Everything You Need To Know About Magic: The Gathering Foundations

Have you ever wanted to get into Magic: The Gathering but didn’t know where to start? After over a hundred expansions across literal decades, it’s not necessarily easy to know where to begin.

Enter Magic: The Gathering Foundations, a new entry-level set designed to get you slinging spells and summoning monsters that had otherwise fallen through the cracks after years without reprints, as well as new cards.

Here’s all you need to know about the set so far.

What is Magic: The Gathering Foundations?

In some ways, you can think of Foundations as being a little like a ‘Greatest Hits’, helping build a pool of good cards for players to learn the ropes with.

There are new cards, too, but the idea is to help newcomers get to grips with deckbuilding across a set that should be legal until 2029 - that’s a large window.

While most sets, like the recent Duskmourn, Bloomburrow, and Outlaws of Thunder Junction offer new stories set in various universes, Foundations will pull together elements from multiple sets and multiverses.

The best reprints in the Foundations set

We’re still waiting for more reveals, but the set will focus on the core Planeswalkers; Ajani, Jace, Liliana, Chandra, and Garruk.

As a result, expect cards in all five colours, including Nine-Lives Familiar, Llanowar Elves, and Vengeful Bloodwitch. Expect more to be revealed in the run-up to launch.

Magic: The Gathering Foundations launch date

Expect prerelease events at your local store from November 8 to 14, and the full launch to arrive on November 15 at more retailers.

How to buy Foundations

With such a focus on Standard, it’s no surprise you won’t find any Commander decks here.

Instead, you’ll be able to pick up Play Boosters and Jumpstart Boosters, so you can enjoy Draft gameplay. Collector Boosters and a Prerelease Pack are also available.

While Wizards seemingly hasn’t given up on the Starter Set, you’ll also be able to get the new Foundations Beginner Box.

This set includes 10 Jumpstart packs, playmats, life counters, and everything else you’ll need to get started.

There’s also a new Starter Collection that includes more than 350 Magic: The Gathering cards, 3 Play Boosters, tokens, and a deckbuilding guide.

Wizards says it’s the ‘Ultimate Shoebox’ of Magic cards, and I’ve got my preorder in - here’s hoping it helps me get into playing Standard.