Last updated on October 3, 2024
Pack Guardian | Illustration by Filip Burburan
MTG is a collectible card game, and collecting has always been the heart of the game. Magic has recently grown to a wider than-ever audience with differing card needs. Wizards quickly realized that some MTG players werenโt satisfied with the limited offering of products and were willing to buy premium products, so they ran with it to their heartโs content.
WotC has shifted gears on โproduct varietyโ since 2018, and the plethora of products in each set can be overwhelming for casual and veteran fans alike. But fear not! Today I'm going to go through every booster option available.
Maybe youโre looking for the latest collectionโs play booster to fire a Draft, or youโre aiming to get the most expensive Constructed chase rare or mythic in the shiniest foil treatment. Letโs dive right into all the different MTG booster offerings!
Quick note: All prices are quoted in U.S. dollar figures.
Play Booster
My pick: Bloomburrow Play Boosters
Play boosters are the packs, whether you are cracking packs for fun or drafting. They're specifically made to replace set and draft boosters. In short, play boosters add the rare counts of set boosters to make them more optimal to open than Draft packs, but with a pack structure and design intended for Limited!
Play boosters have the following contents:
- 6-7 are commons. One of them has a 1/8 chance of being a Special Guest (some expansions have a card of any rarity from โThe Listโ).
- 3 are uncommons.
- 1 rare/mythic, your โnormal rareโ from the pack.
- 1 non-foil โwildcard,โ which can be any card from the set.
- 1 foil โwildcard,โ which means every pack includes a foil.
- 1 land.
- 1 is an unplayable card that is an ad, token, art card, or helper card.
Time will tell if players buy as many play boosters as they did set and draft boosters. With the potential for four rares in a single pack, the price of play boosters generally matches set boosters, around $6.
- TINY TAILS, BIG ADVENTUREโPut your best paw forward and enter the world of Bloomburrow; fight beside mice, frogs, bats, birds, lizards, squirrels, and other critters as you restore the balance of peace in the Valley and prove that bravery comes in all sizes!
- FUN TO OPEN. FUN TO PLAYโGet the best of Draft and Set Boosters, combined into one! Play Boosters are great for Limited play and fun to open, with a possibility of Art cards, Showcase cards, additional Rares, and a foil card in every pack
- BEST BOOSTER FOR PLAYING WITH FRIENDSโSpecially balanced for Limited play, grab 6 Play Boosters to build a deck and battle your friends in Sealed games, or grab 3 packs and pass them around to build decks in a Booster Draft
- MAY CONTAIN MULTIPLE RARESโEach Play Booster contains 1โ4 cards of rarity Rare or higher, including the possibility of a Borderless Mythic Rare card from Magicโs history
- SHINING FOIL IN EVERY PACKโEvery booster also includes at least 1 shining Traditional Foil card of any rarity; in 20% of packs youโll also find a Traditional Foil Land card
Draftsim's staff picks:
Jumpstart Booster
My pick: The Lord of the Rings: Tales of Middle-Earch Jumpstart Vol. 2
The Lord of the Rings: Tales of Middle-Earch Jumpstart Vol. 2 (really, volume one or two is good) is my pack because Tolkien provides a great starting point in magic and fantasy themes, it is classic MTG all around and includes some nice reprints.
Jumpstart boosters are a different product aimed at highlighting easy deck building. The point is to buy two boosters and shuffle them together for a deck thatโs ready to go! Theyโre thematic, so a given collection can pair an angel booster, a dragon booster, a soldier booster, or in this set, hobbits, elves, or dwarves. You only know the theme after youโve opened it, so you canโt ask your LGS for the dragon-themed Jumpstart booster.
You can open a dragon booster and a halfling booster, shuffle them, and now you have a dragon hobbit deck! Jumpstart is perfect for playing with friends that donโt have MTG cards, or to introduce new players to the game.
Jumpstart boosters usually sell for around $5-$7 and contain 20 cards: one rare from the theme (sometimes two), some uncommons, commons, and basic lands. Combine two of these and youโll have a 40-card deck with around 16 lands and 24 non-land cards.
