Fourth Phyrexian Invasion
A silent plague turns the multiverse against itself until heroes unite to save reality.
The Fourth Phyrexian Invasion, often referred to as the 'New Phyrexia' invasion or the climax of the March of the Machine storyline, represents the most catastrophic threat in the history of the Magic multiverse. Unlike previous invasions by the original Phyrexians led by Yawgmoth, this assault was orchestrated by Elesh Norn and Tezzeret from a fully converted New Phyrexia, which had secretly spread 'compleation' across dozens of planes for centuries. The event marks the moment when the combined forces of the multiverse were forced to unite against an enemy that had already infiltrated their very foundations.
Quick Facts
- Location
- The Multiverse (Centered on Dominaria)
- Key heroic force
- The Gatewatch
- Planeswalkers
- and the Multiverse Coalition
Lore & Background
The invasion began with a coordinated strike that overwhelmed defenses on Dominaria, the heart of the multiverse. The enemy possessed vast armies of compleated creatures, including the 'Comatose' and the terrifying 'Mycosynth Lattice' influence that twisted magic itself. However, the turning point came when the remaining free Planeswalkers realized they could not fight this alone. They formed a desperate coalition, utilizing the power of the 'Blade of the Spheres' and the combined might of every plane to sever New Phyrexia's connection to reality.
Reader's Guide
The timeline began with the subtle spread of compleation across dozens of planes, orchestrated by Tezzeret and Elesh Norn long before open war was declared. The invasion officially commenced when New Phyrexia launched a massive assault on Dominaria, revealing their sleeper agents among the Planeswalkers. Key participants included the Gatewatch, who rallied the multiverse's defenders against traitors like Vraska, Jace, and others who had been turned.
The conflict saw battles across multiple planes simultaneously, with heroes fighting to reclaim their worlds from internal corruption. The turning point arrived when the Planeswalkers managed to breach New Phyrexia itself, confronting Elesh Norn in her own domain. Through a sacrifice of immense power, they severed the connection between New Phyrexia and the multiverse, destroying the plane and its armies. The lasting impact is a scarred but surviving multiverse, forever wary of the seeds of complacency that could allow such an invasion to happen again.
Did You Know?
- Expansion sets from Ice Age to Rivals of Ixalan (with the exception of Homelands) came in groups called 'blocks', which usually centered around one plane and followed a particular storyline.
- Beginning with Alliances in June 1996, expansion sets were released in a regular pattern: base sets in October with small expansion sets in February and June.
- Starting with the Battle for Zendikar block in 2015, the default structure of a block was changed to large-small, with two blocks released per year and each block consisting of only two sets.
- Premium cards have been inserted into booster packs since Urza's Legacy, originally at a ratio of 1 premium card for every 100 cards.
- Starting with the Kaladesh block, some sets include the Masterpiece Series, which began with Zendikar Expeditions.
More in Major Events & Wars
Elsewhere in Magic The Gathering
Spotted an error? Know more?
Reader corrections go straight into our review queue. Suggest an edit · How this site is sourced