Jul 28, 2020 — Zendikar Rising

Zendikar Rising's New SKUs And What You Need to Know About Them

Whether players are getting their first taste of Magic, are trying to build their specific collections and decks, or just want to keep playing their favorite game, Zendikar Rising has something for everyone.

Jul 28, 2020 — Zendikar Rising

Zendikar Rising's New SKUs And What You Need to Know About Them

Whether players are getting their first taste of Magic, are trying to build their specific collections and decks, or just want to keep playing their favorite game, Zendikar Rising has something for everyone.

As we experiment with new expressions of Magic and expand the range of Magic experiences available to fans, we do it with this goal in mind: however you want to play, however you want to engage with the game, there's a product for you.

That's why the Zendikar Rising product mix is so ambitious. Whether you want to draft or just open packs, whether you want to add some reprints to your Commander deck or start Magic with the same format your friends are playing, Zendikar Rising offers something with exactly that use in mind.

Two products in the Zendikar Rising lineup illustrate that principle perfectly: Commander Decks and Set Boosters. Let's take a look.

Experience Magic for the First Time with Commander Decks

Commander Decks

Commander isn't only one of the most popular Magic formats—it's also how a lot of people learn to play.

It's counterintuitive at first. Commander's learning curve might seem a bit steeper than, say, Standard. But it makes sense–whether you're into Standard or Vintage or anything in between, you probably play some Commander. So people learn Magic through Commander because it's what their friends play.

That's why the Commander Decks for Zendikar Rising are a little different that you're used to. This time around, they take the place of Planeswalker Decks—the Zendikar Rising Commander Decks are the perfect onramp for folks diving into both Commander and Magic in general

But don’t worry—the decks have something for the veterans, too. They debut three cards each, plus they're loaded with reprints.

Different Boosters for Different Experiences: Draft Boosters, Set Boosters, Collector Boosters, and Theme Boosters

There are a lot of different reasons a fan might open a booster. Maybe they're drafting or playing in Prerelease. Maybe they're hunting new cards for their mono-red aggro deck. Maybe they love chasing foils or fancy card treatments, or just opening packs to see what's inside.

For almost three decades, one booster was expected to meet all those needs. But with Zendikar Rising, there's a booster tailored with each of those experiences in mind.

The best way to grasp the different booster types and what they're for is to see them all in contrast. Only one of them is new, but let's cover all of them to create the complete picture.

Draft Boosters

Draft Boosters are optimized for just that—drafting.

Draft Boosters are the classic Magic booster. Fifteen cards from the set designed for a balanced Draft experience, plus Sealed Deck and Prerelease and any other limited format. If a player is perfectly content with the booster experience as it has always existed, great. It's not going anywhere.

But, unless they're specifically looking to draft, they should definitely check out the other options.

Starting with:

Set Boosters

What Draft Boosters are to drafting, Set Boosters are to just opening a pack to see what you'll get.

Set Boosters are optimized to make opening boosters as fun as possible. Where Draft Boosters usually have just one excitement point (the rare), Set Boosters have many: art cards, full-art basic lands, a chunk of thematically connected cards—some even have a cool reprint from a curated list.

If you haven't checked out Mark Rosewater's breakdown of Set Boosters, you definitely should. Check it out here.

Collector Boosters

Collector Boosters are a shortcut to the coolest cards in the set.

Zendikar Rising is stuffed with all sorts of visually explosive cards—showcase frames, alternate art, borderless planeswalkers, and on and on. If that's what you're looking for, Collector Boosters are your best bet. They're loaded with rares, foils, special art and frames, and more.

Theme Boosters

Theme Boosters are perfect for players looking to expand their decks with a specific color in mind.

These larger booster packs are full of cards all based on a single theme, like a color or set-based premise. Players who are looking to build their specific deck or fill a single-color collection but still love the surprise of opening booster packs will love the Theme Booster.

Zendikar Rising and its new and improved booster lineup launch on September 25, and Zendikar Rising events, including At-Home Prerelease, are available now in WER and Wizards EventLink.

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