>BAMooore |
>BAMooore |
| Line 19: |
Line 19: |
|
| |
|
| '''Alpha''' cards can easily be distinguished from [[Limited Edition Beta (set)|Beta]] and all other cards by their more rounded corners. Early tournament rules required that all cards must appear unmarked without the use of protective sleeves, and the unique corners of '''Alpha''' cards originally made them [[marked card|marked cards]] in a deck not entirely coposed of '''Alpha''' cards. This initially made them less desirable and thus less valuable than '''Beta''' and even [[Unlimited (set)|Unlimited]] cards. | | '''Alpha''' cards can easily be distinguished from [[Limited Edition Beta (set)|Beta]] and all other cards by their more rounded corners. Early tournament rules required that all cards must appear unmarked without the use of protective sleeves, and the unique corners of '''Alpha''' cards originally made them [[marked card|marked cards]] in a deck not entirely coposed of '''Alpha''' cards. This initially made them less desirable and thus less valuable than '''Beta''' and even [[Unlimited (set)|Unlimited]] cards. |
|
| |
| ====Mechanics and Themes====
| |
|
| |
| As the first edition of '''Magic''', '''Alpha''' introduced many [[mechanic|mechanics]] and [[theme|themes]]. [[Keyword|Keyworded]] [[ability|abilities]] introduced in this set include [[Banding]], [[First Strike]], [[Flying]], [[Landwalk]], [[Protection]], [[Regeneration]] and [[Trample]]. The [[Defender]], [[Fear]], [[Haste]] and [[Vigilance]] mechanics were also introduced without keywords but later received them. Most other game mechanics were also introduced in this set but are too numerous to be listed here.
| |
|
| |
| ====Notable Cards====
| |
|
| |
| *The [[Power Nine]] are some of the most valuable and powerful cards ever printed.
| |
|
| |
| *The original ten Dual Lands (<c>Underground Sea</c>, etc.) are some of the most powerful and valuable lands ever printed.
| |
|
| |
| *<c>Armageddon</c> forms the basis of the [[Erhnamgeddon]] [[control]] deck.
| |
|
| |
| *<c>Balance</c> was initially understood, as were many symmetrical effects, but quickly proved to be a very powerful card and is now on the [[Restricted List]].
| |
|
| |
| *<c>Berserk</c> was once considered powerful enough to be added to the Restricted List.
| |
|
| |
| *<c>Birds of Paradise</c> has proven itself to be one of the best mana fixers ever printed.
| |
|
| |
| *<c>Black Vise</c> was far too powerful, especially when played on the first turn, and is also found on the Restricted List.
| |
|
| |
| *<c>Braingeyser</c> was also once considered powerful enough to be added to the Restricted List.
| |
|
| |
| *<c>Channel</c> was a key component of the fabled Channel-<c>Fireball</c> first-turn win in combination with <c>Black Lotus</c> and a source of red mana.
| |
|
| |
| *<c>Chaos Orb</c> is the first of a class of "dexterity" cards that required some physical skill to achieve maximum effect, and like all dexterity cards and ante cards, is now on the [[Banned List]].
| |
|
| |
| *<c>Contract from Below</c> is an insanely powerful card that allows its caster to draw 7 cards at the price of adding to the [[ante]], but the effect is powerful enough to make the added risk very acceptable.
| |
|
| |
| *<c>Dark Ritual</c> enabled many black decks to accelerate powerful cards into play quickly, especially <c>Hypnotic Specter</c>.
| |
|
| |
| *<c>Demonic Tutor</c> is another powerful effect with a small mana cost that has found its way onto the Restricted List.
| |
|
| |
| *<c>Fastbond</c>, like many other cards on the Restricted List, allows a player to quickly access more mana.
| |
|
| |
| *<c>Hypnotic Specter</c> was originally thought to be too powerful, and indeed it is powerful, but the real problem was eventually revealed to be its combination with Dark Ritual.
