Collecting Foundations: The Four Most Important Things to Know
Editor's Note: The Play Booster contents and Sol Ring promo treatment have been updated for accuracy.
Whether you're taking your first trip through the planes of the Multiverse or you're a seasoned Planeswalker, you'll find something special in Magic: The Gathering Foundations, a compilation of everything exciting and fantastical about Magic. With new-to-Magic cards and fan-favorite reprints, Foundations has something for everyone. And, since the set will be legal in Standard until at least 2029, you'll be able to enjoy these cards for many years to come.
Art by: PINDURSKI
If you're looking for the most important details, then look no further! We've got the four most important things to know about collecting Foundations right here.
1. Break out your favorite cards with borderless versions.
Foundations is all about looking into the depths of what makes Magic so amazing, and we wanted to encapsulate these on borderless cards. Iconic reprints and select new-to-Magic cards receive unique artwork with a borderless frame.
Borderless cards can be found in both Foundations Play Boosters and Collector Boosters.
2. Add some extra shine with mana foils.
Looking for that extra stylistic flair for your deck? Then check out these mana foil cards! All borderless rare and mythic rare cards in Foundations also have mana foil versions, where the borderless card is overlayed with the five mana symbols.
Mana foil cards appear only in Foundations Collector Boosters. These cards are only in English but can be found in Collector Boosters of any language.
3. Japan Showcase cards return with Foundations.
First introduced in Duskmourn: House of Horror, Japan Showcase are a collection of ten cards with a special frame and artwork by Japanese artists and illustrators. Meant to evoke the iconic imagery of Japanese hobby shops, these pay homage to an integral part of the gaming community.
Japan Showcase cards appear only in Collector Boosters. In Japanese Collector Boosters, Japan Showcase cards will always be in Japanese. In non-Japanese Collector Boosters, they will appear in English two thirds of the time and in Japanese one third of the time.
4. Special Guests cards call back to beloved treatments.
Special Guests cards are a unique way of showcasing pieces from Magic's past through the lens of a given set. Since Foundations is a glimpse into the beauty of Magic as a whole, we're capturing this by bringing back ten showcase frames from Magic's past.
Special Guests appear in both Foundations Play Boosters and Collector Boosters.
Magic: The Gathering Foundations is the perfect way to start playing the world's first collectible card game, or to pick up some powerful cards for your decks. For all the details on this foundational Magic set, read on!
Magic: The Gathering Foundations Details
J25 Expansion Symbol
FDC Expansion Symbol
SPG Expansion Symbol
Foundations Set Code: FDN
Foundations Jumpstart Set Code: J25
Special Guests Set Code: SPG
Legality:
- Magic: The Gathering Foundations (FDN) is a Standard-legal set and will remain in Standard until at least 2029.
- Foundations Jumpstart (J25) and Special Guests (SPG) are Commander-, Legacy-, and Vintage-legal sets, and individual cards are also legal where already available in other formats.
- Foundations Commander (FDC) cards in the Starter Collection are legal where already available in other formats and are not Standard-legal.
- Magic: The Gathering Foundations Play Boosters contain cards from FDN and SPG. These cards are playable in Magic: The Gathering Foundations Draft and Sealed when opened from Play Boosters.
Website: Magic: The Gathering Foundations
Preorder Now
Magic: The Gathering Foundations products are available for preorder now, including Play Boosters, Collector Boosters, Jumpstart Boosters, Starter Collections, and more! You can find these exciting new releases at your local game store, online at retailers like Amazon, and elsewhere Magic: The Gathering products are sold.
Not-So-Solemn Promo Cards
Foundations is all about the fundamental cards of Magic, and you can pick up an iconic card at your local game store with this Buy-a-Box promo. You'll receive a traditional foil, extended-art Solemn Simulacrum with your purchase of a Foundations Play Booster box or Collector Booster box while supplies last. This promotion does not apply to Foundations Jumpstart booster boxes.
Speaking of foundational cards for your decks, you can also receive this double rainbow foil Sol Ring promo card while supplies last with the purchase of a Foundations Play Booster box or Collector Booster box. Like the Solemn Simulacrum promo, this does not apply to Foundations Jumpstart booster boxes.
Check with your local game store for more information on these promo cards.
How to Start Collecting
If this is your first foray into Magic or you're looking to pick up products for your friends and family, Foundations is the set for you! Players of all skill levels can enjoy the game of Magic with this set.
The Beginner Box is designed to be someone's first experience with Magic. With ten Jumpstart decks that are specifically made to show new players how to play the game, it gives you everything you need to learn or teach Magic: The Gathering.