- EVEN MORE THEMES TO MIX & MATCHโThis second volume of The Lord of the Rings Jumpstart Boosters features 5 more themes to explore Middle-earth: Mortals, Cunning, Orcish, Riders, and Elven
- MAGIC MEETS THE LORD OF THE RINGSโExperience the beloved story of The Lord of the Rings with the strategic gameplay of Magic: The Gathering, facing off against opponents in thrilling magical battles
- JOIN THE FELLOWSHIPโImmerse yourself in Middle-earth with unique game mechanics and stunning art that draw you into this epic tale
- BEST BOOSTERS TO JUMP RIGHT INโJumpstart Boosters are a fast, fun way to jump into the game; just grab a friend, open 2 packs each, shuffle them together, and play
- 2 RARES + 2 FOIL LANDS IN EVERY PACKโEvery pack contains 1 thematic Rare card designed specifically for Jumpstart Vol. 2 Boosters, 1 Rare or Mythic Rare from The Lord of the Rings: Tales of Middle-earth main set, and 2 Land cards with a shiny Traditional Foil treatment
Collector Booster
My pick: Outlaws of Thunder Junction Collector Boosters
Collector boosters are the most expensive packs, and this is where the higher chances of getting premium cards lie. You might as well spin the wheel and get a nice prize, because thereโs definitely a lot of luck involved.
Collector booster contents vary wildly between sets, so hereโs what you can expect from an Outlaws of Thunder Junction collector booster as an example:
- 4 foil commons
- 3 foil uncommons
- 1 foil full-art basic land
- 1 non-foil showcase art uncommon
- 1 foil showcase art uncommon
- 1 foil rare or mythic rare
- 1 non-foil rare or mythic rare
- 1 foil from the Commander set or non-foil rare or mythic rare
- 1 non-foil Booster Fun rare or mythic rare
- 1 Traditional foil Booster Fun rare or mythic rare
Collector boosters have premium content and come at a premium price, most retail for around $20 to $30. They're your best chance to find the prettiest version of the collectionโs most desired cards.
This is the right product for you if you look to play with the shiniest toys and pimp out your Cube or best Commander decks.
- THUNDER JUNCTIONโS MOST WANTEDโSearching for the best in the West? Lasso up the ultimate bounty in Collector Boosters, providing any cowpoke with a full posse of shiny prizes
- BEST BOOSTERS FOR COLLECTORSโCollector Boosters are a shortcut to the coolest cards in a set, with packs full of Rare cards, shiny foil cards, and special alt-art, alt-frame cards
- CRIMINALLY COOL CARDSโEvery pack contains 6 alt-border cards, including at least 3 Breaking News cardsโreprints that report a spellcasting crime with frontpage news-style frames; you may even nab a Borderless version with a slick Textured Foil treatment (a Collector Booster exclusive)
- THE BEST OF THE WESTโCollector Boosters contain more hard-to-find cards than any other Outlaws of Thunder Junction booster, with 5 cards of rarity Rare or higher in each pack
- PLAY A GAME THAT FUSES ART, STORIES & STRATEGYโMagic: The Gathering is a collectible card game that weaves deep strategy with art and mechanics that explore the themes of a particular world and storyโwhether you want to play a casual game with friends, collect cool cards, or get competitive, Magic welcomes you to The Gathering
Draftsim's staff picks:
Beyond Booster
My pick: Assassinโs Creed Beyond Booster
Keep an eagle eye on this spot on the shelf at your Magic store, because there are Universes Beyond sets that promise to be bigger than Assassinโs Creed, but may use this type of booster. The beyond boosters come with:
- 3 Uncommons
- 1 land or rare scene card
- 1 non-foil rare or mythic
- 1 foil rare or mythic
- 1 non-foil Booster Fun wildcard
- 1 non-foil ad/token/art card
This booster is not meant for draft, but rather for the thrill of the pull and to explore a universe beyond the planes of Magic.
