Howdy, stranger. Can't say I've seen you here before. Now that the Omenpaths have opened Thunder Junction to the Multiverse at large, things ain't as secretive as they used to be. Some may be frazzled at sudden company, but not me. Every new acquaintance is a new opportunity. But opportunities are just regrets without preparation.
So, let's get you prepared for Thunder Junction. New cards, new abilities, and plenty of loot are looking for a good home.
OUTLAWS
Success on this plane, and on other planes I suppose, often boils down to the company you keep. Several cards in the set refer to outlaws.
An outlaw, used as a noun, is any permanent with one or more of these creature types: Assassin, Mercenary, Pirate, Rogue, and Warlock. You'll often see abilities such as the one Rakish Crew has that refer to "an outlaw you control." This phrase refers only to permanents on the battlefield, not spells or cards anywhere else. Outlaws are almost always creatures, but a kindred permanent (a little-seen card type previously known as tribal) with one or more of the right creature types can also be an outlaw. Go figure.
Outlaw can also be used as an adjective to describe something else, such as a spell or a card in a zone other than the battlefield. For example, an ability may trigger whenever you cast an outlaw spell or return an outlaw creature card from your graveyard to the battlefield.
COMMITTING A CRIME
Success on this plane, and on other planes I suppose, often boils down to how far you're willing to go to get what you want. The new rules term committing a crime covers a range of common actions you'll probably be happy to take during your games. Several cards in the set will even reward you for doing so.
You commit a crime as you cast a spell, activate an ability, or put a triggered ability on the stack that targets one or more of the following:
An opponent
A spell or ability an opponent controls
A permanent an opponent controls
A card in an opponent's graveyard
If a spell or ability doesn't target anything on that list, it's not a crime, even if it targets something like an opponent's card in exile or has a sinister-sounding name that would be a felony in many jurisdictions.
Once you cast the spell, activate the ability, or put the triggered ability on the stack, the crime has been committed. It doesn't matter what happens to the spell or ability (or any of its targets) after that point.
SPREE
Success on this plane, and on other planes I suppose, often boils down to not settling when you can have it all. Spree is a new keyword found on several modal cards in this set.
Each mode includes an additional cost that must be paid to cast the spell. You must choose one or more modes as you cast a spell with spree, but no single mode can be chosen more than once. If you cast a spell with spree without paying its mana cost, you must still choose one or more modes and pay those additional costs. The mana cost is covered though, so at least you enjoy a nice discount.
Spree cards have a modified frame that includes a plus sign by the mana cost—this is just a reminder and has no actual rules meaning. Remember that no matter which modes you choose and which additional costs you pay, the mana value of a spell with spree is based only on its mana cost. For example, Final Showdown's mana value is always 1, even if you chose all three modes.
MOUNTS AND SADDLE
Success on this plane, and on other planes I suppose, often boils down to not standing still for too long. Find yourself a trusty Mount and saddle up. Thunder Junction, let's ride!
Mount is a new creature type. It doesn't have any specific rules associated with it; it's just where you're most likely to find the new ability saddle. There's no real connection between Mounts and saddle other than a flavorful one. If a Mount becomes some other creature type, it will still have saddle, and non-Mounts can gain saddle if effects allow them to do so.
Saddle is an activated ability that you activate as a sorcery—meaning during your main phase while the stack is empty—by tapping any number of untapped creatures you control other than the Mount with saddle with total power N or more, where N is the number included in the saddle keyword.
As the saddle ability resolves, the Mount becomes saddled until end of turn. This doesn't inherently mean anything, but another ability on the card will somehow refer to the Mount being saddled. Many Mounts have simple triggered abilities like the one Trained Arynx has—these trigger whenever the Mount attacks while saddled. But some Mounts give you a little more bang for your bucking bronco. Our old friend The Gitrog doesn't treat its riders too kindly, but you'll be in prime position to benefit.
PLOT
Success on this plane, and on other planes I suppose, often boils down to planning. Plot is a new keyword that allows you to pay a cost up front and exile a card from your hand. The card then becomes plotted. On a future turn, you may cast a plotted card from exile without paying its mana cost. Both the special action to plot the card from your hand and casting a plotted card from exile are done as a sorcery—again, meaning during your main phase while the stack is empty.
Plot is a fantastic way to set up future turns, knowing that your spell is available for no further mana investment. To take full advantage of Plan the Heist, you'd prefer to have an empty hand as it resolves. Or maybe you're still searching for a second source of blue mana. No matter your reasons, plotting the card sets you up for a potent turn in the future.
Some plot cards offer cheaper plot costs, letting you save on mana if you're willing to wait for a future turn to finally cast the spell. Some are creatures with triggered abilities that you may want to time more strategically. What's more, the plot keyword isn't the only way to have cards become plotted.
The same timing rules apply to any card that becomes plotted, no matter how that happens. It can't be cast on the same turn it became plotted. When you finally do cast the spell, you do so as a sorcery.
BOUNTIES (COMMANDER MINIGAME)
Success on this plane, and on other planes I suppose, often boils down to keeping your eyes on the prize. Bounty cards are a special addition to Commander decks that present players with some interesting characters to try and apprehend.
If your game includes bounties, all players use a shared bounty deck, which consists of at least 6 of the 12 total bounty cards. The bounty deck uses no more than one of any particular bounty card. After all, once they're caught, no sense in putting out another bounty on them, right? That's just throwing away good loot.
Bounties begin on the starting player's third turn. Gives the fugitives a sporting chance, you know? Each bounty card describes the condition under which a player may capture them and claim their reward. Only the player whose turn it is can claim a reward, and only one reward may be claimed per turn.
There are four different reward levels for bounties, and each bounty uses the same reward chart. If you claim a reward on the turn that bounty was first offered, you create a Treasure token—the level 1 reward. If a bounty goes unclaimed at the end of the turn, the reward level increases until the maximum reward is offered at level 4, two Treasure tokens and a card.
Once you claim a reward, set that bounty card aside. You can place it next to you for bragging rights. As the next turn begins, you'll reveal who's next to be on the run. If the bounty deck is depleted, there's been a jailbreak! Shuffle all the bounty cards back together to reform the bounty deck. You'll have to get to work catching everyone again. At least there's more Treasure and maybe some cards in it for you.
The Set Booster and Draft Booster are being combined into a new type of booster we're calling the Play Booster. In this article, I will explain why this is happening, walk through what the new Play Boosters will include, and share the details of their introduction into Magic.
HOW DID PLAY BOOSTERS COME ABOUT?
This story goes back to 2018. Studio X (what we call the part of the company responsible for tabletop Magic) crunches a lot of data about the players, what they enjoy about Magic, and what doesn't work for them. Occasionally, we find a piece of data that causes us to rethink how we make Magic. This time, the piece of data was the following: the majority of players who open a booster do not play a Limited format with it (i.e., Draft or Sealed). Hmm, we thought, might there be a different kind of booster that was more fun to open if we weren't restricted by the needs of Limited play? This question led to the creation of the Set Booster. It came out with Zendikar Rising. Shortly before it premiered, I wrote an article introducing all of you to it. What had been the default booster was then renamed to Draft Booster.
A quick aside. There's also the Collector Booster. Players who buy Collector Boosters enjoy them, and we have no plans to change anything about them (well, big picture, they're customized to fit the set they go with, so they do evolve over time). The conversation today is about Set Boosters and Draft Boosters. So, for the rest of the article, I'm not going to talk about Collector Boosters, but we haven't forgotten about them. There's just not much to say as nothing major is changing about them.
Set Boosters were a wild success. Players enjoyed the opportunity to get multiple rares, having a guaranteed foil slot, having an opportunity to open a card from The List, getting an art card, etc. We'd made a booster that was more fun to open, and the audience clearly voiced they'd prefer to purchase that. So much so, that it started causing some problems, which I will now walk through.
Problem #1 – Set Boosters eclipsed Draft Boosters.
