The 30 Best 1993 Cards in Magic Ranked

Last updated on April 29, 2024

Black Lotus | Illustration by Christopher Rush

Magic: The Gathering celebrated its 30th anniversary, and the game has come such a long way since the first cards were introduced in 1993. With each set introduced over the past three decades, the cards have only gotten stronger. The number of card mechanics have expanded to enhance the overall gameplay experience when crafting decks.

Which sets were first released in 1993? What are the best cards from these sets? Have any of them ever been reprinted? I’ve got all these answers and more as I look at the 30 best 1993 cards in Magic: The Gathering.

What Are Cards From 1993 in MTG?

Badlands | Illustration by Rob Alexander

Cards from 1993 in MTG were the very first cards ever released to the public and made the game the first trading card game available to play worldwide. Three sets were introduced that year. First were the two Limited sets, which were Limited Edition Alpha in August and Limited Edition Beta in October. The final set was Arabian Nights, in December.

Limited Edition Alpha contained mechanics like first strike, regeneration, banding, trample, landwalk, flying, and protection. Limited Edition Beta contained 302 cards with black borders on them with the same creature mechanics as Limited Edition Alpha.

Unlimited Edition was released on December 1, 1993 with 40 million total cards in the overall run. The set contains cards from Limited Edition Alpha and Limited Edition Beta with the original Power Nine cards also being printed for this set.

Arabian Nights was a Magic expansion released on December 17, 1993 containing 78 unique cards with 51 commons and 27 uncommons. When the set first came out, it was originally set in a real-life location such as China or Arabia until the Rabiah plane was created. The Rabiah plane was 1,001 identical copies of itself stationed throughout a desert setting because of the Thousandfold Refraction.

#30. Armageddon

Players have mixed feelings about Armageddon, which was first printed in Unlimited Edition. Many players hate the fact of having to essentially restart the game with no mana. Other players support Armageddon, especially if it slows down the problem player at the table even if it means losing their lands, too.

This has to be a rule 0 discussion with your pod before you start playing mass land destruction. Let’s hope that someone has a Terra Eternal to protect other players that are ballsy enough to play Armageddon.

#29. Control Magic

Control Magic can incite shenanigans in a Commander game by taking control of your opponent’s commander or one of their other best creatures. But at a $240 price tag for the Limited Edition Alpha version, it can be costly for budget players to run.

The Commander 2013Control Magic reprint is only 60 cents. I’ve also found budget blue enchantment spells that do the same thing as Control Magic like Grafted Identity, Mind Control, and Persuasion all for cents on the dollar.

#28. Disenchant

Disenchant has been a popular targeted removal spell for artifacts and enchantments since its first printing in Limited Edition Alpha. It’s best used against opponents that run artifact and/or enchantment matters decks, but it can come in handy against any deck. It can especially save you when opponents get out of control gaining life with Light of Promise or Celestial Mantle.

#27. Consecrate Land

Consecrate Land protects your best utility land cards from targeted removal. Enchant this to protect utility lands like Rogue's Passage, Alchemist's Refuge, Reliquary Tower, and Cabal Coffers.

#26. Savannah

Savannah is a Selesnya deck staple in Vintage, Legacy, and Commander. You can cast popular 2-drop Selesnya commanders like Sythis, Harvest's Hand and Catti-brie of Mithral Hall as long as you have Savannah and a Mox Emerald or Mox Pearl in your opening hand.

#25. Badlands

Badlands is an awesome mana source for Grixis commanders with penchant for control like Admiral Beckett Brass and Lord Xander, the Collector. According to EDHREC, Badlands is most popularly seen in Commander partner decks including Silas Renn, Seeker Adept with Rograkh, Son of Rohgahh as well as Tymna the Weaver with Kraum, Ludevic's Opus.

#24. Blaze of Glory

Blaze of Glory is a Reserved List card perfect for protection against the out-of-control player going wide with creatures or tokens. Especially when your back is against the wall and you only have one creature out, having Blaze of Glory in your back pocket can save you for one more turn as you find answers to build your boardstate.

