Subscribe To Our MLB The Show Podcast Here
The early access of MLB The Show 22 begins this Friday, and the popular Diamond Dynasty mode will once again take center stage. If you are new to MLB The Show, or are just trying out Diamond Dynasty for the first time, we have you covered with how to get started.
If this is your first time playing Diamond Dynasty in MLB The Show, think of it as Sony San Diego’s version of “Ultimate Team”. You will create your own team with your own unique branding (or use uniforms from Major League Baseball) and build that squad into a powerhouse by earning new players to build the best lineup possible.
Let’s talk about how to do just that.
Types Of Players in Diamond Dynasty
Player cards in Diamond Dynasty come in different player types and different card classes. Player types consist of active MLB players, prospects, and legends. Current versions of active MLB players are what makes up the Live Series – 40 players per major league team. Collecting each player on a 40-man roster for a team will net you some pretty great rewards, but we will get to those in a bit.
Flashbacks include legends, prospects, and variations of current MLB players. What do those variations look like? For example, you might earn a Mookie Betts MVP card from 2018. That card will come with a higher overall rating (99) and different team affiliation (Red Sox) than Mookie Betts’ Live Series counterpart.
Early in the game cycle, legend players will be solid players that are a great additions to most teams. Late in the cycle, new legend cards tend to be super elite versions of players that are designed to give the player an end game type of team. The same can be said for prospect cards.
If that’s not enough for you, player cards are divided into four different classes. Common cards represent everything below a 65 overall rating. Bronze cards include the 65-74 overall ratings, while silver cards are 75-80 overall. Gold cards are 80-84 overall, and the coveted diamond cards are anything that is an 85 or higher.
Build your MLB The Show 22 Diamond Dynasty Team
There are a few different ways to build your team in MLB The Show Diamond Dynasty. Some require luck, some will take skill, and some take the grind. As in any mode like this, opening packs is an easy way to get more players. There are typically plenty of ways to earn packs in Diamond Dynasty without having to spend money, but you can always do that too if you choose to.
In MLB The Show 21, packs included the standard MLB The Show pack, Headliners packs which featured a new diamond flashback, and divisional silver/bronze packs. In addition, you could earn or purchase special packs like the Ballin’ Is A Habit packs, Kitchen Sink series, All-Star Game series, or Field of Dreams.
You can also earn packs by progressing through Innings programs or by winning games in Battle Royale or Events. In a typical year, the premium rewards can be found in Battle Royale.
Finally, you can earn new players through player programs. Start by completing the daily challenges, earn base level editions of the cards in the player programs, then upgrade them through the program with in-game performance.
Get With The Program
Programs in MLB The Show Diamond Dynasty are a great way to earn new packs, players, and stubs. Each program challenges you to earn points or XP to progress through it. At different milestones throughout each program, you earn new rewards. These can come in the form of skins, stubs, choice packs, or other items to customize your squad with.
Innings programs are XP-based and offer a plethora of rewards. You’ll earn rewards starting at 5,000 XP earned up to 650,000 XP earned in a typical program. One of the three bosses for each Inning program can be earned in a choice pack at 350,000 XP.
Team Affinity programs are also available in Diamond Dynasty. These programs offer one themed reward per team. The first themed Team Affinity program in MLB The Show 22 will be Faces of the Franchise, and it will be a timed event for the first time. Each Team Affinity season in Diamond Dynasty has progressively better rewards, including 99 overall cards in later versions.
Battle Royale and Ranked Seasons have ways to earn cards as well, both with winning and in programs. Some of the best rewards in Diamond Dynasty can be found in these two game modes – if you are good enough.
What To Play
Players new to Diamond Dynasty that don’t want to jump right into competitive online play have a number of options that will still give them a fun experience. Conquest is a mode similar to the game Risk, where you capture territories by playing and simulating games against the CPU and acquiring fans. There are a large amount of hidden rewards to be gained along the way too. The largest conquest map is the United States map, but there are other themed conquests throughout the game cycle.
There are also a host of Daily Moments to complete, as well as Topps Now challenges. Completing these will help you progress on the monthly Daily Moments program and also earn Topps Now packs, celebrating players who had exceptional performances in the past week.
MLB The Show Diamond Dynasty also features Showdown mode as a single player experience. There, you can draft a team and use them to complete a series of challenges. Each challenge you complete earns you better players or items for your Showdown team. In addition, each victory earns you runs to apply toward the starting score when you get to the Showdown boss at the end. Coming back from down 15-12 will be a lot easier than making up a 15-0 deficit.
Compete Online
If you are ready to take your talents (and your Diamond Dynasty team) online, there are many competitive modes you can play. Ranked Seasons features 9-inning games against other players of a similar skill level. As you win games, you’ll advance through the rankings, earning you a better reward at the end of the season.
Battle Royale allows you to draft a team and play 3-inning games against other players. The goal is to get to 12 wins before you lose twice. A 12-0 run gets you a very impressive player card for your team. Just getting to 12 wins gets you a 90+ player to add to your team. Battle Royale is highly competitive, but the rewards are great here if you’re successful.
Events feature themed competitions that you must qualify your team for before you can compete. Then, play 3-inning games against other players to earn great new items and players for your Diamond Dynasty team.
Check back later this week for our MLB The Show 22 preview, and our feature on how to flip cards to earn stubs in Diamond Dynasty.
- The Mantis Mission in Starfield — How to Become a Superhero in Space - September 13, 2023
- All Starfield Cities We Know So Far - August 31, 2023
- Starfield Review — A Spacefaring Masterpiece - August 31, 2023