Wizards of the Coast releases Magic cards in base/core sets and in expansion sets. The different editions of the base set each contain 302-449 cards, which have all been printed before, with the exception of Limited Edition, which was the game's first set. Expansion sets expand the game by adding new cards. Expansion sets beginning with Ice Age have come in sets of three which form a "cycle" or "block" consisting of one large "stand-alone" expansion set of more than 300 cards, followed by two small expansion sets of less than 200 cards, which continue the themes introduced in the large set. Like the base set, stand-alone expansion sets contain basic land cards; other expansion sets do not.
Traditionally, the large set of each cycle has been released every October, with the small expansion sets associated with it being released the following February and June; this practice began with Alliances in June 1996. The block, Lorwyn, broke this pattern. Wizards announced that Lorwyn will consist of one large set and one small set, released in October and February respectively. It was be followed by another "mini block," Shadowmoor, which also consist of one large and one small set.
All expansion sets, and all editions of the base set from 6th Edition onward, are identified by an expansion symbol printed on the right side of cards, below the art and above the text box. Wizards of the Coast also assigns a three-character expansion code to each expansion. In the table below, expansion symbols and expansion codes are listed in parentheses following the name.
Base/core set editions[]
Beginning with Alliances in June 1996, expansion sets were released in a regular pattern: the base sets were released in October with the small expansion sets being released in February and June. Thus, beginning with Alliances, only year, not every month, of release is given for expansion sets in the table below. Also beginning with Alliances, expansion sets were given codenames while in development; the code names of the three expansions of a cycle usually fit together to form a phrase or common theme. The only block set to break the pattern of months after Ice Age Block is Dissension, which was released a month early, in May instead of June, because of the July release of Coldsnap. Future Sight followed the trend created by the release of Dissension by being released in May 2007.
Set | Set Symbol | Abbreviation | Release Date |
---|---|---|---|
Limited Edition Alpha | LEA | August 1993 | |
Limited Edition Beta | LEB | October 1993 | |
Unlimited | 2ED | December 1993 | |
Revised | 3ED | April 1994 | |
4th Edition | 4ED | May 1995 | |
5th Edition | 5ED | March 1997 | |
6th Edition | 6ED | April 1999 | |
7th Edition | 7ED | April 2001 | |
8th Edition | 8ED | July 2003 | |
9th Edition | 9ED | July 2005 | |
10th Edition | 10E | July 2007 | |
Magic 2010 | M10 | July 2009 | |
Magic 2011 | M11 | July 2010 | |
Magic 2012 | M12 | July 2011 | |
Magic 2013 | M13 | July 2012 | |
Magic 2014 | M14 | July 2013 | |
Magic 2015 | M15 | July 2014 | |
Magic Origins | ORI | July 2015 | |
Core Set 2019 | M19 | July 2018 |
All sets[]
Set | Sym. | Abrv. | Date |
---|---|---|---|
Unlimited | 2ED | December 1993 | |
Arabian Nights | ARN | December 1993 | |
Antiquities | ATQ | March 1994 | |
Revised | 3ED | April 1994 | |
Legends | LEG | June 1994 | |
The Dark | DRK | August 1994 | |
Fallen Empires | FEM | November 1994 | |
4th Edition | 4ED | May 1995 | |
Ice Age | ICE | June 1995 | |
Chronicles | CHR | July 1995 | |
Homelands | HML | October 1995 | |
Alliances | ALL | June 1996 | |
Mirage | MIR | October 1996 | |
Visions | VIS | February 1997 | |
5th Edition | 5ED | March 1997 | |
Portal | POR | May 1997 | |
Weatherlight | WTH | June 1997 | |
Tempest | TMP | October 1997 | |
Stronghold | STH | March 1998 | |
Portal Second Age | PO2 | June 1998 | |
Exodus | EXO | June 1998 | |
Urza's Saga | USG | October 1998 | |
Urza's Legacy | ULG | February 1999 | |
6th Edition | 6ED | April 1999 | |
Urza's Destiny | UDS | June 1999 | |
Starter 1999 | S99 | July 1999 | |
Mercadian Masques | MMQ | September 1999 | |
