Original TurnZero HQ illustration. No official art for Nauctis: The Sunken Realm has been released yet.
Nauctis is a new plane and a new starting point. Wizards described it as the opening of a multi-year story arc, which makes this the set to be there for if you like getting in on the ground floor of a story. The pitch is a journey that starts in calm shallows and gets more dangerous the deeper it goes, with something described as an apocalyptic danger waiting at the bottom.
The cast is the deepest merfolk-adjacent lineup Magic has put in one place: merfolk, homarids, sharkfolk, squidfolk, seals, humans, and deities who rule over the plane. The plot hangs on two warring kingdoms and a group of unlikely heroes caught between them.
Confirmed
What we actually know
The one mechanical detail we have
Nauctis will not use flying. Wizards confirmed the keyword is being replaced by a different evasion mechanic, and specifically that it is not a reskin of flying the way horsemanship or shadow were. That is a genuinely unusual move for a Magic set, and it means Limited here will play unlike anything you have drafted before.
Caveats
What hasn't been announced
This set was announced roughly a year out, so most of the interesting questions are still open.
Here's the honest state of things as of July 2026.
That includes format legality. As an in-universe premier set it will be Standard-legal on
release, and Wizards' Aligning the Universes policy means every set is legal in every format it
qualifies for, but no set codes have been assigned and no release notes exist yet, so there is
nothing formally confirmed to publish. Our
released set guides list legality per set code.
The evasion mechanic
We know flying is out and something replaces it. We do not know the keyword's name, how it works, or which colors get it.
Set code and card count
No three-letter code has been assigned, so the set is not on Scryfall and cannot be tracked by set yet.
Commander products
Commander decks are confirmed, but the count, themes, and face commanders are all unannounced.
Cards
Zero spoiled. A worldbuilding trailer aired at the announcement, but no card images have followed.
The Wider Year
Where it lands in Magic's 2027 schedule
Six tentpole sets ship in 2027: three in-universe and three Universes Beyond releases that
have slots but no names yet.
3 announced (Magic Multiverse)3 unannounced (Universes Beyond)
Feb 5, 2027 Nauctis: The Sunken Realm You are hereMagic MultiverseMagic's first fully underwater plane. Opens a multi-year story arc.
April 2027 Universes Beyond: unannounced Universes BeyondSlot confirmed, partner IP and exact date not revealed.
Nauctis: The Sunken Realm releases worldwide on February 5, 2027, with prerelease events beginning January 29, 2027. It is the first of Magic's six tentpole sets for 2027.
Is Nauctis really removing flying from Magic?
For this set, yes. Wizards confirmed Nauctis will not use the flying keyword and is replacing it with a different evasion mechanic, and specifically that it is not a renamed version of flying the way horsemanship or shadow were. The replacement keyword has not been revealed. Flying is not going away from Magic as a whole; this is a set-level design choice fitting an underwater plane.
What creature types are in Nauctis?
Wizards named merfolk, homarids, sharkfolk, squidfolk, seals, and humans, plus deities who rule over the plane. The story centers on two warring kingdoms and an apocalyptic danger at the bottom of the ocean.
Will Nauctis have Commander decks?
Yes. All three of Magic's 2027 in-universe sets ship with dedicated Commander decks. The number of decks, their themes, and their face commanders have not been announced, though four per set has been the recent pattern.
Are there Nauctis spoilers yet?
No cards have been spoiled. As of July 2026 the set has a name, a premise, a release date, and one confirmed mechanical detail. Expect a First Look a few months ahead of release and full spoiler season in the weeks before the January 29, 2027 prerelease.
All set names, art, and mechanics belong to Wizards of the Coast. Nauctis: The Sunken Realm is unannounced beyond
premise and release date. Details reflect the MagicCon Amsterdam preview panel of July 2026 and may
change before release. Sources:
Wizards of the Coast announcement, MagicCon Amsterdam preview panel coverage.
