Hunted Phantasm

Hunted Phantasm was released in 2005 as part of the Ravnica: City of Guilds expansion, the inaugural set of the Ravnica block. Designed by Richard Garfield and his team, the set introduced the concept of two-color guild mechanics, with this card representing the Dimir guild. It was crafted as a high-risk, high-reward creature, providing a powerful unblockable threat at a low mana cost, balanced by the mechanic of gifting tokens to an opponent.

The artwork was illustrated by Vance Kovacs, who utilized a moody, ethereal aesthetic to capture the shadowy nature of the Dimir. Upon release, the card became a notable example of 'pushed' design, often discussed by players for its ability to pressure opponents while simultaneously arming them, leading to complex strategic considerations during competitive play in both casual and constructed formats.