Magic: The Gathering keeps churning out set after set, and 2025 is no different. From mainline sets like Aetherdrift and Tarkir: Dragonstorm, to remasters like Innistrad, and Universes Beyond Final Fantasy, it’s a stacked year—and that’s just the first half of it.
With so much to look forward to, the company has still planned a whole host of Secret Lair card drops throughout the year, and it’s getting pretty tricky to stay on top of everything coming as a result.
Secret Lair 2025’s Popular Drops – At a Glance
New: Secret Lair x Final Fantasy (Out Now)
Magic: The Gathering x Final Fantasy has finally launched, and while there are boosters, Commander decks, and even a new Starter Kit to pick up (if you can find it in stock), collectors will perhaps be most interested in the new Secret Lair x Final Fantasy drops.
It’s been a busy year for Wizards of the Coast’s limited-time mini-sets, and while the company sold out of all three Final Fantasy drops in record time (leaving many disappointed), you can still get them via third-party sellers… if you’re willing to pay the inflated costs, that is.
Before we start, it’s worth pointing out that you won’t find Secret Lair drops at the same price as you’d find them directly from Wizards of the Coast (standard $30 nonfoil, $40 rainbow foil), with most being listed anywhere between $80-$150 or above.
This is a huge markup, so if you’re looking to buy, be sure you’re 100% informed of what you’re paying for. You can buy them from eBay, but we’ve always found TCGPlayer, while still eBay-owned, to be the most secure and trustworthy way to nab Secret Lair drops post-release.
There are a trio of Final Fantasy Secret Lair sets, Weapons, Grimoire, and Game Over, each offering unique art and names for Magic: The Gathering cards. Everything is available in standard and foil, alongside the Japanese variants as well.
Here’s how you can grab each, what’s included, and all the key info you need to help you decide whether you still want these to add to your collection via third party seller listings selling at a premium.
- Secret Lair x Final Fantasy: Game Over (Jun 9) – 5 cards
- Spira’s Punishment (Day of Judgement)
- Absorb into Time (Temporal Extortion)
- Merciless Poisoning (Toxic Deluge)
- Unseat the Usurper (Praetor’s Grasp)
- Meteorfall (Star of Extinction)
- Secret Lair x Final Fantasy: Grimoire (Jun 9) – 5 cards
- Yuna’s Holy Magic (Prismatic Ending)
- Hope’s Aero Magic (Cyclonic Rift)
- Noctis’ Death Magic (Damn)
- Vivi’s Thunder Magic (Lightning Bolt)
- Aerith’s Curage Magic (Heroic Intervention)
- Secret Lair x Final Fantasy: Weapons (Jun 9) – 5 cards
- Yuna’s Sending Staff (Staff of the Storyteller)
- Clive’s Invictus Blade (Blade of Selves)
- Cloud’s Buster Sword (Umezawa’s Jitte)
- Gaia’s Dark Hammer (Colossus Hammer)
- Tidus’s Brotherhood Sword (Sword of Truth and Justice)
Where You Can Still Buy Secret Lair Drops
With each Secret Lair drop being particularly limited in its availability, your best bet is naturally to look on the secondhand market.
While some can be found at Amazon and other generalist stores, these don’t have the same level of quality assurance as specialist retailers like TCGPlayer, Card Kingdom, Magic Madhouse, and others.
So what’s been popular in 2025 besides Final Fantasy? As things stand, the most notable heavy-hitters from this year so far include Deadpool, Spongebob, and our furry friends. Here’s where you can still buy the sets at market price.
There’s also a good chance you may need to buy cards individually, rather than in predetermined Secret Lair sets, so consider picking them up piecemeal if the opportunity presents itself.
If you’re lucky enough to have a local game store that’s offering a large collection of Magic: The Gathering singles, it’s worth taking a look—you might end up finding a Secret Lair card lurking in a binder or loose in a box somewhere (perish the thought!).
