The first new Magic: The Gathering (MtG) set for 2025 has been announced, and it’s off to the races with Aetherdrift. The first standard legal set of 2025 showcases 10 racing teams from across the multiverse as they all compete in the most high-stakes competition that Mtg has seen.
Aetherdrift focuses on an edition of a multiday multi-planar combat stage race called the Ghirapur Grand Prix. Put on by the planet Avishkar, the Grand Prix is meant to be a statement to the multiverse of the new Avishakri government’s ability to coordinate multiplanar logistics.
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As we jump into the lore of Aetherdrift, it’s important to note that the set reflects the second edition of the Ghirapur Grand Prix. Instead of focusing on the prim and properness of an inaugural race, the team has created a more boundary-pushing place to test new technologies, which allows the set to reflect that.
This allows the set to reflect Omen Paths, how to transport Aether, and, of course,e how to broadcast live information through Omen Paths. Ultimately showcasing how to have one single plane maintain large-scale efforts across multiple planes from one central location.
What Are the Aetherdrift’s 10 Teams?
Guidelight Voyagers (White/Blue): They’re an accidental team turned competitors. They stumbled into the first Grand Prix and were invited to the second Grand Prix. While they accept, they aren’t competing to win. Instead, they’re competing so that they can pass through stable Omen Paths at a high enough rate that they might trigger an anomaly similar to the one that tor them from their homeland and stranded them in Avishkar. If they’re the first, it increases their odds of success, and if they can win the entire thing, the Aetherspark may be exactly what they need.
Speed Demons (Blue/Black): The co-captains are Winter and the Speed Demon. The Speed Demon is a lesser creature from Valgavoth’s plane. If Duskmourn‘s Winter can win the Grand Prix, he can win his freedom. Called the cursed rider, the Speed Demons embody the aesthetic of Duskmourn, and they’re the advancing edge of Valgavoth’s expansion, all with their vehicle, The Last Ride.
The Champions of Amonkhet (White/Black): Amonkhet, one of the hosts, they’re given a team automatically in the race. They are led by Zahur and Basri, one undead and one alive. They’re working together to bring together Naktamun.
Goblin Rocketeers (Red/Green): The equivalent of test pilots and astronauts, the Goblin Rocketeers have applied their love of speed to engineer success from chaos. They worship a deity called the BOOSTGOD, a heroic deity that promises an escape from the Goblin plane. This team punched through the velocity limit and found themselves on an Omen Path to Avishkar. Now, they want to win the Aetherspark to return home and prove that you can move through the velocity limit.
Alacrian Quickbeasts (Green/White): Alacria is a vast city from a plane connected to Avishkar through a stable Omen Path. The city comprises 12 districts with a mascot attached to each called the city’s soul. The soul is the district embodied in a Great Beast unique to that district, and each one has a human counterpart. The competitor and Beast combo Alacria has sent to Avishkar are Caradora and Lagorin.
The Endriders (Black/Red): With Mad Max vibes, the Endriders are from Gastal. They’ve followed an Omen PAth to Avishkar, and while they don’t find gas, they do find plenty of their precious resource: drinking water. Gripped by water wars caused by the severity of the plane, if Captain Far Fortune can win the Aetherspark, she can bring water to her home plane and stop the wars.
Chordatan Keelhaulers (Blue/Red): Led by Captain Howler, the Chordatan Keelhaulers are anthropomorphic shark men brand new to the Grand Prix. Kari Zev is their sponsor.
The Speedbrood (Black/Green): Humaoid insects trying to become speed itself. They are each a part of an aether-fueled brood vehicle named Thunderous Velocipede.
Cloudspire Racing Team (Red/White): Made up of racing professionals, the Cloudspire Racing Team is from Kylum, a plane where Triumph is channeled as magic and Victory is a god. They were the last grand Prix’s winners, and they’re co-captained by Kolodin and Chandra, who is on the hunt to re-spark her girlfriend Nissa.
Aether Rangers (Green/Blue): Avishkar’s flagship team, they’re quick and fueled by aether, hovering just above the ground, which allows them to handle the terrain. Their co-captains are Sita Varma (aka Spitfire) and Pia Nalaar-with Chandra, noticeably missing.
