Magic reveals Star Trek mechanics, from Beam Me Up to Borg assimilation

21st October 2026, 11:08 CEST

Wizards of the Coast has revealed how Magic: The Gathering | Star Trek turns transporters, exploration and the Borg into tabletop rules. The publisher’s 20 October 2026 debut introduced mechanics and card previews ahead of the set’s 13 November release, with prerelease play beginning on 6 November.

The news is the detailed reveal of how the crossover plays. Star City Games’ debut coverage also documents previews from the main set and Commander products, alongside special card treatments inspired by the television series.

At a glance

• Beam Me Up lets certain spells return from the graveyard; Federation rewards a diverse crew.
• Prerelease play starts on 6 November, before the 13 November 2026 tabletop release.
• Four ready-to-play Commander decks offer separate routes into the set, including a Borg-themed option.

Transporters, dilemmas and a diverse crew

In Wizards’ mechanics explanation, Beam Me Up allows certain instant and sorcery cards to be cast from the graveyard by paying a listed cost and returning one of your creatures to its owner’s hand. The spell is exiled afterwards, and its normal timing restrictions still apply.

Face a Dilemma recognises choosing options on a modal spell or ability. Choosing several modes still counts as one dilemma, even if the spell is subsequently countered.

Federation counts creature types among your non-Borg creatures, while Strange New Worlds counts differently named lands. Spacecraft and the station ability return: creatures help build charge counters towards a ship’s abilities. Assimilate, meanwhile, can turn an opponent’s creature into a Borg artifact creature under your control.

Four decks and a smaller group option

The separate buyer’s guide, also published on 20 October, lists four Commander decks: Federation Fleet, Landing Party, Klingon Fury and We Are the Borg. Each contains a ready-to-play 100-card deck, including 32 new-to-Magic cards. Their listed MSRP is US$74.99 each.

For players organising a four-person session, Draft Night includes 12 Play Boosters, one Collector Booster, basic lands and tokens for Pick-Two Draft. Its listed MSRP is US$119.99. These are manufacturer prices in US dollars; readers should check local retailers for actual prices and stock.

Familiar interfaces on the cards

The debut also showed cosmetic treatments beyond the rules. Star City Games highlights frames referencing the original Enterprise and the LCARS interface associated with The Next Generation, plus Klingon-inspired variants and spacecraft schematics.

Those previews give collectors a separate reason to follow the set. For players, the more useful distinction is between opening boosters for a draft and choosing a complete Commander deck for a multiplayer table.