Crossbow Infantry

Crossbow Infantry was originally printed in the Ninth Edition core set of Magic: The Gathering, released in July 2005. As a core set, Ninth Edition was designed to provide a foundational pool of cards for players, featuring a mix of reprints that helped define the game's essential mechanics and common creature types. This specific iteration served as a functional representative of the white mana color identity, emphasizing defense and ranged combat capabilities.

The card features artwork by the illustrator Daren Bader, whose work was a staple of the era. Bader’s design sought to capture a sense of stoic, disciplined vigilance consistent with the white faction's aesthetic themes of order and protection. Upon its release, the card was received as a standard utility creature, valued primarily by newer players for its straightforward ability to ping targets and its contribution to limited deck building environments.