Set Boosters became the top choice for players, and I should stress not by a little bit, but significantly. This meant that when most players had a choice of what to buy, they were opting to buy Set Boosters. The problem is that Set Boosters are not designed for Limited play. So, for example, if a store only had Set Boosters in stock, they couldn't run drafts. Some of our smaller markets don't have the option of printing two different types of boosters, so they had to pick one. Because Set Boosters sold better, they chose them. This meant, though, that no drafts (or games of Sealed) could be played in those markets. Many players have tried to use Set Boosters for Limited play with it being their only option, but because they're not designed for Limited, it results in significantly substandard Limited play.
Problem #2 – It causes inventory problems.
This is a bit simplified, but here's how a store manages Magic product. They buy Product A and sell it. They then use the money to buy Product B. They sell Product B and then use the money to buy Product C. If for some reason they don't sell all of a product, it gets stuck in their inventory, meaning it isn't converted into money to buy the next product. If this happens enough, it causes huge problems for stores. (Note: This basic concept is also true for distributors, the companies that buy Magic from us and sell it to the stores.)
Once upon a time, a store just had one booster to buy for any one Magic set, so that's what they bought. Now, every set releases with both Set Boosters and Draft Boosters. Most of their customers prefer Set Boosters, but Limited play, which fosters community and can be additional income for a store, requires Draft Boosters. How much do you get of each? Get too many Set Boosters and not enough Draft Boosters, and you can't run Limited events, which costs the store money. Get too many Draft Boosters and not enough Set Boosters, you run out of what the customer wants to buy, which also costs you money.
Problem #3 – It began the abandonment of Draft Boosters.
The second problem exacerbated the first problem. Having two different types of boosters was causing strain, and, well, stores were opting to buy Set Boosters. Yes, this came at the expense of Limited play, but if that was the cost of staying in business, that's what they had to do. We do a lot of future forecasting in Studio X, and our people were saying that given enough time, they believed Draft Boosters would stop being a thing. The market really didn't want two types of core boosters.
Limited play, especially Draft, is a huge part of the Magic ecosystem. As I explained above, it's an important part of in-store activity. It's a big driver for building community. Our Prereleases use Limited play as a way for players to sample the set. It's a key part of keeping players with the game long term. Our data shows that the longer you play, the more likely Limited is a large part of your play experience. One of the key strengths of Magic is that there are many ways to enjoy it. Limited play might not be how many players interact with the game, but for the millions of players who play Limited, it's fundamental to their enjoyment. Seeing Draft Boosters, and thus Limited play, disappear would be a big problem, for players and stores.
Problem #4 – It causes confusion in the marketplace.
Having two things that are similar, but not quite the same, causes several issues. One of those is people confuse the two. Maybe an individual buys a Draft Booster when they mean to buy a Set Booster, or vice versa. I personally, on multiple occasions, have opened a booster to play Limited only to realize I was accidentally opening a Set Booster. This problem extends beyond players. I've heard many stories of stores ordering one type of booster and receiving another (which may be due to inventory issues rather than confusion).
Having two different types of regular boosters means we have to communicate twice as much information about how each booster is put together and what's in it. For example, there can be cards that appear in one type of booster but not the other. Add in things like variants of cards, and this gets very complicated to communicate and understand.
Problem #5 – It makes some Magic boosters less desirable.
Let's say a store is running an event in which the prizes are boosters from the current set. Some of the audience wants the prizes to be Set Boosters, as they plan to open them as soon as possible. Others want them to be Draft Boosters, because they want to use their prizes to do more drafting. Usually for simplicity of message, and for inventory reasons, the store owner wants to give away one type of booster. The existence of two types of boosters causes friction. Players can get upset for getting the "wrong kind" of booster.
Players don't necessarily think of themselves as a Set Booster player or a Draft Booster player. They're a Magic player, and we want them to be happy with every Magic booster they get, whether they buy it themselves, win it as a prize, or get it as a gift.
Problem #6 – Every booster buyer wasn't getting all the cool stuff.
In an ecosystem with Set Boosters and Draft Boosters, customers don't get the full experience. Either they buy Set Boosters and don't play Limited formats, or they buy Draft Boosters and miss out on cool things like getting multiple rares. Why can't players get both?
For all these reasons, Studio X realized the need for a change. The answer was simple, although the execution was complicated. We needed to return to a single type of core booster, what we dubbed the Play Booster. Our goal was to combine the play experience of a Draft Booster with the fun opening experience of a Set Booster. The big question—how do we do that?
Because Set Boosters were the more popular item, we decided to approach the problem by figuring out how to make a Set Booster playable. Here were the major issues we identified:
Issue #1 – There weren't enough cards.
A Set Booster has 12 playable cards (plus an art card and a token card). A Draft Booster has 15 playable cards. If we were going to make the booster playable in Limited, we had to up the total number of playable cards in the booster. We combined the art card and token card into one slot and added two playable cards.
Issue #2 – The colors weren't balanced.
When Set Boosters first premiered, we did something we called connected cards where the commons and uncommons in one portion of the booster had a thematic connection between individual cards. Maybe they were of the same creature type, or showed a similar creative element, or just played well together. Doing connected cards prevented us from balancing the colors, but as Set Boosters weren't being played in Limited, it wasn't considered a big deal. Plus, of all the features of Set Boosters, this one scored the lowest on our surveys of what players enjoyed. The connected commons and uncommons have gone away, and part of making the booster playable included balancing colors, so the new Play Boosters will do that.
Issue #3 – The ratio of rarities would have to shift.
Draft Boosters (typically) have 10 commons, 3 uncommons, and 1 rare or mythic rare (these numbers don't include traditional foils, which aren't in every booster). Set Boosters have 3–6 commons, 3–6 uncommons, and 1–4 rares and/or mythic rares. To keep the fun of Set Boosters, we needed some variance in the slots, so we couldn't lock down exactly how many of each rarity a particular booster would have, but we needed to up the number of commons. We also wanted to keep the likelihood at 1–4 rares and/or mythic rares, as it's the number-one reason cited for why players like Set Boosters. I'll walk through all the details when I go through the contents of the new Play Booster.
Issue #4 – We would have to change how we made sets.
How we design sets is heavily influenced by the means we package it in boosters. Changing the as-fan of rarities (that is, the count of each rarity of card you'd expect to see when you open a booster), introducing more variance in slots, adding in more "outside" cards, all impact how the set plays and thus requires us to change how we build the set. Of all the changes, this one was the biggest. It required us to rethink how a Magic set is made. R&D spent a lot of time on this (and I'll get more into the nitty-gritty of how design structure has changed when we get to previews for Murders at Karlov Manor).
Now that I've walked through what we changed, I want to get into the specifics of what the new Play Booster will include. (Below, I'm going to list some details about the make-up of Play Boosters. Things like the percentage of time you'll see certain cards or rarities, or whether certain types of cards show up in certain slots. These will be correct for Murders at Karlov Manor, the first place you'll see Play Boosters, but some may change from set to set. In other words, Play Boosters will follow this general pattern for slots, but the details may vary from set to set. We'll continue publishing details for the contents of products and boosters of new releases, typically titled "Collecting [Set Name].")
Slots #1–6: Commons
These are all common cards from the main set. In Set Boosters, you had the potential to get up to 6 commons, but that came at the cost of not getting additional uncommons, rares, and mythic rares. Note that these cards will not be connected like we did in certain Set Boosters. There will, however, be an opportunity to get Booster Fun commons in this slot.
Slot #7: Common/The List Card
Most of the time (7 out of 8, or 87.5%), this slot will be a seventh common, but an eighth of the time (12.5%), you will get a card from The List. Philosophically, the idea behind The List is that it's a group of cards chosen to make boosters more exciting to open without having to be entered into Standard.
In the past, The List has mostly been reprints of older cards. Play Boosters are going to tinker with what exactly can be on The List. For example, when Play Boosters premier, The List will include what we call Special Guests, 10 cards that are exciting reprints that we can give new art and will thematically tie into whatever set they are in. What we do with the Special Guests will change set to set. (Though The Lost Caverns of Ixalan will not have Play Boosters, Special Guests is debuting with that set, so you should already have some idea of what those will look like.)
