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|sub1 = Trivia
  
|sub1 = Trivia
 
}}
  
}}
  +
{{About|the expansion set|the short story|The Dark (story)|other uses}}
−
{{otheruses}}
  
 
{{Infobox set
  
{{Infobox set
 
|image = TheDark_Logo.jpg
  
|image = TheDark_Logo.jpg
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|plane = [[Dominaria (plane)|Dominaria]] ([[Terisiare]])
  
|plane = [[Dominaria (plane)|Dominaria]] ([[Terisiare]])
 
|mechanics = [[Tribal (theme)|Tribal]], first mood-based theme, [[graveyard]] as resource, [[exile]], [[poison]] counters
  
|mechanics = [[Tribal (theme)|Tribal]], first mood-based theme, [[graveyard]] as resource, [[exile]], [[poison]] counters
−
|size= 119 (40 Common 1 Uncommon 78 Rare)
 +
|size= 119 cards<br/>{{curmb|40|1|78}}
 
|code_expansion = DRK
  
|code_expansion = DRK
−
|code_expansion_ref=<ref>{{DailyRef|ask-wizards-august-2004-2004-08-02|Ask Wizards - August, 2004|[[Wizards of the Coast]]|August 02, 2004}}</ref>
 +
|code_expansion_ref= {{DailyRef|ask-wizards-august-2004-2004-08-02|Ask Wizards - August, 2004|[[Wizards of the Coast]]|August 02, 2004}}
−
|series = Non-[[block]] [[expansion]]s
 +
|series = Early non-[[block]] [[expansion]]s
−
|first = [[Legends]]
 +
|first = Legends
−
|second = '''The Dark'''
 +
|second = The Dark
−
|third = [[Fallen Empires]]
 +
|third = Fallen Empires
−
|previous = [[Legends]]
 +
|previous = Legends
−
|next = [[Fallen Empires]]
 +
|next = Fallen Empires
 
}}
  
}}
 
'''The Dark''' is the fourth ''[[Magic]]'' expansion and was released on August 8, 1994. It is not considered to be part of any block.
  
'''The Dark''' is the fourth ''[[Magic]]'' expansion and was released on August 8, 1994. It is not considered to be part of any block.
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===Marketing===
  
===Marketing===
−
''The Dark'' was sold in eight-card [[booster pack|packs]] which included six [[common]]s and two [[uncommon]]s. Cards were available from mid August 1994 through mid November 1994. The print run was announced by Wizards to be 62 million cards. ''The Dark'' was the first Magic expansion that was released in the Italian language (the Italian ''[[Legends]]'' was released later).
 +
''The Dark'' was sold in eight-card [[booster pack]]s which included six [[common]]s and two [[uncommon]]s. Cards were available from mid-August 1994 through mid-November 1994. The print run was announced by Wizards to be 62 million cards. ''The Dark'' was the first Magic expansion that was released in the Italian language (the Italian ''[[Legends]]'' was released later).
   
 
===Storyline===
  
===Storyline===
  +
The expansion was introduced with a [[The Dark (story)|short story]] describing the ominous and powerful nature of the dark magic from which the set took its name.<ref>[[Kathy Ice|Ice, Kathy]], [[Beverly Marshall Saling]], & [[Rick Saling Marshall]]. (1994). "The Dark". ''[[The Duelist]]''. Issue 2, Summer 1994.</ref>
⚫
The climax of the [[Brothers' War]] was the [[Sylex Blast]], which lofted debris into the air blotting out the sun and creating [[The Dark Age|The Dark]]. Without the sun the climate begins to cool, and an anti-magic religion comes to power, blaming the Sylex blast and its effects on all magic and its users. Persecution of these magic using wizards led to the creation of the fabled [[City of Shadows]] in the east and the [[Conclave of Mages]] in the west, where they hid themselves during this time.
  
  +
  ⚫
In the flavor text of the set's cards, another story was told: The climax of the [[Brothers' War]] was the [[Sylex Blast]], which lofted debris into the air blotting out the sun and creating [[The Dark Age|The Dark]]. Without the sun the climate begins to cool, and an anti-magic religion comes to power, blaming the Sylex blast and its effects on all magic and its users. Persecution of these magic-using wizards led to the creation of the fabled [[City of Shadows]] in the east and the [[Conclave of Mages]] in the west, where they hid themselves during this time.
   
