Core Set 2019

Core Set 2019, also known as Core 2019, is the eighteenth Magic core set. It is the first core set to be reintroduced under the Three-and-One Model and was released on July 13, 2018.
== Set details ==
Core sets were discontinued after Magic Origins in 2015, but were reintroduced with Core 2019. The reintroduction made it possible to move away from the Two-Block Paradigm, and create room to print three large standalone sets each year. Thus, the codename Salad was transferred from the small set in the proposed Dominaria block, to this core set. Like Magic 2010 to Magic Origins before, this core set contains a mix of new and reprinted cards. However, it is primarily geared toward incoming players. In contrast to earlier Core Sets, the design team started out by building the Welcome Decks and Planeswalker Decks. They had the freedom to design or reprint whatever cards they needed to make an optimal experience. The team then used the cards they made for those two products as a starting point around which to build Core Set 2019. 
Core Set 2019 contains 280 cards (20 basic land, 111 common, 80 uncommon, 53 rare, and 16 mythic rare) and includes randomly inserted premium versions of all cards. 25 additional cards are found in the set's planeswalker decks. These are numbered #281/280 to #305/280. A unique Buy-a-Box promotional card numbered #306/280 is also considered to be part of the set. In addition, 8 common and uncommon cards from the Ixalan, Rivals of Ixalan and Dominaria sets (numbered #307/280 to #314/280) have been printed in the Welcome Decks with the Core Set 2019 expansion symbol. The common taplands sometimes replace a basic land in the land slot of booster packs. 181 cards are new, the rest is reprinted. 
More than 30 white, blue and red commons were accidentally packaged in Dominaria boosters and found two months before release.Commons leaked in Dominaria Packaged ProductSome early M19 spoilers (Reddit)
Due to the transition from the Two-Block Paradigm to the Three-and-One Model Core Set 2019 is one of the few Core Sets with a development codename.
=== Storyline ===
Core Set 2019 features a story arc by Kate Elliott, focusing on the origins of the main antagonist of the current storyline, Nicol Bolas, and his conflict with Ugin, his twin.Kate Elliott on Twitter The cards also show bits and pieces of unrelated stories on several other planes. The set is filling in the story and not part of the current storyline. To avoid confusing less enfranchised players there are no Story Spotlights.
==== Magic Story ====
Title	Author 	Release Date	Setting 	Featuring
 	Kate Elliott 	2018-06-13 	Dominaria, Tarkir 	Naiva, Baishya, Yasova Dragonclaw, the Ur-Dragon, Arcades Sabboth, Chromium Rhuell, Palladia-Mors, Merrevia Sal, Ugin, Nicol Bolas
 	Kate Elliott 	2018-06-20 	Dominaria, Tarkir 	Naiva, Baishya, Fec, Yasova Dragonclaw, Rakhan, Sorya, Tae Jin,Ugin, Nicol Bolas, Chromium Rhuell, Palladia-Mors, Vaevictis Asmadi, Arcades Sabboth, Te Ju Ki
 	Kate Elliott 	2018-06-27 	Dominaria, Tarkir 	Naiva, Yasova Dragonclaw, Baishya, Tae Jin, Fec, Mattak, Oiyan, Darka, Rakhan, Sorya, Ugin, Nicol Bolas, Vaevictis Asmadi, Palladia-Mors
 	Kate Elliott 	2018-07-11 	Dominaria, Tarkir 	Naiva, Yasova Dragonclaw, Baishya, Tae Jin, Fec, Mattak, Oiyan, Darka, Rakhan, Sorya, Nicol Bolas, Ugin, Chromium Rhuell
 	Kate Elliott 	2018-07-18 	Dominaria, Tarkir 	Naiva, Darka, Yasova Dragonclaw, Atarka, Fec, Oiyan, Tae Jin, Baishya, Rakhan, Ugin, Nicol Bolas, Palladia-Mors, Vaevictis Asmadi, Lividus, Ravus, Rubra, Chromium Rhuell, Arcades Sabboth
 	Kate Elliott 	2018-08-01 	Dominaria, Meditation Plane, Tarkir 	Naiva, Yasova Dragonclaw, Baishya, Tae Jin, Mevra, Fec, Mattak, Oiyan, Rakhan, Sorya, Ugin, Nicol Bolas, Gerrak, Arcades Sabboth, Kiarka