In addition to the Special Guests, there will be 40 cards that are reprints without new art. Of those, 30 will be common or uncommon and 10 will be rare or mythic rare. This is down from the 300 cards that previous iterations of The List had.
Here's your likelihood of getting items from this slot in the first Play Booster:
87.5% – A common from the main set
9.38% – A common or uncommon normal reprint from The List
1.56% – A rare or mythic rare normal reprint from The List
1.56% – A Special Guests card from The List
Slot #8–10: Uncommon Cards
These dedicated uncommon slots are exactly as they were in the Set Booster. They will always be uncommons from the main set. There are other opportunities in other slots to get uncommons, but these three slots will always deliver them. Note that these cards, like the commons, will not be connected like we did in certain Set Boosters. Also like the commons, there will be an opportunity to get Booster Fun versions in this slot.
Slot #11: Rare/Mythic Rare
This slot appeared in both Set and Draft Boosters. This is your guaranteed rare or mythic rare from the main set. It will be a rare 6 out of 7 times and a mythic rare 1 out of 7. It can also be a Booster Fun rare or mythic rare variant.
Slot #12: Land
This slot will always hold a basic or common land from the main set. (Murders at Karlov Manor will have basic lands.) It will be traditional foil 20% of the time and non-foil 80% of the time.
Slot #13: Non-Foil Wildcard Slot
This card can be almost anything from the main set. It can be any rarity, and it has the possibility of being a Booster Fun variant. Whatever it is, it will be non-foil. Note that the Set Booster had two non-foil wildcard slots and the Play Booster has one.
Slot #14: Traditional Foil Wildcard
This is just like the last slot except that the card is guaranteed to be traditional foil.
Slot #15: Non-Playable Slot
This slot can have a variety of possibilities. It can be a token, a play aide, an ad card, or an art card. If it's a token or play aide, it will often have an ad on the back (assuming the play aide isn't double faced). MTG Arena ad cards are usually an ad on both faces. The art card can be a variant art card with a gold-stamped artist signature or Planeswalker symbol.
Here's your likelihood of getting each in the slot:
65% – Token/play aide/ad card
30% – Art card
5% – Art card with signature
Now that I've walked through the Play Booster, I want to compare it to the Set Booster and Draft Booster to show you the differences.
Differences from Set Boosters
+2 Playable cards
No connected commons or uncommons
-1 Non-foil wildcard
-1 Nonplayable object (The token and art cards were different slots in the Set Booster.)
Only a 1-in-3 opportunity of an art card (Set Boosters always had an art card.)
Differences from Draft Boosters (Based on the default without a traditional foil card. Previously, Draft Boosters had a traditional foil approximately a third of the time.)
The potential to open up to 4 rare or mythic rare cards
-1 Playable card
-3 Commons
+1 Non-foil wildcard
+1 Traditional foil wildcard
A 1-in-8 opportunity of getting a card from The List (The List didn't appear in Draft Boosters.)
Roughly a 1-in-3 opportunity of an art card (Art cards didn't appear in Draft Boosters.)
When can we expect Play Boosters?
Play Boosters will premiere with Murders at Karlov Manor. This means The Lost Caverns of Ixalan and Ravnica Remastered will not have them. We're telling the world early as it will impact how stores order the product. Play Boosters will sell for the same price as Set Boosters. Play Booster display boxes, however, will have 36 boosters like Draft Booster displays did (as two boxes are exactly enough for three 8-player drafts). Because that is six more boosters than Set Booster displays have right now, be aware the price of a Play Booster display box will be higher than that of a Set Booster display box.
As with any new announcement, it raises some questions, so I thought I would take a moment to answer some of the questions I expect to get.
Will the Play Booster make Draft less fun?
R&D believes it will not. We've been working very hard for years to understand the impacts the Play Booster will have on Draft, and we've adapted how we're building the sets to accommodate. Murders at Karlov Manor was designed and balanced with Play Boosters in mind. Will there be lessons to learn as we adapt to a new system? Of course, but Magic constantly evolves, so we're pretty good at adapting.
If the Play Boosters have more rares/mythic rares on average, will that mean more bombs in Limited formats?
There will be more cards of a rare and mythic rare power level, but adapting to that (making sure players have more answers at lower rarities) is part of how R&D is adjusting our set designs. All our playtests have been done with this in mind, and they've been very enjoyable.
Why are there only 14 playable cards?
The change to the Play Booster gave us the ability to rethink how we put together a booster. Boosters have always had 15 cards (well, most of them, anyway) because that's what Richard Garfield chose to do with Alpha, years before designing for Draft was even a thing. We experimented with different amounts of playable cards per booster and found that 14 did the best job of giving us the play experience we wanted. One of the reasons we went down in commons in Set Boosters was addressing a common complaint from players that there were too many cards that didn't get used. Part of adapting to Play Boosters included making less unusable commons in Draft, which made the fifteenth card less necessary.
Will playing in Limited events cost more?
Likely, yes, Play Boosters match the cost of a Set Booster, not a Draft Booster, which will result in Limited environments going up in cost slightly. However, the expected value of the booster went up as well because there are opportunities to pull additional rares and mythic rares. So yes, you will be paying slightly more, but you'll likely be getting more value out of the boosters. Your rare/mythic rare card ratio per dollar spent will be staying the same.
THE PLAY'S THE THING
And that is all I have to say about Play Boosters, for now anyway. I'm very eager to hear any feedback you have on today's column or on the Play Boosters themselves. You can email me or contact me through my social media accounts (X [formerly Twitter], Tumblr, Instagram, and TikTok). I'm eager to hear what you all think.
Join me next week for the debut of The Lost Caverns of Ixalan card previews.
Until then, may you have fun opening and playing Limited with the new Play Boosters.
During our original visit to Eldraine, we focused on the Royal Courts and their role in the plane. This knightly image of Eldraine was a fan favorite. We're returning to this plane in Wilds of Eldraine, but it's a tad different. Eldraine is still a land of beauty and splendor, filled with enchanting prairies and valiant heroes.
But now, we're venturing beyond the castle walls and into the wilds. These mysterious woods are full of strange creatures, wild beasts, and arcane magic. Wilds of Eldraine captures the mystique of these lands, inviting the player to discover what secrets may lie in the wilds.
During the Phyrexian invasion, a curse called the Wicked Slumber fell upon the land. As the curse lulled the Phyrexian forces into a harmless sleep, this seemed to be the plane's salvation. However, it has now become their curse as the people of Eldraine have also begun to fall into a deep slumber.
When designing Wilds of Eldraine, we wanted to capture the sensation of magic existing all around you. You'll see this on a large scale, like the Wicked Slumber seizing the population, or with something as simple as some fae trickery.
Sleight of Hand
Sleight of Hand FNM Promo
This curse was placed upon the land by Talion, the Fae Lord of the Wilds and three witch sisters. Originally meant to protect the plane from the forces of Phyrexia, the Wicked Slumber has grown beyond their control. Now, the people of Eldraine worry that the day may come when they are all trapped in this unwaking sleep.
Restless Fortress
THE CHARACTERS OF WILDS OF ELDRAINE
Our story begins with Talion, the Kindly Lord. While they are the ruler of all Eldraine's fae, they also serve as the mysterious protector of all of Eldraine's people. During the Phyrexian invasion, Talion was forced to join with three witches to create the Wicked Slumber, a curse which now affects their child.
Talion, the Kindly Lord
Talion, the Kindly Lord (Borderless)
Where there are nightmares, Ashiok is sure to be close by. With an entire kingdom's worth of nightmares to prey upon, they're ready to unleash their magic, no matter the cost.
Ashiok, Wicked Manipulator
We'll also be meeting some new faces during our visit. Kellan is a new character, one who will be taking up Talion's quest to end the Wicked Slumber. Kellan, Lord of the High Fae, has been tasked with bringing peace and salvation to his people.
Will and Rowan make a return in this set, though under much different circumstances. During the Phyrexian invasion the twins lost both their parents. Following that, Will and Rowan have lost their sparks and are left to hold the kingdom together, a challenge that may push them beyond their limits.
