Hogaak, Arisen Necropolis // Hogaak, Arisen Necropolis

Hogaak, Arisen Necropolis debuted in the 2019 Modern Horizons set, a Magic: The Gathering expansion designed specifically for the Modern format without passing through Standard legality. The creature, designed by the Wizards of the Coast development team, was intended to evoke a massive, unstoppable force fueled by the graveyard. Its design process focused on unique resource management, allowing players to cast it by exiling creatures from their graveyard rather than paying traditional mana costs, an ability that inadvertently led to it becoming one of the most powerful and controversial cards in the game's history.

The artwork for the card was created by Vincent Proce, who sought to capture the entity’s sheer scale and the chaotic nature of the necropolis it represents. Proce utilized a visceral, dark aesthetic to convey the horror of a mountain-sized creature rising from the dead. Upon its release, the card faced intense scrutiny from the competitive community; its efficiency proved so disruptive that it eventually necessitated a ban in multiple tournament formats, cementing its reputation as a legendary example of pushed design within the card game's modern era.