| Iconic Masters | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | |||||
| Set Information | |||||
| Set symbol | |||||
| Symbol description | M in a circle | ||||
| Design |
Erik Lauer (lead) Ken Troop Yoni Skolnik | ||||
| Development |
Bryan Hawley (lead) Adam Prosak Alan Canode Pete Ingram | ||||
| Release date | November 17, 2017 | ||||
| Themes and mechanics | Tribal | ||||
| Keywords/ability words | Landfall, Outlast, Rebound, Renown, Storm, Suspend, Unleash | ||||
| Set size |
249 cards (101 commons, 80 uncommons, 53 rares, 15 mythic rares) | ||||
| Expansion code | IMA[2] | ||||
| Physical Masters series | |||||
| |||||
| Magic: The Gathering Chronology | |||||
| |||||
Iconic Masters is a booster-based compilation set[3] that was released on November 17, 2017. It is designed to be drafted.[4]
Set details
Iconic Masters packaging
Iconic Masters contains 249 cards (101 common, 80 uncommon, 53 rare, and 15 mythic rare) and includes randomly inserted premium versions of all cards. The name of the set was inadvertently revealed in a WPN-mail send to retailers in April 2017.[5] Iconic Masters offers players a tour through some of the most powerful cards in over 23 years of Magic history.[6] Featuring new artwork on many cards, the set brings an array of massive Angels, Sphinxes, Demons, Dragons and Hydras alongside some favorite and most memorable spells.
Iconic Masters was designed to provide an exciting and unique Limited experience with cards that had never been drafted together. Unlike Modern Masters or Eternal Masters, this product is not geared to any specific format. Mark Rosewater considers the name of the set misleading, because some really iconic cards are missing.[7][8][9] The release was met with disappointed reactions.[10]
Marketing
Remarkably, Iconic Masters was the second Masters series-set to be released in 2017. Its release was connected to the celebration of Magic's 25th Anniversary. The cards of the set were revealed at the HASCON prerelease on September 8–10, 2017. There were no previews. Like for other Masters series sets, the MSRP of one booster was set to $9.99.[11] Every booster box of Iconic Masters contains 24 booster packs — each with fifteen randomly inserted game cards, including one premium card in every pack. The 16-card boosters (the sixteenth card is a marketing card) feature artwork from Elesh Norn, Grand Cenobite, Heroes' Bane and Firemane Angel.
Magic Online
Iconic Masters released on Magic Online on November 17, 2017, the same day as the paper set.
Themes and mechanics
Iconic Masters features the following limited archetypes:
: Tempo Skies/Prowess (Azorius Charm)- : Midrange Skies/Control/Mill (Blizzard Specter)
- : Dragons (Bladewing the Risen)
- : Ramp/X-spells/ChannelFireball (Rosheen Meanderer)
- : +1/+1 counters (Chronicler of Heroes)
- : Lifegain (Vizkopa Guildmage)
- : Spell Aggro (Electrolyze)
- : +1/+1 counters (Corpsejack Menace)
- : Aggro/Go wide (Lightning Helix)
- : Defenders (Jungle Barrier)
Cycles
Iconic Masters has five cycles.
| Cycle name | Description and notes |
|
|
|
|
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Praetors | Five mythic rare legendary creatures, one per color, representing the Phyrexian's rulers and a different philosophy among the Phyrexian army what exactly New Phyrexia should look like. They give a positive effect to the player controlling them, and an inverse effect to his or her opponents. Reprints from New Phyrexia. | Elesh Norn, Grand Cenobite | Jin-Gitaxias, Core Augur | Sheoldred, Whispering One | Urabrask the Hidden | Vorinclex, Voice of Hunger |
| Spirit Dragons | Each of these rare legendary Dragon Spirit creatures costs six mana, has flying in addition to an ability when the creature is put into a graveyard from the battlefield. Reprints from Champions of Kamigawa. | Yosei, the Morning Star | Keiga, the Tide Star | Kokusho, the Evening Star | Ryusei, the Falling Star | Jugan, the Rising Star |
| Cycle name | Description and notes |
|
|
|
|
|
| Futureshifted dual lands | Rare lands that are able to add two colors of mana. Reprints from Future Sight. | Nimbus Maze | River of Tears | Graven Cairns | Grove of the Burnwillows | Horizon Canopy |
| Cycle name |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bounce lands | Azorius Chancery | Dimir Aqueduct | Rakdos Carnarium | Gruul Turf | Selesnya Sanctuary | Orzhov Basilica | Izzet Boilerworks | Golgari Rot Farm | Boros Garrison | Simic Growth Chamber |
| Description and notes: When each of these uncommon nonbasic dual lands enters the battlefield tapped, its controller returns a land he or she controls to its owner's hand. Each of these lands can tap to produce two mana, one of each of the its associate guild's colors. Reprints from Ravnica Mega Cycles. | ||||||||||
| Draft Archetypes | Azorius Charm | Blizzard Specter | Bladewing the Risen | Rosheen Meanderer | Chronicler of Heroes | Vizkopa Guildmage | Electrolyze | Corpsejack Menace | Lightning Helix | Jungle Barrier |
| Description and notes: Ten uncommon multicolored cards that represent the draft archetypes of the set. | ||||||||||
Changes in rarity
Mythic Rare to Rare
- Abyssal Persecutor, first printed in Worldwake (last seen in Commander 2014).
