Last updated on March 15, 2023
Intangible Virtue | Illustration by Clint Cearley
Most new MTG expansions include auxiliary products of some kind apart from the regular booster pack. Theme decks, aimed at new players, are updated regularly with each Core Set, if not every expansion. Magic had theme decks for competitive players as well for a short time.
The event decks were either big hits or huge misses, but all have stood the test of time as exciting or otherwise notable releases in Magic’s history. Let’s take a closer look at what made these decks so special!
What Were the Event Decks?
Extinction Event | Illustration by Filip Burburan
Event decks were preconstructed 60-card decks with 15-card sideboards. They were designed to be competitive Standard-legal decks that players could pop open and play right there at an FNM.
The first two event decks were released alongside Mirrodin Besieged. Two were released with each new Standard set until 2013, when the schedule fell apart. From Dragon’s Maze forward each set only got one event deck, then only the first and third block of a set got one.
Magic moved to the 2-set block style in 2015, and it was decided that event decks would alternate with the Clash Packs as the unique precon product for each set. This alternating pattern never came to fruition, and the last event deck printed was Battle for Zendikar’s Ultimate Sacrifice.
What Was in Event Decks?
The original event decks had a 60-card Standard precon with a 15-card sideboard, a spindown life counter, a strategy guide, a poster, and a deck box. But these contents changed over time.
The first two event decks (Mirrodin Besieged’s Into the Breach and Infect and Defile) came with an assortment of commons and uncommons and only seven rares. This was bumped to eight rares in New Phyrexia, before becoming 10 rares per deck from Dragon’s Maze forward. Battle for Zendikar’s event deck included eight rares and two mythics, supposedly the new formula.
The Modern event deck, March of the Multitudes, also came with 80 exclusive card sleeves.
Event Decks List and Rankings
#27. Ultimate Sacrifice
Battle for Zendikar’s Ultimate Sacrifice was the first event deck to include two, count ‘em, two mythic rares! Unfortunately they were Whisperwood Elemental and Warden of the First Tree.
This deck was a definite whiff, with a single Llanowar Wastes in the mana base and not much else to write home about. It’s appropriately underpowered considering its parent set, so no one should be surprised it was the final nail in the coffin for the declining event decks.
#26. Inspiring Heroics
Despite its name, Inspiring Heroics only includes four cards with the heroic ability. That’s not to say Battlewise Hoplite and Fabled Hero are bad cards, it’s just false advertising is all.
This Azorius () deck was definitely an attempt at making all those blue/white cards from Return to Ravnica viable, but it failed utterly in this regard. There just wasn’t enough return on investment for keeping Skymark Roc around long enough to enchant it with Ordeal of Heliod and try to eke out a midrange victory.
The actual dollar value of this deck is in the dumps, too. The only card worth mentioning is the obligatory shock land, Hallowed Fountain.
#25. Wrath of the Mortals
By Journey into Nyx Wizards had almost abandoned the value they printed in the earliest event decks. Wrath of the Mortals may have been the first nail in the proverbial coffin.
The shock lands have been replaced with solely Guildgates, and the rares are much cheaper than we’re used to at this time. Aetherling, Mizzium Mortars, and Chandra’s Phoenix were coveted at the time, but have since devalued as the cards rotated out of Standard or were reprinted.
As far as playability goes, the deck does what it’s advertised to do. It does indeed cast several burn spells and a handful of creatures to synergize alongside them. Compared to the meta of the time, rife with indestructible god creatures and much more effective direct damage with Gray Merchant of Asphodel, this deck never stood a chance.
#24. Underworld Herald
Underworld Herald really thinks it’s doing something slick by playing some sort of odd, mono-black control. Let me be clear: it’s not.
In another example of R&D’s overcorrection tendencies, this deck bites the dust in viability and dollar value. A mono-colored deck from the Theros block with hardly any devotion cards is really absurd, and there’s not even a Gray Merchant of Asphodel! What a whiff.
The best (or worst) part is there aren’t any shock lands in this event deck. It only comes with 24 Swamps since it’s mono-colored. The only card worth anything is Crypt Ghast, but that still leaves this deck significantly cheaper than the rest.
