Shards of Alara logo
Alara · 2008-10-03

Shards of Alara

Shards of Alara (ala) is a mainline Magic: The Gathering set (Alara) from 2008-10-03 with 250 catalogued printings. Ad Nauseam near $98.31 anchors current chase interest. Median reference $0.65 across priced printings. Cactaur aggregates rarity splits, chase links, and a completion value snapshot so collectors and future sellers share one factual set index keyed to magic:en:ala.

250 printings 249 official expansion
Lowest
Median
Set index
Marketplace buy zone reserved Watchlist zone reserved Collection completion zone reserved

What is Shards of Alara?

Set builders reference Shards of Alara when completing Alara binders, dated 2008-10-03 in our catalog. Notable market references include Ad Nauseam, Elspeth, Knight-Errant, Tezzeret the Seeker. Priced printings center around a $0.65 median snapshot. Catalog key magic:en:ala powers this hub: rarity counts, chase links, and a full card table so you can plan singles purchases or future marketplace bids with the same data Cactaur uses on card pages.

What is Shards of Alara?

Shards of Alara is catalogued as a mainline Magic: The Gathering set under slug ala. Cactaur lists 250 printings compared with an official count of 249, pulling rarity, artwork, and market references from our ingest pipeline. Set pages complement card detail pages by showing how chase cards rank within the entire pool and how rarities stack for completionists.

When was Shards of Alara released?

Released 2008-10-03, Shards of Alara belongs to the Alara era. Collectors use release timing to judge supply: early Alara sets often dry up once rotation or reprint news hits. Official count 249; indexed 250. Shards of Alara is indexed under slug ala in the Cactaur Magic: The Gathering catalog.

What are the chase cards in Shards of Alara?

High references in Shards of Alara currently include Ad Nauseam at $98.31; Elspeth, Knight-Errant at $86.49; Tezzeret the Seeker at $81.99; Mayael the Anima at $58.73; Ajani Vengeant at $33.50; Lich's Mirror at $29.26. Chase slots combine scarcity, art, and competitive demand—prices move with tournament results and reprint rumors. Follow individual card pages for condition-specific ranges.

How much is Shards of Alara worth?

Adding priced singles yields a $1076.94 rough index across 250 printings (low $0.05, median $0.65, high $98.31). That sum is not a sealed-box price—it is a catalog thought experiment for set completion at near-mint references. Shards of Alara is indexed under slug ala in the Cactaur Magic: The Gathering catalog.

How do you complete Shards of Alara?

Complete Shards of Alara by acquiring bulk commons/uncommons first, then rare holos, then top chase cards. Rarity mix: 53× Rare, 16× Mythic, 121× Common, 60× Uncommon. Reserved anchors on this page (#set-buy, #set-watch) will later tie into marketplace carts and collection tracking.

