Chronicles Set Overview
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Chronicles, released in July 1995, is Magic: The Gathering’s first compilation set. Rather than presenting entirely new cards, it reintroduced 116 reprints from early expansions—Arabian Nights, Antiquities, Legends, and The Dark—for a total of 125 cards. This approach aimed to make hard-to-find cards more accessible to both new and existing players, effectively expanding the Fourth Edition card pool and ensuring that reprinted cards remained tournament-legal wherever Fourth Edition was permitted.
Chronicles Set Info #
| Set | Set Symbol | Symbol Description | Set Code | Release Date | Total Cards | Common | Uncommon | Rare | Basic Land |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chronicles | None | N/A | CHR | July 1995 | 125 | 37 | 43 | 45 | N/A |
Note: Chronicles cards are white-bordered, retain their original expansion symbols, and do not include basic lands or mythic rares.
Key Features and Mechanics #
Compilation Set #
Chronicles was the first compilation set in Magic’s history, gathering cards from multiple expansions so that players who missed those earlier releases could more easily obtain iconic and powerful spells.
Extension of Fourth Edition #
The reprinted cards in Chronicles were considered an extension of Fourth Edition. In formats where Fourth Edition was legal, Chronicles cards were also legal, providing broader deck-building options.
Addressing Card Scarcity #
By reintroducing popular but hard-to-find cards, Chronicles helped alleviate shortages in the secondary market. However, it simultaneously caused prices of original printings to drop, drawing backlash from collectors concerned about preserving card value.
Influence on the Reserved List #
The controversy over reprints in Chronicles led Wizards of the Coast to establish the Reserved List. This policy promised never to reprint certain cards in functionally identical forms, aiming to protect their scarcity and collectibility.
Notable Chronicles Cards #
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A versatile land that can tap for any color of mana, dealing 1 damage to its controller each time it is used.
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A red enchantment turning nonbasic lands into Mountains, often used to disrupt opponents’ complex mana bases.
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A global enchantment granting Haste
Ashnod’s Altar
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An artifact letting players sacrifice creatures for colorless mana, a crucial engine piece for various combo decks.
Chronicles proved influential in highlighting the balance between broader card availability and protecting collectors’ investments. By reprinting sought-after cards, it helped many players enter the game’s competitive and casual scenes, yet it also sparked debate over reprints that continues to shape Magic: The Gathering’s reprint policies, including the Reserved List.
