Tombstone icon
The tombstone icon, or tombstone symbol, is a graphic in the upper-left-hand corner of a number of Odyssey block cards with graveyard-active or -relevant abilities.
Description
Due to the mechanical and thematic focus on the graveyard in Odyssey block, the tombstone icon was designed to be featured on cards from the block's sets — Odyssey, Torment, and Judgment — so as to "make players' lives easier".[1]
History
Introduced in Odyssey, the tombstone icon was featured on cards with the Flashback ability. In Torment and Judgment, the tombstone icon was used indicator of cards with graveyard-active abilities,[2] as in the case of Ichorid[3] and the Incarnations of Judgment (e.g., Anger).[4]
The original plan was to make it a permanent addition, but it couldn't work with the new card frame (starting two blocks later in Mirrodin) so R&D decided to just make it a block-exclusive idea.[5] A few years later, changes in printing technology allowed for the tombstone icon to appear alongside this new card frame,[6] which was used on several promo cards.
While the tombstone icon was not carried over to future frames, the icon has continued to see use on reprints featuring the retro frame, such as Time Spiral's "timeshifted" reprints of Valor and Call of the Herd, Scavenged Brawler and several reprints in The Brothers' War Commander, and various sets that feature retro frame treatments as a Booster Fun or bonus sheet element.[7]
Comprehensive Rules
From the glossary of the Comprehensive Rules (June 7, 2024—Modern Horizons 3)
- Tombstone Icon
- An icon that appears in the upper left of some Odyssey block cards that has no effect on game play. See rule 107.9.
From the Comprehensive Rules (June 7, 2024—Modern Horizons 3)
- 107.9. A tombstone icon appears to the left of the name of many Odyssey™ block cards with abilities that are relevant in a player’s graveyard. The purpose of the icon is to make those cards stand out when they’re in a graveyard. This icon has no effect on game play.
Cards
See also
References
- ↑ Randy Buehler (October 3, 2002). "Ask Wizards - October 3, 2002". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
- ↑ Ben Bleiweiss (January 2, 2002). "From the Grave Risen". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
- ↑ Mike Donais (August 15, 2002). "Ask Wizards - August 15, 2002". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
- ↑ Devin Low (February 15, 2005). "Ask Wizards - February 15, 2005". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
- ↑ Mark Rosewater (March 11, 2017). "Why didn't R&D stick with this?". Blogatog. Tumblr.
- ↑ Mark Rosewater (March 13, 2017). "FYI, there are several modern bordered FNM Promos with the Tombstone icon". Blogatog. Tumblr.
- ↑ Gavin Verhey (February 26, 2021). "One little touch that makes me very happy in Time Spiral Remastered". Twitter.