Skinned Cards

Not all Magic cards are new; many are reprints. Five years ago, I did a series of posts on this topic. I do an annual post on "how many cards" are in the game (see 2024's post), and I discuss reprints there. I also looked at functional reprints and tweaked reprints. Today I cover another category: skinned cards.

Skinned cards are Magic cards 'traditional' reprints with an alternate name overlay. That alternate name:

- has no bearing on game play (the original name, shown under it, is the official one for rules purposes)

- has a non-Magic IP theme (like Universes Beyond sets)

Skinned cards began in 2020 and have appeared in various releases since. They can be a common feature of Secret Lair Drops. Here are two examples of skinned cards alongside their original cards. The first, Three Visits, was reskinned as a Monty Python card in a Secret Lair Drop. The second, Falkenrath Forebear, was reskinned as a Dracula card in the Crimson Vow set. 

The official rules talks more about these alternate art cards:

201.6. Promotional or alternate-art versions of some cards feature a secondary title bar below the name line. The card’s name as listed in the Oracle card reference is displayed in the secondary title bar, and an alternate name appears in the upper left corner. For the purposes of deck construction, game rules, and effects, these cards have only the card name specified in the secondary title bar. Rules text may also refer to a card’s alternate name; instances of the alternate name that are present in rules text refer to the name specified in the secondary title bar. The alternate name has no effect on game play. 

MTGWiki has more information if interested.

Skinned cards are a fun, if confusing, addition to the game. 

Until next time, keep exploring.