What are the top ten most powerful or influential cards from the Magic: the Gathering set The Dark?
"The Dark," released in 1994, is one of the earliest Magic: The Gathering sets and is known for its thematic flavor and introduction of some unique mechanics. While not all cards from "The Dark" are particularly powerful by modern standards, a few have had a lasting impact on the game. Below are ten of the most powerful or influential cards from "The Dark," with explanations of their importance:
1. Ball Lightning
"Ball Lightning" is an iconic card from "The Dark" that has seen play in aggressive Red decks for decades. Its ability to deal a large amount of damage quickly made it a staple in burn and aggro decks.
Despite its fragility (dying at the end of the turn or to any damage), the sheer explosiveness of a 6-power attacker with Haste for only three mana has kept it relevant. It influenced the design of many similar cards in later sets.
2. Maze of Ith
"Maze of Ith" is a powerful utility land that has been used in various control and prison-style decks throughout Magic's history. Its ability to neutralize an attacking creature without any mana cost makes it a valuable defensive tool.
This card is unique because it does not produce mana, yet its effect is so strong that it has been included in numerous deck archetypes, from Commander to Legacy Lands. Its influence is seen in how it shaped the use of non-mana producing lands with powerful effects.
3. Blood Moon
"Blood Moon" is a card that has defined entire metagames. By turning all nonbasic lands into Mountains, it can severely disrupt opponents who rely on complex mana bases.
This card has been a sideboard staple in various formats and has seen mainboard play in Modern and Legacy, especially in Mono-Red Prison and aggro decks. Its ability to shut down powerful lands and greedy mana bases has made it a key tool for red mages and has influenced deck-building considerations for decades.
4. Preacher
"Preacher" offers a unique and powerful form of creature control, especially for its time. It allows the player to take control of an opponent's creature, albeit with some restrictions.
This card has seen play in white control decks and has been a flavorful representation of white's ability to "convert" or "redeem" creatures. While not a mainstay in competitive formats, it is beloved in casual and Commander circles for its political implications and utility.
5. Dark Heart of the Wood
Although seemingly simple, "Dark Heart of the Wood" has been influential in decks that could afford to lose lands for a benefit, especially in combo or stalling strategies.
It has seen play in older combo decks that generate infinite resources, where the life gain can be crucial to surviving until the combo is assembled. Its ability to convert lands into life influenced the design of later cards that allow players to trade resources for incremental advantages.
6. Goblin Wizard
Goblin Wizard is a significant card in the history of Magic, especially for fans of Goblin tribal decks. Its ability to cheat Goblins into play and protect them from white was a powerful tool, enabling explosive plays and making it a key piece in early Goblin strategies.
Unlike many other cards from The Dark, Goblin Wizard had a profound impact on the development of the Goblin tribe as a competitive archetype, influencing future Goblin cards and decks. Its unique abilities and the role it played in tribal strategies make it one of the most iconic and influential cards from the set.
7. Tormod's Crypt
"Tormod's Crypt" is one of the earliest and most iconic pieces of graveyard hate in Magic. Its ability to exile an entire graveyard for zero mana has made it a staple sideboard card in numerous formats, especially against decks relying on graveyard strategies like Reanimator or Dredge.
Its influence can be seen in the countless graveyard hate cards printed in later sets, many of which were inspired by or directly modeled after "Tormod's Crypt."
8. City of Shadows
"City of Shadows" offers a unique way to generate mana, scaling over time as more creatures are exiled. This card has seen play in various control and combo decks, where it can generate massive amounts of mana.
Its slow build-up and potential for high rewards made it an interesting choice for decks looking to go long. The concept of lands that store resources for future use has been revisited in numerous sets, showing the lasting influence of this card.
9. Fellwar Stone
"Fellwar Stone" is a mana rock that has remained relevant in multiplayer formats like Commander. Its ability to tap for different colors of mana depending on opponents’ lands makes it highly versatile.
The card has influenced the design of other mana rocks, especially those designed with multiplayer or color-fixing in mind. Its continued presence in various decks speaks to its utility and importance in the history of mana ramp.
10. Eater of the Dead
"Eater of the Dead" is a creature that has seen play in combo decks due to its ability to untap itself repeatedly, particularly in combination with cards that benefit from creatures entering or leaving the battlefield.
While niche, its ability to interact with graveyards and generate infinite untaps has made it a piece in several combo decks. It has influenced how players think about repeatable effects and the potential for combo interactions in Magic.
These cards from "The Dark" have left a lasting legacy, either through their direct impact on the game or by influencing the design of future cards and strategies.
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