- EXPLORE WITH 7-CARD BEYOND BOOSTERSโOpen 7-card packs full of classic characters, items, and moments from your favorite Assassinโs Creed games with a box of 24 Beyond Boosters
- LEAP INTO HISTORYโAssassinโs Creed emerges from the shadows to join Magic: The Gathering. Freerun through ancient locales with your favorite Assassins, equip deadly weapons, and ensure your targets are history
- TAKE A LEAP OF FAITHโBring the beloved video game series to your tabletop with new art and thematic game mechanics sure to delight Assassinโs Creed and Magic fans alike
- TRACK DOWN ELUSIVE RELICSโIn each pack youโll find 1โ4 cards of rarity Rare or higher, at least 1 shining Traditional Foil card, and at least 1 card with full, Borderless artโno scouring the streets required for these collectibles
- FOIL and BORDERLESS CARD IN EVERY PACKโEvery Beyond Booster includes at least 1 shining Traditional Foil card and 1 Borderless Card featuring gorgeous alt-art that extends all the way to the edges of the card
Draft Booster
My pick: Ravnica Remastered Draft Boosters
Draft boosters used to be simply known as โbooster packs,โ and they were the main way to get MTG cards. Theyโve been renamed โdraft boostersโ as more booster types have been introduced, and for years they were the only sanctioned and balanced way to play Limited.
Draft boosters come with 15 cards (one rare, three uncommons, and 10 commons) alongside a basic land or extra token card/ad card. The fact that the rarities are fixed makes them balanced for Limited play, while other boosters (set boosters, collector boosters) arenโt.
The draft boosters are generally the cheapest pack to buy. Ravnica Remastered looks to have the last draft boosters. Youโll want a few of these if you want to play and improve on Limited, be it to Draft, play Sealed, or Pack Wars. An average MTG player usually plays around two or three drafts per collection and keeps the cards theyโve opened this way. Some players also get a draft booster box for each set, maybe to open the cards and see what they can find or to play Limited. Draft boosters usually sell for about $4.
- BECOME A CARD-CARRYING GUILD MEMBERโThereโs no place like Ravnica; walk through familiar streets with a bustling crowd of reprinted favorites from Ravnicaโs past and the ten unique guilds that keep the city running
- RETRO CARD IN EVERY PACKโTake a turn down memory lane with the inclusion of a special Retro card in every booster!
- RARE OR MYTHIC RARE IN EVERY PACKโEvery pack contains at least 1 card of rarity Rare or higher and may contain up to 3, including 1 possible Rare or Mythic Rare with a shining Traditional Foil treatment
- BEST BOOSTERS FOR DRAFTINGโDraft Boosters are designed to draft a deck and play with friends; everyone grabs 3 packs and passes them around to pick cards. Add some lands and you're ready for epic 2-player battles
- PLAY A GAME THAT FUSES ART, STORIES & STRATEGYโMagic: The Gathering is a collectible card game that weaves deep strategy with art and mechanics that explore the themes of a particular world and storyโwhether you want to play a casual game with friends, collect cool cards, or get competitive, Magic welcomes you to The Gathering
Draftsim's staff picks:
Set Booster
My pick: March of the Machine Set Boosters
March of the Machine gets the nod because you can open a bunch of valuable cards like Etali, Primal Conqueror, Sheoldred, and Urabrask.
Set boosters come with fewer cards than draft boosters (12 vs. 15), but thereโs an increased chance to pull more rares/mythics and more premium cards like foil and extended art cards. One of these usually retails for around $5-$6. Since set boosters arenโt balanced for Limited they usually have two rares or more, and thereโs also the chance you get a reprinted card from The List, which can also be an extra rare.
