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Steve Garrett says, Time Thief does exactly what the name says. It allows you to go ahead in time and search your opponent’s deck (which is a pretty powerful ability in its own right), then steal something that he or she is relying on for later. For example, the Villains United / X-Statix deck generally runs only one copy of its later turn characters. Time Thief will let you delve into the deck to remove that problematic Spider-Man, The Amazing Spider-Man or the oh-so-scary Imperiex. One thing that I particularly like about this card is that despite its “only if you control . . .” restriction, there are very few downsides to it. As a 3 threshold plot twist, you can play it early enough to stand a reasonable chance your opponent hasn’t already drawn the cards you’re after. Also, you don’t have to target a card in particular. This means that you don’t have to have any foreknowledge of the deck you’re facing. You can play the card, search through your opponent’s deck (making mental notes as you go), and then just pick any randomly powerful card that you see. I’ve always enjoyed using cards like Alistair Smythe, but you have to be very sure about the deck your opponent is running. Time Thief doesn’t require anything like that kind of effort. Read more.

Andrew Yip says, as lead designer for the Heralds of Galactus expansion, I have the unique privilege of bringing you the first preview for one of the most anticipated Vs. System sets ever released. When design for Heralds began, there seemed to be an infinite number of ways to approach the set. Aliens, humans, and heroes of all shapes and sizes vied for what limited set space there was, and countless new mechanics twinkled into and out of my mind so fast that I surely remember but a small fraction of them today. After all considerations, pretty much everything and everyone was jammed in, making Heralds one of the most mechanic- and team-heavy sets ever released. Starting today, previews will appear across the Internet introducing each new mechanic and highlighting each new team. Strap in and prepare to absorb it all so that nothing catches you unaware come Sneak Preview day. Read more.

Mike Hummel says, everyone knows about all the good stuff that’s coming out later this year, right? First up there’s the Heralds of Galactus expansion. Though it releases to the public in early September, you’ll be able to get a Sneak Preview of the set on August 26. If you can’t wait until then, look for lead designer Andrew Yip’s first preview article this Friday on Metagame.com. Following that in late October are the annual Collector Sets. This year’s version will feature cards and content from the Infinite Crisis and Heralds of Galactus expansions. They’re nearly identical in format from last year’s release, and will include 2 metal deck tins, 4 booster packs, 6 variant Extended Art promo cards, and, for the first time, 130 Vs. System card sleeves. All of the above goodies come housed in a nifty magnetically sealed long box carrying case. Read more.