 
==Creature types==
  
==Creature types==
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! Original summon type !! Later creature type
  
! Original summon type !! Later creature type
 
|-
  
|-
−
| Bandit || later changed to [[Human]] [[Rogue]]
 +
| Bandit || [[Human]] [[Rogue]]
 
|-
  
|-
−
| Brother || later changed to Human [[Shaman]]
 +
| Brother || Human [[Shaman]]
 
|-
  
|-
−
| Cave People || later changed to Human
 +
| Cave People || Human
 
|-
  
|-
−
| Exorcist || later changed to Human [[Cleric]]
 +
| Exorcist || Human [[Cleric]]
 
|-
  
|-
−
| Hunter || later changed to Human Cleric
 +
| Hunter || Human Cleric
 
|-
  
|-
−
| Miracle Worker || later changed to Human Cleric
 +
| Miracle Worker || Human Cleric
 
|-
  
|-
−
| Mob || later changed to Human
 +
| Mob || Human
 
|-
  
|-
−
| People of the Woods || later changed to Human
 +
| People of the Woods || Human
 
|-
  
|-
−
| Pikemen || later changed to Human [[Soldier]]
 +
| Pikemen || Human [[Soldier]]
 
|-
  
|-
−
| Preacher || later changed to Human Cleric
 +
| Preacher || Human Cleric
 
|-
  
|-
−
| Robber || later changed to Human Rogue
 +
| Robber || Human Rogue
 
|-
  
|-
−
| Scavenger Folk || later changed to just [[Scavenger]], then Human
 +
| Scavenger Folk || [[Scavenger]], then Human
 
|-
  
|-
−
| Sister || later changed to Human Shaman
 +
| Sister || Human Shaman
 
|-
  
|-
−
| Squire || later changed to Human Soldier
 +
| Squire || Human Soldier
 
|-
  
|-
−
| Tracker || later changed to Human
 +
| Tracker || Human
 
|-
  
|-
−
| Uncle Istvan || later changed to Human
 +
| Uncle Istvan || Human
 
|-
  
|-
−
| [[Leech]] || <small>''(Unchanged)''</small>
 +
| [[Leech]] || ''(Unchanged)''
 
|-
  
|-
−
| [[Lurker]] || <small>''(Unchanged)''</small>
 +
| [[Lurker]] || [[Beast]]
 
|-
  
|-
−
| [[Nameless-Race]] || <small>''(No creature type)''</small>
 +
| [[Nameless-Race]] || ''(No creature type)''
 
|-
  
|-
−
| Whippoorwill || later changed to [[Bird]]
 +
| Whippoorwill || [[Bird]]
 
|-
  
|-
−
| Ball Lightning || later changed to [[Elemental]]
 +
| Ball Lightning || [[Elemental]]
 
|-
  
|-
−
| Eel || later changed to [[Fish]]
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| Eel || [[Fish]]
 
|-
  
|-
−
| Shark || later changed to Fish
 +
| Shark || Fish, then back to [[Shark]]
 
|-
  
|-
−
| Rock Sled || later changed to [[Goblin]]
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| Rock Sled || [[Goblin]]
 
|-
  
|-
−
| Eater || later changed to [[Horror]]
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| Eater || [[Horror]]
 
|-
  
|-
−
| Rag Man || later changed to [[Minion]]
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| Rag Man || [[Minion]]
 
|-
  
|-
−
| General || later changed to [[Orc]] [[Warrior]]
 +
| General || [[Orc]] [[Warrior]]
 
|-
  
|-
−
| Niall Silvain || later changed to [[Ouphe]]
 +
| Niall Silvain || [[Ouphe]]
 
|-
  
|-
−
| Viper || later changed to [[Snake]]
 +
| Viper || [[Snake]]
 
|-
  
|-
−
| Banshee || later changed to [[Spirit]]
 +
| Banshee || [[Spirit]]
 
|-
  
|-
−
| Fallen || later changed to [[Zombie]]
 +
| Fallen || [[Zombie]]
 
|-
  
|-
−
| Murk Dwellers || later changed to Zombie
 +
| Murk Dwellers || Zombie
 
|}
  
|}
   
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! White !! Black
  
! White !! Black
 
|-
  
|-
−
| '''<c>Angry Mob</c>''''' (P/T depend on opponent's black)'' || '''<c>Nameless Race</c>''''' (P/T depend on opponent's white)''
 +
| {{card|Angry Mob||DRK}} ''(P/T depend on opponent's black)'' || {{card|Nameless Race||DRK}} ''(P/T depend on opponent's white)''
 
|-
  
|-
−
| '''<c>Exorcist</c>''''' (destroy black creatures)'' || '''<c>Inquisition</c>''''' (damage depending on opponent's white)''
 +
| {{card|Exorcist||DRK}} ''(destroy black creatures)'' || {{card|Inquisition||DRK}} ''(damage depending on opponent's white)''
 
