Uncle Istvan (Original Sketch)

Uncle Istvan is a four-mana black 1/3 Human creature from The Dark (1994), that prevents all damage that would be dealt to it by creatures. It’s one of Magic’s earliest “damage prevention” creatures. This made him one of the original “combat walls” – capable of stopping almost any creature in early Magic from getting through in combat. He is one of the most iconic characters in The Dark, a set defined by grim, folkloric storytelling. This card was a popular casual card in the 1990’s, because he felt invincible in combat. Today, Uncle Istvan appears almost exclusively in Old School Magic (93/94), where he serves as a classic black wall that shrugs off attackers. This card fits into “Pestilence / Mono-Black Control” shells, and pairs extremely well with cards like Pestilence, Nettling Imp, Royal Assassin and Maze of Ith. These decks control the game through removal (e.g. Terror and Drain Life) and disruption (e.g. Disrupting Scepter), eventually winning with enchantments like Pestilence, Greed and The Abyss. But even in 93/94, he is mostly a flavor choice, not a top-tier card. This card also occasionally appears in Old School-themed Commander decks. Uncle Istvan is not on the Reserved List.