5th Edition (Magic: The Gathering)
Encyclopedia
The Fifth Edition was the seventeenth Magic: The Gathering
set and fifth core set, a revision of the base set released in March 1997. It contained 449 cards, counting multiple illustration
s of basic lands, making it the largest card set in the game's history. It was the first edition of the core set to reprint cards from Fallen Empires, Ice Age
, and Homelands
.
Editions, Fifth Edition made numerous changes to the game's rules and card mix. The set's designers stated in The Duelist
that they wanted to prune from the base set cards that were too powerful or too weak. Many overpowered cards from Limited and Unlimited Editions had survived the past two rotations, including Channel, Balance, Black Vise, and Mind Twist, all of which had been restricted (i.e. limited to one per deck) or outright banned in Standard tournaments. Although they were removed from Fifth, a few powerful cards still survived, including Dark Ritual and Mana Vault. Many unpopular cards that the developers (and most players) considered too weak and narrow in function were also removed, including the "Laces" (Chaoslace, Deathlace, Lifelace, Purelace, & Thoughtlace), the "Wards" (Black Ward, Blue Ward, Green Ward, Red Ward, & White Ward), and Fortified Area.
Unlike its predecessors, though, Fifth Edition also removed many cards that Magic' s Design and Development team saw as just a little bit too good, but not quite so powerful as to heavily disrupt tournaments, including Savannah Lions, Serra Angel, Hypnotic Specter, Sengir Vampire, Lightning Bolt, and Swords to Plowshares. Many of these cards were brought back in later sets after the designers had re-evaluated their impact on play. A few cards that were in Revised but had been cut from Fourth
were brought back as well, including Atog and Shatterstorm.
Fifth Edition also set a new precedent by changing the artwork and/or flavor text
on many cards, especially the five basic lands, each of which was given four new illustrations to replace its original three. This was done so that WotC would not have to continue to pay for the use of many arts done for earlier sets, as originally artists were paid royalties for their artwork being used, instead of a flat fee as is done today for new Magic art.
Fifth Edition was the first version of the base set to reprint cards from the Fallen Empires
and Homelands
expansion sets; it also reprinted more cards from those sets than any other version of the base set has. Because those expansion sets were perceived by many players as weak, there was and still is some dissatisfaction with the Fifth Edition card mix. However, many of the reprinted cards were good enough to be used in tournaments, and at least one Ice Age card (Necropotence) was later declared "broken" (i.e. its mechanics are inherently overpowered). Boxes of Fifth Edition currently reach about the same prices on eBay
that boxes of more recent sets are retailing for. This is opposed to boxes of 4th Edition which go for much higher, and to boxes of Fallen Empires and Homelands which are probably the cheapest boxes anyone can find to buy that are tournament legal.
Fifth Edition was the first version of the base set to use the cosmetic changes that were introduced in the Mirage
expansion (including a slightly expanded text box and bolder, more visible power/toughness numbers) It was also the last version of the base set to use what are sometimes referred to as the "old rules". The rules were drastically changed in Sixth Edition
, and the term "Sixth Edition rules" refers to all versions of the rules from then until the release of Magic 2010
in 2009. Most notably 5th Edition was the last Core Set to feature game concepts like 'fast effects' and 'interrupts', being replaced by the "stack" in 6th Edition, and all non-permanent spells being either instants or sorceries.
Magic: The Gathering
Magic: The Gathering , also known as Magic, is the first collectible trading card game created by mathematics professor Richard Garfield and introduced in 1993 by Wizards of the Coast. Magic continues to thrive, with approximately twelve million players as of 2011...
set and fifth core set, a revision of the base set released in March 1997. It contained 449 cards, counting multiple illustration
Illustration
An illustration is a displayed visualization form presented as a drawing, painting, photograph or other work of art that is created to elucidate or dictate sensual information by providing a visual representation graphically.- Early history :The earliest forms of illustration were prehistoric...
s of basic lands, making it the largest card set in the game's history. It was the first edition of the core set to reprint cards from Fallen Empires, Ice Age
Ice Age (Magic: The Gathering)
Ice Age is the eleventh Magic: The Gathering set and the sixth expansion set, released in June 1995. Set in the years from 450 to 2934 AR, the set describes a world set in perpetual winter due to the events in Antiquities...
, and Homelands
Homelands (Magic: The Gathering)
Homelands was the thirteenth Magic: The Gathering set and seventh expert level set, released in October 1995. It was considered to be part of the Ice Age block until the announcement of Coldsnap in October 2005.- Storyline :...
.
Set history
Like its predecessors, Revised and Fourth4th Edition (Magic: The Gathering)
The Fourth Edition of Magic: The Gathering was the tenth set released for the game, and the fourth base set . The set was released in April 1995 and contained 378 cards. It was the first set to reprint cards from the expansions Legends and The Dark. Fourth Edition cards have white borders...
