Instruct: Given a question, retrieve relevant documents that answer the question.
Query: What's the rarest Magic card in existence?
The Power Nine are considered to be among the most powerful cards in the game. All nine cards are of the rarest level of rarity and were printed only in the Alpha, Beta, and Unlimited sets in late 1993 to early 1994.[3] Currently, all of the Power Nine cards are restricted in the Vintage tournament format[4] and banned in Legacy,[5] the only tournament formats where they would be legal otherwise, and all except for Timetwister are banned in the Commander format.[6]
The Ambitious Card, or Elevator Card, is a magic effect in which a playing card seems to return to the top of the deck after being placed elsewhere in the middle of the deck. This is a classic effect in card magic and serves as a study subject for students of magic. Most performing card magicians will have developed their own personal Ambitious Card routine.
A game of "Magic" involves two or more players who are engaged in a battle acting as powerful wizards called planeswalkers. Each player has their own deck, either one previously constructed or made from a limited pool of cards for the event. A player starts the game with twenty "life points" and loses the game when their life total is reduced to zero. A player can also lose if they must draw from an empty deck. In addition, some cards specify other ways to win or lose the game. Garfield has stated that two major influences in his creation of "Magic: the Gathering" were the games "Cosmic Encounter", which first used the concept that normal rules could sometimes be overridden, and "Dungeons & Dragons". The "Golden Rule of "Magic"" states that "Whenever a card's text directly contradicts the rules, the card takes precedence." The "Comprehensive Rules", a detailed rulebook, exists to clarify conflicts.
“Seeing an illusory object (māyā)”: Although what one apprehends is unreal, nothing more than an illusory sign. If one does not admit this much, then an illusory sign should be non-existent. What is an illusory sign? It is the result of illusion magic. Just as one with higher gnosis can magically create forms, likewise this illusory sign does actually have manifestation and shape. Being produced by illusion magic, it acts as the object of vision. That object which is taken as really existent is in fact ultimately non-existent. Therefore, this [Māyājāla] Sūtra states that it is non-existent, due to the illusory object there is a sign but not substantiality. Being able to beguile and deceive one, it is known as a “deceiver of the eye.”
Card manipulation is the branch of magical illusion that deals with creating effects using sleight of hand techniques involving playing cards. Card manipulation is often used to perform card tricks in magical performances, especially in close-up, parlor, and street magic. A person who practices card manipulation may be called a card sharp, card shark, or card mechanic.
The trading card game has released a large number of sets since it was first published by Wizards of the Coast. After the 1993 release of "", also known as Alpha and Beta, roughly 3-4 major sets have been released per year, in addition to various spin-off products. "Magic" has made three types of sets since Alpha and Beta: base/core sets, expansion sets, and compilation sets. Expansion sets are the most numerous and prevalent type of expansion; they primarily consist of new cards, with few or no reprints, and either explore a new setting, or advance the plot in an existing setting. Guilds of Ravnica is the most recent expansion set as of October, 2018. Base sets, later renamed core sets, are the successors to the original "Limited Edition" and are meant to provide a baseline "Magic" experience; they tended to consist either largely or entirely of reprints. Compilation sets also exist entirely of reprints, and tend to be made as either a special themed product, or as a way to increase supply of cards with small printings. Examples of compilation sets with randomized boosters include "" and "Modern Masters". There also exist compilation products with a pre-selected and fixed card pool, such as the "Duel Decks" and "From The Vault" series. serve a similar function; however, they are always attached to a specific set or block, while compilations are free to pick and choose cards from any set.
The theme of the block was time. "Time Spiral" focused on the past, and is laden with references to previous "Magic: the Gathering" sets. The references are reflected in the card design, which incorporates special rules from older sets, and in special "Timeshifted" cards, which are cards reprinted from older sets using the older card design (abandoned three years previous with the 2003 release of "".) "Planar Chaos" focused on the present, referencing previous "Magic: The Gathering" cards, but changing them in some way, such as changing their color or shifting their permanent type. "Future Sight" focused on the future, both in that it includes cards from settings not yet explored in previous sets as well as including game mechanics that did not exist until later sets.
The way "Magic" storylines are conceived and deployed has changed considerably over the years. The main premise of "Magic" is that countless possible worlds (planes) exist in the , and only unique and rare beings called Planeswalkers are capable of traversing the Multiverse. This allows the game to frequently change worlds so as to renew its mechanical inspiration, while maintaining planeswalkers as recurrent, common elements across worlds. An intricate storyline underlies the cards released in each expansion and is shown in the art and flavor text of the cards, as well as in novels and anthologies published by Wizards of the Coast (and formerly by Harper Prism). Important storyline characters, objects and locations often appear as cards in "Magic" sets, usually as "Legendary" creatures, artifacts, and lands, or as "Planeswalker" cards.
