The Dark (Magic: The Gathering)
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- For other uses, see The Dark.
| The Dark | ||
|---|---|---|
| Expansion Symbol |  |
|
| Release date | August 1994 | |
| Mechanics | Sacrifice, Tribal | |
| Keywords | ||
| Cycles | {{{Cycles}}} | |
| Size | 119 cards | |
| Magic: The Gathering Chronology |
||
| Legends | The Dark | Fallen Empires |
The Dark was the eighth Magic: The Gathering set and the fourth expansion set, released in August 1994. The set continued the story begun in Antiquities and recounted the aftermath of the events of that set. The 119-card set had a dark, sacrificial theme, though unlike its predecessor Legends it did not add any new keywords.
Contents |
[edit] Set history
This set, as well as the next set Fallen Empires and Homelands, are widely considered by players to be among the weakest Magic sets. Unlike all the previous sets, The Dark was created with an overall decrease in the power level and the speed of the game. Initial problems with the Power Nine in Alpha/Beta/Unlimited, the Library of Alexandria and Ali from Cairo Arabian Nights, as well as Mana Drain and The Abyss in Legends had led Magic designers to more closely consider all the possibilities when creating an individual card. This led to an underpowered set and this trend continued with the rare exception of a few cards until the Tempest expansion in 1997.
The Dark is also the oldest set released to not have a card retail over $100 USD on the secondary market. In fact so few of the cards are "worthwhile" in this set that almost all of them can be bought for less than $1 and all the rest usually under $11.
[edit] Storyline
In the aftermath of the Brother's War, a series of conflicts ends up causing most of Dominaria's inhabitants to revert to a more primitive state. During this time, several leaders and notable heroes rise up, such as Vervamon the Elder (who was later burned at the stake), Maeveen O'Donahough, Barl the Artificer, Lord Ith (who was held captive by Mairsil), and Mairsil the Pretender.
After the destruction of large amounts of the continent Terisiare during the Brother's War, most nations turn heavily to religion and magic to help them cope with the coming ice age caused by the "nuclear" winter. Mairsil the Pretender, the advisor to an unnamed king, imprisons Lord Ith in the device called "Barl's Cage" (a mage-prison built by his chief artificer, Barl) and wages war in the "Dark Lands", areas of Terisiare overcome with black mana influence. Lord Ith summons a rag man to find someone to free him. Mairsil is obsessed with finding a gateway to Phyrexia, and when a young mage named Jodah arrives, he tries to manipulate the boy to take him there.
During these times, he employs Maveen O'Donahough and his troop of mercenaries, who go out and do scout, search and destroy, and other various missions. They are accompanied by Vervamon the Elder, an elderly sage who records parts of their travel and takes down bits of important lore. However, when he returns, he is branded a heretic and burned at the stake as a martyr.
Eventually, Jodah frees Lord Ith as Mairsil begins to lose his power (caused by the weakening of the land by the coming ice age). After this, there is no continuation of the storyline until Ice Age.
[edit] Mechanics
The Dark introduced no new mechanics. However, it did utilize several themes that would be used later on in Magic sets.
- "Sacrifice", where a player has to sacrifice something to gain the upper hand against an opponent, usually life or creatures. A good example of this is Blood of the Martyr.
- "Tribal", an archetype which would later be more prominent in Magic, established its roots here. Specifically, Goblins received boosts such as Goblin Caves and Goblin Shrine.
[edit] Notable cards
- Ball Lightning: A quick, efficient, powerful spell that symbolized red power in short bursts. This much beloved spell was reprinted in 4th and 5th Edition.
- Leviathan: This massive blue creature was the first to have double-digit power/toughness.
- Maze of Ith: This land card's ability to prevent creatures from dealing or receiving combat damage was powerful enough that it was restricted for several years.
- Sorrow's Path: This card is widely regarded as being the worst land ever printed, along with the Legends banding lands.
- Tormod's Crypt: A free artifact that had the one time ability of removing an opponent's graveyard from the game. This is most useful in Type One where the majority of decks re-use cards from the graveyard as part of their central strategy: Yawgmoth's Will, Crucible of Worlds, Goblin Welder, Worldgorger Dragon, Dredge cards, etc.