- Includes a 60-card deck and a 15-card sideboard
#23. Landslide Charge
Landslide Charge, the Temur-themed () event deck from Dragons of Tarkir, was a standard aggro-ish midrange deck with a splash of blue for Stubborn Denial and Temur Charm tricks. It wants to ramp early, burn away enemy creatures, then batter your opponent with big creatures.
This deck works, well, some of the time. It can run out of steam quickly without any way to draw or dig through the library. The omission of Collected Company is a downright travesty, too. Even a single copy would have made this deck worth the purchase.
- Dragons of Tarkir Event Deck - Landslide Charge
- 60-card deck
- 15-card sideboard
- Spin-down life-counter die.
- Ages 13 & Up
#22. Deathfed
Deathfed featured typical graveyard play from the Standard of Innistrad’s day. This Simic () deck mills cards into your graveyard with spells like Mulch, Forbidden Alchemy, and Armored Skaab, then capitalizes on them with Spider Spawning, Boneyard Wurm, Splinterfright, and others.
Since we’d just seen a Birds of Paradise reprint in Magic 2012, one copy swooped into this deck for great value alongside the single Green Sun’s Zenith. WotC would reprint this one into the dirt with event decks.
![Magic The Gathering Innistrad Deathfed Event Deck [Sealed Deck]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51BiMSEfFIL._SL160_.jpg)
- Includes a 60-card deck and a 15-card sideboard
#21. Strength of Selesnya
Dragon’s Maze was the first set to decrease the number of event decks down to one per set. Strength of Selesnya revolves around the populate mechanic, but misses a lot of the best Selesnya () rares from this period.
There’s no Voice of Resurgence or Armada Wurm, no Trostani, Selesnya’s Voice, and no Giant Adephage. R&D probably wanted to avoid placing mythics in event decks solely as chase cards. But then they went ahead and splashed black, including Godless Shrine for no reason besides the three copies of Lingering Souls and nothing else.
#20. Illusionary Might
The sacrifice ability common to most illusions never really took off competitively, but the Illusionary Might event deck made the tribe as playable as it’d get. It runs the only illusion lord, Lord of the Unreal, three Phantasmal Dragons, and four Phantasmal Bears, which help the deck come out of the gate swinging.
Sadly the deck is just trying to do too much. It’s also running a handful of artifact creatures with two Grand Architects and a Steel Hellkite. The deck is split between wanting to play two different tribes and doesn’t commit to either as hard as it ought.
Besides that, it’s a blue deck with just four copies of a single counterspell, Mana Leak. How’s that supposed to be fun?
#19. Thrive and Thrash
The Simic (with a splash of red) event deck Thrive and Thrash advertises that it ramps quickly into big, game-winning spells, but I’m not sure which spells it’s referring to.
Maybe Deadeye Navigator paired with Thragtusk? Or does it mean casting Sphinx of Uthuun and pairing it with Wolfir Silverheart? Neither of these are particularly reliable plays, and definitely wouldn’t end the game in the 2013 meta.
Thrive and Thrash does include four copies of Arbor Elf, four Farseeks, and the aforementioned Deadeye Navigator, making it fair value if not a playable deck.
#18. Creep and Conquer
The Golgari () Return to Ravnica mechanic was scavenge, and Creep and Conquer looked to use those scavenged creatures to power up Vampire Nighthawk and swing for big damage and lifegain with evasion. This deck is an adequate midrange deck, but scavenge was too pricey to activate most of the time.
This precon had a hard time against control strategies, which is probably why it’s paired with Wrack and Rage.
- 1 Ready to play deck with a 15 card sideboard
- Allows players to affiliate with 1 of 10 two colour guilds
- Ravnica is the most popular Magic world setting
- Ages 13 +
- Players 2 +
#17. Conquering Hordes
We hadn’t seen a tribal event deck since Death’s Encroach, so ”Conquering was exciting when it was released. The Orzhov () warrior theme across the Khans of Tarkir block was fairly powerful, as most tribal decks are.
Sometimes playing a tribal deck can feel like following the instructions on a Lego kit. You put all the pieces together in the right order, and then boom, you win!
