The majority of Magic's story takes place on the plane called Dominaria, and can be broken down into several distinct time periods each detailed in certain sets:

• The Thran Period: The Thran were a race of powerful beings who existed long before any other sentient race and were master artificers. The Thran are only hinted at in the game.

• The Brothers' War: The brothers Urza and Mishra waged a vast war utilizing powerful constructs. The war devastated the land of Terisiare on the plane of Dominaria and culminated in a world-destroying climax on the island of Argoth. This story is the basis for Antiquities expansion and later the Urza's Saga Block.

• The Dark: The devastation wrought by the brothers war led to the fall of many civilizations and the beginning of a dark age in Dominaria. This story is portrayed in The Dark and Fallen Empires expansions.

• The Ice Age: The climate-altering effects of the devastation continued leading to a global ice age. Eventually this cooling climate was reversed and life returned to normal. This story is portrayed in the Ice Age and Alliances expansions.

• The Invasion: After millennia of peace, the Phyrexians, who originate on a hellish mechanical world, invade the world of Dominaria from the alternate plane of Rath. War ensues; with the aid of Urza (who has been spent thousands of years planning a defense against the Invasion), the Phyrexians are eventually overcome, but several civilizations are decimated or destroyed, creating social chaos in many parts of the world. The backstory is portrayed in the Tempest block and the Invasion itself occurs in the Invasion block.

For example:

• The sets from Weatherlight up to Apocalypse follow the epic story arc of the crew of the airship Weatherlight, their trek across several planes, and ultimately their role in defending Dominaria from the Phyrexian invasion.
• The sets from Odyssey to Scourge, set in the era of upheaval after the Invasion, involve the Dominarian continent of Otaria and the struggle between various factions for the powerful artifact known as the Mirari.
• The recently released set Mirrodin begins the story of the world of Mirrodin, where artificial and natural life are inseparably entwined.