Masters Edition IV
Encyclopedia
Masters Edition IV is a Magic: The Gathering
expansion, exclusive for Magic: The Gathering Online
, that was released on January 10, 2011. It is the ninth compilation set, and consists of 269 cards: 105 rares, 72 uncommons, 80 commons, and 12 special lands. Like all Masters Editions sets, the cards were originally released before Mirage or in the Portal sets. This set contains more online reprints than previous Masters Editions, but still brings many cards to Magic Online for the first time.
. The set was designed to bring previously unreleased cards to Magic Online. Starting with Mirage
sets have been retroactively released, but many of the cards even older were previously completely unavailable online. Its predecessors, Masters Edition
, Masters Edition II
, and Masters Edition III
were released in 2007, 2008, and 2009.
As Masters Edition II and III Masters Edition IV was designed to bring specific cards to the Magic Online environment. The fourth installment of the series thus consists mainly of cards from Beta
, Arabian Nights
, Antiquities
, and the Portal sets. While Beta, Arabian Nights, and Antiquities reflect the era Masters Edition IV cards should mostly be from, the Portal and Starter cards in the set were necessary to create an enjoyable limited environment. Otherwise the number of creatues with an acceptable power level would have been too small. The mechanics employed in Masters Editon IV focus on artifacts. Finally all Masters Editions since Masters Edition II have a minor tribal theme. Birds, Zombies, Goblins, and Elephants are the tribes used in Masters Edition IV.
The cards in Masters Edition IV are all available in regular and premium foil versions. As all of the cards were originally released before the foiling process was introduced to Magic and most have not been reprinted since, these cards are available as premium foils for the first time and exclusively for Magic Online.
Some of the cards in Masters Edition IV have been available on Magic Online for some time. In most cases they are available with a different illustration or due to a special release (e.g. From the Vault: Exiled
). The most prominent exception to this are the original dual lands, which had been previously printed across two sets, but here are reprinted in their entirety.
Most modern Magic sets have one basic land in each booster pack. In Masters Edition IV the basic land is replaced by either a , , or . There are four alternative versions of each of the three cards, each with one of the four original illustrations from Antiquities
Magic: The Gathering
Magic: The Gathering , also known as Magic, is the first collectible trading card game created by mathematics professor Richard Garfield and introduced in 1993 by Wizards of the Coast. Magic continues to thrive, with approximately twelve million players as of 2011...
expansion, exclusive for Magic: The Gathering Online
Magic: The Gathering Online
Magic: The Gathering Online or Magic Online is a direct video game adaptation of Magic: The Gathering, utilizing the concept of a virtual economy in order to preserve the collectible aspect of the card game. It is played through an Internet service operated by Wizards of the Coast, which went...
, that was released on January 10, 2011. It is the ninth compilation set, and consists of 269 cards: 105 rares, 72 uncommons, 80 commons, and 12 special lands. Like all Masters Editions sets, the cards were originally released before Mirage or in the Portal sets. This set contains more online reprints than previous Masters Editions, but still brings many cards to Magic Online for the first time.
Set history
Masters Edition IV is the fourth expansion exclusively released for Magic OnlineMagic: The Gathering Online
Magic: The Gathering Online or Magic Online is a direct video game adaptation of Magic: The Gathering, utilizing the concept of a virtual economy in order to preserve the collectible aspect of the card game. It is played through an Internet service operated by Wizards of the Coast, which went...
. The set was designed to bring previously unreleased cards to Magic Online. Starting with Mirage
Mirage (Magic: The Gathering)
Mirage was the fifteenth Magic: The Gathering set and ninth expert level set, released in October 1996. This expansion began the first official block set with one large expansion being followed by two smaller expansions all tied together through card mechanics and setting. This expansion also...
sets have been retroactively released, but many of the cards even older were previously completely unavailable online. Its predecessors, Masters Edition
Masters Edition
Masters Edition is a Magic: The Gathering expansion, exclusive for Magic: The Gathering Online, that was released on September 10, 2007. It is the sixth compilation set, and features 195 cards printed before Mirage, 60 of each rarity and the 15 basic lands of Beta...
, Masters Edition II
Masters Edition II
Masters Edition II is a Magic: The Gathering expansion, exclusive for Magic: The Gathering Online, that was released on September 22, 2008. It is the seventh compilation set, and features 245 cards, 80 of each rarity and the 5 snow-covered basic lands of Ice Age...
, and Masters Edition III
Masters Edition III
Masters Edition III is a Magic: The Gathering expansion, exclusive for Magic: The Gathering Online, that was released on September 7, 2009. It is the eighth compilation set, and consists of 230 cards, 70 rare, 70 uncommons, 75 commons, and 15 basic lands...
were released in 2007, 2008, and 2009.
As Masters Edition II and III Masters Edition IV was designed to bring specific cards to the Magic Online environment. The fourth installment of the series thus consists mainly of cards from Beta
Beta (Magic: The Gathering)
Limited Edition Beta or just Beta for short was the second part, after revisions, of the first print run of the first Magic: The Gathering set. It was released only a few months after Limited Edition Alpha's publication to correct some minor problems in the rules and to make up for the fact that...
, Arabian Nights
Arabian Nights (Magic: The Gathering)
Arabian Nights was the fourth Magic: The Gathering set and the first expansion set. The set is composed entirely of new cards. The setting of Arabian Nights is inspired by the themes and characters of the Thousand and One Arabian Nights with some of the characters and places coming directly from...
, Antiquities
Antiquities (Magic: The Gathering)
Antiquities was the fifth Magic: The Gathering set and the second expansion set. It was the first set to have an original backstory that explores the mythos of the Magic universe . The story is primarily about the brothers Urza and Mishra who are inseparable at first, but become sworn enemies over...
, and the Portal sets. While Beta, Arabian Nights, and Antiquities reflect the era Masters Edition IV cards should mostly be from, the Portal and Starter cards in the set were necessary to create an enjoyable limited environment. Otherwise the number of creatues with an acceptable power level would have been too small. The mechanics employed in Masters Editon IV focus on artifacts. Finally all Masters Editions since Masters Edition II have a minor tribal theme. Birds, Zombies, Goblins, and Elephants are the tribes used in Masters Edition IV.
The cards in Masters Edition IV are all available in regular and premium foil versions. As all of the cards were originally released before the foiling process was introduced to Magic and most have not been reprinted since, these cards are available as premium foils for the first time and exclusively for Magic Online.
Some of the cards in Masters Edition IV have been available on Magic Online for some time. In most cases they are available with a different illustration or due to a special release (e.g. From the Vault: Exiled
From the Vault: Exiled
From the Vault: Exiled is a Magic: The Gathering limited edition boxed set released on August 28, 2009. It contains fifteen cards, eight with new alternate art, all of which had previously been banned or restricted.-Card List:...
). The most prominent exception to this are the original dual lands, which had been previously printed across two sets, but here are reprinted in their entirety.
Notable cards
Masters Edition IV has a large amount of powerful and/or iconic cards. , , , , , , , , , , and are all currently restricted in Vintage. is banned from Legacy and a cornerstone of Vintage play. Finally , , , and the original dual lands are all powerful and iconic cards from the game's past.Most modern Magic sets have one basic land in each booster pack. In Masters Edition IV the basic land is replaced by either a , , or . There are four alternative versions of each of the three cards, each with one of the four original illustrations from Antiquities
Antiquities (Magic: The Gathering)
Antiquities was the fifth Magic: The Gathering set and the second expansion set. It was the first set to have an original backstory that explores the mythos of the Magic universe . The story is primarily about the brothers Urza and Mishra who are inseparable at first, but become sworn enemies over...