Alliances
| |
| Expansion symbol |  
|
|---|---|
| Product code | ALL |
| Number of cards | 199 |
| Release date | 10 June 1996 |
| Design team | Skaff Elias (lead) Jim Lin, Chris Page, Dave Petty |
| Development team | {{{developers}}} |
Alliances is the second set in the Ice Age block. Released in 1996, it featured new concepts and some extremely powerful cards. Alliances was printed in English, French, German, Portuguese, Italian, and Spanish.
Alliances introduced the idea of alternate casting costs, ways of playing a spell other than by paying its mana cost. Alliances' cycle of 5 pitch cards proved extremely popular, and of the 5, many went on to see tournament play. Of particular note was Force of Will
, often described as "the glue that holds Type 1 together." The other 4 cards were Contagion
, Pyrokinesis
, Scars of the Veteran
, and Bounty of the Hunt
. All saw play at one time or another, generally in a mono-color aggro deck.
Other powerful Alliances cards include Balduvian Horde
(a real powerhouse at the time; basically the red Juzam Djinn
), Elvish Spirit Guide (another totally new concept, and a very playable card), Arcane Denial, Helm of Obedience, Ivory Gargoyle, Shield Sphere, and Death Spark. Alliances' lands turned out to be strong as well. Lake of the Dead, Kjeldoran Outpost, and Thawing Glaciers were powerhouses, with Outpost and Glaciers dominating many tournaments.
External links
- Alliances page from Wizards.com
