Framing 25 Years of Magic | The History of Magic Card Frames 

good lord, this is an amazingly polished piece of art as a youtube video...wow

It's wild to look back at this video now, in a world of more than one Secret Lair per week where I honestly cannot say what a Magic Card looks like any more. Would love to see an update on this one.

Things that happened since this video: -Legendary cards have a new cool frame since Dominaria -M19 uses new technology to print exactly one double-faced card, which can be used again in the future -Masters 25 has set symbols as watermarks I guess -Ultimate Masters introduces cards with "enhanced art", which basically look like amateurish alters -Modern Horizons shows that Snow lands can be full art too -M20 marks the start of borderless tokens -Throne of Eldraine has a fancy frame for cards with the Adventure mechanic, as well as new overpriced boosters with enhanced art for regular cards and weird frames for Adventures -WotC promises to keep making those overpriced boosters with weird frames for each set's mechanic Last updated: September 2019

You should do "History of Magic" video, because there is nothing like that on here, and I really believe you'd be the only person able to give the topic the treatment it deserves. This was an amazing video btw

This video is a piece of art in itself, it was like a BBC planet earth video but for a card game.

I love how you show off each cards' beauty. Always complementing their colors with the background and surroundings.

I’d love to see a part 2 for this brilliant essay. Considering with how many new frame treatments have been created since, you could probably make something of an equal length, but then in another year or two there will be even more

As an old Magic player who’s slowly getting back into it, this is a fascinating look at the 15 or so years I’ve missed. Thank you.

When you look at the back face of most DFCs one of the indicators that you can't just play the back side of the card from your hand is the missing mana cost. You simply can't accidentally play a creature or a planeswalker with no mana cost, because that just doesn't make sense. Ixalan was the first set to print DFCs with lands on the back, and that actually constitutes a bit of a problem, because lands never have a mana cost. As a result, for those cards "not looking like a Magic card" is actually a bonus. It's a functional element because it helps ensure that the card doesn't get played incorrectly.

It's been 6 years and that Bonfire topdeck still hurts my soul to watch. Poor Kibbles.

I feel like a revisit to the subject is needed. It's been 4 years and they have really pushed the boundaries to say the least and have caused a lot of controversy.

The sheer amount of time that must have gone into research and editing alone is unreal. This is a masterpiece

This video is a long one, so here are some timestamps to help pace you: 2:03 Alpha Sets the Scene 10:17 The Uniformity of 8th Edition 17:13 Ravnica Goes Gold 24:52 Trailblazing in Zendikar 30:26 M15 is Modern Magic 36:23 The Masterpiece Experiment 48:30 Endscreen Groove

I cant believe I want he'd 49 minutes about card frames and at no point thought about switching videos

I think Lightning Bolt is further indicative of something that WOTC seems to be forgetting. Players don’t want to play as Gideon or Nissa, and they don’t want to watch Chandra throw fire out of her hands at her enemies. The players want to play as their own characters, themselves, they want to throw their own Lightning Bolts at their own opponents.

For me, nothing looks as good as a vintage frame artifact. It's perfect. Honorable mention to the black vintage frame as well.

Your best video yet.

50 minutes? You spoil us!

We need the update of this video. So many alternate arts. Alternate frames. So many.

Amazing video; easiest like, sub and favorite of my life. I'm working on a mobile CCG and have been struggling a lot with what style I should use to frame the cards and various UI elements. This video has too many valuable insights into how form meets function its making my head spin.

Man, you really know how to make the wait worth while.

TL:DW Everyone: "This isn't a magic card" Wizards: "Just try it" Everyone: "Hey I like this better"

I appreciated the Invocations when they released. I didn't like the illegibility of the text, but I always appreciate cards that prioritize the aesthetic over the design, especially if it's just a reprint. I also came from a YuGiOh background so that definitely helped but, nonetheless, I hope they keep making materpieces.

