Yo, nerds, it’s Derek—40-year-old single dad, Click Consultants hustler, and total Magic: The Gathering noob. I dropped $300 on Collector Booster packs, chasing that foil-fueled high, and let me tell you, it was a wild ride of zombie hype, galaxy foil dreams, and some serious “what the hell did I just buy?” moments. From March of the Machine: The Aftermath to Unfinity and Assassin’s Creed, I cracked open eight packs, hoping for a game-changer like a serialized land or a mythic rare to make my son Tanner jealous. Did I strike gold or get stuck with a pile of 4-cent commons? Check my unhinged OMG It’s Derek video below, then dive into the chaos of my pack-opening saga!
Table of Contents
- Why I Blew $300 on Cardboard
- What I’m Cracking Open Today
- March of the Machine: The Aftermath—Zombie Hype!
- Assassin’s Creed: Where’s My Ezio Jackpot?
- Unfinity: Galaxy Foils and Clown Robots, Oh My!
- The Big Hits (and Bigger Misses)
- Was It Worth $300? The Noob Verdict
- Join the MTG Nerd Army
Why I Blew $300 on Cardboard
Back in the ‘90s, I was a kid shuffling Magic cards until my parents shut it down—too pricey for a broke middle-schooler. Fast forward to 2025, and my 5-year-old, Tanner, got me back in the game with his Pokémon obsession. Buying him cards reignited my MTG spark, and now I’m hooked on the thrill of ripping packs, especially Collector Boosters—premium packs stuffed with rares, foils, and alternate art for collectors like me who love shiny shit.
I hit the mall post-Christmas, snagging loose packs from local shops: two March of the Machine: The Aftermath ($17.99 each), three Unfinity ($24.99 each), and three Assassin’s Creed ($24.99 each). Total damage? About $300. Was it a genius move or a noob’s gamble? Let’s find out.
What I’m Cracking Open Today
Collector Boosters are the Cadillac of MTG packs—15 cards, loaded with at least 5 rares or mythics, tons of foils, and exclusive treatments like extended art or galaxy foils. I’m a zombie stan, so I’m praying for some undead bangers, but I’m also chasing those high-value pulls like Unfinity’s galaxy foil lands (think Sacred Foundry, worth serious cash).
My phone’s loaded with an MTG price app to track values, ‘cause I’m still learning the ropes. Today’s haul: two packs of March of the Machine: The Aftermath (a micro-set with 50 cards, known for pricey pulls like Nissa), three Assassin’s Creed (Universes Beyond crossover with killer art), and three Unfinity (a wacky Un-set with clown robots and galaxy foils, but low playability).
Let’s rip ‘em open!
March of the Machine: The Aftermath—Zombie Hype!
I kicked off with the Aftermath packs, hyped for zombies. Pack one was a banger: right out the gate, I pulled Nissa, Resurgent Animist (foil, $20) and Narset, Enlightened Exile ($10.35). At $17.99 a pack, I’m already in the green! The zombie vibes were strong with Death-Rattle Oni (7 cents, but dope art), but duds like Harvest Snubhorn (4 cents) reminded me not every card’s a winner.
Pack two? Total bust. Best pull was Jirina, Voice of Zhalfir (foil, 26 cents), with etched foils like Urabrask’s Scavengers (46 cents) looking cool but worth squat. Etched foils, by the way, are shiny but monochrome—less vibrant than regular foils, which explains the low value.
This set’s a lottery, and I hit the jackpot once.
Assassin’s Creed: Where’s My Ezio Jackpot?
After crushing it with Assassin’s Creed Play Boosters (broke even or better), I had high hopes for these Collector packs at $24.99 each.
Pack one started strong: a Shapeshifter Token ($4.51) and Black Market Connections ($9.13) got my heart racing. Socrates, Athenian Teacher ($2.26) was a cool legendary, but the rest? Chump change—Templar Knight ($2.75), Desmond Miles ($1.14), and a sick Island (foil, $1.21) with landscape art that hit my photography nerd soul. Packs two and three were a bloodbath. Bayek of Siwa (foil, $2.63), Mary Read and Anne Bonny ($3.63), and Alexios, Deimos of Kosmos ($3.37) were decent, but most cards (like Mortify, 19 cents) tanked. These packs leaned hard on cool art, but the value? Ouch.
Unfinity: Galaxy Foils and Clown Robots, Oh My!
Unfinity’s my wild card—known for goofy themes (clown robots, anyone?) and galaxy foils, a sparkly treatment exclusive to this set. I’m hunting those big-ticket lands like Sacred Foundry or Steam Vents. Pack one delivered a Mountain (galaxy foil, $10.69)—not a chase land, but sexy as hell. Nearby Planet (galaxy foil, $3.84) and Myra the Magnificent (foil, $4.65) had insane art, like a carnival on acid. Pack two? Snooze. Starlight Spectacular (galaxy foil, $3) and Brims Barone, Midway Mobster (galaxy foil, 22 cents) looked dope, but no heavy hitters. Pack three had Earl of Squirrel ($5.79) and a Plains (galaxy foil, $2.10), but the chase lands eluded me.
Unfinity’s art is next-level (I’m a sucker for landscapes, sue me), but most cards aren’t legal in competitive play, tanking their value.
The Big Hits (and Bigger Misses)
Let’s break it down. Total spent: ~$300 (2 Aftermath at $17.99, 6 Unfinity/Assassin’s Creed at $24.99 each). Top pulls:
- Nissa, Resurgent Animist (Aftermath, foil, $20)
- Narset, Enlightened Exile (Aftermath, $10.35)
- Mountain (Unfinity, galaxy foil, $10.69)
- Black Market Connections (Assassin’s Creed, $9.13)
- Earl of Squirrel (Unfinity, $5.79)
- Myra the Magnificent (Unfinity, foil, $4.65)
Total value of big hits: ~$60. The rest? Pennies—think Hidden Footblade (8 cents) or Line Cutter (12 cents). Collector Boosters are a gamble, with 5+ rares per pack, but the “good slot” has so many cards, you need luck to hit big. Aftermath’s micro-set had potential, Assassin’s Creed leaned on art over value, and Unfinity’s low playability killed its ROI. I didn’t even snag a chase land like Watery Grave. Oof.
Was It Worth $300? The Noob Verdict
Financially? Hell no. I’m down ~$240, way worse than my Assassin’s Creed Play Booster luck. Collector Boosters are like slot machines—shiny, addictive, but rigged for collectors who love foils and art, not budget players. The Nissa pull was a rush, and Unfinity’s galaxy foils are straight-up art porn (my photography heart approves). But the real win? Reliving my MTG youth and sharing the hype with Tanner. He’s stoked for the zombie cards, and I’m already planning our next pack-opening sesh. If you’re chasing value, buy singles. If you’re in for the thrill, grab a Collector Booster from a set you vibe with, like Total Cards. Me? I’m hooked, even if my wallet’s crying.
Join the MTG Nerd Army
Got MTG tips for a noob like me? Drop ‘em in the comments—sleeving tricks, top-loader rules, whatever. Tried Collector Boosters and struck gold or ate dirt? Spill the tea. Don’t miss my video above for the full pack-ripping madness. Want more card-opening chaos or tech rants? Subscribe to OMG It’s Derek and hit Click Consultants for YouTube editing that slaps. Peace out, nerds!
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