The two pairs of Chief of the Edge and Chief of the Scale were the linchpins to this deck. Dictate of Erebos mingled well with Timely Hordemate, and it was fun to see an aggro deck outside of red.
Despite a lower dollar value than most of the event decks, Conquering Hordes was as much fun as a barrel of monkeys. It couldn’t hold its own against the Siege Rhino decks running rampant around the meta, but it was more than adequate for an FNM or some casual Magic in your kitchen.
- Battle like the best, right out of the box.
#16. Humanity’s Vengeance
The Innistradian(?) humans get a chance to fight back in Avacyn Restored, but they don’t make a very good showing in Humanity’s Vengeance. Sure, it’s got a Phyrexian Metamorph, two Mental Missteps, and two Glacial Fortresses, but the rest of the deck is an odd assemblage of soulbound creatures and enters-the-battlefield synergies.
The strategy insert says to use Nephalia Smuggler on Blade Splicer to make more golem tokens, but that Standard had way easier ways to accomplish this. I mean, Cloudshift was right there, in this same set. Come on.
#15. Rush of the Wild
”Rush was a good ol’ “turn ‘em sideways” deck. A Gruul () deck looking to smash stuff. You ramp early with Elvish Mystics, play creatures on top of creatures with Burning-Tree Emissary, then hit for huge damage by targeting an unblocked creature with Ghor-Clan Rampager’s or Slaughterhorn’s bloodrush.
By Magic 2014 WotC had learned not to overdo it on value in precon decks, so the only real money card here was the Stomping Ground and the three Skullcracks.
- From__dacardworld
- welcome ask us for help if have commercial problems, tell me with this_item --- Magic the Gathering 2014 Core Set Event Deck - Rush of the Wild
#14. Sweet Revenge
The entire Innistrad block featured the flashback mechanic, and ”Sweet was a Grixis () showcase to cap off the block in the following summer’s Core Set. The key card, Burning Vengeance, makes this deck play like burn, but with extra steps.
This wasn’t an entirely sound strategy, but the playset of Faithless Lootings is a nice bonus on an otherwise uninspiring deck.
- 2013 Core Set Event Deck: Sweet Revenge
- Contains a 60 card deck with a 15 card sideboard
- .. a Spindown life counter and strategy guide.
- Perfect for use in Standard play tournaments like Friday Night Magic or Game Day celebrations.
- NOTE: This product can ONLY be shipped the United States, Puerto Rico, APO/FPOs and USVI.
#13. Gleeful Flames
Gleeful Flames is a burn deck in the truest sense of the term. Some classics like Forge Devil and Goblin Arsonist make up the bulk of your creatures, and Goblin Grenade, Artillerize, and Brimstone Volley turn those critters into direct damage.
The sideboard is built to slow down opponents that look to outpace you. Three copies of Torpor Orb were usually enough to put down the Cathedral Sanctifiers running around Standard.
Gleeful Flames also includes two Inkmoth Nexus, but to what end I’m not sure. Maybe as easy access to fodder for a Goblin Grenade?
#12. Hold the Line
Hold the Line was the other Innistrad event deck and represented the beleaguered humans on that plane. Mechanically the deck plays as a standard weenies deck. It takes a village of cheap human creature spells and casts them early and often.
Champion of the Parish, Doomed Traveler, and Mirran Crusader were all-stars in the deck that have each come into their own since 2012. I love the versatility of Bonds of Faith in a human tribal deck, and the Nevermore in the sideboard always gave you something to swap in for game two.
#11. Wrack and Rage
The poor Rakdos () have got the short end of the stick every time we’ve returned to Ravnica, but not here! Well, sort of.
”Wrack is halfway between a mono-red aggro deck and a Rakdos burn. A base of 22 small creatures keeps you on the field each turn, and Stromkirk Noble was a beast in the 2013 human-heavy meta. With so many small creatures, and none that were a particularly huge threat, the deck typically ends games with the burn spells, like Devil’s Play and Brimstone Volley.
It includees a Vexing Devil in sideboard, too, which is nice, but should definitely be a main board card. That’s a four damage Lightning Bolt!