28:15 - As a long time DM player, I'd like to point something out about Duel Masters' two-faced cards that was not incorporated in Magic that some viewers may find interesting. Duel Masters had its first two faced cards printed in 2010 (in a set called DM-36 Psychic Shock), a year before first MtG two-faced cards in Innistrad in 2011. They featured exclusively on a supertype of Creatures called Psychic Creatures which instead of being shuffled into your deck like all regular cards would sit on the table in a special zone called Hyperspatial Zone. Rather than pay normally (with mana) for these cards, you would use a special kind of Spell (Sorcery, in MtG terminology) called Hyperspatial Holes which in addition to a normal effect (such as "draw a card" for Hyperspatial Energy Hole) would let you put a Psychic Creature from the Hyperspatial Zone onto the battlefield. Psychic Creatures had their own conditions for flipping similar to Magic two-faced cards, but they were in essence treated like tokens in Magic in that any kind of removal or bounce would return them back to the Hyperspatial Zone. In general I would suggest people who are interested in MtG design and general theory to have a look at Duel Masters and its concepts. In essence, it started off as a simplified Magic for the Japanese market and got incredibly popular. It has much simpler mechanics but due to it not being published in English anymore and the nature of Japanese script much wordier, complex and interesting game mechanics. One of its core concepts also is that you only require your deck to play and nothing else (no dice for counting life, no counters, nothing like that). This also made for a whole bunch of interesting design

I don't even play magic but I love this videos so much

I was wondering why we hadn't seen you for quite a while. I was beginning to think you didn't love us anymore. This video was worth the wait. Thanks for making it.

This video really needs a revisit or an extension with modern Magic sensibilities in mind. Secret Lairs, card skins, all the different arts and printings and versions of any given card in a set, etc.

I started working in a comic store a year and a half ago, buying and selling TCG singles- I came into the job knowing not ‘virtually’ nothing, but actually nothing about MTG as a franchise. I’ve learned so, so much in between then and now, but I’m always looking for resources to expand my knowledge of the game. This video was an amazing essay not just on the progression of aesthetics in the MTG frame design, which is super interesting personally, but also holds an incredible amount of info that can help ID a card. It also showed a whole host of points to check when you’re looking to ID a fake; I’ve got this bookmarked and I’m excited to go back to watch it again. Thank you so much!!!

oh man sam. I've been dying for an upload, but now I understand the wait! I havn't watched yet but i'm so incredibly excited

That was an amazing video! I was skeptical at first, if this is just a glorification of the old magic art style, but I obviously misjudged that. In my Opinion this is the Peak of Magic content on RU-vid right now, thank you for making that Video.

Would it be possible to get an essay update on "Frames Matter"? Specifically, regarding Wizards seemingly new found annihilation of the concept and just throw darts against the wall by the bucketful to see what sticks? To me, it feels like we are witnessing MtG begin the process of implosion with how much stock they are saturating the market, at a rate that nobody could hope to keep up with.

Man, I would love to see an updated version of this video reviewing all of the new borders we get with art treatments these days. It's all really beautiful and creative stuff

That is not a magic card.

I saw 49 minutes and I almost lost my mind. I’m gonna our this on the tv when I get out of work. Open a soda and enjoy this.

I’m stunned. Why isn’t this the number one spot on RU-vid; this is real quality content-creation.

Sam cast Past in Frames with Flashback-- it resolves.

49 minutes? I have been blessed.

20:29 - I feel the EXACT same way. They're still functional but very pretty and flavorful. I love the tree rings on the green cards. I never played during this time, but I'm confident I'd be happy with this change taking place.

As a maker of video essays, I feel that Rhystic Studies is up there with Every Frame a Painting.

This is a great video. I’ve watched it myself like 3 times and with others a few more. With the anticipated release of Eldraine, I’d love to see a part two that catches up with Adventures, Storybook specials, etc.

amazing video my friend. thanks for all of this fantastic info

Dude, you are seriously so good at these videos. I mean, come on, your editing and research are just some of the best. Thank you for this, as someone who loves MTG for the artwork and flavor, this is such a treat to see the history of cards frames laid out in such a cohesive manner.

