Magic: The Gathering‘s next expansion set, Ikoria: Lair of Behemoths, is promising a bonus treat to players. Wizards Play Network, a platform for brick-and-mortar card stores, detailed a special “behemoth-sized” box topper in each pack of draft boosters yesterday.
“That’s right: every box of Ikoria comes with a behemoth-sized bonus sitting right on top,” Wizards Play Network said. “We’ll show you the cards as we get closer to release, but for now, just know that this box topper is unlike anything Magic has ever done.”
Box toppers are a bonus that Wizards of the Coast has previously added to Magic boxes—they’re simply a single card wrapped and sealed on top of the boosters. They’ve been used before, specifically in the Eighth Edition, Ninth Edition, and Ultimate Masters set releases.
This makes Ikoria: Lair of Behemoths unique among recent Standard sets, though it’ll also have a Buy-a-Box promo like others have had.
These promos have had a significant competitive impact in recent years with Nexus of Fate and Kenrith, the Returned King being Standard playables. And while this box topper may just be another Standard card, there are hints it might be more.
Wizards Play Network touts this topper as an “appeal to collectors” and as “fancy and shiny.” It also claims, after referring to the box topper’s “tradeability,” that the item adds “a huge amount value” to the set.
It’s possible that the box topper plays into Ikoria‘s mechanics, which Wizards has said will have a bottom-up “build your own monster” theme. These box toppers may also be popular Commanders from past sets, playing into the Commander 2020 set co-release alongside Ikoria.
More details for the newest set will drop as Ikoria‘s release date nears. The full set drops on April 24.
