 Packs)
- Transformers T-shirt for small people and/or those that wear tight small shirts
This set celebrates both the Brothers War launch and the Transformers aspect of the set. It’s a bit more Magic focused in theme and contents, which is expected. We here at TFW2005 are obviously Transformers focused, so that’s what I was looking forward to. In total I opened 30 packs of Boosters, a Commander Box, 2 Collector Booster packs (1 from the Commander box). In total, I got my hands on 5 Transformers cards. Zero Shattered Glass versions. There was also an Ultra Magnus TF card which came with the promo box, which isn’t counted in that total. Booster box says 1 in 10 packs has a Transformers card, and I got 4 out of 30, so I suppose that’s in the zone. In the two Collector Booster packs, I only got 1 Transformers card. Not sure if there are other easier avenues to obtain just the Transformers cards, but prepare yourself for a lot of pack ripping if you want to do it the old fashion way. You can check out image of all 30 Transformers cards here.
Official notes about Transformers:
What are the Transformers Cards?
Autobots, roll out! Fifteen Transformers cards in classic G1 styling can be found in The Brothers’ War. Each is a new mythic rare card. You can find them in Set and Collector Boosters, as well as in Bundles.
What are the Shattered Glass Cards?
The Shattered Glass cards depict an alternate universe where heroic Decepticons battle evil Autobots. The Shattered Glass cards are mechanically identical to the standard, G1 Transformers cards, but feature new art and frames.
While I wish I could comment on the rest of the set, I really can’t. The art is awesome, the presentation is there. The story looks deep and something I would really love to consume as a TV show, cartoon, movie, video game, etc. I just personally don’t do table top games. I took some photographs of each thing I opened, whatever looked “special”. Foil/hologram cards and art cards mostly. I’m sure there was some other good stuff in there from a gameplay standpoint, I just have no clue what is what. So for the purpose of this article, didn’t dig into that.
Deluxe Shattered Glass Goldbug
This one is more up my alley. I haven’t been doing the new Shattered Glass figs, my focus is more narrow. Didn’t do the original run either. I am happy they exist and out in the world for those who want them. So Goldbug is my first (stop trying to trick me into buying more stuff). He’s a remix of Earthrise Cliffjumper. Deco is sharp, I love the blue and pink of the boxes and key art from the line. Head came out good, very Goldbuggy. And the overall toy is good, as was Cliffjumper. Check some shots of it below.
Brothers War Crystal Display
One of the special things in this promo box was a crystal display. This is split in two, red and green. Each have an LED inside, and can be individually turned on via the back of the crystal. In addition, there is a base for each side to slide into with the Brothers War logo on it. That can be plugged in via USB, and then lit up using a remote, so perfect for shelf display. Even has strobe, color change, and so on built in. I am not sure what the backstory is to this, so Magic folks please forgive my ignorance being a Transformers first guy here. I assume since the story focuses around brothers going at it, that this got split at some point and represents the two sides. Or, not, you guys tell me. 🙂 It’s well done and looks cool either way.
Bottom line, great promotional box, cards look great, story looks cool, and the Transformers aspect rocks. If I can get my hand on a complete set without stressing out or selling my house to do it, I will. Thanks to the Wizards / Hasbro team for this, check out our pics below!
For more info on all this, make sure to check out The Brothers War Site @ Wizards of the Coast.
Key shots here, over 100 more below!
FortunateHotRod
All that's been sorted. It looks like a single vendor had super predatory prices to inflate card values but every else had reasonable prices since release.
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The Mad Demobot
Seeing SG Megatron be $1000 has shown me how scarcity and rarity Hasbro does this and how silly it all is.
I hope those prices go down.
FortunateHotRod
Feel like I called this one.
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G1 Cassette Hunter
Seems to only be Powerstones on the back of them so far.
Scaleface
It's funny Thundercracker gets a cameo, but no card for himself.
He appeared in the Earth Wars online game too. They really need to make new toys for him, Prowl, Shockwave and Steeljaw. They keep appearing in games, but get shafted as toys.
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Dinobot Snarl
There is some nice art here but….
and I'm not usually critical of art style, but there is unusual compositions used on many of the transformers cards.