I feel like every video you do is "your best video", all of them are so high quality, but his one truly stands out.

50% video essay, 50% documentary, 100% awesome.

This video is not a RU-vid video. This is a piece of art.

I don't think the crazy designs for masterpieces is a problem since they are intended to be special collector's items

I never thought I would watch and enjoy a 50 minute video about card frames. Well done!

This really is the best MTG documentary on RU-vid hands down

So to keep the running total after this video has been made: Dominaria introduced the update to the title line of legendary cards, adding the extra curves and flair to make them stand out among generic spells. Guilds of Ravnica introduced the split cards with half being hybrid, and half being gold (minor change but still hasn't been seen before).

And then with Dominaria, the Legendary border. And now, with Guilds of Ravnica, we have 8 full art planeswalkers.... that no one will be able to get, unless you go to the secondary market and pay $700+, since they're not in packs

I watch this video maybe once every three months. It is, unlike any of the contents of collector boosters, actually a masterpiece.

In Old School Magic, the same art and same frame is an extremely important rule. It ensures that players recognise the card even when the language isn't English. I play MtG 93/94 against players all over the world, even players that can't speak english. The art makes MtG into a global language by itself. Pretty amazing when you think about it.

I've watched this masterpiece way too many times. Much love.

Rewatching this after the reveal of Den of the Bugbear, and it explains so well why I love that card frame

As someone who hasn't played Magic, but is interested in learning it eventually, I'm really liking the calm and analytical approach to show you're exploring this topic, there's often excellent point-and-counterpoint to the topic at hand. It was great to find something like this today.

You should make a tutorial on how to play magic with this awesome visual aesthetic and your knack for teaching and explanation, yours would probably be better than all of the others

Would you ever do a update to this video or part 2 that discusses some of the changes to borders we have seen with Secret Layer and Ikora?

Quote on Quote: This video doesn’t look like a Rhystic video

For some reason there's just something funny about hearing Mark's excited voice and car-quality audio with smooth accompanied by smooth, calm music.

I just tried watching a 1 hour mtg timeline video and switched within 5 min. I saw this video nonstop and at no point did I even think about switching. Thus proving my point that this channel is just awesome for what it does and the way it delivers content. PS: please make a mtg timeline video. Atleast that way I’d sit through the entire thing and understand every detail of story line from the last few decades

I know that Dominaria wasn't being spoiled when this set was made but I guarantee that at least part of what mark was talking about was the new legend frames, and who know maybe there will be more stuff

this does not look like a Magic video

I gotta say, this is a masterpiece in post-production. All the easy-ease after effects speed graphs are perfect. Kudos

You captured the first reaction of my friend perfectly the first time he saw an Amonkhet masterpiece. "That's not a Magic card." I still like them, but I found it funny you caught the moment without being there.

Honestly I really like the Amonkhet Invocations, now I wouldn't want them as the main card frame, but for some special cards in an Egyptian based set I really enjoyed them for their flavor. Except the vertical power/toughness. That always bothered me.

i love you sam

One cool thing they did in Fate Reforged was introducing the first colorless non-artifact non-Eldrazi creature with Scion of Ugin, letting it use the colorless border

I sincerely hope you never stop making these

this is epic.... I needed this.

I remember being so confused when one of my friends pulled one of the fancy Amanket cards

I really enjoy when magic changes cardframes. It makes certain cards feel special, even if they are reprints or even common cards.

There are not many youtube creators who are able to make me watch through a 49 minute video in one sitting. From a german journalist: kudos to you for this perfect piece of content.

My biggest gripe with invocations was definitely the messy text boxes. Gives me a feeling that they didn't care, text running right up against the end or touching tangent lines. Especially the stupid lines that run horizontally through the textbox, intersecting the rules text. Gross.

I have 1 word: Yes

Dude, such a great deep-dive on this topic! The effort you put into each one of your videos is astounding and definitely separates your final product from so many others. Cheers!