#10. Into the Breach
No products found.”Into was a mono-red aggro deck focused on Mirrodin Besieged’s battle cry mechanic. It uses a ton of free creatures like Ornithopter and Memnite, then pumps them all at once with Goblin Wardriver and Goblin Bushwhacker. A playset of Lightning Bolts in the main board and a playset of Searing Blaze in the side round this deck out into a classic red deck wins.
- Mirrodin Besieged Event Deck: Into the Breach - Mirran Deck
- Event Decks contain a ready-to-play 60-card standard-legal deck, with a 15-card sideboard
- Comes with a spin-down life counter and in a reusable card box
- The deck contains seven rare cards and multiples of powerful uncommon and commons.
- NOTE: This product can ONLY be shipped the United States, Puerto Rico, APO/FPOs and USVI
#9. Rally and Rout
Like any good Boros () deck, ”Rally is a creature-based aggro deck that wants to play a creature on turn 1, two creatures on turn 2, and three creatures on turn 3 before swinging in for the game. The Boros battalion mechanic saw a lot of play in the Gatecrash meta, and Boros Elite was one of the most frequently seen uncommons on turn 1.
Pillar of Flame, Searing Spear, and Boros Charm cleared the path for your soldiers. And there’s Ash Zealot, a card that played way above it’s paygrade in a meta filled with flashback spells coming off of Innistrad.
I might just be partial to Boros, but I think this may be one of the better decks from the Return to Ravnica block. It lacks the Legion Loyalist and Boros Reckoner Boros was known for, but it was a great start to building into that meta.
- Includes a 60-card deck and a 15-card sideboard
#8. Rot from Within
The infamous infect mechanic debuted in Scars of Mirrodin, but Mirrodin Besieged was when it really took off. The mono-green Rot from Within event deck epitomizes the aggressive-combo mix the ability is known for.
Four Mutagenic Growths, four Primal Bellows, and four Groundswells beef up an army of infecting creatures like Glistener Elf, Rot Wolf, and Putrefax. Contagion Clasps help you get around decks with too many blockers, and your opponent will hit 10 poison counters before they know what hit them.
This basic strategy is the framework for infect decks in Modern and Commander, though it won’t succeed nearly as much as it did in the Standard of its day.
- Magic the Gathering - New Phyrexia Event Deck - Rot from Within
- Contains a 60 card deck with a 15 card sideboard
- Also has Spindown life counter and strategy guide
- It includes cards not just from New Phyrexia but powerful cards from other sets as well.
- NOTE: This product can ONLY be shipped the United States, Puerto Rico, APO/FPOs and USVI.
#7. Spiraling Doom
Dark Ascension’s Spiraling Doom has not one, but two Birthing Pods! Described as a “reactive” deck, Spiraling Doom focused on using the pair of pods to tutor up just the creature you need for the situation.
The undying creatures Young Wolf and Strangleroot Geist make excellent sacrifices for the Pods, eventually working your way up to a Bloodgift Demon or Myr Battlesphere to end the game. This deck is good fun, and pod decks are incredibly consistent.
- Magic the Gathering - Dark Ascension Event Deck - Spiraling Doom
- Contains a 60 card deck with a 15 card sideboard
- Also has Spindown life counter and strategy guide
- The "Spiraling Doom" deck is an extremely reactive deck ....
- NOTE: This product can ONLY be shipped the United States, Puerto Rico, APO/FPOs and USVI.
#6. Death’s Encroach
”Death’s was one of the most aggressive event decks. A mono-black zombie tribal deck that opened each game with Diregraf Ghoul or Gravecrawler and followed up with Skinrender, Highborn Ghoul, and Geralf’s Messenger. Two Dismembers and a Surgical Extraction in the sideboard meant you could play against the paired deck, Humanity’s Vengeance, even better.
Overall, Death’s Encroach is one of the best event decks despite its comparatively low singles value. Sometimes, simple is best.
- Magic the Gathering - Avacyn Restored Event Decks - Death's Encroach
- Contains a 60 card deck with a 15 card sideboard
- Also has Spindown life counter and strategy guide
- Death’s Encroach Time to devour the living! ....