#23. Birds of Paradise

Birds of Paradise’s first printing in Limited Edition Alpha was the start of many reprints over Magic’s 30 years of rich history. This cheap cost mana dork that can tap for any color and protect you from an opponent’s aerial assault is a great addition to any deck featuring green. You can have at least 2 mana in your arsenal by turn 1 depending on other ramp spells in your opening hand.

#22. Diamond Valley

Diamond Valley is great for lifegain decks and to get more value before death triggers occur for certain creatures. Tap Diamond Valley and sacrifice Child of Alara to gain 6 life before all other nonland permanents get destroyed from Child of Alara’s death trigger. Tap Adarkar Valkyrie before sacrificing a creature to Diamond Valley so that its ability helps the card to return the sacrificed creature to the battlefield after it dies.

#21. Drop of Honey

Drop of Honey is like a slow and painful board wipe on your every upkeep. It’s best played in creature token decks like Sliver Queen that can keep up with the destruction trigger that occurs on every upkeep because it affects your creatures as well. If you can get it so that your opponent doesn’t have any defending creatures, you can go wide with your creatures and swing for the win.

#20. Braingeyser

Braingeyser can get out of control in a Vintage game when you have access to all the free mana that the Mox cards from the Power Nine produce. Save this as a game-ender for a Vintage mill deck to force your opponent to draw cards when they are at the last 5 to 10 cards in their library so that they lose the game on their next draw step.

#19. Bayou

Bayou is an automatic addition in non-budget multi-colored decks, especially for Commander partner decks running three or more colors. Fix your mana with this swamp forest card to quickly play Thrasios, Triton Hero and Tymna the Weaver partner commanders or Kodama of the East Tree with Tymna the Weaver as partners.

#18. Plateau

Plateau is a true dual land that makes a great addition in Boros aggro decks or 5-color Commander decks in need of fast mana fixing. You can get 3-drop or 4-drop Boros commanders like Tajic, Legion's Edge or Osgir, the Reconstructor out by turn 2 as long as you play a Plateau into a Sol Ring and then use that mana to cast an Arcane Signet.

#17. Scrubland

Scrubland being classified as a plains swamp dual land card means that you can search for it in your deck using Farseek or Shard Convergence rather than searching for a basic land. With Shard Convergence, you can consider Scrubland as your plains card that you search for and a Bayou as the swamp you tutor for because of its swamp forest typing.

#16. Dark Ritual

Having access to Dark Ritual on turn 1 can instantly churn out black Magic staples like Phyrexian Arena and Demonic Tutor. You can also use Dark Ritual’s 3 mana by casting Demonic Tutor to find your best card and following up with Entomb for one of your cards to go into the graveyard from later casting with Anrakyr the Traveller or Blood on the Snow.

#15. Clone

Clone has been a staple in blue decks for copying powerful high mana cost creatures like It That Betrays or Blightsteel Colossus to induce a game ender. It can be even more powerful by copying your commander or other best legendary creature on the battlefield as long as you have a Mirror Box or Mirror Gallery in play, too.

#14. Sol Ring

Turn 1 Sol Ring! Ah, the beauty of having at least 3 mana at your disposal on the first turn of any Magic game. It’s one of the main subjects of poking fun and targeting players early game at a Commander table. But besides that, you can get many notable creatures out with Sol Ring on turn 1 like Mox Emerald, Mox Emerald, and Mox Emerald.

#13. Wheel of Fortune

Wheel of Fortune is a formidable red card draw spell to accelerate the win conditions of red decks while causing other players to rethink their play strategy after having to discard their original hand for a new one.

This card can be utilized to fetch Approach of the Second Sun the second time around to win the game. Underworld Breach, Lion's Eye Diamond, and Wheel of Fortune can also combo for infinite draw triggers and infinite looting.

