Elemental

The Elemental token from the Rivals of Ixalan set was introduced by Wizards of the Coast in January 2018 as a companion piece to the core Rivals of Ixalan expansion. These tokens were designed to represent the various creatures created by card abilities during gameplay, specifically serving cards like 'Hungering Hydra' or similar mechanics found within the Ixalan block’s tribal-focused environment. Tokens like these are essential functional components of the Magic: The Gathering trading card game, created to provide a standardized visual reference for temporary battlefield entities.

The visual direction for the Ixalan block drew heavy inspiration from Mesoamerican mythology and exploration-era aesthetics, emphasizing vibrant, primal imagery. This specific Elemental design features the distinct, lush, and somewhat chaotic elemental magic style established for the plane of Ixalan. Illustrators for the set were tasked with maintaining consistency with the broader theme of the plane, resulting in a design that emphasizes the raw, untamed nature of the jungle setting while adhering to the technical requirements for clear, readable game-state representation.