Chart a Course

Chart a Course was introduced as part of the 2020 Jumpstart set for Magic: The Gathering, designed as a reprint of a card originally featured in the 2017 Ixalan expansion. The card was conceived to provide blue-aligned decks with an efficient way to filter their hands, specifically rewarding players for maintaining aggression by allowing them to draw two cards and discard one if they had attacked with a creature earlier in the turn. This iteration in Jumpstart utilized the set's unique distribution method, which allowed players to combine themed, pre-constructed packs for a quick and casual gameplay experience.

The card's design features artwork by Johannes Voss, who utilized the thematic backdrop of the Ixalan plane to depict a sailor consulting a map amidst a nautical setting. Voss’s style is known for its evocative lighting and character-focused compositions, and in this piece, he aimed to capture the adventurous spirit of explorers charting unknown waters. Upon its initial release and subsequent inclusion in Jumpstart, the card was well-received by the community for its versatile utility in both competitive formats like Pioneer and casual settings, serving as a staple example of color-pie-appropriate card selection.