Letโs see what you can find in March of the Machine set boosters as an example:
- 1 Multiverse Legends card
- At least 1 battle card
- 1 traditional foil/foil-etched card of any rarity including Multiverse Legends in traditional foil and the foil-etched treatment
- 2 wildcards of any rarity (opportunity to open MOM Commander cards, Jumpstart booster rares, or Multiverse Legends)
- 1 basic land/full-art harbinger basic land in traditional foil or non-foil
- 1 double-faced Phyrexian common/uncommon
- 2 connected uncommons
- 2 connected commons
- 1 art card
- 1 token/ad card, double-faced Helper card, or The List card
Iโd look for old set boosters if Limited play isnโt your jam and youโre buying cards to increase your collection. Thereโs a possibility of finding a couple rare or mythic rare cards in a single booster and a guaranteed foil card.
- 30 March of the Machine Set Boostersโthe best MTG boosters to open just for fun
- 12 Magic: The Gathering cards per booster
- At least 1 Multiverse Legend card in every pack
- 1โ5 cards of rarity Rare or higher in every pack
- Foil card and Art Card in every pack
Draftsim's staff picks:
Epilogue Boosters
My Pick: March of the Machine: The Aftermath
Epilogue boosters are special boosters released in the March of the Machine: The Aftermath micro set. They contain only five cards, with a combination of 1-3 card(s) of rarity rare or higher and 2-4 uncommon cards. Thereโs also a guaranteed foil in each pack, with a maximum of two.
Expect some high-value boosters with nice and powerful cards. Epilogue boosters are exclusive to The Aftermath.
- THE FIRST STEPS AFTER THE LAST STANDโRebuild the Multiverse while building up your collection in this epic conclusion to the March of the Machine storyline
- INTRODUCING EPILOGUE BOOSTERSโThese special boosters fill in the story between sets with 5 Magic: The Gathering cards in each pack
- RARES & UNCOMMONS ONLYโSmall but mighty, all 5 cards in each booster are of rarity Uncommon or higher, including 1โ3 cards of rarity Rare or higher
- FOILS & SHOWCASE CARDSโEach Epilogue Booster contains 1 Showcase or Retro-Frame card and at least 1 Traditional Foil card
- CONTENTSโ1 Epilogue Booster Box containing 24 March of the Machine: The Aftermath MTG Epilogue Boosters
Compleat Edition Boosters
My pick: Phyrexia: All Will Be One Compleat Bundle
Compleat edition boosters are exclusive to Phyrexia: All Will Be One and contain two of each basic land along with two mythics from the set. These 12 cards also come with the exclusive oil slick raised foil treatment.
The only way to get a Compleat edition booster is in the Phyrexia: All Will Be One: Compleat Edition bundle, which comes with compleat boosters alongside 12 All Will Be One set boosters.
- Bundle: Compleat Editionโcontains cards with an Oil Slick Raised Foil treatment exclusive to the Compleat Edition
- 1 Compleat Edition boosterโ12 Oil Slick Raised Foil cards, with 2 Mythic Rares + 10 Basic Lands (2 of each type)
- 1 Exclusive Phyrexian Language Traditional Foil Rare promo cardโPhyrexian Arena
- 40 Traditional Foil Land cards that celebrate the glory of Phyrexiaโ20 Phyrexianized Lands + 20 Panorama Full-Art Lands
- 12 Phyrexia: All Will Be One Set Boostersโthe best MTG boosters to open just for fun
Bonus: Value Booster
The value booster is only found in big box stores and was spotted for about $5. Available with Bloomburrow cards, these have packs have seven total cards, no guaranteed rare, one wildcard and one land that has a slim chance of being a Special Guest.
Honorable Mention: Welcome Booster
Welcome boosters were introduced in 2020, and there's been one for each set since. Their contents vary with each set, and they show off different aspects of the game.
Unlike the other boosters from this list, you can get these for free at your LGS. They're not for sale and are meant to be free โsamplesโ to welcome and entice players to the game.
Discontinued Booster Pack Types
8-Card Packs
Older sets like Arabian Nights, Antiquities, The Dark, and Fallen Empires from the early โ90s were sold in 8-card booster packs. They contained 1 rare, 2 uncommons, and 5 commons.
12-Card Packs
Chronicles was sold in 12-card booster packs in 1995, with 1 rare, 3 uncommons, and 8 commons. This is the only 12 card-booster with this content composition in MTG history.