|-
  
|-
 
! White !! Red
  
! White !! Red
 
|-
  
|-
−
| '''<c>Tivadar's Crusade</c>''''' (destroy Goblins)'' <br> '''<c>Knights of Thorn</c>''''' (protection from red)''
 +
| {{card|Tivadar's Crusade||DRK}} ''(destroy Goblins)'' <br/> {{card|Knights of Thorn||DRK}} ''(protection from red)''
−
| '''<c>Goblin Wizard</c>''''' (put Goblins onto the battlefield, <br>give protection from white)''
 +
| {{card|Goblin Wizard||DRK}} ''(put Goblins onto the battlefield, give protection from white)''
 
|}
  
|}
   
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! Green for Black !! Blue for Red
  
! Green for Black !! Blue for Red
 
|-
  
|-
−
| '''<c>Elves of Deep Shadow</c>''''' (black mana source)'' <br> '''<c>Wormwood Treefolk</c>''''' (ability activated by black mana)'' <br> '''<c>Dark Heart of the Wood</c>''''' (polychrome black/green card)''
 +
| {{card|Elves of Deep Shadow||DRK}} ''(black mana source)'' <br/> {{card|Wormwood Treefolk||DRK}} ''(ability activated by black mana)'' <br/> {{card|Dark Heart of the Wood||DRK}} ''(polychrome black/green card)''
−
| '''<c>Electric Eel</c>''''' (ability activated by red mana)'' <br> '''<c>Coal Golem</c>''''' (artifact; red mana source)''
 +
| {{card|Electric Eel||DRK}} ''(ability activated by red mana)'' <br/> {{card|Coal Golem||DRK}} ''(artifact; red mana source)''
 
|}
  
|}
   
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! Black & Blue
  
! Black & Blue
 
|-
  
|-
−
| '''<c>Scarwood Goblins</c>''''' (polychrome green/red card)''
 +
| {{card|Scarwood Goblins||DRK}} ''(polychrome green/red card)''
−
| '''<c>Marsh Goblins</c>''''' (polychrome red/black card)''
 +
| {{card|Marsh Goblins||DRK}} ''(polychrome red/black card)''
−
| '''<c>Drowned</c>''''' (blue card, ability activated by black mana)''
 +
| {{card|Drowned||DRK}} ''(blue card, ability activated by black mana)''
 
|}
  
|}
   
−
==Mirorred pair==
 +
===Pairs===
  +
''The Dark'' has one [[mirrored pair]]
⚫
*<c>Ashes to Ashes</c> and <c>Dust to Dust</c> not only have names related names to the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Book_of_Common_Prayer Book of Common Prayer], but are both [[uncommon]] [[sorceries]] with a mana cost of 1MM that exile two permanents of a certain type.
  
  +
  +
{| class="wikitable"
  +
|-
  +
! colspan="2"|Mirrored Pairs
  +
!Description
  +
|-
  +
|{{card|Ashes to Ashes||DRK}} <br/> {{nowrap|({{B}})}}
  +
|{{card|Dust to Dust||DRK}} <br/> {{nowrap|({{W}})}}
  ⚫
|Both have names related to the [[Wikipedia:Book of Common Prayer|Book of Common Prayer]], and are both [[uncommon]] [[sorceries]] with a mana cost of 1MM that exile two permanents of a certain type.
  +
|}
   
 
==Notable cards==
  
==Notable cards==
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==Functional reprints==
  
==Functional reprints==
 
''The Dark'' has one [[functional reprint]]:
  
''The Dark'' has one [[functional reprint]]:
−  
 
*<c>Goblin Hero</c> is a functional reprint of <c>Gray Ogre</c> from ''[[Revised]]'' and <c>Raging Bull</c> from ''[[Legends]]'', save for creature type.
  
*<c>Goblin Hero</c> is a functional reprint of <c>Gray Ogre</c> from ''[[Revised]]'' and <c>Raging Bull</c> from ''[[Legends]]'', save for creature type.
   
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{{Main|The Dark/Trivia}}
  
{{Main|The Dark/Trivia}}
 
*Many cards in this set blatantly conflict today's ideas of a [[Color Pie|color pie]]. <c>Erosion</c> is blue land destruction. <c>Fire and Brimstone</c> is white direct damage. <c>Fissure</c> is red targeted creature destruction. <c>Holy Light</c> is white toughness reduction. <c>Mana Vortex</c> is blue mass land destruction. <c>Merfolk Assassin</c> offers blue repeatable creature destruction. <c>Mind Bomb</c> is blue direct damage or discard. <c>Preacher</c> offers white repeatable creature control. <c>Witch Hunter</c> is both white direct damage and repeatable [[bounce]]. <c>Word of Binding</c> is black creature tapping.
  
