Theme Boosters

Theme Boosters Return Odds

Hello, Mark. What are the chances of return of Theme Boosters? They were very fun and practical product and I missed them. When Jumpstart Boosters replaced them, there was at least one product having that role but now there's no preconstructed product with low complexity level.

I never say never, but the barrier is high to add additional types of boosters, and theme boosters didn’t perform all that strongly (comparatively).

Boosters Theme Boosters

Evolving Magic Formats

What are your thoughts on magic these past few years? For many years the formula has barely ever changed, but in the past 5 or so years we've seen that formula shift multiple times a year. Set Boosters, the List, Commander Precons with every set, Collector Boosters, Universes Beyond, Serialized chase cards, more sets in a year than fingers on a hand, Theme Boosters, Jumpstart Set Boosters, now Play Boosters. It looks like all of the sudden it got so chaotic and has been everchanging since.

We kept changing up how three-set blocks got put together, then we changed two two-set blocks, then to the three-and-one model, then we changed from the design & development model to the exploratory design/vision design/set design/play design model, then we moved to the flexible set model. All of that was over five years ago. Magic throughout its history has constantly been in flux. What parts are changing evolves over time, but there is no point where Magic isn’t constantly reinventing itself.

Boosters Collector Boosters Commander Exploratory Design Play Boosters Play Design Set Boosters Set Design Theme Boosters Universes Beyond Vision Design Your Hand

Foil and Non-foil Card Availability

Every new Magic card printing and variant should be available in foil and non-foil. For a while, this was pretty close to true but more recently Magic has been printing numerous new cards that don't have foil versions and it's disappointing (i.e. hundreds of Commander pre-con deck cards, set booster commander cards, theme booster exclusive cards, Magic versions of Stranger Things card). I imagine some of this is logistical but can you please do something to make this happen less often?

The problem is having a place to put the premium versions in products where they’re wanted. The collector booster doesn’t seem to be that place.

Boosters Card Printing Collector Boosters Commander Foils Set Boosters Theme Boosters

Appreciating Kamigawa's Kappa Creature

Just noticed the kappa inspired creature on kamigawa's green theme booster. Could you give a highfive out to the proper person for that? Love it!

Will do.

Boosters Creatures Green Theme Boosters

Defining 'Booster Pack'

Hi Mark. Un-Rules question here. For the purposes of Booster Tutor, Stocking Tiger, and Summon the Pack, which of the following can be used as a "sealed Magic booster pack": a set booster, a collector booster, a theme booster, a themed prerelease booster (e.g. the special booster inside of a Strixhaven prerelease pack for one of the Colleges), a promo pack/foil promo pack, a prerelease promo foil in its wrapper, a box topper, a buy-a-box promo, and a Secret Lair.

The short answer is it has to be a “booster pack”Set booster? Yes, it’s a booster.Collector booster? Yes, it’s a booster.Theme booster? Yes, it’s a booster.Themed prerelease booster? Yes, it’s a booster.Promo pack? No, it’s not a booster.Prerelease promo? No, it’s not a booster.Box topper? No, it’s not a booster.Buy-a-Box promo? No, it’s not a booster.

Booster Tutor Boosters Collector Boosters Foils Prerelease Promos Sealed Format Secret Lairs Set Boosters Stocking Tiger Summon the Pack Theme Boosters Tutoring Un-sets

Possibility of Theme Booster Inclusion

I know its not really your department but do you think commander decks could come with a matching theme booster without an increase in cost?

That’s a hard sell to my bosses. : )

Boosters Commander Decks Humor Theme Boosters

Set Boosters versus Bundles

RE: Bundles. 8 Set Boosters fits better with the purpose of the product, but seriously, Set Boosters need to be better for collecting to be worth the lost two packs. The List is a big point of confusion among new players. The pack gives up 3 cards for some percent chance for an extra rare. It doesn't have the pizzazz of a Collector's Booster, nor the playability of the Draft Booster, or even the consistency of the Theme Booster. Set Boosters, not Bundles, need love from R&D.

And yet, they’re wildly popular.

Beginners Boosters Bundles Draft Boosters Game Design Rares Set Boosters Theme Boosters

Single Permanent Type Booster

I think the person was asking if you could make something like a theme booster with only one permanent type?

