Compost

Compost was originally printed in the Urza's Destiny expansion in 1999 before being reprinted as part of the Magic: The Gathering Seventh Edition core set, which marked the first time the game utilized a new card frame design. Released in 2001, Seventh Edition was intended to streamline the game's aesthetic and provide a standardized entry point for players, featuring updated rules text and consistent layout elements that would define the game for years to come.

The card was illustrated by Marc Fishman, whose work during this era often leaned into the atmospheric and organic horror themes prevalent in the game’s black-aligned cards. Compost was designed as a niche mechanical tool against green decks, providing players with an advantage whenever a black permanent—or specifically an opponent's card—hit the graveyard. It remains a representative example of how early card design often focused on highly specific, color-reactive interactions that could shift the momentum of a casual game.