Anthologies Box Set (MTG)

Well I haven't actually dueled the decks yet (ran out of sleeves >~<), but I decided to review this anyway. This has to be one of the nicer sets. It is better then beatdown (which is also reviewed) and has a lot of nice stuff. Besides the cards you get a nice quality box (like deck builder's toolbox) and a booklet about first 5 years of magic. I personally loved the booklet, as it had a lot of information I couldn't find online about the start of magic.
The cards are what makes it better then beatdown. It has a lot of higher costs and powerful cards like Armageddon, Brushland, Goblin Grenade, Goblin King, Goblin Matron, Goblin Recruiter, Hymn to Tourach, Hypnotic Specter, Lightning Bolt, Mirri, Cat Warrior, Mogg Fanatic, Nevinyrral's Disk, Overrun, Pendelhaven, Serra Angel, Strip Mine, Swords to Plowshares, and Volcanic Dragon. Since this is a reprint set, they use same expansion symbols as originals but I think they vary due to some minor changes and white boarder so still unique (mostly). The decks are Dark Alliance, a Black/Red mostly goblin deck, and Defenders of the Cause, a White/Green deck. Based on the cards both decks look really nice and I can't wait to try them.
Overall, this is a very nice set and I'm glad I got it, even if it was $70. It is a great way to play with a nice variety of cards from the first 5 years and learn about how the game began.

This an awsome box it has alot of great cards and one very special card that has won the game for me tons of times.

I love this set. It fills one box with the quirky old cards that give a feel for the game that sold me as a kid. It's filled with the game's old icons and has stripped-down rules that really capture the essence of why Magic took off.

The box and packaging are attractive, and the booklet gives an interesting history and background of each of the sets.

The biggest drawback of the package is the cards themselves. They have a lot of throwback nostalgia value, but that doesn't translate to financial worth - secondary market singles for both decklists would run you about $20.

The cards themselves have some problems too. On their face, there's the white-border printing, which has its critics, but more notably, there are 5-8 misprints that actually affect play.

I really enjoy the product: it's a simple self-contained game that includes all sorts of references and tributes to the kind of Magic I loved as a kid. However, it's definitely not designed for either serious players (no singles to justify the price tag) or new players (there are cheaper and better dual decks that work better with the cards in stores). But still a great package for a nostalgia tripper.

Wow reprinted Arabian Mountain... I think I like the black bordered original better...