Decoding the Mythic: Understanding Your Odds in a Set Booster
So, you’re cracking packs, hoping for that coveted mythic rare to grace your collection. But just how likely are you to pull one from a set booster? The short answer is: it’s not a guarantee, but it’s certainly possible! Statistically, you have roughly a 13.51% chance to find a mythic rare in any given set booster pack. This is an improvement over older pack formats, and this number is key to planning your pulls and expectations.
But that’s just the start of the story. Let’s delve deeper into the world of mythic rares, set boosters, and the odds that govern our favorite card game.
Mythic Rares: The Crown Jewels of Magic
Before we get bogged down in numbers, let’s quickly define what we mean by a mythic rare. These cards are designed to be the most powerful, most impactful, and most sought-after cards in a Magic: The Gathering set. They often feature unique abilities, splashy artwork, and are integral to building high-powered decks. Visually, a red-orange or bronze symbol in the expansion set symbol indicates a card is a mythic rare, distinguishing it from the gold symbol that denotes a standard rare.
In the grand scheme of a set’s print run, mythic rares are purposely printed at a lower frequency than standard rares, which contributes to their rarity and desirability. Most modern sets typically contain 15 mythic rare cards and 53 rare cards. Understanding this ratio is crucial for grasping the pull rates we will explore.
The Set Booster Advantage
The set booster is a modern approach to pack design. Unlike the older draft booster which was optimized for playing Limited formats, the set booster is designed for the joy of opening packs and finding exciting cards. It focuses on a variety of card combinations and has slightly different pull rates for rares and mythic rares, making each pack open feel unique and potentially rewarding.
The typical set booster has 12 cards, containing more than just the usual one rare/mythic found in draft boosters. Specifically, set boosters increase the chance of opening multiple rares and mythic rares in a single pack. This is not a guarantee, but the chances are significantly better compared to older draft boosters.
Calculating Mythic Rare Odds in Set Boosters
With the understanding that the odds are about 1 in 7.4 for a rare to be a mythic rare, this translates to an individual set booster having a 13.51% chance of having a mythic rare. This calculation comes from an adjustment from the traditional 1/8 rate for individual packs and reflects the structure of a set booster.
In a single set booster box, the average number of mythic rares found goes up, too. Instead of the usual 3 or 4 that you’d expect in a draft booster box, you can look to average about 4.86 mythic rares per set booster box. If you buy a case which is usually made up of 6 set booster boxes, this number jumps to 29.16 mythic rare per booster box case.
The data and experience show that when opening a set booster box, it’s likely that you will pull at least 30 rare or mythic rare cards, usually with the actual number being closer to 38. With the odds of about 1 mythic to every 7.4 rares this translates to a 5-6 mythics and 32-33 rares average.
Frequently Asked Questions About Mythic Rare Pull Rates
Here are some frequently asked questions related to mythic rares, booster packs, and pull rates, to give you a fuller picture:
1. How many rares are in a set booster box?
A typical set booster box contains somewhere between 30 and 40 rares and mythics combined. A general expectation is 32-33 rare cards and 5-6 mythic rares. This higher-than-draft number is part of the set booster’s charm and is why many players find it more rewarding.
2. What are the chances of pulling a foil mythic rare?
The chances of pulling a foil mythic rare are more elusive. Foil mythics are much rarer than their non-foil versions. One source states the odds of a foil mythic being pulled from an Eldraine Collector Booster is 1 in 242. This is not for the standard set booster but the general odds of pulling a foil mythic rare from any packs are extremely low.
3. How many mythics are in a standard Magic set?
In modern Magic sets, especially the large sets released from Shards of Alara onwards, there are 15 mythic rare cards. These sets also usually have 53 rare cards and around 101 common cards.
4. How many cards are in a set booster pack?
A set booster pack contains 12 cards. This is fewer than the 15 cards found in a draft booster, but the odds of exciting pulls make up for the reduced card count.
5. Are set boosters worth buying for mythics?
If your goal is to open a high number of mythic cards, set boosters are a great choice. The rates are generally better than in draft boosters for the purposes of acquiring mythics. The increased chance of multiple rares and the possibility of other exciting cards make them worth the cost for many players.
6. Can you get multiple mythics in a set booster?
Yes, you can! While not common, set boosters are designed to increase your chances of opening more than one rare or mythic rare in a single pack, and therefore you can open multiple mythics in a single pack.
7. What are the odds of getting a secret rare?
Secret rares are even rarer than mythic rares. They appear on average around 1 in every 72 booster packs. And, a booster pack can never contain more than one secret rare.
8. How do set boosters compare to draft boosters for rare/mythic pulls?
Set boosters have a higher average number of rare/mythic cards than draft boosters. Draft boosters are made for playing Limited, meaning they contain a higher number of common cards. Set Boosters are made for opening for value and to have a fun experience.
9. Can you get mythics in theme boosters?
Yes, you can, however, theme boosters are not the best way to get mythics. Theme boosters contain 1 or 2 rares or mythics, but they prioritize cards that fit a specific color or theme, so your chances of finding a specific mythic are very slim.
10. What are the odds of a mythic in MTG Arena?
The rates of mythics in MTG Arena are not public knowledge, so anecdotal evidence suggests it to be somewhere around 1 mythic per 750 to 1000 packs opened. However, the game also provides a variety of methods to obtain rare/mythic cards, so relying on packs is not the only way to collect them.
11. Are Mythic Packs worth buying?
Mythic packs are rarely worth buying, unless you are only a few away from completing your set. They tend to have a similar if not lower return rate than standard set booster packs.
12. How do I know if a card is a mythic rare?
Look at the expansion set symbol. A card with an orange-red or bronze symbol is mythic rare. A gold symbol indicates a rare card.
13. What is the rarity distribution in a set booster?
The specific card distribution in a set booster includes two prints of each rare card for every one print of a mythic. There is also an 11.3% chance for a wildcard or foil slot to be a rare or mythic.
14. How do the odds of mythics differ in collector boosters?
Collector boosters usually come with four rare and mythic rare cards per pack. This is another, more expensive, way to obtain higher chances at mythic rares, though the price tag is much higher.
15. How many foil cards are in an average booster box?
An average booster box contained eight foil cards in summation, with one being a foil rare or mythic. However, these are not guaranteed, but statistically what you should expect.
Final Thoughts
While there’s never a guarantee of pulling a mythic rare in a set booster, the odds are certainly in your favor compared to older booster formats. With about 13.51% chance of a mythic per pack and an average of 4-5 mythics per box, set boosters remain a great way to experience the excitement of opening packs, add to your collection, and hopefully pull those game-changing, highly sought-after mythic rare cards. Keep cracking and may the odds be ever in your favor!