 	Kate Elliott 	2018-08-08 	Dominaria, Meditation Plane, Tarkir 	Naiva, Nicol Bolas, Ugin, Baishya, Yasova Dragonclaw, the Ur-Dragon, Arcades Sabboth, Chromium Rhuell, Palladia-Mors, Vaevictis Asmadi
 	Kate Elliott 	2018-08-15 	Meditation Plane, Zendikar, Kephalai, Ravnica, Dominaria, Tarkir	Baishya, Naiva, Yasova Dragonclaw, Ugin, Nicol Bolas, Mevra, Azor, Tae Jin, Mattak, Oiyan, Rakhan, Sorya, Fec
 	Cassandra Khaw	2018-08-29 	Ixalan 	Vivien, Frederic, Nicol Bolas, Lucard, Salazar, Marcois Jean-Jaquent
 	Cassandra Khaw	2018-09-05 	Ixalan 	Vivien, Marcois Jean-Jaquent, Nicol Bolas, Lucard
 	Cassandra Khaw	2018-09-07 	Ixalan 	Vivien, Marcois Jean-Jaquent, Lucard, Nicol Bolas
=== Marketing ===
Core Set 2019 is sold in 16-card boosters (one card being a marketing card), five welcome decks, five planeswalker decks, the Core 2019 bundle and a Deck Builder's Toolkit.Product information (WPN) The expansion symbol of the set picks up the design earlier used for Magic 2010 to Magic 2015, though with the modernized font. The boosters feature art from the five planeswalkers, featured in the Planeswalker decks.
Five Welcome decks are given away to new players for free.
The Welcome decks, Planeswalker decks, and Deck Builder's Toolkit are strongly integrated, which allows for an easier transition between the products. Basically, the Planeswalker decks expand on the themes presented in the Welcome decks.Mark Heggen (May 14, 2018). "How R&D Transformed M19 Planeswalker Decks". WPN Furthermore, the contents of the Deck Builder's Toolkit are entirely fixed and can be used to upgrade the Planeswalker decks. The next step is a booster pack. Because of this, Core Set 2019 is positioned as an introductory booster product for new players. However, the cards targeted to beginning players are mostly found in common and uncommon. This opens up the opportunity to add cards to fill up gaps in creative, mechanical themes, answers or formats in rare and mythic rare. This is also the place for high demand reprints.
The creative team also used the set to take some peeks into the larger world of Magic and give a few hints at things that are going on around the Multiverse.
==== Events ====
* Prerelease weekend: July 7–8, 2018 
* Magic Online update: July 9, 2018
* Magic Arena update: July 12, 2018
==== Tokens, emblems and checklist card====
Core 2019 comes with 14 tokens, three emblems and a checklist card.
Token and emblems appear in the marketing card slot.
# 4/4 Angel creature with flying and vigilance, for <c>Resplendent Angel</c>.
# 4/4 Avatar creature with flying, for <c>Ajani's Last Stand</c>.
# 1/1 Cat creature with lifelink, for <c>Ajani, Adversary of Tyrants</c> and <c>Leonin Warleader</c>.
# 2/2 Knight creature with vigilance, for <c>Gallant Cavalry</c>, <c>Knightly Valor</c> and <c>Sigiled Sword of Valeron</c>.
# 2/4 Ox creature, for <c>Transmogrifying Wand</c>.
# 1/1 Soldier creature, for <c>Heroic Reinforcements</c> and <c>Lena, Selfless Champion</c>.
# 1/1 Bat creature with flying, for <c>Desecrated Tomb</c> and <c>Regal Bloodlord</c>.
# 2/2 Zombie creature, for <c>Doomed Dissenter</c>, <c>Graveyard Marshal</c> and <c>Open the Graves</c>.
# 2/2 Dragon creature with flying and ": This creature gets +1/+0 until end of turn," for <c>Dragon Egg</c>.
# 5/5 Dragon creature with flying, for <c>Draconic Disciple</c>, <c>Lathliss, Dragon Queen</c> and <c>Sarkhan, Fireblood</c>.
# 1/1 Goblin creature, for <c>Goblin Instigator</c>.
# 3/3 Beast creature, for <c>Druid of Horns</c>.
# 1/1 Elf Warrior creature, for <c>Thorn Lieutenant</c>.
# 1/1 Thopter artifact creature with flying, for <c>Aviation Pioneer</c>, <c>Sai, Master Thopterist</c> and <c>Tezzeret, Artifice Master</c>.