Nemesis | NMS | February 2000 | |
Prophecy | PCY | June 2000 | |
Invasion | INV | September 2000 | |
Beatdown | BTD | October 2000 | |
Planeshift | PLS | February 2001 | |
7th Edition | 7ED | April 2001 | |
Apocalypse | APC | June 2001 | |
Odyssey | ODY | September 2001 | |
Deckmasters 2001 | DKM | December 2001 | |
Torment | TOR | February 2002 | |
Judgment | JUD | May 2002 | |
Onslaught | ONS | October 2002 | |
Legions | LGN | January 2003 | |
Scourge | SCG | May 2003 | |
8th Edition | 8ED | July 2003 | |
Mirrodin | MRD | October 2003 | |
Darksteel | DST | February 2004 | |
Fifth Dawn | 5DN | May 2004 | |
Champions of Kamigawa | CHK | October 2004 | |
Betrayers of Kamigawa | BOK | February 2005 | |
Saviors of Kamigawa | SOK | June 2005 | |
9th Edition | 9ED | July 2005 | |
Ravnica: City of Guilds | RAV | October 2005 | |
Guildpact | GPT | February 2006 | |
Dissension | DIS | May 2006 | |
Coldsnap | CLD | July 2006 | |
Time Spiral | TSP | October 2006 | |
Planar Chaos | PLC | February 2007 | |
Future Sight | FST | May 2007 | |
10th Edition | 10E | July 2007 | |
Lorwyn | LRW | October 2007 | |
Morningtide | MOR | February 2008 | |
Shadowmoor | SHM | May 2008 | |
Eventide | EVE | July 2008 | |
Shards of Alara | ALA | October 2008 | |
Conflux | CON | February 2009 | |
Duel Decks: Divine vs. Demonic | DDC | April 2009 | |
Alara Reborn | ARB | April 2009 | |
Magic 2010 | M10 | July 2009 | |
Zendikar | ZEN | October 2009 | |
Premium Deck Series: Slivers | H09 | November 2009 | |
Worldwake | WWK | February 2010 | |
Duel Decks: Phyrexia vs. the Coalition | DDE | March 2010 | |
Rise of the Eldrazi | ROE | April 2010 | |
Magic 2011 | M11 | July 2010 | |
Duel Decks: Elspeth vs. Tezzeret | DDF | September 2010 | |
Scars of Mirrodin | SOM | October 2010 | |
Mirrodin Besieged | MBS | February 2011 | |
Duel Decks: Knights vs. Dragons | DDG | April 2011 | |
New Phyrexia | NPH | May 2011 | |
Commander | CMD | June, 2011 | |
Magic 2012 | M12 | July 2011 | |
Duel Decks: Ajani vs. Nicol Bolas | DDH | September 2011 | |
Innistrad | ISD | September 2011 | |
Dark Ascension | DKA | February 2012 | |
Duel Decks: Venser vs. Koth | DDI | March 2012 | |
Avacyn Restored | AVR | May 2012 | |
Magic 2013 | M13 | July 2012 | |
Duel Decks: Izzet Vs. Golgari | DDJ | September 2012 | |
Return to Ravnica | RTR | October 2012 | |
Gatecrash | GTC | January 2013 | |
Duel Decks: Sorin vs. Tibalt | DDK | March 2013 | |
Dragon's Maze | DGM | May 2013 | |
Modern Masters | MMA | June 2013 | |
Magic 2014 | M14 | July 2013 | |
Theros | THS | September 2013 | |
Commander 2013 | C13 | November 2013 | |
Born of the Gods | BNG | February 2014 | |
Journey into Nyx | JOU | May 2014 | |
Conspiracy | CNS | June, 2014 | |
Magic 2015 | M15 | July 2014 | |
Khans of Tarkir | KTK | September 2014 | |
Fate Reforged | FRF | January 2015 | |
Dragons of Tarkir | DTK | March 2015 | |
Magic Origins | ORI | July 2015 | |
Battle for Zendikar | BFZ | October 2015 | |
Oath of the Gatewatch | OGW | January 2016 | |
Shadows over Innistrad | SOI | April 2016 | |
Eldritch Moon | EMN | July 2016 | |
Kaladesh | KLD | September 2016 | |
Aether Revolt | AER | January 2017 | |
Amonkhet | AKH | April 2017 | |
Hour of Devastation | HOU | July 2017 | |
Ixalan | XLN | September 2017 | |
Rivals of Ixalan | RIX | January 2018 | |
Masters 25 | A25 | March 2018 | |
Dominaria | DOM | April 2018 | |
Commander Anthology Volume II | CM2 | June 2018 | |
Battlebond | BBD | June 2018 | |
Signature Spellbook: Jace | SS1 | June 2018 | |
Core Set 2019 | M19 | July 2018 | |
Commander 2018 | C18 | August 2018 | |
Guilds of Ravnica | GRN | October 2018 | |
Ravnica Allegiance | RNA | January 2019 |
Special Sets[]
Reprint sets are sets of certain cards from previous sets that were re-released for different reasons. Some reasons include the cards were fan favorites and popular demand brought them back or in some cases, reprints were to commemorate certain events such as widely known matches or anniversary sets. Some reprint sets revolved around a certain theme such as the Beatdown set, its main purpose being to bring back old heavy hitters.