And of course, we couldn't return to Eldraine without the beloved Syr Ginger, along with Tough Cookie to round out this sweet group of heroes.
Tough Cookie
A NEW STORY OF MAGIC UNFOLDS
The knights who repelled the invasion—both those gone to seed as mercenaries and those yet clinging to valor—call Will the Boy King. And, no matter how much she wishes it were otherwise, Rowan cannot blame them.
—"Pure of Heart" by K. Arsenault Rivera
As the curse of the Wicked Slumber seizes the people of Eldraine, tension escalates between the Kenrith twins. Elsewhere, an ancient force from deep within the wilds calls upon a young half-fae boy who has yet to understand what it means to be a hero.
Discover how this fairy tale is told when the five-part Wilds of Eldraine story begins on August 8—right here on DailyMTG!
Wilds of Eldraine blends its fantastical characters with equally stunning artwork. Our team of artists worked to deliver an aesthetic that feels like it popped straight out of a book of fairy tales. You'll be able to find art depicting the many loveable heroes and dastardly villains of Eldraine.
Because Eldraine is such a beloved plane, we knew we had to find the best way to capture it through Booster Fun. Wilds of Eldraine is jam-packed with borderless, showcase, and foil cards that are all inspired by folklore and fantasy. We're bringing the fun to basic lands with special showcase versions that highlight the enchanting imagery of the wilds.
Plains
Island
Swamp
Mountain
Forest
Part of the charm of fairy tales is their sense of adventure, and fans loved the storybook frame found on adventurer cards in Throne of Eldraine, so we're bringing them back with more of the stunning beauty of the wilds. Cards like Cruel Somnophage will appear in both the regular storybook frame and the showcase Adventure treatment seen below.
Cruel Somnophage
Cruel Somnophage (Showcase)
You'll also be able to find special borderless versions of Restless Fortress and Ashiok, Wicked Manipulator. These borderless cards combine enchanting artwork with haunting nightmares, perfect for Ashiok. You can also find regular and extended-art treatments for cards, like Moonshaker Cavalry, which will have a special traditional foil textless full-art promo available at a later date, all shown below.
With Wilds of Eldraine, we wanted to do something extra special to excite players and show off this wonderful plane. In every booster of Wilds of Eldraine, you'll find one of the Enchanting Tales cards, a non-Standard legal bonus sheet like The Brothers' War's Retro Artifacts or Strixhaven: School of Mages's Mystical Archive. Want an example of what you can find? How about Smothering Tithe?
Smothering Tithe
These cards, featuring special storybook artwork, are all fan-favorite enchantments from Magic's past. The artwork of each evokes the aesthetics of Eldraine. With 63 different Enchanting Tales available, you can look forward to drafting, collecting, and playing with these exciting enchantments.
Greater Auramancy
Curiosity
Rhystic Study
Necropotence
Aggravated Assault
Doubling Season
Prismatic Omen
That's just the start of what to expect—we'll share even more during the Wilds of Eldraine debut on August 15!
BOOSTERS, COMMANDER DECKS, AND MORE
When Wilds of Eldraine releases, there's plenty of ways to join in on the fairy-tale fun. Wilds of Eldraine Draft Boosters, Set Boosters, and Collector Boosters are all available to preorder now. Whether you're a Friday night drafter or a showcase art collector, there are plenty of ways to enjoy Wilds of Eldraine.
Wilds of Eldraine Set Booster Display
Wilds of Eldraine Collector Booster Display
Wilds of Eldraine Draft Booster Display
There will also be two Wilds of Eldraine–themed Commander decks available, each with a unique 100-card Commander deck! These feature ten new-to-Magic cards, two legendary foil cards, and a Collector Booster Sample Pack. These decks, Fae Dominion and Virtue and Valor, release alongside Wilds of Eldraine on September 8, 2023.
Fae Dominion (Blue-Black) Virtue and Valor (Green-White)
In addition to looking fantastic with their crystalline apperance, some Tera Pokémon ex have another feature that makes them stand out -- they have an Energy type other than what you might expect for that Pokémon (like a Fire-Type Eiscue).
The Energy type and Weakness of these type-shifted Tera Pokémon ex match their new type, but their attack costs reflect the Pokémon's original type. Otherwise, they follow the same rules as standard Tera Pokémon ex.
Pokémon Steal The Spotlight In Illustration Rares
With thier bold designs and stunning artwork, illustration rare and special illustration rare cards can tell a story with a single image.
With its fierce apperance, Charizard ex exudes power while Ninetales appears positively serene in its forest setting. Likewise Cleffa appears at peace beneath a starry sky. Lovable Lechonk appears to be in food-coma mode after a hearty meal. Too cute!
Unleash The Might Of Pokémon Ex
Incredible new Pokémon ex arrive in Scarlet & Violet - Obsidian Flames, bringing with them powerful attacks and Abilities. If your Bench is filled with pokemon that have Energy attached, Toedscrule ex's Colony Rush attack can do up to 280 damage! Harkening back to Pidgeot's card from the 2004 EX FireRed & LeafGreen Expansion, Pidgeot ex's Quick Search Ability allows you to scour your deck once per turn for whatever card you want! It's a fantastic way to fill your hand with the cards you need to trounce your opponet.
Phandelver & Below: The Shattered Obelisk: Deep Dive
We take a closer look at the updated 2023 Phandelver Campaign for Dungeons & Dragons fifth edition
During the “Wizards Presents” annual event in August of 2022, Wizards of the Coast announced a roadmap for new D&D game books in 2023. That roadmap included the heist-themed adventure anthology Keys from the Golden Vault, the giant-inspired supplement Bigby Presents: Glory of the Giants and the spell and magic-item driven collection The Book of Many Things. Also announced at that time was Phandelver and Below: The Shattered Obelisk, an update of the popular mini-campaign Lost Mines of Phandelver, originally published in 2014 as part of the D&D Starter Box Set.
So just what’s included in this new D&D fifth edition adventure? We deep dive to find out what really lurks below.
What is Phandelver and Below: The Shattered Obelisk about?
Phandelver and Below: The Shattered Obelisk is an updated version of the Lost of Mine of Phandelver mini-campaign that came with the 2014 D&D Starter Set. But while that adventure took players from levels 1 to 5, this new 2023 version will take take characters from Level 1 to 12 when played in its entirety. It’s important to note, however, that Phandelver and Below is not a sequel, but rather an updated version of the original campaign, along with all new materials that have never been introduced before.
It’s also worth noting that the campaign includes a hefty dose of horror, with players exploring the Underdark while battling strange mutations and other sinister beings. Much of these elements of horror are linked to the titular Black Obelisks, which have appeared in numerous adventures set in the Forgotten Realms that have been released over the past decade.
How is Phandelver & Below Different from the Lost Mines of Phandelver?
The original Lost Mine of Phandelver from 2014 remains one of the best DnD 5e campaigns of all time. Included in the Starter Set box, it’s really designed to teach new players and DMs the basics of running a Dungeons & Dragons adventure. The campaign itself (which was printed in a single softcover booklet that came with the box set) clocks in at 64 pages and was broken out into four chapters that are designed to take characters from Levels 1 to 5.
The new 2023 Phandelver and Below campaign expands on this original booklet, clocking in at a whopping 220 pages. And while it includes the original four chapters (with some minor tweaks) it also adds a new introduction, plus four new chapters and several new appendices. When combined this new expanded campaign will take players from Levels 1 to 12.
In addition to all of the new and existing adventure materials, Phandelver and Below also includes:
A new bestiary with two-dozen new creatures that showcase psionic magic, body horror and more.
A new magic appendix that includes consumable metamagic items, Netherese amulets and duergar magic
A double-sided poster map with the Phandalin region on one side and the town of Phandalin plus key encounters in the adventure on the other
New tables for encounters, adventure hooks and character backgrounds
New interior and cover artwork (including the new alternative cover, which showcases the horror aspects of the campaign)
What is the Adventure in Phandelver and Below: The Shattered Obelisk
–SPOILERS AHEAD —
The story is set in Phandalin, a small town located in the Sword Coast region of the Forgotten Realms campaign setting and is broken out into the following chapters. Notably, the first four chapters are all from the original Lost Mine of Phandelver campaign, and have been left largely as-is in Phandelver and Below.