Editions, Fifth Edition made numerous changes to the game's rules and card mix. The set's designers stated in The Duelist
The Duelist
The Duelist was created in late 1994 as a quarterly magazine produced by Wizards of the Coast to accompany the increasingly popular Magic: The Gathering trading card game...
that they wanted to prune from the base set cards that were too powerful or too weak. Many overpowered cards from Limited and Unlimited Editions had survived the past two rotations, including Channel, Balance, Black Vise, and Mind Twist, all of which had been restricted (i.e. limited to one per deck) or outright banned in Standard tournaments. Although they were removed from Fifth, a few powerful cards still survived, including Dark Ritual and Mana Vault. Many unpopular cards that the developers (and most players) considered too weak and narrow in function were also removed, including the "Laces" (Chaoslace, Deathlace, Lifelace, Purelace, & Thoughtlace), the "Wards" (Black Ward, Blue Ward, Green Ward, Red Ward, & White Ward), and Fortified Area.
Unlike its predecessors, though, Fifth Edition also removed many cards that Magic
4th Edition (Magic: The Gathering)
The Fourth Edition of Magic: The Gathering was the tenth set released for the game, and the fourth base set . The set was released in April 1995 and contained 378 cards. It was the first set to reprint cards from the expansions Legends and The Dark. Fourth Edition cards have white borders...
were brought back as well, including Atog and Shatterstorm.
Fifth Edition also set a new precedent by changing the artwork and/or flavor text
Flavor text
Flavor text is the name given to text for action figure character backgrounds, playing cards, or within the pages of a role-playing game's rulebook. While appropriate to the product's or game's story concept, it usually has no effect on the mechanics of the game, but instead serves to add realism...
on many cards, especially the five basic lands, each of which was given four new illustrations to replace its original three. This was done so that WotC would not have to continue to pay for the use of many arts done for earlier sets, as originally artists were paid royalties for their artwork being used, instead of a flat fee as is done today for new Magic art.
Fifth Edition was the first version of the base set to reprint cards from the Fallen Empires
Fallen Empires
Fallen Empires was the ninth Magic: The Gathering set and the fifth expansion set, released in November 1994. Out of the set of 187 cards, 102 were functionally unique, with the remainder being variant illustrations of other cards in the set. The mechanics of Fallen Empires include a tribal...
and Homelands
Homelands (Magic: The Gathering)
Homelands was the thirteenth Magic: The Gathering set and seventh expert level set, released in October 1995. It was considered to be part of the Ice Age block until the announcement of Coldsnap in October 2005.- Storyline :...
expansion sets; it also reprinted more cards from those sets than any other version of the base set has. Because those expansion sets were perceived by many players as weak, there was and still is some dissatisfaction with the Fifth Edition card mix. However, many of the reprinted cards were good enough to be used in tournaments, and at least one Ice Age card (Necropotence) was later declared "broken" (i.e. its mechanics are inherently overpowered). Boxes of Fifth Edition currently reach about the same prices on eBay
EBay
eBay Inc. is an American internet consumer-to-consumer corporation that manages eBay.com, an online auction and shopping website in which people and businesses buy and sell a broad variety of goods and services worldwide...
that boxes of more recent sets are retailing for. This is opposed to boxes of 4th Edition which go for much higher, and to boxes of Fallen Empires and Homelands which are probably the cheapest boxes anyone can find to buy that are tournament legal.
Fifth Edition was the first version of the base set to use the cosmetic changes that were introduced in the Mirage
Mirage (Magic: The Gathering)
Mirage was the fifteenth Magic: The Gathering set and ninth expert level set, released in October 1996. This expansion began the first official block set with one large expansion being followed by two smaller expansions all tied together through card mechanics and setting. This expansion also...
expansion (including a slightly expanded text box and bolder, more visible power/toughness numbers) It was also the last version of the base set to use what are sometimes referred to as the "old rules". The rules were drastically changed in Sixth Edition
6th Edition (Magic: The Gathering)
The Sixth Edition core set of Magic: The Gathering, also known as Classic, was released on April 27, 1999. It contains 350 cards, with reprints of cards from previous core sets, as well as some new reprints from expansion sets through the Weatherlight expansion.-Rule changes:The release of Sixth...
, and the term "Sixth Edition rules" refers to all versions of the rules from then until the release of Magic 2010
Magic 2010
Magic 2010 is a Magic: The Gathering expansion set, that was released on July 17, 2009. It is the eleventh core set for Magic: the Gathering...
in 2009. Most notably 5th Edition was the last Core Set to feature game concepts like 'fast effects' and 'interrupts', being replaced by the "stack" in 6th Edition, and all non-permanent spells being either instants or sorceries.