Charm School

Charm School was released in 1998 as part of Unglued, the first joke set produced by Wizards of the Coast for the Magic: The Gathering trading card game. Created by lead designer Mark Rosewater, the set was designed to break the established rules of the game to provide a humorous, tongue-in-cheek experience for players who had grown weary of strictly competitive play. The card itself, illustrated by Heather Hudson, features a lighthearted design intended to mock the earnest tone of standard fantasy cards by introducing absurd mechanics that rewarded players for being polite.

The reception of Unglued was unique, as it was never intended for sanctioned tournament play and was instead designed to be drafted for fun. While some players were initially skeptical of a parody set, the design philosophy behind Charm School and its companions helped establish the 'silver-bordered' tradition, which allowed the developers to experiment with mechanics that would otherwise be impossible within the formal rules engine. This card remains a symbol of that era's willingness to prioritize playfulness over mechanical rigidity.