Tomorrow we see the release of the latest MTG set Crimson Vow and that will mean choosing what boosters to buy. There are several options, so lets have a look in a bit more detail...
Four Types of MTG Booster Packs
We now have four main types of booster packs: Draft, Set, Theme and Collector Booster.
Each one has their pros and cons, and I’ll compare them and give general ideas on what types of players would prefer each one. This way, you’ll be able to find the perfect booster pack for you.
So here they are ordered by price, from least to most expensive
Draft Booster £3.50
Set Booster £4.70
Theme Booster £7.00
Collector Booster £21.00
Draft Booster
Number of cards: 15
Contents: 1 rare / mythic, 3 uncommons, 10 commons,1 basic land, 1 token / ad card
Boosters per box: 36 Draft Boosters
Draft Booster packs are regular boosters, the normal ones that we’ve been buying for decades. They have 15 cards with usually 1 rare or mythic and a slim chance of a second one in the foil slot.
Draft Booster are, as the name implies, the best packs for draft games. They tend to be cheaper and since they usually contain exactly one rare or mythic it makes a more balanced draft with friends.
If you want multiple rares, they aren’t the best packs to get. With less chance of rares compared to other pack types, these are worth buying if you want to draft, or if you just want the cheapest option.
Pros
- Usually the cheapest boosters.
- Best for drafts.
- Old school players will know what to expect.
Cons
- Least rares per pack.
- Not that many exciting cards.
Set Booster
Number of cards: 12
Contents: 1 rare / mythic, 6 commons / uncommons, 1 foil, 1 art card, 1 token / ad / The List card.
Boosters per box: 30 Set Boosters
Set Boosters were introduced with Zendikar Rising, which makes them the newest type of booster. They have a total of 12 cards with a chance at 1-4 rares/mythics.
The math behind how many rares and mythics in each pack is insane, with different probabilities. There’s far more math than any other pack type. They also started titling each slot in the pack, which is very confusing unless you read about it. You’ll find that on average, each Set Booster contains 1.34 rares.
Wizards also introduced The List, several reprints of cards from older sets that will randomly appear in some Set Booster packs. These boosters also sometimes have cards that are new to Commander format, and don’t appear in the main set.
If you want to just try your hand at pulling rares, these are the boosters for you. With 1-4 boosters per pack each pack has a good probability of getting a good amount of rares and mythics. They’re priced in the middle compared to other Booster types, and are a good middle ground between Draft and Collector Boosters.
If you’re buying boosters just to open them for fun, these are certainly more exciting than Draft Boosters.
Pros
- Higher chance of multiple rares and mythics.
- Still relatively cheap.
- Multiple excitement points make for exciting openings.
- Reprints from The List.
- Sometimes contain new-to-Commander cards.
Cons
- Highest variety makes them less predictable.
- Least cards per pack.
Theme Booster
Number of cards: 35
Contents: 1-2 rares / mythics, 33-34 commons / uncommons all cards of a single color
Boosters per box: 12 Theme Boosters, 2 per theme
Theme Boosters first appeared in Dominaria. Each pack focuses on a theme. Usually the themes are one of the five colours and maybe a sixth theme of all colours.
With some sets, like Theros Beyond Death, Wizards introduced special rares, which only appear in Theme Boosters. They can be strong cards, however the probability of getting them isn’t that high, so don’t buy these pack just for that chance.
These packs are great for players that are seeking a specific colour.
These packs contain 35 cards with 1-2 rares, so if you care only about rares these are usually the worst packs to pick. You’ll also end up with tons of extra commons and uncommons, which isn’t too bad but can get annoying depending on storage and how many packs you get.
Pros
- Good for beginners who prefer a certain colour.
- Sometimes contain specific cards that only appear in these packs.
- Most cards per pack.
Cons
- Higher price.
- Majority of the cards are too weak for enfranchised players.
- Low number of rares and mythics per cost.
Collector Booster
Number of cards: 15
Contents: varies from set to set, usually 4 rares and mythics, 11 commons / uncommons, 1 foil token – all cards are either in foil or have alternate art
Boosters per box: 12 Collector Boosters
Collector Booster is the most expensive one. However, it also has the greatest number of exciting cards. Very high risk, high reward.
In general each pack has 15 cards with 1 double-sided token. They usually have 4 rares or mythics and the rest are commons and uncommons. All cards are either in foil or have alternate art (borderless, extended or completely special artwork).
With all that being said, the cost difference tends to be significantly higher than any of the other booster types. As the name implies, these tend to fit better for collectors instead of your average player.
Collector Boosters also have the most foils of all pack types, which is great for anyone that loves to foil their decks. The fact that each pack has a double-sided foil token is also a plus for me since I love token decks.
Pros
- Special art cards, some of which only appear in these packs.
- Highest number of rares, mythics and foils per pack.
- Great for collectors.
Cons