Chase cards

Rarity breakdown

Common 121
Uncommon 60
Rare 53
Mythic 16

All cards in Shards of Alara

Card # Rarity Market USD
Ad Nauseam 63 Rare $98.31
Elspeth, Knight-Errant 9 Mythic $86.49
Tezzeret the Seeker 60 Mythic $81.99
Mayael the Anima 179 Mythic $58.73
Ajani Vengeant 154 Mythic $33.50
Lich's Mirror 210 Mythic $29.26
Godsire 170 Mythic $27.74
Memory Erosion 50 Rare $25.27
Rafiq of the Many 185 Mythic $24.83
Sharuum the Hegemon 194 Mythic $23.66
Cunning Lethemancer 69 Rare $22.98
Kresh the Bloodbraided 178 Mythic $22.76
Empyrial Archangel 166 Mythic $18.57
Ethersworn Canonist 10 Rare $15.99
Prince of Thralls 182 Mythic $15.64
Mycoloth 140 Rare $15.55
Death Baron 70 Rare $15.10
Cruel Ultimatum 164 Rare $14.82
Stoic Angel 199 Rare $14.52
Knight of the White Orchid 16 Rare $14.25
Titanic Ultimatum 204 Rare $14.17
Sharding Sphinx 55 Rare $13.73
Knight-Captain of Eos 17 Rare $13.38
Sedris, the Traitor King 193 Mythic $12.67
Scourglass 25 Rare $12.61
Relic of Progenitus 218 Common $12.14
Sarkhan Vol 191 Mythic $11.31
Hellkite Overlord 172 Mythic $9.99
Etherium Sculptor 42 Common $9.65
Plains 233 Common $9.20
Invincible Hymn 14 Rare $8.73
Ranger of Eos 21 Rare $8.19
Quietus Spike 217 Rare $8.14
Island 236 Common $7.62
Crumbling Necropolis 222 Uncommon $7.61
Where Ancients Tread 122 Rare $6.82
Filigree Sages 44 Uncommon $6.33
Sphinx Sovereign 196 Mythic $5.81
Vicious Shadows 119 Rare $5.70
Cradle of Vitality 7 Rare $5.67
Swamp 238 Common $5.55
Fatestitcher 43 Uncommon $5.52
Brilliant Ultimatum 159 Rare $5.40
Arcane Sanctum 220 Uncommon $4.89
Salvage Titan 84 Rare $4.63
Naya Charm 180 Uncommon $4.47
Minion Reflector 211 Rare $4.35
Jungle Shrine 226 Uncommon $4.30
Deathgreeter 71 Common $4.18
Gather Specimens 45 Rare $4.15
Crucible of Fire 96 Rare $4.00
Seaside Citadel 229 Uncommon $3.94
Broodmate Dragon 160 Rare $3.84
Forest 248 Common $3.80
Mindlock Orb 51 Rare $3.77
Violent Ultimatum 206 Rare $3.72
Wild Nacatl 152 Common $3.64
Fleshbag Marauder 76 Uncommon $3.61
Keeper of Progenitus 135 Rare $3.24
Druid of the Anima 128 Common $3.14
Qasali Ambusher 184 Uncommon $3.14
Esper Charm 167 Uncommon $3.06
Forest 246 Common $2.99
Naya Battlemage 142 Uncommon $2.89
Mountain 242 Common $2.67
Realm Razer 187 Rare $2.66
Kederekt Leviathan 48 Rare $2.62
Bant Charm 155 Uncommon $2.54
Skill Borrower 56 Rare $2.43
Sigil of Distinction 219 Rare $2.40
Predator Dragon 109 Rare $2.37
Immortal Coil 79 Rare $2.35
Soul's Fire 115 Common $2.26
Goblin Assault 101 Rare $2.20
Feral Hydra 131 Rare $2.19
Savage Lands 228 Uncommon $2.07
Corpse Connoisseur 68 Uncommon $1.99
Mountain 243 Common $1.99
Master of Etherium 49 Rare $1.95
Cylian Elf 127 Common $1.82
Battlegrace Angel 6 Rare $1.80
Tidehollow Sculler 202 Uncommon $1.80
Hell's Thunder 103 Rare $1.68
Bant Panorama 221 Common $1.60
Hindering Light 173 Common $1.54
Necrogenesis 181 Uncommon $1.51
Angelsong 4 Common $1.46
Akrasan Squire 1 Common $1.44
Naya Panorama 227 Common $1.44
Swerve 200 Uncommon $1.44
Ooze Garden 143 Rare $1.43
Punish Ignorance 183 Rare $1.43
Esper Panorama 223 Common $1.42
Drumhunter 129 Uncommon $1.32
Blightning 156 Common $1.27
Jund Charm 175 Uncommon $1.24
Spearbreaker Behemoth 150 Rare $1.19
Grixis Panorama 224 Common $1.18
Jund Panorama 225 Common $1.17
Magma Spray 108 Common $1.15
Sedraxis Specter 192 Rare $1.15
Grixis Charm 171 Uncommon $1.14
Elvish Visionary 130 Common $1.11
Blood Cultist 157 Uncommon $1.06
Rafiq of the Many 250 Mythic $1.05
Swamp 240 Common $1.01
Sacellum Godspeaker 146 Rare $0.98
Manaplasm 138 Rare $0.97
Vein Drinker 91 Rare $0.96
Obelisk of Esper 213 Common $0.92
Swamp 241 Common $0.92
Sigiled Paladin 27 Uncommon $0.88
Mountain 245 Common $0.85
Infest 80 Uncommon $0.83
Forest 247 Common $0.82
Swamp 239 Common $0.82
Mountain 244 Common $0.78
Agony Warp 153 Common $0.76
Clarion Ultimatum 163 Rare $0.74
Forest 249 Common $0.73
Island 234 Common $0.72
Obelisk of Grixis 214 Common $0.70
Angelic Benediction 3 Uncommon $0.69
Archdemon of Unx 64 Rare $0.68
Caldera Hellion 95 Rare $0.65
Etherium Astrolabe 41 Uncommon $0.64
