One of the mechanisms in Magic: The Gathering's western-themed Outlaws of Thunder Junction set is called Crime. This is a way to reward the actions of outlaws, and crime specifically refers to using your spells or abilities to directly target an opponent, something that opponent controls, or that opponent's discard. Doing so is called "committing a crime" and triggers the effects of all other crime-themed cards in play.

For example, if you commit a crime that turn, Magda the Treasure Keeper pays you treasure tokens and summons a 4/4 Scorpion Dragon by spending three of the Treasures that eventually accumulate.Freestrider's Watchdog summons a 4/4 Scorpion Dragon from the deck when you commit a crime. You can scout 5 cards, and the Hardbristle Bandit untaps so you can use it to block after an attack if you committed a crime that turn.

This is to reward aggressive play. In the West, you have to act boldly. Cowboys are the first to fire their guns, and Outlaws of Thunder Junction rewards them for doing so.

To make it easier to commit a crime, and to make it easier to recognize that you have committed a crime and remember to receive your reward, Outlaws of Thunder Junction includes a bonus sheet of crime cards with a special "breaking news" treatment. It's as if the news were the front page of Thunder Junction's newspaper, the Prosperity Post. Some of the cards, like the "Void Slime" card, have eye-catching headlines that would make any sub-editor proud: slimy service at the saloon puts crooks on the run.

You wouldn't want to commit a crime unnoticed. Especially if you have Gisa, the Infernal Ghost in play and summon a 2/2 zombie rogue once per turn. These newspaper treatments make it easier to realize you did the wrong thing the right way by, for example, casting "Doomsday Anguish" and destroying the creature. Wizards of the Coast sent us four copies of Crime and its art card for preview.

The pre-release event for Outlaws of the Thunder Gate begins April 12 and can be attended at your local WPN store. The set will be released online at Magic: The Gathering Arena on April 16 and in paper Magic on April 19.