#12. Copy Artifact

Copy Artifact generates so much value for artifacts matter decks. Copy a Bolas's Citadel to expedite how fast you can cast spells with your life total once you set up a reputable life gain outlet. While not the most ideal, but still possible, you can copy a mana rock like Sol Ring for additional ramp. Go ahead and copy more activated and triggered abilities by making another Rings of Brighthearth with Copy Artifact.

#11. Demonic Tutor

Demonic Tutor is the holy grail of Vintage and Commander because the power to search for any card from your deck can be a game ender. Bring a Blightsteel Colossus, Mox Emerald, Approach of the Second Sun, Revel in Riches, and other popular win condition cards to start in-game shenanigans that same turn!

#10. Counterspell

The quintessential Counterspell that was first printed in Limited Edition Alpha has seen multiple reprints in other expansion sets over Magic’s history. As a staple for blue control players, it’s a sin if a blue deck doesn’t run it. Save yourself from threatening win conditions like Craterhoof Behemoth and Exsanguinate.

#9. Mox Ruby

Mox Ruby is the radiant red artifact that’s part of the Power Nine. It’s only playable in Vintage alongside its other Mox artifact cousins. Being one of the most powerful 0-drop artifacts in Magic: The Gathering makes it easy to sacrifice it to fulfill additional costs to cast certain spells like Tinker. Then, you can say hello to a formidable free-to-play Blightsteel Colossus on turn 3 or earlier because of Tinker’s ability.

#8. Mox Pearl

Mox Pearl is as pretty as pearls you find inside clams in the sea. But don’t let the beauty of this free artifact fool you.

It can assist getting out a Chancellor of the Annex on turn 1 as long as you have a land, Black Lotus, Sol Ring, and another Mox artifact in your hand, too. Your opponent’s spells essentially costs 1 more to cast because a colorless mana has to be paid to negate Chancellor of the Annex’s effect of countering spells.

#7. Mox Jet

Mox Jet can help you take control of the game quickly with popular black Vintage staples. You can cast Opposition Agent on turn 1 as long as you also have a Mox Jet, Sol Ring, and a land in your hand. The black gem can also turn a Dark Ritual into a Sheoldred, the Apocalypse on turn 1 as well.

#6. Mox Emerald

Mox Emerald is the illustrious free-to-play green gem that graces the presence of many Vintage decks in Magic: The Gathering. Along with Mox Pearl, Mox Sapphire, and Mox Jet, you can cast powerful creature spells like Atraxa, Praetors' Voice on turn 1. Other Vintage green staples you may want to consider are Questing Beast and Managorger Hydra.

#5. Mox Sapphire

Mox Sapphire accelerates the win condition of your blue Vintage deck. Plus, you can play Hurkyl's Recall to return all your Mox cards back to your hand once you have sacrificed them to cards like Krark-Clan Ironworks for additional ramp.

Mox Sapphire can also be sacrificed to Grinding Station to make an opponent mill three cards. You can repeat the process with the other free-to-play Mox cards since any artifact coming on to the battlefield untaps Grinding Station so it’s ready for another artifact sacrifice for more milling.

#4. Ancestral Recall

Ancestral Recall is the most powerful and highest valued 1-drop blue card draw spell in all of Magic: The Gathering. While it has a nostalgic flavor because it’s from the Unlimited Edition set of 1993, I’ve found other card draw spells that won’t break the bank.

Cerulean Wisps is a simple 1-drop that doesn’t do much, but it’s at least a cheap-costing card draw spell. Combat Research gives you repeated card draw as long as it’s enchanted on an evasive creature with abilities like trample or flying. These card draw solutions can be enjoyed for under $1.

#3. Time Walk

Time Walk heightens a player’s advantage by getting an additional turn to get closer to their win condition and is especially valued in spellslinger decks. Since this card is only legal in Canadian Highlander, let’s explore other options where you can take additional turns.

Expropriate, while an absurdly high mana cost, can get you up to three extra turns if you’re in a 4-player pod as long as all players vote for time.

