Cavalier of Thorns

Cavalier of Thorns was originally introduced as a mythic rare card in the Core Set 2020 expansion, released by Wizards of the Coast in July 2019. It was designed as part of a cycle of five elemental cavaliers, each reflecting the color identity and mechanical themes of its respective mana color, with this version embodying the growth and graveyard-interaction focus of green. The card was illustrated by Daarken, who utilized a lush, visceral aesthetic to highlight the nature-bound, sentinel-like quality of the creature.

Upon its release, the card saw significant competitive play within the Standard format, particularly in decks leveraging its ability to manipulate the top of the library and recur powerful permanents from the graveyard upon death. Its inclusion in 'The List'—a rotating selection of cards from Magic's history that can appear in Set Boosters—served to maintain its availability to players long after the Core Set 2020 print run concluded. The design is widely regarded for its efficient stat line and high utility in midrange strategies.