Welcome to something really experimental, where I look at the set through counting the number of pieces any given artist have done for the set.
The set, in question, is the draft set up to the basic lands plus all new artworks in the commander precons, so both the new designs and the new artworks section. Because we have dedicated artist sections already for the showcase designs.
Beside the total number will be the rarity distribution of the pieces, from basic land to mythic. Maybe I’ll put some notes at the end about other subsets, like tokens.
Unfortunately, I probably won’t be giving much artistic observations about most of these artists’ works. I tried once and it just didn’t land.
What pairs can we make?
- First off, a pair of Merfolk creatures, both really like to reach their hands out.
- Secondly, two other mono blue cards, one is a Faerie that likes to see trick and we do a trick, admittedly one flavored for the merfolks.
- Third pair, we’ve completed all the uncommons, now onto two rare red commands costing 5 mana each.
- Last pair, in the precons, one is a new land for the Lorwyn deck, the other is a reprint for the Shadowmoor deck.
- The unpaired card is a ramp piece for green, one that counts a Treefolk as a land. The trivia here: This artist redoes a card that’s a riff on something you don’t want to open in a Masters 25 pack.
So that’s a way to cover all 5 colors, but no Kithkins.
Actually there’s a 10th card in a Faerie token.
What pairs can we make?
- First off, a pair of Kithkins at common, both involves two of something somehow.
- Secondly, a pair of uncommons that looks for subtypes so that they can put them in your hand from the topdeck. (For those new to my writings, this is legally distinct from card draw, and I don’t like it because it takes a lot of words).
- Thirdly, a pair of rares from the Shadowmoor precons that deals with -1/-1 counters and eventually trade them for tokens, with a middle ability that offer what the other token can do.
- Lastly, a pair of green mythics in both sets. They both want to move stuff to the bottom deck, through their means are different. The trivia here: This artist does two green mythics.
Actually there’s a 9th card being the Simic incarnation’s showcase version. So all three mythics have green in them.