Greetings!

It's that time again! The next Magic set is almost here, and this time, we're bringing back core sets with a vengeance. You can already see some of the awesome cards that you'll be playing with in the Card Image Gallery, but that doesn't answer the question on every Magic Online player's mind: when can we start playing with the new cards?

Friday, July 6. 10 a.m. PT. Sealed Leagues opening immediately. Before you head to your local game store for Prerelease, you can prepare for it on Magic Online! Draft Leagues will start up on the following Monday, July 9, also at 10 a.m. PT. I've got all the details on the events below.

A Changing of the Guard

But first, I'd like to introduce myself for those who aren't sure who the new name at the top of the article belongs to. I want to reassure you that I know, live, and breathe Magic just as much as our most engaged players.

I'm Alli Medwin, the new digital product manager for Magic Online. I'm replacing my friend Lee Sharpe, who accepted a position on the MTG Arena team as a designer. It's a step up for both of us, and while I'm looking forward to seeing what Lee does on MTG Arena, I'm really excited to be working on Magic Online full-time.

I recently transferred here from R&D, where I wore a lot of hats over four and a half years there. My favorite of those hats was designer and editor for Magic Online, but I also worked a little with the MTG Arena team and on the paper game as well. I was on the design team (what we'd now call Vision Design) for Commander (2016 Edition), working on the Atraxa, Praetors' Voice deck. I do templating work, starting with Khans of Tarkir and stopping . . . someday, maybe. I was on the Exploratory Design team for Amonkhet and the Set Design team for Dominaria. And there's a set coming out next year that I did both Exploratory Design and Vision Design work on, but it hasn't been announced yet.

(Spoiler alert: We'll be making Magic sets next year.)

For Magic Online, I designed the Uncommon Cube, which kicked off the Cube Spotlight Series. There will be more on that series later.

And I'm a long-time Magic player. A really long time, actually; the ad that got me interested in the game was a full-page black-and-white ad in Pyramid Magazine showing off Hurloon Minotaur, before the adjective "Hurloon" was even added. I started playing Magic Online in 2002 with the Onslaught Prerelease. I started judging Magic events in 2008, and retired as a level 2 judge to work at Wizards in 2013.

I even met my fiancée through Magic: her dating profile said that she played Friday Night Magic regularly, so I reasoned that I could get a first date if I told her that I worked in Magic R&D. Our second date was a Two-Headed Giant Conspiracy-Conspiracy: Take the Crown multiplayer draft. And these days, she plays almost more than I do; I don't think she's missed a daily reward in the MTG Arena Closed Beta in months.

That might be oversharing, I'll admit. But that gets to one of my personal goals: forthrightness. I'm available on Twitter (@trulyaliem) and Reddit (/u/trulyaliem), plus the MagicOnlineFeedback@wizards.com email. I try to be as responsive to the community as I can be. I can't tell you everything, but I want you guys to understand what's going on as best we can responsibly share.

If you've got constructive feedback, I'm all ears. If you've got a problem that you want to tell me about, I want to know. Even if I can't do anything about it, or I can't respond, I promise I'll read and think about it.

Earning Prestige

Back to what's really important: the game! What's in it for you? Well, prestige avatars, for one. For the Core Set 2019 season, here's what you can earn:

Palladia-Mors, the Ruiner

Uncommon Prestige Avatar

5 trophies in the Friendly Core Set 2019 Draft League

5 trophies in the Friendly Core Set 2019 Sealed League

5 trophies in the Intermediate Core Set 2019 Draft League

2 trophies in any single Friendly Constructed League

Vivien Reid

Rare Prestige Avatar

4 trophies in the Competitive Core Set 2019 Draft League

4 trophies in the Competitive Core Set 2019 Sealed League

4 trophies in any single Competitive Constructed League

Nicol Bolas, the Ravager

Mythic Rare Prestige Avatar

12 trophies in the Competitive Core Set 2019 Draft League

6 trophies in the Competitive Core Set 2019 Sealed League

6 trophies in any single Competitive Constructed League

Finishing with 6 or more wins in a single MOCS Monthly event during the season

You'll be able to get the Schemes of Nicol Bolas avatar in the Deck Builder's Essentials, and it'll also be included with new accounts:

Core Events

FRIENDLY SEALED LEAGUE

Product: 6 Core Set 2019 boosters, with the option to add a Core Set 2019 booster after each of the first two stages

Structure: 3 stages of up to 3 matches each, played at your convenience

Entry Options:

24 Event Tickets

6 Core Set 2019 Boosters + 4 Event Tickets

240 Play Points

Upgrade Options:

4 Event Tickets

1 Core Set 2019 booster

40 Play Points

Stage Prizes (based on wins in just that stage):

3 wins: 40 Play Points

2 wins: 30 Play Points

1 win: 20 Play Points

0 wins: 10 Play Points

Course Prizes (based on wins in all three stages):

9 wins: 3 Core Set 2019 boosters + 200 Play Points

8 wins: 2 Core Set 2019 boosters + 200 Play Points

7 wins: 1 Core Set 2019 booster + 200 Play Points

6 wins: 200 Play Points

5 wins: 100 Play Points

4 wins: 50 Play Points

COMPETITIVE SEALED LEAGUE

Product: 6 Core Set 2019 boosters

Structure: Up to 5 matches, played at your convenience

Entry Options:

24 Event Tickets

6 Core Set 2019 boosters + 4 Event Tickets

240 Play Points

Prizes:

