Last updated on December 19, 2025
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 weren’t satisfied with the limited offering of products and were willing to buy premium products, so they ran with it to their heart’s content.
WotC has shifted gears on “product variety” 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 you’re looking for the latest collection’s play booster to fire a Draft, or you’re aiming to get the most expensive Constructed chase rare or mythic in the shiniest foil treatment. Let’s dive right into all the different MTG booster offerings!
Quick note: All prices are quoted in U.S. dollar figures.
Play Booster
My pick: Tarkir: Dragonstorm 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 a special set of reprints).
- 3 are uncommons.
- 1 rare/mythic, your “normal rare” from the pack.
- 1 non-foil “wildcard,” which can be any card from the set.
- 1 foil “wildcard,” which means every pack includes a foil.
- 1 land.
- 1 is an unplayable card that is an ad, token, art card, or helper card.
Play boosters are for the most part a good replacement of 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.
- FIGHT DRAGONS WITH DRAGONS—Return to Tarkir for an epic battle between dragons and clans; discover which clan fits your playstyle with distinct three-color gameplay, and add draconic power to your collection
- BEST BOOSTERS FOR PLAYING WITH FRIENDS—Play Boosters are the best way to discover what Magic: The Gathering has to offer; they're perfect for building decks, playing Limited games with friends, and are tons of fun to open
- A DRAGON’S HOARD OF TARKIR TREASURES—Each Play Booster contains 1–4 cards of rarity Rare or higher, including the possibility of a Special Guest Mythic Rare from Magic’s history featuring new Borderless art
- SHINING FOIL IN EVERY PACK—Every booster also includes at least 1 shining Traditional Foil card of any rarity; in 20% of packs you’ll add an additional shiny card to your hoard with a Traditional Foil Land
- MAY CONTAIN ART CARDS—Found only in Play Boosters, some packs contain an Art card showcasing a piece of art from the Tarkir: Dragonstorm set and may even feature a foil signature from the artist
Draftsim's staff picks:
Jumpstart Booster
My pick: Avatar: The Last Airbender Jumpstart Boosters
Avatar: The Last Airbender proves it can bring balance to a game of five colors with its four distinct factions. The themes overlap slightly, balance quite well and are a lot of fun.
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 that’s ready to go! They’re thematic, so a given collection can pair allies, cabbages, freedom fighters, spirits, waterbending, or simply Azula. You only know the theme after you’ve opened it, so you can’t ask your LGS for the hybrid animals-themed Jumpstart booster.
You do end up with decks like Sparky Sparky Firebending and Earthbending Warriors! Jumpstart is perfect for playing with friends that don’t 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 8-9 basic lands. Combine two of these and you get a 40-card deck with around 16 lands and 24 non-land cards.
- WATER. EARTH. FIRE. AIR... MAGIC—The action, adventure, and spirit of Avatar: The Last Airbender awaken in the Magic: The Gathering collectible card game
- 46 AVATAR: THE LAST AIRBENDER THEMES—Relive iconic scenes and team up with your favorite characters with Avatar: The Last Airbender-themed packs; each pack has 1 of 46 possible themes
- MIX AND MATCH TO MASTER THE ELEMENTS—Hold on to your cabbages—the mash-up mayhem is about to begin. Grab two boosters, shuffle them together, and you’re ready to go!
- BEST BOOSTERS TO JUMP RIGHT IN—Jumpstart Boosters are a fast, fun way to jump into a Magic game; just shuffle two packs together for an instant deck, including all the Land cards you need to play
- BRING MAGIC TO FRIENDS & FAMILY—With instant deckbuilding and delightful theme combos, Jumpstart is great for a quick game or fun way to teach friends and family to play Magic
Draftsim's staff picks:
Collector Booster
My pick: Final Fantasy 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 there’s definitely a lot of luck involved.
Collector booster contents vary wildly between sets, so here’s what you can expect from a Final Fantasy collector booster as an example:
- 3 foil commons
- 3 foil uncommons
- 1 foil basic land
- 1 non-foil showcase art uncommon
- 1 foil showcase art common or uncommon
- 3 non-foil rares or mythic rares with Booster Fun
- 1 card from the Through the Ages bonus sheet
- 1 foil rare or mythic rare that could be a colorful chocobo or a serialized gold chocobo.
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 collection’s 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.
- THE ENTIRE FINAL FANTASY SAGA IS HERE—Step into the unforgettable stories of all 16 FINAL FANTASY core games brought to your tabletop with the strategic gameplay of the Magic: The Gathering trading card game
- CUE THE VICTORY FANFARE—Cast powerful spells, meet iconic characters, and visit familiar locales on the back of a Chocobo with cards featuring FINAL FANTASY-themed art and mechanics
- THE FINEST CARDS FOR PLAY AND DISPLAY—Collector Boosters are the ultimate way to add unique and exclusive cards to your collection; tons of foils, special card treatments, and more await you inside every pack
- COLLECTOR BOOSTER-EXCLUSIVES—Collector Boosters are the only boosters that may contain cards featuring special foil treatments, and in <0.1% of Collector Boosters (English-language only) you may even find an extra special serialized card printed with a unique number
- COLLECT SPECIAL ALT-FRAME CARDS—Collect Borderless cards featuring beautiful alternate art or Extended-Art cards that put a card’s art on full display; every Collector Booster is packed with special alternate-frame FINAL FANTASY-themed cards
Draftsim's staff picks:
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 “samples” to welcome and entice players to the game.