Secret Lair Release Schedule for 2025
We’ve got the full list below for every Secret Lair drop already released in 2025, alongside the best places to buy each set, or even the individual cards. Let’s dig in.
Animar and Friends – February 3
MTG Animar and Friends
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This five-card set includes art from Jack Teagle for Mulldrifter, All Will Be One, Benevolent Hydra, Forgotten Ancient and Animar, Soul of Elements.
Artist Series: Jesper Ejsing – February 10
Artist Series: Jesper Ejsing
MTG Artist Series: Jesper Ejsing
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This Secret Lair drop includes four cards with artwork from Danish illustrator Jesper Ejsing, including Sun Titan, Deflecting Swat, Llanowar Elves and Breeches, Eager Pillager.
Lorwyn Lightboxes – February 10
MTG Lorwyn Lightboxes
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Still available from Wizards at the time of writing, Lorwyn Lightboxes are stylised versions of Ancient Ampitheater, Auntie’s Hovel, Gilt-Leaf Palace, Secluded Glen and Wanderwine Hub.
City Styles 2: Dressed to Kill – February 10
City Styles 2: Dressed to Kill
MTG City Styles 2: Dressed to Kill
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Giving an urban theme to Karmic Guide, Ninja of the Deep Hours, Captain Sisay, Selvala, Explorer Returned and Veyran, Voice of Duality, this Secret Lair is long gone.
Arcade Racers – February 10
MTG Arcade Racers
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With gorgeous pixel art, arcade theming, these versions of Big Score, Final Fortune, Heat Shimmer, Roiling Vortex, and Wheel of Misfortune are eye-catching and still in stock.
Aether Drifters – February 10
MTG Aether Drifters
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Aping the design of Hot Wheels packaging, these Aether Drifters include reversible cards for six vehicles including Mechtitan Core and Smuggler’s Copter.
Featuring: Mitsuhiro Arita – February 10
Featuring: Mitsuhiro Arita
MTG Featuring: Mitsuhiro Arita
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This collection offers four Magic The Gathering cards from longtime Pokemon illustrator Mitsuhiro Arita. Murktide Regent, Lightning Bolt, Shorikai Genesis Machine and Light-Paws, Emperor’s Voice look incredible.
Cats vs Dogs – March 17
MTG Cats vs Dogs
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This double drop pits canines against felines. Both include Escape to the Wilds, Titanic Ultimatum, Rip Apart, Arcane Signet and Basilisk Collar, but with art to signify your chosen species.
Spongebob: Squarepants – March 24
MTG Spongebob: Squarepants
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With Spongebob and pals taking cardboard forms, collectors can grab 7 individual pieces, including Plankton, Mr. Krabs, Squidward, and, of course, Patrick Star and Spongebob SquarePants himself as part of the Legends of Bikini Bottom set.
There’s also a Lands bundle for the Nickelodeon favorite, and a meme-focused set of spells, too.
Twisted Toons – March 24
MTG Twisted Toons
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A little Spongebob-adjacent, these full-art, Toon-inspired cards give us Cuphead vibes.
Tragic Romance – March 24
MTG Tragic Romance
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Following a ‘Romantasy’ theme, these cards include Skithiryx, the Blight Dragon, Master of Cruelties, Angel of Despair and Kaalia of the Vast.
They Grow Up So Fast – March 24
MTG They Grow Up So Fast
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This Dragon-centric drop has five cards, each with two versions of Dragonlords like Atarka and Dromoka. Both versions are the same card, but with a young and mature version of each dragon.
Pick’em and Stick’em – March 24
MTG Pick’em and Stick’em
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This intriguing set is still in stock, and offers cards and accompanying stickers for players to customise them with. Clever Impersonator, Hedron Crab, Pitiless Plunderer, a Treasure Token and Thalia, Heretic Cathar are included.
Garden Buds – March 24
MTG Garden Buds
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Billed as the last remnants of an Ashaya, Soul of the Wild Commander deck that was lost to time, these seed-style cards include Harrow, Elvish Reclaimer, World Shaper and Horn of Greed with art from Jordan Crane.
