Magic: The Gathering’s recent batch ofTarkir: Dragonstormpreviews have shown off a correction to one of the game’s creature types that was originally introduced in the 2014 set,Khans of Tarkir. The original set introduced Tarkir’s five clans, each inspired by a different historical culture from across Asia. Although the plane of Tarkir and its clans quickly became favorites amongMagic: The Gatheringplayers,Khans of Tarkirwasn’t always perfect in the way that it represented the cultures that inspired its design. Now,Tarkir: Dragonstormis taking steps to fix that original mistake.
As is common withMagic: The Gatheringsets,previews forTarkir: Dragonstormhave been rolling in as we get nearer to the set’s July 20, 2025, release date. I’m thrilled to see that these previews seem to show a return to form forMagic’s strong world-building and internal storytelling, after some lackluster designs last year. I was also pleased to see thatWizards of the Coast has made an effort to update some of the original depictionsof certain creatures to make them better suited to their real-world inspirations.
Tarkir: Dragonstorm Preview Reveals Reworked Rakshasa
Rot-Curse Rakshasa Is The First Full Look At A Rakshasa On A New Card
Recently,Rot-Curse Rakshasa gave us the first full look atMagic: The Gathering’s redesigned Rakshasaon a new card. Although the card Rakshasa’s Bargain previously gave us a glimpse at the titular creature type’s hands, Rot-Curse Rakshasa is the first full-body shot we’ve gotten on aTarkir: Dragonstormcard. The intimidating Rakshasa - illustrated by Chris Rahn - shows off a much more traditional Rakshasa thanMagic: The Gatheringfeatured in the originalKhans of Tarkirblock.
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Previously,Magic: The Gathering’s Rakshasa cards were humanoid tiger creatures, which was reflected in their Cat Demon card type.Tarkir: Dragonstorm’s new Rakshasa cards feature blue humanoid demons with four arms, and the Cat typing has been dropped, leaving them simply as Demons. Players familiar with Rakshasa strictly fromMagic: The Gathering, orDungeons & Dragons’newMonster Manual, may be confused about this drastic change to their appearance, but it makes a lot more sense when you know the origins of Rakshasa.
How And Why Rakshasa Were Redesigned In Tarkir: Dragonstorm
Rakshasa Were Brought More In Line With Their Cultural Inspiration
Changing Rakshasa from humanoid cats to four-armed demons was not some arbitrary decision made by Wizards of the Coast when it came time to designTarkir: Dragonstorm. Instead, it wasthe result ofMagic’s design team working alongside cultural consultantsto create the new set, which was announced onTwitteralongside the first look atTarkir: Dragonstormlast October. The new appearance of Rakshasa inMagic: The Gatheringis now much more in-line with their depictions in real-world statues.
Rakshasa originate from several belief systems, including Hinduism and Buddhism.Magic: The Gathering’s Sultai Brood is inspired by the Khmer Empire whose people practiced both Hinduism and Buddhism, which is likely part of the reason Wizards of the Coast decided to include Rakshasa as a creature type for the clan. However, the original version of Rakshasa inMagictook more visual cues from theDungeons & Dragonsversion of Rakshasa, which is where the cat-like appearance came from.
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Magic: The Gatheringcontent creator Spice8Rack’sYouTubevideo on Tarkir gives a more comprehensive look at the way pop-cultural influences shaped howMagicdepicted Rakshasa, and how it changed from the mythological version. When designingTarkir: Dragonstorm, it’s clear thatWizards of the Coast and their cultural consultants decided it would make more sense to draw from the original depictions of Rakshasarather than pop-cultural ones, to better fit the culture that the Sultai Brood are meant to represent. This move seems perfectly in line with Wizards of the Coast’s recent efforts to be more culturally sensitive.
Wizards' Rakshasa Redesign Continues The Company’s Recent Trend Of Cultural Sensitivity
Wizards Of The Coast Has Been Working To Update Potentially Contentious Aspects Of Their Games
Tarkir: Dragonstorm’s new Rakshasa aren’t the first redesign thatMagic: The Gatheringhas undergone in the name of cultural sensitivity.Previously, Wizards of the Coast announced that they would no longer be using the term “Tribal"on cards like Bitterblossom or All Is Dust, and would be switching to “Typal,” a change the company credits to input from consultants onMagic: The Gathering’s website. And it isn’t justMagic, Wizards has also been making an effort to avoid potentially problematic elements in newer editions ofDungeons & Dragons.
WhileD&D’s Rakshasa haven’t changed in the latest edition, thenew Player’s Handbook made controversial changes to Orcs.The game now depicts Orcs as a more nuanced group as opposed to a species that is all evil and aggressive. This helps avoid the idea of racial essentialism that was baked intoD&D’s previous Orcs - and much of the fantasy genre - which has unfortunate allegorical implications when applied to real life.
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I appreciate Wizards of the Coast’s efforts to update potentially problematic elements as opposed to simply eliminating them. Rakshasa aren’t terribly common inMagic: The Gathering, and it would have been easy for the company to simply stop printing new cards instead of correcting their mistakes. Making this correction with the help of cultural consultants shows that Wizards of the Coast is a company that is willing to learn from its past missteps and evolve, which is ultimately more productive than simply avoiding controversy.
