Alara Reborn expands upon the mechanics of Exalted, Unearth, and Devour from the Shards of Alara set, along with the Hybrid Mechanic from the Shadowmoor and Ravnica blocks. In this set, cards with the Hybrid Mechanic omit the typical hybrid card border colors, incorporating a third color beyond the hybrid spectrum. Additionally, the set introduces a new mechanic named Cascade, mirroring the chaotic and magical essence of the Maelstrom—a vast mana-storm central to the reborn Alara—by transforming the properties of standard spells. Casting a spell with cascade involves exiling cards from the top of your library until you reveal a nonland card that costs less, which you can then cast without its mana cost. The exiled cards are then placed at the bottom of your library in a random order. Essentially, the Cascade mechanic allows you to cast an additional spell for "free" from your library whenever you cast a spell with the Cascade keyword.
