Animal Aenigma - A Season You Don’t Want to Miss!

Hello Mages! This blogpost is here to give you a detailed look at the third season of Mage Noir, titled Animal Aenigma.

Between the brand-new Animal cards that will bring a whole new dynamic to your decks, a host of spells expanding your existing strategies, and even a few new ways to play, the Animal Aenigma expansions are packed with spells you won’t want to duel without!

The Big New Feature: Animals

Picture this: you’re hurling fireballs while riding a lion. Or conjuring a Tornado as a crow circles above, foreshadowing your opponent’s downfall.
If you’ve always wanted to fight alongside a loyal companion you can truly rely on, you’re not alone. Animals have been a long-standing dream of Mage Noir’s creators, and we’re thrilled to finally make them a reality.
In Mage Noir, your Animal is an equal, a trusted ally. You can count on them just as much as they can count on you.

How Do Animals Work in Mage Noir?

Animals are a brand-new card type with a few unique rules.

They can have all sorts of useful and diverse effects.

Most of them come with abilities you can trigger simply by paying their cost. To activate one, all you have to do is spend the Mana shown to the left of the ability, and flip your Animal face down (we call this “exhausting your Animal”). Your Animal will flip back face up at the start of your next turn (“resting your Animal”).
Because they exhaust your Animal, these abilities can only be used once per turn. But since they’re always available throughout the game, they guarantee you’ll always have an action at hand, no matter how the match is going.

Some Animals (like the Dog shown above) may also have passive effects, making them stronger, giving you extra abilities, or even allowing them to take special actions on their own.

One of the greatest advantages of Animals is that they are always present in combat. They will always be the very first card in your deck, which means they’ll be ready to join the fight from turn one. In practice: don’t shuffle your Animal into your deck. After shuffling your deck and choosing your starting hand, place your Animal card on top. It will be the first card you draw.

The only restriction is that you can only choose one Animal per deck. So, you’ll need to carefully select your companion among all those available, and pick the one that best supports your strategy.

Companions You’ll Never Want to Duel Without

Animals open up a whole new layer of deckbuilding choices.

They can easily become the centerpiece of your strategy, inspiring you to craft an entire deck around making that Animal shine. Even better, they’re versatile enough to seamlessly fit into existing decks, giving you additional tools to make a deck you already love even more fun to play.

Because they always enter play as your first card, Animals provide a stable foundation you can count on every single game. This mechanic may seem simple, but in practice it’s both a meaningful way to reinforce your deckbuilding choices, and a thematic way to highlight the bond between you and your companion. You’ll always know they’re there to support you, every duel.

And that’s not all! Animals also make the perfect mascots to showcase your mage’s identity. (Yes, this has nothing to do with game mechanics—but let’s be honest, it’s absolutely essential).

Choose Your Favorite Companion!

The Animal Aenigma expansions bring 12 different Animals (2 per expansion), each with its own unique playstyle.

Air

   

• The Crow: lets you peek at upcoming cards and gives you extra draw options.
• The Eagle: can trigger the effects of your Sparks and make all your spells have Quickcast.

Fire

   

• The Fox: endlessly returns and helps you cycle through your hand.
• The Lion: deals tremendous damage over time, provided you’re at Zenith.

Water

   

• The Dolphin: fetches the spell you need from your deck while manipulating the Mana of your Water spells.
• The Ermine: changes the element of any spell and makes your Mana exchanges easier.

Vegetal

   

• The Deer: charges up devastating attacks for any Mage patient enough to wait for it.
• The Bees: use their strength in numbers, and the abundant Mana of your Flowers, to help you find the card you need.

Mineral

   

• The Dog: tireless and loyal, it can deal damage no matter the situation.
• The Scarab: boosts your draw and can improve the efficiency of your Sand spells.

Arcane

   

• The Cat: freely moves your spells around—turning components into prepared spells, and swapping cards between your discard and your hand.
• The Tardigrade: indifferent to the world around it, it cancels your opponent’s spell changes and gradually exiles any discarded spells.

Living Cards with Endless Interactions

To make sure your companions truly grow alongside you throughout the game, we’ve also created spells designed to interact directly with them:

• Trainings
• Signature Spells

Trainings

Not a new card type per se, “Trainings” are Permanents whose effects upgrade your Animal’s abilities.

   

Just like using your Animal’s skills, Trainings require you to exhaust your Animal. (After all, learning a new technique takes time and effort).

By chaining these spells together, your Animal evolves during the match—gaining extra powers, or making better use of its natural abilities.

Signature Spells

Signature Spells, on the other hand, can only be used if you have the matching Animal.

They are tailored specifically for that Animal, and often require you to part with your companion for the rest of the game.
However, their sheer power and efficiency make them well worth using—if you can time them right.

The combination of overwhelming strength followed by your Animal’s departure creates memorable, high-stakes moments. It’s yet another expression of Mage Noir’s recurring choice:
“Do you unleash a powerful effect now, or preserve your strength for the long game?”

Speaking of Powerful New Spells…

Alongside the arrival of Animals, our goal with Animal Aenigma was to deepen each element with the tools it needed while always keeping its unique identity intact.

Each expansion brings a fresh set of spells that will make you see each element in a brand-new light. Let’s see which one will best fit your playstyle:

Air Expansion: The Crow & The Scholar

This expansion contains spells as fluid as they are explosive, offering strong synergy around card draw and the existing Wind spells from the core set.
Learn these spells to shred your opponent—or to outpace them before they even see it coming.

   

Fire Expansion: The Fox & The Avenger

True to Fire’s destructive nature, this expansion provides new tools for players who prioritize damage above all else. But beware: this raw power often comes at the cost of your own hand, leading to a brand-new playstyle built on a simple concept.

Even if an empty hand means you’re out of options, it doesn’t mean you’re out of power… in fact, it’s often a sign that the time for vengeance has come.

   

Water Expansion: The Dolphin & The Sailor

Water is never short on options. From spells harnessing the cyclical strength of the tides, to those encouraging smoother Mana flow, this expansion gives you the flexibility to adapt to any situation with elegance and ease.

   

Vegetal Expansion: The Deer & The Huntress

Whether it’s preparing the battlefield with patience or striking at the perfect moment, this expansion lets you experience the thrill of the hunt.

With new tools for decks focused on Trees and Flowers, as well as a fresh array of damage-dealing spells, this expansion ensures you’ll always have a way to pierce through your opponent’s defenses.

   

Mineral Expansion: The Dog & The Warrior

Staying true to Mineral’s identity, this expansion enriches Sand and Desert decks, introduces powerful Equipment, and provides solid defensive options for any Mage who knows how to time them right.

By encouraging a weapon-focused playstyle, this set highlights a bold, straightforward offensive approach—a striking contrast to Mineral’s previously defensive character.

   

Arcane Expansion: The Cat & The Astronomer

Arcane has never lacked ways to make full use of Time components. With this expansion, it gains new tools for performing unusual actions, while also offering a fresh playstyle.

Through the stars, we’ve crafted an Arcane deck that remains as strange and mysterious as ever, but one that is also easier to grasp and master during gameplay.

   

In Animal Aenigma, There’s Something for Every Mage!

Between Animals with diverse effects, spells that cleverly complement existing playstyles, and entirely new ways to experience Mage Noir, we believe Animal Aenigma is a series of expansions that will find its place in every Mage’s collection.

We had an incredible time creating them, and we sincerely hope you’ll enjoy playing them just as much.

So get your decks ready, and keep an eye out for the arrival of these expansions!