The List, a cherished feature of Magic Boosters since 2020, has served as a dependable and valuable method for MTG players to obtain reprints. However, with the exception of Special Guest cards within the Magic universe, Wizards of the Coast has made the decision to discontinue this beloved component.
The release of MTG’s Bloomburrow set has generated a great deal of excitement among Magic players, both new and longtime fans alike. This standalone fantasy plane has captured the attention of many, appealing to veteran players who may have grown tired of MTG’s previous genre experiments, such as Outlaws of Thunder Junction, while also attracting new fans with its charming designs and captivating mechanics.
Regrettably, Bloomburrow has recently encountered a downside – a surprising scarcity of reprints, which seems to be the trend going forward.
During every Magic spoiler season, Wizards typically reveals reprints that are included on The List in the weeks before a set’s release, in addition to the regular announcements for new cards.
Wizards has announced The List prior to Bloomburrow’s release, but it differs from what the majority of players had anticipated.
As a section of the official Wizards MTG site’s article on Collecting Bloomburrow, there is a mention of the various rewards available in Bloomburrow. These include seasonal full-art lands and the Imagine: Courageous Critters showcases which transform popular MTG Creatures and Planeswalkers into charming animal versions.
Towards the bottom of the article, crucial information on the future changes of The List can be found underneath all of the aforementioned details.
“Beginning with Bloomburrow, cards that have been de-archived, also known as The List cards, and bear the Planeswalker stamp in the bottom-left corner, will no longer be included in Play Boosters. The Special Guests cards found on The List in Bloomburrow will be the only ones available.”
In previous sets, the majority of The List was composed of de-archived cards. Although The List will still exist, it will essentially only be a name until it includes more than just Special Guest cards.
MTG Swords to Plowshares and reprints from Bloomburrow
Although this change may be surprising, it was not entirely unforeseen. Prior to the release of the Murders at Karlov Manor set, The List had already decreased in size significantly, featuring only 40 cards in addition to the Special Guest reprints.
Despite making changes, Wizards will still include reprints in their main Magic sets to avoid a significant impact on the game and collectors. The List slot in Play Boosters will continue to feature Special Guest cards, offering fresh artwork for old cards, rather than The List’s usual reprints with no stylistic changes.
Despite initially appearing as good news, the inclusion of Special Guests as a means of recontextualizing existing Magic designs for new planes has actually resulted in a lower likelihood of them appearing in a Play Booster compared to The List cards. As a result, obtaining reprints has become more challenging for regular MTG players.
Wizards is continuously testing different types of boosters, such as the recently revealed Value Boosters that debuted in Bloomburrow. It is uncertain whether they will replace The List with a reprint system or if they will continue to highlight Special Guests as these changes are implemented for MTG players.
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