Whether you’re a new player or an enfranchised veteran, there’s a lot to love about Jumpstart 2022. Providing accessibility, anime girls, and a few prized reprints, Jumpstart 2022 has a little bit of everything. Unfortunately, however, Jumpstart 2022 is miraculously missing out on a few key cards that greatly restrict the set’s playability. So much so, in fact, that Jumpstart 2022 might not be so perfect for new MTG players after all. As thanks to the intricacies of the set’s design, Jumpstart 2022 doesn’t have any tokens.
A Token Problem
On its own, an MTG set without any tokens isn’t inherently problematic. After all, if a set doesn’t have any token-producing cards, there aren’t any reasons to have tokens in the set. Unfortunately, Jumpstart 2022 isn’t one of these rare sets without any token-producing cards. In fact, Jumpstart 2022 actually has a lot of cards that produce tokens. By Scryfall’s count, Jumpstart 2022 has a remarkable 126 different cards that produce tokens across its 121 different packs. This makes the exclusion of tokens from the set even more baffling, as it’s not like tokens are just a niche theme!
Understandably, the MTG community hasn’t received this confusing lack of tokens well. Taking to Blogatog, Tumblr user Mgmegadog stated, “I must admit, I’m rather disappointed by the lack of tokens for JS22, especially the unique tokens. I really wanted to see the Banana and Zeppelin tokens!” Unfortunately, for token-enjoying players, this isn’t even the first time they’ve been snubbed in a Jumpstart set. First appearing in 2020’s Jumpstart, Blessed Sanctuary introduced 2/2 Unicorn tokens into Magic: the Gathering. Despite these new tokens being created, however, Wizards neglected to officially print any of these tokens.
Explaining this decision to Mgmegadog, Mark Rosewater claimed Jumpstart 2022 is “not an easy product to have tokens for.” Since Jumpstart packs are 20-card half decks that are designed to be shuffled with another pack, this restriction makes sense. Unlike traditional Draft Boosters, which may be used for Pack Wars, players don’t have to remove anything from Jumpstart packs. There are no tokens, marketing cards, or surprise foils that may disrupt the intended experience. Instead, players, new and old, just crack packs, shuffle, and play. Unfortunately, this fun gameplay experience does come at the cost of the token slot.
A Demand Dilemma
While Jumpstart 2022 packs themselves may not be the best home for tokens, thankfully, there are plenty of alternatives. For instance, as Tumblr user Werewolfcommanderplayer suggested on Blogatog, a Token Station is one possible option. “I maintain the stance that a Token Station, in the same vein as a Land Station, would be a strongly appreciated product and a perfect way to address missing tokens like Bananas and 2/2 Unicorns.” While a version of a Token Station may provide a lot of utility and subsequently make a lot of sense, Mark Rosewater questioned the product’s usefulness. Responding to Werewolfcommanderplayer, Rosewater stated that “everyone needs the same five basic lands. I’m not sure there’s enough audience for a token station.”
From Rosewater’s dismissal, the dream of a well-stocked token station seems dead in the water. Thankfully, however, MTG players have plenty more suggestions about where to best print the prized missing tokens. In the notes of Werewolfcommanderplayer’s post, for instance, Bcrazy713 suggested dedicated tokens packs. “Maybe if they added a token pack that includes 2-3 of each token in the set with the purchase of a booster box, this would help.” Similarly, Tlblitz suggested that for some sets, “having a side-product that supplies matching tokens could be a consideration. Even just like a single bonus pack in the booster box, that’s just a bunch of tokens, for example.”
Alternatively, Tumblr users Pjweisberg and Incrediblefrown suggested that players should get creative and solve this problem themselves. “Draw your own token on a piece of paper with a crayon. Put it in a sleeve with an ad card or a basic land. Easy peasy,” Pjweisberg proposed. Similarly, Incrediblefrown suggested, “you can always find a printer somewhere and run off your own.”
A While to Wait
Without taking matters into their own hands, unfortunately, MTG players may be left waiting for quite some time for their desired tokens. As we discussed earlier, the 2/2 Unicorn tokens from Blessed Sanctuary have been missing for over two years at this point. While this is bad enough, the Unicorn tokens are far from the only missing tokens in MTG. Famously, the 1/1 Hippo tokens from Questing Phelddagrif are still missing after over 20 years. Waiting even longer for their correct token is 1994’s Boris Devilboon, who creates 1/1 Minor Demon tokens.
Having not been printed as an extra token in any of Magic’s near 100 sets, it seems unlikely that players will get the official printing they want anytime soon. Even Secret Lair drops have been miraculously stingy on the token front, despite arguably being the perfect place for reprints. Subsequently, players may be waiting a few more years until they finally get the Unicorn token of their dreams. We can only hope that the wait won’t be as long as the one for Sand Warrior tokens. While they have finally been printed, it did take a whopping 28 years after Hazezon Tamar first appeared.
Read More: Bizarre Unhinged MTG Mechanic Could Become Reality
