Breath of Life

Breath of Life was originally printed in the Portal Second Age set in 1998 before being selected for the Seventh Edition base set, which marked the first time the game utilized a new card frame design. This card was designed as a quintessential white-aligned spell, focusing on the color's thematic reliance on resurrection and recovery. Its inclusion in Seventh Edition reflects the broader goal of that set: to create a cohesive, accessible core experience for players that balanced long-standing mechanics with updated aesthetics.

The card was illustrated by Greg Staples, whose work is characterized by a high degree of atmospheric detail and dramatic lighting. In depicting the essence of the spell, Staples aimed to convey a sense of divine intervention or mystical renewal. Upon its release, the card was well-received by the player base for its utility in gameplay, as it provided a relatively efficient way to return powerful creatures from the graveyard to the battlefield, a mechanic that remains a staple of the white color identity to this day.