Top 10 MTG Sets Of All Time

How are all of you doing today?

Before we get to my no. 1 album of 2022 in a week or two, I want to post up something that’ll keep you all nice & full. I was considering doing a 3rd entry into the realm of best DLCs & Expansion Packs, but that’ll have to wait a bit since I wasn’t thinking about it too hard on it. However, the list I ultimately did make for today was pretty easy. With MTG creeping onto this blog in recent years, it was an easy pick for one of my typical lists, and that’s what I chose. So, without further delay, here are my top 10 Magic The Gathering sets of all time. Enjoy!

10) 10th Edition (Quiet Nerd)

If I’m being at least somewhat honest, this spot was somewhat of a filler area. Virtually everywhere else I was able to figure out what set to put there, but here it took a tiny bit of work. Yet, at this same time I don’t exactly regret picking this choice.....due to 1 odd memory from 15+ years ago.

I was at the hobby shop I highly frequent (Their 2nd location to be specific), and it just so happened to be the release day for 10th Edition. We all got our packs, opened them, and proceeded to make our decks, I don’t know how, but that release marks the only time I ever managed to get to a high position. Second Place, to be exact! I don’t know: maybe it’s that lone memory that gets 10th Edition onto this list. In any case, it seems like one of these edition releases had to get somewhere on here, and maybe this was that version.

9) Dungeons & Dragons: Adventures In The Forgotten Realms (Game Knights)

Fun. That is the best way to describe the first full release in the Universes Beyond line of Magic The Gathering. The first pre-release I attended once the Plague began to subside back in 2021, I remember not doing all that well, but I definitely remember the cards. Wizards Of The Coast did a really good job at bringing not only the flavor of Dungeons & Dragons into MTG, but more specifically the world of the Forgotten Realms. The realm of Faerûn was the first setting of D&D to really get me hooked on the game, and to see so many references to it’s characters and story warmed my nerdy heart. It may not have been completely practical, but to say there was no power in this set is just absurd!

8) Zendikar Rising (Game Knights)

To say the MTG landscape in 2020 was weird is saying something: even if COVID didn’t come to our shores (Or anywhere, for that matter), even if the political climate here in the United States wasn’t an unmitigated hellscape of bullshit, Magic The Gathering was still changing in odd ways. There were so many new kinds of boosters, sets became more frequent, Commander & Commander related products started becoming more frequent, you name it. The Year of the Plague had a variety of sets, and while I was incredibly close to putting the tribute to all things Kaiju in the release that was Ikoria, for some random reason our 3rd trip to the world of Zendikar made more sense.

In a strange twist, Zendikar Rising ended up being my favorite trip to the plane out of the 3 times we went. In a year that had rampant death and disease, it was nice to see a realm filled with endless possibilities for exploration & wonder. It was nice to see adventurers getting together and explore ruins young & old in an effort to get some special treasure. The rather boundless optimism of this world was a stark contrast to the viral-ridden year that was 2020. It was the exact opposite of the isolation most if not all of us were feeling, and it was the exact opposite of the fear of death we all felt at some point during that time. If you missed this release the first time, you might want to get your hands on a few boosters before the end of the decade. It’s worth your time & money without a doubt!

7) Time Spiral (Magic Untapped)

True story: after my Uncle Randy passed away, we’re up in Watertown to attend his funeral. That very same week, the first previews of Time Spiral occurred, and it was a weird sensation for me. I definitely liked what I saw, but what I was feeling at the time with the death of my Uncle made for a conflicting mindset. So much so, that when Time Spiral Remastered came out in 2021, I only ever got a small few boosters for fear of bad memories possibly coming. Even with that fault, I will not deny that Time Spiral was a funky set. Filled with throwbacks to MTG’s past, it also introduced a lot of quirky mechanics (Suspend in particular), and many of them continue to hold some relevance in the landscape today. Planar Chaos & Future Sight were no slouches either, as they had their own bevy of mechanics and additions to the game, with some still existing now in 2023. It’s a testament that nearly 20 years later, the Time Spiral block continues to hold relevance among it fans, and despite it’s mild negative connections in my life, it acts as a pleasant vision to a more happier time in my life.

6) Ravnica: City Of Guilds (Magic Untapped)

The first time that we went to the famous city plane was also the first time that I went to a release day event. It’s kind of hard to remember what it was like, save for me being a rather awkward late teen. The one thing I definitely recall was falling in love with one of the most iconic worlds in MTG of this century so far. Have a city cover an entire plane of existence, fill it with 10 different groups that all encompass different aspects of the plane, as well as a dash of intrigue, and you have a recipe for success. Though one of the sets at my no. 1 spot (Hint Hint) turned me on to the color combination of Black and Green, it was encountering the undercity denizens from the Golgari Swarm that I fell in love with that mix. With both Ravnica: Remastered and Murders At Karlov Manner coming out at the beginning of 2024, it’s obvious that the legacy of this world is not in doubt.

