Card art for the 'From The Vault: Twenty' expansion set, released August 2013 by Magic: The Gathering

Jesus fuck.

FTV20: A Newbie's Perspective As I've mentioned, I've only been playing Magic for a year and a half. I don't really have a sense of the history of the game. The Hall of Fame barely registers on my radar, the professional importance of some cards is lost on me, and the key memorable moments of the game are alien to me. That said, I'm still intrigued by products like From The Vault: Twenty which are mainly geared towards the nostalgic sensibilities of players. I've looked through it card by card and I have an idea of what I like and what I don't like about the set. My opinions are purely based on what I would actually want to acquire rather than overall set playability. Dark Ritual It seems impossible to not have copious numbers of this card. After a year and a half I've got about nine or ten just lying around. That said, there is a reason it gets included in every black-heavy preconstructed product and a reason why it is an auto-include in most black-heavy decks. Just by itself the card is strong and fun to play. Plus I like this version of the art. I'd probably pay a few bucks for a copy or two of this Dark Ritual. Swords to Plowshares Contrarywise I have zero StPs lying around. This is my favorite art (Terese fanboy here) for the card and it's all foily. I hope to be getting a playset at some point in the future. Hymn to Tourach So, listening around this card apparently feels very oppressive. I see the value, one card and two mana for two random discards will probably put you solidly ahead. I've never experienced this card or something similar so I have no knowledge of it's power. If I see it in the wild I might try for it but it won't be a priority. Fyndhorn Elves These will, hopefully, be cheap and I will gladly get them. Every version of Llanowar Elves I can get puts me closer to my casual dream of turn 3 Primeval Titan into turn four Craterhoof Behemoth. So yeah, I'll want a playset. Impulse I don't play much blue unless it's to compliment green or black. Both of those colors could use this it but I'm not excited about the card. I've got other options that I would prefer after only a year and a half. I'm sure that there's some good historical significance going on but that isn't impacting me. Fact or Fiction So I've got a few copies of this plus Sphinx-or-Fiction. Again though, that Terese Neilson artwork is calling me and I'd happily pick up a few copies. Chainer's Edict A few of these for commander decks wouldn't be too bad but it's not really something I'm looking for. This is the third time that I think the history of the card being lost on me makes me unexcited. Akroma's Vengence In the short time I've been playing Magic I've basically heard of Akroma only in hushed whispers or in how certain modern angels just can't measure up. Both of her forms are like boogeymen to certain colors. However, I have seen her Memorial look bonkers and her Vengence does as well. That cycling intrigues me. I'd happily pick up some copies and build myself a nice Sorin/Avacyn deck with them (Planar Cleansing that leaves my Sorin and Liliana untouched? Dontmindifido!). Gilded Lotus Hey, something I've seen in standard! I liked this card in M13 and I like the art here. IIRC it's actually seen a little standard play in the last year. Even without that I'll gladly take three mana of any color to help me get down a Worldspine Worm? (I am such a Timmy) Ink Eyes, Servant of Oni I like Ink-Eyes. She's smart, she's sassy, and she takes your milkshake and throws it right back at you. We've got one copy that's fun to play with and I'd like to have more. It helps that the wife is partial to rat tribal. Char I watched the "Greatest Topdeck Ever" video for Craig Jones. I get why the card was included and I get why 4 damage at instant speed is powerful, I'm just not excited about the card. It's a personal thing, but I hate self-punishment Venser, Shaper Savant Not excited, not unexcited. I wouldn't mind a copy for a Lavinia EDH deck but otherwise I'm not really looking to find this card. Chameleon Colossus I like this card. I'd enjoy more than a playset of this card because I think my wife would like some as well. The fact that I can slam it into any tribal deck I happen to decide to build is just bonus. Tangle Wire So I've listened to podcasters talk about how annoying this card can be and I believe them, but this isn't how my wife and I like to play so I'll probably avoid Tangle Wire. Thran Dynamo I expect to want this card in the long run, but frankly I'm going to need a lot more Eldrazi before I can get really excited about Thran Dynamo. Wall of Blossoms Fun synergies with other cards? Check. Replaces itself in my hand? Check. Blocks like a champ so I have time to get out big durdley creatures? Check. I'll take four please! Kessig Wolf Run It's a land based on wolves. I want ALL OF THEM. Doesn't matter that I've already got three, these are shiny and you can never have enough wolf decks. Green Sun's Zenith You may have noticed that I like big green creatures and any card that helps me get them onto the battlefield. Gel between GSZ, Fyndhorn Elves, Wall pf Blossoms, Chameleon Colossus, Gilded Lotus, and Kessig Wolf Run I almost feel like we've got a deck! Yes I want a playset+ of these. Cruel Ultimatum [singing]It's a cruel ultimatum, a cruuueeeelll ultimaaaatuuuummmm[/singing]. I'm not a control fan, except for this card. It was my favorite Chancellor of the Spires target in DotP2013 and the primary reason I play the Nicol Bolas duel deck I have lying around. I'll gladly pick up a few shiny copies. Jace The Mind Sculptor Also know as Sir Why-I-Won't-Be-Buying-FTV20. Sure he's insane and I'd love some copies but he's just to expensive. He makes the FTV20 too expensive. I get that they wanted to reprint him somewhere safe to not upset collectors. I get that anything they put him in is going to have a insane markup. I get that he's iconic and ridiculously powerful. I get all that, but I wish he wasn't in FTV20. He drives the price through the roof. My only hope is that people will buy FTV20 and turn around and sell/trade off the other 19 cards for cheap prices. If that happens I'll be a happy camper. Also, as a sidenote. If anyone from Wizards stumbles on this I would be very happy with a From The Vault: Terese Nielsen. I'm not the only one either. You could throw the jankiest cards in there and I'd be happy to buy them.

Watch 'em "celebrate" 20 years of MTG in my latest comic at Gathering Magic.

FTV20 Full spoilers here!

FTV20 Full spoilers here!

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