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| Portal | |||||
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portal
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| Released | May 1, 1997[1] | ||||
| Size | between 221–228 cards, depending on language | ||||
| Exp. code | POR | ||||
| First set in the Portal block | |||||
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Portal is the eighteenth Magic: The Gathering set and first starter level set, released on May 1, 1997.[1] Depending on the language, the set contains between 221 and 228 cards.
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Portal was Wizards of the Coast's first major attempt at a set that new players could come into the game and understand. Back before the major rules changes brought forth by 6th Edition, Magic rules were more complicated; today, they are simplified with the addition of the stack.
As of October 2005[update], all cards in the Portal block are legal in Vintage and Legacy tournaments.
No new mechanics were introduced with Portal, but there were several "simplifications" made to the game through things left out of the set.
Instants did not exist within the set (instead, every "one-shot" spell was a sorcery; however, some sorceries could be played at particular times uncommon to sorceries but normal for instants). Most of these cards have since received errata making them Instants. For example, the card Assassin's Blade has the following text: Play Assassin's Blade only during the declare attackers step and only if you are the defending player.
All rules text was in boldface. All flavor text and reminder (italicized) text was not boldface. To separate rules text and flavor text, the cards utilized a line with a slight bulge on both top and bottom; this makes the line look like a very elongated diamond.
Although they do now via errata text, in their original printings Portal cards had no creature type.
| Replaced | Replacer | Example |
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| Intercept | block | Cloud Dragon can intercept only creatures with flying. |
| Discard Pile | graveyard | |
| Deck | library |