- NOTE: This product can ONLY be shipped the United States, Puerto Rico, APO/FPOs and USVI.
#5. Repeat Performance
Wizards just couldn’t get enough of Green Sun’s Zenith in the early 20-teens, so of course it shows up in ”Repeat. This deck is the flicker deck Humanity’s Vengeance wishes it was.
The awe-inspiring Thragtusk is the star of this deck. At the time it was worth more than the MSRP of the deck thanks to the abusive flicker effects available in that meta. The Cloudshiftss are hidden in the sideboard and should be mainboarded immediately.
Don’t bother using a Roaring Primadox every turn. All this deck needs is some consistency-upgrades and it’s a solid blink deck.
- Includes a 60-card deck and a 15-card sideboard
- William O'Farrell (Author)
#4. War of Attrition
New Phyrexia’s mono-white War of Attrition made quite the stir when it was released in 2011. It includes two copies of Stoneforge Mystic, a card that was banned in Standard at the same time.
In what’s become one of our favorite WotC “guffaws,” many stores had already ordered copies of the event deck to sell, and WotC knew banning the card hurt sales. Their solution was to allow Stoneforge Mystic in Standard events if it was included in the unmodified War of Attrition decklist.
This was the first Standard banning since 2005 and also included the banning of Jace the Mind Sculptor, kicking off a new habit of WotC’s of printing powerful cards and banning them after sales dry up (I’m looking at you, Oko).
#3. Infect and Defile
”Infect was one of the first event decks released in Mirrodin Besieged. It consisted of, you guessed it, an infect strategy.
This Dimir () deck plays some small infecters early and then protects them with counterspells. It clears the way with removal like Doom Blade, and can finish the game quickly with Phyrexian Vatmother. While it doesn’t include the absolute best blue and black infect cards, it makes a good base to upgrade over time. For example, it could’ve really used a Distortion Strike to sneak those poison counters through instead of wasting time and mana destroying blockers.
The sideboard includes a standard control package of the era: more counterspells, more removal, and some color-hosing in the form of Flashfreeze. Overall a solid deck. Not too strong, but not weak by any means. It was a promising kickoff to the series as a whole.
- Mirrodin Besieged Event Deck: Infect and Defile - Phyrexian Deck
- Event Decks contain a ready-to-play 60-card standard-legal deck, with a 15-card sideboard
- Comes with a spin-down life counter and in a reusable card box
- The deck contains seven rare cards and multiples of powerful uncommon and commons.
- NOTE: This product can ONLY be shipped the United States, Puerto Rico, APO/FPOs and USVI
#2. Vampire Onslaught
Wait, you’re telling me the vampire tribal event deck from 2012 wasn’t from the Innistrad block? That’s right!
Vampire Onslaught is a mono-black vampire deck built around the Zendikar vampire creatures and their sacrifice synergies. This deck plays like a proto-aristocrats deck, sacrificing creatures with Bloodthrone Vampire and Viscera Seer and then generating incremental damage with Kalastria Highborn and Blade of the Bloodchief.
The deck includes a metric ton of removal (compared to your average precon, at least). Dismember, Go for the Throat, Gatekeeper of Malakir, and Skinrender gave this deck a leg up over its pair, Illusionary Might.
Vampire Onslaught is an excellent introduction to what consistent competitive decks looked like in Standard. It wasn’t fully optimized, but it also wasn’t so simple it couldn’t hold its own. It also has Verdant Catacombs for some reason, I guess to give Bloodghast another trigger.
Overall this is one of the best forays Wizards made into this product line.
#1. March of the Multitudes
”March was a unique event deck designed around the Modern format. It features an Orzhov () deck centered around using Elspeth, Knight-Errant and other token generators in tandem with anthem effects like Intangible Virtue and Honor of the Pure.
A Sword of Feast and Famine made this precon a steal for its MSRP, and it wasn’t that bad of a deck! It had enough removal and disruption in the form of Path to Exile and Inquisition of Kozilek, and it made great use of staple commons and uncommons like Soul Warden and Tide-Hollow Sculler.
