Masters 25
| Masters 25 | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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[[File:{{#setmainimage:A25 logo.png}}|250px]] | |||||
| Set Information | |||||
| Set symbol | |||||
| Symbol description | 25 superimposed on the planeswalker symbol | ||||
| Design |
Adam Prosak (lead) Ethan Fleischer Matthew Danner Melissa DeTora Pete Ingram Yoni Skolnik | ||||
| Development |
Yoni Skolnik (lead) Ethan Fleischer Melissa DeTora | ||||
| Art direction | Mark Winters | ||||
| Release date | March 16, 2018 | ||||
| Plane | Multiversal | ||||
| Themes and mechanics | Enchantment creatures, Flickering, Tapping and Untapping | ||||
| Keywords/ability words | Cycling and Landcycling, Morph and Megamorph | ||||
| Set size |
249 cards (101 commons, 80 uncommons, 53 rares, 15 mythic rares) | ||||
| Expansion code | A25[1] | ||||
| Physical Masters series | |||||
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| Magic: The Gathering Chronology | |||||
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Masters 25 is a booster-based compilation set that was released on March 16, 2018.[2][3] It is designed to be drafted and celebrates twenty-five years of Magic: The Gathering.[4][5]
Set details
| “ | 25 Years in the Making! | ” |
Masters 25 contains 249 cards (101 commons, 80 uncommons, 53 rares, 15 mythic rares) and includes randomly inserted premium versions of all cards. The product contains cards from across Magic 's entire history, a concept earlier seen in Eighth Edition. Cards from un-sets and the Reserved List are excluded.[6][7] The expansion symbol for this set is the planeswalker symbol with a 25 in front of it, slightly different from the symbol used for the 25th anniversary. Nearly every card in Masters 25 features a watermark, representing its original expansion symbol. This treatment is even used for cards first printed in Limited Edition (Alpha), using a Magic M as the watermark. Un-watermarkable cards like planeswalkers are excluded from this treatment.[8] The set features over 30 pieces of new Magic art and many pieces of new flavor text.[9][10]
Marketing
Like Iconic Masters, the release of this set forms part of the celebration of Magic's 25th anniversary. Like for earlier Masters series sets, the MSRP of one booster was set to $9.99. Unlike Modern Masters or Eternal Masters, this product is not geared to any specific format.[11] Every booster box of Masters 25 contains 24 booster packs — each with fifteen randomly inserted game cards, including one premium card in every pack. The 16-card boosters (the sixteenth card is a marketing card) feature artwork from Jace, the Mind Sculptor, Azusa, Lost but Seeking and Sundering Titan.
Magic Online
Masters 25 became available on Magic Online starting December 7 for $6.99 per pack. It was not redeemable.
Themes and mechanics
Masters 25 covered all of Magic's 25 years, with at least one card from all black bordered releases in those 25 years. Rather than focusing on mechanics or archetypes as most Masters series products do, the set was focused on famous combos and iconic cards from the past to make the gameplay as high on nostalgia as possible.[12][13]
Reprints
The table below organizes every card from Masters 25 according to the black border set in which they were originally printed. While each set got at least one reprint, some sets (and blocks) were prioritized over others in card selection due to a variety of factors (limited concerns, raising availability for non-rotating formats, and overall financial value).
The most represented sets/block are Onslaught block (with 20 reprints), Time Spiral block (with 14 reprints), then Alpha (with 12 reprints). Check the "N° of cards" column for the full details.
Changes in rarity
Common to Uncommon
Uncommon to Common
Uncommon to Rare
Uncommon to Mythic Rare
Rare to Common
Rare to Uncommon
Rare to Mythic Rare
Mythic Rare to Rare
Cycles
Masters 25 has five horizontal cycles.
| Cycle name | Description and notes | 
|
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|
|
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Uncommon legendary creatures | A cycle of legendary monocolored creatures printed at uncommon. All but one were originally printed at Rare. While not part of the cycle, Stangg was also downshifted to uncommon. | Kongming, "Sleeping Dragon | Jalira, Master Polymorphist | Ihsan's Shade | Zada, Hedron Grinder | Iwamori of the Open Fist |
| Basic landcyclers | Originally printed in Scourge, each of these common creatures cost  M, and has basic landcycling  for a corresponding land type.
|
Noble Templar | Shoreline Ranger | Twisted Abomination | Chartooth Cougar | Elvish Aberration |
| Off-color commons | A loose cycle of common creatures or spells that grow more effective when played alongside an allied color. | Knight of the Skyward Eye | Court Hussar | Returned Phalanx | Skeletonize | Ember Weaver |
| Better in multiples" commons | A loose cycle of common creatures or spells that grow more effective when played in multiples. | Squadron Hawk | Accumulated Knowledge | Relentless Rats | Kindle | Timberpack Wolf |
| Cycle name | Description and notes |
|
|
|
|
|
| Enemy filter lands | Originally printed in Eventide, each of these rare lands can be tapped for mana. They also have the ability "M/N,  : Add MM, MN, or NN." where M and N are two different colors.
|
Fetid Heath | Cascade Bluffs | Twilight Mire | Rugged Prairie | Flooded Grove |
Pairs
Masters 25 has one mirrored pair.