Oishi! Tokens – March 26
MTG Oishi! Tokens
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Inspired by Japanese food packaging, this set includes four Food Tokens, and is sold out.
Secret Lair x Marvel’s Deadpool – April 1
Secret Lair x Marvel’s Deadpool
MTG Secret Lair x Marvel’s Deadpool
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The Merc with a Mouth’s Secret Lair has sold out, but it’s well worth a look if you can find it on the secondhand market. Fourth Wall-breaking versions of Deadly Rollick, Saw in Half, Blasphemous Act and Vandalblast are here, as well as Deadpool, Trading Card.
Adventures of the Little Witch – April 22
Adventures of the Little Witch
MTG Adventures of the Little Witch
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This adorable set has Secret Rendezvous, Serenity, Esika’s Chariot and Realms Uncharted, all with Heikala’s inimitable artwork and use of color.
VROOOOOMMMMMM – April 28
MTG VROOOOOMMMMMM
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Toru Terada lends his incredible art to Lava Dart, Monastery Swiftspear, Soul-Scar Mage, Underworld Breach, and Mishra’s Bauble. Still available, too.
Everything Is On Fire – April 28
MTG Everything Is On Fire
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This set is all about bringing the heat, with spicy new art for Chain Lightning, Dragon’s Rage Channeller, Lava Spike, Rift Bolt and Skewer the Critics.
Featuring: Jay Howell – April 28
MTG Featuring: Jay Howell
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Jay Howell’s Secret Lab set includes cartoonish versions of Marchesa, the Black Rose, Uncivil Unrest, Treasonous Ogre, Priest of Forgotten Gods and Agent of Treachery, all from the guy who designed the cast of Bob’s Burgers.
Secret Lair X KEXP: Where the Music Matters – April 28
Secret Lair X KEXP: Where the Music Matters
MTG Secret Lair X KEXP: Where the Music Matters
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This set of Land cards includes two of each basic land type for a total of 10 in the set, and is inspired by the independent radio station KEXP.
Secret Lair X KEXP: You Are Not Alone – April 28
Secret Lair X KEXP: You Are Not Alone
MTG Secret Lair X KEXP: You Are Not Alone
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Another KEXP collab, this one has a series of colorful card varients that lean into a “group-hug” deck theme. Cultural Exchange, Folio of Fancies, Concordant Crossroads, Rites of Flourishing and Font of Mythos are included.
Everyone’s Invited! – May 12
MTG Everyone’s Invited! – May 12
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This double rainbow foil Secret Lair drop is still available (for $200, we might add) and includes Shapeshifters, Dryads, Elementals, Faeries, Slivers, Cats and more. Ten foil cards, four foil tokens, one foil display card and 90 reprints.
Slay the Day – May 19
MTG Slay the Day
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The latest set at the time of writing includes Marwyn, the Nurturer as well as Liesa, Shroud of Dusk, Oloro, Ageless Ascetic, and Slythis, Harvest’s Hand.
Final Fantasy – June 9
Final Fantasy
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What is Secret Lair?
Secret Lair is a limited-time drop of cards that are usually offered as bundles for a day or two at the most before they sell out.
They’ve had some wild theming in the past, but with Magic: The Gathering channelling its inner Fortnite, the crossovers are becoming more and more frequent (in fact, Fortnite has had its own Secret Lair set because, of course, it has).
The cards have new artwork, but are based on existing cards in terms of gameplay functionality, so you can expect to use them in competitive play, so long as the original card is still in the standard rotation.
As of the debut of Final Fantasy’s Universes Beyond set, that list of Standard rotation sets runs until Brother’s War.
Lloyd Coombes is Gaming Editor @ Daily Star. He’s a big fan of Magic: The Gathering and other collectible card games, much to his wife’s dismay. He’s also a tech, gaming, and fitness freelancer seen at Polygon, Eurogamer, Macworld, TechRadar, Tom’s Guide, IGN, and more.