In recent times, and because existing manufacturers have proved reluctant to open their protocols up to the wider world, user groups have accepted responsibility and contributed to what became known as the ‘DSLR revolution’ first-hand e.g. the Magic Lantern (firmware) community. Magic Lantern is a free and open source software add-on that runs from a camera’s SD/CF card. It added a host of new features to Canon’s DSLRs that weren't included from the factory by Canon. Because the AXIOM Beta concept is essentially the hardware equivalent of the software they originally pioneered, Magic Lantern partnered with the apertus° Association in September 2014. Since then the Magic Lantern community has been involved with various colour science experiments using the camera.
Several video games based on the franchise exist for multiple systems. Some have attempted to translate the card game to electronic play nearly exactly; others have taken more liberties and drawn more from the setting than the actual rules of the card game. Benefits of successful video game versions of the card game include convenience, practice, and challenge. However, artificial intelligence for a game such as "Magic" is an extremely hard problem, and such software usually must be continuously updated to stay current with recently released card sets. Video game versions often expand on artwork, and may include unique cards that rely on randomness, effects which would be difficult or annoying to duplicate in real life.
In addition to the 215 card set there were six promo cards. The six are referred to as the Classic Accidental Inserts. They are all rare to extremely rare. The rarest are the Any Power Teamwork (6A+0+0) picturing Captain America, Spider-man, and Wolverine; and the Tactic Artifact Avenger's ID Card (6I+5A) picturing the Hulk and Wasp. The next rarest are the Basic Universe (6I+3) Xavier Protocols picturing Professor X with several X-Men in the background on computer screens, including Wolverine; and the Any Character Deal with the Devil picturing Emplate and White Queen. The easiest of these rare cards are the Location Krakoa picturing the X-Men; and the Tactic Artifact picturing Nightcrawler/Errol Flynn shape shifting.
Battle Royale was a "Magic: The Gathering" boxed set, the third compilation set, released in November 1999 as a collection of cards emphasizing the multiplayer aspect of the game. Most of the cards included are ones that can affect multiple opponents. This promotion included cards from all different sets that existed previous to it. The cards still retained their original expansion symbols although they were printed with white borders, which was the standard for reprinted "Magic: The Gathering" cards of "core sets" until the 2007 release of "". These are the only sets that are printed with white borders (which started with "Unlimited".) Another interesting aspect is that colored expansions symbols were added to the cards that didn’t have them previously (namely cards from "Tempest", "Portal: Second Age", "Stronghold" and "Ice Age".)
"Magic" can be played by two or more players in various formats, which fall into two categories: constructed and limited. Limited formats involve players building a deck spontaneously out of a pool of random cards with a minimum deck size of 40 cards. In constructed, players create decks from cards they own, usually 60 cards with no more than 4 of any given card. "Magic" is played in person with printed cards, or using a deck of virtual cards through the Internet-based "", or on a smartphone or tablet, or through such as "".
Each game represents a battle between wizards known as "planeswalkers", who employ spells, artifacts, and creatures depicted on individual "Magic" cards to defeat their opponents. Although the original concept of the game drew heavily from the motifs of traditional fantasy role-playing games such as "Dungeons & Dragons", the gameplay of "Magic" bears little similarity to pencil-and-paper adventure games, while having substantially more cards and more complex rules than many other card games.
Street magic most often consists of what has been referred to in the past as "hand" or "pocket" magic, sleight of hand. Whether card magic or magic performed with coins, balls, scarves, or rope, even occasionally mentalism (see notably: Kenny Lightfoot), regardless of the props involved, the ability to draw and hold an audience is cited by contemporary practitioners as a skill of greater importance than the illusions themselves.
The Summer Magic print run of "Revised Edition" were printed in the summer of 1994. This print run intended to fix some of the errors with "Revised", including the washed-out color. As it turned out, the "Summer Magic" run had problems of its own. The colors were considered too dark and the artist credited for stayed uncorrected as well as the artist credited for Serendib Efreet, although the Efreet had received its original color and art again. Also a famous new misprint occurred with the card ; the so-called "blue Hurricane" is one of the rarest and most sought-after cards in the entirety of "Magic" because of its misprint with a blue border. On the secondary market it sells for thousands of dollars. The print run was recalled and destroyed; however, about 40 booster boxes that were shipped to England and Tennessee survived. No more than 11 or 12 of each rare exists.