Once you've learned how to play, the Starter Collection is a great way to supercharge your collection of spells. This is a collection of over 350 cards and provides you with everything you need to start building your own decks. It even has some Commander staples like Sol Ring and Command Tower, letting you try out the most popular Constructed format.
Once you know what you like, Play Boosters are a great way to acquire new cards for your decks. These include cards from Foundations and give you a taste of what you can expect to see in Magic.
The Booster Fun of Foundations
Foundations celebrates some of the most iconic elements of Magic: The Gathering, with characters, spells, and locations from across the many planes of the game. Booster Fun cards help accentuate these elements, combining fantastical artwork with exciting cards.
Character Lands
Planeswalkers, powerful individuals with the ability to traverse the Multiverse at will, have been a core pillar of Magic for many years. These characters' adventures are highlighted on these character lands, basic lands that highlight one of five corresponding Planeswalkers.
There's also a cycle of character lands featuring five non-Planeswalker characters: Giada, Zimone, Tinybones, Kellan, and Loot. These showcase various iconic sights from across the Multiverse and are a great way to showcase your favorite characters.
Character lands appear in both Play Boosters and Collector Boosters. Additionally, one of each character land, both Planeswalker and non-Planeswalker versions, are included in the Starter Collection.
Borderless Cards and Mana Foils
Borderless cards highlight the iconic artwork of Magic, bringing iconic moments from throughout the Multiverse to life on cards. The five main planeswalker cards of the set all have borderless versions, in addition to several other cards from the main set. These borderless cards appear in both Play Boosters and Collector Boosters.
Additionally, every rare or mythic rare borderless card in Foundations has a mana foil version! These cards have a special foil pattern of the five mana symbols stamped over them, giving them the kind of special flair that only Magic can provide.
Mana foil cards appear only in Foundations Collector Boosters. These cards are only in English but can be found in Collector Boosters of any language.
Special Guests
Special Guests cards bring pieces of the Multiverse together, with artwork and flavor themed around their set. For a set like Foundations, that meant we couldn't just highlight one style or plane. We wanted to be true to the Multiverse and open up the vault of past beloved showcase treatments.
Non-foil Special Guests cards appear in Play Boosters, while traditional foil Special Guests cards appear in Collector Boosters.
Japan Showcase
Japan Showcase takes ten cards from Foundations and gives them a special frame and artwork by Japanese artists and illustrators. These cards are meant to pay homage to Japanese hobby shops and the vital role these players have in the game. We're highlighting a mix of reprints and new-to-Magic cards in this set, with the fan-favorite Llanowar Elves and the powerful Twinflame Tyrant receiving Japan Showcase cards.
Japan Showcase cards appear only in Collector Boosters. In Japanese Collector Boosters, Japan Showcase cards will always be in Japanese. In non-Japanese Collector Boosters, they will appear in English two thirds of the time and in Japanese one third of the time.
Anime Cards
You'll find one card with anime artwork in each pack of Foundations Jumpstart. These feature cards and characters both new and old, giving a distinct anime flair to your Jumpstart games. There are 51 different anime art cards that can be found in Foundations Jumpstart Boosters.
There are 27 new-to-Magic anime cards, all of which are legendary creatures. Each has epic artwork by Japanese artists and is perfect to helm your next Commander deck.
One card with anime art appears in each Foundations Jumpstart Booster. Please note that anime cards do not appear in the Jumpstart packs in the Beginner Box.
Product Guide
Play Boosters
Play Booster contents:
- 14 Magic: The Gathering cards
- 6–7 Commons
- There are 80 commons from the main set of Magic: The Gathering Foundations that can show up in these slots.
- In 1.5% of Play Boosters, 1 of these commons will be replaced with 1 of the 10 Special Guests cards in non-foil. Of note, Special Guests cards aren't found in the wildcard nor traditional foil slot in Play Boosters.
- 3 Uncommons
- There are 100 possible uncommons in the main set that can appear in this slot.
- 1 Rare or mythic rare
- This slot contains 1 of the 60 rares (78%) or 20 mythic rares (12.8%) in the main set.
- It's also possible to open 1 of the 43 borderless rares (7.7%) or 17 borderless mythic rares (1.5%, including 5 borderless planeswalkers).
- 1 Non-foil wildcard of any rarity. This includes any of the commons, uncommons, rares, or mythic rares mentioned above, including borderless versions.
- You can receive a common (16.7%), uncommon (58.3%), rare (16.3%), or mythic rare (2.6%) card from the main set.
- You can also receive a borderless rare (1.6%) or borderless mythic rares (0.3%, including 5 borderless planeswalkers).