My white border demonic tutor is one of my favorite cards in my collection. The set and especially the kinda sensual text are so bizarre and perfect

Holy long video batman, I do not mind at all.

I didn't realize how valuable the masterpieces were, I got an Armageddon awhile ago in a booster pack

I find myself coming back to this video again and again and again. One of the best videos I’ve ever experienced on this website and I just want to say thank you for making this a part of my life

This is not just a history on Magic but also a very detailed lesson on design. I think this would be a great video to show in design classes all over. Very well done!

Am I the only one who absolutely adores the amonket masterpieces?

One thing worth mentioning is how the Innistrad transform cards' reverse side replicates some of the designs of the Planar Chaos Timeshifted cards: Darkened colors and white typeline text. Though they still use the standard textures. Just more visual clues that you're looking at the back side of a transform card rather than the normal face. Another thing is that the Future Sight card type symbols are still in use in both MTGO and Magic Arena to assist players sorting through their collections.

Phenomenal video. I’m a big fan of the 1998-2003 frames and design. I started playing in 1997, so for me, the frame from those years is the most nostalgic and the best. I’m not into how “tech-y” the modern frames look, though I respect their legibility and functionality. While I don’t buy new Magic product, I’ll be interested to see how the frame experimentation keeps evolving.

I started playing MTG at the end of AVR and beginning of RTR so to sit through this video and see all the different frames and why or how they were a success or failure was intensely gratifying and pleasurable; thank you. Even I had that knee-jerk reaction of "this does not look like a Magic card" when I saw the M15 cards, even though I had not been playing for nearly as long as most people who do play Magic.

Am I the only one who likes the amonkhet masterpieces? Maybe is because I got a Force of Will in prerelease

I’m wondering if you could answer a question for me. I would really like to know how long it takes to produce the videos on your channel.

As a guy that started to play magic this year i love these types of videos that gives an insight to mtgs history!

Haven't played magic in 15 years. This really takes me back seeing all these old sets. Nostalgia overload.

Kind of stinks that they did ANOTHER major revision to the frame and text formatting within two months of this video's release.

My opinion of the Invocations has improved GREATLY. It went from a 1 to a 5, helped in part by the fact that they look better in person than on-screen. Unfortunately, a 5 is still sub-standard. It's still not great. I love ALL of the other Masterpieces, and adored the Ixalan flip lands as soon as they were revealed though. For me, if a card doesn't have a minimum level of functionality, I am simply not interested. Possession for its own sake simply... doesn't make sense to me.

Excellent work. It seems like every point you make is very well thought out, and it shows. This is probably your best video yet, and none of your videos are lacking in quality.

I am blown away at the sheer thoroughness of this analysis. Not only have you covered the vast majority of Magic's frame design over the years, you've also provided technically based rational behind WHY people dislike the changes. The caliber of this video is incredible, well done. I don't hate Invocations, but I do think the lack of a cohesive theme compared to other Masterpieces is another mark against them. Zendikar Expeditions are all lands. Kaladesh Inventions are all Artifacts. Even the Ixalan dual face cards are all enchantments or artifacts that transform into lands. The Invocations are a mix of creatures, instants, sorceries, and enchantments. Its just doesn't feel as evocative as the previous versions of the Masterpiece series.

Promo Omnath would like a word

Oh my God, I feel so much more inteligent after this

One of the most fantastic videos I've seen on youtube. This is down to the point, and never once wanted to go find something else to watch. Will subscribe now!

I love these videos. I literally watch them over and over again and I always learn something more when I rewatch them. Thank you for producing them.

Well we know there's a new frame coming with the Ezuri in the Elves vs Inventors duel decks, hopefully that's a Tesla and not a Ferrari!

things have gotten so much worse since this video was made lmao, needs an update imo

The game is better for having you as part of the community Sam. Thanks for all the hard work!

Discovered your channel today and in short, amazing work. I've stopped playing magic last year and the way you go into detail about certain things makes me want to play again. Keep up the great work man. This channel along side Rudy's is probably the two best channels for magic for me now.