Gitaxian Probe

Gitaxian Probe was originally released in the 2011 set New Phyrexia as a common-rarity sorcery. Designed by the Magic: The Gathering development team to explore the Phyrexian mana mechanic, the card allowed players to pay two life instead of blue mana to cast it, granting both card draw and information about the opponent’s hand. This efficient design quickly cemented the card as a staple in competitive formats, proving to be an invaluable tool for combo decks that relied on perfect information to execute their game plans.

The 2012 Friday Night Magic promotional version features distinct artwork by Aleksi Briclot. As part of the weekly tournament reward series, this printing was awarded to participants at local game stores to encourage play. Briclot’s illustration leans into the gruesome, industrial aesthetic of the Phyrexians, portraying the card's theme of invasive psychological observation. While the card was later banned or restricted in several competitive formats due to its extreme efficiency and lack of resource cost, this promotional version remains a sought-after collectible for players who appreciate the visual narrative of the Phyrexian invasion.