*Many cards in this set blatantly conflict today's ideas of a [[Color Pie|color pie]]. <c>Erosion</c> is blue land destruction. <c>Fire and Brimstone</c> is white direct damage. <c>Fissure</c> is red targeted creature destruction. <c>Holy Light</c> is white toughness reduction. <c>Mana Vortex</c> is blue mass land destruction. <c>Merfolk Assassin</c> offers blue repeatable creature destruction. <c>Mind Bomb</c> is blue direct damage or discard. <c>Preacher</c> offers white repeatable creature control. <c>Witch Hunter</c> is both white direct damage and repeatable [[bounce]]. <c>Word of Binding</c> is black creature tapping.
−  
 
*Although the [[multicolor]]ed cards in the ''[[Legends]]'' expansion did not, the three multicolored cards in ''The Dark'' have [[reminder text]] to remind the player that the card counts as two colors.<ref>{{DailyRef|dark-goblins-2002-10-11|Dark Goblins|[[Magic Arcana]]|October 11, 2002}}</ref>
  
*Although the [[multicolor]]ed cards in the ''[[Legends]]'' expansion did not, the three multicolored cards in ''The Dark'' have [[reminder text]] to remind the player that the card counts as two colors.<ref>{{DailyRef|dark-goblins-2002-10-11|Dark Goblins|[[Magic Arcana]]|October 11, 2002}}</ref>
−  
 
*Only one of the four lands printed in ''The Dark'' produces mana.
  
*Only one of the four lands printed in ''The Dark'' produces mana.
   
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*{{Oldprodpage|Dark|The_Dark|The Dark}} (old)
  
*{{Oldprodpage|Dark|The_Dark|The Dark}} (old)
 
*[http://magic.wizards.com/en/game-info/products/card-set-archive/the-dark Official The Dark Information Product Page] (new)
  
*[http://magic.wizards.com/en/game-info/products/card-set-archive/the-dark Official The Dark Information Product Page] (new)
−
* [http://archive.wizards.com/magic/generic/cardlists/The_Dark_Checklist.txt ''The Dark'' checklist]
 +
*[http://archive.wizards.com/magic/generic/cardlists/The_Dark_Checklist.txt ''The Dark'' checklist]
   
  +
{{Sets|state=collapsed}}
 
{{Dominaria|sets}}
  
{{Dominaria|sets}}
−
{{Sets}}
  
−
[[Category:Magic sets]]
  

Revision as of 18:38, 26 June 2021

The Dark
 
Trivia
 
This page is about the expansion set. For the short story, see The Dark (story). For other uses, see The Dark (disambiguation).

The Dark
TheDark Logo
Set Information
Set symbol
Symbol description Crescent Moon
Design Jesper Myrfors
Steve Bishop
Glenn Elliott
Beverly Marshall Saling
Development Skaff Elias
Jim Lin
Chris Page
Dave Pettey
Art direction Sandra Everingham
Release date August 8, 1994
Plane Dominaria (Terisiare)
Themes and mechanics Tribal, first mood-based theme, graveyard as resource, exile, poison counters
Set size 119 cards
(40 commons, 1 uncommons, 78 rares)
Expansion code DRK[1]
Early non-block expansions
Legends The Dark Fallen Empires
Magic: The Gathering Chronology
Legends The Dark Fallen Empires

The Dark is the fourth Magic expansion and was released on August 8, 1994. It is not considered to be part of any block.

The Dark booster

The Dark booster

Set details

The Dark was printed on sheets of 121 cards and contains 119 unique cards total. The set's rarity breakdown is: 40 commons (40@C3), 1 Uncommon (1@C1), 78 Rares (35@U1, 43@U2). The Dark includes a goblin tribal theme, powerful abilities with intense colored mana and upkeep costs, and the return of Poison counters. The expansion symbol of the set is a thin crescent moon to evoke The Dark’s tone.[2] The Dark introduced the first multicolored noncreature card, the first common multicolored card, and the first enemy-pair multicolored card.

The Dark lands have a unique dark grey-purple colored text box, which was reprinted on the Chronicles version of Safe Haven.