Chapter 1: A Dangerous Journey
The adventure begins with the characters being hired in Neverwinter by a dwarf named Gundren Rockseeker to deliver a package to the town of Phandalin. Along the way, the characters are ambushed by a group of goblins who they soon learn have kidnapped Gundren and his companion, a warrior named Sildar Hallwinter. The characters must deal with the ambush and then learn that Grundren and his brother have discovered an infamous lost dwarven mine known as Wave Echo Cave.
Chapter 2: Trouble in Phandalin
After arriving in town, the characters run afoul of a gang of bandits known as the Redbrands, who are led by a thug named Glasstaff. The players end up assaulting the Redbrands lair and learn that Glasstaff is taking his orders from a mysterious figured known only as “The Spider.” During this chapter, the players also get a better sense of the various NPCs and locations in and around Phandalin.
Chapter 3: The Spider’s Web
The players take on a series of explorations in the region while searching for clues about the location and identify of the Spider, as well as where Wave Echo Cave might be. In this chapter, the players have a few different options, including investing a strange wizard, taking on a dangerous banshee, battling a group of bandits or exploring a nearby set of ruins. Eventually, the players find the location of Cragmaw Castle, the home of the goblins terrorizing the region. They learn that the Spider is in fact a drow named Nezznar, while recovering a map to the location of Gundren’s lost mine.
Chapter 4: Wave Echo Cave
The players follow the map and reach Wave Echo Cave. Unfortunately, the ancient dwarven mine that is now overrun with undead and strange creatures. A classic dungeon crawl experience occurs and the players also have the opportunity to take down the Spider and his minions, who have also now infested the mine.
Chapter 5: Paths of Peril
In this chapter (which is all new material appearing for the first time), the players return to Phandalin, only to discover that a new group of goblins has been terrorizing the town, kidnapping a large number of individuals and destroying local landmarks. The players track the invaders down to an abandoned duergar mining post located deep in the mountains. There they will have to face down a psionic goblin chieftain named Ruxithid the Chosen. In the aftermath, they learn that the goblins are being controlled by a group of Illithids who are worshippers of the Far Realm, a horrific plane of existence that drives visitors insane. The Illithids are on the hunt for pieces of an ancient obelisk that can help harness the power of this dark dimension.
Chapter 6: The Shattered Obelisk
The players learn that there are three pieces of the shattered obelisk scattered in the area: one located in an ancient dwarven temple, one located in a haunted crypt and one found in an abandoned crossroads in the Underdark. It’s up to the players to decide how to tackle these various locations, before taking on the leader of the Illithids, a ruthless mind flayer named Qunbraxel. They soon learn that the Illithids plan is to use the power of the Far Realm to transform the kidnapped inhabitants of Phandelver into an army of mindflayers.
Chapter 7: Rifts in Reality
The players learn that the illithids are operating out of a stronghold in the Underdark, which is about to complete the ritual to open a rift to the Far Realm and connect with an dark god named Ilvaash. Durign the ceremony, the inhabitants of Phandalin will be transformer into brain-suck mindflayers. The players will have to race to the fortress and stop the ceremony before it can be completed.
Chapter 8: Beyond a Lightless Star
The players must journey through a portal and into the Far Realm, where they’ll have to confront Ilvaash himself, while navigating an array of horrific creatures and an interdimensional labyrinth with the power to shatter players’ sanity. In the end, it will take everything the players have to stop Ilvaash and save the people of Phandalin from a fate worse than death.
The Black Obelisks first appeared in the campaign Out of the Abyss and later appeared in four D&D fifth edition adventures released between 2015 and 2020. The 2020 adventure Rime of the Frostmaiden revealed that the obelisks could alter time and reality and were somehow to a mysterious group known as The Weavers. The secret to making the obelisks was later stolen by the evil lich Vecna and then were used by the ancient Netheril Empire. In fact, one of the potential endings for Rime of the Frostmaiden involves the players getting caught in the obelisk’s magic and being sent back in time (a minor plot point that was never really followed up on).
After the release of Rime of the Frostmaiden, the D&D design team moved away from the Forgotten Realms for subsequent campaigns (with their primary focus on Dragonlance), leaving many fans to believe that was the last they’d see of the mysterious artifacts. Until now…
Phandelver and Below: The Shattered Obelisk will be officially released on September 19th, 2023. As with other D&D products, if you purchase the digital and physical bundle from D&D Beyond, you’ll receive early access on September 5th, 2023 (along wtith the Faction Digital Dice Pack, 10 frames for character sheets and 4 sheet backdrops).
How much is Phandelver and Below?
As with other DnD 5e books, Phandelver and Below will retail for $59.95 USD (which is a noticeable increase in price over previous campaign books, something Wizards of the Coast has said is the result of increased inflation and production costs). The print and digital version will also be retailing to D&D Beyond subscribers for a pre-order price of $59.95 USD (which will increase to $69.96 USD after launch).
The original Lost Mine of Phandelver is incredibly beloved and the only campaign book planned for 2023, so Wizards of the Coast is definitely putting plenty of weight being the release. Below are a few of the tie-in products:
Legendary Edition box set: Available from Beadle & Grimms, this deluxe version features a box set that breaks the campaign down into easy-to-manage booklets, and includes area maps (including a canvas poster map of Phandalin and multiple dungeons featured throughout the adventure), 32 battle maps, 5 new faction badges, 5 WizKids painted minis, a unique DM screen, 19 player handouts, 60 encounter cards, 43 magic item cards and 4 bonus adventure encounters. The limited edition run is currently retailing for $355 USD.
WizKid Miniatures: The popular toy marker is releasing 47 pre-painted minis featuring NPCs and monsters from Phandelver and Below, including Nezznar the Spider, the Otyugh Mutate and Ettin Ceremorph. You can pick these us as single boosters (each of which contains either 1 large miniature or 3 small/medium minis) or grab a brick that features each boosters in total.
The Phandalin Post: Available for free on D&D Beyond, Wizards of the Coast has released a printable player handout which contains a copy of the latest issue of the Phandalin Post, a newspaper that covers events in Phandalin. It’s a nice touch and great to see WotC adding this kind of attention to detail to their products.
Phandelver and Below: The Shattered Obelisk is an absolute masterpiece of a DnD 5e adventure. If you’ve never played the original Lost Mine of Phandelver before, it remains one of the best campaigns out of any DnD edition, and this is a great chance to play through it in a new and improved format. The expanded materials also do a fantastic job of upping the drama, horror and adventure with some incredible set pieces, unique villains and solid opportunities for roleplaying, combat and exploration.
In short, Wizards of the Coast has done nothing short of making one of their best campaigns ever, even better.
D&D's adventure module, Dragonlance: Shadow of the Dragon Queen, transports players the world of Krynn, and that means two new character backgrounds.
The Dragonlance world setting has been a part of Dungeons & Dragons for decades, featuring familiar characters, enticing enemies in need of slaying, and some unique adjustments to player character options and abilities. With the upcoming release of Dragonlance: Shadow of the Dragon Queen, players will be able to try two new backgrounds on for size, designed to make adventuring through Krynn a little easier.
Mages tend to be all-encompassed under one heading in Krynn, with potential candidates practicing their craft and studying hard before heading to the Towers of High Sorcery to test their capabilities. While there are also a number of different types of soldiers in the world, one faction in particular stands head and shoulders above the rest: The Knights of Solomnia. These two backgrounds offer some interesting support to players who would like to fully immerse themselves in the adventure module or experiment with something new in games outside of Krynn.
DnD's Mages of High Sorcery Are More Than Just Wizards
In the original Dragonlance lore, those who marked themselves among the Towers of High Sorcery's students were usually called Wizards. In a vast game like D&D, magic users like Warlocks and Sorcerers fall into a different class of casters altogether. In lieu of all casters having a place among the magical elite, they have changed the classification to Mages of High Sorcery and created a background to accompany it.