- Blood Baron of Vizkopa, first printed in Dragon's Maze (last seen in Commander 2017).
- Lotus Cobra, first printed in Zendikar.
- Malfegor, first printed in Conflux (last seen in Commander).
- Rampaging Baloths, first printed in Zendikar (last seen in Archenemy: Nicol Bolas).
- Savageborn Hydra, first printed in Dragon's Maze.
- Scourge of Valkas, first printed in Magic 2014 (last seen in Commander 2017).
- The spirit dragon cycle, first printed at rare in Champions of Kamigawa (last seen at mythic rare in Modern Masters).
Rare to Uncommon
- Assault Formation, first printed in Dragons of Tarkir.
- Bladewing the Risen, first printed in Scourge (last seen in Commander 2017).
- Bogbrew Witch, first printed in Magic 2014.
- Corpsejack Menace, first printed in Return to Ravnica (last seen in Commander 2016).
- Dragon Tempest, first printed in Dragons of Tarkir (last seen in Commander 2017).
- Heroes' Bane, first printed in Journey into Nyx.
- Hoarding Dragon, first printed in Magic 2011 (last seen in Magic 2015).
- Indulgent Tormentor, first printed in Magic 2015 (last seen in Duel Decks: Nissa vs. Ob Nixilis).
- Mahamoti Djinn, first printed in Limited Edition Alpha (last seen in Magic Origins).
- Rosheen Meanderer, first printed in Shadowmoor.
- Sanguine Bond, first printed in Magic 2010 (last seen in Commander 2017).
Rare to Common
- Ivy Elemental, first printed in Odyssey (last seen in Planechase).
Uncommon to Mythic Rare
- Channel, first printed in Limited Edition Alpha (last seen in From the Vault: Exiled).
- Mana Drain, first printed in Legends.
Uncommon to Rare
- Curse of Predation, first printed in Commander 2013.
Uncommon to Common
- Angel of Mercy, first printed in Invasion (last seen in Duel Decks: Divine vs. Demonic).
- Crowned Ceratok, first printed in Gatecrash.
- Darksteel Axe, first printed in Scars of Mirrodin.
- Dissolve, first printed in Theros.
- Draconic Roar, first printed in Dragons of Tarkir.
- Dragonlord's Servant, first printed in Dragons of Tarkir (last seen in Commander 2017).
- Duskdale Wurm, first printed in Eventide (last seen in Magic 2013).
- Earth Elemental, first printed in Limited Edition Alpha (last seen in 10th Edition).
- Emerge Unscathed, first printed in Rise of the Eldrazi.
- Foul-Tongue Invocation, first printed in Dragons of Tarkir.
- Guardian Idol, first printed in Fifth Dawn.
- Heat Ray, first printed in Urza's Saga (last seen in Magic 2015).
- Jace's Phantasm, first printed in Magic 2013 (last seen in Duel Decks: Jace vs. Vraska).
- Jaddi Offshoot, first printed in Battle for Zendikar.
- Jhessian Thief, first printed in Magic Origins.
- Lead the Stampede, first printed in Mirrodin Besieged (last seen in Conspiracy).
- Mark of Mutiny, first printed in Zendikar (last seen in Magic 2013).
- Mind Stone, first printed in Weatherlight (last seen in Commander 2015).