| |
|
| |
| *<c>Icy Manipulator</c> was used in many control decks to slow the opponent down.
| |
|
| |
| *<c>Illusionary Mask</c> later gained fame for its ability to get <c>Phyrexian Dreadnought</c> into play quickly and cheaply.
| |
|
| |
| *<c>Lightning Bolt</c> is a very powerful (and common!) direct damage spell that still sees play.
| |
|
| |
| *<c>Mind Twist</c> proved to be very powerful, especially with all the mana acceleration available in '''Alpha'''. Like Black Vise, it quickly put an opponent at a great disadvantage and was added to the Restricted List.
| |
|
| |
| *<c>Nevinyrral's Disk</c> was especially useful in monocolored black decks with no access to artifact and enchantment destruction.
| |
|
| |
| *<c>Red Elemental Blast</c> is a common anti-blue card that still sees play today.
| |
|
| |
| *<c>Regrowth</c>, like Demonic Tutor, is a powerful effect with a small mana cost, especially when combined with any number of other powerful cards and is now found on the Restricted List.
| |
|
| |
| *<c>Savannah Lions</c> is considered one of the best [[White Weenie]] cards.
| |
|
| |
| *<c>Serra Angel</c> was used to finish many games in control decks and is one of the iconic creatures of the game. It was once considered too powerful and left the [[Core Set]] for a time.
| |
|
| |
| *<c>Sinkhole</c>, with a converted mana cost of 2, is considered to be far too cheap for the damaging effect of land destruction, especially as a common card.
| |
|
| |
| *<c>Sol Ring</c> is yet another card great at accelerating mana and is also found on the Restricted List.
| |
|
| |
| *<c>Swords to Plowshares</c> is the iconic white creature removal card.
| |
|
| |
| *<c>Time Vault</c> has had numerous changes to its function in order to make it work as intended. In 2006 the function at the time led to an infinite damage combo with <c>Flame Fusillade</c>.
| |
|
| |
| *<c>Wheel of Fortune</c> is on the Restricted List for the power of drawing 7 cards.
| |
|
| |
| *<c>Wrath of God</c> has been a tournament staple since players learned that powerful symmetrical effects can be good.
| |
|
| |
| ====Storyline====
| |
|
| |
| '''Alpha''' did not have a specific storyline, although the cards had a lot of flavor built into them based on the premise that [[player|players]] took on the role of a [[planeswalker]] who [[summon|summoned]] [[creature|creatures]] and cast spells in a [[duel]] against another planeswalker.
| |
|
| |
| ====Design & Development====
| |
|
| |
| Ante was an optional part of the original game of '''Magic'''.
| |
|
| |
| ====Cycles====
| |
|
| |
| '''Alpha''' has many different relationships between its cards. These include typical [[cycle|cycles]], [[vertical cycle|vertical cycles]] and [[mirrored pair|mirrored pairs]].
| |
|
| |
| Cycles:
| |
|
| |
| *Mox cycle: <c>Mox Pearl</c>, <c>Mox Sapphire</c>, <c>Mox Jet</c>, <c>Mox Ruby</c> and <c>Mox Emerald</c> are each rare artifacts with a mana cost of 0 and an activated ability to tap for a color of mana.
| |
|
| |
| *Boon cycle: <c>Healing Salve</c>, <c>Ancestral Recall</c>, <c>Dark Ritual</c>, <c>Lightning Bolt</c> and <c>Giant Growth</c> are all [[instant|instants]] (although Dark Ritual was originally an [[interrupt]]) with a [[mana cost]] of C and an effect of three.
| |
|
| |
| *Allied color dual land cycle: <c>Tundra</c>, <c>Underground Sea</c>, <c>Badlands</c>, <c>Taiga</c> and <c>Savannah</c> are each [[rare]] lands with two basic land types that each produce mana of an allied pair of [[color|colors]].