While it doesn’t include a shock land, March of the Multitudes’s mana base wasn’t too shabby. Four Caves of Koilos, two City of Brass, and four Isolated Chapels is as good as it could get without Godless Shrine.
Finally, that sideboard is excellent. You could swap in Burrenton Forge-Tender against burn, Kataki, War’s Wage against artifacts, and more removal and disruption with Dismember and Duress.
The Modern event deck is also the only in the series to have its own unique set symbol. Its cards are entirely reprints from sets that had rotated out of Standard by its release, so the cards all got a new printing.
Even though it’s the odd one in the series, I think March of the Multitudes best captures what an event deck could be. The Modern precon was an easy introduction to the next format, and I think it bridges a gap between “player that wants to play with cards that rotated out,” “player who wants to play a competitive deck in a new format,” and “player that wants to play a casual deck in a new format.”
Does MTG Still Make Event Decks?
No, MTG no longer produces event decks. They were discontinued after Battle for Zendikar.
Why Were Event Decks Discontinued?
The event decks were a difficult product to balance, and it became hard to justify that retail shelf space.
First, the event decks had a huge power imbalance. The precons were either too strong or too weak. They were packed with valuable rares that could pay for themselves, or unplayable trash that really couldn’t stand up to its claim as a competitive deck.
Secondly, the MTG product line was swelling to an unsustainable size by 2015. Planeswalker decks, intro packs, duel decks, clash packs, Archenemy, the deck builder’s toolkit… The sheer volume of products available to purchase was hampering the sales of the entire line. Wizards re-evaluated their product line around this time and made significant cuts by removing auxiliary products that weren’t serving a purpose.
What Replaced Event Decks?
Challenger decks can be considered a spiritual successor of the event decks. Even though they were touted as replacements for the Duel decks, they’re much closer in theme and power to the event decks.
What Was the MSRP of Event Decks?
The Standard event decks had an MSRP of $19.99, and the Modern event deck had an MSRP of $74.99.
Event Decks vs. Challenger Decks
The Challenger deck series officially replaced the Duel decks series in 2018, but were very similar to the event decks in power and theme. Like the event decks, the Challenger decks are meant to be picked up and played at an FNM immediately and feature strong archetypes legal in Standard.
Challenger decks have also been produced for Pioneer, just like how the event decks series received a Modern-legal deck.
Event Decks vs. Planeswalker Decks
Planeswalker decks are introductory decks for new and novice players. Each features a foil planeswalker at the head of a 60-card Standard deck.
They set beginners down the right path by orienting them around the mechanics and settling of Magic. Planeswalker decks featured the main characters from the accompanying block’s story, as well as the set mechanics from that release.
WotC replaced the Intro packs in 2016, but they were discontinued after Core Set 2021.
Where Can You Get Old Event Decks?
Sealed copies of the event decks are still floating around online. The Modern event deck goes for $150 unopened, but the worse decks can go as low as $17. Amazon has a small selection, but you can still find a few of the valuable decks, including Dark Ascension’s ”Spiraling.
Or you could rebuild them by buying the singles online. Buying the same printings as the original decks can be pricey, but most of these decks run over $50 for their singles while the worst ones go for under $20.
Are Event Decks Modern Legal?
The event decks’ decklists are Modern-legal. These precons were designed to be Standard-legal on their release, and have since rotated out. None of the decks include any cards currently banned in the format.
Wrap Up
Tidy Conclusion | Illustration by Bastien L. Deharme
I had honestly entirely forgotten about event decks’ existence before now, but I’ve happy I’ve familiarized myself with them. I’ve been on the hunt for some mid-tier-but-tuned Constructed decks to play with, and these have given me the inspiration to build some similar decks for casual play with my group. I bet many of these would be great fun to play in Planechase or Archenemy, too!
Do you remember buying any of the event decks? Did you have any success playing them in competitive events? Is it cheating to call the one oddball event deck the best? Maybe. But it’s my list, my rules. Let me know what you think in the comments or over on Draftsim’s Twitter.
Thanks for reading, and keep brewing!
Follow Draftsim for awesome articles and set updates:
Add Comment