Just thought I'd share two of Gathering Magic's articles as well as one of Wizards...
GM's article focuses on the commons of each guild since you'll probably need to use them and will have so many.
http://www.gatheringmagic.com/maxsjoblom-092712-return-to-limited/
and this one focuses on a little prep (the land rule is nice):
http://www.gatheringmagic.com/brucerichard-091412-rtr-primer-maximizing-your-return-to-ravnica-prerelease-experience/

WotC's shares the achievement cards for each guild, whicch I believe hints at what'll be in the guild packs for each guild.
http://www.wizards.com/Magic/Magazine/Article.aspx?x=mtg/daily/arcana/1070

Both worth a look. :)

I'm definitely looking forward to the Prerelease tomorrow. I think Wizards did a great job balancing all of the different guilds (for limited at least), so I'm having a difficult time choosing which guild I actually want to choose..... I guess I'll have to decide by tomorrow, or maybe tonight at FNM.

Good luck to everybody that is able to make it!

My LGS anticipates that some guilds will be requested more than others. They will not hand out any guild boxes until registration is closed. They then will randomize the attendee list, and people will be called up (in the random order) to select their preferred guild.

NullParameter wrote:"I think Wizards did a great job balancing all of the different guilds (for limited at least), so I'm having a difficult time choosing which guild I actually want to choose.....

I dunno, that Izzet promo dragon is pretty game ending... Turn 5 flyer with haste + his ability... Talk about saving your counterspells...:|

Looks like you can probably expect a Guildmage, a Keyrune, and maybe a Legendary in your guild pack among other things (based on the Achievement Cards).

corvair64 wrote:Looks like you can probably expect a Guildmage, a Keyrune, and maybe a Legendary in your guild pack among other things (based on the Achievement Cards).

They've already stated what is in every pack. The only things that are guaranteed are the guild promo card and the guild gate.
Besides that you get any 10 commons from your guild colors, any 3 uncommons from your guild colors and 1 rare from your guild colors.
Note that I didn't say mythic rare there. You can only get a rare in that slot, with one exception, you also have a chance to get your guild leader.

You can see all of the possibilities here.

Sweet link!
I knew about the promo, but didn't see the guild-gate part.
I'm counting on the Guildmage and Keyrune due to the explicit tasks of the player needing to play them. I'm glad someone put together the lists on that site, as I was planning on having to do it tonight myself. Seeing everything up there like that, I can't help but see Selesnya looks to be pretty weak... Sure, they have populate, but what good is that when there's nothing good to populate. It seems like the only true win (even with white) is to play the Grove of the Guardian... sure everything has populate, but what, exactly are you populating, and what happens when you get someone's overloaded Cyclonic Rift coming your direction?

So I was right, guildmage, keyrune... Other staples were the promo (duh), and guild gate. The prerelease was fun. I tied for 1st (we ran short on time). I chose Azorius and pulled detention sphere as the guild pack rare and a Angel of Serenity in one of my packs . It was the game winner in 6 or 7 games.

Had a ton of fun at the Pre-Release.
didn't win, but I did take home the door prize, and collected some great cards for my EDH deck.
Winning or Loosing, I had a great time.

Of course, The event ended around 11pm. Me, the shop owner, and a few friends stayed around the LGS till 4am the next day playing After-Hour EDH. Great fun, Good memories :)

I forgot to mention, we had 26 players.
Top 4 was Azorius (Me), Selesnya (2nd), Golgari and Rakdos... I was surprised that Izzet didn't make it, but glad the top 4 was balanced... The Selesnya deck that made it to top 4 was awesome. Very aggressive and fast (amazingly so).
That Guildmade is incredible in limited.

I wish there had been only 26 players where I went. Record turnout for the LGS is great, but man, 60 people, many of which needing a regimen of ritalin is pretty trying. Even the Sunday pre-release had 40 something.