| |
|
| |
| *Enemy color dual land cycle: <c>Scrubland</c>, <c>Volcanic Island</c>, <c>Bayou</c>, <c>Plateau</c> and <c>Tropical Island</c> are each rare lands with two basic land types that each produce mana of an enemy pair of colors.
| |
|
| |
| *Top-down cycle: <c>Island Sanctuary</c>, <c>Stasis</c>, <c>Word of Command</c>, <c>Sedge Troll</c> and <c>Birds of Paradise</c> are each rare cards that were designed at the last minute before the release of '''Alpha'''. They were never playtested and were designed to fit pieces of unused artwork.
| |
|
| |
| *Lace cycle: <c>Purelace</c>, <c>Thoughtlace</c>, <c>Deathlace</c>, <c>Chaoslace</c> and <c>Lifelace</c> are each rare instants (formerly interrupts) that permanently change the color of a permanent to a color.
| |
|
| |
| *First color hoser cycle: <c>Karma</c>, <c>Blue Elemental Blast</c>, <c>Deathgrip</c>, <c>Flashfires</c> and <c>Tsunami</c> each have a negative effect on one of its enemy colors.
| |
|
| |
| *Second color hoser cycle: <c>Conversion</c>, <c>Lifetap</c>, <c>Gloom</c>, <c>Red Elemental Blast</c> and <c>Lifeforce</c> each have a negative effect on one of its enemy colors.
| |
|
| |
| *Lucky charm cycle: <c>Ivory Cup</c>, <c>Crystal Rod</c>, <c>Throne of Bone</c>, <c>Iron Star</c> and <c>Wooden Sphere</c> are each [[uncommon]] [[artifact|artifacts]] with a [[triggered ability]] that allows the controller pay 1 mana to gain 1 life when a spell of a color resolves.
| |
|
| |
| *Circle of protection cycle: <c>Circle of Protection: White</c>, <c>Circle of Protection: Blue</c>, <c>Circle of Protection: Black</c>, <c>Circle of Protection: Red</c> and <c>Circle of Protection: Green</c> are each common white enchantments with the ability to prevent the next [[damage]] from a [[source]] of a color for 1 [[mana]].
| |
|
| |
| *Ward cycle: <c>White Ward</c>, <c>Blue Ward</c>, <c>Black Ward</c>, <c>Red Ward</c> and <c>Green Ward</c> are each uncommon [[white]] [[Aura|Auras]] with [[enchant]] creature that grant protection from a color.
| |
|
| |
| Vertical Cycles:
| |
|
| |
| *<c>Clone</c> and <c>Vesuvan Doppelganger</c> are both blue creatures with the ability to copy another creature.
| |
|
| |
| *<c>Cockatrice</c> and <c>Thicket Basilisk</c> are both green creatures with the <c>Venom</c> ability, a mana cost of 3GG and power/toughness 2/4.
| |
|
| |
| *<c>Mons's Goblin Raiders</c>, <c>Goblin Balloon Brigade</c> and <c>Goblin King</c> are each [[red]] [[Goblin]]-related cards of increasing power with rarity.
| |
|
| |
| *<c>Gray Ogre</c>, <c>Uthden Troll</c> and <c>Granite Gargoyle</c> or <c>Sedge Troll</c> are each red creatures with a mana cost of 2R, a power/toughness of 2/2 and increasingly powerful abilities with rarity.
| |
|
| |
| *<c>Prodigal Sorcerer</c>, <c>Rod of Ruin</c> and <c>Pirate Ship</c> each have an activated ability that deals 1 damage to a creature or player.
| |
|
| |
| Mirrored Pairs:
| |
|
| |
| *<c>Ankh of Mishra</c> and <c>Dingus Egg</c> are both rare artifacts that deal damage when a land enters or leaves play.
| |
|
| |
| *<c>Air Elemental</c> and <c>Earth Elemental</c> are both uncommon [[Elemental|Elementals]] with a mana cost of 3CC and a [[power]] of 4.
| |
|
| |
| *<c>Benalish Hero</c> and <c>Timber Wolves</c> are both 1/1 creatures with banding and a mana cost of C.
