Want to experience Magic alongside your fellow players? Hoping to be among the first to get your hands on some new cards? Wondering what exactly this Ghirapur Grand Prix is? Sounds like you're ready for Aetherdrift Prerelease events at your local game store. Starting February 7, 2025, you can experience high-octane, low-stress gameplay at these classic tabletop events.

Prerelease events are the best way to learn the cards and mechanics of a new set. You get to gather with Magic players of all skill levels on the even playing field of a fresh release. After it wraps up, you'll have a great start to your Aetherdrift collection, and maybe some new friends for Friday Night Magic at your local game store.

When you register for a Prerelease event at your store, you'll receive a Prerelease Pack on the day of the event containing the following:

Aetherdrift Prerelease Pack
Aetherdrift Prerelease Pack
  • 6 Aetherdrift Play Boosters
  • 1 Traditional foil year-stamped rare or mythic rare card
  • 1 Max speed helper card
  • 1 Deck box
  • 1 Spindown die (from among five total color variations)

Prerelease events are most often run as Sealed events, meaning you'll construct a 40-card deck from the contents of your Prerelease Pack and any number of basic lands. Some stores will also offer Two-Headed Giant events, allowing you to take on the racing field with your co-captain!

Your local game store should have everything you need to enjoy your Prerelease, including the basic lands to construct your deck. That means you just need to sit back and enjoy the high-speed fun of Aetherdrift. And if you need help navigating the set's Limited environment, don't worry! We've got your guide to Aetherdrift Prerelease right here.

Building Your Prerelease Deck

After opening your six Play Boosters, you'll want to start paring down your pool of cards to the very best cards you've opened. This helps you decide what colors your deck will be, as sealed decks are often only two colors. Threats like these, often your rares and mythic rares, will push you toward a certain color pair. It doesn't hurt that they're often the most exciting cards in the set.

These threats can provide a massive advantage and turn the tides of a game. For example, Hazoret, Godseeker is a high-damage attacker and incredibly difficult to remove from play. Cursecloth Wrappings effectively lets you cast your best creatures a second time. Boommobile … well, it's called Boommobile. You get the idea.

Once you've decided what your major threats are, you should start looking for ways to deal with an opponent's threats. Removal is a key component of Limited gameplay, providing a way to outmaneuver even the swiftest foes. Whether it's a spell that outright destroys a creature or an effect that forces your opponent to discard their best creature, removal is key to claiming victory.

0013_MTGDFT_Main: Gallant Strike 0106_MTGDFT_Main: Spin Out

Each of the five colors can efficiently deal with different cards. White and black can destroy creatures with relative ease, though white's removal tends to be conditional. Some of black's removal in Aetherdrift has a high mana cost, but it's well worth the cost.

0063_MTGDFT_Main: Spectral Interference 0039_MTGDFT_Main: Bounce Off

Blue can counter your opponent's spells or return permanents to their owner's hand. Notably, a lot of the removal in the set can hit creatures or Vehicles, letting you deal with a racing rig even if it's been crewed. 

0119_MTGDFT_Main: Crash and Burn 0179_MTGDFT_Main: Run Over

Red and green's removal is the most restrictive, as both colors utilize damage-based removal for most creatures. But remember that a lot of the best creatures in the set are also Vehicles, which these colors can destroy with relative ease. Utilizing each color's unique strengths is key to getting an edge on the track.

If you're looking for a quick reference, our racing experts have compiled some of the key pieces of removal you can expect to see during the race. Feel free to use this handy list either in deck building or when playing against your opponents!

The Common and Uncommon Removal in Aetherdrift

White mana symbol

White

(Select for card list)
Name Mana Value
Collision Course 2
Gallant Strike 2
Ride's End 5
Detention Chariot 6
Blue mana symbol

Blue

(Select for card list)
Name Mana Value
Bounce Off 1
Spectral Interference 2
Roadside Blowout 3
Trip Up 4
Spikeshell Harrier 5
Black mana symbol

Black

(Select for card list)
Name Mana Value
Hellish Sideswipe  1
Grim Bauble  1
Spin Out 3
Syphon Fuel  5
Red mana symbol

Red

(Select for card list)
Name Mana Value
Road Rage 1
Fuel the Flames 2
Skycrash 2
Lightning Strike 2
Crash and Burn 4
Green mana symbol

Green

(Select for card list)
Name Mana Value
Plow Through 1
Run Over 2
Broken Wings 3