Abian, Luvion Usurper

Abian, Luvion Usurper was created as part of the Mystery Booster playtest cards released in 2019. These cards were designed to be included in a unique draft experience where players opened booster packs containing cards that mimicked the aesthetic and mechanical feel of internal Wizards of the Coast design tests. They were never intended for tournament play and were purposefully given a distinct, rudimentary visual style to emphasize their status as developmental experiments.

The card was illustrated by James Kooi, who utilized an unconventional, hand-drawn art style that deviates significantly from the polished, high-fantasy aesthetic typical of standard Magic: The Gathering cards. This intentional lack of polish served to enhance the 'playtest' theme, signaling to players that the card was a conceptual draft rather than a finalized product. The design was received with curiosity by the collecting community, who valued the cards as rare, ephemeral artifacts representing the behind-the-scenes creative process of game design.