When I think of a character card, this is the composition I'm used to:
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The character is filling the frame you get a nice close up, which need because the art window is small.
But they decided on many of the cards to split your attention, as if telling the story on the character card…. Something usually reserved for TCG interrupts or enhancements.
Nice artwork but it looks like an interrupt because you mind is trying to figure out the story here, what is he doing?
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So this example the character is sharing the spotlight of his card…with someone else:
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This is really awkward since they're overlapping. Ratchet is sharing his comfort zone on his character card.
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This is beautiful but Off center such that blur can share in the limelight.
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Arcee has to share the frame with a Taxi…
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Ultra Magnus Armored Carrier…. Yet the cars are outside
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Awkward pose
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Just a few nitpicks, the art in general is really nice though
Dinobot Snarl
Cybertronian Dirtbag or landfill in SG colors
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And why would you put that on a card, some of the scenes are baffling, it's like they pulled from some comic….
Scaleface
Okay, I did break down and bought a few lose Shattered Glass cards on ebay when they appeared cheap.
I was wondering, what is Cyclonus carrying here? Long Haul on a pallet?
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RoadCaesar
Yep. There are multiple 2-sided token version in each set, but I've only seen Ravage/Other and Laserbeak/Other double sided tokens. I haven't see 1-sided versions of either (yet).
G1 Cassette Hunter
Just to confirm – Laserbeak/Ravage & a random back graphic? Not like the main ones. Great! 2 less to collect.
RoadCaesar
One of each.
I'm not sure if any token sheets were printed that have 1 on each side. All of the double sided ones I got in my Collectior Boosters were Laserbeak/Ravabgenon one side, Magiv Token on the other.
Zawicki
Luckily for me I prefer the regulars for the most part. The design for each card seems mostly based on G1 from a character standpoint. Doesn't make sense to me for SG Prime to buff his allies.
Rodimus Prime
Doesn't help that BoA lowered Hasbro's rating over their handling of the 30th anniversary.
G1 Cassette Hunter
Anyone know if the token cards are also dual-sided? I only ever see one graphic for Ravage/Laserbeak.
I WILL say – the shattered glass foils…. expect them to be like a Haslab or worse in price in some cases. Unless money is no object in your life, regulars are ok ^^
Zawicki
Thanks!
G1 Cassette Hunter
Cheaper most places already than there….those are nearly the highest prices I've seen on ccg singles sadly & I'm in the Boston Area.
Check ebay – they have been dropping like stones for a week now.
Zawicki
They'll probably go down in price quick too considering the set isn't officially released. Relief for me. I want all of them
Rodimus Prime
I'd love for a ccg like the old Decipher Star Wars ccg, where you battled each other with characters, etc. Have alt modes be separate cards that worked like the vehicles from that game.
Galvacron 3
Well on TCGPlayer the normal versions aren't too expensive with the most being Megatron at $5. Now their "Shattered Glass" versions are going for a alot more pricier in the $20+ range.
RoadCaesar
Never judge consumer reception by social media commentary. I and my friends who are excited for and quick to collect the cards do not post on Reddit. Of us, only I post on TFW2005. Magic has seen social media toxicity going back to pre-social media (forums, newsgroups). The prevailing sentiments rarely match sales metrics that present a very different opinion.
Who knows in this case? If it adds new or returning Magic consumers and/or adds to sales of CHUG and/or Shattered Glass units, that's the success metric.
That said, I don't anticipate more outside of a special side/supplemental product due to the design of the cards and how they work. The current design mechanics make them very complicated to create more. Creating an entire supplemental product (decks like 40K) or set would require creating even more cards with 2 faces which become fiddly in gameplay because of the "stand in" cards required for the gameplay deck. Many enfranchised consumers use opaque card sleeves instead, but the product would be intended to appeal to new players like 40K did.
Creating more would also be parasitic on the Magic gameplay system. They may not be problematic in the small 15 card volume, but adding more…? As much as I'd love that to replace the TF CCG, I just can see a path using the current MtG design. Plus, Shattered Glass is a very deliberate component of this x-over. How to represent that?
I pulled 14/15 (missing Ratchet) and also pulled an additional 3 Shattered Glass that I'll be quick to find new homes for. I'm happy.