Special Series
- Commander
- Commander's Arsenal
- Commander 2013
- Commander 2014
- Commander 2015
- Commander 2016
- Commander Anthology
- Commander 2017
- Commander Anthology Volume II
- Commander 2018
- Deck Builder's Toolkit
- Premium Deck Series
- Masters
- Premium Deck Series
Masters
- Master's Edition (September 2007)
- Master's Edition II (September 2008)
- Master's Edition III (September 2009)
- Master's Edition IV (January 2011)
- Modern Masters (June 2013)
- Modern Masters 2015 (May 2015)
- Eternal Masters (June 2016)
- Iconic Masters (?)
- Masters 25 (March 2018)
- Duel Decks: Elves vs. Goblins (November 2007)
- Duel Decks: Jace vs. Chandra (November 2008)
- Duel Decks: Divine vs. Demonic (April 2009)
- Duel Decks: Garruk vs. Liliana (November 2009)
- Duel Decks: Phyrexia vs. The Coalition (March 2010)
- Duel Decks: Elspeth vs. Tezzeret (September 2010)
- Duel Decks: Knights vs. Dragons (April 2011)
- Duel Decks: Ajani vs. Nicol Bolas (September 2011)
- Duel Decks: Venser vs. Koth (April 2012)
- Duel Decks: Izzet vs. Golgari (September 2012)
- Duel Decks: Sorin vs. Tibalt (March 2013)
- Duel Decks: Heroes vs. Monsters (September 2013)
- Duel Decks: Jace vs. Vraska (March 2014)
- Duel Decks: Speed vs. Cunning (September 2014)
- Duel Decks: Anthology (December 2014)
- Duel Decks: Nissa vs. Ob Nixilis (September 2016)
- Duel Decks: Mind vs. Might (?)
- Duel Decks: Merfolk vs. Goblins (?)
- Duel Decks: Elves vs. Inventors (?)
- From the Vault: Dragons (August 2008)
- From the Vault: Exiled (August 2009)
- From the Vault: Relics (August 2010)
- From the Vault: Legends (August 2011)
- From the Vault: Realms (August 2012)
- From the Vault: Twenty (August 2013)
- From the Vault: Annihilation (August 2014)
- From the Vault: Angels (August 2015)
- From the Vault: Lore (August 2016)
- From the Vault: Transform (?)
Supplemental sets
- Vanguard (Vanguard Gift Box)
- Planechase (2009)
- Planechase 2012
- Planechase Anthology
- Archenemy
- Archenemy: Nicol Bolas
- Conspiracy
- Conspiracy: Take the Crown
Compilation Sets
- Chronicles
- Renaissance
- Zendikar Expeditions
- Kaladesh Inventions
- Amonkhet Invocations
Box Sets
- Anthologies
- Battle Royale
- Beatdown
- Deckmasters 2001
- Duels of the Planeswalkers
- Modern Event Deck
Reprint Sets
- Anthologies (November 1998)
- Chronicles
Unsets
Commemorative Sets
- Collectors' Edition
- Pro Tour Collector Set
- World Championship Decks
Welcome Sets
- Welcome Deck 2016
- Welcome Deck 2017
Starter sets[]
Portal[1]
- Portal ( portal) (POR) (May 1997)
- Portal Second Age ( pentagon) (P02) (June 1998)
- Portal Three Kingdoms ( 3) (PTK) (May 1999)
Starter
Notes and references[]