Guildpact uncommon. This card created quite a debate during the design and development of Guildpact. How many cards that could be used with these abilities would a set need to justify a card like Izzet Guildmage? (Djinn Illuminatus had a similar debate.) In the end, it was decided that while most cards are designed with their specific set in mind, it’s also important to keep the larger picture available as context for some cards. With over 8000 cards to play with, sometimes cards should be printed that, though they may not interact as much with their own set, can create fun and new interactions with the cards in their block, larger formats, or even all cards ever created.
Guildpact uncommon. One of the interesting things about the way the color wheel works out is that for each guild made of enemy colors, there is one guild that is their opposite. How do you find the opposing guild? Using the Izzet as an example, list all the enemies of the colors in the guild. Since Red and Blue are enemies of each other, that leaves White (enemy of red) and Green (enemy of blue). So, the guild diametrically opposed to the Izzet is Selesnya. Now take a closer look at the art from Electrolyze. See that guy having the bad day? It’s no coincidence that it’s this particular guildmage taking 2!
Nemesis rare. Ascendant Evincar was the first case where Magic got to show a legend evolving over the course of more than one card. This one represents Crovax the Cursed after the Phyrexians have removed his self-destructive tendencies and his guilt over killing his love Selenia. The card isn???t named ???Crovax, Ascendant Evincar??? because at the time R&D was worried that could be confusing to players. By the next set that fear was gone however, when Balthor the Stout rejoined the game as Balthor the Defiled.
Scourge rare. Vampires are known for many different abilities, and those abilities have been reflected in the different kinds of vampires printed. The most common trait associated with Magic vampires is growing stronger by sucking the blood of a victim, shown in the ability of cards like Sengir Vampire. Vampires are also often described as having the ability to charm lesser creatures. This enslaving ability gets reflected in the abilities of both Soul Collector and Krovikan Vampire.
Odyssey rare. There are no green vampires in Magic so far, but there is a white one if you???re willing to count Repentant Vampire. Note that the original art ended up being split across this card and Gallantry. (See ???Getting 2-for-1??? for info.) So, between the art and the vampire???s ability, was WotC paying a little homage to a certain Buffy character? Good question!
Guildpact rare. This card actually began as a proposed ability on the design version of Kamahl, Fist of Krosa. Thanks to that ability, his playtest name was the pun-ishing “Kamahl, Landlord.”
Guildpact rare. Bioplasm is the first tournament legal card to be printed in a full-size set that uses both “X” and “Y” variables. “Y” has only appeared on two previous cards: the Beatdown box set version of Fireball and Unglued’s The Ultimate Nightmare of Wizards of the Coast? Customer Service, which even sports a Z! However, special mention goes out to Aspect of Wolf and Snowblind, both of which use “Y” in their Oracle rules text.
Guildpact uncommon. Fans of the flavor text from Erase (Not the Urza’s Legacy One) must have greeted this card with a cheer. Could “Chafe” be on the way next?
Guildpact rare. Skarrgan Firebird is the first Phoenix to be printed that doesn???t have ???Phoenix??? in its name, which is the opposite of what happened with Pang Tong, Young Phoenix.
Guildpact common. This creature type was first introduced in Fallen Empires, which had seven thrulls plus five more cards that involved thrulls. Since then new thrulls have appeared in Tempest, Stronghold, Exodus, Urza’s Saga, and now Guildpact. (And, of course, Legions!) Absolver Thrull (along with its partner in crime Mourning Thrull) is the first time a thrull has been printed with a mana cost that wasn’t exclusively black. Well, not counting Mistform Ultimus.
