Brightclimb Pathway // Grimclimb Pathway

Brightclimb Pathway // Grimclimb Pathway was released in 2020 as part of the Zendikar Rising set for the collectible card game Magic: The Gathering. These dual-faced lands were introduced to provide flexible mana fixing, allowing players to choose between black or white mana sources upon playing the card to suit the needs of their deck strategy. This mechanic sought to balance competitive utility with the thematic focus of the Zendikar plane, a world defined by its volatile, shifting terrain.

The card features distinct, evocative artwork by Junggeun Yoon, who captured the crystalline and subterranean aesthetic characteristic of the Zendikar environment. The design team focused on a double-sided format to streamline gameplay by offering utility without the drawback of entering the battlefield tapped, a common design trade-off for dual lands. The cycle was well-received by the player base for its efficiency, quickly becoming a staple in both Standard and Pioneer formats due to its versatility in multicolored deck constructions.