That is more possible.

Boosters Theme Boosters

About the Witherbloom Theme Booster

Is there anything you can tell us about the bear on the Witherbloom Theme Booster? Does this mean there will be a anthropomorphic bear race in Strixhaven?

I can say that art is on a creature card.

Art Bear Boosters Creatures Golgari (B/G) Theme Boosters

Sharing Kaldheim's Personal Impact

Good Morrow Mark!! I have no questions this day, I only want to share my first experience with Kaldheim. I have been eagerly awaiting the Norse World set since the first visit to Theros and I have been pleasantly delighted with what you all have made. I recently purchased theme boosters and the Commander decks and have begun to teach my sons (8 and 6) Magic. They are still learning the finer points but grasp the basics and are excited by the familiar characters like Thor and Loki. After a trying year, this has been everything I could ask in a new Magic experience. With my whole heart, I thank you and your team for giving this to my family and to many others who no doubt are enjoying Magic together.

Thank you for sharing. So happy to hear you and your family are enjoying Kaldheim.

Appreciation Basics Boosters Commander Decks Kaldheim Theme Boosters Theros

Draft Set Proposal

An alternative take on the missing-color idea: could a draft set use boosters that are marked as having specific colors (like Theme Boosters), so that individual drafts can be prepared with specific color limitations but the overall environment isn't warped?

That would be a near impossible limited environment to build.

Boosters Colors Draft Formats Limited Theme Boosters

Inspiration for Theme Boosters

In sets that have strong themes that don’t lend themselves to sealed, we often put a dedicated “booster” in the product as a seed to start the deck.Is this part of the inspiration of the theme bosters?

Maybe very indirectly.

Boosters Sealed Format Theme Boosters

Understanding Different Booster Products

Do you think having 4 different booster products for new sets confuses players? I personally ignore everything but the "traditional" packs, but seeing talk of collector boosters, set boosters, theme boosters, and draft boosters could be confusing for players. Especially when the exact break down of the collector booster is different from set to set.

The reason we have different boosters is because different players want different things and we’re trying to make as many players as happy as possible. As new players can buy any product and play the game, the confusion problem hasn’t shown to be a big issue.

Beginners Boosters Collector Boosters Draft Boosters Set Boosters Theme Boosters

Theme Booster's Risk-Taking

Why do you not take more risks with your theme boosters? Zendikar has so many cool themes and yet it is another set with mono color theme boosters.

Theme boosters are about helping less enfranchised players get cards to fill out their deck.

Boosters Colors Experienced / Enfranchised Players Monocolor Theme Boosters Zendikar

Reprint of Sword of DnD

Could Sword of DnD get a reprint on collector/theme boosters for Forgoten Realms in one of the special slots?

You can’t mix borders on a card sheet.

Boosters Card Borders Dungeons & Dragons Reprints Theme Boosters

Creating Draft Archetypes

Hey Mark, when did you guys start the recent trend in limited play design towards ten 2-color 'archetypes'? And what do you think about revamping Theme Boosters and build them around limited archetypes (instead of the rather uninspiring - sorry - monocolored structure currently used)?

I’m not sure there’s always enough cards to make these decks out of draft archetypes. Remember, there needs to be enough cards to allow the variance in the theme boosters.

Boosters Draft Formats Limited Play Design Theme Boosters

Reception of Theros Exclusive Cards

Mark, how well received were the Theros cards exclusive to theme boosters?

That’s tricky to data to collect because we never asked about them specifically. I believe theme pack sales were good.

Boosters Theme Boosters Theros

Ikoria theme boosters' cards

So, do Ikoria theme boosters have exclusive cards?

They do not. (Theros theme boosters did.) Ikoria theme boosters do have some of the showcase mutate cards also found in draft boosters.

Boosters Draft Boosters Mutate Theme Boosters Theros

Booster Pack Differences

Are theme boosters printed with different sheets than draft boosters, or is the pack collation process different?

It’s a bit different.

Card Printing Card Printing Draft Boosters Limited Theme Boosters

Future Theme Boosters

In the future, could we see a lot more theme boosters that aren't monocolored?

If it makes sense for the set it’s affiliated with.

Monocolor Theme Boosters