Detonate

The Detonate card included in the 1996 Pro Tour Collector Set was part of a landmark release by Wizards of the Coast intended to commemorate the inaugural Pro Tour season. This set provided players and collectors with fixed, non-randomized versions of deck lists used by top competitors, effectively preserving a specific moment in the early meta-game of Magic: The Gathering. As a reprint of the card originally featured in the Antiquities expansion, this version serves as a functional artifact of the game's competitive history rather than a variant of the original card's aesthetic.

Originally illustrated by Anson Maddocks for the 1994 Antiquities set, the card’s art features a stark, visceral depiction of structural destruction fitting the theme of a resource-heavy, artifact-focused expansion. While the Pro Tour Collector Set versions are physically distinguished by gold-foil stamps and distinct card backs—making them ineligible for tournament play—they remain highly regarded for their role in documenting the rise of professional Magic. The design intent behind the release was to democratize access to tournament-caliber cards while fostering a deeper appreciation for the game's evolving strategic landscape.