Dwarf Fortress Is Coming to Magic: The Gathering: A Personal Vendetta?

I can't confirm it, but I'm starting to get the distinct impression that someone at Wizards of the Coast has a vendetta against my wallet in particular. First came the announcement of Magic: The Gathering's ill-fated Monster Hunter x Secret Lair drop, a limited edition set that preyed directly on my weaknesses as a MonHun sicko and cool lizard art enthusiast but was mercifully taken back to the drawing board after its arbitrary card pairings left the internet unimpressed. After today's announcement, however, my suspicions that I'm dead center in WotC's sights are hard to overlook because Dwarf Fortress is coming to Magic: The Gathering.

This collaboration marks a bold new chapter for the legendary simulation game as it joins the ranks of Secret Lair crossovers. The move confirms what many fans have long hoped for, blending the deep complexity of fortress management with the strategic gameplay of the world's most popular trading card game. While some might see this as just another monetization strategy, the specific design choices suggest a targeted appeal to veteran simulation enthusiasts like myself.

ASCII Art and Mountainfolk: The Unique Design Philosophy

The Dwarf Fortress x MTG collab arrives as part of Secret Lair's "Back to School" superdrop, a cluster of limited edition crossover sets featuring friendship, fantasy, doodles, drama, and reading material with a nonzero chance of magical side effects. While other sets in the drop include My Little Pony, a Strixhaven reimagined as an anime high school AU, and creatures drawn in notebook sketch style, the Dwarf Fortress set is taking its own distinct tack by bringing MTG its first ASCII card art.

  • The five cards feature illustrations rendered with the timeless beauty of IBM Code Page 437 text glyphs.
  • Classic Dwarf Fortress hallways, dwarves, and dangers are depicted in their original pixelated glory.
  • To the uninitiated, these images might be difficult to parse without context or experience with the game's history.

To a veteran player who first started playing classic Dwarf Fortress half my lifetime ago, these are images that vibrate with mythic potency. In one card, a trapped dwarf suffers the predations of a vampiric Ñ, while in another, a capital D unleashes its ruinous dragonfire on a troop of fortress defenders. My favorite might be the set's take on Communal Brewing, showing the beating heart of every fortress: the dining hall where the ☺s of the mountainfolk eat, drink, and mingle in dwarven camaraderie.

Why This ASCII Aesthetic Works for Magic: The Gathering

While there is no shortage of Dwarf Fortress scenarios that could easily be represented with a traditional MTG illustration, I think the ASCII art was an excellent choice. It offers a striking look that pays direct homage to the game's history while potentially creating a unique physical product. Hypothetically, not that I'm going to give WotC the satisfaction by admitting it, the set will likely look sick on a physical card.

The decision to use text glyphs rather than high-fidelity art respects the source material's identity, ensuring that the Dwarf Fortress experience remains recognizable even within the structured framework of Magic cards. This approach bridges the gap between two distinct gaming cultures, appealing to both the nostalgia of long-time players and the visual curiosity of new collectors.

For those who want to test this hypothesis themselves, the Secret Lair x Dwarf Fortress: Create New World set will be available to order on April 27 at the Secret Lair site. In the meantime, I'll continue imagining how cool a Qud set would look too, while trying to resist the urge to open my wallet again.