# 
# 
# 
The checklist card appears in the basic land slot.Magic: The Gathering on Facebook
* Checklist card for <c>Nicol Bolas, the Ravager</c> (<c>Nicol Bolas, the Arisen</c>)
====Promotional cards ====
*Magic Open House: Full-art <c>Guttersnipe</c>
*Prerelease: a stamped card that can be any rare or mythic rare from the set. 
*Draft Weekend Launch promo: <c>Desecrated Tomb</c>
*Standard Showdown: foil basic land promo with art by Alayna Danner. The five different basic lands line up to make one large panorama.Alayna Danner on Twitter
*Store Championship: full-art foil <c>Demon of Catastrophes</c>
*Magic League: foil <c>Reliquary Tower</c>
*Buy-a-Box: <c>Nexus of Fate</c> (not found in the main set)
*FNM promos: <c>Elvish Rejuvenator</c>, <c>Militia Bugler</c>, <c>Murder</c>
*Convention card: Magic: The Gathering on Twitter
====Gift Pack====
The Gift Pack for the 2018 holiday season (released November 16, 2018) is integrated with Core Set 2019. It contains four Core Set 2019 boosters, five premium lands, a Spindown die, and five creature cards exclusive to the Gift Pack. The exclusive cards are considered part of Core Set 2019 for legality and rotation purposes. They have the M19 expansion symbol, but are numbered #GP1/001 to #GP1/005.
*<c>Angelic Guardian</c>
*<c>Angler Turtle</c>
*<c>Vengeant Vampire</c>
*<c>Immortal Phoenix</c>
*<c>Rampaging Brontodon</c>
==Themes and mechanics==
The set features one Transforming Legend similar to those featured in Magic Origins: a double-faced mythic creature that transforms into a planeswalker when a certain condition is met, a condition that represents the event that caused that character's planeswalker's spark to ignite. <c>Nicol Bolas, the Ravager</c> is the only double-faced card in the set.
Core 2019 features the following limited archetypes:
*: Artifacts (<c>Aerial Engineer</c>)
*: Control (<c>Psychic Symbiont</c>)
*: Sacrifice (<c>Brawl-Bash Ogre</c>)
*: Ramp (<c>Draconic Disciple</c>)
*: Enchantments (<c>Satyr Enchanter</c>)
*: Lifegain (<c>Regal Bloodlord</c>)
*: Spellslinging (<c>Enigma Drake</c>)
*: Attrition (<c>Poison-Tip Archer</c>)
*: Go wide (<c>Heroic Reinforcements</c>)
*: Evasion (<c>Skyrider Patrol</c>)
The set does not feature any other new or returning non-evergreen mechanics. The complexity of the set is toned down to make the learning curve a little less steep. There are a few more vanilla creatures and Lords than in regular sets. On the other hand, the set is also seeded with several combos.
===Card types===
Core Set 2019 introduces the Vivien planeswalker type. It also reintroduces the Egg subtype (<c>Dragon Egg</c>).
==Cycles==
Core Set 2019 has twelve cycles, one of which is a double cycle, and five of which can only be found in preconstructed products (and subsequently not in booster packs). There is additionally one partial cycle, themed around the character Nicol Bolas:
Cycle name 	 	 	 	 	
Core set planeswalkers	 	 	 	 	
Core set planeswalkers	Five monocolor planeswalkers, each of whom has appeared in some form in Nicol Bolas' history. 	Five monocolor planeswalkers, each of whom has appeared in some form in Nicol Bolas' history. 	Five monocolor planeswalkers, each of whom has appeared in some form in Nicol Bolas' history. 	Five monocolor planeswalkers, each of whom has appeared in some form in Nicol Bolas' history. 	Five monocolor planeswalkers, each of whom has appeared in some form in Nicol Bolas' history.
Signature spells 	 	 	 	 	
Signature spells 	Five rare spells, each related to one of the face planeswalkers of the set and showcasing a pivotal moment in their history. 	Five rare spells, each related to one of the face planeswalkers of the set and showcasing a pivotal moment in their history. 	Five rare spells, each related to one of the face planeswalkers of the set and showcasing a pivotal moment in their history. 	Five rare spells, each related to one of the face planeswalkers of the set and showcasing a pivotal moment in their history. 	Five rare spells, each related to one of the face planeswalkers of the set and showcasing a pivotal moment in their history.
