Modern Masters 2017

Modern Masters 2017, officially styled as Modern Masters 2017 Edition, is the third set in the Modern Masters series. It is a booster-based compilation set containing cards legal in, and intended for, the Modern format. It was released on March 17, 2017.

Set details
Modern Masters 2017 is a 249 card set consisting of reprints of cards originally printed between Eighth Edition and Magic 2014, including trips through Innistrad and Return to Ravnica. Modern Masters 2017 is exclusively booster-based, thus no satellite products such as preconstructed theme decks are branded with the set. Each booster contains 15 playable cards: 10 commons, 3 uncommons and one rare or mythic rare, and one foil card of any rarity replacing the usual basic land. The 16-card boosters (the sixteenth card is a marketing card) feature artwork from Domri Rade, Griselbrand and Stoic Angel. Like Modern Masters 2015 and Eternal Masters before, the MSRP of one booster is set to $9.99. Due to the higher MSRP booster displays only contain 24 packs, which is also the number required for a regular draft (three boosters for each of eight players), as the set was designed specifically for draft. A number of cards change rarity to create a better drafting environment.

Marketing
The set is be printed in English, Japanese, and Chinese Simplified. Like Modern Masters 2015, the packaging material features the word Magic, without : The Gathering. According to Mark Rosewater, it is something WotC is experimenting with on supplemental products.

Magic Online
Modern Masters 2017 released on Magic Online on March 23, 2017.

Themes and mechanics
Modern Masters 2017 features the following limited archetypes:


 * : Blink/ETB effects (Mistmeadow Witch, Vanish into Memory)
 * : Instant Control (Soul Manipulation)
 * : Unearth/Sacrifice (Torrent of Souls)
 * : Token Go wide (Gruul War Chant, Tattermunge Witch</c>)
 * : Populate (Wayfaring Temple</c>)
 * : Control with creatures (Wall of Denial</c>, Agent of Masks</c>, Sin Collector</c>)
 * : Graveyard (Sedraxis Specter</c>, Izzet Charm</c>)
 * : Sacrifice (Sprouting Thrinax</c>, Golgari Germination</c>)
 * : Token Aggro (Bronzebeak Moa</c>, Sunhome Guildmage</c>)
 * : Splicers (Vital Splicer</c>, Master Splicer</c>, Wing Splicer</c>)

Changes in rarity
Common to Uncommon
 * Ancient Grudge</c>
 * Compulsive Research</c>
 * <c>Molten Rain</c>
 * <c>Seal of Doom</c>
 * <c>Soul Manipulation</c>
 * <c>Terminate</c>
 * <c>Thundersong Trumpeter</c>
 * <c>Vithian Stinger</c>
 * The Signets:
 * <c>Azorius Signet</c>
 * <c>Dimir Signet</c>
 * <c>Rakdos Signet</c>
 * <c>Gruul Signet</c>
 * <c>Selesnya Signet</c>
 * <c>Orzhov Signet</c>
 * <c>Izzet Signet</c>
 * <c>Golgari Signet</c>
 * <c>Boros Signet</c>
 * <c>Simic Signet</c>

Uncommon to Common
 * <c>Augur of Bolas</c>
 * <c>Burning-Tree Emissary</c>
 * <c>Call of the Conclave</c>
 * <c>Cower in Fear</c>
 * <c>Dinrova Horror</c>
 * <c>Falkenrath Noble</c>
 * <c>Gift of Orzhova</c>
 * <c>Gnawing Zombie</c>
 * <c>Graceful Reprieve</c>
 * <c>Grasp of Phantoms</c>
 * <c>Grixis Slavedriver</c>
 * <c>Ground Assault</c>
 * <c>Magma Jet</c>
 * <c>Pitfall Trap</c>
 * <c>Revive</c>
 * <c>Scorched Rusalka</c>
 * <c>Scourge Devil</c>
 * <c>Slime Molding</c>
 * <c>Spike Jester</c>
 * <c>Tandem Lookout</c>
 * <c>Thunderous Wrath</c>

Rare to Common
 * <c>Mortician Beetle</c>

Rare to Uncommon
 * <c>Arachnus Spinner</c>
 * <c>Gaea's Anthem</c>
 * <c>Goblin Assault</c>
 * <c>Pyrewild Shaman</c>
 * <c>Mystic Genesis</c>
 * <c>Sedraxis Specter</c>
 * <c>Soul Ransom</c>
 * <c>Wayfaring Temple</c>

Rare to Mythic
 * <c>Snapcaster Mage</c>
 * <c>Cavern of Souls</c>

Mythic to Rare
 * <c>Falkenrath Aristocrat</c>
 * <c>Niv-Mizzet, Dracogenius</c>
 * <c>Obzedat, Ghost Council</c>

Cycles
Modern Masters 2017 has 6 cycles, two of which are double cycles:

Token cards
The set comes with 20 tokens and one emblem.