Dragon Fodder 97 Common $0.63
Plains 232 Common $0.63
Hissing Iguanar 104 Common $0.61
Lush Growth 136 Common $0.61
Sprouting Thrinax 197 Uncommon $0.61
Kederekt Creeper 176 Common $0.60
Oblivion Ring 20 Common $0.60
Glaze Fiend 77 Common $0.59
Executioner's Capsule 75 Common $0.57
Sighted-Caste Sorcerer 26 Common $0.56
Jungle Weaver 134 Common $0.55
Plains 230 Common $0.55
Tidehollow Strix 203 Common $0.55
Plains 231 Common $0.54
Rhox Charger 145 Uncommon $0.54
Steward of Valeron 198 Common $0.54
Courier's Capsule 37 Common $0.52
Woolly Thoctar 209 Uncommon $0.52
Jhessian Infiltrator 174 Uncommon $0.51
Soul's Might 149 Common $0.51
Cathartic Adept 34 Common $0.50
Island 235 Common $0.50
Skullmulcher 148 Rare $0.50
Tar Fiend 89 Rare $0.50
Carrion Thrash 162 Common $0.49
Rhox War Monk 188 Uncommon $0.49
Scourge Devil 113 Uncommon $0.49
Bant Battlemage 5 Uncommon $0.47
Skeletal Kathari 88 Common $0.47
Dawnray Archer 39 Uncommon $0.46
Grixis Battlemage 78 Uncommon $0.46
Obelisk of Naya 216 Common $0.46
Vithian Stinger 120 Common $0.46
Bone Splinters 67 Common $0.45
Mighty Emergence 137 Uncommon $0.45
Island 237 Common $0.44
Metallurgeon 19 Uncommon $0.44
Flameblast Dragon 100 Rare $0.43
Rip-Clan Crasher 189 Common $0.43
Shadowfeed 86 Common $0.42
Soul's Grace 28 Common $0.42
Bull Cerodon 161 Uncommon $0.41
Call to Heel 32 Common $0.41
Dragon's Herald 98 Uncommon $0.41
Kiss of the Amesha 177 Uncommon $0.41
Windwright Mage 208 Common $0.41
Deft Duelist 165 Common $0.40
Obelisk of Jund 215 Common $0.40
Skeletonize 114 Uncommon $0.40
Gift of the Gargantuan 132 Common $0.39
Obelisk of Bant 212 Common $0.39
Scavenger Drake 85 Uncommon $0.39
Court Archers 126 Common $0.38
Resounding Wave 54 Common $0.38
Bloodthorn Taunter 94 Common $0.37
Rockslide Elemental 112 Uncommon $0.37
Spell Snip 57 Common $0.37
Viashino Skeleton 118 Common $0.37
Onyx Goblet 81 Common $0.36
Viscera Dragger 92 Common $0.36
Puppet Conjurer 82 Uncommon $0.35
Marble Chalice 18 Common $0.34
Undead Leotau 90 Common $0.34
Dregscape Zombie 74 Common $0.33
Outrider of Jhess 52 Common $0.33
Rakeclaw Gargantuan 186 Common $0.33
Thoughtcutter Agent 201 Uncommon $0.33
Covenant of Minds 38 Rare $0.32
Fire-Field Ogre 168 Uncommon $0.32
Goblin Deathraiders 169 Common $0.31
Ridge Rannet 111 Common $0.31
Incurable Ogre 105 Common $0.30
Knight of the Skyward Eye 15 Common $0.30
Naturalize 141 Common $0.30
Tower Gargoyle 205 Uncommon $0.30
Algae Gharial 123 Uncommon $0.29
Godtoucher 133 Common $0.29
Jhessian Lookout 46 Common $0.29
Kathari Screecher 47 Common $0.29
Jund Battlemage 106 Uncommon $0.28
Sphinx's Herald 58 Uncommon $0.28
Behemoth's Herald 124 Uncommon $0.27
Angel's Herald 2 Uncommon $0.26
Banewasp Affliction 65 Common $0.26
Branching Bolt 158 Common $0.26
Dispeller's Capsule 8 Common $0.26
Guardians of Akrasa 12 Common $0.26
Demon's Herald 72 Uncommon $0.25
Gustrider Exuberant 13 Common $0.25
Resounding Scream 83 Common $0.25
Rockcaster Platoon 23 Uncommon $0.25
Shore Snapper 87 Common $0.25
Topan Ascetic 151 Uncommon $0.25
Waveskimmer Aven 207 Common $0.25
Exuberant Firestoker 99 Uncommon $0.24
Thorn-Thrash Viashino 116 Common $0.24
Thunder-Thrash Elder 117 Uncommon $0.24
Resounding Thunder 110 Common $0.23
Sigil Blessing 195 Common $0.23
Blister Beetle 66 Common $0.22
Steelclad Serpent 59 Common $0.22
Resounding Silence 22 Common $0.21
Sanctum Gargoyle 24 Common $0.21
Yoked Plowbeast 31 Common $0.21
Cavern Thoctar 125 Common $0.20
Cloudheath Drake 35 Common $0.20
Esper Battlemage 40 Uncommon $0.20
Excommunicate 11 Common $0.20
Mosstodon 139 Common $0.20
Sunseed Nurturer 29 Uncommon $0.19
Bloodpyre Elemental 93 Common $0.18
Savage Hunger 147 Common $0.18
Cancel 33 Common $0.17
Lightning Talons 107 Common $0.17
Tortoise Formation 61 Common $0.17
Protomatter Powder 53 Uncommon $0.16
Resounding Roar 144 Common $0.16
Sangrite Surge 190 Uncommon $0.14
Goblin Mountaineer 102 Common $0.13
Dreg Reaver 73 Common $0.12
Vectis Silencers 62 Common $0.12
Volcanic Submersion 121 Common $0.11
Welkin Guide 30 Common $0.11
Coma Veil 36 Common $0.05

