Zendikar Rising Set Boosters throw a curve ball at traditional booster layout and design. These new Set Booster aims for a fun middle ground between the Draft Boosters we’re familiar with and the fancy, but expensive, Collectors Boosters we seen over the last few sets.
Zendikar Rising Set Boosters will run about a dollar higher than traditional Draft Boosters, ship 30 in a display, and contain 14 cards, 12 being Magic: the Gathering cards. However, unlike Draft Boosters, this isn’t laid out in the Common – Uncommon – Rare – maybe something special format. Instead, it full of cool art, themed cards, and surprises. Lots of surprises.
As you can see, Zendikar Rising Set Boosters are laid out in 4 Chapters; Welcome, Fireworks, Big Finish, and Epilogue. As if it were a storybook in your hand. And that tied together tale format, with ups, downs, and unexpected twists is just what Wizards of the Coast expects to grab your attention.
Chapter 1 – Welcome
Slot 1 is a art card, there are 81 different ones in the set, with a full art front and card information on the back. Five (5%) percent of the art cards will bear a gold-stamped signature of the artist.
Slot 2 is a land card. While this will be a basic land, Zendikar Rising features full art basic lands. Fifteen (15%) of these cards will be foils and they do not prevent other cards in a Set Booster from also being foils. More on that as we get to it.
Slot 3 through 8 are connected Commons and Uncommons. Since the Set Booster isn’t designed for Limited play, Wizards of the Coast didn’t have to worry about balancing this part of the booster. Instead, they get to play around with cool concepts. Each card in this section is somehow connected to cards of the same rarity next to them. They may be story themed, similar creature types, or just cards that go well together. Players will have to figure out the connections as they go through the cards.
Also, this section is guaranteed to have at least uncommon in this section, but the other cards aren’t set. You could get 5 Commons and 1 Uncommon or a complete spread of 6 Uncommons. Wizards of the Coast gives this breakdown:
35% chance of 5 Commons and 1 Uncommon
40% chance of 4 Commons and 2 Uncommons
12.5% chance of 3 Commons and 3 Uncommons
7% chance of 2 Commons and 4 Uncommons
3.5% chance of 1 Common and 5 Uncommons
2% chance of 6 Uncommons
Chapter 2 – Fireworks
Slot 9 is the first of the Fireworks chapter and designated as the Head-Turning Slot. This is going to be a Common or Uncommon, but it will be a either a showcase card or another card featuring cool setting elements that they’re keeping close to their chest…
Slot 10 and 11 are termed Wildcard Rarity Slots. You’ll find everything from common to mythic rare in these spots. They are also independent from each other. You can get a common, common pairing or a mythic, mythic and anything in between. You can also get Rare and Mythic Rare showcase cards in these spots. And these are in addition to the guaranteed cards still to come!
Your chances of pulling any particular combination are given by Wizards of the Coast as
49% Common/Common
24.5% Common/Uncommon
17.5% Common/Rare
3.1% Uncommon/Uncommon
4.3% Uncommon/Rare
1.6% Rare/Rare
Rare can be either a Rare or a Mythic Rare
Chapter 3 – Big Finish
This chapter gives you locked in goodies to add to the pile of interesting and special cards you may have already pulled.
Slot 12 is your Rare/Mythic Rare spot just like you’re used to from Draft Boosters. However, Zendikar Rising has increased the chance of pulling a Mythic Rare from 1-in-8 to 1-in-7.4. This change occurs in both Set Boosters and Draft Boosters.
Slot 13 is a guaranteed foil card of any rarity. Yes, it could indeed be another Mythic Rare! Up to 4 possible now in a Zendikar Rising Set Booster.
Chapter 4 – Epilogue
Slot 14, the end of our voyage, is supposed to be a token or an ad card. However, Zendikar Rising has one last trick. There is a twenty-five (25%) percent chance of this being a card from The List.
The List? Wizards of the Coast has culled through the 27-year history of Magic: the Gathering and created a list of 300 interesting cards. These cards will be in the same proportion as regular cards with respect to common-uncommon-rare-mythic rare and will appear as they originally did, but with a small Planeswalker symbol on the lower left. Also, The List will stay relatively constant over time with only subtle changes to reflect the set where they appear.
Wrapping up, if you want to get your hands on a Zendikar Rising Set Booster your first opportunity will be at Zendikar Rising Prerelease in September. Each participant will get a free Set Booster, while supplies last, for playing. Check them out and let Wizards of the Coast know what you think.
Get more information regarding the design and plans for Zendikar Rising Set Boosters from Mark Rosewater at Making Magic