| |
|
| |
| *<c>Castle</c> and <c>Orcish Oriflamme</c> are both uncommon [[enchantment|enchantments]] that conditionally affect a creature's power or toughness.
| |
|
| |
| *<c>Control Magic</c> and <c>Steal Artifact</c> are both uncommon blue Auras that grant control over a type of permanent.
| |
|
| |
| *<c>Crusade</c> and <c>Bad Moon</c> are both rare enchantments with a [[converted mana cost]] of 2 and an effect to give all creatures of its color +1/+1.
| |
|
| |
| *<c>White Knight</c> and <c>Black Knight</c> are both uncommon [[Knight|Knights]] with a mana cost of CC, power/toughness of 2/2, first strike and protection from the other's color.
| |
|
| |
| *<c>Blue Elemental Blast</c> and <c>Red Elemental Blast</c> are both common instants (formerly interrupts) with a mana cost of C and with a [[modal]] ability to either destroy a permanent of the other's color or counter a spell of the other's color.
| |
|
| |
| *<c>Braingeyser</c> and <c>Mind Twist</c> are both rare [[sorcery|sorceries]] that cause [[target]] [[player]] to [[draw]] or [[discard]] cards.
| |
|
| |
| *<c>Gaea's Liege</c> and <c>Cyclopean Tomb</c> are both rare cards with an [[activated ability]] that can permanently change a land's type.
| |
|
| |
| *<c>Deathgrip</c> and <c>Lifeforce</c> are each uncommon enchantments with an activated ability to counter a spell of the other's color for CC.
| |
|
| |
| *<c>Disintegrate</c> and <c>Fireball</c> are both common red sorceries that have a mana cost of XR and deal X damage to target creature or player.
| |
|
| |
| *<c>Earthquake</c> and <c>Hurricane</c> are both sorceries that have a mana cost of XC and deal X damage to all non-flying or flying creatures and each player.
| |
|
| |
| *<c>Fear</c> and <c>Invisibility</c> are both common Auras that make the enchanted creature more difficult to block.
| |
|
| |
| *<c>Feedback</c> and <c>Wanderlust</c> are both uncommon Auras that deal 1 damage to the controller of the enchanted permanent during each of their [[upkeep|upkeeps]].
| |
|
| |
| *<c>Water Elemental</c> and <c>Fire Elemental</c> are both uncommon Elementals with a mana cost of 3CC and a power/toughness of 5/4.
| |
|
| |
| *<c>Holy Strength</c> and <c>Unholy Strength</c> are both common Auras with enchant creature that give a mirrored bonus to the enchanted creature's power/toughness.
| |
|
| |
| *<c>Living Lands</c> and <c>Kormus Bell</c> are both rare cards that turned lands of a particular type into 1/1 creatures.
| |
|
| |
| *<c>Lord of Atlantis</c> and <c>Goblin King</c> are both rare [[Lord|Lords]] that give +1/+1 and landwalk of its color to its creature type.
| |
|
| |
| *<c>Magical Hack</c> and <c>Sleight of Mind</c> are both rare blue instants (formerly interrupts) that permanently change the text of a spell or permanent.
| |
|
| |
| *<c>Mana Flare</c> and <c>Mana Short</c> are both rare cards that have an effect on the amount of mana a player can produce.
| |
|
| |
| *<c>Manabarbs</c> and <c>Power Surge</c> are both rare red enchantments that deal damage to a player based on the number of lands he or she does or does not tap.
| |
|
| |
| *<c>Mons's Goblin Raiders</c> and <c>Merfolk of the Pearl Trident</c> are both 1/1 common creatures with creature types that are affected by Lord of Atlantis and Goblin King.
| |
|
| |
| *<c>Phantom Monster</c> and <c>Roc of Kher Ridges</c> are both 3/3 creatures with flying.