- Prey's Vengeance, first printed in Rise of the Eldrazi.
- Riverwheel Aerialists, first printed in Khans of Tarkir.
- Runed Servitor, first printed in Rise of the Eldrazi (last seen in Conspiracy: Take the Crown).
- Scion of Ugin, first printed in Dragons of Tarkir.
- Seeker of the Way, first printed in Khans of Tarkir.
- Star Compass, first printed in Planeshift (last seen in 9th Edition).
- Survival Cache, first printed in Rise of the Eldrazi (last seen in Commander 2013).
- Sustainer of the Realm, first printed in Urza's Legacy (last seen in Duel Decks: Divine vs. Demonic).
- Thrill-Kill Assassin, first printed in Return to Ravnica.
- Virulent Swipe, first printed in Rise of the Eldrazi.
- Wight of Precinct Six, first printed in Gatecrash (last seen in Commander 2016).
Common to Uncommon
- Condescend, first printed in Fifth Dawn (last seen in Duel Decks: Jace vs. Chandra).
- Distortion Strike, first printed in Rise of the Eldrazi.
- Overgrown Battlement, first printed in Rise of the Eldrazi.
- Pristine Talisman, first printed in New Phyrexia (last seen in Commander 2014).
- Rift Bolt, first printed in Time Spiral (last seen in Duel Decks: Mind vs. Might).
- Staggershock, first printed in Rise of the Eldrazi.
- Topan Freeblade, first printed in Magic Origins.
Token cards
The set comes with seven creature tokens.
- 1/1 Bird with flying for Emeria Angel.
- 1/1 Spirit with flying for Doomed Traveler.
- 4/4 Angel with flying for Angelic Accord.
- 2/2 Djinn Monk with flying for Skywise Teachings.
- 2/2 Dragon with flying and ": This creature gets +1/+0 until end of turn" for Dragon Egg.
- 5/5 Dragon with flying for Day of the Dragons.
- 4/4 Beast for Hunting Pack and Rampaging Baloths.
Notable cards
- Mana Drain, following up on the Judge Gift card from 2016, this is the first reprint of this card in a large set. It was first printed in Legends and Mark Rosewater famously remarked in 1995 that “All of R&D would have to be hit by a bus first” before it would be reprinted. Of course, nowadays this should be applied to standard environments only.[12]
Cards with new art
- The Spirit dragons
- Ancestral Vision
- Auriok Champion
- Austere Command
- Bladewing the Risen
- Bladewing's Thrall
- Condescend
- Cryptic Command
- Furnace Whelp
- Guardian Idol
- Guttersnipe
- Jungle Barrier
- Manakin
- Mana Drain
- Oblivion Stone
- Phantom Tiger
- Sandstone Oracle
- Serra Ascendant
Cards with new flavor text
- Auriok Champion
- Bladewing's Thrall
- Condescend
- Diminish
- Disenchant
- Enlarge
- Guttersnipe
- Horizon Canopy
- Jugan, the Rising Star
- Jungle Barrier
- Keiga, the Tide Star
- Manakin
- Mana Drain
- Ryusei, the Falling Star
- Serra Ascendant
- Windfall
- Yosei, the Morning Star
References
- ↑ Product Information
- ↑ [1]
- ↑ Mark Rosewater (April 21, 2017). "Will there be any non-reprints in Iconic Masters?". Blogatog. Tumblr.
- ↑ Wizards of the Coast (September 11, 2017). "Iconic Masters Release Notes". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
- ↑ Iconic Masters November 2017
- ↑ Wizards of the Coast (April 20, 2017). "HASCON and the Kickoff of our 25th Anniversary". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
- ↑ Mark Rosewater (September 12, 2017). "Why is the single most iconic red spell, Lightning Bolt, not in Iconic Masters?". Blogatog. Tumblr.
- ↑ Mark Rosewater (September 23, 2017). "Do you feel you should have named Iconic Masters something akin to "Tribal Masters"?". Blogatog. Tumblr.
- ↑ Mark Rosewater (November 01, 2017). "Is lightning bolt Iconic?". Blogatog. Tumblr.
- ↑ Zach Barash (August 21, 2018), "The Future of Masters". Hipsters of the Coast
- ↑ Wizards Play Network
- ↑ Mark Rosewater (September 10, 2017). "I seem to recall you saying that it shouldn't be reprinted.". Blogatog. Tumblr.