The three Towers of High Sorcery each cater to a different magical affiliation. White Robes practice light magic, Black Robes practice dark magic, and the Red Robes fall somewhere in between, choosing neutrality between the two polar opposites. Players choosing this background gain access to additional languages and skill proficiencies, as well as a feat called the Initiate of High Sorcery. In time, they can even take the Trials of High Sorcery during the game to test their magical abilities and deem them worthy mages in the eyes of their peers.
Initiates of High Sorcery choose a magical alignment and don the robes of their order. They gain access to a cantrip and two first-level spells affiliated with their order. These spells can either be cast once per long rest without a spell slot, or they can be cast using a spell slot if the player has the appropriate slot available.
From VSTAR Powers to autographed cards, get a sneak peek at what’s coming in the newest expansion.
Reaching the pinnacle of Pokémon TCG gameplay isn’t easy, but the Pokémon TCG: Crown Zenith expansion is here to help players along their journey. The latest and final expansion of the Sword & Shield Series boasts incredibly powerful Pokémon V and Pokémon VMAX, a gorgeous Galarian Gallery that will give past Trainer Galleries a run for their money, and fun Abilities that offer a strategic edge. Here are some of the cards you’ll find in the Pokémon TCG: Crown Zenith expansion, which is officially available January 20, 2023.
Zeraora VSTAR
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Players looking for an electrifying Pokémon VSTAR to help crush opponents have found a useful ally in Zeraora VSTAR. Not only is it capable of taking an impressive amount of damage with 270 HP, but it’s more than capable of doing substantial damage as well. Its Crushing Beat attack delivers 190 damage—enough to crush all but the most powerful opponents—and gives the option of discarding a Stadium in play. But the real star is the Thunderclap Pokémon’s VSTAR Power, appropriately named Lightning Storm Star. In this particular storm, lightning strikes not once, not twice, but four times. And best of all, players get to choose which of their opponent’s Pokémon get hit. Choose an opponent’s Pokémon four times—with the option of selecting the same Pokémon multiple times—and do 60 damage with each bolt. And while you can’t use more than 1 VSTAR Power in a game, it’s certainly worth it to unleash a lightning storm of epic proportions.
Radiant Eternatus
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One of the greatest challenges of any Pokémon TCG battle is getting the cards you need out of your deck and into your hands. This is where Radiant Eternatus comes to the rescue. Due to the Radiant Pokémon rule, players can have only 1 Radiant Pokémon in their deck at a time. But Radiant Eternatus’s Climactic Gate Ability certainly makes this a Radiant Pokémon worth having. When you play Radiant Eternatus from your hand onto your Bench during your turn, you can search your deck for up to 2 Pokémon VMAX and put them onto your Bench. While this Ability ends your turn, it certainly gets a lot done. This allows players to bypass their more vulnerable Pokémon V and head straight for the Pokémon VMAX that can take—and dish out—greater damage. It’s also worth noting that this Radiant Pokémon has an attack called Power Beam that does 200 damage, more than enough to Knock Out most Pokémon.
Bea
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Anyone who has ever wanted an autograph from a popular Pokémon Gym Leader is in luck. Galar’s famously intense Fighting-type Gym Leader Bea makes an appearance as a Trainer card that also happens to boast her autograph. Considering this Gym Leader is known for being highly energetic and focused on battle, it’s no surprise that Bea’s Supporter card allows players to discard the top 5 cards of their deck and attach any Energy cards that were discarded to their Benched Fighting-type Pokémon in any way they like. Bea’s always bringing the energy, and the Pokémon TCG: Crown Zenith expansion is no exception.
Miltank
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Miltank is part of the Pokémon TCG: Crown Zenith expansion’s Galarian Gallery, featuring artwork that tells a story. In Miltank’s case, the art by Yuu Nishida showcases the Milk Cow Pokémon presiding over a wholesome farm feast that will leave your mouth watering. Despite being a Basic Pokémon, Miltank has some tricks up its sleeve. For one thing, its Miracle Body Ability prevents Pokémon V from doing any damage to it with their attacks. Be sure to use this Pokémon’s attack, Rout, when your opponent has a Bench full of Pokémon—it does 10 damage to start with, plus 20 more for each Pokémon on your opponent’s Bench. This card is so powerful that Piper Lepine used it as part of her winning Mewtwo V-UNION deck at the 2022 Toronto Regional Championships.
Melony
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Galar’s Circhester Gym Leader may be as cold as ice, but her Supporter card brings some much-needed Energy to your gameplay. It’s part of the Pokémon TCG: Crown Zenith expansion’s Galarian Gallery, and the artwork by saino misaki is especially endearing. The illustration captures Melony whipping up a feast of pancakes, salad, soup, and other dishes as her Eiscue oversees the food preparation. Just as a hearty meal delivers energy, this Supporter card allows the player to attach a Water Energy card from their discard pile to 1 of their Pokémon V and then draw 3 cards.
These are just a few of the incredible cards you’ll find in Pokémon TCG: Crown Zenith. See what other cool cards you can discover when the expansion releases on January 20, 2023.
When you hold a new Magic card in your hand, there is a special connection that you feel. We have all felt the possibilities of what a brand-new Magic card can do. With Phyrexia: All Will Be One (ONE), we all got to embrace the villainy of Phyrexia and infuse that into Magic cards.
I'm Mike Turian, product architect for ONE. As the architect of a set, I'm responsible for the content structure and promotions within. The surreal horror of Phyrexia: All Will Be One was an especially joyful set to work on, and this article brings with it a breakout of what Phyrexian treatments can be found, and which Magic boosters they are found in.
PHYREXIA: ALL WILL BE ONE COLLECTOR BOOSTERS
First, let's look at ONE Collector Boosters. I've listed these in the order they appear within the booster. I'll also note that any listed percentage is rounded to the nearest whole number.
Collector Booster Display
Here are some of the images of the cards you can get inside ONE Collector Boosters for reference.
Panorama Full Art
Phyrexianized Full Art
Borderless Ichor
Borderless
Borderless Ichor
Borderless Manga
Step-and-Compleat Foil Phyrexian Language
4 Traditional foil commons – Here, you will get 4 of the 101 commons from ONE's Draft and Set Boosters.
2 Traditional foil uncommons – Here, you will get 2 of the 80 uncommons from ONE's Draft and Set Boosters.
1 Traditional foil basic land – Each of the 5 panorama full-art basic lands and the 5 Phyrexianized full-art basic lands show up at an equal rate to one another.
1 Traditional foil rare or mythic rare – There are 60 rares (86% of boosters) and 20 mythic rares (14% of boosters) from the ONE Draft Boosters appearing here.
1 Extended-art rare – There are 29 rares from ONE Draft Boosters that we have given the extended-art treatment. These cards don't have other variant art or frame treatments in ONE boosters, and the extended-art treatment is only found in Collector Boosters.
Green Sun's Twilight
Extended Art
Buy-a-Box
By the way, you can receive the Buy-a-Box promotional version of Green Sun's Twilight by purchasing a Set, Draft, Collector, or Jumpstart Booster display at your local game store. These promos are available while supplies last—visit your local store to learn more!
1 Extended-art rare or mythic rare from Phyrexia: All Will Be One Commander decks (ONC), or an extended-art card from ONE Jumpstart – There are a total of 28 rares (92%) and 5 mythic rares (8%) that are found in this slot. The cards come from the 20 rares and mythic rares in ONC, the 5 rares from ONE Jumpstart, and the 8 rares and mythic rares that are new-to-Commander cards found in Set Boosters.
1 Common or uncommon with the ichor treatment – Cards with the ichor treatment feature brushstroke horror art. There are 6 commons (63%) and 7 uncommons (37%) that can be found in non-foil in this slot.
1 Foil common or uncommon with the ichor treatment – Fans of traditional foil cards can always look to Collector Boosters for an excellent way to find more of what they like.
1 Step-and-compleat foil – Step-and-compleat cards each feature Phyrexian symbols highlighted by a special foil laminate. There are 6 commons (38%), 7 uncommons (29%), 26 rares (22%), and 28 mythic rares (11%) that feature this stunning brand-new treatment.