The T206 Honus Wagner baseball card is one of the rarest and most expensive baseball cards in the world, as only 57 copies are known to exist. The card was designed and issued by the American Tobacco Company (ATC) from 1909 to 1911 as part of its T206 series. Wagner, a nonsmoker, refused to allow production of his baseball card to continue. The ATC ended production of the Wagner card and a total of only 57 to 200 cards were ever distributed to the public, as compared to the "tens or hundreds of thousands" of T206 cards, over three years in sixteen brands of cigarettes, for any other player. In 1933, the card was first listed at a price value of US $50 in Jefferson Burdick's "The American Card Catalog", making it the most expensive baseball card at the time.
Permanents with "lifelink" cause their controller to gain life whenever they deal damage. Lifelink as a keyword was introduced in "Future Sight", though the ability had previously existed on numerous cards, with rules errata retroactively changing these to "lifelink". Cards with similar abilities were not changed in this way. Lifelink was a triggered ability when it was issued but is now a static ability due to the "Magic 2010" rules changes. (Cards that previously had a lifelink-like ability have been issued further errata to return them to their original functionality. The lone exception to this is the "Mirrodin" card Loxodon Warhammer, which, since it was reprinted in Tenth Edition with the lifelink keyword, retains that rather than the original functionality on all editions). Lifelink is found mostly on white cards, and also on black cards.
A collectible hockey card featuring Corbeau from the 1923–24 season is one of the rarest cards in existence. Only a handful were made by a company that featured them in a contest. Contestants who collected a complete set of 40 cards were awarded a pair of skates. The Corbeau card was "short printed" in order to limit the number of winners.
Three official parody expansions of "Magic" exist: "", "", and "". Most of the cards in these sets feature silver borders and humorous themes. The silver-bordered cards are not legal for play in DCI-sanctioned tournaments.
Magical realism is referred to in the 2015 Netflix series "Narcos", which opens with a title card, from which the narrator reads: "Magical realism is defined as what happens when a highly detailed, realistic setting is invaded by something too strange to believe. There is a reason magical realism was born in Colombia".
Another notable and sought-after set of cards is the untitled series issued by Taddy and known by collectors as "Clowns and Circus Artistes". While not the rarest cards in existence (there are a number of series in which only one known example remains), they are still very rare and command high prices whenever they come up for auction.
What initially separated "The Duelist" from other card magazines of its time, such as "InQuest" or "Scrye", was its detailed pages. Each issue featured a key artist who created a unique cover (often based on an existing Magic card) and whose art was showcased inside the issue; however in later issues, these art features were discontinued.
Vernon first fell in love with magic when he was seven years old after his father took him to see a magic show. The first real magic book he ever owned was an early edition of perhaps the most famous card book of them all, "The Expert at the Card Table", by S. W. Erdnase. By the time he was 13 he had memorized the contents of the book. He also had a famous encounter with another up-and-coming young magician from his town, Cliff Green, who asked Vernon, "What kind of magic do you do?" Vernon responded by asking the boy to name a card. Upon pulling a pack of cards from his pocket, Vernon turned over the top card of the deck to reveal the named card and replied to the speechless Green "That's the kind of magic I do. What kind of magic do you do?"
The rarest baseball cards are the ones which are difficult to find and also the most expensive ones. The rare type of cards are the oldest baseball cards and those from limited edition sets.
A rare card generally must be kept in good condition in order to be valuable, although the rarest cards can be worth tens of thousands of dollars even in poor condition. Price also increases if there is an autograph on it. Rare baseball cards or the vintage baseball cards do not have a certain price established. Their value is judged upon their quality, condition, rarity and upon the number of collectors that are seeking them.
Different formats of Constructed "Magic" exist, each allowing different cards. The DCI maintains a "Banned and Restricted List" for each format; players may not use banned cards at all, and restricted cards are limited to one copy per deck. The DCI bans cards that it determines are damaging the health of a format; it seeks to use this remedy as infrequently as possible, and only a handful of cards have been banned in recent years.In "Limited" tournaments, players construct decks using booster packs plus any additional basic lands of their choice. The decks in Limited tournaments must be a minimum of forty cards. All unused cards function as the sideboard, which, as in "Constructed" formats, can be freely exchanged between games of a match, as long as the deck continues to adhere to the forty card minimum. The rule that a player may use only four copies of any given card does not apply.
Players often create their own formats based on any number of criteria. Sometimes these can be based on limiting the financial value of a deck, mixing and matching different blocks or sets, or taking an existing format and modifying the DCI Banned List. Commander (formerly Elder Dragon Highlander) was one such format, before being officially supported by wizards. One of the most popular player created formats for Limited is Cube Drafting. Similar in structure to Draft, players will instead use a collection of pre-selected cards instead of random boosters to draft from. Since 2014 player created formats are allowed as Friday Night Magic events, so long as they follow basic Magic Tournament Rules (no fake cards, no gambling etc.)