September 1999 - 350 Cards

It is notable for being the first set not protected by Wizards of the Coast's Reprint Policy. Also, as consequence of its exclusion from the "Reprint Policy", it is speculated to be the oldest set to be legal in the rumored "Overextended" format. Mercadian Masques was the first large expansion to use the new 6th Edition rules. This was also the first set to have an accompanying fat pack.

      Mercadian Masques is not considered to be as high caliber as compared to the powerful sets of the Urza block. Reportedly, the designers were extremely gun-shy following the runaway power of the previous block and dialed back the power a tad too much; the same phenomenon would take place between the latter-day Mirrodin block and Kamigawa blocks.

Unusually, Masques introduced no new keyword abilities to the game, although it did have several themes that were continued throughout the block.

These included:

• Rebels and Mercenaries: creatures able to search through their controller's library and "recruit" creatures of a specific type into play.
• Spellshapers: creatures that had repeatable activated abilities that mimicked various classic spells, potentially turning otherwise useless cards into powerful effects. All of Masques's spellshapers required paying mana, tapping the creature and discarding a card to use their ability.
• Masques also reintroduced instants and sorceries with alternative casting costs, such as "Invigorate". This mechanic had not been used since Visions.
• Creatures with abilities usable by any player, such as Squallmonger and Flailing Manticore.

• Depletion lands: These common lands came into play tapped with two depletion counters. Whenever each land is tapped for mana, a depletion counter is removed and the controller adds two mana of the appropriate color to his/her mana pool; when there are no depletion counters left, the land is sacrificed
  Remote Farm, Saprazzan Skerry, Peat Bog, Sandstone Needle, and Hickory Woodlot.
• Flailing creatures : Each of these red creatures can be made either more or less powerful, by any player willing to pay the mana
  "Flailing Soldier", "Flailing Ogre", "Flailing Manticore".
• Instantments: Each of these common Aura enchantments has flash.
  • Cho-Manno's Blessing,Buoyancy,Maggot Therapy,Flaming Sword,Tiger Claws
• Mongers: Each of these uncommon 3/3 creatures has a cost of three colorless and one colored mana, depicted as strange-looking supernatural beings, have activated abilities costing 2 colorless mana that any player (not just the controller) can play.
  • Wishmonger,Sailmonger,Scandalmonger,Warmonger,Squallmonger
• Rishadan pirates vertical cycle: When each of these blue pirates creatures comes into play, each of the controller's opponents is required to pay a certain amount of mana or sacrifice a permanent.
  • Rishadan Cutpurse,Rishadan Footpad,Rishadan Brigand
• Storage lands: Each of these uncommon lands come into play tapped and can be tapped either to add one storage counter to it, or to remove any number of storage counters to add that amount of colored mana to its controller's mana pool. These lands are similar to another cycle of "storage lands" in the Fallen Empires expansion.
  • Fountain of Cho,Saprazzan Cove,Subterranean Hangar,Mercadian Bazaar,Rushwood Grove.
• Unwilling creatures: Each of these uncommon creatures is undercosted for its color and power/toughness, but grants a boon to your opponent when it comes into play.
  • Charmed Griffin,Indentured Djinn,Enslaved Horror,Hired Giant,Hunted Wumpus
• Walls: Each of these common wall creatures has defender and a tap ability. "Vine Trellis" saw the most amount of constructed play.
  • Alabaster Wall,Stinging Barrier,Wall of Distortion,Battle Rampart,Vine Trellis