• Natural Selection (Repaint)
  • Natural Selection (Repaint)

    Natural Selection (Repaint)

    Artist
    Mark Poole
    Year
    2014
    Set/Console Name
    Alpha
    Console/Game
    Magic the Gathering
    C.O.A.
    yes
    Substrate Material
    Illustration Board
    Substrate Dimensions
    8 1/2"H x 10 3/8"W
    Image Area Dimensions
    6 1/2" x 8 3/8"W
    Frame Dimensions
    Unframed
    Handmade Protective Case
    No, Clear Bag
    Reserved List
    Yes

    Natural Selection is a one mana green instant originally printed in Alpha (1993). It’s historically important as one of the very first “library manipulation” spells ever printed, and was a precursor to cards like Ponder, Brainstorm, and Sensei’s Divining Top. You can look at the top three cards of any player’s library and you may arrange them or shuffle the library. Green doesn’t normally get this kind of effect; it’s a unique tool for a color that typically focuses on ramp or creatures. Natural Selection saw limited use in early Type 1 (Vintage) and Type 2 (Standard) decks. It represents Wizards early design experimentation with how much control players should have over randomness. Since Natural Selection is on the Reserved List, it will never be reprinted, and so this will remain its only version ever painted on a Magic backed card and disseminated to the masses for game play.
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