| Mirrored Pairs | Description | |
|---|---|---|
| Blue Elemental Blast ( )
|
Red Elemental Blast ( )
|
Originally printed in Alpha, these common modal instants (formerly interrupts), one blue and one red, both have a casting cost of M and can be cast to either destroy a permanent of the other's color or counter a spell of the other's color. |
Token cards
The set comes with fourteen tokens and one overlay card.[14]
1/1 Spirit for Promise of Bunrei- 4/4 Angel with Flying for Luminarch Ascension and Decree of Justice
- 1/1 Soldier for Decree of Justice and Darien. King of Kjeldor
- 1/1 Spirit with Flying for Dauntless Cathar
- 3/3 Fish for Reef Worm [15]
- 9/9 Kraken for Reef Worm
- 6/6 Whale for Reef Worm
- 1/1 Skeleton with ": Regenerate this creature." for Skeletonize
- 1/1 Goblin for Hordeling Outburst
- 0/1 Kobold named Kobolds of Kher Keep for Prossh, Skyraider of Kher
- 1/1 Elf Warrior for Presence of Gond
- 1/1 Insect for Broodhatch Nantuko
- 2/2 Wolf for Master of the Wild Hunt
3/4 Human Warrior named Stangg Twin for Stangg- Morph overlay card
Notable cards
- Jace, the Mind Sculptor — Considered to be the best planeswalker ever printed. Unbanned in the Modern format right before release of the set.[16]
- Azusa, Lost but Seeking — While not highly prized during Kamigawa block itself, her popularity soared alongside that of the Commander format, where she fueled powerful mana-ramping strategies (art from Judge Gift card)
- Imperial Recruiter from Portal Three Kingdoms, highly valued on the secondary market due to its scarcity.[17]
Cards with new art
- Angelic Page [10]
- Arcane Denial [9]
- Balduvian Horde [10]
- Blue Elemental Blast
- Broodhatch Nantuko
- Coalition Relic
- Dirge of Dread
- Doomsday [9]
- Elvish Aberration
- Ensnaring Bridge [9]
- Erg Raiders
- Exclude [10]
- Fierce Empath
- Flash
- Frenzied Goblin
- Ghost Ship
- Goblin War Drums [9]
- Imperial Recruiter
- Kavu Climber [10]
- Ihsan's Shade [9]
- Loyal Sentry
- Path of Peace
- Pillage [10]
- Red Elemental Blast
- Relentless Rats
- Renewed Faith [10]
- Rishadan Port
- Savannah Lions
- Shoreline Ranger
- Skirk Commando
- Spikeshot Goblin
- Stangg
- Sundering Titan
- Undead Gladiator [10]
- Unearth [10]
- Valor in Akros
- Willbender
- Zombify
Cards with new flavor text
- Balduvian Horde
- Ball Lightning
- Blue Elemental Blast
- Caustic Tar
- Cinder Storm (variant of original)
- Ensnaring Bridge
- Erg Raiders
- Exclude
- Flash
- Ghost Ship
- Giant Growth
- Goblin War Drums
- Hell's Caretaker (variant of original)
- Ihsan's Shade
- Imperial Recruiter
- Living Wish
- Loyal Sentry
- Lull
- Murder
- Nezumi Cutthroat (shortened)
- Path of Peace
- Pillage
- Red Elemental Blast
- Renewed Faith
- Savannah Lions
- Shoreline Ranger
- Simian Spirit Guide
- Spikeshot Goblin
- Sundering Titan
- Undead Gladiator
- Unearth
- Valor in Akros
- Will-o’-the-Wisp [10]
Cards with centered rules text
Reception
After the disappointed reactions to Iconic Masters, Gavin Verhey had promised that Masters 25 would be Masters set that people had been waiting for.[18] But again, people were disappointed about the lack of several much-needed, high profile, reprints. Verhey later acknowledged that some mistakes had been made in design.[19]
References
- ↑ Product Information
- ↑ Wizards of the Coast (June 14, 2017). "25th Anniversary Announcement Day". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
- ↑ Wizards of the Coast (March 8, 2018). "Masters 25 Release Notes". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
- ↑ Gavin Verhey (March 8, 2018). "Three Things to Know About Masters 25 Limited". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
- ↑ Kenji Egashira (March 6, 2018). "How To Draft Masters 25". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
- ↑ Mark Rosewater (June 22, 2017). "Are you allowed to tell us which sets are excluded?". Blogatog. Tumblr.
- ↑ Mark Rosewater (June 22, 2017). "All of us players are going to go wild speculating about Reserved List cards being in Masters 25". Blogatog. Tumblr.
- ↑ Blake Rasmussen (February 2, 2018). "Masters 25 Packaging". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
- ↑ a b c d e f Blake Rasmussen (March 13, 2018). "The Art of Masters 25". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
- ↑ a b c d e f g h i j Chas Andres (March 14, 2018). "The Dominarian Roots of Masters 25". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
- ↑ Gavin Verhey (February 22, 2018). "The Future of Masters". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
- ↑ Mark Rosewater (February 26, 2018). "Every Card Has a Story". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
- ↑ Melissa DeTora (March 16, 2018). "Designing Masters 25". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
- ↑ Wizards of the Coast (March 2, 2018). "The Tokens of Masters 25". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
- ↑ Adam Styborski (February 28, 2018). "Token Resonance". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
- ↑ Ian Duke (February 12, 2018). "February 12, 2018 Banned and Restricted Announcement". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
- ↑ SaffronOlive (March 05, 2018). "Not All Reprints Are Created Equal", Mtggoldfish.com
- ↑ Zach Barash (August 21, 2018), "The Future of Masters". Hipsters of the Coast
- ↑ Gavin Verhey (2019-02-05). "State of Product Design 2018". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.