Alternate art: Difference between revisions

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*<c>Ertai, the Corrupted</c>, <c>Skyship Weatherlight</c> and <c>Tahngarth, Talruum Hero</c>: the [[premium]] (foil) versions of three of [[Planeshift|Planeshift's]] [[legendary]] cards were printed with alternate art to make them more collectible.<ref>[http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=mtgcom%2Farcana%2F285#9444310874249093649 Magic Arcana], MTG.com, Tuesday, February 11, 2003</ref>
*<c>Ertai, the Corrupted</c>, <c>Skyship Weatherlight</c> and <c>Tahngarth, Talruum Hero</c>: the [[premium]] (foil) versions of three of [[Planeshift|Planeshift's]] [[legendary]] cards were printed with alternate art to make them more collectible.<ref>[http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=mtgcom%2Farcana%2F285#9444310874249093649 Magic Arcana], MTG.com, Tuesday, February 11, 2003</ref>
*[[Plateau (card)|Plateau]]: Plateau's original art in [[Wizards of the Coast]]'s art database was accidentally deleted cards, and when it was to be reprinted, they recommissioned new art. This is the only instance of unintentional alternate art.
*[[Plateau (card)|Plateau]]: Plateau's original art in [[Wizards of the Coast]]'s art database was accidentally deleted cards, and when it was to be reprinted, they recommissioned new art. This is the only instance of unintentional alternate art.
*[[Green Serendib Efreet (alternate art)|Green Serendib Efreet]]: Due to a printing error, the [[Revised Edition]] version of this card was a green background and the picture of the Ifh-Biff Efreet while having the blue mana cost and characteristics of the Serendib Efreet (of [[Arabian Nights]]).
*[[Green Serendib Efreet]]: Due to a printing error, the [[Revised Edition]] version of this card was a green background and the picture of the Ifh-Biff Efreet while having the blue mana cost and characteristics of the Serendib Efreet (of [[Arabian Nights]]).
*[[Unholy Strength (card)|Unholy Strength]]: The art of Unholy Strength, like that of Crusade, was changed due to public outcry; it was about the pentagram, a symbol for the occult and suggestive of demonic themes, depicted in the card's previous versions' art.<ref>http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magic:_the_Gathering#Demonic_themes</ref>
*[[Unholy Strength (card)|Unholy Strength]]: The art of Unholy Strength, like that of Crusade, was changed due to public outcry; it was about the pentagram, a symbol for the occult and suggestive of demonic themes, depicted in the card's previous versions' art.<ref>http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magic:_the_Gathering#Demonic_themes</ref>



Revision as of 12:37, 1 December 2007

Some Magic: The Gathering cards have two or more versions with different art pieces. Such cards are said to have alternate art.

A few early sets, such as Alliances, experimented with alternate art for cards to make common cards more collectible. However, Wizards came to believe that this impeded easy recognition of a card and that having multiple versions caused confusion when identifying a card at a glance. Consequently, alternate art is now only used sparingly and mostly for promotional cards. That said, when older cards are reprinted in new (non-Core Edition, and not "timeshifted" reprints in the Time Spiral set) sets, Wizards of the Coast has guaranteed that they will be printed with new art to make them more collectible.[1]

Alternate arts are used nowadays in reprints, and promotional cards, such as APAC lands and prerelease cards. Within a set, alternate art now generally only appears on the five basic land cards, as they are recognizable enough to avoid confusion.

Alternate art cards

Player Rewards

Some of the most tournament-used cards in Magic have been reprinted with new art, an unusual frame, and only the cardname (aside from this, it is textless). These cards are given to players as rewards. An example of such a Player Reward cards with alternate art and an unusual frame is Mana Leak.

References

  1. Collecting My Thoughts, by "Mark Rosewater", MTG.com, Monday, April 26, 2004. Retrieved on April 19, 2007.
  2. Magic Arcana, MTG.com, Tuesday, February 11, 2003
  3. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magic:_the_Gathering#Demonic_themes