| |
|
| |
| *<c>Power Sink</c> and <c>Spell Blast</c> are both common blue instants (formerly interrupts) that have a mana cost of XU and can counter spells.
| |
|
| |
| *<c>Serra Angel</c> and <c>Sengir Vampire</c> are both uncommon 4/4 flying creatures with a mana cost of 3CC and a combat-related ability.
| |
|
| |
| *<c>Smoke</c> and <c>Winter Orb</c> both allow players to only untap one of a type of permanent each turn.
| |
|
| |
| *<c>Timetwister</c> and <c>Wheel of Fortune</c> are both rare sorceries that cause all players to draw a new hand of 7 cards.
| |
|
| |
| *<c>Tsunami</c> and <c>Flashfires</c> are both uncommon sorceries that have a mana cost of 3C and destroy lands of a particular enemy type.
| |
|
| |
| *<c>Wall of Bone</c> and <c>Wall of Brambles</c> are both Walls with regeneration and a mana cost of 2C.
| |
|
| |
| *<c>Wall of Water</c> and <c>Wall of Fire</c> are both 0/5 Walls illustrated by [[Richard Thomas]] with a silouetted figure behind a wall and the activated ability "C: [this] gets +1/+0 until end of turn."
| |
|
| |
| ====Creature Types====
| |
|
| |
| [[Creature type|Creature types]] were originally intended only to express flavor on creature cards, like [[flavor text]]. Thus, the intentional use of creature types to classify different races was not considered until around the design of the [[Fallen Empires (set)|Fallen Empires]] [[expansion]], despite cards like <c>Lord of Atlantis</c> that cared about a creature's race in this set.
| |
|
| |
| The creature types introduced in this set are: [[Angel]], [[Assassin]] (later changed to [[Human]] Assassin), [[Avatar]], [[Basilisk]], [[Bear]], [[Bodyguard]], [[Cleric]], Clone (later changed to [[Shapeshifter]]), [[Cockatrice]], [[Demon]], [[Djinn]], [[Doppelganger]], [[Dragon]], [[Dwarf]], [[Elemental]], [[Elf]], Enchantress (later changed to Human [[Druid]]), [[Faerie]], Force (later changed to Elemental), [[Fungusaur]], Gaea's Liege (later changed to Avatar), [[Gargoyle]], [[Ghoul]], [[Giant]], [[Goblin]], Goblin King (later changed to Goblin [[Lord]]), [[Hero]], [[Hydra]], [[Imp]], [[Knight]], Lion (later changed to [[Cat]]), [[Lord]], Lord of Atlantis (later changed to Merfolk Lord), [[Mammoth]], Mana Bird (later changed to [[Bird]]), [[Merfolk]], [[Minotaur]], [[Nightmare]], Nymph (later changed to [[Dryad]]), [[Ogre]], [[Orc]], Paladin (later changed to Knight), [[Pegasus]], [[Phantasm]], [[Rat]], [[Roc]], [[Serpent]], [[Shade]], Shadow (later changed to [[Spirit]]), Ship (later changed to Human [[Pirate]]), [[Skeleton]], [[Specter]], [[Spider]], [[Treefolk]], [[Troll]], [[Unicorn]], [[Vampire]], [[Wall]], Will-O'-the-Wisp (later changed to Spirit), [[Wizard]] (later changed to Human Wizard), [[Wolf]], [[Wraith]], [[Wurm]] and [[Zombie]].
| |
|
| |
| ====Points of Interest====
| |
|
| |
| Each color had one spell that destroys one or more lands: <c>Armageddon</c>, <c>Volcanic Eruption</c>, <c>Sinkhole</c>, <c>Stone Rain</c> and <c>Ice Storm</c>.
| |
|
| |
| ====Outside Links====
| |
|
| |
| *[http://www.wizards.com/magic/advanced/1_2_3e/ABUnlim.asp Official product page]
| |
|
| |
|
| {{Set-stub}}[[Category:Sets and Expansions]] | | {{Set-stub}}[[Category:Sets and Expansions]] |