I’ve been neglecting some of the updates as there has been just a bounty of delicious, delicious art from a bunch of sets. Best of all, there’s been tons of great full art options to review.

round 1: Forest

Forst has been the most overdue for a full-art replacement, simply because I was cornered into using the Snow-Covered version. It’s beautiful, it’s Titus Lunter, but it’s not actually a forest per se. Fortunately, Kamigawa: Neon Dynasty rode to the rescue with a stunning set of full-art basics. Each color got two: one modern and one traditional.

Side note: the swamp alley with the bright red lantern triggered some rending of garments as a handful of players bemoaned how “they thought it was a mountain”. Please note the giant skull prominently displayed on the card.

Winner: Kamigawa

Round 2: Plains

The full-art, starfield Theros lands were always… fine. I appreciated that they looked unique; especially for plains which heavily lean towards “flat line on horizon” Every Single Time. Thus I was excited when Dominaria United had a theme of “stained glass” full-art lands. They looked absolutely stunning on digital platforms. They did not look as sharp in paper.

Winner: Theros: Beyond Death

round 3: Swamp

I do love how Wizards accidentally discovered that people are insane about basic lands with the original Unglued. The borderless swamp from Unstable was lovely. And then stupid Seb McKinnon (love the art, troublesome artist) knocked out an awesome special swamp for Secret Lair. Damn you wizards, take (more of) my money!

Winner: Secret Lair

round 4: island

Lord of the Rings brought the high heat with their basics!

I loved the river, despite it joining a distinguished cast of “not an island” for the art of said ecosystem. The classy old-time map is even better though! However, it had a serious problem. It’s competing in the full-art land slot, currently occupied by:

The OG Cup island! Classic “if you come at the king, you better not miss” and the map just didn’t have the staying power. So our good friend the Brandywine river replaces one of the redundant KTR lands.