Double-Faced Substitute Card

The Double-Faced Substitute Card, numbered 5, was introduced by Wizards of the Coast for the 2020 expansion set Zendikar Rising. As the set prominently featured Modal Double-Faced Cards (MDFCs), which possess different game mechanics on each side, these substitute cards were designed to address the practical challenge of using opaque sleeves. Players could mark the name of the specific card they were playing on the substitute card, allowing them to keep their double-faced game cards separate from the main deck until they were played.

The visual design of these cards leans into the utility-first aesthetic characteristic of Magic: The Gathering placeholder cards. While not illustrated in the traditional sense, the design focuses on clear, structured fields for card identification, ensuring functional clarity during tournament play. They were received primarily as a thoughtful quality-of-life inclusion for players, facilitating the seamless integration of complex card mechanics into standard deck-building practices.