Preview card

A preview card is a card that is previewed in a supplemental product, such as Duel Decks, prior to the release of the expansion set in which the card is contained. This was first seen in the Multiverse Gift Box, which featured Visions boosters with fixed cards. Another instance were the Lorwyn basic lands in Tenth Edition. The regular practice of preview cards debuted in Shards of Alara, with the card Hellkite Overlord, which was previewed in the From the Vault: Dragons product. Thus far, only cards from a block's first expansion set have been previewed this way, most of them in duel decks.

A similar practice was used in the Future Sight expansion set, where "futureshifted" cards included several cards from Lorwyn/Shadowmoor block: Boldwyr Intimidator, Graven Cairns, Mistmeadow Skulk, and Phosphorescent Feast. Although cards were included that were intended for other subsequent blocks, such as Zendikar (Ghostfire) and what became Scars of Mirrodin (Sarcomite Myr), these cards were not used in those sets.

As of September 2016, it was unclear if the practice, which was not applied to blocks after Shadows over Innistrad, was still in use. However, a variant appeared in the Ikoria: Lair of Behemoths/Box Toppers, which contained a Godzilla version of Zilortha, Strength Incarnate, printed years later in Commander Masters. The practice would be called "pre-printing" and re-used in the Strixhaven: School of Mages/Mystical Archive for Abundant Harvest, which would be in Modern Horizons 2.

Preview cards

Set	Preview card(s)	Previewed in
Visions	25 cards among which Bull Elephant Dark Privilege King Cheetah Necrosavant Ovinomancer Peace Talks Urborg Mindsucker Vampirism Viashino Sandstalker Wicked Reward	Multiverse Gift Box
Lorwyn	Basic lands	Tenth Edition
Shards of Alara	Hellkite Overlord	From the Vault: Dragons
Zendikar	Beast Hunt Hideous End Kor Sanctifiers Whiplash Trap	Planechase
Scars of Mirrodin	Contagion Clasp Kemba's Skyguard	Duel Decks: Elspeth vs. Tezzeret
	Sword of Body and Mind	From the Vault: Relics
Innistrad	Mikaeus, the Lunarch	From the Vault: Legends
Return to Ravnica	Dreg Mangler Goblin Electromancer Izzet Charm Jarad, Golgari Lich Lord Korozda Guildmage Street Spasm	Duel Decks: Izzet vs. Golgari
Theros	Anax and Cymede Cavalry Pegasus Destructive Revelry Ordeal of Purphoros Polukranos, World Eater Satyr Hedonist	Duel Decks: Heroes vs. Monsters
Conspiracy	Magister of Worth	Born of the Gods prerelease material
Khans of Tarkir	Jeskai Elder Mardu Heart-Piercer Mystic Monastery Nomad Outpost Thousand Winds Zurgo Helmsmasher	Duel Decks: Speed vs. Cunning
Battle for Zendikar	Sheer Drop Retreat to Kazandu Veteran Warleader Oblivion Sower Dominator Drone Forerunner of Slaughter	Duel Decks: Zendikar vs. Eldrazi
Shadows over Innistrad	Topplegeist Eerie Interlude Pore Over the Pages Tooth Collector Mindwrack Demon Compelling Deterrence	Duel Decks: Blessed vs. Cursed
Commander Masters	Zilortha, Strength Incarnate	Ikoria: Lair of Behemoths/Box Toppers
Modern Horizons 2	Abundant Harvest	Mystical Archive