 * 1)  4/4 Angel with Flying for <c>Entreat the Angels</c> and <c>Urbis Protector</c>
 * 2)  1/1 Bird with Flying for <c>Eyes in the Skies</c>
 * 3)  1/1 Soldier (new art by Magali Villeneuve) for <c>Attended Knight</c>
 * 4)  1/1 Spirit with Flying for <c>Lingering Souls</c>
 * 5)  2/4 Spider with Reach for <c>Penumbra Spider</c>
 * 6)  2/2 Zombie for <c>Grixis Slavedriver</c>
 * 7)  4/4 Dragon with Flying for <c>Broodmate Dragon</c>
 * 8)  1/1 Goblin for <c>Dragon Fodder</c>, <c>Goblin Assault</c> and <c>Kathari Bomber</c>
 * 9)  3/3 Beast for <c>Thragtusk</c>
 * 10)  4/4 Beast for <c>Baloth Cage Trap</c>
 * 11)  3/3 Centaur for <c>Call of the Conclave</c>
 * 12)  3/3 Elephant for <c>Call of the Herd</c>
 * 13)  */* Ooze for <c>Slime Molding</c> and <c>Mystic Genesis</c>
 * 14)  1/1 Saproling for <c>Fists of Ironwood</c>, <c>Golgari Germination</c> and <c>Sprouting Thrinax</c>
 * 15)  5/5 Wurm with Trample for <c>Advent of the Wurm</c>
 * 16)  */* Elemental for <c>Voice of Resurgence</c>
 * 17)  4/4 Giant Warrior with Haste for <c>Giantbaiting</c>
 * 18)  1/1 Goblin Warrior for <c>Wort, the Raidmother</c>
 * 19)  1/1 Soldier for <c>Sunhome Guildmage</c>
 * 20)  3/3 Golem for <c>Blade Splicer</c>, <c>Master Splicer</c>, <c>Sensor Splicer</c>, <c>Wing Splicer</c> and <c>Vital Splicer</c>

Notable cards

 * <c>Damnation</c> receives its first reprint in a set.
 * <c>Snapcaster Mage</c> and <c>Cavern of Souls</c> are the first cards originally printed as a rare while mythic rares already existed, which are reprinted as a mythic rare.
 * The downgraded <c>Sedraxis Specter</c> replaces <c>Fire-Field Ogre</c> of the original tricolored creatures cycle.

Cards with new art

 * <c>Abyssal Specter</c>
 * <c>Agent of Masks</c>
 * <c>Azorius Signet</c>
 * <c>Cavern of Souls</c>
 * <c>Compulsive Research</c>
 * <c>Dimir Signet</c>
 * <c>Goblin Guide</c>
 * <c>Golgari Germination</c>
 * <c>Might of Old Krosa</c>
 * <c>Molten Rain</c>
 * <c>Past in Flames</c>
 * <c>Ranger of Eos</c>
 * <c>Recover</c>
 * <c>Serum Visions</c> (depicts Jin-Gitaxias )
 * <c>Snapcaster Mage</c>
 * <c>Stony Silence</c>
 * <c>Terminate</c> (depicts <c>Sun Titan</c> falling apart )
 * <c>Urbis Protector</c>

Cards with new flavor text

 * <c>Abyssal Specter</c>
 * <c>Agent of Masks</c>
 * <c>Blade Splicer</c>
 * <c>Death-Hood Cobra</c>
 * <c>Inquisition of Kozilek</c>
 * <c>Magma Jet</c>
 * <c>Might of Old Krosa</c>
 * <c>Molten Rain</c>
 * <c>Recover</c>
 * <c>Sensor Splicer</c>
 * <c>Serum Visions</c>
 * <c>Stony Silence</c>
 * <c>Terminate</c>
 * <c>Urbis Protector</c>
 * <c>Vampire Nighthawk</c>
 * <c>Wing Splicer</c>