Rare legends 	 	 	 	 	
Rare legends 	Five rare monocolor legendary creatures. 	Five rare monocolor legendary creatures. 	Five rare monocolor legendary creatures. 	Five rare monocolor legendary creatures. 	Five rare monocolor legendary creatures.
Tribal lords 	(Knights) 	(Spirits) 	(Zombies and Skeletons) 	(Goblins) 	(Elves)
Tribal lords 	Five rare tribal lords. 	Five rare tribal lords. 	Five rare tribal lords. 	Five rare tribal lords. 	Five rare tribal lords.
Mares 	 	 	 	 	
Mares 	Five uncommon Horses that each hose an enemy color and can't be blocked by creatures of that color. 	Five uncommon Horses that each hose an enemy color and can't be blocked by creatures of that color. 	Five uncommon Horses that each hose an enemy color and can't be blocked by creatures of that color. 	Five uncommon Horses that each hose an enemy color and can't be blocked by creatures of that color. 	Five uncommon Horses that each hose an enemy color and can't be blocked by creatures of that color.
Cycle name 	 	 	 	 	
Allied color taplands 	 	 	 	 	
Allied color taplands 	Five Allied color common lands originally printed in Oath of the Gatewatch that each come into play tapped, and tap for one of each two colors of mana.	Five Allied color common lands originally printed in Oath of the Gatewatch that each come into play tapped, and tap for one of each two colors of mana.	Five Allied color common lands originally printed in Oath of the Gatewatch that each come into play tapped, and tap for one of each two colors of mana.	Five Allied color common lands originally printed in Oath of the Gatewatch that each come into play tapped, and tap for one of each two colors of mana.	Five Allied color common lands originally printed in Oath of the Gatewatch that each come into play tapped, and tap for one of each two colors of mana.
Cycle name 	 	 	 	 	
Enemy color taplands 	 	 	 	 	
Enemy color taplands 	Five Enemy color common lands originally printed in Shadows over Innistrad that each come into play tapped, and tap for one of each two colors of mana.	Five Enemy color common lands originally printed in Shadows over Innistrad that each come into play tapped, and tap for one of each two colors of mana.	Five Enemy color common lands originally printed in Shadows over Innistrad that each come into play tapped, and tap for one of each two colors of mana.	Five Enemy color common lands originally printed in Shadows over Innistrad that each come into play tapped, and tap for one of each two colors of mana.	Five Enemy color common lands originally printed in Shadows over Innistrad that each come into play tapped, and tap for one of each two colors of mana.
Cycle name 	 	 	 	 	
Elder Dragons 	 	 	 	 	
Elder Dragons 	Five mythic rare Elder Dragons, characters who each originally appeared in Legends. One is a double-faced card. 	Five mythic rare Elder Dragons, characters who each originally appeared in Legends. One is a double-faced card. 	Five mythic rare Elder Dragons, characters who each originally appeared in Legends. One is a double-faced card. 	Five mythic rare Elder Dragons, characters who each originally appeared in Legends. One is a double-faced card. 	Five mythic rare Elder Dragons, characters who each originally appeared in Legends. One is a double-faced card.
===Precon only===
Cycle name 	 	 	 	 	
Precon planeswalkers	 	 	 	 	
Precon planeswalkers	Five planeswalker variants with simpler abilities, included in the Planeswalker decks for M19. 	Five planeswalker variants with simpler abilities, included in the Planeswalker decks for M19. 	Five planeswalker variants with simpler abilities, included in the Planeswalker decks for M19. 	Five planeswalker variants with simpler abilities, included in the Planeswalker decks for M19. 	Five planeswalker variants with simpler abilities, included in the Planeswalker decks for M19.
Welcome Deck Rares 	 	 	 	 	
Welcome Deck Rares 	Five rare creatures that are only included in the Welcome Decks and Planeswalker Decks. 	Five rare creatures that are only included in the Welcome Decks and Planeswalker Decks. 	Five rare creatures that are only included in the Welcome Decks and Planeswalker Decks. 	Five rare creatures that are only included in the Welcome Decks and Planeswalker Decks. 	Five rare creatures that are only included in the Welcome Decks and Planeswalker Decks.