5 wins: 6 Core Set 2019 boosters + 360 Play Points + 3 Qualifier Points

4 wins: 3 Core Set 2019 boosters + 240 Play Points + 1 Qualifier Point

3 wins: 1 Core Set 2019 booster + 120 Play Points

FRIENDLY DRAFT LEAGUE

Product: 3 Core Set 2019 boosters

Structure: Draft, then up to 3 matches at your convenience

Entry Options:

12 Event Tickets

3 Core Set 2019 Boosters + 2 Event Tickets

120 Play Points

Prizes:

3 wins: 3 Core Set 2019 boosters

2 wins: 2 Core Set 2019 boosters

1 win: 1 Core Set 2019 booster

INTERMEDIATE DRAFT LEAGUE

Product: 3 Core Set 2019 boosters

Structure: Draft, then up to 3 matches at your convenience

Entry Options:

12 Event Tickets

3 Core Set 2019 boosters + 2 Event Tickets

120 Play Points

Prizes:

3 wins: 6 Core Set 2019 boosters + 1 Qualifier Point

2 wins: 2 Core Set 2019 boosters

COMPETITIVE DRAFT LEAGUE

Product: 3 Core Set 2019 boosters

Structure: Draft, then play matches at your convenience until either 3 wins or 1 loss

Entry Options:

15 Event Tickets

3 Core Set 2019 boosters + 5 Event Tickets

150 Play Points

3 Core Set 2019 boosters + 50 Play Points

Prizes:

3 wins: 6 Core Set 2019 boosters + 150 Play Points + 2 Qualifier Points

2 wins: 3 Core Set 2019 boosters + 150 Play Points + 1 Qualifier Point

FRIENDLY CONSTRUCTED LEAGUE

Formats Offered: Standard, Modern, Pauper, 1v1 Commander, and Brawl

Structure: Up to 5 matches, played at your convenience

Entry Options:

8 Event Tickets

80 Play Points

Prizes:

5 wins: 80 Play Points + 8 Treasure Chests

4 wins: 80 Play Points + 4 Treasure Chests

3 wins: 80 Play Points + 1 Treasure Chest

2 wins: 40 Play Points

1 win: 20 Play Points

0 wins: 10 Play Points

COMPETITIVE CONSTRUCTED LEAGUE

Formats Offered: Standard, Modern, Legacy, and Vintage

Structure: Up to 5 matches, played at your convenience

Entry Options:

12 Event Tickets

120 Play Points

Prizes:

5 wins: 180 Play Points + 16 Treasure Chests + 3 Qualifier Points

4 wins: 180 Play Points + 8 Treasure Chests + 1 Qualifier Point

3 wins: 120 Play Points + 1 Treasure Chest

But Wait, There's More

July is all about the core set. But in August? In August, we have some other events going on. All of these events are Phantom and will use the normal Phantom event prize structure.

August 1–8: Triple Zendikar ! Go back to when Allies were allies and lands were both creatures and pump spells.

! Go back to when Allies were allies and lands were both creatures and pump spells. August 8–15: Pauper Gauntlet ! R&D has gathered some of the best and most fun decks in the format for you to play. If you're a Pauper fan, this event should be a blast. And if you're not a Pauper fan yet, here's your chance to get a great taste of a fun format.

! R&D has gathered some of the best and most fun decks in the format for you to play. If you're a Pauper fan, this event should be a blast. And if you're not a Pauper fan yet, here's your chance to get a great taste of a fun format. August 15–22: Cube Spotlight Series ! We'll have more details on the nature of the cube as we get closer to the date.

! We'll have more details on the nature of the cube as we get closer to the date. August 22–29: TBD. We've got something spicy in the works for this week that we're not quite ready to announce yet. Stay tuned.

We've got something spicy in the works for this week that we're not quite ready to announce yet. Stay tuned. August 29–September 5: Triple Khans of Tarkir ! One of the greatest Draft formats of recent years is back for the first time in a year and a half. Turn your morphs face-up and play with all the wedge clans for a long US holiday weekend of this flashback draft!

! One of the greatest Draft formats of recent years is back for the first time in a year and a half. Turn your morphs face-up and play with all the wedge clans for a long US holiday weekend of this flashback draft! September 5–28: Legacy Cube! Cube cube cube cube cube cube cube. Right? This will take us through to the end of the season and the beginning of the next set's events.

Treasure Chests

As is custom, there are a good number of changes in this Treasure Chest update. For starters, Squee, the Immortal is gone. In its place is . . . well, let's just say it was charged with being funny.

Witness Ox, the Transmogrified, appearing in Treasure Chests for the duration of the Core Set 2019 season. Don't recognize him? Maybe you're more familiar with the source, then?

More importantly, there's a new promo that I know many of you have been looking forward to: True-Name Nemesis returns to Treasure Chests in a brand-new MTGO-original form.

We've also got MTGO-original promo versions of the Urzatron lands, set on present-day Dominaria.

And a MTGO-original Traxos, Scourge of Kroog.

Firesong and Sunspeaker is gone, replaced by the new Nexus of Fate.

Lots of Standard cards have been added to the collation as well. And select cards from Battlebond, of course, as I talked about here.

The new main table is here:

Curated Modern Rare/Mythic Rare Treasure Chest Avatar Play Points Battlebond Standard Common/Uncommon Slot 1 22.0% 48.0% 0.0% 30.0% 0.0% 0.0% Slot 2 7.0% 10.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 83.0% Slot 3 1.0% 8.0% 1.0% 0.0% 40.0% 50.0%

The new Curated card list is here:

Battlebond cards have a simple scheme: commons and uncommons have a relative drop rate of 10, rares have a relative drop rate of 3, and mythic rares have a 1.