Discontinued Booster Pack Types
A few listed here are not officially discontinued, but when sets that follow these do not include said product, that gets it listed here. These sealed packs certainly can be found on the market, but if WotC does not continue to release them, they become discontinued.
Older sets like Arabian Nights, Antiquities, The Dark, and Fallen Empires from the early ’90s 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, MTG’s first set all the way through the Tempest block. After that, the starter decks changed to “tournament packs.”
Tournament Packs
These packs contain 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 Urza’s Saga with in 1999 as seen in an Urza's Saga tournament pack. They were commonly used to play Sealed deck or in prereleases.
Theme Booster
No products found.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 No products found. in April 2022.
Most of the 35 cards from theme boosters were commons, with a few uncommons and one or two rares/mythics. They’re recommended for players who prefer a certain color (or color combination) and want to boost a specific deck or themed deck.
No products found.
VIP Edition Boosters
No products found.VIP edition was a special version of collector booster only released for No products found.. It contained 30 cards and at least 4 foil rares or mythics. It’s 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. It’s 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.
The VIP edition boosters did not return in Double Masters 2022.
No products found.
Beyond Booster
Since Universes Beyond sets filter through Standard and generally land as bigger than Assassin’s Creed sets, this type of booster is reserved to ACR. The Assassin’s Creed 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 BOOSTERS—Open 7-card packs full of classic characters, items, and moments from your favorite Assassin’s Creed games with a box of 24 Beyond Boosters
- LEAP INTO HISTORY—Assassin’s 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 FAITH—Bring the beloved video game series to your tabletop with new art and thematic game mechanics sure to delight Assassin’s Creed and Magic fans alike
- TRACK DOWN ELUSIVE RELICS—In each pack you’ll find 1–4 cards of rarity Rare or higher, at least 1 shining Traditional Foil card, and at least 1 card with full, Borderless art—no scouring the streets required for these collectibles
- FOIL and BORDERLESS CARD IN EVERY PACK—Every 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
Draft boosters used to be simply known as “booster packs,” and they were the main way to get MTG cards. They’ve been renamed “draft boosters” 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) aren’t.
The draft boosters are generally the cheapest pack to buy. Ravnica Remastered has the last draft boosters. You’ll want a few Ravnica Remastered draft boosters 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 they’ve 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.
- BECOME A CARD-CARRYING GUILD MEMBER—There’s no place like Ravnica; walk through familiar streets with a bustling crowd of reprinted favorites from Ravnica’s past and the ten unique guilds that keep the city running
- RETRO CARD IN EVERY PACK—Take a turn down memory lane with the inclusion of a special Retro card in every booster!
- RARE OR MYTHIC RARE IN EVERY PACK—Every 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 DRAFTING—Draft 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 & STRATEGY—Magic: The Gathering is a collectible card game that weaves deep strategy with art and mechanics that explore the themes of a particular world and story—whether 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
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 there’s 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 aren’t balanced for Limited they usually have two rares or more, and there’s also the chance you get a reprinted card from The List, which can also be an extra rare.
Let’s 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
I’d look for old set boosters if Limited play isn’t your jam and you’re buying cards to increase your collection. There’s 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 Boosters—the best MTG boosters to open just for fun
- 12 Magic: The Gathering cards per booster
- At least 1 Multiverse Legend card in every pack
- 1–5 cards of rarity Rare or higher in every pack
- Foil card and Art Card in every pack
Draftsim's staff picks:
Compleat Edition Boosters
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 Bundle, which comes with compleat boosters alongside 12 All Will Be One set boosters.
- Bundle: Compleat Edition—contains cards with an Oil Slick Raised Foil treatment exclusive to the Compleat Edition
- 1 Compleat Edition booster—12 Oil Slick Raised Foil cards, with 2 Mythic Rares + 10 Basic Lands (2 of each type)
- 1 Exclusive Phyrexian Language Traditional Foil Rare promo card—Phyrexian Arena
- 40 Traditional Foil Land cards that celebrate the glory of Phyrexia—20 Phyrexianized Lands + 20 Panorama Full-Art Lands
- 12 Phyrexia: All Will Be One Set Boosters—the best MTG boosters to open just for fun
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.
Epilogue Boosters
Epilogue boosters are special boosters released in the March of the Machine: The Aftermath micro set. A March of the Machine: The Aftermath epilogue booster contains only five cards, with a combination of 1-3 card(s) of rarity rare or higher and 2-4 uncommon cards. There’s also a guaranteed foil in each pack, with a maximum of two. Epilogue boosters are exclusive to The Aftermath.
- THE FIRST STEPS AFTER THE LAST STAND—Rebuild the Multiverse while building up your collection in this epic conclusion to the March of the Machine storyline
- INTRODUCING EPILOGUE BOOSTERS—These special boosters fill in the story between sets with 5 Magic: The Gathering cards in each pack
- RARES & UNCOMMONS ONLY—Small but mighty, all 5 cards in each booster are of rarity Uncommon or higher, including 1–3 cards of rarity Rare or higher
- FOILS & SHOWCASE CARDS—Each Epilogue Booster contains 1 Showcase or Retro-Frame card and at least 1 Traditional Foil card
- CONTENTS—1 Epilogue Booster Box containing 24 March of the Machine: The Aftermath MTG Epilogue Boosters
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 there’s no wrong booster or product, but there is something for everybody and that’s 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.
What’s 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!
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