WeeklyMTG – Play Booster Q&A/Banned & Restricted Update
The Play Booster has only been out a day, and it’s already causing an uproar. WeeklyMTG does a deep dive into what it means for MTG’s future.
Welcome in, Praetors and Planeswalkers! Like anything of its size and scope, Magic is constantly in flux. The state of play, value of cards, and even the ruleset have changed significantly since the release of Alpha. Between new formats, bold new art, and exciting storylines, the world of MTG has become a brand-new animal. As such, the way players interact with products has needed to evolve. First, it was the Set booster to give non-Limited players a fun experience. However, this caused a backup of Draft boosters, or game stores that bought only Set boosters for casual players struggled with drafts. Either way a store leaned, there was an issue.
Enter the Play Booster, a brand new way to draft headed our way in early 2024. This will combine all the fun of opening a Set booster with the playability of a Draft booster. While this will even the playing field a bit, it will cause an increase in the price of draft, and by extension, the hobby as a whole. Obviously, this caused a bit of an uproar in the community. Players on both sides have strong and loud opinions, but with the new boosters just now premiering, it’s hard to address all the concerns. WeeklyMTG sat down with Mark Rosewater and Mike Turian to answer some of the most common questions.
Updated Banned and Restricted List
Before jumping into booster questions, the most recent update to the Banned and Restricted list was discussed. Since there was no change, there wasn’t much to say. Rosewater noted that the state of play had remained relatively unchanged since the last B&R list, with no high-power “bombs” polluting play. As such, they decided to leave the list unchanged for the time being, and will analyze the format again next year with the introduction of Play Boosters.
Where Did the Idea Grow From?
Wizards looked at the things that made both Set Boosters and Limited play fun, and tried to find a way to combine the two. The Play Booster does just that; it provides a draftable set of 14 cards while also giving players the chance to open List cards, extra rares, and potential “chase cards”. This won’t bother Limited play, of course; every set going forward will be designed with Play draft in mind, so “bombs” won’t be as much of a threat.
Will this Effect Cost?
As with all things, cost is a major factor. Unfortunately, the increased value of the packs has led to a slightly increased cost of both Draft and Display Box purchases. In that light, however, the increase in cost means a better chance of getting what you want. Play Booster crates will come with 36 packs, not 24 as Set boosters used to. That means you have more chances to grab Guest cards, like Mana Vault from Ixalan, while also giving you a better chance to build a strong and cohesive Limited deck during draft play.
Live Q&A
Mark and Mike opened the floor to chat questions and answered them to the best of their knowledge. Not all of those questions are listed here, but you can check out the interview over at Daily MTG.
What are your thoughts on Play Boosters?
