There’s a particular pleasure in opening a Magic: The Gathering booster pack that no amount of singles-buying quite replaces. The moment before the rare slides out. The occasional ridiculous hit that makes the whole box feel worth it. Set Boosters, introduced with Zendikar Rising in 2020, were designed specifically around that feeling.
Before we get into recommendations, a note that matters for newer players: Set Boosters were discontinued in early 2024 when Wizards of the Coast introduced Play Boosters as a replacement. Play Boosters now serve as the single booster product for all new standard-legal sets, combining elements of both Draft and Set Boosters.
For everything released between Zendikar Rising and The Lost Caverns of Ixalan, though, Set Boosters are still findable online and at local game stores. If you want to crack packs from that era, they remain the better choice over Draft Boosters for casual pack opening. This is thanks to a higher average rare count, a foil at any rarity in every pack, and a 25% shot at pulling a card from The List, a rotating pool of reprints from across Magic’s history.
So which sets made the best use of the format?
Wilds of Eldraine
Wilds of Eldraine is the gold standard for what a Set Booster experience can feel like. The set came with a bonus sheet called Enchanting Tales, containing a curated collection of some of the most powerful and beloved enchantments ever printed. Every single Set Booster was guaranteed to contain at least one Enchanting Tales card, which immediately raised the floor of what you could open.
The sheet included genuine Commander staples in borderless treatments that range from atmospheric to genuinely stunning. Some received anime-inspired art styles that the community responded to strongly. Opening an Anime art Smothering Tithe is an absolutely incredible hit, both from a financial and a usability perspective.
The main set underneath the bonus sheet is also solid. Adventure cards return from the original Eldraine and feel immediately useful in Commander contexts. The showcase full art lands are among the most beautiful basics printed in years. If you’re going to crack one Set Booster box, Wilds of Eldraine is the easiest recommendation on this list.
Kamigawa: Neon Dynasty
Neon Dynasty achieved something that most Magic sets only attempt: it made a cohesive aesthetic statement from top to bottom. The cyberpunk-meets-feudal Japan setting produced card art that felt visually distinct from anything Magic had done before, and the Set Boosters reflected that at every rarity slot.
The Ukiyo-e lands, full-art basics rendered in traditional Japanese woodblock print style, appear in roughly half of all Neon Dynasty Set Boosters, and remain some of the most sought-after basic lands in the game’s recent history.The Channel Lands, like Boseiju, Who Endures and Otawara, Soaring City, are also strong cards to chase. Even a pack that doesn’t produce an exciting rare feels rewarding, much like the appeal of added-value incentives such as Stay Casino no deposit bonus codes, when you pull one of those lands.
Beyond the lands, the set introduced several cards that became immediate Commander staples. The Set Booster exclusive Commander cards for this set were also among the better ones across the entire format’s run, giving dedicated Commander players genuine reasons to keep opening beyond the main set’s contents.
Innistrad: Midnight Hunt and Crimson Vow
The two Innistrad sets released in autumn 2021 were notable for being the first to include Commander-exclusive cards in Set Booster wildcard slots. Some of these cards were particularly expensive, offering some crazy hits.
Crimson Vow continued this approach and went further. Three separate slots carried the possibility of double-faced cards, including werewolves and Disturb creatures. The Commander exclusive chase mythic for this set,Wedding Ring, was a memorable addition.
Kaldheim
Kaldheim’s appeal as a Set Booster product comes down to several factors. The Norse mythology setting produced strong, flavourful art throughout. The power level, at the time of release, was also quite high.
For players building Commander decks around snow synergies, opening Kaldheim Set Boosters was an efficient way to accumulate the permanents those decks need. The set also had exclusive Set Booster cards slotting into uncommon and rare positions, giving regular openers a chance at cards not found in Draft Boosters at all.
At current secondary market prices, Kaldheim Set Boosters represent solid value for the card quality on offer.
The Brothers’ War
The Brothers’ War is the second major set on this list to use a bonus sheet. The Retro Artifact sheet brought iconic artifacts from across Magic’s history back into print with Retro frames, an aesthetic long-time players associate with the game’s earliest years.
The main set itself tells one of Magic’s most celebrated stories and features several Commander all-stars. The Meld cards return here too, a mechanic where two specific cards combine on the battlefield into a single powerful creature.
Modern Horizons 2: The High-Risk Option
Modern Horizons 2 doesn’t fit cleanly alongside the standard sets above. It was instead a supplemental product designed specifically for the Modern format, priced higher per pack and carrying a different risk profile. It belongs on any honest list because the potential upside is simply higher than any standard set can match.
The set contains some of the most powerful and expensive cards printed in Magic’s recent history. Opening a single high-value mythic from a Modern Horizons 2 Set Booster can cover the cost of the pack and then some.
The flip side is real: the set also contains plenty of rares that see limited play, and variance runs higher than with a Standard set. The emotional range of the opening experience is wider in both directions. If value potential matters more than the experience of opening itself, Modern Horizons 2 is the clearest answer. If consistent enjoyment matters more, the sets above serve better.
How to Choose
The right Set Booster set depends on what you want from the experience. For the best overall pack-opening experience, Wilds of Eldraine leads. For the strongest aesthetic presentation, Kamigawa: Neon Dynasty. For Innistrad fans and Commander players who want exclusive cards, Midnight Hunt or Crimson Vow. For raw card power and format relevance, Kaldheim or Modern Horizons 2.
One practical note: Set Boosters from older sets often drop in price significantly as new products arrive on shelves. Sets like The Brothers’ War and Kaldheim can now be found well below their original MSRP. If you’re in no hurry, the per-pack cost of opening a well-regarded older set can be surprisingly reasonable.
Set Boosters had a short run; three and a half years between debut and retirement. But within that window, the best of them produced some of the most enjoyable pack-opening experiences in recent Magic history. They’re worth revisiting.
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