Related sets

FAQ

How many cards are in Shards of Alara?

Cactaur indexes 250 printings in Shards of Alara; official count is 249. Variant or promo printings can push the indexed total above the number on the booster box.

When did Shards of Alara release?

Shards of Alara shows a catalog release date of 2008-10-03 for this English Magic: The Gathering entry. Shards of Alara is indexed under slug ala in the Cactaur Magic: The Gathering catalog.

What is the most expensive card in Shards of Alara?

Ad Nauseam leads references around $98.31 in our latest snapshot. Prices change with condition and market volume. Shards of Alara is indexed under slug ala in the Cactaur Magic: The Gathering catalog.

Is Shards of Alara good for beginners?

Shards of Alara works for collectors who already know Alara. Beginners may prefer a starter deck before chasing rare pulls from this set. Shards of Alara is indexed under slug ala in the Cactaur Magic: The Gathering catalog.

Where can I track Shards of Alara prices?

Use this Cactaur set page for a snapshot, then open individual card pages for ongoing market references. Future marketplace features will anchor off the same data attributes on each row.

Trust & data sources. Cactaur displays catalog and market data from pokemontcg.io embedded TCGPlayer/Cardmarket references. Prices change frequently and are not guarantees.

Cactaur does not authenticate cards or guarantee values. Scan your copy in the iPhone app for condition-aware guidance.

Catalog snapshot: 2026-06-25. Last updated: 2026-06-25.