1 Booster Fun rare or mythic rare – There is tons of possible goodness in this slot. Here is the list of sweet cards you will possibly get, all in non-foil. There are 5 rare borderless "fast lands" (13%), 16 rare borderless ichor cards (41%), 10 rare borderless manga cards (25%) including 5 Mirran heroes and 5 planeswalkers, 10 mythic rare borderless ichor cards (13%), 5 mythic rare borderless manga planeswalkers (3%), 5 mythic rare Phyrexian-language planeswalkers (3%), and 5 mythic rare borderless concept praetors (less than 2%).
In addition to showing up as one of the five praetors, the mythic rare Elesh Norn, Mother of Machines shows up in this slot in the borderless ichor treatment, borderless manga illustrated by Junji Ito, and Phyrexian language, each less than 1% of the time.
1 Foil Booster Fun rare or mythic rare or extended-art rare or mythic rare – Here, you get everything in the above slot as well as everything in the 29 extended-art rare slot listed above. Additionally, you can get select Commander extended-art rare and mythic rare cards. You get an extended-art rare or mythic rare in foil 49% of the time. The remaining 51% of cards are distributed proportional to the rates described in the previous slot above.
Here is a look at the Elesh Norn, Mother of Machines variations that can be found in ONE Collector Boosters.
Elesh Norn, Mother of Machines
Borderless Concept Praetor
Borderless Ichor
Borderless Manga
Phyrexian Language
Now that we have looked at the Collector Booster, let's look closer at each treatment and where we can find these cards.
Ichor and borderless ichor cards – Sarah Wassell and Tom Jenkot, the Booster Fun art directors for ONE, worked with our artists to use a bold ink wash style to capture the essence of the Phyrexians. Adam Prosak and Grace Fong, the game and creative design team leads, selected the most Phyrexian cards in a set dripping with Phyrexia. There are 6 commons and 7 uncommons that have a bordered ichor treatment, and there are 16 rares and 11 mythic rares with a borderless ichor treatment. You will be able to find these ichor cards in Set, Draft, and Collector Boosters as well as select cards in the Collector Booster Sample Packs that come with Commander decks.
Borderless Ichor
Phyrexian-language cards – For those Phyrexian fans out there who are learning to read Phyrexian as they take over the Multiverse, there are five mythic rare planeswalkers in ONE, each with Phyrexian-language text and the Phyrexian frame. These are the five Planeswalkers that have been corrupted and Phyrexianized. In addition, we have Elesh Norn, Mother of Machines available in this style. These six cards can each be found in Set, Draft, and Collector Boosters.
Jace, the Perfected Mind
Phyrexian Language
Borderless concept praetors – With Phyrexia: All Will Be One celebrating the glory that is all of Phyrexia, we wanted to make sure that the five praetors each appeared within the set. We went back to the start of their creation and have brought to life Richard Whitters's concept illustrations of each praetor with these borderless concept praetors. Each features the card from the set they were most recently in; so Vorinclex, Monstrous Raider is a new illustration for the Kaldheim praetor and is tournament legal where that card already is.
Here is a look at all five that you can find in Set, Draft, and Collector Boosters.
Borderless Concept Praetors
Borderless manga cards – To capture the intimidation and fear that the Phyrexians have wrought upon the Multiverse, the art team tapped into a horror manga style that highlights the aggression of the Phyrexians well. We worked with Kogado Studios, our Japanese partner studio, to bring this style to life. You will find each of the five compleated Planeswalkers as well as "what-if?" versions for five Planeswalkers who haven't been Phyrexianized in the borderless manga treatment. In addition, we brought five legendary Mirran creatures into this style to further the speculation as to what those heroes would have looked like if compleated.
Borderless Manga
Junji Ito's Elesh Norn – In addition to these 15 cards, we had the opportunity to pair the ultimate manga Horror artist, Junji Ito, with the star of Phyrexia: All Will Be One, Elesh Norn. Together, they created this phenomenal Magic card:
Borderless Manga
All of the borderless manga cards can be opened in Set, Draft, and Collector Boosters. Additionally, there are select borderless manga cards available in Collector Booster Sample Packs that come with the Commander decks.
Step-and-compleat foils – As we went to capture the monolithic power and vision of the Phyrexians, we used the step-and-compleat treatment to highlight the Phyrexian symbol with a special laminate. The Phyrexian symbol dances in the light accenting the 67 cards available in this style. The step-and-compleat foil treatment is available on borderless ichor cards, borderless concept praetors, borderless manga cards, and Phyrexian-language cards. The Junji Ito-illustrated Elesh Norn with the step-and-compleat foil treatment is a sight to behold!
These cards can only be found in ONE Collector Boosters, and you get one step-and-compleat foil in each Collector Booster.
Extended art – For each set, we want to make sure that each rare and mythic rare gets a special treatment. For those cards that don't have one of the treatments above, we use our extended-art treatment to highlight more of the art. With ONE, there are 29 rares from the main set, 5 new rares from Jumpstart, and the new rare or mythic rare cards from the ONC Commander decks that can be found with the extended-art treatment. You can open all of these cards in Collector Boosters, as well as select extended-art Commander cards in the Collector Booster Sample Packs that come with Commander decks.
Borderless dual lands – Found in Set, Draft, and Collector Boosters, borderless dual lands bring the surreal dark beauty of Phyrexian landscapes to life. As lead designer of Scars of Mirrodin, I'm especially pleased to see this cycle of five "fast lands" return to Standard with new beautiful artwork.
Borderless Dual Lands
PHYREXIA: ALL WILL BE ONE BUNDLE: COMPLEAT EDITION
In addition to the regular Bundle, Phyrexia: All Will Be One features the Bundle: Compleat Edition, which will be released a few weeks later on March 3, 2023.
Bundle: Compleat Edition
As part of that product, there are new oil slick raised foils and one more Phyrexian-language card in addition to the six found in Phyrexia: All Will Be One boosters. The promo card in the Bundle: Compleat Edition is a Phyrexian Arena promo card with Phyrexian-language text and a Phyrexian frame. Even long after Phyrexian Arena's debut in Apocalypse, paying 1 life for one card each turn remains a good deal!
Bundle: Compleat Edition Promo
Oil slick raised foils – Along with the amazing treatments above, we wanted to come up with one final way to celebrate the glory of Phyrexia. Along with lots of fun goodies and a sleek box, each Bundle: Compleat Edition comes with twelve Phyrexia: All Will Be One Set Boosters and one Compleat Edition Booster.
Inside the Compleat Edition Booster, you will get 10 oil slick raised foil basic lands (two of each basic land type) and two Phyrexia: All Will Be One mythic rares. These two oil slick raised foil mythic rares will be randomized and come out of a possible 20 mythic rares, which are the same 20 mythic rares found in Phyrexia: All Will Be One.
Here's how they look:
WHERE TO FIND PHYREXIA: ALL WILL BE ONE BOOSTER FUN TREATMENTS
PHYREXIA: ALL WILL BE ONE SET BOOSTERS
Set Booster Display
Awesome to open and quickly expand your Magic collection, each ONE Set Booster contains 12 Magic cards, one art card, and one token/ad card or a card from The List (a special card selected from Magic's history or "Universes Within" card—found in 25% of boosters).
A ONE Set Booster includes a combination of 1–4 card(s) with a rarity of rare or higher and 3–7 uncommons, 3–7 commons, and 1 basic land. A traditional foil basic land replaces the basic land in 20% of Set Boosters, and a foil-stamped signature art card replaces the art card in 10% of ONE Set Boosters. (A traditional foil borderless mythic rare planeswalker can be found in less than 1% of ONE Set Boosters.)
In addition to ONE Collector Boosters, both ONE Set Boosters and Draft Boosters will contain either a panorama full-art basic land or Phyrexianized full-art basic land.