#2. Timetwister

Timetwister features beautiful art of a witch that seems to be casting a wicked spell on a warrior engulfing him in flames. This blue sorcery that resets all players’ hands can substantially change a player’s strategy that could define their victory or loss.

I’ve found other ways that you can draw a full hand of cards. Time Reversal lets you do the same thing for 2 extra mana, but you can play it again by retrieving from exile back to your hand with cards like Riftsweeper and Pull from Eternity. Echo of Eons is another spell like Timetwister, except the flashback ability can generate more value in a spellslinger deck.

#1. Black Lotus

Black Lotus is the best card of the 1993 MTG cards because of its high monetary value. This free-to-cast artifact has been responsible for game finishers before it was banned in key formats like Legacy and Commander.

This card has restricted usage rules in Vintage and Old School. The only format in which it’s still legal is Canadian Highlander. You can have one copy of Black Lotus in your main deck or sideboard when playing Vintage.

Black Lotus is a member of the Power Nine with only 22,800 copies in existence. The 1,100 copies in Limited Edition Alpha and the 3,300 copies in Limited Edition Beta make this card one of the rarest and most prized mana rocks of Magic: The Gathering. The last 18,500 copies were printed in the Unlimited Edition set.

Which 1993 Magic: The Gathering Cards Are Worth Money?

Black Lotus is the most expensive card of all the 1993 Magic: The Gathering cards. Different versions have been sold at monstrously high prices. One Black Lotus that Christopher Rush, the card’s artist, had signed sold at an auction in March 2023 for $540,000. Back in 2022, Post Malone dished out $800,000 for an artist’s proof of Black Lotus that Christopher Rush also signed.

Some listings on eBay of other versions of Black Lotus from the Limited Edition Alpha set range from $10,000 to $140,000. The highest price Black Lotus on TCGplayer is being sold for $21,000.

Ancestral Recall is the second highest value card from Limited Edition Alpha, selling at about $11,000 on TCGplayer.

Black Lotus and Ancestral Recall are two members of the Power Nine, which are the most powerful cards of all in Magic: The Gathering that were introduced in the original 1993 sets.

These are the values of the 7 other members of the Power Nine:

• Time Walk: $7,700 (Alpha) and $4,630 (Beta)
• Timetwister: $17,000
• Mox Jet: $3,000
• Mox Pearl: $2,200
• Mox Ruby: $2,200
• Mox Emerald: $3,100
• Mox Sapphire: $5,000

Other high-value Limited Edition Alpha cards are listed below based on the TCGplayer market price. If the market price was not available, the most prevalent price available was listed:

• Bayou: $5,060
• Balance: $4,000
• Birds of Paradise: $3,600
• Badlands: $3,300
• Braingeyser: $3,000
• Copy Artifact: $2,100
• Counterspell: $800
• Demonic Tutor: $500

A couple of the most sought-after collector’s lands from this set include Tropical Island for $3,500 and Tundra for $4,000. Here are some of the most expensive cards from Limited Edition Beta:

• Savannah: $3,000
• Scrubland: $2,500
• Plateau: $2,000
• Wheel of Fortune: $1,600
• Sol Ring: $880
• Swords to Plowshares: $650

Arabian Nights doesn’t have cards with as high of values as the two preceding sets. Bazaar of Baghdad is worth about $2,240. Juzám Djinn has a market price of $2,100. Here are higher-priced cards featured in Arabian Nights:

• Diamond Valley: $800
• Jihad: $600
• Shahrazad: $600
• Drop of Honey: $600
• Island of Wak-Wak: $400

Wrap Up

Bayou | Illustration by Karl Kopinski

The year 1993 goes down in history as the epic start of Magic: The Gathering, the most popular trading card game worldwide. We hope you enjoyed learning more about the first cards released in Magic: The Gathering!

Do you want to learn more about Magic’s original sets of cards? Head over to the Draftsim Discord to chat it up with veteran players who know more! Also be sure to check out the Draftsim blog for more content updates on old and new cards alike!

Until next time, keep it old school with 1993 cards or new school with most recent set releases.