We still have a lot of ambiguity on what all next month's Foundation Set release will entail. Will we have a bunch of staple cards? Will we have the staple cards and some new prints that breathe life into the format? It kind of remains to be seen, and as we approach the spoiler portion of the release, we are simply left to speculate. Some things we are starting to see, however, are the multiple different product offerings from Wizards for this release. The overall intention of the set is to allow for new players to buy as little as one product, and be able to start playing Magic. We have seen starter and challenger decks before, but Foundations appears to be not only doubling down on that option, but taking it a step further. We will look at the different products that will be coming out, for whom they are designed, and I will give my own opinion if they are worth buying, or maybe what type of Magic player might enjoy said product. I have to start by saying that I appreciate the way this is being done. They are making it incredibly easy for a new player to get into the game. Other TCGs are doing this as well, as they are all trying to get new players these days. I like that there is a clear and simplified way for a new player to learn, and that they are able to start with some basic principles before diving into the complex game that we know.
New Products Hitting the Shelves
The first Foundations product that is worth noting is something that will truly be for beginners. It is the Beginner Box. It appears to be going for around $30-$35 USD and is designed for someone who has never played MTG before. It is intended that you can pick up that box, learn from the beginner guide, rulebook, and the two 20 -card starter decks, and play with a friend right out of the box. It comes with playmats, life counters, and everything else needed to play Magic. Once you feel that you have an idea of how to play, they also have some Jumpstart decks - Eight of them to be exact. They are similar to the theme packs that you could purchase previously, and if you put two of them together, it could make a deck. Since they are preconstructed, I believe that the cards likely won't differ, but it should still give some exciting gameplay. While clearly intended for beginners, it could also be nice for the more seasoned player who is trying to teach someone else how to play, but may not have incredibly simplified decks like some of these are. The mechanics these days can be overwhelming, so starting with a more vanilla deck can be helpful when learning. I'm already thinking of getting this for friends of mine who want to learn how to play.
The next item that will be available is the Starter Collection. This one is for people who are ready to take that next step and actually begin collecting MTG Cards. It comes with lands, and other cards that they consider staples. You get at least 380 cards, and some foils as well. The box also comes with three play boosters, which automatically makes up for $15 of the $55 cost. You could essentially think of it as getting a base collection of Magic Cards for $40, and then also getting some play boosters with it. The collection also comes with some essential MTG Accessories too. Something I was worried about was that there might just be a ton of commons in the box. While the commons sure are powerful in MTG these days, we definitely need to make sure our new players are getting some rares and mythics, and this bundle guarantees at least 75 cards that are either rare or mythic. This is not including the play boosters.
The next new(ish) product that we have are the Jumpstart Boosters. While we have seen products like this before in other sets, I want to emphasize the relevance of it being available in this set. I believe that it is essential to have them in your foundations set to make it easier for newer players, and to present a more affordable product to newer players as well. We know that the cards in the packs might not be as good, but it may be what helps someone believe that they aren't priced out of playing the game. The Jumpstart Boosters are generally cheaper, and boxes of them are going for around $100 USD right now on preorder. While this product is something we've seen before, I believe it will be more relevant than any other Jumpstart Boosters we have seen previously.
So What is Worth Buying?
I think that the Beginner Box and the Starter Collection are awesome products for newer players. I believe that it is a good idea to get the Beginner Box first, and then the Starter Collection once you have decided that you like the game. Because of the foundation that the Starter Collection will give you, I actually believe that getting the Jumpstart Boosters might not be necessary. The intention of the Starter Collection is for you to be prepared to build your own decks. If that is what you are ready for, it is time to learn about the thousands of other cards that are available in Standard and other formats that you can play.
I think that the Jumpstart Boosters are a fine product for people to split a box a few different ways and draft together. It may also be something that can be a cheap gift or peace offering that you bring to someone as a surprise. I wouldn't recommend going out and getting a Jumpstart Booster Box without having some type of plan for it. If you want to crack the packs, I would say to go for the regular play booster box, or collector booster box - which will also be available upon release. We also get the regular bundle box that has the usual nine play boosters and other accessories. We are very excited for Foundations, and should have some spoilers for you soon!