The next Magic: The Gathering set is right around the corner and, now that spoiler season has begun, players can check out all the new and returning mechanics that will be featured in Reality Fractured.Reality Fracture Introduces Empower Jace and Brings Back PrepareReality Fracture doesn’t have a super long list of mechanics for players to master before jumping into limited and constructed with the set’s cards, but there are some interesting rules to take into consideration.Like every contemporary Magic: The Gathering set, Reality Fracture will feature evergreen mechanics, as well as a mix of new and returning set-specific mechanics.Empower JaceFirst up is Empower Jace. This is the marquee mechanic of the set. When instructed to empower Jace, first check to see if you control a Jace planeswalker token. The most likely reason you will is because you’ve previously empowered Jace, but it’s possible to control a Jace planeswalker token some other way, such as by creating a token that’s a copy of another Jace planeswalker. Note that nontoken planeswalkers don’t count. If you do control a Jace token, put the specified number of loyalty counters on it.If you control more than one Jace planeswalker token, you choose one of the tokens to get the loyalty counters.You create a blue Jace planeswalker token with 0 loyalty. While it won’t enter with any loyalty counters, you will put the specified number of loyalty counters on it just after it enters. The new Jace token has two loyalty abilities: “−1: Surveil 1” and “−3: Draw a card.”It’s worth mentioning that the Jace planeswalker tokens aren’t legendary. While empower Jace won’t allow you to create another token if you already control one, you could create multiple tokens in other ways and not have to worry about the legend rule.Heartwood TokensReality Fracture introduces a new kind of predefined token to the game: Heartwood tokens. These artifact tokens provide mana. Each Heartwood token is a red and green artifact token with “Tap: Add R or G.”Heartwood tokens are useful not only for ramping up your available mana but also the number of artifacts you control.Players should note that early printings of the Heartwood token use the colorless artifact frame, but are red and green artifacts per reminder text.PreparePreparation cards return once again to offer players additional spellcasting options, as long as they can keep the creature on the battlefield.Most of the card is made up of the creature and its characteristics: its name, mana cost, type line, power, and toughness. The left side of the text box is home to the creature’s abilities.On the right side of the text box, you’ll find the card’s prepare spell. For Pompous Battlemage, that’s Improvised Act. It has its own name, mana cost, type line, and rules text.An important note for players to remember: Preparation cards always have the characteristics of the creature, no matter where they are. If you’re searching your library for a creature card or returning a creature card from your graveyard to your hand, Pompous Battlemage is a creature card. But if you’re searching your library for a sorcery card, you can’t find Pompous Battlemage. It’s not a sorcery card no matter where it is.“If a creature with a prepare spell becomes prepared, a copy of its prepare spell appears in exile. That copy stays in exile until one of three things happens: One, you cast it. This is how you’d prefer things to go. Two, the prepared creature leaves the battlefield. If this happens, the copy of the prepare spell immediately ceases to exist. Three, the prepared creature becomes unprepared. There are some cards that can make this happen. Again, the copy of the spell will cease to exist.”Casting the copy of the prepare spell works like casting any other spell. You put it on the stack and make any choices it calls for, like targets. You also pay its costs.“Casting a prepare spell from exile causes the prepared creature to become unprepared. For some creatures, that’s the end of their contributions on the spellcasting front, although there are external ways to prepare them again. Other creatures have their own ways of becoming prepared again, turn after turn.”Players should also remember that a creature can’t become prepared again if it’s already prepared. A single creature won’t be able to give you more than one copy of its prepare spell at the same time.Be sure to check back soon for lots more Magic: The Gathering news and updates as the Reality Fracture pre-release and launch approach.Magic: The Gathering is available now at local game shops and digitally through Magic Arena. Reality Fracure releases on October 2, 2026.The post Magic: The Gathering – All Reality Fracture Mechanics Explained appeared first on VICE.