Dig spells 	(Ajani) 	(Tezzeret) 	(Liliana) 	(Sarkhan) 	(Vivien)
Dig spells 	Five rare spells each themed after a planeswalker that give an effect, and "dig" through the top five cards of the caster's library for a card of the same color (except for one case, where it also can "dig" for artifacts). These replace the "planeswalker tutors" previously found in Planeswalker Decks.	Five rare spells each themed after a planeswalker that give an effect, and "dig" through the top five cards of the caster's library for a card of the same color (except for one case, where it also can "dig" for artifacts). These replace the "planeswalker tutors" previously found in Planeswalker Decks.	Five rare spells each themed after a planeswalker that give an effect, and "dig" through the top five cards of the caster's library for a card of the same color (except for one case, where it also can "dig" for artifacts). These replace the "planeswalker tutors" previously found in Planeswalker Decks.	Five rare spells each themed after a planeswalker that give an effect, and "dig" through the top five cards of the caster's library for a card of the same color (except for one case, where it also can "dig" for artifacts). These replace the "planeswalker tutors" previously found in Planeswalker Decks.	Five rare spells each themed after a planeswalker that give an effect, and "dig" through the top five cards of the caster's library for a card of the same color (except for one case, where it also can "dig" for artifacts). These replace the "planeswalker tutors" previously found in Planeswalker Decks.
Helper creatures 	(Ajani) 	(Tezzeret) 	(Liliana) 	(Sarkhan) 	(Vivien)
Helper creatures 	Five uncommon creatures that get a bonus when you control the relevant planeswalker. 	Five uncommon creatures that get a bonus when you control the relevant planeswalker. 	Five uncommon creatures that get a bonus when you control the relevant planeswalker. 	Five uncommon creatures that get a bonus when you control the relevant planeswalker. 	Five uncommon creatures that get a bonus when you control the relevant planeswalker.
4-of cards 	(Ajani) 	(Tezzeret) 	(Liliana) 	(Sarkhan) 	(Vivien)
4-of cards 	Five common cards appearing as a full playset in the planeswalker decks. 	Five common cards appearing as a full playset in the planeswalker decks. 	Five common cards appearing as a full playset in the planeswalker decks. 	Five common cards appearing as a full playset in the planeswalker decks. 	Five common cards appearing as a full playset in the planeswalker decks.
===Partial cycles===
* Nicol Bolas's reign: Three cards in Bolas' colors across multiple rarities, depicting his reign over Amonkhet, fall from power after the Mending, and subsequent return to strength <c>Apex of Power</c> (), <c>Fraying Omnipotence</c> () and <c>Patient Rebuilding</c> ().
*One Mana Hosers: Cards with a converted mana cost of 1 that have unusual hosing effects, most more useful outside of Standard. There is no green member of the cycle. <c>Isolate</c> (), <c>Mistcaller</c> (), <c>Infernal Reckoning</c> (), and <c>Alpine Moon</c> ().
== Core set changes ==
== Card comparisons ==
== Preconstructed decks ==
===Welcome decks===
Core 2019 features five Welcome Decks.
===Planeswalker decks===
Core 2019 features five planeswalker decks, that come with only one booster and are designed to integrate with the welcome decks.News.toyark.com (picture) 
== Notable cards ==
*<c>Liliana's Contract</c> is an alternate-win card.
*<c>Elvish Clancaller</c> is an Elf Lord, that tutors for cards with the same name.
* High profile reprints: <c>Crucible of Worlds</c>, <c>Omniscience</c> and <c>Scapeshift</c>.
=== Banned and restricted cards ===
*<c>Nexus of Fate</c>, the Buy-a-Box promo, is an extra-turn effect with an ostensible anti-recursion feature. Pro Tour 25th Anniversary had several successful pilots of Turbo-Fog variants with playsets of Nexus of Fate, resulting in a massive spike of the card price.Nexus of Fate is major problem. (Reddit)Nexus of Fate up 17.3% since yesterday and rising. (Reddit) It was the first card to receive a specific ban only for MTG Arena in the Best-of-one matches, as it turned out the anti-mill self-shuffle clause meant it was actually trivial to recur infinitely. It remains banned in Pioneer and Historic.
==References==
==External links==
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Category:Magic core sets