Starter Decks
Starter decks were sold in early MTG sets. It came with 60 cards including two or three rares, with the rest typically being 20 basic lands, 25 commons, and 5 uncommons depending on the set.
The sets that offered starter decks started with Alpha, MTGโs first set all the way through the Tempest block. After that, the starter decks changed to โtournament packs.โ
Tournament Packs
Tournament packs were packs that contained a huge number of MTG cards from the same set: 75 cards. A good chunk of these cards were basic lands, usually 30, with around 25 common cards, some uncommons, and rares mixed in between.
Tournament packs were sold in Shards of Alara in 2009 and go back as early as Urzaโs Saga in 1999. They were commonly used to play Sealed deck or in prereleases.
- Contains 75 cards
Theme Booster
Theme boosters are boosters with 35 cards from a single theme. They debuted in Dominaria in 2018, and each of those theme boosters had cards of a specific color theme. The themes varied between sets, with sets like Strixhaven and Guilds of Ravnica having guild-based themes, while sets like Innistrad: Midnight Hunt had mono-color themes and a special werewolf-themed deck. The last set to offer theme boosters was Streets of New Capenna in April 2022.
Most of the 35 cards from theme boosters were commons, with a few uncommons and one or two rares/mythics. Theyโre recommended for players who prefer a certain color (or color combination) and want to boost a specific deck or themed deck.
- Each of the five families that vie for strength and profits in New Capenna take more than just one or two colors! This listing is for a sealed box of 10 theme booster packs, each pack has 35 cards.
VIP Edition Boosters
VIP edition was a special version of collector booster only released for Double Masters in 2020. It contained 30 cards and at least 4 foil rares or mythics. Itโs the only possible way to open foil Double Masters borderless cards, each pack containing two of them. I'm talking premium cards like Mana Crypt, Force of Will, and Atraxa, Praetors' Voice.
You can also find two foil rares or mythics alongside 17 foil commons and uncommons. Itโs one of the most expensive products on this list with prices in the $200 range. They also make for excellent high-end MTG-related gifts and presents.
While not officially discontinued, the VIP edition boosters didnโt reappear in Double Masters 2022.
- Double Masters VIP Edition contains a combination of 4 rare or mythic rare foils (see below for contents) โ2 featuring beautiful borderless art, printed here for the first time.
- Play with some of the most dominating Magic cards ever, whether you're into Commander, Pioneer, Legacy, or all of the above.
- As beautiful as they are powerful, most of the cards in Double Masters VIP Edition are foilโ 23 foils in all.
- Take in the scenery with 12 basic lands with special full artโ2 in foil and 10 non-foil.
- Contents: 33 Magic cards plus 2 double-sided tokens. 2 foil borderless cards (either 2 rare foil borderless cards or 1 rare and 1 mythic rare foil borderless card), 2 foil rares or mythics (2 rare foil regular frame cards or 1 rare and 1 mythic rare foil regular frame card), 8 foil uncommons, 9 foil commons, and 12 full-art basic lands (2 foil and 10 non-foil).
Wrap Up
Lord Xander, the Collector (Streets of New Capenna) | Illustration by Martina Fackova
WotC releases lots of different products, which can be overwhelming to average and veteran players alike.
The fact is that thereโs no wrong booster or product, but there is something for everybody and thatโs the important part. Introductory packs like Jumpstart are great for beginners but still have value for Limited players and collectors. Play boosters simplify and satisfy the vast majority of what players want in opening packs. Those of us who expect more value from pack-openings or want a higher risk-reward situation should spring for collector boosters.
Whatโs your go-to MTG booster product? Are you more like me and prefer the excitement of drafting play boosters, or do you go straight to value-filled products like collector boosters? Let me know in the comments, or join the conversation over in the Draftsim Discord.
Stay safe folks, and go crack some packs!
Note: this post contains affiliate links. If you use these links to make a purchase, youโll help Draftsim continue to provide awesome free articles and apps.
Follow Draftsim for awesome articles and set updates:
Add Comment