- This is also where you will find 1 of the 2 borderless commons (1.8%) or 8 borderless uncommons (2.4%).
- 1 Traditional foil wildcard of any rarity. This includes the same range of main set cards that are found in the non-foil wildcard slot.
- 1 Land card. You can receive 1 of the 10 character lands (25%), 1 of 10 common dual lands (50%), or 1 of 10 regular frame basic lands (25%). In 20% of boosters, this land will be traditional foil.
- 6–7 Commons
- 1 Token or art card.
Jumpstart Boosters
Each Jumpstart Booster includes:
- 20 Magic cards in each booster
- 46 Possible Jumpstart themes
- 1–2 Rare or mythic rare cards per booster (33% chance of two)
- 1 of 51 cards with anime-style art
- Includes lands
- 1 Theme insert
Each box of Foundations Jumpstart contains 24 Jumpstart Boosters.
Beginner Box
Each Beginner Box includes:
- 10 Themed Jumpstart packs
- Each pack includes 20 cards from Foundations (FDN). Shuffle two together and play!
- Jumpstart packs are predetermined and designed for beginner play.
- Packs contain additional Foundations (FDN) cards and do not contain cards from Foundations Jumpstart (J25).
- 2 Reference cards
- 1 Reference guide booklet
- 2 "How to Play" guides
- 2 Gameboard playmats
- 2 Spindown life counters
The Beginner Box releases alongside Foundations in English and Japanese on November 15. French, German, Italian, and Spanish Beginner Boxes will be available December 13.
Starter Collection
Each Starter Collection includes:
- 387 Magic: The Gathering cards
- Includes 26 traditional foil cards
- 3 Magic: The Gathering Foundations Play Boosters
- 90 Basic lands
- 10 are full-art basic lands.
- 13 Tokens
- 2 Reference cards
- 1 "How to Build Your Deck" booklet
- 1 Click wheel
(Note: Magic: The Gathering Foundations Starter Collection is available in English language only.)
Collector Boosters
Collector Booster contents:
- 15 Magic: The Gathering cards
- 5 Traditional foil commons. This includes the 80 main set commons (87%), the 10 common dual lands (10.9%), and the 2 borderless commons (2.1%).
- 4 Traditional foil uncommons. This includes the 8 borderless uncommons (7.3%).
- 1 Traditional foil character land
- 2 Traditional foil regular frame cards. These are pulled from the 60 main set rare (85.7%) or 20 main set mythic rare (14.3%) cards.
- 2 Non-foil borderless or extended-art rare of mythic rare cards
- This can be one of the 43 borderless rares (46.2%) or 17 mythic rares (9.2%, including 5 borderless planeswalkers).
- This could also include one of the 37 extended-art rares (39.8%) or 9 extended-art mythic rares (4.8%).
- 1 Traditional foil borderless or extended-art main set card, mana foil card, traditional foil Japan Showcase card, traditional foil Special Guests card, or fracture foil Japan Showcase The breakdown is below:
- This can be 1 of the 43 borderless rares (34.5%) or 17 mythic rares (6.8%, including 5 borderless planeswalkers).
- This could also include 1 of the 37 extended-art rares (29.6%) or 9 extended-art mythic rares (3.6%).
- You can find 1 of the 43 mana foil rares (8.4%) or 17 mana foil mythic rares (1.6%, including 5 planeswalkers).
- 1 of the 10 Special Guests cards in traditional foil (5.5%)
- 1 of the 10 Japan Showcase mythic rares in traditional foil (9%) or fracture foil (1%). In Japanese Collector Boosters, these cards will always appear with Japanese text. In all other languages, these will appear in English two thirds of the time and in Japanese one third of the time.
- 1 Traditional foil double-sided token
Bundle
Each Bundle includes:
- 9 Magic: The Gathering Foundations Play Boosters
- 1 Traditional foil card with alternate art
- 20 Traditional foil basic lands
- 10 are full-art traditional foil basic lands.
- 20 Non-foil basic lands
- 10 are full-art non-foil basic lands.
- 1 Oversized spindown life counter
- 2 Reference cards
- 1 Deck box
Prerelease Pack
Each Prerelease Pack contains the following:
- 6 Magic: The Gathering Foundations Play Boosters
- 1 Traditional foil year-stamped rare or mythic rare Foundations promo card
- 1 MTG Arena code card (available only in select regions)
- 1 Deck box
- 1 Spindown life counter
Ready to dive into Magic? Discover why so many people adore Magic: The Gathering with Foundations, the quintessential Magic set. The set is available for preorder now from your local game store, online at retailers like Amazon, and elsewhere Magic: The Gathering products are sold.