The Completion Divide: base set vs master set in Magic, Pokémon and Lorcana
Built from three studies with their own dates: Pokémon prices from 2 November 2026, Magic and Lorcana from 2026-08-12 or earlier. Today's prices will differ.
“What does it cost to complete this set?” can have two answers: the main numbered set, or the master set with every special card numbered above it. We compared the two across 76 sets in Magic, Pokémon and Lorcana, using Foilio's three set-completion studies.
Three games, three data shapes
Pokémon: in the Sword & Shield era the base set medianed ~€398; in the Scarlet & Violet era it medians ~€23, roughly 17x cheaper, while master-set costs barely moved. We did not measure why. Lorcana: in every set we measured, the cards numbered above the main set multiply the completion bill a median 38x, up to 110x. Magic: a modern set completes for a median ~$260 in our study, but that study did not split the main set from the showcase, borderless and extended-art cards that Wizards numbers above it (for example, Bloomburrow has 261 main-set cards, with its showcase and extended-art versions numbered in the 300s). So we have no divide figure for Magic, which is a gap in our data, not proof that Magic has no divide.
Top-10 cost shares: a median 55.4% of a Magic set's total (as measured), 61.8% of a Pokémon master set's, and 76.7% of a Lorcana one. Three games is too few to call this a rule about young vs old games; Lorcana has only a few years of sets. Either way, in these sets most of the cost sits in a handful of cards, which is what a most-valuable view and a summed collection are built to surface.
The divide, game by game
Median completion cost in each game's own study currency; cross-game comparisons use the multiples and shares, never the absolute prices.
| Game (born) | Base set | Master set | Divide | Top-10 share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Magic: The Gathering 1993 | $260 | $260 | not measured | 55.4% |
| Pokémon 1996 | €70 | €937 | 13× | 61.8% |
| Disney Lorcana 2023 | $50 | $2,699 | 38× | 76.7% |
Magic: The Gathering: Our Magic completion study priced each set's card list as one total and did not separate the main set from the showcase, borderless and extended-art printings numbered above it, so no divide was measured for Magic. That is a gap in our data, not a feature of the game.
Pokémon: The split happened between eras: a SWSH base set medians EUR 398 while an SV one medians EUR 23, ~17x cheaper, with master costs steady.
Disney Lorcana: In the sets we measured the main set ends at #204; the premium slice above it multiplies the bill 22x to 110x (median 38x).
Method & sources
- A synthesis of Foilio's three set-completion studies, no new data pull: Magic (31 sets, Scryfall USD), Pokémon (32 sets, Cardmarket EUR via Cardmarket's price guide files) and Lorcana (13 sets, TCGplayer USD via Lorcast), each summing one reference price per distinct card.
- Sources and currencies differ by game, so every cross-game claim here is a ratio or a share (master-vs-base multiple, top-10 cost share, era collapse), never an absolute price compared across games.
- Magic's “base = master” row reflects how our Magic study measured, not the game: it summed each set as one card list and did not separate the cards Wizards numbers above the main set. Valued 2026-08-12; the underlying studies carry their own dates and caveats.
What this data can't tell you
- A Magic divide. Our Magic study did not split main set from variants, so Magic is not comparable here.
- Why. We did not measure print runs, pull rates or publisher intent.
- Cross-game prices. Each game uses a different source and currency, so only ratios and shares compare.
- Precise base-set totals. A main set is mostly bulk cards, whose prices rest on few sales.
- What you would really pay. These sum one reference price per card; buying a whole set means shipping, condition and availability.
Complete sets in one of these games and see something we missed? Tell us.
FAQ
What is the completion divide?
Our name for the gap between what it costs to complete a set's main numbered run (the base set) and its master set (the base set plus the special cards numbered above it). In Pokémon, a Sword & Shield base set medians ~€398 and a Scarlet & Violet one ~€23, about 17x cheaper, while master sets held steady. In Lorcana the master set is 22x to 110x the base (median 38x). For Magic our study priced each set as one total (median ~$260 for a modern set) and did not split out the showcase, borderless and extended-art cards that Wizards numbers above the main set, so we have no Magic divide figure.
Why is this happening?
We measured the costs, not the reasons. What the data shows: a median 61.8% of a Pokémon master set's cost and 76.7% of a Lorcana one sits in just the top 10 cards, and the main sets are cheap to complete (an SV-era Pokémon base set medians ~€23; a Lorcana base set ~$50). A main set summed from mostly bulk cards rests on thin, few-sale prices, so treat those base-set totals as rough.
Is the divide good or bad for collectors?
It depends what you collect. In our data, completing the main set of a recent Pokémon or Lorcana set is cheap. Completing the master set is not, and most of its cost is a few cards: a median 76.7% of a Lorcana master set's cost is 10 cards. They are different purchases at different price points, and knowing which one you are after helps decide what to pay.
How was this measured?
This capstone synthesizes Foilio's three set-completion studies with no new data pull: 31 modern Magic sets (Scryfall USD), 32 modern Pokémon sets (Cardmarket EUR price guide), and all 13 Lorcana sets (TCGplayer USD via Lorcast), each summing one reference price per distinct card. Because sources and currencies differ, cross-game comparisons here use ratios and shares only (master-vs-base multiples, top-10 cost share), never absolute prices across games. Valued 2026-08-12.
Which hobby are you in? Sum your collection and see whether your money sits in the playable run or the premium slice.
Foilio values any card across Pokémon, Magic, Yu-Gi-Oh, One Piece, Lorcana and more, live prices in EUR & USD, your whole collection tracked. Free, no signup.
Related research
Cost to complete a Pokémon set
The era comparison in full: the main set got far cheaper while the master set held its price.
38×Cost to complete a Lorcana set
Every Lorcana set we measured: a cheap main set under a four-figure master set.
49 to 79%How concentrated is set value?
In the Magic, Pokémon and Yu-Gi-Oh sets we measured, the top 10 cards hold most of the value.
Cite or embed this study
Free to use with attribution (CC BY 4.0). Paste the embed on your site for the chart card + a link back, or grab the plain citation.
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Source: <a href="https://foilio.net/studies/tcg-completion-divide?utm_source=share&utm_medium=study_embed&utm_campaign=viral">The Completion Divide: base set vs master set in Magic, Pokémon and Lorcana, Foilio</a> · data CC BY 4.0
</p>Foilio (2026-08-12). The Completion Divide: base set vs master set in Magic, Pokémon and Lorcana. Retrieved from https://foilio.net/studies/tcg-completion-divideThe big picture, across every game we measure: The Chase Multiple · The Price Census · The Promo Premium · The Foil Premium