Contemporary Era
The era of ambitious storytelling. From Khans of Tarkir to the planeswalker war that was War of the Spark, this stretch pushed Magic’s lore, mechanics, and multiplayer play to new heights.
Era Overview
The Contemporary Era spans 2014 to 2019, a period defined by cinematic storytelling and the mainstreaming of Commander. It opened with the wedge-colored Khans of Tarkir and moved through Battle for Zendikar, Shadows over Innistrad, Kaladesh, Amonkhet, and Ixalan, each building an expansive plane and narrative. The era refined the two-block-per-year model before transitioning to a single-large-set structure, and it saw Wizards lean into beloved returns and bold experiments. It culminated in War of the Spark, a set featuring dozens of planeswalkers on a single battlefield — a design showcase that capped years of escalating story stakes.
History & Highlights
Khans of Tarkir revived the wedge (three-color) archetypes and the fetchland cycle, while Kaladesh introduced energy and the premium Masterpiece Inventions. Amonkhet drew on Egyptian mythology, and Ixalan brought dinosaurs and pirates with a tribal focus. Dominaria in 2018 was a celebration of the game’s original plane and a critical success, reintroducing the Saga enchantment type. The Guilds of Ravnica and Ravnica Allegiance sets returned to the ten guilds once more, and War of the Spark closed the era with an unprecedented planeswalker-per-pack design. Throughout, Commander products became a regular fixture, and the format’s popularity reshaped which cards held value.
Sets that defined the era
Every set in this era
All 44 sets released during the Contemporary Era.
Mystery Booster Playtest Cards 2019
121 cards
Ponies: The Galloping
3 cards
Throne of Eldraine
398 cards
2018 Heroes of the Realm
5 cards
Core Set 2020
346 cards
Modern Horizons
255 cards
War of the Spark
276 cards
Ravnica Allegiance
273 cards
Guilds of Ravnica
273 cards
2017 Heroes of the Realm
3 cards
Core Set 2019
314 cards
Battlebond
256 cards
Dominaria
280 cards
Rivals of Ixalan
205 cards
Unstable
268 cards
Ixalan
289 cards
HasCon 2017
4 cards
2016 Heroes of the Realm
3 cards
Hour of Devastation
209 cards
Archenemy: Nicol Bolas Schemes
20 cards
Archenemy: Nicol Bolas
106 cards
Amonkhet
287 cards
Welcome Deck 2017
30 cards
Aether Revolt
197 cards
Planechase Anthology
156 cards
Planechase Anthology Planes
86 cards
Kaladesh
278 cards
Conspiracy: Take the Crown
222 cards
Eldritch Moon
208 cards
Shadows over Innistrad
302 cards
Welcome Deck 2016
16 cards
Oath of the Gatewatch
187 cards
Battle for Zendikar
299 cards
Magic Origins Clash Pack
6 cards
Magic Origins
288 cards
Dragons of Tarkir
264 cards
Fate Reforged Clash Pack
6 cards
Fate Reforged
191 cards
Khans of Tarkir
293 cards
Magic 2015 Clash Pack
6 cards
Magic 2015
284 cards
Conspiracy
210 cards
Journey into Nyx
165 cards
Born of the Gods
165 cards
Format Context
Contemporary Era sets are central to the Pioneer format and feature heavily in Modern and Commander. The era’s guild cards, planeswalkers, and premium Masterpiece treatments are widely played and collected. Because Commander surged during these years, cards from this era are often valued as much for their multiplayer appeal as their constructed play, and many received premium versions worth far more than their standard printings.
Common questions
01 What defines the Contemporary Era of Magic?
It is marked by story-driven design, the return of fan-favorite planes like Ravnica and Dominaria, and the rise of Commander as a mainstream format between 2014 and 2019.
02 What were the Masterpiece cards from this era?
The Kaladesh Inventions and Amonkhet Invocations are the premium Masterpiece series from this era, offering ornate reprints of powerful cards that are among the most valuable versions of those spells.
03 Are Contemporary Era sets Pioneer legal?
Yes. Pioneer’s card pool includes sets from Return to Ravnica forward, so the entire Contemporary Era is Pioneer legal. Scan a card with Tappr to confirm its legality.
04 Why is War of the Spark notable?
War of the Spark included a planeswalker in every booster pack — an unprecedented design — and served as the climax of years of ongoing story.
Scan Contemporary Era Cards
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