Magic: The Gathering is getting a new kind of booster pack when Zendikar Rising releases this September. Head designer Mark Rosewater revealed the first look at the new set during the Magic: The Gathering Comic-Con@Home panel on Saturday. During the panel, Rosewater also revealed the upcoming debut of Set Boosters, described as the “booster pack designed for people who love the booster opening experience.” According to Wizards of the Coast, Set Boosters are designed to “spark more joy upon opening than traditional booster packs.” Each set booster has 14 cards, including 1 art card (with a low chance of being stamped with a golden artist signature), and 1 land. These boosters are meant to provide “a broad view of the set’s themes, story, and flavor.” All Set Boosters are guaranteed to include a Foil card.
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Also, one in four Set Boosters contains a card from “The List,” a curated list of 300 cards from Magic: The Gathering‘s past. The List cards are “chosen for being fun and representative of all the old and exciting mechanics of Magic’s past.” Cards from the list bear the Planeswalker symbol (similar to cards printed in Mystery Booster) but retain the set symbol of the original printing. Rosewater revealed three cards on The List during the panel: cards:
- Cloudgoat Ranger
- Pact of Negation
- Muscle Sliver
Set Boosters are are the latest addition to Magic: The Gathering‘s expanding line of different boosters types. Other booster types that have already debuted include:
- Draft Booster: These boosters are meant for play! The go-to booster pack for booster draft and sealed deck.
- Theme Booster: These boosters are meant to kick-start a collection based on themes players enjoy. A Theme Booster emphasizes the unique and flavorful aspects, or gameplay mechanics, of a set. Themes will differ from set to set.
- Collector Booster: These boosters are the best way to get special, alternative, and foil cards. Filled with premium foil and alternative versions of cards found in the main set.
Zendikar Rising is a return to the plane of Zendikar, first introduced in its titular set in 2009. Zendikar is a plane that overflows with mana, often attracting Planeswalkers from across the multiverse. The plane was once the prison to the Eldrazi, Cthulhu-esque creatures without color alignment driven by eternal hunger. The Eldrazi nearly destroyed Zendikar during their attempted escape. Only the intervention of the Gatewatch saved the plane, which is now rebuilding. Rosewater has said in the past that Zendikar Rising will offer players a chance to revisit the plane they loved without the threat of the Eldrazi looming over it.
Zendikar Rising launches in September.