I played Golgari and Izzet with my girlfriend playing Golgari and Selesnya. Neither of us were in the running for top 8, but we pulled like crazy including:

1x Jace, Architect of Thought
1x Vraska the Unseen
1x Lotleth Troll
3x Abrupt Decay
1x Steam Vents
1x Overgrown Tomb
1x Temple Garden

Among others... in all, we had fun, learned what some of the new meta will look like, and by the look of the prices on those cards made double our entry fee. So that's a win all around.

TyWooOneTime wrote:we pulled like crazy...

I'm not alone in thinking that the boxes used for Pre-release have MANY more mythics and decent rares than post-release boxes.
I don't have proof, but I'm pretty sure everyone at my event pulled at least 1 mythic rare.
Myself, I pulled:
1x foil Temple Garden (which I traded after the event for a Geist of Saint Traft and a Korean Drowned Catacomb).
1x Detention Sphere
2x Angel of Serenity (1 in guild box and 1 in winning packs)
1x Necropolis Regent (winning packs)
1x Blood Crypt (winning packs)
and more (can't recall at the moment)

I also made up the cost of my draft with cards I pulled.

From my guild box:
1x Vraska the Unseen
1x Steam Vents
1x Trostani, Selesnya's Voice

Bought an Intro pack too, just because, where I pulled an Abrupt Decay to pay for it and then some.

I guess I don't think there were any higher numbers of mythics than usual. I saw lots of people pull awesome cards, and some people pull complete junk.

nothing spectacular, but I am happy with the cards I pulled.
few of the notable cards I drew from my Guild box were;

1 Niv-Mizzet, Dracogenius 1 Worldspine Wurm 1 Mizzium Mortars 1 Detention Sphere

I also had a good day for pulls, more than making up the cost of my events:

Jace, Architect of Thought
Hallowed Fountain
Hallowed Fountain (FOIL)
Worldspine Wurm
Blood Crypt
Pithing Needle (FOIL)
Nivmagus Elemental

I might just be interested in said Nivmagus Elemental to pair with the one I pulled (he's lonely). I'll look and see if I have anything you want.

TyWooOneTime wrote:I might just be interested in said Nivmagus Elemental to pair with the one I pulled (he's lonely). I'll look and see if I have anything you want.

I think we might be able to do something. Besides it, I have some other things from your wishlist. Put them all in a proposition, and I'm sure we can work something out.

So what happens to all the leftover pre-release boxes? Anyone know?

corvair64 wrote:So what happens to all the leftover pre-release boxes? Anyone know?

The stores are allowed to sell them as they please.

I think they're valued somewhere between $25 and $30 and the stores will likely make them available this week once the official release takes place.

All of the stores around here (Omaha) sold out in the tournaments, I am surprised other places still have any left.

Saw one on eBay with a current bid of $15.
I'm hoping my LGS will let them go for $18-$20. They sell packs for $3.
Come Friday, we'll see.

I've heard that MSRP is $25, but I'm not sure if that was official or not.

Given that some of the Golgari packs somehow managed to end up with two rares per pack... yeah... more guild packs would be good.

NullParameter wrote:I've heard that MSRP is $25, but I'm not sure if that was official or not.

That's what my LGS indicated is the MSRP, too. Rather than buying more of those, I'm going to drop a c-note for a booster box.

HikingStick wrote:That's what my LGS indicated is the MSRP, too. Rather than buying more of those, I'm going to drop a c-note for a booster box.

Yep, same here. I have 3 boxes on preorder to split with a friend. Not sure I can wait 24 hours......

NullParameter wrote: Not sure I can wait 24 hours......

I have to wait until next payday (and it isn't this Friday). :(

HikingStick wrote:

NullParameter wrote: Not sure I can wait 24 hours......

I have to wait until next payday (and it isn't this Friday). :(

Ugh, now that really sucks. At least you got to do the pre-release to hold you over!

NullParameter wrote:

HikingStick wrote:

NullParameter wrote: Not sure I can wait 24 hours......

I have to wait until next payday (and it isn't this Friday). :(

Ugh, now that really sucks. At least you got to do the pre-release to hold you over!

I did the pre-release three times :D and that's why I need to wait until payday. ;)

But you can apparently trade the die from them for like $6-8 each... FOR DICE!