Panorama Full Art
Phyrexianized Full Art
PHYREXIA: ALL WILL BE ONE DRAFT BOOSTERS
Draft Booster Display
If you're going to draft with friends to build a sealed deck for battle, you'll want to look for Draft Boosters. Each ONE Draft Booster contains 15 cards and one token/ad card, including one card with a rarity of rare or higher and 3 uncommons, 10 commons, and 1 basic land. (A traditional foil borderless mythic rare planeswalker can be found in less than 1% of ONE Draft Boosters. A traditional foil card of any rarity replaces a common in 33% of ONE Draft Boosters.)
PHYREXIA: ALL WILL BE ONE PRERELEASE PACK
Prerelease Pack
Perfect for Phyrexia: All Will Be One in-store Prerelease events beginning February 3, the ONE Prerelease Pack combines six Draft Boosters with a few extras to compleat your gameplay experience, including a foil-stamped rare or mythic rare, an MTG Arena code card (only available in select regions), a deck box, and a spindown life counter.
While the color of the spindown life counters include variations featuring one of the five colors of mana, 1 in 15 Phyrexia: All Will Be One Prerelease Packs feature a special Phyrexian version of the spindown life counter—look for it at a Prerelease event near you!
PHYREXIA: ALL WILL BE ONE BUNDLE
Bundle
Need some handy storage for cards and more basic lands? The Phyrexia: All Will Be One Bundle includes that and so much more, containing eight Phyrexia: All Will Be One Set Boosters—the best boosters to open just for fun—plus a traditional foil alternate-art Karumonix, the Rat King promo card, 40 basic lands (20 traditional foil basic lands and 20 non-foil basic lands), an oversized spindown life counter, a card storage box, and two reference cards.
Commander Legends: Battle for Baldur's Gate takes the flair and flavor of Dungeons & Dragons: Adventures in the Forgotten Realms and picks up where 2020's Commander Legends release left off: a fun-first set packed with legendary creatures, epic additions to your favorite Commander decks, and the return of Commander Draft to bring the battle to your own party of friends.
It matches the social gameplay fun of Magic: The Gathering Commander with the flavor and excitement of being a powerful, high-level character in Dungeons & Dragons. Whether you're a Dungeons & Dragons fan ready to explore a new multiplayer game or a Magic multiplayer master ready to draft and play with friends again, Commander Legends: Battle for Baldur's Gate combines these experiences into unique gameplay for every fan.
Set Booster Display
Set Booster
Draft Booster Display
Draft Booster
Collector Booster Display
Collector Booster
Bundle
Prerelease Pack
Commander Legends: Battle for Baldur's Gate will be available in many familiar ways:
Draft, Set, and Collector Boosters
Bundle
Prerelease Pack, containing three Draft Boosters, a year-stamped foil rare or mythic rare, a dungeon card, and a MTG Arena code card
And, like Commander Legends before it, Draft Boosters will contain 20 cards—one of which will be a traditional foil!
Plus, four Commander decks will be available as well:
Party Time (white-black)
Mind Flayarrrs (blue-black)
Draconic Dissent (blue-red)
Exit from Exile (red-green)
Each features a ready-to-play 100-card Commander deck featuring ten new-to-Magic cards plus a Collector Booster Sample Pack, like with Streets of New Capenna Commander.
COMMANDER LEGENDS: BATTLE FOR BALDUR'S GATE KEY DATES
Debut and Previews Begin: May 16
Card Image Gallery Complete: May 23
Commander Previews: May 24–25
Commander Card Image Gallery Complete: May 26
In-Store Prerelease Events and Sales Begin: June 3
Worldwide Release: June 10
Launch Parties: June 10–12
And if a greater gathering of friends—a convention hall full of adventurers to match wits and share multiplayer showdowns with—is something you're interested in, then CommandFest is for you. This Magic event celebrating Commander play returns with Commander Legends: Battle for Baldur's Gate, and we'll share more information about these events soon.
DRAFT YOUR PARTY. BUILD YOUR LEGEND.
Commander Legends: Battle for Baldur's Gatefeatures the return of Commander Draft. Commander Draft is a unique Limited format combining Commander's multiplayer gameplay and rules with drafting 20-card boosters to build a deck to match.
If you missed out on 2020's Commander Legends release showing off the Commander Draft format, Gavin Verhey's Good Morning Magic video covering the format can get you up to speed on what it's all about:
THE DIGITAL BEYOND
Prefer to play on your PC or mobile device? Fancy one-on-one showdowns over the adventure of multiplayer? Ready to level up with the latest Alchemy and Historic cards only available on MTG Arena?
Alchemy Horizons: Baldur's Gate releases this July, bringing hundreds of new cards to MTG Arena and launching with everything you've come to expect from full set releases—including a Set Mastery, Draft gameplay modes, and more.
We'll share more about Alchemy Horizons: Baldur's Gate closer to release this July.
THE FIRST PREVIEWS
All of the dates, artwork, and first previews for Commander Legends: Battle for Baldur's Gate were shared earlier on Weekly MTG.
If the video reveal isn't what you're looking for, we've got all the preview cards you missed right here. First, let's look at some of the most exciting options for our mana bases.
Or if aesthetics is something you like with your lands, the extended-art versions can be yours as well:
If you were a fan of Dungeons & Dragons: Adventures in the Forgotten Realms cards featuring the rulebook art treatment, you're in luck as it's returning—and bringing iconic creatures and spells along with it, too:
Of course, it isn't Dungeons & Dragons without Dragons—and heroes that may face off against them:
Picking up a Commander Legends: Battle for Baldur's Gate Bundle will net you an alternate-art version of Wand of Wonder:
And picking up a full Draft, Set, or Collector Booster display of Commander Legends: Battle for Baldur's Gate from your local game store—while supplies last—can net you the Buy-a-Box promo version of Elder Brain.
We'll hit the ground running when Magic returns to Faerûn with Commander Legends: Battle for Baldur's Gate. Previews begin May 16, with the worldwide release planned for June 10—see you there!
Streets of New Capenna Game Day Tips & Promo Reveals
April 12, 2022 | 2 min to read
With the return of the Pro Tour just announced, your community may be seeking additional opportunities to test their skills with competitive play. Game Day is the perfect event to facilitate that need—and Game Day for Streets of New Capenna is just a month away!
From May 7 to 15, you can host Game Day in your store to engage your competitive players with the opportunity for bragging rights and prizes worthy of the golden age.
Game Day Promos: Participation, Top 8, Winners
The Promos coming with Game Day this season feature a returning frame that will be familiar to your long-time fans of the event.
Additionally, the winner Promo, All-Seeing Arbiter, is a new mythic rare card from the Streets of New Capenna set—show off the cards and iconic frame treatment as you market your event to generate more excitement among your community.
You'll receive three types of Promos in your Game Day kit: for participation, each of your Top 8 players, and one for the winner.
Participation Promo: Power Word Kill
Top 8 Promo: Skyclave Apparition
First Place Promo: All-Seeing Arbiter
Remember, the amount of participation Promos you receive will depend on your community size, and you'll receive eight Top 8 Promos and one First Place Promo.
Game Day Formats
You can host Game Day using the following formats:
Draft
Sealed
Standard
Two-Player Brawl
Remember, you can only run Booster Draft or Sealed events if you use Streets of New Capenna Draft Boosters for the event. Game Day is run using Swiss rounds that cut to a top 8.
Tips for Hosting Game Day In-Store
In case you missed it, here's a video by Maria Bartholdi that quickly explains all the need-to-knows for hosting Game Day at your store. Be sure to give it a look if you need a refresher.
Whether you're a Game Day veteran or hosting one for the first time, there are two additional tips to keep top-of-mind:
Run your players' preferred format. It's easier for you to generate excitement for players if you're able to advertise a format they love to play. Always run what works best for your community.
Consider your prize structure in advance. If you want to take the opportunity to entice more casual players to join in the Game Day festivities, you may consider adding additional booster packs as prizes for participation and individual wins.
Schedule Using Wizards EventLink
Scheduling early using Wizards EventLink affords you the maximum amount of time to advertise your event to interested players across your own social media platforms. It also allows these players more time to find you through the Store & Event Locator.
Putting your Game Day on the books in Wizards EventLink should only take a few clicks—so be sure to head over and start scheduling today!