5) Warhammer 40k (Game Knights)

Though Adventures In The Forgotten Realms was the first time we technically had a Universes Beyond release, it was a vision into the grimdark future of the 41st millennium where it got a foothold in Commander. I spoke pretty highly about these 4 decks last year when I put them at no. 1 on my top 5 games list of 2022, and I still gush about them to this day. The decks were wonderfully designed, the mechanics of each card was just perfect, and the art & flavor had a lot of love & care put into the packages that were the Imperium, the Ruinous Powers, the Necron Dynasties, and the Tyranid Swarm. This level of quality managed to extend to Tales Of Middle Earth, as well as.....ah, I can’t say anything yet about the newest addition to the Universes Beyond family just yet. Regardless, the Commander decks of Warhammer 40k were of exceptional quality, so grab them if you spot them!

4) Commander 2011 (Commander Void)

It seemed only appropriate that my first venture into the realm of Commander gameplay makes it onto this list. For a decade plus, I slowly became fixated on this game mode. So much so, that I got 2 toolboxes full of EDH decks, and plenty of boxes outside of those 2 filled with decks as well. However, it was the 5 released in 2011 that planted the seeds of obsession I’ve been harvesting in recent memory. If anything, Heavenly Inferno, Mirror Mastery, Counterpunch, Political Puppets, and Devour For Power (My 1st & personal favorite) are still just as strong now as they were over a decade since they came out. Their design influenced every other release in the series since, and while a few other decks in later years would eclipse these 5 in terms of design & power, these foundation layers are still looked back at fondly. Though they are incredibly difficult to find now, if you somehow spot any of the previously mentioned decks, get them before someone else does!

3) Strixhaven (Game Knights)

2021 had quite a lot of good releases that year, with perhaps (In my humble opinion) the best of them being the Harry Potter inspired Strixhaven. Known as the School Of Mages, this upbeat & energetic set was a big happy boost to the brain after what 2020 & the early parts of 2021 were, and it shows. Taking enemy color combos & putting them on their head, Strixhaven knew how to have fun not only with it’s setting, but the changes to the color pairings that inhabited this magical place of learning as well. Even the Commander decks released for this set were fantastic, and contained some pretty potent commanders that still carry weight in the current landscape. I can only hope that we visit this lovely collage later on this decade, cause it would be a shame not too!

2) Kaladesh (Lorebrarians)

It is by a few nose hairs that this realm of India & Steampunk (Aetherpunk according to the developers). It is by a few inches that this realm of optimism & creativity didn’t get to no. 1. Make no mistake: Kaladesh was one of my absolute favorite sets from 2016. Again, I loved that they were able to combine the colors & atmosphere of India, with the visual ascetic of Steampunk. Not only that, but the ideals of optimism, creativity, and hope were incredibly strong. Not just in Kaladesh, but in the secondary set Aether Revolt as well. With the threat of the Phyrexians seemingly gone for the time being, I hope we’re able to go back & revisit the plane to see how it’s doing!

1) Champions Of Kamigawa (Magic Untapped) & Kamigawa: Neon Dynasty (Game Knights)

Any of you who know me personally should not be surprised by what’s at no. 1. Anyone that’s been a close friend of mine for 20-something years shouldn’t be shocked by what’s here.

For starters, we got the original Champions Of Kamigawa block. Though it’s not mechanically friends with sets released before & after it, and maybe it could have been a hint (Emphasis on “Hint”) more respectful towards the culture it drew inspiration from, it’s hard not to deny the flavor of the original Kamigawa. Take feudal era Japan, add a healthy dose of fantasy, and possibly just a small dash of anime vibes, and you end up with the first time we went to this world. It’s hard to believe that, despite many looking back on it fondly now, it was met with a bit of disdain nearly 20 years ago. Still, Champions Of Kamigawa (along with Betrayers & Saviors) is a relic of it’s time that many look at very fondly, and it’s a reminder of how I got into MTG so long ago.  

And of course, there’s Neon Dynasty. If anything, the words that I’ll put here will just be from somewhere else on this blog. Again, I felt nothing but pure unadulterated genuine joy visiting the world of Kamigawa nearly 20 years since the first time. Not only that, but the world has gone from a realm of feudal lords to a world of neon & steel, yet much of the ancient traditions have managed to survive the 1,000+ year transition since it’s oldest days. The Kami now live alongside the various races of the plane, and giant mechs fly in the sky alongside dragons. Even if you weren’t a fan of the story, there are other things to like about it. The artwork in particular is exceptionally wonderful: not only was the base art gorgeous, but the various Japanese artists contracted to make the Showcase Art was jaw-droppingly beautiful, and showed that this 2nd trip to Kamigawa was far more inspired by anime than the original version. If we get a 3rd trip by the end of the decade, you can bet that I will be happy to go back!  

So those were my top 10 MTG sets of all time. Some of the choices are probably a surprise, while other definitely aren’t if you know me. Time will tell as to what would appear on another list like this, but can be sure that it’ll be a surprise regardless.. So, with this out of the way, it’s time to look at the other record from 2022 that made it to no. 1. See you next week......for a little bit of Lightwork!