Core Set 2021

Core Set 2021, also known as Core 2021, is the 20th Magic core set. It was released on July 3, 2020.

Set details
It’s Magic time Core 2021 features a mix of new and reprinted cards. The main set contains 274 cards and includes randomly inserted premium versions of all cards. (#75) additionally features three alternate arts, numbered #275-277. The Buy-a-Box promotional card is #278. Cards with an alternate card frame have another card number than the original version. Borderless planeswalkers are numbered #279-284, showcase cards are numbered #285-313, alternate art borderless cards are numbered #314-319, cards found in the set's planeswalker decks are #320-339 and the extended artwork cards are numbered #340-391. The Bundle promo is numbered #392, and the dark-frame cards from the universal promo pack are numbered #393-397.

The featured planeswalker is Teferi. The set also features some of his family, friends and foes. A new planeswalker is Basri Ket.

The Showcase card frames are identical to the Signature Spellbook frames for the planeswalkers (cf. Chandra's frame). Teferi, Master of Time features four subtly different artworks. The monocolored planeswalkers each feature three signature spells and a basic land depicting their home plane. Ugin features no additional cards beyond his planeswalker card.

Storyline
Core Set 2021 has no storyline. There are no Story Spotlights, either.

Marketing
Core Set 2021 is sold in 16-card Draft Boosters (one card being a marketing card), five planeswalker decks, the Core 2021 bundle, and a Starter Kit. There are no Theme Boosters, but instead Core 2021 is the first core set to feature Collector Boosters. A Deck Builder's Toolkit is also absent. In addition, Welcome decks are replaced by a Welcome booster, a ten-card sampler showing off flashy aspects of the game like legendaries, planeswalkers, powerful rares and showcase cards. The draft boosters feature key art of three planeswalkers (Teferi, Liliana and Chandra). The Collector Booster features key art of Ugin.

Events

 * Prerelease: June 26 - July 2, 2020
 * Magic Online and Magic Arena release: June 25, 2020
 * Launch party: July 4-5, 2020
 * Commander Nights: July 6 - September 17, 2020

Promotional cards

 * Prerelease: a stamped card that can be any rare or mythic rare of Core Set 2021.
 * Other events: cards from the Core Set 2021 universal promo pack.
 * The seasonal dark-frame promos are:, , , ,
 * Buy-a-Box: Rin and Seri, Inseparable, with extended artwork treatment.
 * Each Buy-a-Box also comes with two Jumpstart boosters.
 * Core Set 2021 Bundle promo:

Jumpstart
Core Set 2021 is closely tied to Jumpstart, a booster product that released two weeks later. Jumpstart is meant to provide an easy starting point for players who don't have the appetite or time for deckbuilding. Jumpstart shares 120 cards with Core set 2021.

Tokens and emblems
Core 2021 comes with 20 tokens and emblems. Token and emblems appear in the marketing card slot. The last two tokens are available from collector boosters only. • # 4/4 Angel creature with flying for Angelic Ascension and Speaker of the Heavens.

• # 1/1 Bird creature with flying for Falconer Adept.

• # 2/2 Griffin creature with flying for Griffin Aerie.

• # 2/2 Knight creature with vigilance for Basri's Lieutenant and Valorous Steed.

• # 1/1 Soldier creature for Basri Ket</c> and Secure the Scene</c>.

• # 5/5 Demon creature with flying for Archfiend's Vessel</c>.

• # 2/2 Zombie creature for Liliana's Devotee</c> and Necromentia</c>.

• # 1/1 Goblin Wizard creature with prowess for Goblin Wizardry</c>.

• # 1/1 Pirate creature with "This creature cannot block," and "Creatures you control must attack each combat if able," for Pursued Whale</c>.

• # 3/3 Beast creature for Elder Gargaroth</c> and Garruk, Unleashed</c>.

• # 2/2 Cat creature for Jolrael, Mwonvuli Recluse</c>.

• # 1/1 Saproling creature for Deathbloom Thallid</c>, Fungal Rebirth</c> and Sporeweb Weaver</c>.

• # /* Weird creature for Experimental Overload</c>.

• # 4/4 Construct creature for Chrome Replicator</c>

• # Treasure for Gadrak, the Crown-Scourge</c>.

• #.

• #.

• #.

• # 1/1 Dog creature for <c>Rin and Seri, Inseparable</c>.

• # 1/1 Cat creature for <c>Rin and Seri, Inseparable</c>.

Themes and mechanics
Core Set 2021 has a theme of Dogs vs. Cats.

The mill mechanic now officially becomes a keyword action. For a player to mill N, they put the top N cards from their library into their graveyard.

With <c>Teferi, Master of Time</c> and <c>Teferi, Timeless Voyager</c>, phasing returns to Standard for the first time since Weatherlight, over 23 years ago. (It was last printed on <c>Teferi's Protection</c> as part of Commander 2017.)

Prowess, now a deciduous keyword, also returns.

Card types
The set introduces the Dog creature type, and erratas the Hound creature type to all become Dogs. This change was foreshadowed with the test card <c>Ruff, Underdog Champ</c>.

The set also introduces the Basri planeswalker type.

The set sees the return of the enchantment type Shrine, last seen in Standard with Champions of Kamigawa.

Limited archetypes
Core 2021 features the following limited archetypes:
 * Flying matters
 * Reanimator
 * Sacrifice
 * "Ferocious"
 * +1/+1 counters
 * Lifegain
 * Prowess
 * "Morbid"
 * Go wide and Dog tribal
 * Card draw

Cycles
Core Set 2021 has fifteen cycles, including two double cycles and five vertical cycles.

Vertical cycles
Five mythic rare planeswalkers each head a vertical cycle of cards referring to them. Each of these cards is also printed in a Signature Spellbook-esque alternate card frame, themed to that respective planeswalker. Chandra's cards match her Signature Spellbook frame exactly.

Notable cards

 * <c>Sparkhunter Masticore</c> is the first creature to have protection from planeswalkers.
 * <c>Nine Lives</c> is an alternate-loss card.
 * Showcase is the first card ever to feature a completely empty text box.

Arena Starter Kit
The Arena Starter Kit (in previous editions known as the Spellslinger Starter Kit) comes with two Standard-legal 60-card decks, designed to create an interactive learning experience for two.

Planeswalker decks
Unlike with expansions, planeswalker decks are still a part of the product line-up for the Core Set. Core 2021 features five planeswalker decks, that come with one booster and a foil planeswalker card.