Marketing

The Dark was sold in eight-card booster packs which included six commons and two uncommons. Cards were available from mid-August 1994 through mid-November 1994. The print run was announced by Wizards to be 62 million cards. The Dark was the first Magic expansion that was released in the Italian language (the Italian Legends was released later).

Storyline

The expansion was introduced with a short story describing the ominous and powerful nature of the dark magic from which the set took its name.[3]

In the flavor text of the set's cards, another story was told: The climax of the Brothers' War was the Sylex Blast, which lofted debris into the air blotting out the sun and creating The Dark. Without the sun the climate begins to cool, and an anti-magic religion comes to power, blaming the Sylex blast and its effects on all magic and its users. Persecution of these magic-using wizards led to the creation of the fabled City of Shadows in the east and the Conclave of Mages in the west, where they hid themselves during this time.

Creature types

The Dark greatly expanded the concept of a "tribe," or a specific creature type (briefly touched upon in Legends with the kobold creature type). It contains six goblins, a card named "Goblin Rock Sled," two creatures with abilities that reference goblins, two Auras that can give a bonus to goblins, and a sorcery to destroy all goblins — Tivadar's Crusade. Despite this creature-type theme, most of the rest of the set used unusual, creature-specific creature types like other early expansions.

The following creature types are introduced in this expansion:

Original summon type Later creature type
Bandit Human Rogue
Brother Human Shaman
Cave People Human
Exorcist Human Cleric
Hunter Human Cleric
Miracle Worker Human Cleric
Mob Human
People of the Woods Human
Pikemen Human Soldier
Preacher Human Cleric
Robber Human Rogue
Scavenger Folk Scavenger, then Human
Sister Human Shaman
Squire Human Soldier
Tracker Human
Uncle Istvan Human
Leech (Unchanged)
Lurker Beast
Nameless-Race (No creature type)
Whippoorwill Bird
Ball Lightning Elemental
Eel Fish
Shark Fish, then back to Shark
Rock Sled Goblin
Eater Horror
Rag Man Minion
General Orc Warrior
Niall Silvain Ouphe
Viper Snake
Banshee Spirit
Fallen Zombie
Murk Dwellers Zombie

The following creature types are used in this expansion but also appear in previous sets: Drake, Elf, Goblin, Hag, Imp, Knight, Leviathan, Merfolk, Monster, Rat, Ship (later changed to Spirit), Slug, Treefolk, Wall, Wizard, Wurm and Zombie.

Cycles

The Dark has no cycles.

The recurring cycle of color hosers is broken. Some green and blue cards support black and red, instead of hosing them. Metaphorically, in the Dark, White was abandoned by its allies Green and Blue.

Color hosers
White Black
Angry Mob (P/T depend on opponent's black) Nameless Race (P/T depend on opponent's white)
Exorcist (destroy black creatures) Inquisition (damage depending on opponent's white)
White Red
Tivadar's Crusade (destroy Goblins)
Knights of Thorn (protection from red) 		Goblin Wizard (put Goblins onto the battlefield, give protection from white)
"Traitor colors"
Green for Black Blue for Red
Elves of Deep Shadow (black mana source)
Wormwood Treefolk (ability activated by black mana)
Dark Heart of the Wood (polychrome black/green card) 		Electric Eel (ability activated by red mana)
Coal Golem (artifact; red mana source)

In later expansions, there will be cycles of allied colors cards. In the Dark, this cycle is broken. As stated above, White is betrayed by its Green and Blue allies.

Allied colors
Green & Red Red & Black Black & Blue
Scarwood Goblins (polychrome green/red card) Marsh Goblins (polychrome red/black card) Drowned (blue card, ability activated by black mana)

Pairs

The Dark has one mirrored pair

Mirrored Pairs Description
Ashes to Ashes
({B}) 		Dust to Dust
({W}) 		Both have names related to the Book of Common Prayer, and are both uncommon sorceries with a mana cost of 1MM that exile two permanents of a certain type.

Notable cards

Functional reprints

The Dark has one functional reprint:

Trivia

Main article: The Dark/Trivia

Misprints

The artist Dennis Detwiller is incorrectly credited as Denise Detwiler on the following cards:

References

  1. ↑ Wizards of the Coast (August 02, 2004). "Ask Wizards - August, 2004". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  2. ↑ Brady Dommermuth (October 31, 2006). "Ask Wizards". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.
  3. ↑ Ice, Kathy, Beverly Marshall Saling, & Rick Saling Marshall. (1994). "The Dark". The Duelist. Issue 2, Summer 1994.
  4. ↑ Magic Arcana (October 11, 2002). "Dark Goblins". magicthegathering.com. Wizards of the Coast.

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