This expansion is the best easily. It is even better than Lengends or Alliances. First of all this set has it all. Graveyard manipulation cards were the prime cards in the set, but those didn't mean much because most of them just moved around the graveyard or something like that. There were some notable exceptions like Buried Alive though. This set's main strength lies in the non-basic lands, artifacts and enchantments. With four non-basic lands (a lot for an expansion) it is good news to hear that none of them suck! And the Lotus Vale almost makes the set on it's own. The artifacts have heavy hitters like Bosium Strip, and the enchantments are the real highlight of the set though. Goblin Bomb is hands down THE funnest card in magic (not counting Tempest cards like booby-trap though) and Heat Stroke is great when playing a weenie deck.
Keep in-mind that this does not count Tempest so it is between Ice Age and Mirage. Ice Age was the clear winner. Ice Age has it all. The artifacts range from "good" to "should be restricted" as in Jester's Cap and Mask. There is also the much loved Icy Manipulator which kicks some butt! Polar Kraken is the creature high-light, for me at least. Because even with it's painful upkeep the fact remains that you cannot underestimate an 11/11 trample. There were also some cool cards and cards that you don't want, but all around this is one of the best.
Yes, Yes, while I would rather have a Beta or Unlimited box there are three reasons that this is the best basic: 1) 5th Edition sucks! Not being able to get cool cards from the set after. 2) You can still buy it for $3! Beta and Unlimited and Revised have better cards, but Revised costs $10. As for Beta and Unlimited, I challenge you to find me an un-opened booster of either set. If you can mail it to me. 3) A lot of people started with 4th. Magic became what it is today at around the time 4th Edition was released. Most people have 4th Edition cards, while only a select few have a sizeable quantity of Beta.
This set is not that bad, but it is not as good as it's preddesessor, Alliances, or the previous stand-alone Ice Age. It is good and has some good cards to it. It doesn't have much wrong with it, but it's only competion, Tempest and Ice Age isn't as good.
The problem is really hard to describe with 5th. It's not what's in 5th that makes it suck, but what is not in it. The notable absence of Serra Angel, Ivory Tower, Black Vise, Lightning Bolt, and most natably, Swords to Plowshares and Hippnotic Specter, really leave something missing. The art is also really second-rate. The 5th Edition Force of Nature, for example, is one of the most ugly cards in magic, while the 4th Edition one looks absolutely cool. All of the cards in 5th can be found in some other set that can still be bought, and all the cards missing are the cards that make a set cool.
In conclusion, all of the sets are fairly good, but some stand out as the best or the worst of the bunch.
This set really sucks! First of-all 8-card-boosters are a flawed idea and Homelands has only 1 good card! That card is the Baron Sengir which is not even that good. All of the cards are so-so and most of the cards will only be played in a theme-deck. I'm not going to go in to a detailed explaination of why this set stinks.
Worst Stand-Alone: Mirage
Worst Basic-Set: Fifth Edition
